First place: Ray’s Place 

Located on Franklin Avenue, Ray’s Place is the favorite burger spot among Kent State students for the fourth year in a row. Ray’s Place has been a staple of downtown Kent since it was founded in 1937. 

Celebrity chef Michael Symon raved about Ray’s Mo-Fo burger, a double bacon cheeseburger with mushrooms, on Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” Other burger options include the atomic cheeseburger, the Italian burger and the stuffed gourmet burger. 

Second place: Five Guys 

Coming in second place is Five Guys. Located on Main Street, Five Guys is a national chain that has been serving the Kent community since 2010. Customers can expect fresh ingredients and select from a variety of burger toppings that include green peppers, hot sauce, grilled mushrooms and jalapeno peppers, among other options. Customers can also pair their burgers with fries and a milkshake. 

Third place: Bistro on Main 

Bistro on Main offers some of the Kent community’s favorite burgers. Customers have options like the black Angus burger, a fresh ground beef burger with sharp white cheddar, baby arugula, house mayo, tomato and honey vinegar caramelized onions, or the garden veggie burger, which contains pepper jack cheese, baby spinach and remoulade aioli. The garden veggie burger is also gluten free, soy free and vegan without the bun and cheese. 

Contact Paige Bennett at [email protected].