At Game, in Louisville, Ky., the name says it all: This burger joint with a hunting-lodge feel serves an adventurous selection of meats ranging from elk to wild boar. The Venison Burger combines venison meat with Wagyu beef fat. Chef Adam Kirby tops the burger with mint pesto and Gorgonzola cheese, and puts the whole thing on a sturdy pretzel bun to hold it all together. Don't leave without trying one of Kirby's irresistible side dishes: Pork Belly Scotch Eggs.

Looking for British pub fare in New York? Black Swan in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, matches craft brews with creative takes on dishes from across the pond. Try Chef Jesse Olguin's upgraded comfort food, like his twist on a classic BLT: the Lobster PLT, a sandwich layered with smoked pork belly, lobster coated in sun-dried tomato aioli, and a fried egg. Another must have: Olguin's homestyle turkey chili paired with Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace — the same beer that goes right into the dish.

A family-owned BBQ joint that's been around since 1932, Black's Barbecue has seen four generations of Black family boys who pass down their recipes through the ages, like the secret to their juicy beef ribs made with a special dry rub that "you'd have to marry into the family to find out about." Also famous are their jalapeno-cheddar sausages — spicy smoked beef links that they make thousands of every week.

“Not many burger joints can surprise me like they do here,” says Michael of San Antonio hot spot Tycoon Flats. That’s because Chef Richard Hartman injects his dishes with exciting and creative ingredients, like the buttermilk-fried green apples and creamy blue cheese dressing on his juicy Fried Apple Bacon Burger. For dessert, don’t leave without trying another unique creation: candied-bacon creme brulee. Bonus: The restaurant boasts a giant outdoor space for drinking craft beers with friends and enjoying live music.