Ann’s Snack Bar

Been here a couple times now. Pretty much everything everybody else has said is totally true. This burger is CRACK. The flavors are incredible. Comfort food at it’s finest. Atlanta has some great burgers. The Pinewood in downtown Decatur. Local Three’s in buckhead. Flip Burger, Grindhouse Burgers, etc.
Honestly. From a pure taste and experience perspective, this one is at the top of the list. Don’t let the shanty fool ya.
Also, the area is no where near as bad as it looks.

Wow! What a burger. So, my husband brought me to Ann’s today so that I could experience the ATL famous «Ghetto Burger».
Now the area or the building is not in the most attractive part of the city nor is the building the idea place of where you may want to eat (depending on your preference) it truly reminds me of a old kitchen. I sat at the counter to wait for my food… Our wait for our food was about 45 minutes. I was so giddy watching my big olé greasy burger being put together.
We got our order to go due to the lack of room to eat in the establishment. I could not wait to get home to dig into this humongous burger, so I unwrapped my burger in the car as I am riding in the passenger seat and attempted to bite into it. Unfortunately my mouth could not open up big enough. Now upon first partial bite all I can say is OMG delicious. The burger was really good. It was to much for me to eat in one setting, but it was truly a good and ghetto burger. I will retune to Ann’s again to enjoy the wonderful home tasting food.
If you are looking for a great customer service experience that where you are being catered to this may not be the place for you. If you want a feeling, fat filled, delicious meal then you may want to visit Ann’s.

My spouse and I went one day when we got off work early… it was around noon on a weekday so we were able to get right in. The service was no frills but friendly, the décor is bare bones but clean. We were greeted by one of the counter attendants who let us know that it was cash only inside but we could visit the ATM next door or up the street. We quickly grabbed cash and returned. You won’t see any white tablecloths here or Michelin stars but what you will see is a cozy front-​porch w. tables & lawn chairs… and a counter w. about 8 seats. The guy taking our order greeted us w. a smile and asked if it was our first time. He took our order and let us know we could wait inside or out.
We sat at the counter and watched our burgers being prepared (a ghetto burger for me, a regular bacon double for my husband) As we waited, another guy was making hand-​chopped cole slaw … mixing and chopping every bit of vegetation (nothing pre bagged). The burgers were huge handfuls of beef, seared on the griddle, covered in cheese… toppings, and the delicious homemade chili. When the burger and freshly-​made, super crispy fries were placed in front of us… we were in awe. The burger was dang near (you can’t curse inside… sorry) the size of the plate. It was a beautiful sight to see !!! My first bite caused my eyes to roll into the back of my head … oh my gosh !!! So many burgers are either highly fussed over or taste like nothing … I don’t know what’s in the seasoning or what, but these were delicious. You have a huge portion of delicious beef covered in fresh toppings and amazing chili. This was pretty much heaven on a burger bun. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating … even when our bellies begged us, we pushed forward until it was all gone.
It’s probably the best $ 20 we’ve ever spent for burgers … and we can’t wait to go back. I hear the peak times can be super busy so I’ll stick to skipping out early on work days when everyone else is slaving away behind their desk.

So over the holidays I was up in ATL to visit my sister and friends. Once in town I was dropped off at my sisters and was hungry and she suggested a burger and directed us to Ann’s!
It may not look like much from the outside, but personally I prefer down home places to fancy schmancy ones and Ann’s delivers. The staff are super friendly and nice and the burger is ginormous! I got the Ghetto Burger and split it with my sister and man it was filling! It’s a bit messy to eat but then if you’re here, you don’t mind getting a little dirty for your food :)
Didn’t have fries or much else but definitely hit up this spot if you need a burger fix!

Best burgers in Atlanta hands down. It was picture perfect literally. I look back at the pic of my burger and want to go back there every time. The establishment is very homey. Service was good. Prices were reasonable. Tried to go back today but they were closed for the holiday :-(I can’t understand why anyone gave this place a one star at all. U all are tripping. Maybe u shouldn’t go during peak hours. My wait was probably 10 — 15 minutes if that. Like any other place. I went on a Saturday around 1 or 2pm.

