For decades, the glow of the drive‑thru menu board at LJ’s Burgers was a familiar sight along Second Avenue in Highland Park, a reliable beacon for anyone craving a burger, fries and something frozen on the way home. Now, the windows are dark. The longtime burger stand at 3702 Second Ave. has quietly closed, ending a run that stretched across generations of Des Moines diners.
LJ’s was never about chasing trends. It held tight to a formula that worked — fast, familiar and unfussy — and earned a loyal following by doing the same thing, mostly the same way, year after year.
From Little John’s to LJ’s
For many longtime customers, LJ’s will always be Little John’s. The restaurant operated under variations of that name for much of its history before settling into the abbreviated LJ’s Burgers & Ice Cream branding in 2017.
The restaurant was family‑owned since 1972 — an era when Second Avenue was still dotted with neighborhood drive‑ins and independent shops. Over time, LJ’s adapted by adding ice cream, expanding the menu slightly and leaning into nostalgia rather than remodeling it away.
That constancy mattered. Even though Highland Park changed and ining habits shifted, LJ’s stayed put.
What people ordered — again and again
Ask 10 regulars what to order at LJ’s and you’d likely hear the same handful of answers. Customers raved most often about:
A place, not a scene
LJ’s never tried to be cool, and that was part of its appeal. The building was modest. The décor leaned utilitarian. Ordering meant pulling up to the drive‑thru or stepping inside a compact dining room that felt frozen in time.
Reviews often described the restaurant as “nostalgic,” “unchanged,” and “a neighborhood staple,” language that speaks less to culinary fireworks than to emotional muscle memory. Parents brought kids who later brought their own kids. Regulars knew exactly how long it would take to get a burger and what it would taste like when it arrived.
The quiet closing
Unlike some high‑profile restaurant closures, LJ’s exit was understated. By early April, listing sites showed the restaurant marked as closed, with no farewell post or formal announcement circulating widely. Signs in the windows announce that the restaurant has permanently closed.
Its closing joins a growing list of long‑running Des Moines eateries that have shuttered in 2026. Louie’s Wine Dive closes on May 31, while Django, the French bistro in downtown Des Moines, closed March 14 after 18 years, and Panka Peruvian closes on Ingersoll Avenue later this month.
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Longtime burger restaurant closes after decades in Des Moines
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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