My trip to Jackson, Michigan, coincided with Jackson County Restaurant Week, Burger Edition, November 11-17, 2024, so all the local restaurants I visited offered burgers. You’ll find a wide variety of places to eat in the Jackson area featuring burgers, from high-end restaurants to dive bars and everything in between. But no matter the place, all have tasty burgers, some of the best burgers in the county.

I could visit any of the 26 participating restaurants throughout the county to enjoy a selection from their special $15 menu, which featured a unique burger and side selection. I needed to receive at least five stamps on my card before the week was out to be eligible for the prize drawing at the end of the week. Then, I could turn in my punch card at any participating restaurant following my visit for entry into the final prize drawing. One punch card per person. One punch per purchased meal.

Everyone was encouraged to share a photo of their food with #TasteOfJackson. If you’re wondering what the rest of these burgers looked like, check out #TasteOfJackson. I was amazed at the many versions, from vegan to vegetarian and gluten-free to low-carb. The choices far surpassed what you might consider burger toppings.  

While the 2024 Jackson County Restaurant Week Burger Edition has ended, the culinary journey doesn’t have to. These restaurants are open year-round, ready to satisfy your burger cravings whenever they strike. And Experience Jackson offers Restaurant Week twice yearly, in the spring and fall. Check out their website for future Restaurant Weeks in 2025, featuring the best of Jackson’s culinary scene.

Here are seven places to eat burgers in Jackson, Michigan, listed alphabetically. While I can’t pick a favorite restaurant, I highly recommend these burger options. I’ve also made a dessert suggestion and something for foodies to do between restaurants.

Thank you to Experience Jackson for hosting my burger-tasting experience.

Bone Island Grille

Bone Island Grille is one of Jackson’s most popular restaurants. Its fun island-themed interior features turquoise and orange walls decorated with giant fish and other South Florida island props. The kitschy atmosphere makes it a fun place to grab a meal with friends and maybe have an island-themed classic cocktail or two.

Their Restaurant Week burger offerings included a Ruben Burger, an Autumn Burger, and a Texas BBQ Burger. I opted for the Texas BBQ Burger, which started with grilled Texas toast and then loaded on a half-pound burger piled high with Cheddar cheese, onion rings, bacon, and BBQ sauce. They served it with curly fries. The Texas Toast made for a different bun option to shake things up.

The menu includes tacos, seafood, tender shrimp dishes, and juicy burgers. The next time I eat there, I’ll try one of their shrimp dishes.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Besides lunch and dinner, Bone Island Grill serves breakfast, too.

Booher’s Fresh Market & Diner

My first stop was Booher’s Fresh Market & Diner, an informal spot with a dining area that seats about 30 people. I know it’s a cliché, but this is a local restaurant hidden gem. Located at 3405 Brooklyn Road in Napoleon, the restaurant is still in Jackson County, so it is fair to include it.  

I tried the Booher’s Burger, served with homemade Jalapeño Poppers. The double smash burger had Cheddar cheese and all the toppings. On the side, they served onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and Booher Sauce. This was a lot of food for the money, as the meal included a drink for $15.

They also offered a Steak Diane Burger and a Bacon Blue Cheeseburger. I’m sure these were equally satisfying!

If you visit outside of Restaurant Week, you’ll also find a variety of smash burgers on the menu. Check out their Facebook page for their weekly specials. This is also a popular breakfast spot on weekends.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Take home a whole pie, and the entire family will enjoy it. Their fruit pies feature Michigan-grown fruit. Consider placing an order for several pies for your holiday gathering. The type of pie available varies seasonally.

Mama’s Mercantile and Eatery

Mama’s Mercantile and Eatery is a comfortable, modern diner-style restaurant in Jackson County. Although technically Grass Lake, this eatery serves great food worth the short drive from Jackson proper.

Their Burger Week menu featured three burgers. The Thanksgiving Burger, a more exciting name than a turkey burger, came on a house-made sweet potato bun. The bun had a foundation of cranberry sauce and peppery arugula. The turkey burger sat on the bed of arugula, and then the chef topped it with Brie cheese, which melted over the sides of the burger. This was a great take on what we can look forward to on Thanksgiving.

