Lee's Hamburgers   

Few would call New Orleans a burger town; ground beef patties just don't lure the locals the way boiled crawfish or roast beef po'boys do. Nevertheless, natives still like to argue about the best burger joints, with some folks preferring thick, juicy grilled burgers and others craving the flattened patties found at diners and greasy spoons. Fans of Lee's Hamburgers fancy the flat ones, the elbow-grease kind pressed onto a griddle with chopped onions that caramelize. And where such burgers are found, hot onion rings and fries can't be far behind. The present-day Lee's is merely a resurrection of a classic downtown institution. Although it's located among suburban furniture stores, gourmet markets and specialty coffee shops, it tries to maintain some of its original hamburger-stand charm with a jukebox, red vinyl seats and a short menu. Customers who don't go for thin burgers can choose instead from catfish, shrimp and chicken sandwiches. Still, Lee's has been known to convert even the most stubborn of thick-burger aficionados. -- Sara Roahen