I think I figured it out, but much later than most of you. I was one of those people that initially balked at the concept of a smash burger, unable to wrap my head around wanting anything other than a half-pound monstrosity, dripping with mayo, some sort of spicy aioli, a pickle or six, and a tomato thicker than a smash burger patty itself. Honestly, I thought the concept was a brilliant way to sell me a smaller burger for a similar price as a large one. [Photo Above by Alyson Brown]

Oh, how wrong I was. There is a science to the smash burger, one that seems deceptively simple on the surface, but is so easy to botch that the difficulty spike is downright intimidating. While heat, fat, seasoning, lacy edges and a juicy center are all key ingredients, what I realized from the following chefs and Burger Geniuses is that the approach is to be taken seriously. Underestimating a smash burger is to have failed at having a good one.

A Growing Business is the Americana Burger Dream

Its own success story, Americana Burger went from an unassuming Sprinter van food truck to a brick-and-mortar restaurant in downtown Bend in less than five years, and today has a line to the door within seconds of opening. What’s remarkable about Americana and its owners Olivia and Joseph Franco is that, even when nine out of 10 people in Bend will tell you it’s their favorite burger, Olivia doesn’t think she’s reached her full potential yet.

“[The] concept was a fluke off of wanting to have an American bistro truck. The burger was as far as that concept went, and we ended up doing just the burger,” said Olivia. “We didn’t even sell fries in the beginning. Smash burgers presented a challenge. I wanted to work on them after cooking so many cheeseburgers in my career. I don’t think I’ve perfected them yet, though.”

Try The Popper—with pickled jalapeños, jalapeño cream cheese, white American cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, ranch, secret sauce, shredded lettuce, fresh tomato with a double patty on a brioche bun—and get close to smash burger perfection.

Nostalgia and Quality at Blue Eyes

“Smash burgers are how burgers really started,” said Parker Vaughan, owner and head chef of Blue Eyes Burgers and Fries. While opinions, legends and stories vary, most agree that the origin of the smash burger (also known as a smashburger or smashed burger) goes back to the Great Depression when, in order to make the meat go farther, cooks would smash the patties to stretch the portions.

“They were street food meant to be cooked fast and be flavorful,” said Vaughan, who is also a student, teacher and historian of the burger. “And like all great food, regional versions started popping up all over the country and led to chain restaurants such as Fosters Freeze, White Castle, Whataburger, In-N-Out and one of my favorites, Krystal. Believe it or not, before these places were commoditized, they were amazing burger spots where everything was made from scratch.”

Regardless of origin, we’re definitely in the throes of a smash revival. Nostalgia hit me when entering Blue Eyes, whose location off Greenwood in midtown Bend immediately sent me back to being 6 years old and getting a dipped cone at the Fosters Freeze my grandpa built in Paradise, California.

At Blue Eyes, quality is a priority, and while you might pay a bit more than other burger joints in town, the burger is worth every cent. The company uses locally sourced, 100% grass-fed beef from Pitchfork T Ranch in Sisters, buns developed by Vaughan and baked by M’s bakery, and scratch-made onion rings. Put a Rainshadow Double in your mouth and tell me the combo of Duke’s Real Mayonnaise, pickled jalapeño, bacon, BBQ sauce, onion rings, a griddled sweet bun and Pitchfork T meat magic isn’t burger alchemy.

Simplicity is the Key at WillieBurger

The magnificent WillieBurger rocks a very simple menu. Order a single, double or triple smash burger from Andrew George, the owner and chef who knows what makes a perfect burger and doesn’t mince words about achieving it. He explains it’s butter on a grilled bun, paper-thin onions, a meatball pressed to a certain size without over-smashing and then, the edges are “rolled” to get a lacy, crispy edge but still have a juicy thicker center. “[We] modestly season with our secret seasoning, flip, add a little house sauce directly on the patty and then top with cheese. A double patty. Nothing else,” said George.

“The cheese melt on a smash burger from this food truck found at Deschutes Brewery’s Tasting Room still lives in my dreams.”

Creating a Following, from New Orleans to Bend

Mike Aldridge, owner and chef of MidCity SmashedBurger, was early to the smash burger revival when he founded his franchise in New Orleans during the pandemic. When he opened a Portland food truck in 2021, he sold 1,000 burgers in eight days. The Bend truck is at 3rd Street’s Waypoint Hotel where you’ll find a Smashy Boi, which for $6 is one of the best burger deals in town: The char on the 80/20 Oregon beef sourced from Painted Hills is tender, juicy and without flaw.

“Smash burgers, for us, were always meant to be nostalgic,” said Aldridge. “A small, affordable cheeseburger that is simple but stands out for a couple reasons. A smash burger is the ‘family-friendliest’ burger there is.”

Pardon a ridiculous metaphor, but I think I’ve figured out what makes a smash burger so remarkable. Each smash burger is like a perfectly curated and crafted snowflake. Over three weeks, I’ve tried even more than I’ve mentioned here and no two were the same.

I think at first it was easy to look at smash burgers like a fad that would go the way of pogs or pet rocks, but they’re not and they shouldn’t. Sure, the mediocre ones will fade away, but the real genius chefs, like the ones on these pages, aren’t just out to make a buck on a skinny burger. They are about striving to build a new version of an American classic; elevating something so simple, yet so easy to get wrong. I can’t wait to see what comes next.