In theory, a hamburger is pretty simple. A helping of ground meat (and maybe some vegetables) stuffed inside a bun is all that’s technically required.

in practice, a perfectly made burger’s blend of meaty and messy is hard to achieve.

Off and on for the past two months, I’ve been sampling burgers in an attempt to find the area’s best. It would be impossible to eat every burger in the area, so I did my best crowdsource, polling both my friends and contacts courtesy of Twitter.

My methodology was as simple as I could make it: I ordered the restaurant’s special or classic hamburger.

All visits were unannounced, and I tried to maintain as much of a clandestine approach as possible. The text and photos that follow are my assessment of the burgers given to me on the day I arrived; they could each be better or worse on different days. I placed emphasis on meat and bun first, then the quality of toppings. I resisted the temptation to grade the burgers on the fries that accompanied them - or this list might be very different.

The list starts with my favorites, then goes in descending order. But don’t take that to mean I disliked any of these; I started with those already flagged as the best of the best.

THE STATION CAFE Downtown Bentonville 1 it The be There . The said Station ’s about something Cafe simplicity is offers wood to .

building paneled, with various license plates decorating the walls.

The burger served here isrelatively unadorned, too, with most of the toppings served on the side. But my 6-ounce burger spilled over the edges of my bun, and I don’t know what else to ask for out of a burger. I’m unaware of any other restaurant in the area still serving “freedom fries,” but that’s what comes packaged with The Station’s daily special.

FELTNER BROTHERS Fayetteville 2 Feltner the A located close much ’s cousin Whatta ballyhooed outside to -Burger ( just of our coverage area in Russellville), Feltner Brothers does well in carrying on a tradition of good burgers.

There is a degree of juiciness here that few achieve. I’ll stopshort of chalking that up to grease, instead crediting the locally raised Angus beef and fresh toppings.

THE BURGER PATTI Fayetteville 3 Burger entry By far on the Patti the newest offers in list west , The a Fayetteville simple menu that focuses onthe house specialty, which they call The Houseburger. It’s a drive-in style sandwich, and it comes with just the right amount of salt and pepper.

PATRICK’S Springdale 4 good smothered Patrick as and ’s mustard came ’d burger quickly - was , just you expectof an operation that’s had decades to practice efficiency.

The ultra-thin burger comes served in white paper but didn’t turn it translucent with grease. That’s not to imply a dry burger - it’s not - but there are limits which Patrick’s happily does not exceed.

Patrick’s did not rate as high as some of the others, but it also has another charm - it’s definitely the cheapest option among those on this list. A burger from Patrick’s, packaged with fries and a drink, is only $5.25, and a cheeseburger option is just less than $5.50.

ED WALKER’S DRIVE-IN Fort Smith 5 restaurants with Fort On a Smith fast busy food , street one that chain packed also in specialize in burgers, is a restaurant that’s been making them in the same location since 1943. The signs outside the building state Ed Walker’s is proud of its French dip sandwiches, but the burgers are a draw, too.

The dominate flavor profileof my burger was onion, although I shucked the bulk of those off to the side (as I did at every restaurant). It’s a simple burger on a simple bun, with mustard, lettuce, tomato and red onions.

THE OTHER SIDE

Best bets among the unique

How does a pressed-thin patty compare with a halfpound monstrosity literally covered in cheese? It doesn’t, so we didn’t even try.

Here are a couple of burgers that can be found in Northwest Arkansas that don’t fit the classic, drive-in style hamburger archetype but are worth discussing - and eating - regardless.

The Excaliburger Ozark Cafe Jasper

Just as King Arthur was required to pull a sword from a stone to prove his worth, you’ll need to remove an oversized steak knife from this massive burger to prove you’re a burger champion.

The Excaliburger features a half-pound patty served with the standard lot of ingredients. But it’s noteworthy because insteadof buns, the burger is wedged between two grilled cheese sandwiches. The knife is then plunged through the center of them all. The sandwich’s bigger brother, The Double Excaliburger, features a second half-pound patty.

The burger is good beyond being a novelty, and its real treat is the housemade “Ozark sauce” that smothers the burger.

Ozark Cafe serves a wide range of unique burgers, such as the Volcano Burger, which resembles an alien spacecraft. So much shredded cheese is piled upon the patty as it cooks that it melts onto the griddle, creating a hovering ring of crusty, slightly charred cheese.

If that’s not excessive enough, Ozark Cafe also serves a deep-fried hamburger.

Smoky Cheddar Burger Hugo’s Fayetteville

Everyone knows (well, at least I do) that Hugo’s best burger is actually the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger, which is only offered as a special. But among the burgers that are on the menu daily, it’s hardto beat the Smoky Cheddar Burger. There’s not much truly unique about it - it’s cheese and beef and sides.

But it’s big and greasy, and it might be a good idea to eatit with a fork, something you would be laughed at for doing in a diner. The lines out the door on weekend nights are a strong indicator of Hugo’s continuing quality.

Whats Up, Pages 16 on 03/15/2013