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i was brought here by one of my friends from new orleans.. after walking 45 minutes to the port of call.. waiting another 45 minutes for a table.. and then another 30 minutes for my mushroom burger and baked potato.. i pretty much scarfed everything down pretty quickly..
the mushroom burger was cooked to perfection.. it's not the best burger i've ever had.. but it's pretty damn tasty.. the loaded baked potato was awesome..
this a great little dive bar without the tourists like me
Recommended to us by someone who grew up in the area, Port of Call was our first stop for food after getting to New Orleans. The place was packed around lunch time...but it wasn't just tourists. There were locals, men and women in suits clearly on their lunch breaks, and old men grabbing beers and annoucing they were having a "liquid meal."
We ordered the famous burgers - I decided on the mushroom cheeseburger with a loaded baked potato on the side. We also got the "Monsoon" drinks of which I had a quarter and felt drunk. The 1/2 lb burger was absolutely huge, very juicy, and way too much to handle...especially with the HUGE baked potato dripping with butter and cheddar. The potato was absolutely delicious and made me think I need to eat baked potatoes more often.
Atmosphere is great...nautical theme of course. Place is tiny so be prepared to rub elbows.
Just like the other 100+ reviews of Port of Call have explained -- POC is amazing. Here's a little how-to guide for first time visitors of POC:
(1) Upon arriving, squeeze your way inside -- don't be put off by others loitering outside. Those loitering outside are not in a line of any sorts, so walk on by and get inside the door.
(2) Once inside, stand near the door until you see someone with a little white notepad in their hands. Once you locate this person, give them your name and how many are in your party. If the person says that the wait is 45 min, DONT leave! Say a-okay and then squeeze your way to the bar.
(3) Once at the bar order a drink -- preferably their specialty Monsoon or another one of their rum drinks. Once you have your drink in hand, go back outside to wait. Go out to the nuetral ground (aka the median), take a seat and enjoy your drink.
(4) Check back in every once and awhile to see where you are on the list. Once seated, don't bother with the menu. You want another drink, the cheddar cheese burger and baked potato.
After this point, I'm sure everyone can take it from here on their own...
The wait can be a bit long, but the burgers are definitely worth it. Skip the menu and go straight to the order - The BURGER. The only thing you need to know is how you want your burger cooked - medium, medium well, etc., and whether you just want your burger plain or loaded with shredded cheese (about $10.95), mushrooms, or bacon bits - not bacon folks, imitation bacon bits. All that is a bit extra. My server actually advised against bacon bits on the burger, said it didn't taste very good. She did recommend bacon bits on the baked potato. The burger comes with lettuce, tomato and onion on the side - so you can basically dress it however you like it. All I can say is that whatever you do, you MUST have a Port of Call burger! It's the straight bomb! The baked potato loaded was also very good. F
For those who would be interested to know, my total for a cheeseburger, loaded baked potato (sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon bits) plus a soft drink was $14 and change before tip.
If you love a great burger then you must give this place a try! You will not be disappointed.
When in NO, I stay near the Port of Call so that I can walk by each day and if they aren't busy then I hurry in and grab a seat at the bar and get the monsoon, the regular burger and the baked potato with sour cream and chives. I skip the massive piles of cheese...but just my preference. Then after eating, I get another monsoon to go and I'm set up several hours in the eating and drinking category. Two monsoons a day is pretty much all I can handle! I find that if you go at odd times (weekdays, 3 pm) there's no wait. Saturday at noon? Forget it! Sneak over during 'off peak' times and get that burger!
Okay: edit for going back today (2 days in a row!!). Line outside but plenty of space at the bar. Did the hamburger and baked potato again with only ONE monsoon this time. Still the perfect lunch!
Great freakin' burgers and huge cheap drinks. This place is very good! The music is nice too.
My burger was so messy, not only could I not keep it in my hands, I couldn't keep it on my table. It was perfect.
I highly recommend a stop in this spot.