I love ms. Ann’s snack bar. It’s an atlanta gem and the burger is awesome. Highly recommend this place. It’s a true atlanta burger and you won’t be upset. Don’t be rude or needy there or you’ll be asked to leave. There are customer rules. Heard a story, don’t know if it’s true but that P. Diddy got caught on his phone at the place and was asked to leave.
Favorite items
–ghetto burger
–chili fries.

Well… the only thing I can say about this place is… AMAZING. It was right at the end of the day, and they were getting ready to close, but they were ready to fulfill my order anyway.
I ordered the Ghetto burger with fries and a drink, and was not disappointed. Really the best burger I have had in decades.

People LOVE this place and I was just not wow’d by it.
The locals were SOOOO NICE… while we were waiting for the food, they were telling us how much we would enjoy the food.
The lady (forgot her name… she has a nickname that all the locals knew) was very nice and had the Southern hospitality that we often hear about.
I had the ghetto burger… it was a lot going on… yeah, it was ghetto. It was accurate.
But me no likey that much… I should have shared the meal.
It was a bunch of stuff on the burger… that is impossible to eat with ur hands… well u could but it would not be a pleasant sight. Knife and forks are needed and provided.
Beans, onions, tomatoes, tons of meat, cheese, lettuce, bacon… and other stuff came with on or underneath this burger…
ugh.

After hearing the sad news of Miss Ann’s passing I felt the need to finish up my review of this staple of Atlanta Burger history.
I really enjoyed the burger when we went along with the ambience from Miss Ann answering the phone and people getting mad because of the service which is great as long as you follow the rules. Dont go in here with the customer is always right mentality or you may leave hungry.
The burger is a complete gut bomb and can be eaten by two people easily or 1 if you’re adventurous. Its greasy and what you want in a no holds barred burger experience. I recommend everyone gets a chance to visit and get a burger because there always talk of this place closing down any day.

After reading all the gushing, over-​the-​top reviews about the burger here, I couldn’t wait to try it. Scroll down and find the review from Allison S., written about 10 months ago, and that very accurately describes our experience today. Allison S. gave one star. One to two stars, in my opinion, is a fair and accurate rating. I would probably recommend Ann’s Snack Bar to my ex-​husband, Walter James Palmer, (the dentist that killed Cecil), Bernie Madoff, and Casey Anthony.
I am not quite sure if the unbelievably and unexplainable long wait is what is making everyone think this burger is so good. Perhaps people are so ridiculously ravenous by the time they get their food that you could feed them a spam sandwich and they would flip over it. Most people would agree that food tastes so much better when you are hungry, so this may be the method behind the madness here.
If you are dating someone new and want to make sure they can hang tough when the going gets rough, take your new friend to Ann’s. If he or she passes the test, take your date to Canoe.

