IHOP Burgers • The 6 Options Still Available

Are IHOP Burgers Good?

IHOP has a bit of an interesting history when it comes to serving hamburgers. After approximately 60 years of being America's go-to breakfast joint, it seems the restaurant wanted to be known for something other than flipping pancakes. We're not sure exactly why they chose burgers (maybe they got really good at flipping), but they pivoted hard in that direction and even changed their name to IHOB. Thus the newly-branded International House of Burgers was born and (speaking of flipping) America flipped out. It started with a not-so-flattering article that heaped shame upon our nation's favorite pancake purveyor, and three years later it eventually snowballed into a flat out call to skip the Burgers altogether. It probably had something to do with the straight up weird burger creations that were going on at the time (the Buttermilk Pancake Burger comes to mind), so we decided to check in and see what's going on with IHOP's burger menu today.

IHOP Burgers Menu: Our Review

In rounding out their breakfast-oriented offering and designing their hamburger menu, IHOP has made some pretty creative food choices. While some were indeed cringeworthy, many of them were actually pretty good. We even made sure to check that all of them were searing hot and delicious. So continue reading to see what we discovered about each of IHOP's 6 available Ultimate Steak Burgers.

Classic Burger

Sometimes there's nothing better than keeping it simple, and IHOP's Classic Hamburger does exactly that. With a slice of American cheese on top, this is technically a cheeseburger, but it has no other accoutrement beyond the standard combination of lettuce, tomato, red onions and pickles. You can top this with IHOP's famous sauce if you want to spice it up a bit, or just let it ride the way it is. We were pleasantly surprised with how good this burger was. Definitely one of our faves!

Classic Bacon Burger

If there was any doubt that America has declared a bacon cheeseburger to be 'classic,' then IHOP has officially settled the question with their Classic With Bacon. They've even taken it up a notch by using hickory-smoked bacon instead of the regular variety, which gives this burger a nice, smoky flavor that you won't lose under the IHOP Sauce that's slathered on top. As far as we're concerned this is a nice improvement over the Classic Burger and definitely worth trying.

Mega Monster Cheeseburger

IHOP's take on the augmented cheeseburger is, well, monstrous to say the least. The Mega Monster Cheeseburger is a massive, towering creation built on two black angus patties with a layer of American cheese on top of each. It wasn't easy to get our mouth around IHOP's most caloric burger and, because it was smothered in IHOP's signature sauce, it left quite the mess. Overall, we liked the concept of this burger, but the sheer amount of meat left the beef-to-bite ratio a little out of proportion. And another huge disadvantage was that the Mega Monster Cheeseburger can't be made with chicken. With this behemoth, it's 1,000 calories of straight up beef or nothin'.

Cowboy BBQ Burger

This was our favorite burger on the IHOP menu, mainly due to the dual onion rings placed perfectly under the bun. The BBQ sauce was a nice change from the IHOP sauce that was featured on the previous burgers we tried, and in a surprise appearance, the hickory-smoked bacon made a curtain call and might have actually stolen the show. As a bonus, we tried this burger two ways. In addition to the beef version we also ordered the crispy chicken variety and found it to be even more stellar. There's just something about that crunch…

Jalapeno Kick Burger

If you don't mind a little heat in your mouth, then you shouldn't shy away from this fire-breathing dragon of a hamburger. With two types of peppers (jalapenos and serranos) and Pepper Jack Cheese, you might need to reach for a cool beverage after a few bites, but the flavors all come together and hit perfectly. Try it with a side of onion rings to complete the meal. You won't be sorry!

Big Brunch Burger

Just when you thought IHOP was turning its back on its breakfast-loving roots, here comes the Big Brunch Burger. The hickory smoked bacon and fried egg that was once native to your naked plate have taken up residency between two buttery buns, and we're not exactly complaining. As with any IHOP breakfast the potatoes are never too far out of reach, and in this case you'll find them smashed into a crispy potato pancake and resting atop the bottom bun. As a bonus, add Avocado for $1.99. It may cost extra, but you'll end up with something priceless.

IHOP Burgers: The Verdict

We understand the uproar that initially came with IHOP branching out beyond breakfast. Because of their strange original offerings (like the Garlic Butter Pancake Burger), it definitely seems like they went for shock value over longevity and ultimately overreached in doing so. But that was 4 years ago and it seems that IHOP has really found their niche since then. Their burger menu of today offers a good mix of classics with newer inventive hamburgers, each of which have their own unique taste. So the final verdict: We're in!