I'm totally baffled by the other reviews. The burgers are OK. They don't do a good job on medium rare-too raw in the middle. The meat needed a bit of seasoning. The quality of the beef didn't stand out.
The beer prices are OK but nothing special. I know people go here after Saints games and it can be fun. But nothing about this place calls to me. Maybe if I liked fruity drinks more.
On the other hand I did see a goat outside while I was here. I was surprised to see the devil in broad daylight. But he does have a home in New Orleans so maybe he was just going for a walk. I wish I had had my camera because otherwise no one believes me that there was a goat right outside in the middle of the day.
This place is a must whenever I stop over in NOLA for a few nights. The monsoon is just the meanest drink you can get, and I have sat at the bar watching them pour these cups of sin, and I tell you, there are no jiggers involved! Its a townie bar that is great for people watching and getting a burger that tastes like it came straight off dad's grill. I get it all on the burger and potato and it is a mess that you just love cleaning up. The meat is always juicy and the potatoes hit the spot. As you can see from the pictures, you never want for cheese and who doesnt love bacos?!
As far as ambience, If the place doesnt smell a bit like puke when you walk in, your in the wrong place. This is not a fancy place at all, its a town bar that does a couple of things and does them well. They always have a crowd and if you dont have a group, take a seat at the bar and get to know some of the locals. I met a lawyer lady here a couple of weeks who got quite sassy and called me fuck-face more than once, but it was done in good humor, so I called her a bitch, to which she then answered "I'm past bitch, Im super c!" Only at Port of Call! Have a monsoon and enjoy!
I couldn't justify giving this five stars due to the fact that I have been here twenty times and only ordered Burgers and Monsoons.
But the burgers were just a hot mess that made me very happy. Also love any place were grown grisly men guzzling fruity punch looking paint thinner is standard operating procedure.
Don't even bother looking at the menu here, you gotta get a burger. OMGomgomgomgomgomgomgomgongomgongomgomgomgomg!!!!!
Such deliciousness!
With the burger you get a choice of a potato or salad. I've gotten the salad before which is pretty ordinary but I ate it all up! The longer I live in Nola the more I realize how deficient I am becoming in veggie vitamins. On another occasion I got the baked potato stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink. That alone could be a meal!! YUM!
Moving on to drinks...I was skeptical about the Monsoon drink everyone raves about. What could be the big deal, right? It's rum punch essentially. And it just sounds girly. Well let me tell you the stuff knocked me on my ass. I was so twisted I walked out of there with my skirt tucked up in my shirt, showing my ass. Haha. Oh God. I had to go home and take a nap. Woah! Seems harmless but those Monsoons creep up on ya quick!
Other pluses go to the awesomely amazing cool friendly staff and the cozy, everyone knows ya feel of the place.
This is the only restaurant in all of NOLA that had dijon mustard and not just yucky plain yellow mustard....bonus points for that!
We came at a busy time after a Saints game, so we had to snag seats at the bar to order our food, b/c we were too hungry to wait the hour wait for a table. I think I actually prefer the bar seating b/c I enjoy watching the bartenders make the drinks and seeing what everyone else order.
The food menu is rather limited just burgers and steak...no dessert options. The burger comes with a humongous baked potato. I unfortunately had already stuffed myself earlier in the day so I didn't get anything, but fortunately I was able to nibble...okay sample...the food off of my friend's plate and a few sips of all the specialty drinks. yum!
I'm soooo glad we picked this place on our last night. The place was packed with happy Saints fans and the atmosphere was definitely one of your local pub. The burger and loaded baked potato were amazing. Hey, if you know how to do something right, why not make it your only thing! I tasted the Monsoon and was not a fan. It's light and dark rum with fruit punch - and I'm not a fruit punch fan. But if you are, you will love it and they glasses our huge! I tried two of their other drinks - Port of Call and Huma Huma. Both were good but the Huma Huma comes in a huge glass like the Monsoon so took me much longer to drink (and I was feeling good from it!) Thankfully I was able to walk back to our hotel, which was very close, with it in hand.
