This Leesville, Louisiana Burger Stand Operates From a Restored 1939 Gas Station

At 303 South 5th Street in Leesville, a restored 1939 gas station houses one of Louisiana's most loved burger spots. The vintage Tinkey Tonker parade car hangs from the ceiling. Perry's Cajun Seasoning, made by a former employee, sits on the counter as a piece of the restaurant's extended family story.

Fatboy and Skinny's has been open since 2001, building a following near Fort Johnson and across northwest Louisiana.

The choice the name offers (Fatboy or Skinny) is the menu in miniature: choose your size, then customize from more than 28 toppings. Simple in concept. Nearly unlimited in execution. It made Only In Your State's best burger rankings.

The building's history gives the restaurant an authenticity that new construction can't replicate. The original 1939 gas station bones are there, giving the space a character that would cost a significant amount to fake.

What to Order

The Fatboy is 2/3 of a pound. The Skinny is 1/3. Either one can carry four cheese varieties, chili, bacon, grilled onions and mushrooms, coleslaw, sauerkraut, A-1 sauce, BBQ sauce, or Louisiana hot sauce.

Cajun fries are the essential side. They arrive well-seasoned and crispy without being overwhelming. The alligator sausage topping, available seasonally, is a genuinely Louisiana addition that most visitors try at least once.

Hand-dipped milkshakes in chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla complete the traditional diner experience. Cash and card both accepted.

The alligator sausage topping, available seasonally, is a Louisiana-specific addition that most first-timers try at least once. It is exactly what you think it is, and it works.

Milkshakes at Fatboy and Skinny's are hand-dipped with real ice cream in chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. The Red Cream Soda on tap is the local drink recommendation. For more on the food scene nearby, see Louisiana's best small-town restaurants.

A Gas Station Turned Northwest Louisiana Landmark

The building at 303 South 5th Street has been part of Leesville since 1939. Owners converted it into a burger restaurant in 2001 and kept as much of the original structure intact as possible.

The restaurant serves the communities near Fort Johnson, and the combination of consistent food quality and a genuinely distinctive setting has made it a landmark for the region. Visitors who stop on the way to or from Texas frequently put it on repeat visits. For more of the state's dining history, see iconic Louisiana foods and where to find them.

Plan Your Visit

Fatboy and Skinny's is at 303 South 5th Street in Leesville. Hours run Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Note: restrooms are outside the main building. Cash and card accepted.

For road-trippers on Highway 171, Fatboy and Skinny's is directly accessible without navigating surface streets. The drive-up format makes it a quick stop that never feels rushed.

The building's history as a 1939 gas station gives the experience an authenticity that newer restaurants spend significant money trying to approximate. While you're planning the trip, check out Louisiana restaurants that have fed generations.