Jack Nolen's

Jack Nolen's is such a small, inconspicuous little place that it's honestly no surprise that it took this long for me, a 31 year old lifelong St. Louis foodie, to discover it. Granted, they only opened about 7 years ago in 2019. The place is small and very cozy, great homely vibes with good music playing in the background. I was immediately greeted by a friendly bartender, making me feel welcome and attended to. I placed my order and sat down. For my first visit, I decided on a classic style triple smash burger with bacon and grilled onions. I also opted to try their "Bluetine Fries", thin cut French fries topped with a rich brown gravy and crumbled blue cheese. This was the single best smash burger I've ever eaten, bar none. Absolutely packed with flavor, grilled and smashed for a perfect crust. The meat is a mix of brisket, short rib, and ground chuck, served with American cheese on a potato roll. This on paper is a mouthwatering premise, and it DOES NOT disappoint. Beyond delicious is the only description that suits. The fries were an awesome side, too, the lovely blue cheese flavor mixed with the salty fries and savory gravy is just to die for. Jack Nolen's already had a great reputation and they've earned a repeat customer in me. If you've been waiting to try out this place, stop it now, and GO. You won't regret it.

Great hidden gem in st Louis! Order at the bar (Jenn was so patient and friendly!) then grab a seat. They have an awesome patio! Food came out quick and hot. Amazing burger! I'd absolutely recommend this place. Go check it out! Plenty of street parking

We went on a weekday, and we were amazed by how fast we got our food. We were a little confused about the ordering situation at first, but we figured out there's an order station at the back. Great food, great value, and great vibes!

Perfect score , because everything was perfect. Food amostophere and sevice. The burger had cheese action ... didnt expect that. The outside area is very nice as well, we came on a gloomy day but we will be back when the weather is finer . It may have the new 1st place in my quest to find best burger in stl. Beautiful place. Kinda looks like Christmas 🤣

After spending the morning at the farmers market, my wife and I wanted something local—not another chain—and Jack Nolan’s ended up being the perfect choice. The vibe was laid-back but welcoming, and their shaded patio is exactly the kind of spot you want to linger and enjoy a meal. My wife ordered the pesto grilled cheese, and our server suggested pairing it with their Bloody Mary dipping sauce. That recommendation was spot on—it took an already amazing sandwich to the next level and balanced the flavors beautifully. She loved every bite, and after trying it myself I have to agree: it was fantastic. I went with the double cheeseburger with bacon, and it was next level. Juicy, perfectly cooked, and packed with flavor—it’s not just good, it’s the best burger I’ve had in St. Louis. It has officially claimed the top spot on my local favorites list. The only downside? I don’t live closer. If I did, I’d be here way too often, enjoying another burger on that great patio. Jack Nolan’s is a downtown St. Louis gem, and one I’ll definitely be back to.

Stopped in for lunch and tried the Pineapple Express burger special—absolutely fantastic! The flavors were spot on, and the quality really stood out. Parking was easy, which made the visit even better. A special shout-out to Jen the bartender—super friendly, attentive, and made the experience even more enjoyable. Great atmosphere, excellent service, and top-notch food. Five stars all the way. Highly recommended, and I’ll definitely be back!

I love visiting my cousin Lindsey! Outdoor on a beautiful day, was what I needed with family while visiting St. Louis♡

Minneapolis has Matt's bar and the famed Jucy Lucy. St Louis has Jack Nolen's the makings of an equally iconic burger and neighborhood bar. Just need that signature burger to market. Loved the atmosphere and most of all the burgers. Brisket, short rib, chuck blend is smashed into delicious goodness. With a variety of fry options and other offerings such as deviled eggs. Nice large outdoor patio area makes it an amazing urban dining escape.

I heard Al the hype about their burgers and had to find out for myself.... that burger hit the spot and was flawlessly executed. Thicker than a smash burger and so juicy and flavorful!! I will be back!! Bartender was sweet and attentive! Whole crew was friendly and great. Why are you still reading?? GO GET A BURGER!! lol

Not only does Jack Nolan's have one of the best smash burgers, it also has a great patty melt! PS Jen was very helpful! We will definitely be back!