Just beware this place seems to get packed but find the skinny guy with glasses. He is on top of getting people seated!
By a show of yelps, how many people here have been caught in an epic rainstorm, risked catching pneumonia & missed a flight all for the sake of eating an unforgettable, loaded baked potato?
(Crickets chirping)
I didn't think so.
Well, I have..and trust me folks, this wasn't your run-of-the-mill potato.
For starters, the thing is gigantic. It is cooked to perfection, and if you ask nicely (and pay extra) it can be topped with a mound of real (non-processed) cheese, green onions, sour cream and bacon bits.
I know this sounds like something you'd be able to get anywhere, but there's something about this monster carb that screams, "I'm special."
The thick burgers you find here are also top-notch. The patties are moist and are also cooked to perfection. You definitely get your bang for your buck.
Service was OK. The waitresses are polite, but it seemed like forever before we got our food.
The atmosphere on the other hand was great. This is a neighborhood joint and being there made me like I was part of the city.
All in all..unforgettable trip, unforgettable restaurant that serves an equally unforgettable baked potato.
Have you ever seen a burger the size of your face?? I have! At Port of Call!!
Honestly this is probably the ONLY place in the world in which I'm willing to wait an hour to eat at (well...I guess you aren't really waiting if you are strolling around the Marginy or sitting at their bar.) This is hands down, without a doubt, the best burger you'll have in Louisiana!! Essentially, go big or go home, bc if the burgers aren't ridiculously huge as is, the "side" baked potato that comes with it is one of the biggest specimens I've seen, a meal on its own really, and its a good thing because your stomach is definitely going to be needing some food after you order one of their 6 specialty drinks (large and heavily charged!)
Either come early and spend the rest of the day in a food coma, or come later with an empty stomach and be ready to actively drink the night away at the Quarter, you'll have enough provisions to last you til dawn!...but either way you need to COME and check it out, you wont live to see another joint like this one, thats a promise.
After hearing "the best burgers are at Port of Call" a few times during my trip to New Orleans I headed down there with my burger loving mother-in-law. The place is a dive, not a bad thing. My family of 4 arrived and were told it would be a 1 hour wait-pretty crazy for a burger. I hung out by the bar and grabbed the first empty seat I got and ordered a round of typhoon's. (Yum) then each of my family members grabbed a seat as they opened up. Well, the burger and potato were awesome, way better than I expected. 3 cheers for eating at the bar, 3 cheers for an awesome meal, and 3 cheers for getting drunk off of tasty Typhoon punch.
On May 28th, 2005 we were married. It was beautiful.
Eight days later we ate our first Port of Call burger. It was beautiful.
From time to time we put the address into the GPS and ponder a 22 hour drive for a hamburger. This has happened more times than I would like to admit.
If you love BURGERS, not toppings, this is your place.
Enough has already been said. Just go to Port of Call.
I actually really liked the burger itself here. It was meaty goodness, and I liked that it came with a baked potato. I got a cheeseburger, and they piled shredded cheese on the top, which I thought was a really nice touch. I guess my only complaint is the bacon bits were fine for the potato, but I wanted some legit thick cut bacon for the burger. It doesn't seem like real bacon for a bacon cheeseburger would slow down this operation much, and it would have made this a 5 star experience for me for sure.
This place needs to be a stop on your way into the Quarter for your first cocktail of the night.
Others seem to pimp for the Monsoon, but we prefer the "Houma Houma" which is a pineapple juice and rum concoction...
also, the steak dinner here is a real bargain.
We split the rib eye with baked potato and salad for like 24$ and we couldn't finish it between the two of us.
This place is pretty tough to get into on weekends and such, but we found no line on Wednesday night. Most of the other times we walked by there was a line to eat--but you could always go to the bar to get a to-go cocktail.
The only negative comment we got on this joint was from a local who noted that "since Katrina, the burgers are smaller."
If you can't get into Port of Call, check out Buffa's Lounge across the street, a block or so away, that place had good bar food and was also worth a visit.