The other options were Hunter’s Delight and a vegetarian selection named Pickles + Portobello. The Hunter’s Delight was a 50 – 50 combination of venison and beef patty, topped with Cheddar cheese, a beer-battered onion ring, lettuce, and campfire sauce. The vegetarian option featured a grilled balsamic Dijon marinated portobello cap topped with arugula, romesco sauce, house-pickled red onions, carrots, and pickles on a Ciabatta bun. This was a flavorful option and a great alternative to the typical Impossible Burger, often offered as a vegetarian option.

Besides Burgers at One of the Places to Eat in Jackson County

As an add-on, I also had a cup of butternut squash soup garnished with fried sage leaves, which went well with the flavors of the Thanksgiving Burger. The soup also had a bit of crème fraiche and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

For dessert, I had blueberry shortcake, which started with homemade sweet biscuits topped with whipped cream and then a wonderful blueberry compote topped with even more whipped cream and a bit of mint.

If it isn’t burger week, try the prime rib sandwich French dip style. It features shaved prime rib on a Hoagie roll, covered with sauteed onions and melted Provolone cheese, then topped with a horseradish cream sauce.

Try one of their handcrafted cocktails, like the Not Your Mama’s Apple Pie, to accompany your meal. This cocktail features pear vodka, Dexter Cider Mill apple cider, lemon, and a touch of cinnamon.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Save room for dessert. At Mama’s Mercantile and Eatery, if it’s baked in-house, order it. Ask your server. They even bake some of their rolls in-house.

RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Company

The turquoise and white striped awning and planter boxes filled with hot pink flowers hint at the fun atmosphere inside. RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co., voted one of Michigan’s best small businesses, offers informal counter service in a colorful environment. Pastel colors and ice cream cone benches create a happy atmosphere. A hot pink neon sign reminds us, “Life is like ice cream; eat it before it melts.”

They’re known for smash burgers hot off the grill and piping-hot seasoned French fries. They’re casual and informal yet fresh and delicious. For Restaurant Week, they provided a burger combo, where you could choose your toppings, fries with a choice of seasonings, a fountain beverage, and a scoop of ice cream—your choice of vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. They serve the burger and fries hot in a white paper bag, so you can easily take them with you or enjoy them at one of their cute ice cream-themed tables.

Piper’s Pro Planning: You may encounter a line during mealtimes since they serve fresh meals off the grill.

The Hunt Club

As I entered the restaurant, a larger-than-life stallion standing on its hind legs greeted me. True to the name, the theme continued inside with a few taxidermy animals set amongst the hunter-green and dark wood décor. The staff here was notably friendly.

The Hunt Club offered the most extensive Restaurant Week—Burger Edition burger selection, with six versions and various sides. Their list included a Tex-Mex Impossible Burger, a Sweet Heat Burger, the Hawaiian Burger, Dale’s Dill Burger, the Mustang Melt, and a Build-Your-Own Burger. There were so many options that I had difficulty choosing. I finally decided on the Hawaiian Burger, a 10-ounce beef patty topped with hot pepper cheese, BBQ sauce, a slice of grilled pineapple, and some red onion.

They also accommodated dietary needs. You could choose a gluten-free bun or an Impossible burger as a substitute for any bun or burger. While the menu said all burgers came with chips or fries, the server listed several other options. I went for the coleslaw, a nice alternative to the fries I’d had with the other burgers.

Piper’s Pro Planning: They have their E-club deals, where you can sign up for notifications on specials. When you do, you’ll receive a $5.00 gift card just for joining.

Veritas

Veritas, meaning “truth,” is true to the quality of its ingredients, and their burger for Restaurant Week was no exception.

This upscale restaurant in downtown Jackson offers a beautiful steak and seafood menu. Veritas is an American restaurant dining experience with a focus on the Midwest. It uses fresh ingredients and can tell you which farm it sources its beef from.

