Port of Call — Restaurant in New Orleans

And when it comes to food, Port of Call is the French Quarter’s undisputed burger Shangri-La.

Since 1963, this little Esplanade Avenue joint has been slinging legendary burgers and steaks, racking up awards from fancy folks like Zagat and Citysearch. But ask anybody who’s been around long enough to know better, and they’ll tell you: Port of Call ain’t just a restaurant—it’s a rite of passage.

The vibe inside is what you’d expect from a place that’s been a staple for six decades—no-frills, dark as heck, and full of people just trying to enjoy their meat and maybe get a little buzzed while doing it.

Originally, Port of Call was just a neighborhood steakhouse, and the burger was never even supposed to be a thing. Back in the ’60s and ’70s, they just ground up the leftover steak trimmings, slapped them on a bun, and called it a day. But over time, that hefty, charbroiled half-pound patty became a fan favorite.

And the baked potato? That happened because the deep fryer broke one day, and instead of fixing it, they just said, “Heck with it, here’s a potato.” And that’s how traditions are born.

Same deal with the cheese. “If they had a place to melt it, they might, But they don’t. So, you get a burger with a stack of unmelted cheddar, and guess what? It works. Because it’s delicious, and because people love things that don’t make a dang bit of sense.

Over the years, the Port of Call burger started spreading around the city like a good rumor. When former owner George Brumat opened Snug Harbor over on Frenchmen Street, he took the burger with him, right down to the unmelted cheddar and baked potato. Later, Anthony Henderson, a Port of Call alum, took the recipe to Lakeview Harbor, proving that this burger was bigger than just one bar in the Quarter. And across the city, you can still find places paying tribute to Port of Call’s unplanned masterpiece—a burger that was never meant to be famous but ended up being one of the most iconic things you can eat in New Orleans.

Port of Call still grinds fresh meat daily, with two full-time butchers making sure it’s done right. The drinks are strong, the atmosphere is effortlessly cool, and the food is just plain good.

Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, you go to Port of Call for the same reason as everybody else—to eat one of the best burgers in the city. No reservations, no BS —just a burger...

Port of Call is a place I've gone to for many years and I can honestly say it ain't what it used to be in the food department. It is still a great dive bar and back when the burger was consistent it was a good tasty burger (but never the best and many people have found the cool unmelted cheese more of a distraction than a unique charm). Currently the food can best be described as inconsistent and a bit overpriced. The service can be described as sometimes good but usually inconsistent. They also can make an acceptable steak and the baked potatoes are usually pretty decent (if they can ever get your order right these days). I would never wait in the crazy lines that often form here to eat (usually on the weekends) as there are too many other fantastic options in the area.

The wacky tiki glass drinks they make here really add to the ambiance of the bar and the fact that this place has become quite the tourist trap has both good and bad qualities. The good is that you will always be able to meet some new people from all over the place and the bad is the ridiculous wait to get in during most weekends along with the tourist pricing. I've still got some locals I know that love this place but not as many as I used to know and I rarely end up here anymore.

Certainly Port of Call is something you should to do, at least once, just to experience the wrath of one of the tiki drinks and say you've had the burger. It is worth a visit just for the sheer ambiance of the place. I might be a bit nostalgic and too generous with my three star rating and remembering way too many fun times here but try it yourself and let us know how you liked it!

My video review of Port of Call is...

We asked the NOFD to recommend their favorite burger joint in the town, and they recommended Port of Call despite it being a hike from the station in the French Quarters where we were at.

Enjoying the architecture of the city we went out to seek, by recommendation of NOFD, this incredible burger. Beautiful neighborhood, and we enjoyed the walk immensely.

Inside it was small, compact, and had an old time tavern feel to it. It was crowded and I think we got two of the last seats, but, service was prompt. Despite being small and somewhat crowded, it was very welcoming, and relaxing.

We had water, to soak up a night on Bourbon Street, and got the half pound burgers. The menu was small and limited, which I prefer at restaurants as they can focus on the food items on hand to perfection.

They absolutely didn't disappoint, a win for the NOFD recommendation, and a fantastic burger, and baked potato, for a very reasonable price!

Wait times were fairly minimal despite the crowd, and had they not been, it was welcoming enough that I wouldn't have minded just hanging around, at all.

Only complaint, would have been my burger was medium rare rather than medium as I had asked, not my preference and usually something I'd avoid, but the burger was good enough it didn't stop me from devouring the entire thing.

Definitely recommend if you're trying to avoid the major bustle for a relaxing dinner, and drink, in a great atmosphere, with good service, and even better food. It isn't authentic Cajun but it's a heck...