The bar for outrageously delicious beef concoction excellence continues to soar in the Best Burger City in America

Welcome to my third annual installment of My Favorite New Burgers I Consumed In Any Given Year! Here are the last two years’ worth of Top Houston Burgers—2024 and 2023—along with my most recent version of The Top 30 Burgers in Houston, which was published last summer. I will likely update those Power Rankings sooner rather than later.

For those new to this, I am absolutely and utterly obsessed with hamburgers to the point that I would probably eat them daily if it was (a) socially acceptable, and (b) not a horrendous dietary decision.

I have spent a lot of time these past few years driving all over the Greater Houston area in search of the finest meat delivery vehicles our town has to offer, and frequently chronicle my thoughts in my Friday Burger Adventure™️ write-ups. I also maintain a massive spreadsheet in my attempt to aggregate the ratings of every place that offers a notable burger in the Greater Houston Area.

Somehow in 2023 my list was only 5 burgers long. Last year it expanded to seven. 2025 proved to be a ridiculous year for lovers of deliciously prepared beef delivery vehicles, as I am highlighting 20 worthy spots this go-round! I’ve said it a few times now, but the sheer volume of absurdly great hamburgers that already exist in this town—not to mention the continued proliferation of excellent newcomers—has me convinced that Houston is The #1 City for Hamburgers in the entire country. Prove me wrong.

The List! 2025’s Best Hamburgers in Houston

My criteria is that the burger has to be from an establishment I hadn’t previously visited prior to this year, but not necessarily from a place that opened in 2025 (though there are a fair amount of new-to-Houston spots on this year’s write-up!). This enables my Burgers of the Year list to be comprised of entirely new destinations (to me) and also means that burgers that have appeared in my round-ups from years past aren’t eligible (which is why I’ll do an updated Power Rankings at some point).

20. U.S.A. Burger – Double Cheeseburger

I enjoyed the juicy Double Cheeseburger at newcomer U.S.A. Burger on Kirkwood in the Westchase District this past summer. The beef was cooked and seasoned quite nicely, and the bun was also a stand out. All of the ingredients are there for a potentially elevated experience, though I’d love to see them coax just a tad more flavor from the toppings.

19. Embers & Greens – Wagyu Smash

Featuring Akaushi beef, caramelized onions, arugula, tomato, pickles, homemade sauce, and served with Parmesan truffle fries—and the addition of a runny egg and bacon, natch—I thoroughly enjoyed this Spring Branch restaurant’s elevated take on the smash.

18. Rainbow Lodge – Wild Game Burger

Rainbow Lodge is a Houston institution with nearly 50 years of serving the city. I became aware of their mouth-watering burger when I first began compiling my ratings / to-do list years ago, and after the Houston Chronicle named it one of its Top 18 Burgers in Houston in November 2024, I knew I needed to finally give it a shot.

In some regards it almost feels like this was put on a tee for me—a restaurant that only sells its burger during one meal service a week, on Fridays at lunchtime? A match made in heaven for a Friday Burger Adventure™️.

The official name of the sandwich is Wild Game Burger Friday, where the star of the show is a delicious blend of elk, bison and ribeye. While anticipation was already high heading into the proceedings, I am delighted to say that Rainbow Lodge wildly exceeded my expectations.

For starters, I can’t say I’ve ever had a patty blend containing these three ingredients—a truly savory and exceptional meat-consuming experience. But that was only the start. The burger comes standard with a chef-inspired topping each week—today it was pimento and pepper jack cheese—and smoked creole mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions.

What they don’t tell you on the menu is that you can add a slew of extra toppings, which for this burger-stacking obsessive absolutely made my day. A fried egg, bacon, and fresh jalapeños immediately entered the equation, and lo and behold, I found myself staring down a behemoth akin to the meat towers I make at home.

I generally favor spots that specifically specialize in just burgers during the majority of my Houston Burger Exploits, and so my burger-consuming frequency at “regular” establishments that also have a notable burger isn’t as robust as at burger specialty joints, but I have to say—Rainbow Lodge’s Wild Game Burger Friday might be the best restaurant burger in town (as a reminder, I categorize my burger reviews in several buckets: Hamburger Joints, Smashburger Places, Restaurant with a Notable Burger, and Food Trucks).