You won't leave Port of Call hungry - that's for sure! I ordered a loaded baked potato and burger - holy cholesterol!!!
The food was great and service was good. My only gripe is that the restroom was atrocious and the place is kind of a dive but the food is worth it. I'll definitely be back.
This place is as good as Bartley's Burger Cottage in Harvard Square. The Monsoon is a must-try, but you're going to need to take a taxi home after...It is my favorite NOLA beverage.
Two cheeseburgers and two monsoons is $44.45 (including tax), so it's on the expensive side, but it is worth it.
One of my good buddies who spends a good deal of time in the NO brought me here. This is the spot the locals hang out. If want a burger then this is the only place you need to go in the NO, it is a huge burger with everything you can ask for, I did the mushroom burger and it was cooked to perfection.. nice and medium. The burgers all come with a huge baked potato, I recommend the toppings on the side because they give you shi* load to put on it and if it is top then you can't fine your potato!
I had the port call drink it was good but it need a little bit more elbow of alcohol...strange this NO I thought it was all about the alcohol! Oh did I mention the burger and potato was only like $8 what a bargain.
The Drill -
+ the A/C rocks in this place & this is muy importante when it's 100+ outside
+ yes, you will wait in line unless you get here around midnight on Fri & Sat
+ worm your way inside & hang out until you give your name & # of people in your group
+ bar seating is first come, first served
+ drink a Monsoon or Humna Humna out of a Port of Call plastique cup (de rigueur)
+ order a burger - a baked potato comes on the side - hamburgers are hand formed patties - no Sysco madness here - medium will still get you a pink center so if that's not your bag, get medium well
+ kitchy 50's faux Hawaiian/Carribean decor
+ lots of frat boys & sorostitutes on the weekends - it's all good
And that's all there is to it, kids - nothin' more, nothin'less
Basics go a long when it's accompanied by fast polite service and good A/C
I used to live in Southern Mississippi and would visit my friends in New Orleans every weekend. I asked another friend for a restaurant recommendation, and he said, "You have to try Port of Call."
That was in 1998. My friends and I decided to give it a try. We were a chatty group, and once those amazing burgers and potatoes hit our table? There was dead silence until all of it was completely gone. It was that good.
Let me tell you, I have gotten off of a plane in New Orleans, hopped in a friend's car, and went there before even dropping off my bags. This is my favorite restaurant of all time. Earlier this year, I was driving from Arkansas to Biloxi, MS. I drove over an hour out of my way just to have a Port of Call burger.
Yeah, it's dark in there. Yes, prepare to wait for awhile before getting a table (order something from the bar...the drinks are delish!) . Once that food hits your table, it's worth it. The servers are friendly, too.
Bottom line: I've eaten at restaurants all over the country over the past 11 years, and Port of Call still wins, hands down.
My friend and I came here on a Thursday (I forget...all the days mysteriously kinda got smooshed together) night, around 8:00. There was a little wait, maybe about 15-20 minutes. In the mean time, we ordered a monsoon. I have no clue what was in it, but it was good, and strong. (uh-oh!)
Fast forward to drink number 2--waitress arrived at table, ordered another devilish monsoon, and got to business. Ordered a cheeseburger, and of course, came with the infamous potato. Yum! The burger was good (sorry though, not as good as Kuma's!), and the potato was even better!
I'd definitely stop here if I came back in town!
So, we'd been eating a lot of cajun and a lot of French Creole in New Orleans. All okay, all awesome actually, but I have to say, somewhat tiresome. You can't only eat creole, even if it is just four days, so as you can imagine, the cheeseburger craving set in pretty quickly.
I had read about Port of Call on yelp well before we visited NOLA. I also remember noting that it was super close to our hotel, but as it is a bar with bomb cheeseburgers, I didn't put it on our list because quite frankly, a cheeseburger is something we can get in LA. I was closely adhering to the while in Rome philosophy...
