If you ask anyone in Chennai what they are craving, you would expect the the answer to be biryani. But according to Swiggy India’s 2024 report, midnight cravings are now dominated by chicken burgers.
Hot and spicy fried chicken patties with a generous smear of sauce, pickle, fresh vegetables, and buttery buns — are you craving one yet? We have got you covered. Here is our tried-and-tested list of burger joints that Chennai is currently flocking to.
Buffalo fried chicken burger at The High Joint | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The High Joint
Launched in 2021, The High Joint’s first outlet in Navalur soon expanded to other parts of Chennai, Bengaluru, andGuntur. “Back then, between the first and second waves of the pandemic, I decided to open a burger shop. I felt it would do well in Chennai. Having pursued my culinary education in Dubai, I knew the basics. I found recipes on the Internet and added an Indian twist. Soon, the burgers and wings became popular, and four years later, our outlets across the city are doing well,” shares Samsudeen Nasar Feroshkhan, founder.
The High Joint offers chicken, beef, and vegetarian burgers, along with wings, shakes, and loaded fries. The Flamethrower Chicken Burger is a fan favourite, featuring their hot fried chicken burger upgraded with a dusting of Indian bhut jolokia pepper. “These aren’t the same as international recipes and are spicier to suit our palates. You can’t make them ‘guilt-free’ burgers. They’re supposed to be a saucy, greasy, guilty pleasure,” Nasar explains.
Bestsellers: Bigboy Burger, Classic fried chicken burger, Loaded cheese fries, Hot Fried chicken burger
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹130
Nashville Fried Chicken at Le Smash | Photo Credit: Ravindran R
Le Smash
In 2024, Nasar opened another burger joint, this time with friends. “High Joint has been franchised, but I wanted to work on burgers again. This time, I decided it wouldn’t expand into many branches, but remain a quaint, stand-alone spot serving hearty burgers,” he shares.
Located on Sterling Road, Le Smash offers both indoor and outdoor seating. As the name suggests, beef smash burgers are the highlight. Orders take 15–20 minutes to arrive, with popular options like the Chilli Cheese Smash and PB&J (Peanut Butter and Blueberry Jam) Smash. However, the Oklahoma Smash is the favourite. “We char the onions with the beef on the griddle and smash it. This way, the caramelised onions get embedded in the patty, giving it an incredible flavour. It comes with our signature Smash sauce. We use Chuck and Brisket cuts with a 90:10 meat-to-fat ratio for a tender, flavourful patty,” Nasar adds.
According to him, the growing interest in burgers is due to their convenience and protein content. “The pricing is similar to biryani, and with 80–100g of protein, it’s a grab-and-go option that works.”
Bestsellers: Loaded animal style fries, Classic smash burger, Oklahoma smash burger
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹280
Location: 69, Sterling Road, Seetha Nagar, Nungambakkam
Korean Fried chicken burger at Soul by Dair | Photo Credit: Ravindran R
Soul by Dair
Friends Mohammed Irbaz S and A Syed Danish, despite having no culinary background, ventured into the food business in 2023. Inspired by the growth of the burger segment, they launched Soul, a kiosk on Khader Nawaz Khan Road, operating from 5pm to midnight. “The moment we decided on burgers, we also decided on KNK,” shares Irbaz.
Soul by Dair | Photo Credit: Ravindran R
Starting small, the duo experimented with flavours and techniques, fine-tuning their recipes. “Initially, I was in the kitchen, and Irbaz handled the billing. The first few months were tough but rewarding, as it gave us a chance to interact with customers and improve,” Danish explains.
Soul offers chicken, beef, and vegetarian burgers. Their Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Burger is a bestseller. “Nashville as a flavour is popular now — you see it on many menus. Our recipe features our signature hot oil. It was very spicy initially, but we’ve perfected it. It’s a hit, even among senior citizens,” Irbaz shares.
Although Soul lacks seating, it attracts large crowds, especially on weekends. With increasing demand, they plan to transition to a full restaurant setup. For now, Soul remains offline only.
Bestsellers: Nashville Fried chicken burger, Shrimply the best pops, Korean Fried chicken burger, The Steakhouse supreme, Cookies
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹219
Location: 9, Oyster Building, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, near Roll Baby Roll
Beef Smash burger at Crave | Photo Credit: Shiva Raj
Crave
Crave quickly gained popularity, after opening in September 2024 on Mount Road, opposite the LIC building.Run by brothers Mohamed Wajid and Mohammed Aslam, the location is a major draw. “From students to IT professionals, doctors, and families, everyone comes for our burgers. This area stays active late into the night, so we operate from 5pm to 2am ,” says Wajid.
Crave | Photo Credit: Shiva Raj
Having worked in burger establishments in the United Kingdom, Wajid says he developed the recipes through trial and error. “Our Nashville flavour blends spice mixes with rich chilli oil. Similarly, our Korean flavour is our own sweet-and-spicy recipe, not traditional gochujang. Oriental, Korean, and Nashville are our bestsellers across burgers, fries, and wings,” he adds.
With just eight fryers and a griddle in a small kiosk, the team of 11 often struggles to keep up with demand. “Word of mouth has been fantastic for us. But since our burgers are best enjoyed fresh, we don’t cater to deliveries,” Wajid says.
Bestsellers: Crave’s masterpiece burger, Filet mignon burger, Loaded Kimchi fries, Oriental chicken tenders
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹279
Location: LIC Metro station B3 entrance, opposite LIC Building
Louis Burger and Nashville Fried Chicken
Nashville fried chicken burger at NFC | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Zorawar Kalra introduced Louis Burger and Nashville Fried Chicken as cloud kitchens in 2023 and 2024, respectively. “Through Louis, we learned that Chennai is a great market for burgers. After researching popular flavours, we created the menu,” shares Zorawar.
Slims by Louis burger | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Louis Burger offers lamb and buff options, while NFC focusses on chicken. “Quality ingredients are key. With burgers having so few components, every element matters. We use only premium meat, sauces, and spices,” he explains.
Even the packaging is thoughtful. NFC’s boxes transform into plates, catering to customers who enjoy their burgers on the go. This year, Louis Burger also introduced Slims Burger for diet-conscious eaters. “It offers the same taste as the regular Louis Burger but with half the calories,” Zorawar adds.
Bestsellers at Louis Burger: The Louis Fried chicken burger, Monster cheese burger, Korean fried chicken burger
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹219
Bestsellers at NFC: Nashville style chicken burger, Chilli garlic chicken pop corn, Hot N Spicy fried chicken
Cost: Burgers are priced from ₹189
Published - February 05, 2025 06:48 pm IST