As someone who can really appreciate a wonderful burger, it took me a long time to make my way here. But when I was going to meet some friends for lunch, I decided I might as well pop on by here and try what I’ve been wanting to try for agesssss. Luckily, it was even more conveniently located than I thought it would be, since it was only about a 5 minute drive from my friend’s place.
This place was kind of not what I was expecting. It’s set a little off from the road, directly next to a liquor store, with a tiny parking lot of about 10 spaces. It looks pretty janky, all things considered. After the parking spaces, there’s a door that you enter, that’s a sort of covered patio arranged around a small area that is where the kitchens are. You walk up steps to go through another door to place your order. There was a TV set up on the corner, a few fans blowing, and some coolers were ketchup. There is more parking at the dead strip mall next door, if you need it, and that’s where we ended up parking.
We arrived on a Saturday afternoon, around 12:45 — 1:00pm, and there were three people in front of us waiting to order and only two occupied tables outside on the patio. Since I’m not one to eat a lot, I opted out of the Ghetto Burger (maybe next time?) and instead ordered the Double Cheeseburger with fries and water. Being that it was probably in the mid-​90s, we were all really really thirsty. After we ordered, we waited about 10 minutes for our water, but it wasn’t brought out. I went inside and requested it, and the cashier nodded and said, «Yes, yes, in a minute.» But 10 more minutes went by, without water. Finally, we went to the counter and stood there another 5 minutes until someone noticed us, and then asked for our waters again. The gentleman who got our drinks was very nice, but didn’t actually give us what we asked for. He gave us two waters and a soda. No one at our table had ordered that, so my friend had to go back inside and exchange it for the proper drink (a lemonade).
They really should have some self-​serve water stations outside on the patio if they’re not going to give people water for almost half an hour in 90-​degree weather. There’s no air conditioning; it’s just a few fans set up here and there. And one time I went back inside for water was when they came outside with my burger. I wasn’t out there, and my friends didn’t hear them call my name, so as I stood waiting to get water, the woman asked me what my name was and I told her, and she looked at me and said, «Well I already called your name outside, and you didn’t answer! Hmph.» And I just looked at her like… ‘Duh, I’ve been inside?‘
PROS:
–Delicious burgers cooked to heavenly deliciousness. Duh.
–Affordable for what you get: a burger so big it takes you two meals to consume.
–There was enough seating for us, so we didn’t have to leave immediately.
CONS:
–Service was kind of shoddy… No water, after asking multiple times? Not great in the July heat.
–Exterior patio gets seriously hot. There are only a few fans, and sweat was still running down my body.
–Tiny parking lot. (But there is an «overflow» lot next door.)
–They got my friend’s order wrong. She wanted just meat and cheese and they still slathered on everything for her, even though she repeated herself 3 times. So we had to wait for them to re-​cook her order, which kind of ruined the experience for her.
THE VERDICT:
Despite the lackadaisical service, the burgers are freaking delicious. I don’t know how they do it. They’re even over-​cooked by my standards (well done, with no pink inside), but the seasoning they put on it to cook it is seriously amazing. The fries were nothing to write home about; just large steak fries with crispy exteriors. But dose burgers, mane. Holy cow. And yes, take these things seriously. We didn’t eat breakfast, and I still wasn’t able to finish my burger. I ate about half of it before having to call mercy, and then getting the rest wrapped to go. That entire day, I only ate a burger and some grapes because it was THAT filling. And now the question: Are these the best burgers I’ve ever eaten? Honestly, I don’t know. I would say they are ONE of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten, and I would also say that the 30−45ish minute wait was decidedly worth it. But I think I’m still on my personal burger quest journey to find the best burger to me.

I have finally experienced the deliciousness that is a Ghetto Burger. I know the secrets! I have the power! But I am sworn to reticence. For real. If you ask me about it, I’m going to categorically deny everything. And you should have the Ghetto Burger. It’s huge! And delicious. Oh, I have to put something else on your radar: You know what a Ghetto Burger is, right? Okay, so take away the lettuce and substitute coleslaw – et voilà! You have the Hood Burger. I’m not joking. If coleslaw is your thing, this may be worth trying. Indeed, I may one day try it.
Ann has left us quite a legacy with this Atlanta bastion of excellence. The _​Wall Street Journal_​mentioned the Ghetto Burger as the Best Burger of 2007. Ann’s Snack bar has taken the «Best Burger In Atlanta» distinction for several years in a row. I’m glad to say the current owners are carrying on her superlative tradition. This is simple, no frills dining where the emphasis is on a certain kind of comfort food: burgers, fries, chili, and all things related. Bring your appetite. You’re going to love it. Put away the pretense. You’re not going to need it.
We arrived around 6pm and found no wait whatsoever. They got right to work on our order, and we got to watch them make it. Eating out on the patio was also quite pleasant.
My Ghetto Burger was almost as big as my head. (Not really – my head is huge.) I loved that burger. Even as I tell you I love it, I may still tell you that next time I may order something smaller. There is a time and a place for that kind of debauchery. And the chili is quite nice all by itself. Put it on some fries, maybe with some cheese, and I may have to join you in doing a little happy dance. (Not really – I don’t dance.)
I’ll be looking forward to another Ann’s Snack Bar visit. Holler if you want some company.

