14 South Carolina Grills Turning Out Double Cheeseburgers Locals Defend With Passion
Steam curls off flat-tops from the Upstate to the coast, perfuming parking lots and side streets. South Carolina’s burger culture lives at counters where your name is learned by the third visit and the spatula never rests.
Craving double cheeseburgers in South Carolina is almost a way of life, especially at tiny grills where the flat-top never really cools. These small spots turn simple patties, cheese, and buns into something that feels tied to the neighborhood.
While flashy burger bars and big-name chains grab most of the attention, the real stories live at counters and walk-up windows that have fed locals for years. This list shares 14 grills where double cheeseburgers still rule the menu and loyal regulars happily argue they are the best in the state.
1. Joe’s Grill, Darlington
The morning clatter starts early, and by lunch the grill sings like traffic on nearby U.S. 52. At Joe’s Grill in Darlington, the small dining room fills with folks in work boots and teachers on break, all eyeing the flattop.
The double cheeseburger stacks two thin, well-seared patties with American cheese that softens into the edges. Local habit is mustard, chili, and onions, a Piedmont-leaning combo that turns each bite into tang and warmth. The single’s good, but the double carries that grill-kissed beefiness further.
Regulars line up at the counter, order, then slide into booths, listening for their name. It’s busiest around noon, cash and card both welcome, and the burger lands heavy in hand, wrapped tight to keep the toast and juices in balance.
2. Bill’s Grill, Patrick
A handwritten specials board and a bell over the door set the tempo at Bill’s Grill in Patrick. The space feels like a shared kitchen, with neighbors calling hello before they read the menu.
The patties are pressed firm, then teased to the edge with a metal spatula, creating a lacy crisp perimeter. Two patties, two cheese slices, pickle, onion, and a swipe of mayo or mustard are the usual. Folks say the double fixes the ratio of bread to beef, and the cheese seals everything.
Opened decades back as a straightforward community grill, it leans on routine more than novelty. Go before the school crowd hits, and order at the counter, then wait for your foil-wrapped double to thump onto the tray with fries riding shotgun.
3. Northwest Grill, Travelers Rest
The sizzle spills onto the sidewalk along Main Street in Travelers Rest, where cyclists and hikers drift in from the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Northwest Grill looks modest, but the aroma makes a convincing argument.
They cook doubles hot and quick, stacking American cheese between the patties so it melts into the crevices. Lettuce, tomato, onion, and a tangy house sauce show up often, though chili-and-onion loyalists stand firm. Compared to the single, the double gives that caramelized crust more surface to shine.
Opened to serve a growing trail town, it now balances locals and weekend explorers. Order at the counter, expect a line at peak lunch, and listen for your name while the staff slides baskets across the pass with unfussy efficiency.
4. Take A Bite, Conway
First thing you notice is the brief hush before the lunch rush, then the quick chatter as orders hit the grill. Take A Bite sits just far enough off Conway’s riverfront to feel like a secret shared at church and school ballgames.
The double cheeseburger here leans classic: two thin patties, American cheese, grilled onions, and a butter-toasted bun. They season just enough, relying on the hot plate to do the rest. The single sells, but regulars say the double gives proper heft without losing snap.
A family-run vibe threads through, with a short menu and quick turns. Place your order at the window, grab a seat, and watch as foil-wrapped doubles stack up, each one giving off that salty, onion-sweet trail of steam.
5. Smashley’s Burger Bar, North Charleston
A hiss of smashed patties punctuates the room, and the air smells like browned edges and toasted potato buns. Smashley’s Burger Bar in North Charleston has the confidence of a place that knows its regulars by their double order.
The focus is technique: two smash patties pressed thin, crisp skirts, and American cheese draped between. A house sauce adds gentle tang, pickles cut the richness, and the bun collapses just enough. The single pleases, but the double brings balanced chew and char.
Owner-operators keep the tempo quick, so lines move even at peak dinner. I slide into a stool, watch the press-and-scrape rhythm, then carry out a double that stays warm, wrapped tight, the cheese holding the seams together.
6. Windy City Burgers, Greenville
A neon outline glows in the window on Pleasantburg Drive, while the grill throws out that comforting diner soundtrack. Windy City Burgers nods to Chicago, but in Greenville it’s a neighborhood constant.
The double arrives with two griddled patties, American or cheddar, and the option for grilled onions or sport-pepper heat for those who ask. The cheese melts into the seam, catching the jus. Compared with the single, the double’s crust-to-cheese ratio fits the soft bun.
Started by folks craving Midwestern simplicity, it sticks to repeatable results. Order at the counter, grab a receipt, and wait for your number. Peak hours run early dinner, and the regulars swear the double tastes best hot-off-grill, eaten in the booth.
7. Pawleys Front Porch, Columbia
College chatter floats down from the porch, and the smell of char reaches Elmwood Park’s corners. Pawleys Front Porch is a Columbia institution, known for big specialty builds named for coastal towns.