I'm not sure how we haven't been here sooner, we come to Soulard pretty often and for some reason had never eaten here. The patio is AMAZING! So big and nicely laid out. We had a pup with us and it was perfect for him. The burgers were bomb, smash burgers but super juicy and flavorful. The small menu is perfect, I hate when there's a million things to choose from. They have it down and the few things they make, they do it well. Drinks were standard college/Soulard bar drinks. No complaints there but you're not getting a fancy cocktail. Perfect spot to start the night.

First time in. More bar than restaurant. We took a seat at the bar after a suggestion from a parting guest. Krysten was alone on a fairly busy Friday but she was great, even though I asked a lot of questions If you sit at the bar you can order food otherwise you order at the end of the bar and get a number I got a single with no cheese, lettuce, pickle, tomato, onion. Fries. First time came out wrong, second time was a charm. Burger was great, fries were hot and crispy. Drinks were reasonable. Spicy Bloody Mary was $7. Large glass. Pretty good. Overall, great service. Krysten was attentive, funny, and fun. Drinks were good. Burger and fries good.

Jack Nolens absolutely has me hooked!! The vibes are awesome!! Walked into them jamming SWV! Reminded me of my teenage years quaint clean lil bar and grille outside patio good music great food excellent bartenders can't ask for anything more!!!hate I didn't take pics of the food given I went 3 times in a week!! But get you some bacon cheese fries most definitely

One of the best burger places in the area! We stopped here before doing a tour at Anheuser which is right around the corner! I got a single cheese burger with all the toppings and house made sauce on the side as well as an order of the CBGB fries! I loved everything, the fries are a generous amount and was perfect to split between 2 people. This is a very laid back place, seating inside is limited but they have a pretty decent size patio.

Tried Jack Nolen's for the first time and I'm just upset I didn't try it sooner. It wasn't too busy, we got a table right away and ordered at the bar. They have a nice patio out back and tvs inside for sports, which was appreciated. I'm a cheese fry fanatic and heard these were great. I did a single smash burger and then we got the CBGB fries (beer pub cheese, bacon, grilled onions) No notes, everything was perfect. Plus, prices are great! If you haven't been, GO!

They make a pretty good smash burger - crispy, juicy, flavorful. You add ketchup and/or mustard yourself, but it comes with other toppings already added. Deviled eggs were terrific. They have a bit or two of bacon on them, but the real star is the smokey & (surprisingly) sweetish deviled yolk. Fries were disappointing, though. This may have been because I only ordered the salted fries, rather than one of their specialty topping fries. Those seem to get good reviews. But the salted fries (and why not just call them fries? - of course they have salt) were just some apparently pre-made frozen fries that have been dropped in a fryer, probably from a large plastic bag. And $5 for not that large a portion. To order, you wait in a line at the counter. That would be fine except the bartender is busy making drinks and such, so the wait to order was 7-8 minutes and I was second in line. She was very nice though once able to get over and take my order. Service consists of taking your order and then someone bringing the food to your table. That's fine, except that there is a sign at the ordering counter strongly encouraging you to tip and support their staff. Maybe pay them a bit more or provide a slight level of service? The burgers themselves are pretty reasonably priced. I'd have been willing to see them marked up a dollar or two rather than telling me to add a tip to help pay the staff. (And yeah, I gave a 20% tip. It's not the workers' fault.)

Best burger in town no contest! Always amazing and consistent. This is a no BS kinda place and I love that! The bar is great and so Much fun but also such a good place for a casual meal. Food always comes out so fast because of the amazing chefs! Do not wait- go here now!

Yep they do it every time and every time they do imma let y'all know. A triple cheese bacon burger with caramelized onions and a side of beer cheese fries with the same. Service is bar service you order up front wait for yo it t food and then eat simple straight forward. Not much inside seating of your not looking to sit at the bar patio seating available when the weather permits it.

