Oakwood Proper Burgers

Ask for very simple accommodations to my meal due to allergies and not a single thing was followed. Very crowded, unorganized, and loud.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

If I could give this 10 stars, I would! This isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a full-blown culinary experience. I ordered The Oakwood and it was a revelation. We’re talking high-end, locally sourced craft beef that is perfectly smashed with a crispy exterior and an unbelievably juicy center. The toppings were fresh, and the bacon was thick-cut, crispy perfection. I’m not usually a Garlic Parm fry type of guy, but that’s what the kind lady over the phone recommended, and they did NOT disappoint. When I paid, they didn’t even give me an option to tip - thought that was cool! I honestly would have paid triple for this experience (hopefully the owners don’t read that) because I will absolutely be back the next time I’m in TC.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Tiny little place with great burgers.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The mindset of ownership and flavor should be 50 stars. Im a patty melt fan and its super good. Fries are great too. Its an incredible little gem in 8th street

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Friendly staff, quick hot food, everything was delicious, and it’s all quality sourced. Vegetarian options and large portions as well. The only request is to wrap the to go burgers for people on the run!

We will definitely be return customers here!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Old school burger joint. Nothing else needs to be said... 🍔🍟🍺

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The breakfast sandwich was very yummy. The biscuits and gravy had good flavor but was a little cold unfortunately. The burger looked fire but wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping (a little dry, ingredients not cooked enough, not as flavorful as it looked like it was going to be). Overall would come back to try again! The service was great and decor was super cool

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Awesome retro burger joint with 60’s midcentury vibes. Food is super fresh and made to order. Really nice staff. Can tell they take pride in this place. Prices are reasonable for 2026. And they’re gratuity-free which in this era of total tipping fatigue is very unique and an extra nice thing about this place.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Holy cow. Tried Oakwood Burgers tonight with my family after we bought a giftcard from them during the fundraiser for another local business owner with cancer. These absolutely are the best burgers Ive ever had.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

OMG seriously delicious! The garlic parm fries were soooo good! We ordered food and brought it over to Tank Space to eat.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Garlic Parmesan Fries, Proper Sauce

I kept hearing about Oakwood Burgers and so I decided to give it a try! You will NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!! Their burgers are absolutely delicious and the fries are to die for! The owner of this establishment is a very hard working and accomplished lady. I ordered one of their signature burgers(Oakwood) and their Cajun fries. I give my overall experience a 100/100!!! I will be back!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Garlic Parmesan Fries, Cajun Fries, Proper Burger with Bacon

I had an issue with a to go order. They more than compensated me! So glad their business is doing well. Repeat customer 😃

stopped by for lunch and got two burgers and a shake for take out. the service was great and the food came super fast. that’s about the extent of my good experience. i got a bacon and cheese smash burger and my wife got one of the specialty burgers. we also got a chocolate shake. the shake had no lid for a to-go order which i thought was odd. definitely not worth $9. did not taste chocolatey at all for that price. as for the burgers, they were almost flavorless, you could tell they were only seasoned with a little salt and pepper. the bacon on our burgers were these weird little chunks and they were all fat. there was no actual bacon meat, and i found it inedible. i also asked to make sure my burger would be well done and i was told “it’s a smash burger, all of our burgers are well done” but it was still pink. i love smash burgers and bacon, and these were just not good. my wife’s burger was $16 and i don’t know if i would’ve paid more than $8 for it. it really did not meet her expectations. we both went into it hearing lots of good things about this place, but the burgers were not savory and had no flavor at all. i could make a better burger at home, which is saying a lot. our total was just under $50 for these 2 mediocre burgers and a milkshake. at that price, i expect a handcrafted or artisan taste, and it was the opposite of that. i regret not going in and demanding a refund. don’t be fooled by the pictures or raving reviews, our experience was nothing of the sort. we will never be coming here again and telling everyone we know that it’s a waste of money.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 4

I guess I could call this a happy accident, but unfortunately, I can never deliberately try a burger there again. Well I must be gluten-free. I ordered a burger without a bun. I was halfway through it when the server realized that there is wheat in the seasoning used in the burger. Thankfully, I was able to get medication and mitigate the damage. For me it can be quite severe. For someone with celiac disease it could also be severe. So it’s important to know that this restaurant is neither celiac or gluten-free friendly. However, the happy accident is that I discovered the burger taste fantastic. Not sure what to do with that now, lol as I can’t go back and get another one.

Certainly one of Traverse City’s best burgers, and the competition is fierce - love that they are supporting their own competition through charity. That is class. The burger being absolutely delicious is icing on the cake!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5