17. Lone Star Market – TX Double Stack

I’ll grant you that this photo makes the burger look like a mess, but flavor-wise it was anything but. This was put on my radar a while back by Houston food influencer thehtxhost and it had been in the back of my mind to try, though it being so far east at the intersection of 45 and 610 kept me from jumping over there.

Turns out that was my mistake. This little gas station mini market is indeed flipping some of the tastier patties around. I ordered their TX Double Stack, and added lettuce, cheese, egg, pickles, mushrooms , jalapeños, onions, mayo, tomato, and bacon. I have to say—I’ve missed mushrooms on my burger. Not many places offer them these days.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something really familiar about the composition and taste of this burger concoction. The egg reminded me of the fluffiness I enjoyed from Stacked Burger, while the overall flavor profile of the beef and cheese reminded me a bit of some of the classic old school joints everyone loves—Stanton’s and Lankford—meshed with the newer school excellence of Narwhal Jousting Club.

Don’t misunderstand—I don’t know that this burger tasted specifically like any one of those three. But there were aspects within my consumptive experience that harkened back to specific things I’ve enjoyed about each of those burger experiences. And with each rating at a 4.5 or higher, that means Lone Star Market’s burger is in good company, and worth going out of your way on south 45 for.

16. Bad Buns – Triple Smash

Bad Buns is among several relatively gimmick-free, focus-on-the-beef entrants on this list, and the char and juiciness of the Triple Halal Smashburger I enjoyed this past spring is worthy of any smash lover’s attention. Near the top of my list for a return visit to 👌

15. Proper – A Burger Spot – Blue Cheese & Bacon Smash

Last spring, I was flattered and humbled to be asked to attend the soft opening of Proper – A Burger Spot, the new burger concept at Finn Hall in Downtown’s iconic art-deco masterpiece, Jones on Main (712 Main St).

Conceived of and launched by in-house Finn Hall chefs Joe Murphy, who was previously Executive Chef at Nobu Houston, Nobu Vegas, and Culinary Director of The Finn; and Michael Collantes, owner of Michelin-star-rated Soeseki Modern Omakase in Orlando, FL, Sushi Saint, and more; Proper boasts an extraordinary pedigree that naturally led to outsized expectations. And boy, did they deliver.

With smashburger purveyors in anything but short supply, it’s become increasingly challenging for a patty slinger to introduce a unique and delicious concept, and I’m thrilled to report that Chef Murphy and Chef Collantes have done just that.

The soft opening featured three options: The Proper Burger; Mushroom & Swiss; and Blue Cheese & Bacon. Longtime readers will recall that I am obsessed with the blue cheese & bacon combo, and it’s one you seldom—if ever—see among a sea of American Cheese-draped smashburgers throughout the scene.

The mere concept of indulging in a Blue Cheese & Bacon smash alone was enough to activate my salivary glands—truly, I’m hard-pressed to think of a single smashburger joint that offers one in regular rotation—but then I received this work of art and chomped down on it. And I was whisked away to a charred-tastic juicy nirvana.

The Blue Cheese & Bacon comes standard with two 2.5-ounce patties delivered on a potato bun, the aforementioned eponymous toppings, plus smoked romaine lettuce and A1 Bone Marrow Sauce. Fairly certain I’ve never had the latter before, and now I want it on everything.

The beef—an 80/20 brisket and chuck blend—was exquisitely seasoned and cooked to perfection, with beautiful char ringing the perimeter. If you like your smashburgers bursting with juicy flavor—a difficult feat considering a common critique of the very act of smashing would seem to diminish excessive succulence—Proper is your new go-to.

You just don’t find Bacon & Blue Cheese smashburgers on many menus, nor burgers crafted this expertly. There’s an elevated level of polish, sophistication and care in the ingredients, preparation, cooking and presentation that not many can match. Extremely, highly recommended.

14. Burger Boss to Go – Meme Bacon Cheeseburger

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.

13. Burgerhouse – Classic Triple Burger

A bit of a dark horse on the list, if only because there’s been virtually zero hype or discussion about it in any of the corners of the internet I inhabit. Candidly I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I’d seen and heard virtually nothing about Burgerhouse—they haven’t posted to their Insta since July 2024!—but the completionist in me knew it was finally time to check it out this year.

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.

