Month: November 2025

If you are a brick-and-mortar business that primarily specializes in smashburgers in Houston, I have most likely consumed your offering

When I originally set out to locate the very best burgers all over the Greater Houston area and chronicle my outings in my Friday Burger Adventures™️ series, I was not expecting that I’d be able to complete an entire category on my list anytime soon.

But, based on my research—and it’s entirely possible I may have missed a place; if I have, please let me know—following today’s journey, I believe I have now sampled smashburgers at every brick-and-mortar location in Houston that primarily specializes in the smashburger (these are both important distinctions, as there are seemingly a million food trucks out there, and to qualify for this category in addition to occupying a physical building the smashburger also needs to be your primary menu option).

To wit, here is the list I have of Houston-area smashburger places in non-mobile locations:

• Wagyuru
• Smash City
• Hotline Burger
• Johnny Good Burger
• Clutch City Grill
• Bamburger
• Stack Burger
• Burgerhouse
• Bad Buns
• Boo’s Burgers
• Burger Bodega
• Stuffed Belly
• OMG! Burger
• Trill Burger
• Proper – A Burger Spot
• Bun Slut

The spot I knocked off today to complete this cohort was Burgerhouse, up in Willowbrook.

Candidly I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I’ve seen and heard virtually nothing about this place—they haven’t posted to their Insta since July 2024!—but the completionist in me knew it was finally time to check it out.

And I have to say — I was glad I did! If my photo above didn’t already get your salivary glands going, I’m happy to report that this was well worth the 30-minute ride from Uptown.

I ordered their Classic Burger with three patties—as you know, triple cheeseburgers are life—which comes standard with American cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and Burgerhouse sauce. I added jalapeños because I can’t not do that whenever they’re available; bacon; and, somewhat oddly, lettuce and tomato were also add-ons.

Just when you think you’ve seen and tasted it all, Burgerhouse manages to come through with a very strong offering—the beef in particular was enjoyably seasoned, and the main reason to return would be the expert-level char on the edges—that I would agree is worthy of its 4.5 on Yelp.

When Clutch City makes an off-menu habañero-inflected version of its legendary Clutch Burger just for you

Following my Clutch City revisit last month, I texted owner Omar Shaikh that I’d love to see an option for a spicier take on his near-perfect Clutch Burger.

Ask and ye shall receive, as Omar kindly agreed and asked if I would be willing to give this off-menu special a test drive.

What happens when you take the Clutch Burger—draped in its lettuce, tomato, onion and Clutch Sauce glory—and add the proprietor’s favorite (secret) hot sauce and grilled habañeros to the equation?

An even more indulgent flavor journey—one that will leave your taste buds asking you why you’ve been holding out on them when such gloriousness exists in the world.

The Spicy Clutch (Rocket Burger? If we’re continuing on the Houston theme…) immediately proved it can hang with some of the biggest heat-hurlers in the game (see Moon Tower’s Grim Creeper and Lankford’s Grim Burger), and needs to be added to Clutch City’s core offerings ASAP.

The Bernie’s renaissance continues at Lupo with the revival of The Substitute—one of the best Houston burgers ever made

Programming note: I’m starting to compile my annual write-up of my favorite new-to-me burgers of the year (here are my 2024 and 2023 honorees; plus my current Top 30 Power Rankings). If there’s a place you think I need to check out that you haven’t seen me write-up yet (either here or on my previous burger blog), don’t be shy! I love receiving recommendations, so drop ‘em in the comments or email me at my name at Gmail.

I love blue cheese. Which means it will come as zero surprise whatsoever that I also love blue cheese hamburgers.

Despite Houston’s best-in-the-country hamburger scene, there actually aren’t an overflowing amount of options locally when it comes to topping patties with my beloved choice of cheese.

Last year I convinced my great friends at burger-chan to test out a limited-run bleu cheese burger, and it was everything I’d hoped it would be.

As mentioned in this space several weeks ago, beloved Houston institution Bernie’s Burger Bus had my favorite blue cheese burger of all time—The Substitute—on its menu before its tragic shuttering in 2020.

When I visited Lupo Burger—the new burger concept from Justin Turner, the genius behind Bernie’s last month, he teased that he might be reviving The Substitute before too long.

Fast forward to this past week, and there it was in his Instagram stories — the newly rechristened Bleu’s Burger—added to the menu at Lupo.

Like Bruce Wayne to the Bat Signal, I knew I had to once again make the trek out to Generation Park (I enjoy traveling for burgers that I know I’ll love, but even so—this is quite a hike from Katy).

Unsurprisingly, it was beyond worth it. Upon sinking my teeth in, my endorphins kicked into nostalgic overload as a triumphant and deeply satisfied grin plastered itself on my face. Bleu’s Burger is a note-perfect recreation of The Substitute, with its signature blend of its namesake cheese, bacon, onions and BBQ sauce. To this day I’ve yet to consume a burger that tastes precisely the way this one does.

I would eat this burger weekly if I could. Justin, I know we’ve talked about it many times now, but please find a way to make it back to Katy one of these days. We’ll make it worth your while.

Northeast to-go stand’s no-frills aesthetic is the epitome of what makes Houston’s burger scene so special

Of the more than one-hundred burgers I’ve sampled during my Houston Burger Adventure Chronicles™️, Burger Boss to Go may be the truest encapsulation of why Houston is perhaps the most unique city for food in the country.

Humbly situated on Hirsch Road just north of 610 on the northeast side, this burger stand is slinging some of the tastiest beef concoctions in town through a to-go window and nothing else. No seating, barely even any parking, this is Houston at its most authentic — with delicious food lovingly being prepared and offered up in a relatively nondescript setting — and tastiest.

I ordered the Meme Bacon Cheeseburger, which consists of a big-boy patty (no smashburger action here), lettuce, onion, tomato, bacon, cheese, and pickles, and I added jalapeños. The beef is absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked, and the overall oversized package and saporously indulgent flavor profile is reminiscent of old-school Houston burger faves Champ, Chunk, Big Burger World (which I’m not entirely certain is still open — they appear to have moved from a physical location in Katy to a food truck, and last time I tried to order online they never appeared), and the pride-and-joy of Humble, Mean Burger.

At a 4.6 on Google and 4.7 on Yelp, you don’t need me to tell you Burger Boss is the real deal, but I’m gonna do it anyway: make a point of slotting this place in as your next burger escapade, and you will not be disappointed.

4.5 out of 5 patties. 🍔🍔🍔🍔