Best Burgers in New Orleans: Bars and Diners

The best burgers in New Orleans come from bars and old neighborhood joints rather than burger chains. Start at the edge of the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny, then head Uptown along Magazine Street and the St. Charles streetcar, and out to Mid-City and the Bywater. Expect thick half-pound bar burgers and griddled diner burgers.

The sandwich that rules here is the po’boy, built on light, crackly French bread, and the burger lives in its shadow. Port of Call, on Esplanade Avenue between the Quarter and the Marigny, is the city’s best-known burger room: half-pound patties ground daily, served with a loaded baked potato instead of fries. Locals also know the hot sausage po’boy, which uses a spicy, flattened sausage patty that sits closer to a burger than its name suggests. Hot sauce on the table and Creole seasoning in the kitchen are the usual local touches.

Burgers in New Orleans: key facts

• Neighborhoods to explore: the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny, Tremé, Bywater, Mid-City, and Uptown and the Garden District along Magazine Street.
• Local landmark: Port of Call on Esplanade Avenue, known for burgers with a baked potato on the side.
• Local cousin: the hot sausage po’boy, a spiced patty on French bread.
• Getting around: the St. Charles line, the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world, links downtown and Uptown.
• Currency: US dollar (USD).

Every guide we publish on New Orleans is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. Explore more cities through our burger restaurant guides.