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A Company Burger double.

New Orleans’s Best Old-School Burgers

A classic is a classic for a reason

by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated May 6, 2022, 11:39am CDT

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A Company Burger double.

| Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated May 6, 2022, 11:39am CDT

What defines a kick-ass burger? For starters, it’s balance in a bun, just the right combo of toppings, sauce, and juicy meat, all working in harmony to deliver a perfect version of one of America’s most iconic dishes. The good news is, that when it comes to burgers, New Orleans has a lot to offer. From haute steakhouse blended burgers to chef-driven hamburger joints to a plethora of iconic greasy spoons and neighborhood spots, this town serves up a mean patty.

Now, Eater knows that there are fancy burgers out there, riffing on everything from barbecue to banh mi. That isn’t what this list is about. Instead, all-American burgers lead this charge, a cross-section of some of the best old-school beefy burgers that the city’s grills have to offer.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

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The Camellia Grill

A truly classic, no-frills diner burger, Camellia Grill’s highly salted six-ounce patty topped with plenty of crisp, cold iceberg lettuce and mayo can hit the spot. Priced at $8 for a basic beef burger, add-ons include lettuce, tomato, mayo, and bacon, or make it a double for another three bucks.

Open in Google Maps

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Zea Rotisserie & Bar (Multiple Locations)

Zea’s, a Louisiana-based and locally owned chain, does a bang-up job with its burgers with certified half-pound Angus, juicy and tender meat topped with bacon and a choice of jack, bleu or cheddar on a toasted brioche bun with BBQ sauce on the side. It comes with one side: Choose the roasted corn grits. With lots of locations through Louisiana, it’s easy to find one nearby.

Open in Google Maps

5080 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Zea’s burger

Ted's Frostop Diner

S. Claiborne’s iconic old school greasy spoon opened in 1955, and today still retains its kitschy landmark status. The menu features a slew of classic diner options, but the burger served with crinkle cut fries and a root beer are a sure bet for lunch.

Open in Google Maps

3100 Calhoun St, New Orleans, LA 70125

Visit Website

Bud's Broiler

Bud’s is back in New Orleans, joining Morning Call on Canal Boulevard in reestablishing its rightful place near City Park. Affordable and simple yet ahead of its time, this longtime New Orleans-area burger chain was an early adopter of the smash burger style — crispier, thin patties, this one topped with shredded cheese.

5115 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Beachcorner Bar & Grill

Love this no-frills neighborhood bar, perfect for watching the game with good grub and beer. The list of toppings is impressive at Beachcorner, from homemade barbecue sauce to blue cheese and mushrooms — there’s even a burger of the month, 10 options in all. The restaurant serves late and there’s a bunch of other good belly-busting eats too.

Open in Google Maps

4905 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Beachcorner’s burger of the month, June 2021

Also featured in:

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Bub's NOLA

Born out of the pandemic, Bub’s is a pop-up-turned-restaurant that opened in Mid City last year. Aaron Amadio, Tristan Moreau, Peter Prevot, Josh Richard, and Ron Richard started their smash burger pop-up in June 2020, quickly gaining a loyal fanbase for their expertly crisped patties and savory house sauce. Cheese fries, sides, and a chicken sandwich are a few of the other offerings.

Open in Google Maps

4413 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Five smash burgers are stacked on top of one another

The Company Burger

Adam Biderman’s homage to the simple burger — thin patty, American cheese, fresh ground meat, no lettuce, no tomato — blew the burger scene in New Orleans wide open when Company Burger opened in 2011. Since then it’s won local and national raves and awards from all directions and is in residence on busy Freret Street Uptown. The menu has a few other sandwich options well worth a try, like that tasty fried chicken sandwich.

4600 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Also featured in:

La Petite Grocery

Justin Devillier's signature LPG burger is a hot commodity when it comes to New Orleans burgers. Topped with onion marmalade and gruyere, the burger is then set off with mustard, mayo, arugula, and housemade pickles. It preceded the burger boom and was one of the first truly local elevated burgers, every bite so worth the $20 price tag.

4238 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Brown Butter Southern Kitchen and Bar

Mid City’s Brown Butter restaurant has three burgers on its menu, but the back-to-basics Brown Butter burger is divine, thanks to a blend of short rib and brisket in the patty. It comes on a brioche bun and gets topped with pimento cheese. Classic fries and garlic aioli come on the side — or sub out for outstanding truffle fries or Brussels, worth an extra $3. Brown Butter is well worth a visit for much of its extensive menu.

Open in Google Maps

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Toups Meatery

Isaac Toups is known for his amazing charcuterie, cracklin’s, and basically all things pork at his Mid City Toup’s Meatery go-to. His lunch and brunch burger is all about the beef — the chef uses wagyu beef and tops it with pickled squash, cheddar, bacon, and herbed aioli on a sesame seed bun. Worth every bit of that hard-earned $16.

