Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes

Hamburger restaurant · Harahan

Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes

Hamburger restaurant · Harahan

1

1640 Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123

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Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes by null

Highlights

A local favorite, this vibrant joint serves up juicy burgers, tasty hot dogs, and hand-spun shakes in a casual, family-friendly setting.  

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1640 Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123 Get directions

desivegaburgers.com
@desivegaburgers

$10–20

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1640 Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123 Get directions

+1 504 575 3581
desivegaburgers.com
@desivegaburgers

$10–20

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Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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"Desi Vega, the restaurateur behind Harahan’s Desi Vega’s Prime Burgers & Shakes." - Stephanie Carter

Desi Vega’s Seafood & Steaks Will Open in Metairie This August - Eater New Orleans
View Postcard for Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes

Shawn Thomas

Google
This is a great local place with solid, consistent food. The burger selection is great, and they are always juicy and delicious. I recommend the crystal hot sauce onion rings. In addition, the hot dogs are huge and delicious too, with a wide variety of toppings! Last but not least, Desi Vega has EXCELLENT milkshakes! Many flavors, including “adult shakes” that are all hand-spun and delicious. All around a great family spot, absolutely worth coming to River Ridge for.

Jason McGee

Google
We heard good things about this place, so we finally tried it. My wife and I got the "Death Sentence" burger with fries. I started with my fries, dripping them in their ranch. Oh my gawd! One of, if not the best ranch I have ever eaten! I ate all my fries with it before I touched my burger! And they have some big fries! I had to ask for another ranch. Let me tell you, that burger was amazing! I couldn't put it down! It was soo good! No wonder they have a burger eating challenge on the menu! If only I was younger.....OH their shakes and rootbeer floats are great too.

Harold Dufrene

Google
I looked at the menu before we came eat here, so I knew the prices were going to be up there. But I went in with a positive attitude like I do, every time I review a place. I do food reviews on Youtube and came in to do the review.. First off, the restrooms were disgusting, the floors were so sticky, and the conditions of the toilet area and sink were terrible, an employee went in before me, so I'm sure they knew how bad it was, if you are charging top dollar for your burgers, your place should be clean.. Second, I ordered my burger medium, and the burger came out medium rare/ closer to the rare side.. The burger was good quality meat, but had no seasoning. Third, the onion rings were horrible! They had a sour taste to them, and I could not eat them. Lastly, the fries were undercooked, it was like eating a raw potato. I don't mind paying for good food, but if you are charging me over $35 for burgers with a glass of water, your food better be outstanding and the restroom conditions should be awesome. Positive was the service, that was great.. My full video review is on Youtube.. look up After Show Chat - Desi Vega's review.

Juan Moncivais

Google
Got seated quickly. Food came out hot. Server could have spaced out delivery of food, but happy it was well prepared and good. We loved our shakes. Chicken wings were crispy. The way we like them. My Cesar salad was perfect.

Tyler Thorne

Google
This place should be called DESI FRIES AND MAYBE A SHAKE !!! I stopped there for lunch while running errands NEVER AGAIN !!! I ordered the Jazz burger with fries. What I got was fries with a Jazz slider. The burger was extremely small and basic. It came with an extremely large serving of fries to make the meal seem adequately sized. Fries are extremely cheap and a way to make the meal appear complete. The meal was EXTREMELY overpriced for the meal that was presented. I can understand why there were so many empty seats !!!!!!! I initially planned on ordering a shake for the road after my meal but was so disappointed in my meal I decided not to. NEVER AGAIN !!!!!!

Megan Reif

Google
The food and service here were great! We all had burgers and while they were good, the fries stole the show for us (both the regular and sweet potato). I had gotten a loaded baked potato and it was kinda meh. It seemed odd to me that they had it wrapped in tinfoil and barely cut it open and stuffed it so half of the toppings were stuck on to the tinfoil vs in the potato. The burgers are very juicy, so don't plan on taking half home because your bun will be soggy. We also got shakes here and thought they were decent. Atmosphere was mostly okay but our booth seat had black duck tape covering up a hole and wasn't the most comfortable to sit on. Service was great and she checked on us the right amount of times.

Louie Guertin

Google
Went there expecting a premium burger. Ordered the no frills classic after viewing the extended list of add ons. Ordered the onion rings as a side. The onion rings were small rings fried in a coating with just a hint of pepper sauce. Perfect. The burger came soon enough. Well it was a neatly placed burger on a tray with some fries. The fries were fresh cut as by taste. The burger came dressed and needed nothing else to improve taste bud action. After reading this message, you should know I not compensated to approve the purchase of this burger.