First off let’s take a second for Ms. Ann’s legacy.
As another trip on our burger journey my ever Unilocal searching girl friend found this historic and highly regarded spot. The burger was good but the best part about it was the size of the burger and the toppings. I had a ghetto burger of course and I finished it… let that sink in.
As for the overall patty it was ok not outstanding but the toppings on the burger was. I liked the homie feel to the restaraunt bt it could definitely use some remodeling. Overall I would return to this place idk how often due to the blood pressure I’m sure this place can ruin lol bt il definitely be back.
Rest easy Ms. Ann, even tho I never met you, you made a good burger.

Miss Ann’s Snack Bar was the third review I ever wrote on Unilocal.Despite the reports that she could sometimes be harsh to unruly customers, I actually never saw any of that during any of the dozen or so visits I made over the years to get my ghetto burger on!
Conversely, she was always extremely sweet and kind to me. I don’t think I will ever forget the kindness she showed our Unilocal group when I hosted a Burger UYE at her tiny little store. Not only did she welcome the 15 Unilocalers that filled her screened patio area, but she was soooo funny and engaging!!! She shared fun stories of the celebrities and local personalities that have walked through her doors, telling it only the way a feisty Miss Ann could! I smile every time I think of that wonderful day of eating her world famous ghetto burger. She won fans not only with her food, but her amazing personality too.
The thought that I will no longer be able to see her face makes me want to cry. Rest in Peace Miss Ann. I really came to love you over the 4 years I’ve enjoyed eating at your iconic Atlanta establishment. You will be sorely missed by a community that ADORED you. I will keep you close to my heart all my days and celebrate your life in stories I tell my children about the awesome people I was fortunate enough to have met. I will never forget you!
Miss Ann passed on April 18^th, 2015
She was 72 years old

Ann’s snack bar is similar to visiting grandmas house; where the food is always good and the bs is never excepted.
I love this place it is a representation of Atlanta and the excellence of its citizens.
It’s a privilege to visit a place that has yet to be gentrified. This place is amazing. I appreciate the authenticity and transparency.
I had the ghetto burger and it was amazing. Two days ago I ate at Fred’s meat and bread and let’s just say after two days of waiting I was finally able to indulge in an extremely flavorful burger.
I respect this spot because it is everything that America defines. I felt like I was visiting my grandparents and they were feeding me in exchange for my respect.
Love this place I hope it stays open and remains operated by family.

I wanted to like this place. I got here at 1:50, and there were very few people inside waiting for food. Flash forward to 3:00…we are STILL waiting for our food.
I got the «World Famous» ghetto burger. Not sure what makes it famous, but there was nothing special about it that made it worth $ 9. It made it even worse that we had to wait SO Log only to be disappointed by a mediocre burger. I’ve had plenty of burgers in atlanta that have been less expensive that I’ve been able to enjoy in half the wait.
It also doesn’t help that the woman who we assumed ran the place showed signs of senility. she was yelling at patrons who’s names and orders she got wrong.
I think it’s safe to say I won’t be returning.

