This dive bar in historic Soulard with a fantastic patio, may have the absolute best smash burgers in St. Louis. The crispy skinny fries are top-notch, too. The bar itself is unpretentious and welcomes everyone. While I was dining at the bar, the rest of the diners were a widely diverse mixture. Witnessing such a vast mixture of people, adds a positive twist to the vibe of the bar. The menu is simple. They focus on what they do best and that's why their smash burger is one of the best. Being a firecracker myself, I ordered the Firecracker Smashburger. It's a single patty, with Pepper Jack Cheese, Tomato-Onion-Jalapeno Relish, Drizzled with a Tangy Fire Ranch and served on a Martin's Potato Roll. The burger was juicy and had those crispy edges that a smash burger is known for. My favorite cheese is Pepper Jack, so that was a big plus for me. The relish added that extra kick that made it a true, Firecracker. I can't enjoy a burger without fries and Jack offers long skinny fries. They had a crispy shell and a soft hot inside. They were simply seasoned with just the right amount of salt. I was impressed that the ketchup was 100% Natural. That gets a big thumbs up. When enjoying a burger and fries, a nice cold beer is always the adult beverage of choice. JN offers a small variety of craft beers on draft and three popular Anheuser-Busch products. I enjoyed a Gumballhead from 3 Floyds Brewing. An American Pale Wheat is a perfect lunchtime beer. The bartenders are personable and offer warm service. I'm definitely coming back the next time I crave a smashburger. read more

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Came for the burger. Also had the fries. Very good smash burger. OK fries. I recommend trying the house sauces on the side just in case you do not like it. Get grilled onions on the burger! Decent customer service, no frills and quick! read more

Incredibly delicious burgers!!! Hands down my favorite burger in STL! Perfectly seasoned juicy smash burgers with crispy edges. The menu is simple, but the ingredients fresh and the execution is spot on. It's a small, cozy bar with a great patio - the kind of neighborhood spot where you grab a drink, have an amazing burger, and end up staying all afternoon. The staff is welcoming and genuinely friendly! read more

Jack Nolen’s - Double smash burger with fries - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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Reviewed experience at establishment around being charged $10 tip and not 10%. The owner wrote on my pic from a burner page saying bad reviews are bad for business and I should review my receipt. Uploaded a pic from purchase and 10 minutes later, same burner account was writing me saying she's Kristin the manager and wanted to fix this. Wrote her back and got no reply. Maybe they will treat other patrons better and won't charge $10 tips on a burger but I doubt I'll be back or recommend them. read more

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Stopped in for happy hour and had one of their famous smash burgers..wow! I had the firecracker, super tasty and HUGE! I just had regular fries but they have several different options for fries...They also have a really nice patio for those days you want to sit outside...check it out!!! read more

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. read more

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Great spot for a consistently tasty smashburger! I always like their Style Sauce on mine. Seating inside is pretty limited, but they have a nice patio with plenty. Food came to our table in about 15 minutes or so after we ordered at the counter. read more

Jack Nolen’s - Double Classic Smashburger - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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. read more

Jack Nolen’s - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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 read more

Jack Nolen’s - Bar front - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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! read more

Jack Nolen’s - Single smash burger and CBGB fries! - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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. read more

Burnt bun on smashburger, wrapped in foil (to go) soggy. Fries in a cardboard box. Old, hard and you could taste the old grease used to fry them. Invest in proper to go containers for your customers and they just might come back. We will not. read more

Jack Nolen's is the real deal. The drink specials alone are worth the trip, but then the smash burgers hit the table and it's a whole different level. Fresh, flavorful, and done right every time. This place has quietly become one of my go-to spots -- do yourself a favor and check it out. read more

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. read more

Jack Nolen’s - Triple Cheese Bacon Burger with Beer Cheese Bacon Fries - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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 read more

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. read more

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I feel quite comfortable in saying the double smashburger I had here was the greatest burger I've ever had. I've never had another smashburger that managed to have both the crispy edges one hopes for with a smash burger while still having a juicy middle. I ordered my burger to go--but the inside was fine while I was stopped in to order. The place was packed around the Friday noon rush and the seating was pretty much filled up. Very friendly service despite how busy it was. read more

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 read more

Jack Nolen’s - Friday on the patio - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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! read more

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.) read more

Jack Nolen’s - Deviled eggs, single smash burger no cheese - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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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. read more

One of the best burgers and fries on the Planet. This place is delicious, you got to go.

Amazing Smash Burgers and an incredible chicken Sandwich! Just delicious. Great service and a small town neighborhood bar feel that is perfect for me. Love the manager. Love the whole staff!! read more

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! read more

Jack Nolen’s - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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. read more

Jack Nolen’s - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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. read more

Jack Nolen’s - salted fries - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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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. read more

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! read more

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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. read more

Jack Nolen’s - Burger of the Month, CBGB fries, Bloody Mary and Patty Melt with regular fries. - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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. read more

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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 read more

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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!!! read more

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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 read more

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

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

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 read more

Food and service is unmatched in this part of STL, always have all the games on as well, and great patio.

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) read more

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

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! read more

Jack Nolen’s - Double Cheese burger with house sauce and raw onion - Burgers Near Me - St Louis, Missouri