While the menu’s broad, the double cheeseburger is a steady draw: two patties on the char-grill, thick American or pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a toasted bun that holds. The sear is cleaner than a flat-top, giving a backyard-grill note. Doubles edge out singles when game days swell.
Founded during Columbia’s burger boom, it outlasted trends by staying consistent. Expect waits on weekends, order at the counter or with a server depending on the section, and keep a napkin ready as the cheese slides warm into the crumb.
8. Hamburger Joe’s, North Myrtle Beach
Ceiling fans stir salt air near Highway 17, and the dining room hums with beach traffic and locals in logo caps. Hamburger Joe’s keeps it simple and fast, beach-town efficient.
The double cheeseburger shows off thin patties with crisp edges, American cheese, and a soft bun that soaks up beefy drippings. Onions and pickles add crunch, and the chili option has fans. The single is a snack, the double is dinner.
Opened by Joe Brooks in the late 1980s, the place leans into volume without losing speed. I order at the table, watch baskets fly from the pass, and the double lands quick, wrapped in paper that turns translucent in all the right places.
9. Blue Top Grill, Graniteville
A vintage sign marks the spot on Bettis Academy Road, and the parking lot hosts a steady trickle of regulars. Blue Top Grill feels like a time capsule polished by daily use.
The double cheeseburger is straightforward: two hand-formed patties, griddled, American cheese, and a buttered bun. Order with grilled onions, mustard, and pickle for the house-favorite balance. The single works for a light lunch, but the double provides the savory depth people drive out for.
Locals cite school-night dinners and Saturday errands as prime times, so mid-afternoon is calmer. You order at the counter, then settle into a booth and watch the cook manage the flattop with one hand and the order tickets with the other.
10. Dave’s Carry Out, Charleston
On Morris Street, the small window glows at night, and the sidewalk becomes a waiting room. Dave’s Carry Out is known for fried seafood, yet the burger crowd knows to ask for doubles.
Two patties, American cheese, and grilled onions get wrapped tight, the steam fusing bun and beef. The seasoning reads simple and salt-forward, relying on hot steel for flavor. The single is quick; the double carries that street-side perfume longer.
Dave’s has been a late-night anchor for decades, run by the same family with quiet pride. Order at the window, hold your ticket, and expect a short wait as each burger gets its moment on the flattop, then disappears into a paper bag, still hissing.
11. Art Burger Sushi Bar, Myrtle Beach
A swirl of ocean breeze and gallery color frames the boardwalk stretch where Art Burger Sushi Bar sits. Tourists wander in for the novelty, but locals know the burgers anchor the place.
The double cheeseburger layers two patties with melted American or cheddar, a char that tastes clean, and a toasted bun that holds shape. Add pickles and the house sauce for balance. The single’s fine for a stroll; the double satisfies after a beach day.
Opened with an artsy concept, it still runs like a beach grill at heart. I grab a bar seat, watch burgers stack beside neat rows of sushi, then walk out to the boardwalk with a double that warms my hands against the sea breeze.
12. Fat Patties, Bluffton
The chalkboard lists local farms, and the fryers pop like a metronome. Fat Patties in Bluffton blends a neighborhood hangout with a kitchen that cares about sourcing.
The double cheeseburger can be built with beef or a beef-bacon blend, two patties seared and stacked with American or cheddar. The cheese is melted to the edge, and the bun is toasted until just glossy. Compared to the single, the double brings a deeper savory pull that fits the soft roll.
It tracks with Bluffton’s growth the early 2010s yet keeps service friendly and quick. Order at the table, expect peak family hours at dinner, and watch as doubles leave the pass in a steady parade of hot plates.
13. Port Grill, Lake Greenwood
Boats thrum in the distance, and you can smell pine along the water’s edge near Lake Greenwood. Port Grill keeps a casual rhythm tuned to lake days and quick lunches.
The double cheeseburger stacks two thin patties, American cheese, and optional grilled mushrooms or onions. The edges crisp, cheese drapes, and the bun is lightly buttered. The single works on a quick stop; the double makes sense when the appetite spikes after time on the water.
Locals know to beat the noon crowd and call ahead when weekends turn busy. Pickup is easy at the counter, and the crew moves with practiced pace, sealing doubles in clamshells that trap heat without soaking the bun.
14. Mac’s Drive-In, Clemson
Orange caps and old photos line the walls, and the door swings nonstop on College Avenue. Mac’s Drive-In is Clemson’s long-running clubhouse for simple, faithful burgers.
The double cheeseburger is the order that lands with a soft thud: two patties, American cheese, onions, mustard, and pickles if you ask. The griddle gives a clean sear, the bun is warmed but not brittle, and the cheese ties it all together. A single disappears too quickly on game weeks.
Opened in the 1960s, Mac’s has the cadence of a well-worn routine. Sit at the counter if you can, call your order clearly, and watch the cook manage a tight grid of patties, flipping right when the edges whisper brown.