Burger battle explanation and photos of 2025 participants
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HURON –– Following the success of the inaugural Burger Battle in 2024, Huron is preparing for the second iteration, held during the month of February 2025.
Huron Connect and the Huron Community Improvement Committee (CIC) co-sponsor the event, with ten Huron area restaurants participating.
The sponsors put together the 2024 burger battle on a whim in January, and to say that the response of the community was overwhelming would be an understatement. More than 4,000 burgers were purchased during Feb. 2024 in the Huron community from the eight participants in last year’s contest.
With that level of response, Huron Connect and the CIC began planning for the event in October last year.
One of the major improvements in year two of the event is the social media focus.
Craig Lee Studios partnered to provide a “burger photoshoot” for each of the participating burgers. The burgers were introduced on social media using those professional photographs, and the participating restaurants are also using the photos in their own social media promotion.
There are rules of participation that each participating restaurant has to follow. First, each offering has to be a burger that is not typically on the menu and is only served during the month of February. No substitutes are allowed so each diner receives the same burger.
Second, the restaurant has a distinct QR code for diners to vote on each burger. Burgers are ranked on quality of the patty, the toppings, the bun (or item holding the burger together, uniqueness, and customer service.
Customers will receive one stamp for one burger on their burger passport. While some may share a burger among two people, only one person’s passport can be stamped for each burger.
What is a burger passport, exactly?
As was done in 2024, Huron community members can fill a burger passport, available at the Huron Chamber office or at any participating restaurant. Getting each burger stamped allows the holder of the passport to enter for a giveaway. Last year, 143 people completed a full burger passport, trying all eight of the burgers offered in the first competition.
In 2024’s competition, Lisa Overbay won a 28” Black Stone Griddle. This year, the community has an opportunity to win a Yeti 60 Roadie Cooler, complete with 25 pounds of ground beef, courtesy of giveaway sponsors Rudy’s Towing and Stahly Farms.
Something unique to Huron’s competition is eleven community members who have been chosen to help promote the event on their own social media and in contacts throughout town.
Scott Deboer, Huron Schools Activities Director, Craig Lee of Craig Lee Studios, Jacob Lindgren of Edward Jones Financial Advisers, New New Win from Center for Independence, DK Osier of Riverfront Broadcasting, Chris Person of Mosaic Biosciences, Bob Mayfield, Connie Winegar of PB Sports, Glenda Maxted of the Huron Public Library, Michael Manolis of the Farm Service Agency, and Ted Haeder of Greater Huron Development Corporation are the ambassadors who will be posting about their experience eating participating burgers throughout the month.
This year’s participants are Big D’s, Coborn’s, Coney Island, Fire Pit Pizza, La Hacienda, La Patrona, Prime Time, Ryan’s Hanger, Scoreboard, and The Plains.
Meet the burgers of the 2025 Huron Burger Battle
Ten Huron businesses joined up to compete with their burger this year. We will cover each, according to the alphabetical order of the restaurants.
Big D’s
4 Cheese Pork Stacker $15
The burger offering from Big D’s, 960 4th St. NE, is a conglomeration of beef, pork, and cheese. The one-third-pound burger is topped with bacon, homemade barbecue sauce and bacon and layered with pulled pork and four-cheese baked macaroni. Big D’s is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4:30-10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 4:30-10:30 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Coborn’s
Texan Burger $10.99
Coborn’s brings some flavor from the South this year with their Texan Burger, a jalapeno burger with hashbrowns, American cheese, egg, bacon and barbecue sauce on Texas toast. Coborn’s cafe is located at 2150 Dakota Ave. S. and is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Coney Island
Coney Burger
Huron’s Coney Island Cafe, located at 24 2nd St. SW, created a “Coney Burger” for the competition. The Coney Burger consists of a burger with cheese, coleslaw, pickles and a special Coney sauce, available from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fire Pit Pizza
Big Jon
Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, Fire Pit Pizza utilizes the knowledge of dough to again produce an entry for the burger battle. The Big Jon is beef, cheddar cheese, and Fire Pit sauce wrapped in a dough square and topped with lettuce, onion, pickles and more sauce. Fire Pit is located at 460 Dakota Ave. S.
La Hacienda
Volcano Burger $13.25
The Volcano Burger at La Hacienda is a beef patty with yellow cheese, jack cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles all covered with a special cheese gravy. La Hacienda, located at 2993 Dakota Ave. S., is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
La Patrona
La Bomba Quesobirria Burger $15.25
A new entrant this year, La Patrona offers the La Bomba Quesobirria Burger, a burger with birria meat, cheese, onion and cilantro, all topped with white cheese dip. La Patrona is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is located at 208 Dakota Ave. S.
Prime Time
The Big Dipper $12.95
The Prime Time, located at 2110 Dakota Ave. S., is entering the Big Dipper into the competition, a burger with provolone cheese, grilled onions, au ju and creamy horseradish sauce all on a pretzel bun. The burger is available Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m.
Ryan’s Hangar
Bang Bang Burger
After winning the 2024 competition, Ryan’s Hangar enters the Bang Bang Burger this year. The burger consists of a burger, bacon, slaw and “bang bang” sauce and is available from 4 to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with extended hours (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) on Thursday. Ryan’s is located in the Crossroads Hotel at 100 4th St. SW.
Scoreboard
The Jammer $14.50
The burger this year that spurned the Burger Battle committee to amend their “bun” requirement, Scoreboard, at 56 3rd St. SE, is offering “The Jammer” this year, a one-third-pound burger with pepper jack cheese, egg, maple bacon, peanut butter and raspberry jam all on a waffle bun. You can try The Jammer from 4-10 p.m. on Monday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The Plains
Peachy Bacon Bliss $15
Potentially the winner of the award for the best burger name among the entrants this year is the final one to highlight, The Plains’ Peachy Bacon Bliss. The burger is served with hot pepper peach sauce, candied pepper bacon and cheddar cheese on a French toast croissant bun. The Plains Cafe is located at 960 4th St. SE and is open from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily, with carry-out available weekdays only.
Remember to get your burger passport and sample all ten this month and rate all ten to help select the 2025 Huron Burger Battle challenge winner.
Diners are encouraged to post their dining experiences on social media. Use the tag #HuronBurgerBattle2025.