Love love love! A local vet owned business definitely worth supporting the food was great! I would say I definitely recommend going "plain" on this by doing just a burger and salted fries. Not that the other stuff wasn't good but when we come back we talked about just doing burgers and fries and splitting those potstickers because they're definitely worth it!! To top it all off the staff is so friendly and welcoming and go above and beyond to make sure your experience is great. Can't wait to come back

My friend Bob and I have been trying different burgers in St. Louis and this was our next stop. I want to preface this by saying Bob walks with a cane (barely... sorry Bob) and I just had knee surgery. So we weren't moving all that great. Neither one of us had been here so we were excited to try it out. I loved the outside patio but it was a little chilly at 11am so we decided to stay inside. We were greeted by the bartender. Bob (typical) noticed her eyes. (Yes, I'm aware that this platform is not about this but honestly she really did have beautiful eyes. We went to the end of the bar to order. She was very patient with us both. Especially Bob who admittedly talks quiet. Bob is a purist when it comes to his burgers. He only wants a tomato on his cheeseburger. I got the burger of the month which was the French Onion Burger. We both ordered French fries. The order came out and was delivered by Jen "ole blue eyes" to Bob. I need to interject that when I asked her about her name she asked what mine was and she used it. Some may not like that but honestly I loved feeling like a regular even though I wasn't. She even used my name when I left when she told me goodbye. My double burger (Jen recommended that it be a double because of all the yummy toppings. She was right. I think it would have too much for a single.) was perfect! The flavor was great. The time we waited for our food was reasonable. The fries - this was the perfect amount. I was able to leave a couple little fries which makes me feel like I'm being healthy. Hahaha! I had iced tea and Bob had diet coke. Both of which were topped off before we left and Jen gave us a lid. Jen was working the bar and the dining room and she was killing it. She went by everyone's table a few minutes after they received their food to ask if they needed anything. Taking Jenn out of the equation (sorry... but not really about you) Bob said this was the BEST burger he's had in St. Louis. (He's from Ohio.) We've been to several places so this is a big deal. I've been raving about the courtyard, the ambiance, the service and of course the burger since we left. Yes, I'll be back and I'll bring others.

Service: Awesome.The bartender made me feel welcome and at home Food: Amazing! The burger was sooooo good. Well seasoned and melted in your mouth. I loved it. Fries were good. They tasted like precut frozen fries but they were hot and good. Ambiance: This is nothing fancy. It's just a bar. No frills. Great food

Nolen's is kind of off the beaten path in Soulard. It's just a small little neighborhood bar with pretty much patio space and some seating inside. I had heard many people rave about the burgers here, so I had to try one. I git a triple cheeseburger because I thought they would be like the tiny diner burgers. It was a BIG burger. A double would've been a lot, too. You order at the counter, and they bring it out to you. We got our food fast. I have to say, this is one of the best burgers I've had. Very flavorful and juicy. Do it!!!

First and foremost, sorry for no food pictures, I have failed you fellow yelpers. MY friend and I grabbed some Jack Nolen's on a casual friday night. The vibes here are awesome. The place is teeming with St. Louis culture. everybody feels like a local inside (as I assume they are, it is an St. Louis staple). The patio is beautiful. Small, quaint, and blue collar (in the most positive of connotations). Grab a beer with a buddy, grab a first date, make it a stop on a bar crawl, watch a game. Just a super cozy, sports bar. The grilled chicken sandwich was amazing. I know, they are known for their burgers, but the sandwich with pesto sounded great. The chicken was well seasoned, moist, and the pesto was bright and addictive. The workers are all nice and they pump out the food with great efficiency even when super busy

This places has a great atmosphere to just grab a few drinks and just watch a game. However, I felt my burger was very greasy and messy.

Keep your expectations low and you'll never be disappointed. They're not trying to be gourmet. They're a dive-ish bar with some amazing food. The smash burgers and fried chicken sandwiches are among my favorite in Soulard. There's not a lot of seating if the patio is closed. You line up at the end of the bat to place your order. They give you your drinks and a placard to take to your table. The drinks are a fair pour. They can get a little busy, but the food generally comes out quick. It's no frills, not the food is amazing.

