Ask Eater: Where’s the Best Burger for Takeout in Buckhead?

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“My husband and I just found out that Farm Burger Buckhead is closed. We are now searching for a new burger place in Buckhead. We would like a place that serves grass-fed beef and where patrons are able to takeout without much parking hassle. Thank you in advance for any advice.” — PR

Unlike in other neighborhoods around Atlanta, I’ve found most burger joints offering takeout in Buckhead, save Farm Burger, fall under the larger chain restaurant category relying on frozen patties rather than freshly made. While there may be good value for money in terms of portion sizes at such places, the quality of the burgers served is a bit lacking, especially if you’re looking for a burger made fresh with meat from local farms or from farms using sustainable methods to feed their livestock. Sometimes a burger is worth a little wait.

Most of the great burgers I’ve eaten over the years in Buckhead are found at full-service restaurants where takeout isn’t part of the operations model or the burger just doesn’t travel well. Depending on where you live, however, Farm Burger still includes locations in Dunwoody, Grant Park, and Midtown and may actually deliver to your Buckhead address.

As for a quality takeout burger in (or near) Buckhead, here are three restaurants to try offering mostly hassle-free parking situations.

The Chastain

4320 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta.
Takeout and dine-in service available.
Valet parking and street parking available.

On a beautiful day in Atlanta, it’s hard to beat the outdoor dining set-up at Chastain Park restaurant the Chastain. Owned and operated by chef Christopher Grossman (formerly of Atlas), there’s an emphasis on ties to the land here and creating dishes using fresh produce, some of which is grown in the restaurant’s garden. Meats and seafoods often come from farms in and around Georgia. The double-stack cheeseburger is no exception, with the ketchup also made fresh in the restaurant’s kitchen. The TC cheeseburger, served during lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, is a whopper of a double-stack garnished with lettuce, pickles, American cheese, caramelized onion aioli, and ketchup sandwiched between a buttery bun. It’s served with a side of generously sized fries. Be warned: this cheeseburger and fries combo comes in at $28, but it does travel well as a to-go burger. Takeout service called TCGO offers the full menu. Order at the bar and grab a glass of wine or a latte or stroll the gardens beside the Chastain while you wait for your burger. You might even spy Bogie, the neighborhood cat, who was a frequent guest at the former Horseradish Grill on the property, and now in the gardens and patio at the Chastain.

The Chastain

LOL Burger Bar

2080 Defoors Ferry Road, Atlanta.
Takeout, delivery, and dine-in service available.
Free parking in lot.

Technically this restaurant isn’t in Buckhead, but just over the border in the Underwood Hills neighborhood in northwest Atlanta. It’s easy enough to travel to via Moores Mill, Bohler Road, and Howell Mill Road on the western edge of Buckhead. Don’t be put off by the name, because the burgers at LOL are no laughing matter and come freshly made. Located in the former Ssam Burger space on DeFoors Ferry, and owned by local entrepreneur and HBCU graduate Cassidy Jones, try the restaurant’s namesake burger topped with gouda cheese, grilled red and green peppers, spicy mayo, and onions. If you’re looking for a little kick in your burger, order the WTF topped with American cheese, tangy kimchi, and zesty house sauce. Those looking to customize their burger should opt for the BYOB. The BYOB comes with a choice of proteins, including beef, turkey, fried chicken, or vegan, with choice of cheeses and a variety of toppings and sauce and mayo options. All burgers are served with fries (Get the LOL fries with Cajun seasoning.) Some seating is available inside, but this burger joint is mainly a takeout and delivery spot. Depending on where you live in Buckhead, LOL Burger Bar may deliver to your address. Burger and fry combos range from $12.99 to $15.99.

Beth McKibben

Burger worth the travel: NFA Burger

5465 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody.
Takeout available.
Free parking in the lot.

If you’re willing to travel OTP for a great burger, NFA Burger is worth the trek north from Buckhead to Dunwoody. It’s also about two miles east of the North Springs MARTA station and accessible by bus, if driving up 400 is less than appealing, especially given traffic in the area. Owner and longtime Dunwoody resident Billy Kramer has created what might be one of the best burger joints in all of metro Atlanta, and it’s located at a counter inside a Chevron gas station on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. At NFA, expect nothing but burger classics served as double-stack and triple-stack cheeseburgers topped with American cheese, pickles, mustard, and Kramer’s sweet and salty Sassy sauce. For those bold enough to order one, there’s even a quad burger, and extra topping options like turkey chili from nearby Breadwinner Cafe and Bakery and Hatch green chiles. Fans of crinkle fries and tater tots will find those here, too, deep fried in a mixture of beef tallow and canola oil and dusted with NFA’s Sassy seasoning. Burgers are made fresh and range between $8 for a double-stack to $10.50 for a triple-stack. For an extra $4, you can add fries or tater tots. Don’t skip out on ordering a batch of schmoops (Think warm cinnamon sugar crescent rolls.)

NFA Burger