Solid Smash #1 Baton Rouge · #1 Louisiana Est. 2019

Smalls Sliders

Smalls Slider
LSU / Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, LA · 6 sources scored · Confidence: Medium-high
📍 4343 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

The original Baton Rouge smashburger slider that became a national chain. One item, done right — served from a shipping container on Nicholson Drive.

Smashburger LSU / Nicholson Drive Slider CounterShipping ContainerLSU Area
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Smash Score
73 SMASH
SCORE
👍 Solid Smash
#1 Baton Rouge
City Ranking
6 Sources
Scored Inputs
Medium-high
Confidence
Last calculated April 2026
Algorithm v1.1

Representative photography. Actual appearance may vary.

The Story

Baton Rouge's original slider Can
One burger, built for speed.

Smalls Sliders opened its first 'Can' — a walk-up restaurant built inside orange and gray shipping containers — on Nicholson Drive near LSU on September 13, 2019. The concept came from Brandon Landry (Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux co-founder), Drew Brees, Jacob Dugas, and Scott Fargason, with one goal: to make the best possible cheeseburger slider, and nothing else. Since then the chain has grown to 100+ locations across the country, but the Nicholson Drive original is where it started.

Every Smalls Slider is hand-smashed thin, cooked to order, and served on a bun from Twin's Burgers & Sweets in Lafayette — slightly sweet, soft, toasted to a golden brown. The Smauce (a proprietary smoky-spicy aioli developed with Louisiana chef John Folse) ties the package together. The patty itself is conservative: thin, quarter-inch, simply seasoned. The burger succeeds as a system, not as a showcase of any single ingredient.

Smash Atlas Context Note

Baton Rouge is a mid-size market without the same national burger-review coverage as larger cities. The score leans on local editorial reviews, consumer aggregates, and chain-origin context for the Nicholson Drive flagship.

Score Breakdown

How the 73 Was Calculated

Critics 35% weight
73
Crowd 45% weight
82
Community 10% weight
78
Accolades 10% weight
0
RAW WEIGHTED AVG
71.03
COMPETITION BONUS
+0
SOURCES SCORED
6
Final score formula: 71.03 raw weighted average + +2.00 qualitative boost + +0 competition bonus = 73.
The Burger

Smalls Slider

🥩
Build
Hand-smashed thin slider patty; Biggie Smalls is the double-patty version
🧀
Cheese
Melted American cheese
🍞
Bun
Toasted buttery bun from Twin's Burgers & Sweets in Lafayette
🥕
Toppings & Sauce
Pickle and Smauce, a proprietary smoky-spicy aioli
💵
Price
$8.99 2-slider combo; $13.99 4-slider feast
💡
Neighborhood
LSU / Nicholson Drive
🔥
Operation
Dedicated Slider Counter
🍔
Established
2019
The entire concept is built around this single slider. The bun (from Twin's Burgers & Sweets in Lafayette) and Smauce are proprietary. The patty is thin — about a quarter inch — and conservatively seasoned, allowing the cheese, pickle, and sauce to carry the flavor. The concept's strength is consistency and speed: sliders are freshly griddled to order all day.
Locations

Find Smalls Sliders

⭐ Original Flagship
Smalls Sliders - Nicholson Drive
4343 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
HoursNot publicly confirmed
Baton Rouge Location
Smalls Sliders - Bluebonnet Blvd
7610 Bluebonnet Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Baton Rouge Location
Smalls Sliders - Siegen Ln
7080 Siegen Ln, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
What Critics & Diners Say

Review Excerpts

"

The well-marinated patties paired with buttery buns and melted cheese result in addicting, mouthwateringly good burgers.

[225] Magazine
"

With its simple and effective slider recipe perfected to a science and no-frills motto, Smalls Sliders is bound to develop a cult following.

[225] Magazine
"

Craveable little cheeseburgers that you won't be ashamed of eating.

The Advocate — Baton Rouge
"

Both Biggie Smalls sliders were delicious. The burgers taste homemade, like they were made in my mama's kitchen.

Guilty Eats
"

Their buns, slightly sweet and soft, with tops toasted to a golden brown, are made by Twins Burgers and Sweets in Lafayette.

The Advocate — Baton Rouge
"

Keep it simple: Smalls Sliders only serves burgers, but they aim to serve the best burgers.

The Advocate — Baton Rouge
Accolades & List Inclusions

The Record

No formal competition awards are currently included in the score.
Our Assessment

Strengths & Caveats

✓ Strengths
Proprietary bun from Twin's Burgers & Sweets (Lafayette, LA) consistently praised for quality — slightly sweet, soft, golden-brown toasted
Smauce (signature smoky-spicy aioli, developed with chef John Folse) distinguishes the slider from generic fast-food burgers
Radical simplicity: one item menu means every slider is freshly griddled to order with full attention
Strong brand identity and consistent execution across locations
Cult-following customer base since opening in 2019 — line culture at original Nicholson location
[225] Magazine opening review called burgers 'addicting, mouthwateringly good'
⚠ Caveats
Value perception is a recurring criticism — sliders are small and the cost per burger can feel high
The Advocate review noted the patty alone is 'conservatively seasoned' — the burger relies on its condiments and bun, not patty quality standalone
Fries received mediocre marks in early reviews ('less than memorable,' 'tasted as if they came from a bag')
As a chain, lacks the chef-driven differentiation of the independent smashburger restaurants at the top of the market
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