I had this place in my bookmarks for a while and stopped in for lunch today. Typical rustic, Soulard look. The smash burger was AMAZING and although it looks greasy from the picture, it's not! The LTOP are all fresh and not super thin cut to where you barely taste them or see it on your sandwich. The bun was soft and not too thick. Some buns are just way too thick for the burger, ya know? Solid burger!! The fries are average & too expensive ($7) for that small portion. You order at the counter, get a number and seat yourself. The woman at the register was helpful with explaining the sauces and the wait time for the burger was average. Maybe 10-15 min. There was a full patio when I went so the wait was fair.

Burgers were great and a fun atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon!! Small intimate place and when the large bachelorette parties or birthday groups come in it gets a little crazy but it was only for a short time

We had a great dinner here - the burger and chicken sandwich were both excellent. The fries were fine - nothing special. The bartender was friendly and you order at the counter so there isn't a lot of service interaction, but we felt at home in what is clearly a neighborhood fave. It's a cozy space so either get there early or make friends with the folks next to you.

Jack Nolen's definitely lived up to our expectations. This place is kind of a hole in the wall/local watering hole with great service. The food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the Pesto Chicken Sandwich and the Frisco Melt. Both sandwiches were amazing. We also ordered two different types of their specialty fries and they were great as well. If you're in the neighborhood, definitely try it out!

Awesome burgers and great Bloody Marys. How else should you get your Sunday going? Not a big place, but they have a great patio when the weather is nice. We're not from St Louis, but the staff's always been friendly and we've been there 3 times. Also, they have a burger of the month that I usually order and it's been fantastic each time. They make it hard to go anywhere else.

Server made a mistake on the order but the food was good, the smashed burger great. The beer was cold.

I tried Jack Nolen's for the first time a few weeks ago, and I seriously can't stop thinking about it. My friend told me that I needed to try it, and after visiting for myself, I totally see why. There aren't a ton of seating options inside, but the patio is so spacious and welcoming. I can't wait to hang out on the patio this summer! We placed our order at the counter inside, and an employee brought our food out to the patio when it was ready. While our food took a little bit to come out, they were super busy, and I can tell that everything is made fresh. Absolutely worth the wait! I ordered the Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich and the Scattered Fries (shredded mozzarella and Italian seasoning). Both were outstanding. I didn't know that something as simple as a grilled chicken sandwich could taste so good! I'm not a huge fan of cheese sauce, so I liked that the mozzarella on the fries was melted just enough that it wasn't a liquid. My boyfriend ordered their famous Firecracker Burger and CBGB Fries (grilled onions, chopped bacon and house made beer cheese sauce featuring Busch beer). He loved both, just as we expected! We seriously couldn't believe how much flavor was packed into everything.

Jack Nolan's is a family owned and operated restaurant and bar that is reminiscent of a hole in the wall and dive bar all at once. The food was phenomenal! Best burger I've had in a long while. It was juicy and packed with flavor. The French fries were cooked to perfection. Service was great. If you're ever in St.Louis make sure you skip to Jack Nolen's quickly.

Loved the burger, everyone was super friendly and it was amazing to just chill outside.

Service was a tad bit slow. Food was Fine. We carried out so we didn't get a hot sandwich

Love this bar! I live in St charles and drive down there for the food and atmosphere. Outside seating is great, they have a fire pit in the fall and the people there are always friendly. The bartenders are excellent love Kristin.

This place is literally the best burgers in town and I'll die on that hill. And the bartenders really stay on it when it's busy too!

I stop here at least once a month to try out their burger of the month. In the winter seating can be tight but during other months they have a nice patio to accommodate larger crowds. I've been coming once a month for over a year now. Best burger of the month so far: Bacon, Pimento, and pickles jalapeños!(January 2025)

Loved this Little Spot! Burgers were Excellent with amazing flavor and loved the Patio Seating

As someone who claims to be a STL burger connoisseur, it's practically a cardinal sin that I hadn't come here yet. It's been on my list for so long, and is practically the final burger "spot" in STL that I hadn't tried, and it was worth the wait. Friendly bartenders, nice patio environment, and the burger was delicious. In terms of traditional smash burgers, a little thicker, but very tasty regardless. The sauce was a real star, being somewhat adjacent to 1000 island. I also got friends covered in beer cheese and bacon, so obviously that was good. Wonderful Soulard spot, we'll definitely be back!

