Clover Grill: They love to fry, and it shows
Written: Sep 30 '99 (Updated Sep 30 '99)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Best burgers in town; open 24 hours; fun, sassy atmosphere; a nominally gay hangout but the whole world is welcome
Cons: It's small, sometimes the waits are long, and you might have to keep an eye on the cook's hand-washing habits
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| Chuq's Full Review: New Orleans |
There's been Bud's Broiler. There's been the Camellia Grill. Both have great burgers. But there's been a consensus of late amongst myself and my friends that the best burger to be had in the City of New Orleans is at the Clover Grill, at 900 Bourbon Street (corner Dumaine) in the French Quarter.
The Clover's also known as "the world's greatest gay hamburger joint", with a commensurately sassy attitude among its staff and a menu that's funny as hell (they have copies to take home now, 'cause people kept stealing them). What the menu features, of course, are the huge, juicy burgers, cooked under a hubcap (seals in the juices, or something). If you've never been, start with the burgers, and you may well continue with them. They're absolutely fabulous.
They also excel at breakfasty items, particularly the omelettes. The Plain Jane is the basic model, and to that you can add almost anything: cheese, chili, bacon, mushroom, sausage, or whatever else is on hand. I like the waffles too, and if you're feeling particularly piggish, get both (or split a waffle with a friend or loved one). Sandwiches galore fill out the menu, but the burgers are what'll keep you coming back.
The Clover Grill is open 24 hours a day, and can get surprisingly crowded in the middle of the night. Exacerbating the crowds and waits are the fact that not only is it popular, but it's tiny -- there are only 11 stools around the counter and four small tables, but when you're in That Mood at 2am for a great burger, it tends to be worth the wait.
If you're in a hurry and don't feel like waiting at the Clover, though, you can get a burger that's just as good at their sister location, Poppy's Grill, located across the street from Pat O'Brien's Bar on St. Peter Street; it's a lot bigger, and the wait is a lot shorter. You get way more drunks from Pat O's and other Quarter tourist joints and bars staggering in, but in that part of the Quarter it's par for the course.
However ... as much as I've always loved the Clover, I was a little taken aback last time I was there by the, ahem, lack of hygiene of the person doing the cooking. This included wiping his spatula on his apron, snacking on fries that had fallen from plates, and worst of all, handling raw chicken breasts and then failing to wash his hands (a big, BIG no-no). I called the manager the next day, complaining, fussing and severely excoriating, and it seemed to do the trick (it's amazing how quick someone in this situation will jump when you say something like "I write for Frommer's"), so presumably this problem has been corrected. I can also hope that this problem was restricted to this one particular cook (I'd never seen anyone else be that sloppy in myriad visits there.) Still, next time I go in, I'm going to keep a close eye on the cook.
Don't let that scare you, though ... you have to have a bit of a sense of adventure to go to the Clover anyway, and it's almost always rewarded.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Chuq
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Member: Chuck Taggart
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 81 members
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