Ask any Milwaukeean what food defines their city and you’ll get one of two answers: the fish fry or the butter burger. The butter burger — a beef patty topped with a generous pat of butter melted right on the meat — is a Wisconsin original that has spread across the country but will always belong to Milwaukee.
The Solly’s Origin Story
The butter burger was born at Solly’s Grille on North Port Washington Road, where Kenneth Solly began adding butter to his burgers in 1936. The idea was simple: butter makes everything better. The result was a burger unlike anything else — rich, indulgent, and deeply satisfying in a way that no other burger quite manages.
Culver’s and the Butter Burger Goes National
Culver’s, the Wisconsin-based fast food chain, brought the butter burger to the masses. Founded in Sauk City in 1984, Culver’s now has over 900 locations across the country, introducing millions of Americans to the concept of a buttered bun and a fresh-never-frozen beef patty. But Milwaukeeans know the real thing comes from Solly’s.
Where to Get the Best Butter Burger in Milwaukee
Solly’s Grille — 4629 N. Port Washington Road. The original. The legend. Go here first.
Kroll’s West — A Green Bay institution that has a Milwaukee presence. Their butter burger is a worthy rival to Solly’s.
Culver’s — Multiple locations. Not the original, but consistently excellent and a Wisconsin institution in its own right.