It turned out, however, that if I truly wanted to feel like a "Roman", I better find a kick ass bar, with some kick ass burgers, because trust me, real NOLA folk are not eating crab au gratin 3x a day. After our swamp tour and a good 5 hours before our Commander's Palace reservation, our tummies were rumbling and we were dying for something not involving crab or butter. Then I remembered...PORT OF CALL!
So, we walked the whole exhausting 2 blocks to Port of Call from our hotel, and hopped up on the bar stools. I started off with some fun rum punch drink, and the bf got something called a Red Turtle. Yummy cocktails, islandy, you know, sophisticated versions of your typical mai tai. We also ordered two cheeseburgers and when we were asked how we want our baked potato, we both said "with everything?" Turns out getting it with everything was a stroke of genius, if I may say so myself.
Fast forward 20 minutes and out comes these mountains of cheeseburgers, piled high with the thickest beef patty ever, lettuce, tomato, onion, mushrooms and about 4 inches of shredded cheddar cheese. I squirted on all types of sauces that were available at the bar, like mayo and bbq sauce, and of course, ketchup. I then squished my burger down as far as possible and took the biggest little bite I've ever taken. This is one mighty fine burger. Mighty fine.
So, if you find yourself in NOLA just aching for all American food, and some islandy cocktails, this is your place. Oh cheeseburgers...you may indeed be the best food on Earth.
Port of Call...I love you unconditionally.
I love you despite your dark, crowded and slightly claustrophobia inducing interior....I love waiting for an hour for my name to be called while drinking a potent monsoon with some good dining company....I love the mouthwatering burger cooked to my liking which is topped with cheese and BBQ sauce...I love the baked potato that exists somewhere beneath the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and BBQ sauce.
Most of all I love leaving you with a strong buzz, a stuffed belly, a plastic cup still half full with the monsoon I got at the bar.
To celebrate my trip back to New Orleans, I decided to comment on my first visit to this well know, off the beaten path, local establishment.
I love me a good burger. I love me a great bar... I love the locals... this place has it all. Cheap drinks, tasty meat burgers and atmosphere. I am lucky I don't live in New Orleans, as I'd be here often.
Getting here is a nice casual walk, as my co-worker who lives here says, just keeping walking down Bourbon Street until you hit the shitty area, then hang a right you'll eventually be there.
i only made it here once when a friend who lived in NOLA for two years brought me. he can't eat any type of seafood so this was one of his faves. the burger and baked potato was good and the serving size was large, but it didn't impress me that much. i've had better burgers. since i'm a seafood, creole, cajun and gourmet lover, i don't think i'll be back for a while, ymmv.
Best. Burger. Ever.
Well, it was the best burger ever the first night. Great burger the second night but not cooked to medium-rare perfection. It was a little too cooked for my tastes (meaning pink, no red) but still tasty. So minus one star. However, the fact that I ate there 2 nights out of my 5 in NOLA is saying a lot.
Get the loaded baked potato and cheeseburger. The patty alone has enough animal fat to clog the coronary arteries of a water buffalo but you'd never know it. It's thick, juicy and tender. The patty that is. We wondered if they double grind their meat to make it so juicy. And instead of serving the burger with a boring slice of cheddar, you get shredded cheddar giving you different layers of cheese in varying stages of meltedness. I love cheese. And the baked potato has everything: butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon and mushrooms.
Definitely get a monsoon. To share. Between two people. And don't drink the whole thing before your food arrives or you might be a little dyspeptic. Not to mention drunk.
The menu is simple: burgers, steaks, baked potatoes and drinks. There might be pizzas but I honestly can't recall seeing them on the menu. Do not take vegetarians here unless you think the world's greatest burger might persuade them to cross over for the night. I'm not naming names but it was worth it for one member in our group.
This place is an institution. You have to go here, no questions asked. Just pronounce it "Port o' Call."
It's a little bit dive-y in atmosphere, but the crowd is one step above. Try the mushrooms in wine sauce. They're pretty legit.
The bar tender kept calling our Hurricanes "Typhoons," which doesn't make sense since Typhoons are only in the Pacific Ocean and it's New Orleans. But after you have a few, that question won't really matter. Drink up, it's good for you.