Ken Golding

Google
Don't appear to be ayto cook any temp besides well done. None of the 4 of us got anything near medium rare. One person had to send his food back because it was completely wrong. So we all sat and waited while his burger was redone. Wait staff was rarely around to get refills or other needs attended to. I think there is potential here so I would try one more time.

Harry D.

Yelp
Went to the brand new location on Harrison Ave. wife and I had potato skins , classic burger and early bird burger. Great atmosphere. Super friendly staff perfectly prepared food. Saturday mass then a great burger. Let's keep this one. Was multiple restaurants but this one takes me back to the first burger place here, only updated

John F.

Yelp
I was considerably underwhelmed. The service was very pleasant and courteous, but it took forever to get served. The food was decent, but I could have had a much larger burger at Beachcorner, just as good, and it half the price. The place has work to do to earn my respect.

Juston H.

Yelp
So I have never been to the famed steak house but since I was in the area I figured I'd give the burger joint a go. Honestly it was just meh. I asked for my whodat burger to be between medium to medium well and it came out well done. The burger was dry and they put the smallest amount of bbq sauce on it they could, which didn't help. The burger is also very thick so when you compress it in order to take a bite all your toppings squirt out the back. I do believe they use a high quality ground beef, I just feel the execution is not to my liking anyway, for what that's worth. They appear to be quite proud of their fries and it's true there is a way to make amazing hand cut fries, these just were not it. They were brown and crinkly that gave the impression of old fry oil, and soggy instead of crispy. They didn't taste of old oil but they were visually unappealing and bland. Given this I did not bother with shakes. Now the service was excellent. My waitress was attentive and never let my glass get empty. She checked on me regularly and was the best part of the visit in my opinion. Angelle is quite personable and very good at her job. So overall it's not a terrible place to go. My expectations were perhaps a bit high considering how folks from the north side of the lake where I'm from rave about the steak house and this place is its own place I guess. Honestly I think I'd have been just as happy with some fresh fries from McDonald's and some nuggets without the $20+ price tag.

Sharon C.

Yelp
Very disappointed with my dinning experience at Desi Vegas Prime Burger. The service was good but the burger was dry. We also ordered a hot dog. The bun sort of crumbled beneath the hot dog and the slaw did it appear to be freshly made. I may try again but for the cost, the experience was not worth it.

Fred H.

Yelp
Came here with friends , our first time. It seemed like a cozy little place. Looks like it also had a full bar. Server was friendly. My 3 star is really for the food and such. Service wasn't really a issue. We started with fried pickles appetizer. I was surprised how small the pickle chips were and even more surprised how small the portion was. The appetizer plates were as big as regular plates. For 4 people, it didn't seem enough for even 2 people. As for the burgers, they were actually good, but the patties were small. The bun and dressings made up 95% of the sandwich. Average cost was 16.00 per sandwich. But it comes with handcut fries and for a 2.00 upcharge, spiced onion ring tangles. Which I didn't really care for the flavor. I probably wouldn't chose to come back. Not that it was terrible, it just didn't really appeal to me.

Angela G.

Yelp
Both Desi Vegas locations won't disappoint. My millennial sons couldn't stop raving about the food, vibe, and signature drinks at the Lakeview location.

KC C.

Yelp
It was ok. Not the best burger I've ever had, just average. Service was friendly and attentive. Ambiance was stale. Nothing special.

Merle D.

Yelp
We walked in at exactly 11:00 and there was a table already sat and ordering. We were sat and told our waitress Kylie would be right with us. We waited 11 minutes and were considering leaving when she broke loose from her chat and came to our table. We are thinking the backs of the booths are so high maybe she didn't see us. The hamburgers were well made and delicious. A manager came by to check how we were doing. We will come back.

T M.

Yelp
Very nice staff. Food was delicious. Accommodating to children. I will definitely be a return customer.

David E S.

Yelp
my first visit to Desi Vega hamburger on Harrison found the burger meat to be of high-quality but the no one wants to hold a greasy burger in their hand while they eat it. The grease just stopped into the small buns that they have and it just made it very hard to eat and not enjoyable

Kerry K.

Yelp
Friendly atmosphere, regulars don't look at you like you are an idiot, service is spectacular and the burgers are delicious. Old fashioned's at the bar are made to perfection. You have to stop here if in the area.