One of my favorite things to eat is hamburgers. I am on the hunt for the best burger in Atlanta. So far (as of 11÷26÷14) it is still Hudson Grille in Brookhaven. I have read about Ann’s Snack Bar for years now. However, since they close pretty early and I eat dinner pretty late, I have never found the right time to go. Finally found a great partner to go with for an early dinner.
I did my research and, honestly, was quite nervous about going after reading reviews. Felt like I’d be going to see the Soup Nazi. However, it was nothing like that at all. We arrived around 1.5 hours before closing. There were a number of people on the patio, but all had ordered and were just waiting for their food. So we were able to stroll right in and sit at the counter. We both got the Ghetto Burger since it is such a classic. If we’re gonna do this thing… we wanted to do it right.
Food Verdict: Very large burger! I could only eat half of it. I appreciated how it was already cut for me! It was hard to get at the taste of the burger because the chili overwhelmed it for me. But my friend said he could separate out the tastes and that it was flavored quite nicely. I didn’t enjoy the chili too much– it just seemed like canned chili from the supermarket. Nothing special. But all in all, I enjoyed it.
Customer Service Verdict: We got a good view of how everything was made. It was very nice to watch. I was nervous that with all the orders that were going around that mine would be screwed up (I wanted no mustard), but everything was a-​ok. The staff was very nice. The only time I saw an issue was when a customer was acting up! So he deserved it. It is a long wait for the food, but when you see how many orders they are serving up, you can tell that they are working as fast as then can. I think it took about 40 – 45 min to get our burgers.
Take home message: Now that I have tried the famous Ghetto Burger, I feel free to explore the rest of the menu. I enjoyed the burger, but will likely avoid the chili topping in the future.

I do like this place. We got the hood burger and the ghetto burger. It is truly huge in size.
I would recommend coming as soon as they open because they do cook everything fresh! And it can be up to a 20 min wait. Definitely not for anyone lookign to diet.

Ah, the much publicized Ghetto Burger at Ann’s Snack Bar. Were you worth the one-​and-​a-​half hour wait? It was a really good burger, but I’m not sure that any burger is worth waiting that long for. The beef was crumbly and unstructured,. The toppings — tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, and American cheese; ordinary. However, it was the chili and the onions cooked into the meat that made all of the magic happen. Yum.
Be prepared to use several napkins because this burger is messy! The burger is also very large, almost big enough for two people to share.
The location, as the name of their famous burger suggests, was a bit ramshackle — and that may be part of the charm. Seating is limited — only a few barstools inside and four cheap tables on their screened-​in porch. Cash only.
In a world where buzzwords like «organic», «free-​range», «antibiotic-​free», and «locally-​sourced» are in vogue with uppity self-​righteous burger-​centric restaurants (*cough* Farm Burger, Yeah! Burger *cough, cough*), it sure was a welcoming respite to see a few mainstays of the old guard slinging out good eats sans pretentiousness.
Four stars for the burger, two stars for the insanely long wait — Average, three stars.

«I’m thinking, y’know, eight-​year-​old white girl, middle of the ghetto, bunch of monsters, this time of night with quantum physics books? She about to start some s**t, Zed.» — Men in Black (1997)
Miss Ann — an Atlanta institution for 42 years. Gift to the world of the hamburger. What can one say about the Snack Bar that has not already been said in the magazine articles, TV reports, Unilocal reviews, WALL STREET JOURNAL?! That’s right, y’all! Miss Ann was named best burger in the US by the WSJ and she wears it like a badge of honor — but this lady does not boast.
The first stop on our tour de burger this past Saturday was Miss Ann’s and to experience the Ghetto Burger. No muss, no fuss, double stacked goodness on a white bread bun. Slathered with mayo, topped with lettuce, tomato and onion and good olé American cheese — and do NOT forget that chili (it’s the chili that makes it)!
There is nothing to NOT love about the Ghetto burger (with a side of fries and some sweet tea). A whole burger will make you full for days friends. I split this one with a couple of friends (did I mention this was stop 1 of 4?) and we enjoyed our fries topped with the special seasoning. De-​LISH! I’ll need to return to eat a whole one myself.
Miss Ann delighted us with stories of the famous folk who have graced the bar — Diddy, Andrew Young, that Hollywood actor who played the Godfather (pretty sure she meant Pacino since Mr. Brando has been gone for ages). We loved hanging out with Miss Ann and whatever you may have heard, I didn’t cross her — so I did not experience any of her so-​called scolding. She is full of fire and I love it all.
So if you love a good burger, the Snack Bar is where it’s at.