Shawarma Burger from Ya Hala
Shawarma Burger from Ya Hala MEGAN NANNA

AT LAST. After an entire year of waiting-you've been so patient!-the Portland Mercury's Burger Week is almost here!

From Monday August 7-Saturday August 12, at over 40 of Portland's finest restaurants, you'll find one-of-a-kind burgers that exist only for the Mercury's Burger Week! And even better? Each of these wondrous creations will cost a mere $5!

Will this be one of the greatest weeks of your burger-eating life? Damn straight it will.
Thanks to the Mercury and our friends at New Seasons Market, Jim Beam, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Satchel, and and ReachNow, this will be a week long remembered.

Read on for the mouth-watering descriptions of 2017's Burger Week offerings in SE Portland from Triple Nickel, Nick’s Famous Coney Island, Next Level, and Ya Hala.

Check out the full 2017 Burger Week map here.

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MEGAN NANNA

Triple Nickel Pub: Sweet & Spicy Bacon Mac Attack
Hail to this burger—it’s four great American favorites between one bun! The Triple Nickel’s Sweet & Spicy Bacon Mac Attack comes at you from all sides, with third-pound of Angus beef serving as the battleground for a glorious collision of mouthwatering flavors. Duking it out: rich, gooey sweet-and-spicy bacon and beer mac ‘n’ cheese, sriracha, and a big ol’ seasoned waffle fry. This burger’s inspired by some of the best comfort foods: beef, bacon, cheese, and something fried. Pair with one of Triple Nickel’s 70 beers (!) and you’ll be one happy camper. 3646 SE Belmont; burger available Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am

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MEGAN NANNA

Nick’s Famous Coney Island: Pho-Getaboutit
Once we got the pho-rito, it was only a matter of time before the best Vietnamese soup would make its way to the best American sandwich. While Nick’s has an 82-year history of making dogs and burgers in the old-fashioned US-of-A way, their twist on these two far-flung classics will have everyone’s mouths watering. They’re blending fresh ground chuck with a pho mustard-rubbed and marinated roast pork loin, adding the necessary crunchy mung bean sprouts and house-pickled red onions, plus arugula for bite, basil creme sauce, and a savory pho-inspired sauce. Put down the spoon—all you need for this tasty treat is your own two hands. 3746 SE Hawthorne; burger available Mon-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm

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MEGAN NANNA

Next Level Burger: Summa’ Time Burger
If you’re going to eat a plant-based burger, you better make sure you’ve got all the right fixins and flavors. Luckily, Next Level Burger—America’s first 100 percent plant-based burger joint—has alllllll the fixins available: from grilled onions and pineapple to mushrooms, sautéed kale and chili, plus a slew of sauces. Their Summa’ Time Burger is loaded with a bunch of organic summer flavors, and like all their burgers, is served on a whole grain bun. The housemade quinoa and black chia seed patty gets a helping of tempeh bacon, a thick slice of ripe hothouse tomato, avocado, red onion, and a fresh basil aioli. 4121 SE Hawthorne; burger available Mon-Thurs 11 am-10 pm, Fri 11 am-11 pm, Sat 9 am-11 pm

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MEGAN NANNA

Ya Hala: Shawarma Burger
Ya Hala’s Lebanese cuisine is some of the best in town, and their take on a burger is like nothing you’ve tried before. Their beef has a world of new flavor, jam-packed with their house Shawarma spices—bring on the garlic!—and perfectly balanced with a dollop of creamy traditional Lebanese cow cheese. That dollop is conveniently and neatly stuffed inside the savory patty. Caramelized onions and savory tahini yogurt sauce seal the deal for this creative twist on the traditional hamburger. 8005 SE Stark; burger available Mon-Fri 11 am-9 pm, Sat 9 am-9 pm

And don't forget…

Be patient. Everyone loves Burger Week, which means there will be lines. It's all part of the Burger Week experience-and if a burger sells out, you can always come back tomorrow.
Tip, and tip well. Feeding Portland's burger-crazed hordes is tough, thankless work-so make sure to show your appreciation to the brave chefs, wait staff, and bartenders who make Burger Week happen!
Drink (and eat) up. While burgers are the integral part of Burger Week, all our Burger Week restaurants have other excellent offerings-drinks, sides, salads, and more! Humans cannot survive on burgers alone. (Trust us, we've tried. RIP, Ben.)
Be social. Hit portlandburgerweek.com, use #portlandburgerweek, and check out the Mercury's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates, details, and reviews of the best Burger Week burgers-from this year's most eagerly anticipated creations, to the unexpected ones that everyone will have to try.

Burger Week 2017 is almost here. Godspeed.

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