12. Boom Baam – Build a Stack

Boom Baam has the distinction of offering the most unique concoction among the many wonderful burgers on this list. Housed in a gas station near the intersection of Highway 6 and Westheimer—Houstonians are well aware that some of the city’s best food can often be found in unexpected locations—relative Houston newcomer Boom Baam hit my socials earlier this year with their tantalizing videos of delicious-looking burgers. I was thrilled to learn that upon trying the Build a Tower burger—comprised of double beef, cheese, lettuce, pickles, grilled jalapeños, onions, and Boom Baam sauce, plus beef links, bacon, egg, and avocado—it was most worthy of the 4.9 on Google and 4.7 on Yelp that places it in a tie for 6th-highest rated burger in all of Houston, per the massive spreadsheet I maintain of every burger I am aware of in Houston.

11. Boo’s Burgers – OG Smash Burger

Following a stretch of intermittent pop-ups, the opening of a permanent location on the Esplanade for acclaimed chef Joseph Boudreaux’s Boo’s may have been the most highly-anticipated debut in the entire Houston hamburger scene this year. And it was very much worth the wait. Boo’s OG Smash Burger features two outstandingly delicious 44 Farms beef patties—notably, Boo’s is another example of the “in-between” smash I’ve seen at a few spots: not quite a full-blown patty, but not as thin as one would expect from a traditional smash—and a uniformly excellent top-to-bottom beef delivery vehicle. Toppings are restrained—burger sauce, cheese, tomato, onions, and pickles (I added bacon)—and the care and attention to the construction is much appreciated. Look at how lovingly this was prepared and presented!

10. Lupo – Bleu’s Burger

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 earlier this fall, 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 initially visited Lupo Burger—the new burger concept from Justin Turner, the genius behind Bernie’s—in October, he teased that he might be reviving The Substitute before too long. Fast forward to a few weeks later, 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 near-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.

9. Chunk’s – Double Bam Burger

Chunk’s is another entry in what I would call the “no frills” category. Thankfully there are some quality customization options for the burgers themselves, but generally speaking what you see is what you get: from the no-nonsense exterior with the tiniest parking lot you’ve ever seen to a sparsely decorated cozy dining room, the experience of being physically inside of Chunk’s reminded me of Loaded Burger, Hippo Burgers, Old School Burger, and several others.

But you’re not here for decor evaluations. On to the burger—I ordered the Double Bam Burger, which comes with two patties, bacon, cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, mustard, and is served on a generously sized bun. And I of course added jalapeños, because spice is life.

The name of the game at Chunk’s is juiciness! Right out of the gate upon unwrapping the sandwich, the entire concoction was dripping with juice! While Chunk’s doesn’t explicitly refer to its patties as smashed, I would call what they serve a hybrid — they weren’t quite as thin as a traditional smashburger, but they also weren’t enormous. In some regards they were the ideal size—with some smashburgers I still find myself famished even after a double, but this meat delivery vehicle did not need a third patty to slake my insatiable hunger for beef. The patties themselves were very flavorful and perfectly cooked, and the toppings all came to play—though the star of the show were the jalapeños; not sure the flavors would have come together for me in quite the same way without that extra kick.

In some regards the visual composition of the sandwich felt like a bit of a throwback and reminded me of Champ‘s wonderful burger—if Champ did thinner patties and was covered in juice. I also ordered the loaded chili fries (and also added jalapeños) and thoroughly enjoyed them.

8. Smash City – Jalapeño Jackpot

Smash City delightfully hit my radar in ideal fashion: posts featuring the truck suddenly started appearing in my Instagram feed out of nowhere, touting the food truck’s forthcoming new brick-and-mortar location, on Westheimer in Uptown/Galleria. It literally could not have been better situated for me.

In some regards the marketing plan was eerily reminiscent of Juicy Joint’s entry to the market, with multiple videos from both the company and local food influencers hyping the brand spawning seemingly overnight, which is clearly the playbook for getting in front of your desired audience. It got my attention and I subsequently decided to eat there less than two weeks after learning about its existence, so the plan appears to have worked.

But enough with the preamble. You’re here to know what I thought about the burger.

I ordered the Jalapeño Jackpot, which comes with two smashed Angus patties, melted American cheese, grilled jalapeños, smoky beef bacon, signature sauce, and grilled diced onions, on a very tasty (and sturdy) potato bun branded with their logo. Noting the heft of the bun is important, because I also added a third patty (of course), an egg, bacon, truffle mayo, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato and pickles, and oftentimes my custom burger towers overwhelm their foundation. I did find it slightly silly that the latter three fixings aren’t standard issue, but a minor quibble.

