I love eating at and supporting local restaurants. Coeur d’Alene has some great local burger places that I wanted to share with you. Most have been around forever, with one newbie. They offer the classic burgers, fries, soda, and milkshake. The perfect American lunch!

Here is a list of my top 4 local burger joints in Coeur d’Alene ranked from my favorite to least favorite. Enjoy!

#1 Hudson’s Hamburgers

If you’ve read my blog, you’ve probably heard about Hudson’s Hamburgers. They are my favorite for a quick cheap meal. You have to go to Hudson’s when you visit CDA! They’ve been around for years. My grandpa used to eat here when he was young! They make their burgers the old fashioned way, just like they always have. It’s a simple place, but it has a lot of soul. It’s the type of place where you wish the walls could talk because you know they’d have a lot of cool stories to share. I recommend dining in when possible to get the full experience. You can sit along the bar and watch them cook your burger. Don’t ask for fries here! They don’t make them. A burger and soda will have to do, and maybe a slice of pie if you're craving something sweet.

What to Order?

When I visit Hudson’s, I always go with the single cheeseburger with everything on it, and a nice cold glass of Diet Pepsi. (They don’t have Coke!) Their burger comes with pickles and onions and that’s it. Don’t forget to add their spicy sauce!

207 Sherman Ave., CDA

#2 Roger’s

I grew up going to Roger’s on Sherman with my Dad. We’d always order their huckleberry milkshakes and sit outside under their umbrella tables in the summertime. Fast forward 20+ years and Roger’s is still standing. In addition, there are three more locations in town. (The Sherman Roger’s is the only walk-up location, making it fun to visit in the summer.) Their burgers are made with fresh never frozen local beef. (Pictured below is the veggie burger.) While I find their fries to be a bit soggy, they hand-cut the potatoes daily and fry them to order. They also make kettle chips! But for me, the standout at Roger’s is the milkshakes. So many different flavors to choose from! The new locations have a drive-thru, so if you need dinner quick, they make it easy.

What to Order?

I always get the single cheeseburger with bacon in a combo meal, with fries and spicy fry sauce, and a rootbeer freeze milkshake! Don’t leave Roger’s without a milkshake in hand because they are my favorite in town!

1224 Sherman Ave., CDA (original location)

2420 N. Government Way, CDA

8833 Hess St., Hayden

403 N. Spokane St., Post Falls

#3 The Surf Shack

The Surf Shack is located in the old Dairy Queen on Appleway. Sadly, Dairy Queen closed (RIP blizzards!), but luckily, a new local fast food joint moved in! Previously a food truck, The Surf Shack has a laid back Hawaiian ocean vibe. They make some fun burgers with interesting and unique toppings. Their menu is more creative than most, making you want to return to try other items. They also offer sweet potato fries. They probably are frozen, but I appreciate that they have them nonetheless. In addition to food, they offer an assortment of bottled beer, with some of my favorites from Kona Brewing Company. They also make milkshakes in limited flavors. And, they have a drive-thru which I always appreciate. My only complaint about The Surf Shack is that it seems to me that they use frozen meat in their burgers. That, and they close at 7 PM which in my opinion is a bit early.

What to Order?

I recommend their Longboard Burger with bacon, BBQ sauce, and an onion ring. if you want something different, try the Crumbled Blue Burger with blue cheese and pickles. I also love their onion rings! They are some of the best in town.

305 E. Appleway Ave., CDA

#4 Paul Bunyan

I remember when Paul Bunyan had monthly milkshake specials for only $.50 a shake! While they don’t have shakes that cheap anymore, the prices at Paul Bunyan are still very affordable. A large milkshake at Paul Bunyan is around $5 while at Roger’s you pay double that. (But I’d say Roger’s has better shakes, so maybe it’s worth the extra cost.) They offer a large variety of shake flavors. The burgers at Paul Bunyan are good, but also on the greasy side and kind of sloppy. They do use real bacon on their burgers though. I love how they offer so many sides to go in the combo meal besides fries, like onion rings, tater tots, mozzarella sticks, fried pickles, and garlic cheese bites. I’d say the sides are the highlight at Paul Bunyan. They have a drive-thru too for quick and easy dinner stops when you’re in a hurry!

What to Order?

I love the garlic cheese bites at Paul Bunyan and the black raspberry milkshake. For a burger, I usually order the traditional cheeseburger with all the fixings. Don’t forget to try the fry sauce!

602 Northwest Blvd, CDA

8625 N. Government Way, Hayden

Other Places I’ve Tried

Zip’s

While Zip’s is cheap and their soft serve ice cream cones are giant, it isn’t my favorite place to dine. Their burgers are not that good and very greasy. I’d skip it and go somewhere else.

Is there a local burger joint that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

Hungry for more Coeur d’Alene eats? Check out this ice cream post and this food post for more delicious recommendations!