845 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Toups Meatery’s burger

Also featured in:

Fharmacy Nola

Chefs Nhat and Bobby Nguyen imbue their menu with Southern-meets-Southeast-Asian pluck, bold flavors that mine a global culinary lexicon. But they don’t fuss, as Fharmacy’s classic cheeseburger will attest. Eight ounces of house-blended beef get topped with American cheese and pickles, served on a brioche bun with fries on the side.

Open in Google Maps

2540 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Where to Find New Orleans’s Best Chicken Wings

Clover Grill

So they make their burgers under a grease splattered hub cap and yes, they are good. The staff is a hoot, and it’s a great place for a snack after a night in the bars. Sit at the counter for best view of the shenanigans and order breakfast anytime at this old school divey diner.

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Port of Call

There are other things besides burgers on the menu at this French Quarter institution, but come on, really? Port of Call draws throngs who line up for mammoth burgers topped with unmelted shredded cheddar, loaded baked potatoes, and a big, pinkish, extra-boozy cocktail called the monsoon. The decor is cheesy nautical but no matter, Port of Call has been holding down the burger fort in New Orleans for more than 50 years.

Open in Google Maps

838 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Port of Call burger with shredded cheese and mushrooms

Also featured in:

Who Dat Coffee Cafe

This sidewalk breakfast and lunch cafe on a Marigny corner stays busy and with good reason. Head over to Who Dat Coffee and order Da Who Dat burger, a juicy, half-pound patty cooked to order — love the jalapeno cheddar bun — and dressed, with fries, salad, or potato salad on the side. Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, with a full bar and super bloody Marys.

Open in Google Maps

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Da Who Dat Burger

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Marie's Bar and Kitchen

Thank goodness Chad Barlow took over Marie’s Kitchen, which had sat empty since the pandemic. Barlow’s slap burgers blend a quarter-pound of 80/20 ground beef with three secret ingredients, (ok, one is butter), way juicy despite being cooked to medium well. Barlow dresses them with his secret sauce modeled after In-N-Out Burger’s, crispy Vlasic dills, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and yellow American cheese, all on a toasted brioche bun. Starting at $10, there’s a single Slap, a double and the quad — four patties fully dressed.

Open in Google Maps

2483 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Breakaway's Restaurant & Bar

There is so much to love about chef Paul Artigues’ menu at Breakaway’s R&B, from the crisp wedge salad to the fluffy crawfish fritters and the etouffee. But the Reme double burger is divine, two quarter pounders on a Brioche bun with grilled onions, American cheese, and tangy remoulade Sauce. Great news — it comes with herb and garlic powered persillade fries.

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2529 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

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Also featured in:

Junction Bar & Grill

Railroad-themed Junction serves plenty of grass-fed burgers named for rail lines. For example, the New York & Atlantic is a classic steakhouse burger with garlic and black pepper butter, pepper jack cheese, and fried onion strips. But all those specialty burgers start with the classic “boxcar burger,” a six-ounce patty of grass-fed, hormone-free ground beef from St. Amant, Louisiana, cooked medium and served on a brioche roll from Dong Phuong bakery. Lettuce, tomato, and onion come on the side. There are plenty of tasty toppings to dress it up, though it’s hardly necessary, and 40 beers on tap, which are very necessary.

Open in Google Maps

3021 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

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Sneaky Pickle & Bar Brine

Yes, Sneaky Pickle is known for its vegetable-forward cuisine. But it’s also known for its carnivore options, and the Raines wagyu beef burger is the bomb, locally raised beef topped with cheddar, lettuce, pickled onion and aioli. There’s a smoked tempeh Reuben too, so everybody’s happy.

Open in Google Maps

3200 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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The Camellia Grill

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

A truly classic, no-frills diner burger, Camellia Grill’s highly salted six-ounce patty topped with plenty of crisp, cold iceberg lettuce and mayo can hit the spot. Priced at $8 for a basic beef burger, add-ons include lettuce, tomato, mayo, and bacon, or make it a double for another three bucks.

Open in Google Maps

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Zea Rotisserie & Bar (Multiple Locations)

5080 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70118

Zea’s burger

Zea’s, a Louisiana-based and locally owned chain, does a bang-up job with its burgers with certified half-pound Angus, juicy and tender meat topped with bacon and a choice of jack, bleu or cheddar on a toasted brioche bun with BBQ sauce on the side. It comes with one side: Choose the roasted corn grits. With lots of locations through Louisiana, it’s easy to find one nearby.

Open in Google Maps

5080 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Zea’s burger

Ted's Frostop Diner

3100 Calhoun St, New Orleans, LA 70125

S. Claiborne’s iconic old school greasy spoon opened in 1955, and today still retains its kitschy landmark status. The menu features a slew of classic diner options, but the burger served with crinkle cut fries and a root beer are a sure bet for lunch.

