Portsmouth is a town that is booming, with plenty of great food and culture to boot. Here’s a look at some top burger contenders in our community…

The first restaurant is a town classic, which has been around far longer than I have been born. The Rusty Hammer opened its doors in 1978 and has been serving some of the best burgers in town since. Trademarks of the rusty hammer burger are a monster patty, airy buns, and thick strips of bacon.

The next restaurant is a perennial power in the Portsmouth restaurant scene, Lexie’s Joint. Famous for their boutique burgers with decadent toppings, this hole in the wall on Islington street attracts mobs come dinner hour. My personal favorite, the urban cowboy, is topped with onion rings and barbecue sauce.

Carson Vardell, a student at Portsmouth High school, has some interesting opinions about the beloved burger joint. “It’s not as good as it could be, for the audience they have and the customer base they’ve built, I feel they could spend more time on the quality of the food.”

Burger Bar was the place I visited third, a short walk down the road from Lexie’s. Located in the newer part of Portsmouth, they serve upscale burgers and decadent shakes. A little more expensive than the other two restaurants, but once I started eating, I forgot all about the price. The delicious and the high-quality bun made for a great burger.

Finally, I visited one of the newer restaurants in downtown Portsmouth that has been receiving great reviews, The Goat. The burgers here were big and juicy, with the logo of the restaurant branded onto the top of the bun, which was a nice touch, however, this burger did not stand up to the quality of the other two restaurants reviewed.

Out of the three restaurants, there was one clear winner. The Goat and the Rusty Hammer both are fantastic establishments that make great burgers, but neither could stand up to Lexie’s. The patties are cooked to perfection along with all the other staples of a good burger, and while that can be said about the competitors as well, Lexie’s abstract array of burgers, friendly cost,  and funky topping combinations puts it over the top.