Even though Louisiana is known for its distinct food culture, most people just need a good burger every once in a while. This hearty meal is surprisingly hard to come by at LSU, but with the recent opening of Smash City, they are now more available than ever.
Smash City was born out of Houston, Texas, and opened its Baton Rouge truck early this summer. Based on the food, you would never guess that this is only its second location.
With everything made fresh, the truck serves everything you could ask for in a smash burger. Between the tender yet crispy patty to the perfectly melted cheese, you’re sure to be satisfied with your meal. All of this is sandwiched by a fluffy bun branded with its picture-perfect logo.
Smash burgers, the company’s specialty, first rose to popularity in the mid 2000s with the advent of chains like Shake Shack. In the past few years, though, it seems most restaurants selling any type of beef offer the thin, caramelized patty.
Smash City offers a handful of burger options. The Smash City signature is simple, being composed of American cheese, pickles and grilled onions. Swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms and onions comprise the Smashroom, while the OG contains American cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and onions. The Jalapeno Jackpot, with American cheese, grilled jalapenos, bacon and onions, kicks the flavors up a notch. The last smashburger, named the Smash Melt, has swiss cheese, pickles and onions.
An assortment of hot dogs are also available to order. From the Sweat Heat, which will make your mouth water, to the cheesy C&C, there’s definitely the right dog for you. Others include the creamy Cornado, the traditional Classy and the savory Slaw Dawng.
Also featured on Smash City’s menu are two standard burgers. While the Walkin’ On Sunshine is a typical American burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, the Swiss Mushroom Deluxe contains bacon, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions.
Available add-ons are bacon, fried eggs and extra patties. The zesty signature sauce is included on all of the burgers besides the Smashroom and the Swiss Mushroom Deluxe, which come with truffle mayo.
On the side, you can order fries, onion rings and mozzarella. And if you’re fixing for a sweet treat, you can grab an order of flurry churros or one of Smash City’s classic milkshakes. The flavors include Cookies & Cream Dream, Biscoff Buzz, V-Nilla and Berry Bomb.
The burger joint neighbors an assortment of other hot spots on campus, including Clutch City Cluckers, Insomnia and Chipotle. Such close proximity offers the great opportunity to mix and match your meal. Though everything on the menu pairs together perfectly, each item is delicious on its own.
While most fast-food spots in Baton Rouge are closed by 1 a.m., Smash City is open well into the night. From Sunday to Thursday, you can grab its delectable bites from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. and from 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Smash City is located at 159 W. State St., right off of Highland Road.