Myles G.

Yelp
Wonderful experience today! The food was great, beer excellent, pleasant customer service, and the house is clean. Well done, folks.

Donna S.

Yelp
I went in for a to go order and it took along time to get the order. Half came out and then the second half about 15 minutes later. If the food wasn't so darn good I would have given them less stars. But the food is so delicious that I would come back and eat inside or call my order in. They were really friendly and nice, it just took a very long time to get my order.

Cindy G.

Yelp
The burgers are top notch. I always pick the Make your own burger so I can get exactly what I want on it but my friends have chosen other burgers and they rave about them. If you like onion rings, substitute them for the fries you get with your burger, you won't be disappointed. They are marinated in hot sauce, sliced thin and fried perfectly. I don't usually like peppery food, but I love these. The service is also great, very attentive. We love to go there.

Andria S.

Yelp
Decided to give this place a try for lunch. There was no wait to get a table. The service was great! Our server was very attentive and kept our drinks full. There's a nice variety of signature burgers. We ordered our daughter's food 1st and it came out very quickly. Our food didn't take long either. The burgers were very juicy and seasoned well. We will definitely be back.

Michele D.

Yelp
Quality of food is outstanding. Service is outstanding. Ambiance is excellent, you can actually have a conversation and hear the other people at table. Music is at perfect volume.

Donna S.

Yelp
Excellent burgers. Every time I leave, I can't wait to get back on tonight, especially so. I want to try a salad sometime however, the burger is so good I always get it. I just got my burger the way I wanted it, which is as rare as possible. It was the soprano burger with chipotle aïoli, and it was perfect. And the fries were cooked very crisp with brown edges, the way I like them. They are hand cut and full of potato flavor, unlike so many other places. Whenever I want a burger, I think of Desi Vega and can't wait to get there The staff are cheerful and personable, and they make the place feel very homey.

Jonathan P.

Yelp
Excellent burger which was cooked to perfection. The service on the other hand was incredibly slow. Took over an hour to bring the appetizers and an additional hour for the burgers. Bring a snack, bottle water, and a book with you! It would have been understandable if the place was packed. We were the only people in the restaurant for the first hour. It eventually filled up to 50 percent capacity and the service fell apart even more. Considering we were only a party of four, it was unacceptable.

Mimi F.

Yelp
Love this place. Great for my carnivore husband and vegan children ;p Highly recommended

Wanda H.

Yelp
Superior food with excellent service. Always consistent with very high quality food and service

Alissa A.

Yelp
Seated immediately. Staff was polite. Took a little longer to get our food than expected, but wasn't too bad. Restaurant was clean, well lit, and spacious. Soprano burger (medium) was even better than I expected. The green tomato balanced out the flavors quite well. It was delicious, and the onion rings were great! Large portions, even just half the meal was overly filling.

Shannon S.

Yelp
Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes also shares the name and an owner with Desi Vega's Steakhouse that is located in New Orleans. Desi Vega's Prime Burgers & Shakes is located in Jefferson Parish in the Greater New Orleans suburb of Harahan in the previous location of Phil's Grill (which was a joint that offered some good varieties of different types of burgers) I've visited this spot several times and it seems pretty much seems like a very scaled back version of Phil's Grill with fewer choices. This spot is certainly more on the expensive side for a burger joint and it seems to like to position itself more in the gourmet burger category. From my several experiences here I would have to say it isn't really bad but then it isn't really fantastic either so it seems to be right in the average category for the large world of NOLA burgers. Overall it isn't a bad choice for a burger if you're in the area but I think there are some better tasting burgers at better prices in the Greater New Orleans area. My video review of Desi Vega's Prime Burgers and Shakes is here: https://youtu.be/bqlCtJBrFew

Lacey D.

Yelp
I read the mixed reviews, and am glad that I gave the burger at Desi a chance. Yes, it is a bit expensive. But it was also good food and service. My husband got the Blues burger cooked medium rare with sweet potato fries. The burger was hearty and flavorful, and was cooked a just a touch above medium rare. The fries were great, hot and crispy. I got the Gambino burger cooked medium. The burger was hearty and a touch over medium. I do wish there were more peppers and onions, but the garlic aioli brought a lot of flavor. I upgraded to the chili, which was very good! I find chili hit or miss in restaurants, but this was enjoyable. I would come back!

John M.

