Jack Nolen’s is the kind of burger bar that looks like a little Soulard neighborhood tavern and then hits you with smash burgers so dialed-in people call them the best in Missouri.
This veteran-owned spot turns out single, double, and triple smashed patties, fried chicken sandwiches, patty melts, pesto grilled cheese, loaded fries, and affordable cocktails, all in a cozy bar with indoor seating and a patio that locals love. 🍔🍺
Why St. Louis Burger Fans Keep Making The Pilgrimage To This Soulard Tavern
Jack Nolen’s sits at 2501 S 9th Street in Soulard, in the former Good Luck Bar & Grill space, a small neighborhood tavern transformed into a smash-burger, chicken sandwich, and loaded-fries joint with a full bar and patio seating.
The owners keep things simple and old-school: no phone, walk-in carryout, first-come first-served, and online ordering for those who want to grab food to go.
Local coverage calls it “one of the best burger joints in town,” and a statewide roundup highlights Jack Nolen’s cheeseburger as Missouri’s most celebrated burger creation, prompting people to drive in just to see what the fuss is about.
On top of that, a separate write-up points to the chicken sandwich as arguably the best in the state, making Jack Nolen’s feel less like a one-trick burger bar and more like a full comfort-food tavern.
The menu is tight: single, double, and triple cheeseburgers; patty melts with Swiss and American; fried chicken sandwiches that people rave about; pesto grilled cheese; grilled pesto chicken; plant-based nuggets; and a handful of loaded fries and bar snacks that locals talk about as much as the patties themselves.
It’s an à la carte setup, so you build your own meal, pick a handheld, add fries in one of several loaded builds, then pull up a stool or grab a spot on the patio with a cocktail or beer from the full bar.
Reviews keep circling around the same themes: crispy patties, melty cheese, generous toppings, and loaded fries that feel like a whole second course, as reflected in the steady stream of enthusiastic community posts from St. Louis burger fans.
Between the veteran-owned note, the Soulard location, the patio, and the focus on a small set of handhelds done extremely well, this place has quietly become a must-hit for anyone serious about St. Louis burgers and sandwiches.
Food Highlights
- Single Cheeseburger: A 4-oz smashed beef patty with American cheese and toppings available on request — the baseline burger that shows off Jack Nolen’s griddle game with crispy edges, a juicy center, and a soft bun, and the one most people use as their benchmark before graduating to a double or triple.
- Double Cheeseburger: Two 4-oz patties stacked with American cheese crank up both the crust and the juiciness in this build, the order that most closely matches the burger statewide coverage keeps calling one of Missouri’s top bites. 🍔
- Patty Melt: A 4-oz smashed patty with Swiss and American cheese, grilled onions, and Style sauce on toasted sourdough gives this classic a grilled-bread personality that keeps showing up as a favorite in write-ups about the menu’s non-standard burger options.
- Fried Chicken Sandwich: A 7-oz hand-battered chicken breast “making waves in the chicken sandwich game,” served plain or spicy with lettuce, pickle, and mayo, earns this sandwich a statewide reputation that makes it just as important to Jack Nolen’s identity as the burgers themselves. 🍗
- Pesto Grilled Cheese: Melted mozzarella and parmesan with pesto sauce on sourdough make this herb-packed, cheese-forward option a strong move for vegetarians or anyone who wants to take a break from meat without leaving the comfort-food lane entirely.
- Loaded Fries: Beer-cheese fries with chopped bacon and house Busch-based beer cheese, Fire sauce fries, brown-gravy fries with blue cheese and parsley, and classic cheese fries with grilled onions turn the fry section into a whole second act that locals on the patio debate as seriously as the patty itself. 🍟
Atmosphere
Jack Nolen’s feels like a Soulard neighborhood bar that just happens to be obsessed with burgers: full bar, indoor seats, an outdoor patio, and a small footprint that encourages casual hangouts more than formal meals.
The walk-in, first-come-first-served setup keeps things unpretentious, and multiple write-ups mention that the low-key, local atmosphere is part of what makes the burgers taste even better.
It’s the kind of place where you wander in wearing pretty much anything, order at the bar, and settle into fries and patties that feel far more considered than the surroundings might suggest.
For a city rich in old-school burger spots and taverns, Jack Nolen’s manages to carve out its own lane with smash patties and chicken sandwiches that have quietly earned statewide attention.
Bottom Line
Jack Nolen’s is the St. Louis burger and chicken-sandwich bar you hit when you want crisp-edged smash patties, patty melts, hand-battered chicken, pesto grilled cheese, and loaded fries in a veteran-owned Soulard tavern that takes comfort food seriously.
If you’re anywhere near South 9th Street and wondering where Missouri’s most talked-about cheeseburger is hiding, this tiny bar is the answer.
Address:
2501 S 9th St, St. Louis, MO 63104
🕔 Open Tue–Sat, 11 AM–10 PM; Sun, 11 AM–5 PM (Closed Mon)