This little diner-style burger joint in Richmond’s 23rd Street corridor specializes in two things: solid, simply dressed burgers and (also quite excellent) cheesesteaks, all dished out with some of the friendliest service in the East Bay.

How you feel about 310 Eatery depends in part on how you feel about monstrously tall extreme burgers — one outrageously decadent ingredient stacked on top of another, and then another. The popular Albany brunch and burger spot specializes in “Los Angeles–style” street food, with a dash of Asian dishes in the mix as well. Even if you aren’t into burgers that come overloaded with dozens of toppings (we see you 405 Traffic Jam, with your bacon-short rib patty, portobello mushroom, crispy onions, and pastrami), the more “standard” burgers are also excellent — especially 310’s Street Burger, which comes smothered in bacon jam.

As its name indicates, the “Good Burger” is quite good — a classic with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar, aioli, and burger sauce — a little like the well-charred burger you might get off someone’s backyard grill. But the Mexi Cali burger might be even better, subbing in avocado, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and elote crema to create a spicy, drippy delight. Eat it with a local beer and a side of crinkle-cut fries.

This restaurant is also a butcher shop, meaning that every meaty morsel that comes out of the kitchen was processed in house, often from whole animals. If you’re looking for a slightly fancier, cheffy burger that’s still deeply satisfying, the C&H Cheeseburger is tough to beat: It’s two four-ounce patties with caramelized onion jam, pimento cheese, romaine lettuce, bread and butter pickles, and pickle mayo on a sesame seed brioche bun. Add beef tallow fries, and it’s game on.

At his Montclair wine bar, chef Rob Lam serves an umami-packed mashup of a burger. Dubbed the French Onion Dip Angus Burger, it stars a thick charred patty, havarti, jammy onions, and a toasted milk bun. It’s a great burger on its own, but then you dip it — French dip style — in a side of French onion soup for even more flavor.

It’s an unobvious spot for a stellar burger, given that Occitania is located inside the Kissel Uptown Oakland hotel, but the French Burger a la Cafe Midi is one to chase. The burger is a recreation of a childhood favorite of chef Paul Canales from his hometown of Fresno, and it was so good that the chef sought to recreate it at his own spot in Oakland. The trick to making it? Gruyere, mushrooms, and caramelized onions that push the burger to the next level.

After a stint at the Lodge in Oakland, this East Bay pop-up has landed in its new home at Two Pitchers Brewing Company, sharing an outdoor patio made perfectly for a burger and a brew. The burgers all feature Stemple Creek beef, and the tried and true Original Fried Onion burger is the way to go if you’re looking for a more classic burger, but if you’re in the mood, the Chili Willy comes with, well, chili, along with onions and a pickled jalapeno, perfect after a day of day drinking beers.

This popular beer garden is an Oakland institution by this point, known for its lively outdoor patio, its boozy slushies, and, not for nothing, its nicely charred burgers and sausage sandwiches. Those looking for a particularly decadent burger experience can opt for the “5150,” which has a patty that’s half beef, half ground-up bacon. Even vegetarians have multiple — well, two — burger options: an Impossible burger and one featuring a chipotle black bean patty.

Park Burger serves a variety of beef burgers topped with everything from bacon, cheddar, and cheese to fried shallots and chili. The lamb burger is also an excellent choice, covered with in-house tzatziki sauce, and arugula. Vegetarians can get in on the action here too, with black bean patties, Impossible patties, or a fried portobello in place of meat.

This tiki-inspired bar’s burger is the perfect accompaniment to a bucket of rum or two. The burger features two Cream Co. beef patties with pineapple-Maui onion jam, American cheese, Kewpie mayo, and pickles on a potato roll. Don’t forget to add crispy Spam on top.

Even as this Jack London restaurant’s menu has evolved over the years, its classic burger has largely stayed the same. In its current incarnation, a Cream Co. beef patty comes topped with bacon, tomato, and garlic aioli. If you’re feeling really sassy, there are options to add Fiscalini cheddar, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, or cowboy onions.

One of a very small number of solid dining options located in close proximity to the Oakland airport, this family-run spot is known for its very hefty and juicy burgers — the double is a real whopper of a meal — and its garlic fries. Not in the mood for a burger? The teriyaki plates are a crowd favorite as well.

This Hayward institution serves the Platonic ideal of an old-school diner burger — just beautifully charred meat on a bun, served without fuss or adornment, apart from maybe some relish or grilled onions. Get it with a malt on the side. Don’t forget to bring cash.