Representative photography. Actual appearance may vary.
Denver's walk-up smashburger legend since 1980 and Westword's winner over rival Jim's Burger Haven. Thin, seared hard, and still under $10 for the large.
Representative photography. Actual appearance may vary.
Grandpa's Burger Haven has been a fixture of Southwest Denver's Federal Boulevard corridor since 1980, when it split off from Jim's Burger Haven. The two restaurants have fueled one of Denver's longest-running burger arguments ever since. In October 2024, new owners took over with a clear goal: keep the original style intact.
The Steak Burger (Large) is the signature: thin smashed beef, American cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions on a sesame bun. Westword's 2025 side-by-side with Jim's gave Grandpa's the edge for crust consistency, cheese melt, and ratio, while maintaining an under-$10 large burger price point.
After eating our way through both institutions on the same afternoon, Grandpa's edges it out - the crust is more consistent, the cheese melt is better, and the bun-to-beef ratio is just right. This is Denver's best smashburger for under $10.
Readers weighed in overwhelmingly: Grandpa's takes it by nostalgia and by flavor. Sentiment runs about 3-to-1 in favor of Grandpa's.
Grandpa's Burger Haven (#6): A walk-up window on Federal that's been slinging smashburgers since before the trend. No seating, no gimmicks, just a really good burger.
Grandpa's Burger Haven has been doing this since long before smashburgers were a trend - the results are dependable if not revelatory.
4.4 stars from over 2,400 Google reviews with consistent praise for smash technique and value.
I've been going since 1987 and the new owners kept everything that matters. Still the best cheap burger in Denver.