The Best Burger in Colorado

Head to Sedalia for a slice of burger heaven

In America, we love our burgers. We consume them voraciously, with a sense of national pride, and we debate them endlessly. The quest for the perfect burger has spawned endless lists, and at least one book: George Motz’s “Hamburger America.”

Motz combed the nation for the best burgers, and among the countless hamburger hamlets in Colorado only one made the list. Bud’s Bar in Sedalia, well known to locals, is gaining national attention for its single-minded devotion to its sole menu item.

Not unlike John Belushi’s Saturday Night Live character who kept sputtering “cheeburger, cheeburger,” Bud’s keeps it simple. You may have a single patty or a double. Multiply your options by adding cheese if you wish. That’s it. No fancy toppings, no milkshakes, not even fries. (The kitchen’s not equipped for fryers.) Your burger comes with a small dish of pickles and onion, and a bag of potato chips.

And what a marvelous burger it is. The beef is flavorful and juicy, and the bun is nicely steamed. Truly, you won’t miss the fries.

Aside from the excellent burgers, it’s the atmosphere that keeps people coming back. Sedalia is a small town, and Bud’s is where everyone congregates. Unlike your average chain restaurant, which has brand-new fixtures and no personality, Bud’s is weathered and worn. And that’s the way people like it.

Most of the employees have been there seemingly forever, and they can all relate the history of the place. Just three owners, starting with Bud Hebert, who opened the bar in 1948. He sold the place to Therman Thompson, who ran it for more than 40 years before handing over the reins to the current owner, Mike Steerman.

Through it all, the burgers and the bar have remained the same. Aside from a new TV, Western art and kitsch still cover the walls, a branding board with the brands of local ranchers resides by the door, and they still don’t accept credit cards. You might be a stranger when you walk in, but you won’t be when you leave.

Bud’s Bar
5453 Manhart Street, Sedalia, CO 80135
303-688-9967