Friday, December 13, 2025 — Hotline Burger is the brainchild of Phillip Kim, who rose to Houston culinary prominence with steamed bun food truck-turned-food stall Breaking Bao. I never had the opportunity to try Breaking Bao prior to its closing, but as the old saying goes, when one door closes, another opens—and thankfully for us burger obsessives, the door that opened for Philip led to the creation of one of Houston’s most extravagant beef experiences. For the record, Hotline is currently the fifth-highest-rated burger in all of Houston per my spreadsheet, with a best-in-class 4.8 on Yelp and an impressive 4.9. on Google.
When I pulled up to Hotline’s unmistakable freestanding pink home at 8880 Bellaire Blvd (one of two local locations; the other is at 1585 Highway 6), I was greeted as warmly as could be by Phil (how he introduced himself). He mentioned being impressed by how I customized my burger (saying something to the effect of “I knew that was a pro order”), and so things were already off to a fantastic start.
I ordered the Jalapeño Burger, which comes with two crispy 100% halal beef patties, ranch sauce, fresh jalapeños, swiss cheese and pickles. I added a third patty—because the only thing better than a double smashburger is a triple—jalapeño relish, grilled onions, and bacon. Phil asked me if I liked heat (as if I wasn’t already delighted enough by my experience) and gave me a container of the even-spicier version of Hotline’s sauce.
Let me tell you—Phil’s take on the smashburger is outstandingly delicious, and almost belongs in its own category of excellence. The beef was seasoned and cooked to beyond perfection, and the amalgamation of toppings and methodical integration of meat and veggies elevated the experience to a savory and indulgent euphoric nirvana. Oh, and my primary complaint about smashburgers is that they always leave me hungry, but not so with Hotline—I was completely satiated. I know I keep saying “I prefer regular-sized patties over smashes,” but considering my #1 New Burger of 2024, Clutch City’s Clutch Burger, was a smash (not to mention smashes accounted for three of my top 7) I may need to rethink that position.
I added the Smack Fries, which are drenched in Smack Sauce, grilled onions and American cheese, and they were the perfect complement to this hedonistic beef consumption experience.
Honestly, had I consumed Hotline prior to publishing my year-end favorite burger list, it 100% would have made the roundup, and ranked quite highly—maybe even at #1.
As it stands, Hotline has a most well-deserved spot on Eater’s The 22 Best Burgers in Houston Right Now, and I would be shocked if it doesn’t start popping up on numerous other top burger lists around town before long.
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