We came here because we saw an employee post about it in her FB page. We had a lot of food and drinks, including burgers, fries, chicken sandwich, and deviled eggs. Everything was really good. I especially liked the chicken sandwich. The drinks were good and everything was priced well. The only thing we didn't care for was no table service. There were long lines to order and they closed at 5pm on a Sunday. They didn't rush us and were very kind, but sucked we couldn't hang out a while. The outside patio was really nice the day we went!

Food and drinks were awesome. Perfect place to sit inside or on the patio! Service was friendly and fast. Perfect spot for lunch or dinner.

Food was delicious! Environment was quiet, service was quick. Nice patio outside! Double smash burger with the best fries!!

Love this soulard bar known for their burgers and animal style fries. Food and drink orders are taken at end of bar, you are given a number and they will bring your food out to you. There is a big patio area with shade and umbrellas. A must try here is any order of fries, the toppings are delicious and pack a lot of flavor.

So friendly. So good. Simple and cozy - high quality food. Can't go wrong here. The burgers omg.

Some of the best smashed burgers in the Lou! Super friendly staff. This place is a definite must visit.

I ordered the firecracker burger along with the CBGB fries and it was absolutely spectacular. For those of you skeptical about the spice, you don't have to worry there's only a hint of it due to the jalapeño relish, but it's nothing unbearable or that lingers on your taste buds. The fries were an excellent complement to the burger, and I would definitely order it again. I went a little after lunchtime, and there was only one person in the kitchen and one person at the bar where you place your order. so I can imagine patience being a virtue. Overall, the vibe of the establishment gives a standard bar feel who's food will blow you away. I'll give this place a solid 8/10

The burgers are amazing. I have had a bunch of burgers and these are very very good. The staff is friendly and personable they make you feel welcome and go out of the way to help in any way they can. It's great energy in there.

Came out for some drinks and a burger, this place was recommend to me. Stopped in got seated out side quickly. Beautiful outdoor seating especially when it gets dark. The lights are very nice and there's all different outdoor seating. The drinks were real good the burgers were simple but very tasty so it was a plus.

Staff Is Slow And When You Order Food Tell The "Hold The Flies". People Brag About Their Food But To Me I Could Have Got Better At Steak & Shake

Neighborhood dive bar serving some of the best burgers I've ever had. Near the Budweiser brewery in St. Louis. Good lunch stop before a tour. Definitely recommended.

Probably best Burger in Soulard! Crispy seasoned fries. The Patty Melt had 2 cheese, on Buttery Toasted bread, grilled onions and house made special sauce. Patty Melt done well! Order at the bar, they issue you a number for your chosen table inside or out. It was a beautiful sunny day and we choose outside on the Shady patio! Tucked away on the side and back, clean and cool. Will definitely return!

SO GOOD! Burgers were amazing, fries were great, and they had a good amount of TVs. Everyone working there was friendly. Will be coming back!

First time visit yesterday and I will keep it simple...one of the absolute best smash burgers I've ever had. Seriously good!

Let me start by saying I've taken my entire family to this place at one time or another! They have the absolute best burgers in the city!!! If you're close to Anheuser Busch, it's literally a hop, skip and a jump away. The buns & ingredients are ALWAYS fresh...the burgers are seasoned to perfection! So much so, that I purchased a bottle of their seasoning. My burgers at home don't quite taste like theirs, but that ok, b/c I like the neighborhood bar environment.

Random find and it was pretty good place to eat! If we are ever back in town we will be back for sure.

Great neighborhood bar where everyone is welcome. The burgers are DELICIOUS and the service is GENUINELY nice. Zero pretentiousness. 100% relaxed at-home vibe. Perfect place to watch a Cardinals game.