Open in Google Maps

3100 Calhoun St, New Orleans, LA 70125

Visit Website

Bud's Broiler

5115 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Bud’s is back in New Orleans, joining Morning Call on Canal Boulevard in reestablishing its rightful place near City Park. Affordable and simple yet ahead of its time, this longtime New Orleans-area burger chain was an early adopter of the smash burger style — crispier, thin patties, this one topped with shredded cheese.

5115 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Visit Website

Beachcorner Bar & Grill

4905 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Beachcorner’s burger of the month, June 2021

Love this no-frills neighborhood bar, perfect for watching the game with good grub and beer. The list of toppings is impressive at Beachcorner, from homemade barbecue sauce to blue cheese and mushrooms — there’s even a burger of the month, 10 options in all. The restaurant serves late and there’s a bunch of other good belly-busting eats too.

Open in Google Maps

4905 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Beachcorner’s burger of the month, June 2021

Bub's NOLA

4413 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Five smash burgers are stacked on top of one another

Born out of the pandemic, Bub’s is a pop-up-turned-restaurant that opened in Mid City last year. Aaron Amadio, Tristan Moreau, Peter Prevot, Josh Richard, and Ron Richard started their smash burger pop-up in June 2020, quickly gaining a loyal fanbase for their expertly crisped patties and savory house sauce. Cheese fries, sides, and a chicken sandwich are a few of the other offerings.

Open in Google Maps

4413 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Five smash burgers are stacked on top of one another

The Company Burger

4600 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Adam Biderman’s homage to the simple burger — thin patty, American cheese, fresh ground meat, no lettuce, no tomato — blew the burger scene in New Orleans wide open when Company Burger opened in 2011. Since then it’s won local and national raves and awards from all directions and is in residence on busy Freret Street Uptown. The menu has a few other sandwich options well worth a try, like that tasty fried chicken sandwich.

4600 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

La Petite Grocery

4238 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Justin Devillier's signature LPG burger is a hot commodity when it comes to New Orleans burgers. Topped with onion marmalade and gruyere, the burger is then set off with mustard, mayo, arugula, and housemade pickles. It preceded the burger boom and was one of the first truly local elevated burgers, every bite so worth the $20 price tag.

4238 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Brown Butter Southern Kitchen and Bar

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Mid City’s Brown Butter restaurant has three burgers on its menu, but the back-to-basics Brown Butter burger is divine, thanks to a blend of short rib and brisket in the patty. It comes on a brioche bun and gets topped with pimento cheese. Classic fries and garlic aioli come on the side — or sub out for outstanding truffle fries or Brussels, worth an extra $3. Brown Butter is well worth a visit for much of its extensive menu.

Open in Google Maps

231 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Toups Meatery

845 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Toups Meatery’s burger

Isaac Toups is known for his amazing charcuterie, cracklin’s, and basically all things pork at his Mid City Toup’s Meatery go-to. His lunch and brunch burger is all about the beef — the chef uses wagyu beef and tops it with pickled squash, cheddar, bacon, and herbed aioli on a sesame seed bun. Worth every bit of that hard-earned $16.

845 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Toups Meatery’s burger

Fharmacy Nola

2540 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Chefs Nhat and Bobby Nguyen imbue their menu with Southern-meets-Southeast-Asian pluck, bold flavors that mine a global culinary lexicon. But they don’t fuss, as Fharmacy’s classic cheeseburger will attest. Eight ounces of house-blended beef get topped with American cheese and pickles, served on a brioche bun with fries on the side.

Open in Google Maps

2540 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Clover Grill

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

So they make their burgers under a grease splattered hub cap and yes, they are good. The staff is a hoot, and it’s a great place for a snack after a night in the bars. Sit at the counter for best view of the shenanigans and order breakfast anytime at this old school divey diner.

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Port of Call

838 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Port of Call burger with shredded cheese and mushrooms

There are other things besides burgers on the menu at this French Quarter institution, but come on, really? Port of Call draws throngs who line up for mammoth burgers topped with unmelted shredded cheddar, loaded baked potatoes, and a big, pinkish, extra-boozy cocktail called the monsoon. The decor is cheesy nautical but no matter, Port of Call has been holding down the burger fort in New Orleans for more than 50 years.

Open in Google Maps

838 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Port of Call burger with shredded cheese and mushrooms

Who Dat Coffee Cafe

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Da Who Dat Burger

This sidewalk breakfast and lunch cafe on a Marigny corner stays busy and with good reason. Head over to Who Dat Coffee and order Da Who Dat burger, a juicy, half-pound patty cooked to order — love the jalapeno cheddar bun — and dressed, with fries, salad, or potato salad on the side. Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, with a full bar and super bloody Marys.

Open in Google Maps

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117