Yelp
The peanut butter shakes are to die for. throw in a nice bacon cheeseburger and your set for the day.

Thomas T.

Yelp
We ordered takeout right when they opened, while running errands. Staff was friendly and the food was great! Love the fresh cut fries and of course the burgers. Will be back!

Glenn B.

Yelp
What is all the hype about this place? You pay two prices for a hamburger that is no better than say five guys? Last night we tried two different burgers, and by the 2nd bite we removed the greasy crystal hot sauce-flavored onion rings from one burger, and the mushy wet mushrooms from the other! nine dollar milkshakes do not endear me to love them just because we overpaid for them nor to penalize them because they're nine dollars. It was a good milkshake. It wasn't nine dollars worth of good. We concluded that we probably would've liked just the base burger or one with less odd sauces and flavors to interrupt what was clearly quality but lukewarm meat Still with so much competition we'd likely go to Smashburger, a small chain out of Denver before coming back to this pricey, hyped burger stand. . After a long wait, the service was more than adequate. So try it if you'd like, but our burgers were not terribly hot - like they had been cooked and set aside. The fries were absolutely OnPoint large hand-cut french fries, and the service was good by the end of the evening and we left a 25% tip but we will not return.

Ryan S.

Yelp
Kaylee was amazing. Personable, great service, brought the food out promptly. 10/10 recommend

Andi F.

Yelp
Came randomly on a Friday evening. It took a minute to be seated and it was about 75% full. Got the burger and fries. It was all just good. It isn't a place I will go out of my way to visit again, but it was nice.

J Craig C.

Yelp
food was good but the main reason for the low rating was the wine by the glass service. The amount of wine in the glass looked more like a shot of liquor than a $10 glass of wine. If you go there do not order their wine, it's a total ripoff.

Ignatius N.

Yelp
Lots of unearned hype and high prices. The $12 chocolate shake was more icy than creamy and left a medicinal aftertaste. The "home-made prime" chili looked and tasted remarkably like Hormel chili in a can. And the potato skins were not skinny but thick and dry with skimpy low-grade toppings. Thankfully, I didn't try the $15 "prime " hamburger.

Steven S.

Yelp
I am a hamburger person!!! I take pride in making my burgers at home so I was excited to try this place. The thought of prime beef in a burger sounds very enticing. The restaurant has an odd format. We were walked to the back and shown a table behind a wall. I've always taken the offered table as a suggestion. I asked and got a booth against the wall. The burger. I had the WHO DAT burger. I liked the bacon and the spicy onion strings and the brioche bun was really good. I just didn't care for the meat itself. If that's what a " prime " burger tastes like, I don't like it. I much prefer some fresh 80/20 Chuck from the supermarket. I didn't care for the way the food is served in a paper lined tray. I won't be back. I can make a better burger at home for MUCH LESS. They say it always tastes better when someone else cooks it. Not this time!!

Rhett J.

Yelp
Order rare burger and got it raw, and it fell apart. Service wasn't to great either and over priced for what got get.

Dappster O.

Yelp
Glad we came and tried this place definitely worth checking out! Pay attention because we almost passed it. Parking lot was spacious thanks to it being in a shopping center. Unfortunately was too full to try the shake but if it's as good as the burger and fries were I'm sure it's well worth it as well. Did a build my own (described in the picture) asked for it to be cooked medium and it was a perfect medium as well as super juicy! The fries seemed like a small amount but I can assure you their thick,excellently cooked,and enough for a hungry belly. You will leave full and happy. Servers were nice and got everything right so that made the experience great too. Will definitely be back when we're in the area.

Esther C.

Yelp
The food, ambiance, price, shakes.... What isn't perfect about this place? Absolutely amazing family friends whatever!

J B.

Yelp
Just an awesome place for delicious burgers, service is always on point. Didn't hover and we really enjoyed our meal

Brianne B.

Yelp
Great burgers, fries, and the onion rings were good. I like the vibe in here because it's not dressy at all. The burger is HUGE and the portions are a good size. The chili is very good and the wings are too. We couldn't decide what to get AT ALL when we arrived because everything looked amazing! We had an amazing server and she helped out with picking items from the menu so much. I will definitely come back , this was such a good burger. .

C C.

Yelp
Think they forgot our order. Service was terrible! Waited a long time while other people were served. Our waiter disappeared instead of coming to talk to us. Finally, Manager served food and told us they had a big "to go" order. Guess that was our apology! And then the burger I ordered did not come with onions and peppers as it showed on the menu served on a cold bun. So disappointed! We usually love this place but tonight was way, way off. Hope they get it together because we do love their burgers!

