Ann's Snack Bar

I have been meaning to eat here for the longest time, ever since I read about how good these burgers are, in various restaurant blogs and restaurant sites. So good in fact, that they were proclaimed the best burgers in America by a writer for the Wall Street Journal. See article here.

So, when Caroline asked me where I wanted to eat for my birthday, it was an easy choice. We went a day before my birthday, as it was a holiday (Presidents Day).

Ann's Snack Bar is located (for all you Atlanta folk) along Memorial Drive, close to where it intersects with Moreland Ave. If you aren't looking for it, you probably wouldn't even notice it. This is mainly because there is a large screened front area that hides the main sign (pictured below). Fortunately, there is a large sign that says, "Home of the World Famous Ghetto Burger".
We arrived at 11:15, 15 minutes before opening. There were already a couple of people waiting, and I had no idea how long they were there. Caroline and I thought about abandoning our plan and going to the Vortex (another burger place of worthy mention) instead. I knew that Ms. Ann could only accommodate 8 people, and after a quick count of the people waiting, I figured out that we would be included in the first batch of customers. We were lucky; I read people waited for hours just to get into her little diner. We braved the chilly 40 degree weather to ensure a spot in the first 8.

As soon as the clock inside the restaurant hit 11:30 (which was at least 5 minutes slower than what we had on our watches), she motioned for the first batch of customers to come in. As soon as the 8 person threshold was reached, Ms. Ann called out "I can only hold 8 people in here!". Whether or not its for safety reasons or her own, other customers quickly shuffled out of the diner and were forced to wait.

Ms. Ann has gained a reputation online for being intimidating... probably because of the no-nonsense way she does things. . I did have the courage to ask what a Hood Burger was (coleslaw in the burger instead of lettuce and tomato). We ended up each ordering a Ghetto Burger combo. The couple beside us also knew about Ms Ann's reputation as the wife did all the ordering. Apparently, the husband was scared of Ms Ann, as they were also 'warned' of her reputation. I don't think she was mean; yes, she is intimidating, but when you do talk to her, she is quite friendly.

Ms. Ann took our orders all at once, and then began cooking all of them at the same time, as a batch.


From where we sat, we could see the patties cook, and the potatoes deep fried into french fried goodness. Every piece in Ms. Ann's kitchen has a purpose, and she's always on the move and efficient, knowing what to do, whether its flipping the burgers or checking on the bacon. I guess if you have done the same thing for over 35 years, you know everything by heart. Everything is done as it cooks; Ms. Ann slices the onion right in front of the patties as they are cooking and places them straight on the meat. Same goes with the tomatoes, sliced just before they are placed on your burger. Drinks are pre-made (between the sweet tea and the lemonade, I prefer the latter) and french fries are of the frozen kind, but they were good nonetheless. The fries were crispy and cooked to perfection, and portions were very generous.

While waiting for the food to be cooked, we looked around the bar and talked to the fellow customers seated beside us. Along the walls were the various awards she received (several "Best of Atlanta" awards, etc), and some pictures of her and her family. And even though the surroundings may not look it, she received an A grade for cleanliness and food safety from the local government.

Finally, after a good 45 minutes from the time Ms. Ann took our orders, the burgers arrived...

This is it... the Ghetto Burger. Two huge patties of ground beef, two slices of cheese, slices of bacon, onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and a spoonful of chili to top it all off. Ms. Ann thankfully slices the burger in half, to make it easier to hold. She also supplies you with a fork and knife, as pieces of hamburger will inevitably fall off, or if you can't hold the burger with your hands.

I don't know how I was able to do it but I was able to finish it all (of course, I ended up skipping dinner later that day). Caroline was able to just eat 1/4; I ended up eating 1/4 of hers and taking home the other half, which I just ate for lunch today!

With Ms. Ann, you don't just sit down and eat the burger, you experience it all. The anticipation, the friendly banter with fellow customers, the eccentricities, and the burger itself. When you step into the diner and wait for your order, all of a sudden you feel like you're all regulars when in fact you could all be new to Ann's Snack Bar. And when you see your burger personally cooked and served by Ms. Ann, you feel the heart and effort she took in making you that burger. That's what sets her apart from other restaurants, and its what makes her burgers so special. Her burgers are definitely worth the trip, and worth the wait.