While I was tempted to go rogue and order filet mignon or shrimp, I stuck with the plan. And I was glad I did. You don’t have to go high-end to have delicious food here. The burgers are as good as the filet.

They had three Burger Week offerings, including a Jalapeño Popper Burger. Still, I’d had Jalapeño Poppers for lunch, so I decided between the Bulgogi and Bacon Jam Burgers. I vacillated but ended up with the Bulgogi Burger with arugula, spicy kimchi slaw, spicy mayo, and togarashi fries. I feared it would be too spicy, but it wasn’t at all. It had a bit of a kick, but not overpowering.

While dessert wasn’t included in the special, I couldn’t resist. For dessert, I had a fudgy brownie with a caramel drizzle. The deep chocolate was a great foil to the spice in the burger.

Restaurant Week is the perfect time if you’ve wanted to try Veritas but are unsure about your budget. For $15, you can have the Veritas experience, including the complimentary focaccia served with each meal.

Piper’s Pro Planning: Veritas is open Tuesday through Sunday. For added atmosphere, go on Friday or Saturday from 6:00 PM to 9 PM, when they feature live music.

West Point Lounge

West Point Lounge is a locally loved dive bar known for its burgers. The burgers offered for Restaurant Week are typically on their menu; however, they add an extra side, a choice of coleslaw, apple sauce, or cottage cheese, and a drink, all for the $15 Restaurant Week pricing.

The choice included the Olive Burger topped with green olives. The olives aren’t in a sauce, so you need to order mayo if that’s how you like it. Other options included the Mushroom Burger and the Mac and Cheese Cheeseburger. I went for the Mac and Cheese Cheeseburger.

Piper’s Pro Planning: When you arrive, you can seat yourself. I waited a bit before I figured out you could walk in and take a seat, but the locals seemed to know.

Bonus: Jackson Candy & Fudge Factory

Although they don’t sell burgers, you need something sweet for dessert, and Jackson Candy & Fudge Factory fits the bill.

You’ll step back in time when you visit this authentic 1890s-style candy shop. It has decorative copper ceilings, clay brick walls, wood floors, fancy mirrors, and decorative lighting from the turn of the last century. You will find the old Toledo scales for weighing and even see a brass National cash register still in use. The building itself is over 100 years old.

While they have over 300 fudge recipes in their rotation, about 30 types are typically available at any time. They make all the fudge in-house. They also make frosted almonds and pecans, a variety of house-made chocolates, and chocolate-covered snack items like Oreos and Nutter Butters. Additionally, they make popcorn and caramel corn.

If you’re looking for nostalgia like the lady who stopped by the store because she had a taste for some Zots, you’ll find many of the old-fashioned candies and vintage gum from your childhood, such as Peanut Chews, Coconut Slices, and Charleston Chews.

Piper’s Pro Planning: If you need a gift basket for any occasion, save yourself some time and give them a call and order it the old-fashioned way over the phone. They ship everywhere and will deliver anywhere in Jackson County.

If You Go

Ella Sharp Museum – Julia Child: A Recipe for Life Traveling

For more foodie fun, you’ll want to visit the Ella Sharp Museum, where the Julia Child: A Recipe for Life Traveling Exhibit is displayed through January 12, 2025. The exhibit tells the story of Julia’s life, from childhood through her successful career as a cookbook author and television personality on The French Chef. Farmhouse teal-colored wooden tables add French flair to the exhibit, where you’ll engage with interactive elements. Take the lids off Julia’s pots to smell the aromas of her French dishes, pair an entrée with a side, garnish, and wine—the exhibit will let you know if you’re correct and why. But hurry, you don’t have much time left to see this traveling exhibit every foodie will love.

Piper’s Pro Planning: If you miss this exhibit in Jackson, it will be in Muskegon, Michigan, in the summer of 2025.

You may also want to check out some other nearby restaurants. I’d suggest exploring these Ann Arbor restaurants while you’re in Michigan.

• 10 Best Dinner Restaurants in Ann Arbor, Michigan

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