From the moment I sank my teeth into it to prevent the burger from toppling sideways—I recognize that I just lauded the bun, but trying to hold these overflowing beef towers up with one hand for the photo while sauces and hot juice are dripping down my hand is quite a bit more difficult than it looks—I knew I was in for something special.

I am well aware that Wagyu is all the rage (and rightly so), but these classic Angus patties sang all the savory beefy flavor notes I could want.

Sometimes my abundant topping selections can overwhelm the flavor of the beef, but everything was perfectly in sync here. Just delicious, well-prepared and thoughtfully cooked on the execution.

Those that have broken bread with me know I am the fastest eater around, so my consuming something quickly isn’t necessarily notable in and of itself—but I literally inhaled this thing, and given its generous proportions, that’s among the highest compliments I can pay a burger.

7. Narwhal Jousting Club – Double Cheeseburger

Narwhal Jousting opened this past spring and quickly established a cult fanbase for its no-nonsense, straightforward, absurdly delicious burger offerings. They don’t even do cutesy names for their burgers. The beef is the star of the show here, and unlike many of my favorites from this year, Narwhal is no smashburger purveyor. These are real-deal, big boy, juicy patties packed with flavor. The only toppings are cheese, onions, pickles and Awesome Sauce. More of this, please!

6. Moon Tower Inn – Grim Creeper

A little embarrassed it took me this long to get to the longtime Houston institution, but something about good things and those who wait, right?

One of the problems when you let data influence your decisions—I’d long heard the burgers were great, but a 4.0 on Yelp (though a solid 4.6 on Google) meant there were other places I ended up seeking out ahead of it. Also having previously been to Moon Tower (even sans food) put a mental note in my head of it not being super-new for me. But I digress. I rectified this particular void in my burger-loving existence, ordering up the Grim Creeper. Moon Tower describes the Grim Creeper as follows:

“Two 1/4-lb Angus beef smash patties, chipotle pimento cheese, bacon, roasted poblano peppers, bnb jalapeños, crispy fried onion, hellstard(tm) & grimm sauce(tm) on a brioche bun. You will probably regret it.”

First off, no way are these bad boys smashed. The patties were real-deal thick beef pucks—which, while I have found myself increasingly gravitating toward “true” smashes, I still love a big-boy patty when it comes to a ground beef delivery vehicle.

The beef was juicy and tender, and the perfect canvas to deliver some of the best heat I’ve had at any Houston burger shop. Whatever they’re putting in the hellstard and grimm sauce is a spicy lover’s delight, and truly addictive. I could not get enough of it and was deeply sad after my burger was finished. Reminiscent of Lankford’s Grim Burger in both name and flavor, though I have to say—the last time I had Lankford’s Grim, it didn’t hit anywhere near as hard as Moon Tower’s Grim Creeper.

There’s a new spicy champ in town.

5. Q’s Deli – Triple Q Stack

This past summer, I went to Q’s Deli for the Triple Q Stack, featuring 73/27 beef, jalapeños, chopped onion, bacon, American cheese, and their signature delicious and spicy Q Sauce on a jalapeño cheddar bun. The only other burger slinger I know of purveying that beef/fat ratio is Gastrocraft’s Dennis Feray, and so I knew I was in good company right out of the gate. The Q Stack is a near-perfect meat delivery concoction, with the beef perfectly cooked and the cheese and onions folded seamlessly into the proceedings. The seasoning is no frills—just salt and pepper—but the Q Sauce, featuring a proprietary blend of jalapeño, cilantro, and presumably a few other tasty ingredients, imparted just the right amount of heat to the experience. Owner Ali told me the Q Stack was created as his homage to the classic Whataburger double cheeseburger, and I can see that from a composition perspective—but the flavor of the Q Stack of course annihilates Whataburger’s serer-than-the-Sahara cook on its patties. Easily one of the best burgers that I enjoyed in 2025.

4. Wagyuru – Smashburger

Wagyuru had a heck of a year, huh? From launching its limited double smash program (only available on Saturdays and Sundays) last spring, to consistently selling out by summer, these purveyors of world-class beef nailed the simple-yet-delicious category with their no-frills Wagyu Double Smash. Immediately after I originally consumed this treat I alerted Houston Chronicle food critic Bao Ong to its gloriousness, and he subsequently experienced its greatness for himself and then went on to write an entire feature about owner Anthony and his crew. The establishment would also make the Chron’s frequently updated list of Best Burgers in Houston. Well-deserved for this deliciousness, indeed.