Patrick K.

Yelp
I always get a burger dressed with Swiss cheese and a baked potato loaded. I think the food is pretty good.

Michael M.

Yelp
Prices so high they make you walk out, I've had the burgers for takeout before but it seems they underwent a price hike; not somewhere I want to go.

Kelly Y.

Yelp
Great lunch spot. We both ordered The Who Dat burger, one medium and one medium rare. Medium was just slightly over cooked; medium rare was properly cooked. Nice serving of steak fries that were crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle and adequately salted. Good selection of burgers and the option to create your own.

Munzer Q.

Yelp
This is our second lunch here and it was very good. Burgers and fries are amazing and tasty. We both had the Oktoberfest burger on a pretzel bun and it was delicious. Service and atmosphere are just good. I feel the service was not prompt and too relaxed. Overall the food is amazing and I highly recommend the place. Enjoy!

Denise A.

Yelp
Desi Vega's was a second option as the wait was too long at our first choice. I had the BYO beef burger, sautéed onions, shredded lettuce on an onion bun with sweet potato fries and an iced tea. The burger was okay. Nothing special about it. It was dry and didn't have much flavor. The sweet potato fries were very good and so was the tea. The reason my friend and I will never return is because the server, Ashley was rude and I guess was having a bad day, despite it only being 11:45 am. Smile more and try being friendlier if you're going to be a server. It really isn't that difficult to do. My friend and I are both servers. Will not be returning to Desi Vega's on Hickory Avenue in Harahan.

Meagan J.

Yelp
I love Desi Vega's Prime Burgers! Since the pandemic I've been so hesitant about visiting restaurants but to my surprise this lovely restaurant implemented outdoor seating during this time! The service was great and the food surpassed my expectations. I order a turkey burger on an onion bun, many times turkey burgers can be dry but not this burger! It was moist and tasty! The sweet potato were perfect, light, crunchy and soft in the inside. I'm so ready to go back!

Preston S.

Yelp
Horrible service twice in a row. Nothing in our order was correct and the burgers weren't cooked correctly.

Tim O.

Yelp
The burgers are good, but the service is awful. I have been here twice and both times the waitresses are huddled in the back looking at their phones and rarely walk the floor. Both times I had finished eating for several minutes, my glass was long empty, and had to wave to get anyone's attention for the check. I gave it a second chance and it failed miserably. I will not be back.

Diego L.

Yelp
2/5 I guess you could say i'm the dumb one for trying the burger of the month but I thought it would be good. One of the worst burgers i've ever had. "Dr.Pepper BBQ sauce"???. My guy just get a regular burger

Jamie B.

Yelp
This place is fantastic. I was sad to see Phil's Grill close but the food is much better here. I would describe it as a casual but very classy place. The black walls, chairs and booths make it a lil more fancy. Beautiful chandeliers on the bar too. I ordered the Smores shake and hubby ordered the caramel shake. The roasted marshmallows on the Smores really made this shake. You scoop the marshmallow with the chocolate ice cream and it's one of the best shakes you will ever have. I was missing the Graham cracker flavor but I still loved it. The Carmel shake had slightly better flavor and good thing about these shakes are you can suck them through a straw. Also, you can add toppings to it like whipped cream or cherries and you can make them adult with a shot of booze for $3 more. I then ordered the blues burger. My god, the peppercorn sauce on this burger is addictive. It's not really spicy just very tasty. It blended well with the blue cheese and although small, I loved the onion rings on the burger. Hand cut sweet potatoes fries were so good too, in fact I am craving them now. I wanna go back and try that Suprano burger and build my own too! Excellent service too. We had a very sweet waitress, Katie, maybe have been her name on Saturday night.

Susan H.

Yelp
Better burgers and shakes in other spots in the city and I was sorry that was the case given their steak house reputation. All I can say was the burger was ok. The service was slow although there were lots of servers by the bar and it was two in the afternoon. The tables hadn't been wiped down and the whole ambiance was just a joint with no special flair.

Ligia L.

Yelp
It's a create your own burger. . The mushrooms were not cooked so be aware if you order. The veggie burger has no flavor. The desi fires were burnt, they would have tasted good if they were burnt. The best thing was the milkshake. Won't be returning unfortunately