After an entire morning/afternoon of drinking, we headed over to this lovely spot. Away from the craziness and what seemed to be in a normal neighborhood. BEST BURGER AND BAKED POTATOS hands down. My mouth is actually watering talking about it! I dont know many places I have been given the option to have a loaded baked potato with sauted mushrooms. I think it took me 2.5 minutes to eat mine beings I was in starvation mode, but I snuck a few bites from the hubby's plate! The bathroom again was too much for me. There was actually a lady that made us hold the door open while she did her thing, she had claustrophobia pretty bad. :( The writing on the wall is rad though...Ashlee and I tatted it up for sure.
I heard so many great things about this place, I half expected the burgers to be ground up into a fine powder and served to me on a freshly Windexed mirror with a rolled up cashier's check made out to my unborn children. So please take that into account when seeing my below average 2-star rating. Suffice to say my expectations were riding higher than those of poor Pip whenever fantasizing of Estella in Miss Havisham's warm dusty bed. (Note: In this fantasy, Estella will be played by Scarlett Johansson instead of Uma Thurman. Why? Because I sai... I mean Pip said so.)
I ordered the mushroom burger with cheese and froze my ass off while waiting for it to exit the kitchen. While I was waiting I enjoyed my beer and the sight of a mouse running around the floor, obviously wondering when the sequel to Ratatouille was coming out and hoping the next one would be about a burger joint in New Orleans. When my meal arrived, it certainly looked quite good, but upon actually eating it, I got the unmistakable impression I could duplicate this exact burger at home. Now if that's what you're looking for here, you'll be really happy, but that's not what I look for in a burger.
I want to taste something I can't duplicate, something special somehow, secret seasonings (preferably light on the LSD), secret sauce (preferably not seminal), secret meat (preferably not human or of roadside origin), something unique in some way. This had the complete lack of any of that. Same goes for the baked potato. It's a baked potato. If you can't make your own baked potato at home, there's a mortgage-backed security I'd like to sell you.
All in all, it's an interesting place with a unique personality, which isn't reflected in their burgers. That to me was disappointing, but perhaps to you, will be perfect... much like the past 8 years if you're addicted to Fox News.
For all those people who are complaining that the burgers weren't anything fancy, that's the point. My burger was absolutely amazing, mainly because it was a straight up, no frills, BURGER. It was like going to someone's cookout with a top-dog grill master in charge of cooking. Proof it was an awesome burger? I was there with my slightly germaphobic boss who hates sharing food. I was only able to finish the first 3/4 of the burger because of its size and was about to tell the bartender I was done, when my boss reached over my plate and finished my burger himself. That's a damn good burger.
The baked potato was yummy, with lots and lots of sour cream and butter, just as I like it. I don't remember the name of the drink I had, but it was one of the smaller ones. One of those was enough to send me stumbling down Bourbon Street - I hate to think what one of the larger drinks would do to me!
The wait wasn't too bad - we were able to snag spots at the bar fairly quickly, and who doesn't love a good dive? While some people say its nothing but a tourist trap, the majority of people we saw there were locals who just wanted some good food.
This is a must on any future trips to NO.
The food here is a good value for the money. It's not the best hamburger I've ever had, though(That would be Ray's Hellsburger in DC) The bar/restaurant is very small and crowed, and the bathrooms are filthy. This is to be expected in the French Quarter. Don't bother complaining about anything because you are basically told they don't need your business and don't care if you come back. This local boy won't be back and won't won't recommend this place any more.
Seriously, y'all?
I absolutely cannot comprehend the five star ratings...if there was a half star, that's what it would get from me.
Hub and I had walked by a couple of times as it's in our hood and we always kept walking with the line always going out the door and our inability to fathom standing in line for a burger. Finally, one day we wander by and 1)there's no line 2)there's no drunken bachelorette party and 3)we're hungry.
It's true, the burger is pretty close to the size of your head and it is good quality beef. HOWEVER:
1) No seasonings, no special sauce nada.