3. Smashed Society (food truck) – Triple Smash

This food truck up in Montgomery blew me away this past summer. I ordered the triple smash with bacon, egg, and chopped peppers, and this thing absolutely slapped. Juicy goodness, and charred smash excellence. Exceptional seasoning and cook on the beef. The only downside is that, while I am periodically up in the Conroe area, Smashed Society is way too far from my usual stomping grounds for me to be able to partake in its carnal delights with any consistency.

2. Chef & Rancher – Double Wagyu Smash

Chef Austin Simmons’ highly coveted Double Wagyu Smash was almost certainly the hardest burger to acquire on this list, given its sporadic availability during Chef & Rancher weekend pop-ups at an H-E-B in Spring (for those unfamiliar with Houston geography, this is not exactly close to where I live in Katy). But oh my was it worth my timing finally aligning to successfully chase it down. First and foremost, Chef Simmons and his wife are two of the kindest folks you could hope to meet, and were genuinely touched by my making the trip up north. I mean, check this out!

Meanwhile, the burger itself—it is not often that I am rendered speechless, but my goodness. The beef is utterly and truly the star of the show here—though Chef Simmons’ signature kimchee aioli is indeed as mouthwatering as it looks, and adds an absolutely sublime level of heat to the proceedings—with a richness and depth of flavor wonderfully coaxed through its perfect cook and thoughtful seasoning.

I first became aware of Chef Simmons after reading about his departure from Tris and subsequent launch of his pop-up series as he prepares to open his next venture, Charolais, due in 2026 up in The Woodlands. I have to imagine the burger will be prominently available full-time on that menu, but more importantly—Chef, please make a Katy location featuring your world-class beef a reality sooner rather than later 🙏

1. Gastrocraft (food truck) – 1-Star Triple Smash

Gastrocraft has been slinging delicious comfort food since 2019, but it wasn’t until I began chronicling my burger adventures in earnest that I caught wind of Chef Dennis Feray’s smashburger, which is so visually appealing it should have its own IG account. And this is one smashburger that absolutely lives up to its mouth-watering appearance and then some.

The 1-Star Double Smash comes with two smashed all-beef patties, American cheese, grilled sweet onions, and burger sauce on a toasted brioche bun (an additional patty and jalapeños can—and should—be added when you order).

The beef is 73/27, and without knowing I guessed that it was seasoned with cayenne and paprika (among a few other spices), and was delighted to learn from Dennis that I was correct. Their patented burger sauce is mayo-based with ketchup, mustard, sriracha, black pepper, and pickle juice.

Let me tell you—this thing is a spice-forward beef hedonist’s dream come true! I’ve been loving dusting my own homemade patties with paprika and cayenne, and haven’t come across too many in the professional world with a similar heat-friendly mindset, so I was smitten from the get-go. Nor have I frequently encountered options with such a generous proportion of fat (how often do you see it in the 20s!). The heat from the spices was the perfect complement to the exceptionally expertly produced patties, cooked to charred precision and bursting with a saporous harmony of savoriness and umami magnificence.

Dennis has truly created an all-time singular Houston great with Gastrocraft’s smashburger—an offering that is among the most unique burger-consuming experiences I have had during this journey. The combination of spice, sauce and technical execution are beyond reproach, and the vast majority of Houston restaurants should be insanely jealous that they don’t offer this exquisite ode to beef consumption on their menus.

Honorable Mention

Truthfully, any of these places are worthy of inclusion as being recognized among Houston’s top hamburgers in any given year; and I wanted to make sure I shone a spotlight on the places that were just outside my Top 20 but still brought me immense joy in 2025:

Brett’s BBQ (pictured above, and who also very sadly announced on December 9 that it would be closing its brick-and-mortar for good after December 28.

Stack Burger

OMG Burger (Katy)

Feges BBQ

Twisted Turban

Johnny Good Burger

Bussit Down Eatery

And there you have it! Let me know in the comments or on Instagram if I’m missing your favorite! I am forever on the search for the next great hamburger.

About the Author

Larry Koestler is Houston’s Foremost Hamburger Expert™️. He lives in Houston, Texas, but is a native New Yorker who was born, raised, and lived most of his life in Manhattan.