Final round voting open: Columbia 'Best Burger' voting knocks out downtown favorite

A downtown Columbia favorite place to get a burger, that provides nostalgic feelings for those that eat there, was not quite able to reach the final ballot in the Columbia Tribune reader's poll after semifinal voting Thursday.

Some may be surprised that Booche's Billiard Hall, which notes on its menu board it is "among the best burgers in the land" per USA TODAY, that its cheeseburger was knocked out at the final hurdle and is not on today's ballot. The Tribune is a USA TODAY Network newspaper.

Booche's still made it pretty far, however. A good chunk of reader suggestions gathered Monday, put their support behind the restaurant and billiard hall. There even was one vote for its western burger, which is a cheeseburger with a slice of ham on it. Reader support meant it was added to the 16-spot bracket and voting Tuesday and Wednesday, pushed it into the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, respectively. It just wasn't able to garner enough support for today's final round.

Another Columbia favorite Just Jeff's double cheeseburger also was not able to get enough votes for the final. The Tribune noted both Booche's and Just Jeff's as a place to get an old-school burger in reporting from September. Booche's is "a spot where no frills equals delight," Tribune Arts and Culture Editor Aarik Danielsen expressed. Just Jeff's was highlighted for its "easygoing vibe and delicious food to match," where other burger styles were noted, such as the breakfast cheeseburger with an egg or the chilli and cheeseburger.

This means only two burgers remain. One of the two below garnered more than half of all 1,103 votes Thursday. Finalist entries are listed alphabetically and do not indicate which was the top semifinal vote earner. Who will win?

Voting is open now through midnight. The winner will be announced Monday.