Month: March 2026

Revisiting several old faves and (always) trying new spots during the first three months of 2026

My apologies for being MIA since my year-end lists. I’m still discovering and eating new burgers, but I’ve found myself also gravitating toward revisiting old faves, and so I haven’t felt as compelled to publish full-blown write-ups of my most recent beef-pursuit exploits.

With that, I thought it might be fun to at least collect and summarize some of my food highlights since the beginning of 2026.

This is the Japaneno Jackpot from Smash City, which was my #8 new burger of 2025, and whenever I redo my Overall Houston Burger Power Rankings, might end up even higher. Truly a hedonistically carnal beef experience.

OMG what’s a pizza doing here? Well friends, my greatest discovery of the first quarter of 2026 was indeed not a burger, but rather the very best pizza in Houston, served up by Talespin. Talespin launched to a good bit of hype and fanfare last year, making a name for themselves as purveyors of a new “Neotexican” style of pizza making, and holy heck my only complaint is that I didn’t try their delicious dough sooner. Pictured here is the first if three Talespin pizzas, this one is the B2P2, featuring Oak Smoked Brisket, Candied Bacon, Roasted Jalapeno Popper Cream Cheese, Cojita, Caramelized Onions, Pickled Jalapenos, Scallions, Toasted breadcrumbs, Really Good Ranch. Naturally I added Cupped Pepperoni like a savage.

Another banger from Talespin, this is their TX Steakhouse Burger pizza, with Herford Beef, Smoked Tomato-Balsimic Jam, Cheddar, House Pickles, Carmelized Onions, Candied Bacon, Jalapeno Fancy Sauce, Chives & Smoked Salt. So, kind of a burger! :)

Third and final beast from Talespin is the Coffee Cowboy, replete with 100% Halal Coffee-Crusted Hereford Flank Steak, Smoked Onion Bianco Sauce, Mozz, White Cheddar, Caramelized Onion, Truffled Arugula. Hard to pick a fave out of the three meat-dominant pies they offer.

This here’s Narwhal Jousting Club’s Spicy Triple Burger. Narwhal was #7 on my 2025 Top Burger list, and also has a chance for even more greatness after releasing this brilliantly spicy take on their already-classic burger.

For my birthday in February I had to kick it old school. Specifically at Old School Burger, with its Blue Star Burger — one of my favorite burgers in the entire Greater Houston area.

I’d known about BuffBurger for a minute but had made a mental note of thinking they were a chain (not that that is an immediate disqualifier, but I can’t say chains get me as revved up as outstanding one-off locations). Turns out they used to have muliple locations, but appear to be down to just one, and now after finally trying them I am wishing they DID have more stores. This was an excellent Triple Smash, with jalapenos and pickles, delivered on a tasty bun to boot.

Not a burger or a pizza! But rather a super-badass charcuterie board we put together for the Super Bowl.

Also for Super Bowl, my son and I decided to pre-purchase patties from Wagyuru with the toppings separate, so that we could assemble and reheat in time for the game. While the burger in this photo doesn’t look as beautiful as their burgers do in-person, I can assure you the flavor was insanely delicious and a joy to be able to consume at home.

I originally tried Juicy Joint via its Galleria food truck in the Fall of 2024 and found myself underwhelmed, and the burger generally lacking in flavor. However, a second visit to its Katy truck this past February was a game-changer, and packed a flavor blast of a punch. I absolutely inhaled this Jalapeno Groove Sizzler Triple Smash. My hope now is that the Galleria truck is able to replicate this level of tastiness.

This is shake Shack’s K-Shack BBQ Triple Smash. I really wanted to like this — I enjoy the SmokeShack quite a bit — but sadly it was pretty flavorless.

Another birthday weekend burger, and I couldn’t not consume THE GOAT burger-chan during my Friday Burger Adventure celebration.

The Texan Burger from Fusion Grill, Katy’s premier burger restaurant. Fusion’s burgers are quite good; the one thing that keeps me from having them as among the best of the best in my mind are the absolutely massive buns they use. I’d also love to see them introduce a smash option at some point.

Another revisit of a place that made my 2025 Top 20 — Burgerhouse checked in at #13, and honestly? Probably could’ve been higher. Hopefully this place is crowded at odd hours because the two times I visited at lunchtime it was a ghost town. Really, truly outstanding take on the smash though — look at that char!

OK now we’re getting into the best of the best. And the crazy part is, my two favorite burgers of the first three months of 2026 are not from spots that even specialize in burgers! Fuego’s Hot Chicken food truck began offering a Wagyu Double Smash recently, and it’s close enough to the office and the photos and videos looked legit to the point that I figured what the heck. And lo and behold — Fuego’s makes an absolutely delicious smashburger! This is quite the compliment, but the way the beef is cooked and overall unencumbered construction of the burger reminded me a LOT of Wagyuru. And their delicious, tangy sauce has a bit more zip to it as well! BUT the most bonkers thing of all is that Fuego’s’ outstandingly executed Wagyu Double Smash ONLY COSTS $5. Can’t say I had “hot chicken food truck makes one of the best smashburgers in town” on my bingo card.

This was a recent homemade attempt at a smashburger, and honestly? It was pretty damn good. I’m my own worst critic, and there are definitely a few things I’d do differently, but this homage to Wagyuru — I used Wagyuru beef plus their house seasoning, along with American cheese (first time ever!), pickles, potato bun (and added jalapenos) — really hit the spot.

Another revisit — had to run back the Clutch City Spicy Burger, which recently became a permanent menu item.

This is the Suya Spice Triple Smashburger from newcomer SmashdogHTX, which operates out of Blodgett Food Hall in EaDo alongside a ton of other virtual brands. I was excited to try their unique take on the smash, as they bill themselves as bringing a West African kick. Unfortunately I didn’t taste any spice (maybe they forgot?) and for a triple this thing was tiny and basically tasted like a snack. The execution overall wasn’t bad — really noce char, and the patties were seasoned and cooked nicely — but overall there just wasn’t a ton of flavor.

The second major surprise on this wrap-up — another spot with an outstanding burger that you wouldn’t expect would have an excellent burger: the Triple Smash from Mad Dogs at the Conservatory Galleria. I added bacon and japalenos, but the beef was super juicy and tender and cooked to smashed perfection. Honestly the burger is kind of hidden on their menu — perhaps out of deference to Clutch City, which also occupies space in the same food hall — but it is too good to pass up. It’s a bit mind-blowing that the Conservatory is home to literally two of the best burger-slingers in all of Houston. And the fact that a place primarily specializing in hot dogs has a burger this good is crazy. I see you Fuego’s and Mad Dogs, casually knocking elite smashburgers out on the side — wild to think what they would do with a full menu of beef offerings.