Bud’s Broiler on City Park

Tom Fitzmorris opined, back in 1977, that there were three restaurants he couldn’t live without: Antoine’s, Maylie’s and the Bud’s Broiler on City Park Avenue.

budssign

Tom would have say whether all of that still stands today, since although Antoine’s is going strong, Maylie’s has been closed for years now (the also-defunct Smith & Wollensky last occupied Maylie’s site) and the Bud’s Broiler on City Park Avenue has been closed since Katrina.

The original location of the Bud’s Broiler chain, the City Park restaurant first opened in 1952. I’m not a great repository for the rest of Bud’s history, but they do have a website, www.budsbroiler.com, that has the history and menu, etc.

It re-opened yesterday, April 20, to much fanfare and long lines. The new owners have been working hard on getting the location up and running for a few months now. All their work paid off, it’s clean, freshly painted and cranking out burgers cooked over real charcoal as fast as people can order them.

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Well-wishers included the old-line New Orleans white-tablecloth restaurant Tujaque’s, who sent these flowers:

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I got a No. 4 with some cheese fries. (Sorry, I always forget to take pictures until I’ve already started eating).

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I’m guessing these were the original bathroom doors, they crack me up.

budsdoors

What’s your menu item number? Do you have any Bud’s trivia to add? Did you go opening day? What are your memories of Bud’s on City Park?

4 Responses to Bud’s Broiler on City Park

  1. Daisy on April 21, 2009 at 6:25 pm

    Your blog makes me miss New Orleans SO much. Sigh. I can’t wait to come back- shall we meet up at Bud’s?

  2. Nola on April 21, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    Soooo glad they are back! And glad you captured their moment of return. Aahhhh.

  3. Sphinx Ink on April 24, 2009 at 11:22 am

    Hurray for Bud’s! I’m so glad they’ve reopened the flagship restaurant. There are two Bud’s Broilers out neart where I live in East Jesus. I don’t go to them often enough…maybe I’ll cruise by one of ’em tonight. My mouth is watering for the #4–love that chili and cheese.

  4. Margaret on April 26, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    My sister went to Delgado when we lived uptown. I used to joke about Bud’s but I don’t think she could ever force herself to go. Something about red meat and fried food…oh well.

    My favorite memory of Bud’s Bud’s Broiler was my 1L year at Tulane. The student government held a live auction fundraiser. For interest, they had a lot of professors donate off beat things. One was lunch for two students with professor W at Bud’s Broiler. That raised a lot of money!

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