Cambria, Wisc. – The Wisconsin Beef Council is pleased to announce that the Tennessee Whiskey Burger at The Dump Bar & Grill in Cambria is the winner of the 3rd annual Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest. The Tennessee Whiskey Burger features a ½-pound ground chuck patty topped with cheddar cheese, sautéed onions, whiskey brown sugar candied bacon, and a bourbon glaze, all served on a lightly grilled Kaiser roll.
“I didn’t believe it at first,” Owner Jack Jones said. “It is very rewarding. I credit our success to small town, Wisconsin values.”
The contest was designed by the Wisconsin Beef Council to seek out and promote 100% beef burgers prepared in Wisconsin restaurants. The Dump emerged as the champion, earning the highest ranking from a secret panel of three judges who traveled to the Elite Eight restaurants named in the contest. The Dump has been nominated by their customers for Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest for three years in a row.
“We’ve met so many new customers from all over the state,” Bar Manager Evelyn Leystra said. “They bring zest with them and eagerness to try new food and explore the venue here. For three years now, it’s been new faces all the time with the contest.”
The team expressed gratitude to both local patrons and visitors who traveled from across Wisconsin to support them. Leystra said the burgers on their menu stand out because they hand-patty them daily.
Office Manager Katie Meagher said the secret is consistency. “We bring in fresh products every day from our buns to our beef. Our entire team has been a huge part of this. I couldn’t wait to call them and say, ‘we did it!’”
It was a bittersweet moment for the team who will no longer be eligible to compete in the contest after taking home the title.
“I’m going to miss what’s turned into an annual event for us being in the Elite Eight,” Jones said. “We’ve gained great notoriety. The Wisconsin Beef Council gives us great traction just being nominated.”
“We are thrilled with the continued excitement for our burger contest and the response from burger lovers across the state as they travel to those establishments that have made it into the Elite Eight,” Tammy Vaassen, executive director of the Wisconsin Beef Council, said. “The Wisconsin Beef Council’s mission is to grow demand for beef, and the Best Burger contest has served as a perfect way to get Wisconsinite’s into local establishments enjoying delicious, 100% beef burgers. The feedback from our judges was incredibly positive for all the competitors, which is a testament to the large number of nominations received for each of them. We are honored to have The Dump as our winner, with judges comments including: ‘the flavor of the burger was great, this burger was cooked perfectly, the presentation was extremely impressive, and all of the judges noted the atmosphere and great service provided by the staff.’ As I travel to the restaurants and enjoy their burgers, I continue to be impressed by how much effort they are putting into a great eating experience – from how each is sourcing their beef, to the craft of grilling buns and assembling truly unique experiences, it is impressive what can be done.”
The announcement follows a nomination period of 30 days where consumers across the state could submit their favorite burger joint. The Elite Eight restaurants were those that received the most nominations. Throughout April, a secret panel of judges visited each restaurant to evaluate a burger on the menu. They rated taste, appearance and presentation, proper cooking temperature, overall eating enjoyment, and bonus points could be awarded for the environment, atmosphere and experience in the restaurant.
The 2026 Elite Eight restaurants are:
- Brew and Oles, 597 N. Pine Street, Burlington
- Brothers on Oak, 412 Oak Street, Baraboo
- The Dump Bar & Grill, 105 W. Edgewater St, Cambria
- Game Over, 228 N 6th Ave, West Bend
- Local Press Eatery, 502 S 8th St, Sheboygan
- Mihm’s Charcoal Grill, 342 Chute Street, Menasha
- Pastimes Pub & Grill, 120 Scott Street, Ripon
- Skippy’s Burger Bar, 113 Green Bay Rd, Thiensville
A map of the Wisconsin’s Best Burger contest Elite Eight can be printed at https://www.beeftips.com/events/best-burger-contest and used as a guide as Wisconsinite’s plan summer vacations or are looking for a day-trip destination in the coming months.
To be eligible for the contest, the hamburgers on the restaurant menus had to meet the following guidelines:
- The burger must be 100% beef (other ingredients may be added to the patty such as spices, vegetables, etc.)
- All burgers must be composed of a formed ground beef patty/patties served on a bun or other bread product (such as biscuits, focaccia or tortillas). Burgers may include any combination of condiments (such as ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard), sauces (such as barbeque or hot sauce), cheeses and toppings (such as bacon, onions, tomatoes and lettuce). Every component of the burger must be placed between the bun or bread pieces or served open-faced on a bread product.
“Restaurants can watch for details about next year’s contest coming out in February of 2027 on our website,” said Vaassen. “The contest has shown us that whether you’re from a rural area or one of our larger cities, beef brings our communities together for delicious meals.”
The Wisconsin Beef Council is a producer-led non-profit organization funded by the $1.00 per head assessment on all cattle sold in the state of Wisconsin per the Federal Beef Promotion and Research Act & Order. Half of the dollar remains in Wisconsin for local beef promotion, while the other half is forwarded to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The purpose of the Council is to fund beef promotion, research and consumer education activities supporting Wisconsin’s $2.1 billion beef industry. The WBC operates under the guidance of its Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of representatives from cattle-related organizations around the state of Wisconsin.
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