At Bub’s Burgers in New Orleans, the koozie reminds you to ‘Be a Bub.’ You can also order a Bub Burger. And you should always order Bub Sauce for your hand-cut fries. The inevitable question is — what is a Bub?
A “Bub” is a homie. A “Bub” is someone you can rely on. A “Bub” is an original. That’s what you get from the smashed patties and melted cheese towers at Bub’s Burgers.
Serving the Best Smashburgers in New Orleans
The Bub’s crew has been working hard smashing burgers in New Orleans since their first run in June at Mid City Pizza. They can be found in the yard at Second Line Brewing Co. on Thursdays and Sundays, and Fridays at Zony Mash Beer Project.
No matter where you catch them, the atmosphere at Bub’s is a special kind of comfortable. It’s a feeling of community and belonging. That might seem like a lot for a tent, fryer, griddle, and some T-shirts and koozies. But for the friends behind the burgers, it’s not a surprise at all.
When Bub’s started, the idea was to continue a legacy and preserve a memory. Just before the lockdown kept us away from our loved ones, a community got together and threw a block party to remember Rand Owens— the owner of Mid-City Pizza and Banks St. Bar —who passed away in February.
Not many businesses can succeed with a business model of letting their employees go on vacation to tour for 3-4 months out of the year. For lots of artists and musicians, having a place at Mid City Pizza meant having a community of friends who understood what’s most important in life. Supporting and loving your Bubs.
If you were lucky and stuck around Rand long enough, you might become a Bub. As a kid out of college, my second job in the city was helping open up the big Banks Street location of Mid City Pizza. There were plenty of Bub’s that came through to support Rand and help make Banks Street. what it is today.
Working the line, I might’ve caught a Bub or two, but Ron and Josh Richard, Tristan Moreau, Aaron Amadio, and Peter Prevot qualified long before that. They knew Rand growing up and are doing their best to preserve the legacy and community that Rand built.
Bub’s Burgers in New Orleans Continuing traditions
Banks Street is covered in colorful murals and Bub’s is continuing the tradition of color and creativity. The burgers are something to marvel at as well. You can’t order just one, you can’t eat them by yourself, you have to get fries or brussel sprouts on the side. The burgers are crispy, cheesy, and covered in a pepper sauce similar to a patty melt.
The American restaurant in New Orleans unique blend is the secret to their smash burger. The fat melts away leaving behind a crispy, thin patty that is made to be covered in cheese and stacked high. The fries are double-fried and hand-cut. A perfect version of your favorite fast-food french fry.
Check out the Bub’s Burger Menu
The menu started off small, but now includes Brussel sprouts and a fully dressed burger—the Bub Royale. They do catering and private events during the week but don’t see an expansion too soon. For the Bub’s crew, they said their favorite part of doing this whole thing is seeing people happy and being able to come out and enjoy themselves.
For a lot of people, being around your friends and sharing a meal means more than it did a few months ago. Loving your Bub’s is just a little easier when you’ve got burgers, fries, and beers outside.