2) If you make the mistake of paying the extra $2 for mushrooms like I did, they are canned and room temperature.
3) If you make the mistake of getting bacon bits with your tater like my hub did, you are getting tater with your baco-bits...seriously swimming in artificial baco. Poor hub who had never had bacobits said it tasted like our puppys' Begging Strips.
4) The monsoons are large, but it's 90% ice.
5) SO overpriced for ZERO service and mediocre at best food.
I'm so glad we have never subjected out of town friends to this place. There are tremendous dive joints with amazing food in N'awlins...this isn't one of them.
You want a great quality and tasty huge burger? Ya Mamma's
You want a tasty burger with delicious spicy fries? Coop's Place
You want a greasy spoon type burger with skinny frozen fries? Clover Grill
J
Burgers are the best....and the specialty drinks are very strong (and inexpensive) here. Make sure you order mushrooms on your burger. (tip: dont order cheese or mushrooms on your burger, just the potato - you get a ton and can put it on the burger while saving $$.)
This place is all its hyped up to be and a true New Orleans style place that you should go. Be prepared to wait as it is extremely popular.
On our last visit, which was a Saturday night, my four companions and I pleasantly spent our table wait by having a couple of drinks and catching up as we stood outside. Once seated, the service was friendly and prompt, and the atmosphere cozy yet festive. When the food arrived, our conversation stopped and we all became burger-killers. The potato is, of course, best fully-loaded.
It is a crime to order these burgers anything more than medium. Actually last time I was here, medium was little on the rare side. I ended up being very pleased about this. Order any meat well-done, and it guaranteed to be dry.
Oh, and the taste! All the seasoning you need seems to provided by the grill. It tastes like it hasn't been cleaned in decades -- that's a good thing! And I will never go back to fries again. "Thou shalt eat a burger with a baked potato, fully loaded" must have been one of the 15 commandments that Moses dropped in History of the World, Part 1.
On the wet side, leave the fruity drinks for the daquiri stands, this meal is best enjoyed with a few cold Abita Ambers. Follow this by enjoying a cigarette during your slow walk down Esplanade to your next destination. (Mine was to bed after that feast.)
This hamburger is HUGE, the size of your head!! They will cook it to your specifications, so if you ordered "well done" that's probably the reason your burger is overcooked. Order it "medium rare" and you will most likely orgasm at first bite.
Don't be put off by the long wait; it is well worth it and the tables turn over quickly. Drink a big Monsoon, sit outside and enjoy the backside of the Vieux Carré. This end of the Quarter is eerily quiet. Esplanade Ave. is one of the loveliest streets in all of New Orleans.
Don't listen to the tourists who don't get it. This is an institution. Dirty, dark, and greasy. Terrible for your health. But then what in New Orleans worth experiencing isn't all of these things?
The ambiance is like sitting in a 60s sailor bar, dank with knotted ropes strewn about, Hendrix on the jukebox, and the game on. Belly up to the bar for a cold Abita, order a cheeseburger dressed (sans mushrooms for me) and don't get too comfortable as it'll be out in less than 10.
Consistent on quality of product and speed of service, which both rate high with me. Not so punctual on opening time, but if you show up during lunch rush you will likely wait a spell.
Not for the vegan or dietary friendly.
A trip to New Orleans without hitting Port of Call is like a trip to Amsterdam without hitting the red light district.....just doesn't make sense. This is truly a hole in the wall that turns out some fantastic burgers! Be prepared to wait for at least 30 minutes no matter what time of day so just order a Monsoon from the bar and the next thing you know they're calling your name and you're wondering if you can walk to the table.
On to the food. These burgers are supposedly a half pound but I would beg to differ. With all the fixins including mushrooms I would guess its about 3/4 of a pound meat and 1/4 pound toppings. They're awesome though and served with a huge baked potato. This meal is definitely one you could share unless you want to travel down bourbon in a pedicab for the rest of the day!
New Orleans, LA
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No, not that kind of virgin... get you're mind out…
Here's where I touched down during my recent…
