Hazelhurst bar wins best burger contest

The All American Burger at Pickles Bar and Grill, in Hazelhurst, is the winner of the inaugural Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest, according to a Wisconsin Beef Council press release. The award was presented at the bar and grill on May 1.

The All American Burger is a half-pound burger with lettuce, tomato, raw onion, smoked garlic mayo and choice of cheese. All of our burgers consist of a craft blend of brisket, short rib and ground chuck that are seasoned with a house blend seasoning.

“We are honored to have our All American Burger named as the winner of the Wisconsin Beef Council’s 2024 Best Burger Contest,” said Justin Koshak, who co-own Pickles with Dan “Pickles” Linscott. “We are happy to represent what the Northwoods has to offer when it comes to restaurants, taverns and grills. There are so many great spots up here that showcase great menus and fantastic food.”

The contest was designed by the Wisconsin Beef Council to seek out and promote 100% beef burgers prepared in Wisconsin restaurants. Pickles Bar and Grill emerged victorious, earning the highest score from a secret panel of three judges who traveled to the Elite Eight restaurant finalists in the contest. Throughout April, a secret panel of judges visited each restaurant to evaluate a burger on the menu. They rated taste, appearance and presentation, proper cooking temperature, overall eating enjoyment, and bonus points could be awarded for the environment, atmosphere and experience in the restaurant.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming response from Wisconsin residents for this contest,” Tammy Vaassen, executive director of the Wisconsin Beef Council, said. “The Wisconsin Beef Council’s mission is to grow demand for beef, and our Elite Eight restaurants have reported a strong increase in business and sales of beef burgers.”

The feedback from our judges was immensely positive for all the competitors, which is a testament to the large number of nominations received for each of them, she said. The council is honored to have Pickles as its first-ever winner.

The judges comments included: ‘the burger was juicy and thick, bun was delicious, cooked to perfection, flavor was amazing, and the owner stopped by several times to check on us.’”