Let’s not pretend this is an unbiased list. We make burgers, we think ours are very good, and we’re about to tell you why, with prices attached, so you can argue with us.
Short version. If you want the best burger in Melbourne and you’re sick of the same flat pub patty with a tired slice of plastic cheese, order the Juicy Lucy ($33.90) — a beef patty with the cheese melted inside it, not draped on top. That’s the headline. Everything else on this page earns its place around it.
But the honest bit first. These aren’t pub burgers.
What “not a pub burger” actually means
A pub burger is a means to an end. It gives the kitchen something to do with mince between parmas, it lands in eight minutes, and it’s fine. You eat it. You forget it.
Ours come out of a smokehouse. The same fire that runs our brisket for 8–10 hours and our pulled pork for 12 runs under what goes in the bun. That changes everything. The beef tastes like beef that’s met hickory. The pulled pork is actual 12-hour pulled pork, not a tub of pre-shredded shoulder. The patties are seasoned like we mean it.
So no, we won’t win on speed or on a $14 lunch special. We’re playing a different game. If a five-minute feed is what you need, fair enough, go to the pub. If you want a burger worth driving across town for, keep reading.
The Third Wave BBQ burger lineup (with prices)
Five burgers. Each one does a specific job. Here’s the full burger menu and who each one is for.
The Classic — $19.90
The entry point, and proof we’re not just being fancy for the sake of it. A straight-up beef burger done properly: smoked patty, the right ratios, no gimmick. New to us, sceptical, or just hungry and watching the spend? Start here. It’s the one that quietly converts people.
Juicy Lucy — $33.90
The one you tell people about. The cheese is sealed inside the patty, so when you bite in it’s molten, not a cold slice going hard on top. We pack it out with onion rings and bacon. It’s messy, it’s rich, and it’s the burger we’d order if someone made us pick one. This is our answer to “best burgers in Melbourne.” Order it, then thank us.
Ribsy — $29.90
Our pork-rib energy in burger form. For the person who eyes off the ribs but wants something they can hold in one hand. Big, smoky, unapologetic.
Oh Mamma — $38.40
The full send. The burger you order when you’ve skipped lunch and you’ve got something to prove. It’s the top of the range for a reason, the most loaded thing on the list. Don’t plan on talking much while you eat it.
Pulled Vrisket (plant-based) — $23.90
Our plant-based burger, and we’re proud of it instead of treating it as an afterthought. “Vrisket” is exactly what it sounds like, a brisket-style plant build that actually carries the smoke. If you’re the vegan dragged to a BBQ joint by carnivore mates, this is the one that means you’re not stuck with a side of chips and a sad look. We also run an Edgy Veggie burger and Vrisket Burnt Ends if you want to go further down that road, plus GF options across the menu.
So which one should you actually order?
Quick gut-check:
- First time here / on a budget? The Classic ($19.90).
- Want the signature, the thing we’re known for? Juicy Lucy ($33.90).
- Properly, dangerously hungry? Oh Mamma ($38.40).
- Torn between burgers and ribs? Ribsy ($29.90).
- Plant-based and tired of being an afterthought? Pulled Vrisket ($23.90).
How our burgers stack up against the rest of Melbourne
Melbourne’s burger scene splits roughly three ways, and it’s worth being straight about where we sit.
There’s the specialist smash-burger crowd: thin patty, crispy lacy edges, American-diner energy. They’re great at what they do. We’re not trying to be them. If a paper-thin smash is your thing, we won’t pretend ours is the same animal.
There’s the pub burger, which we’ve already had our fun with.
And then there’s us, the smokehouse burger. The reason to come to Third Wave BBQ for a burger is that the burger’s plugged into a real BBQ kitchen. The same pit that turns out our Black Angus brisket ($32.40) and beef ribs ($39.90) is what gives the patties their backbone. Most burger joints can’t say that, because they don’t run a smoker for 10 hours a day. We do, whether you order a burger or not.
So here’s the honest frame. Judging on smash-burger crunch? Go to a smash specialist. Judging on “does this taste like it came out of a proper BBQ joint”? We’ll back ourselves all day.
Where to get them — and which venue suits what
Six venues, five across Melbourne and one in Perth. They all do the burgers. Here’s the rundown.
Albert Park (181 Victoria Ave) — the flagship
Our original, and the full experience. If you want the complete Third Wave BBQ menu — burgers plus the steaks (Wagyu Porterhouse $109, a 1kg Ribeye to share at $149.90), the big platters, the lot — this is the one. Best for a proper sit-down where the burger is the warm-up act.
Hawthorn East (234 Riversdale Rd) — the other steak venue
The second of only two venues doing steaks. In the east and want burgers with the option to go full carnivore at the table? Hawthorn East is your pick.
Moorabbin (20 Station St) — southside local
Solid southeast option for a no-fuss burger run. Full burger lineup, easy access.
Ascot Vale (508–510 Mt Alexander Rd) — inner northwest
Handy if you’re round the inner northwest. Same burgers, same smoke.
Officer (Shop 7/43 Siding Ave) — out southeast
Worth knowing the Officer kitchen opens a touch later, from noon, so it’s a lunch-onwards spot rather than an early one.
Applecross, Perth (888 Canning Hwy) — for the West Aussies
Yes, Perth, we see you. Same burgers, same pit philosophy, 3,000km west. (And for everyone asking: Gold Coast is coming around September 2026.)
A few things worth knowing before you come
We’re a BBQ restaurant first, so a burger here sits next to some serious gear. If you’re rolling deep, the Platter of Doom ($490) feeds 6–10 and comes with a whole Thor’s Hammer — the 3kg+ beef shin we marinate for 24 hours and smoke for 12, which we reckon we helped put on the map in Australia. Smaller crews can grab a platter for two ($147.40) or four ($269.90).
And on Tuesdays from 5:30pm we run All You Can Eat: three tiers ($69 / $93 / $119) with a $59 drinks package on top. If a single Oh Mamma isn’t enough burger for you, that’s the move.
FAQ
What’s the best burger at Third Wave BBQ?
Our pick is the Juicy Lucy ($33.90), a beef patty with the cheese melted inside it instead of on top, loaded with bacon and onion rings. It’s the burger we’d order if we could only have one. Want the biggest? Go the Oh Mamma ($38.40). For value, the Classic at $19.90.
How much are the burgers at Third Wave BBQ?
The Classic is $19.90, the plant-based Pulled Vrisket is $23.90, Ribsy is $29.90, the Juicy Lucy is $33.90, and the loaded Oh Mamma is $38.40.
Do you have vegan or gluten-free burgers?
Yes. The Pulled Vrisket ($23.90) is plant-based, and we also do an Edgy Veggie burger and Vrisket Burnt Ends. There are gluten-free options across the menu, ask the team and we’ll sort you.
Which Third Wave BBQ venues serve the burgers?
All six: Albert Park, Hawthorn East, Moorabbin, Ascot Vale and Officer in Melbourne, plus Applecross in Perth. Albert Park and Hawthorn East are the two that also do steaks, so they’re the spots for the full menu. Gold Coast opens around September 2026.
Hungry now? Book a table at your nearest Third Wave BBQ and order the Juicy Lucy. Best burgers in Melbourne is a big claim. Come settle the argument in person.
