Cottonwood
If you're looking for the best Texas pub food in Houston, a full bar, and over 40+ beer options on tap, you ought to make a beeline for Cottonwood. While the entire menu is extensive and filled with hearty options that will leave your taste buds singing, it's the undeniable call of The Squirrel Master Burger that brings many a burger lover to Cottonwood's doors.
The Squirrel Master Burger features a poblano-stuffed beef patty, sumptuous pepper jack cheese, bacon, and the pièce de résistance: a jalapeño fried egg. Another burger on the Cottonwood menu worth mentioning is the Bleu Cheese Stuffed Burger, which is served with bacon jam, lettuce, and delightfully crispy shoestring onion fries. Make sure to order the house-cut fries with chipotle aioli to devour alongside your choice of burger.
Cottonwood, 3422 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX 77018, Phone: 713-802-0410
Backstreet Cafe
The Backstreet Café started 30 years ago as the local watering hole, but has now evolved into a chef-driven dining institution with a focus on seasonal American cuisine. Although it's not the first place that comes to mind for burgers, this popular café offers one of the best burgers in town - Hugo's Burger.
Created by their award-winning executive chef, Hugo Ortega, Hugo's Burger is an elegant combination of avocado, tomato, lettuce, chiles toreados, Chihuahua cheese, and chipotle aioli atop a gorgeous burger and delicious bun. Served with a side of house-made fries, the only other thing you need is an order of their Nutella iced coffee and a seat with a view of the café's garden for a truly memorable meal.
Backstreet Cafe, 1103 S. Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX 77019, Phone: 713-521-2239
The Burger Joint
With several awards and tons of recognition under its belt, there's no arguing that the Burger Joint offers some of Houston's favorite burgers. Every burger is hand-crafted and made completely from free-range Angus beef and nothing is left to chance when it comes to the freshness and flavor of each topping added.
The all-time favorite burger at the Burger Joint is simply referred to as The Classic. However, diners who want to sink their teeth into something different can try creations like The Opa or The Mexi. In addition to the dine-in joint, the Burger Joint also has a food truck that roams the streets with mouth-watering burgers for every occasion.
The Burger Joint, 2703 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006, Phone: 281-974-2889
BuffBurger
A relatively new player to the burger scene in Houston, BuffBurger has quickly become the talk of the town thanks to its new and exciting take on the good old American burger. Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Paul "Buff" and Sara Burden, BuffBurger puts a premium on local, natural, and sustainable produce in their burgers. Partnering with 44 Farms, among other local establishments, means consistent quality and top-of-the-line burgers.
All burgers are cooked to medium and feature a 1/3-pound beef patty with gluten-free buns available upon request. Some burger creations to choose from include the Truffle Burger, which features truffle cheese, melted onions, truffled frisee, and truffle aioli, as well as the Texan, a combination of crispy onions, hand-cut bacon, cheddar, house pickles, and bourbon BBQ sauce.
BuffBurger, 1014 Wirt Road, Houston, TX, Phone: 281-501-9773
Bubba's Texas Burger Shack
Family owned and operated since 1985, Bubba's Texas Burger Shack has strong ties to the local community and really knows what it means to deliver outstanding customer service. This burger shack, once an ice house off of the freeway, also lives up to its reputation of having the best buffalo burgers in the state. In fact, they're the first burger joint to even serve the burger in the city and have been offering it on their menu since the '80s.
What draws people to Bubba's is the iconic Vegas Burger, which features an intensely meaty buffalo patty. The patty is then topped with an explosive combination of bacon, avocado, Monterey Jack, the shack's signature habanero hot sauce, and a fried egg. As if the burger wasn't packing enough heat and flavor, diners can opt for a side of creamy jalapeño potato salad too.
Bubba's Texas Burger Shack, 5230 Westpark Drive, Houston, TX 77056, Phone: 713-661-1622
Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill
With four locations throughout the city, there's no doubt that Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill has a menu to die for. From hot wings and tacos to wraps and sandwiches, there's a little something for everybody at this joint. However, what really draws the hordes of hungry patrons to Christian's is their selection of award-winning burgers.
There are six burger options available at Christian's Tailgate, including crowd pleasers like the Chili Burger, the Bacon Bacon Burger, and the Country Fried Bacon Burger. For the picky connoisseur, the option to build your own burger is there as well, with extra toppings like thick peppered bacon, fried eggs, grilled onions, and an assortment of cheese available. Diners can also choose between a 1/3-pound, ½-pound, and 1-pound burger patty.
Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill, 2000 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002, Phone: 713-527-0261
Kenny & Ziggy's Deli
What does a New York-style Jewish delicatessen know about a decent burger? A lot, apparently, because Kenny & Ziggy's Deli has won the hearts of many Houstonians with their monster of a burger, dubbed the "In Queso Emergency." The deli does everything on their menu the old-fashioned way and their burgers are certainly no different.
The "In Queso Emergency" burger starts with a classic beef patty cooked to perfection on the grill. A light and glossy challah bun is then cut and given a generous slather of chipotle mayonnaise before assembly begins. The burger is then topped with a heart-stopping combination of bacon, pepper jack, tomato, lettuce, avocado, and fried onion strings. Voila! A burger done right.
Kenny & Ziggy's Deli , 1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056, Phone: 713-871-8883
Little Bitty Burger Barn
Don't let this restaurant's name fool you. Little Bitty Burger Barn is one of the best places to grab a burger in Houston and the locals will be the first to agree. The Burger Barn features an all-American grill menu with 100% beef gourmet burgers as the star of the show. Fresh and never frozen, the deliciously beefy patties of Little Bitty Burger Barn have been voted the best in Houston by loyal customers.
The famous menu of Little Bitty Burger Barn includes classics like the Basic Burger, a cheeseburger, and a bacon burger, plus topping-loaded creations like the Red, Hot and Blue Burger, the BLK Blue Cheese, the Greek Burger, and the Texican Burger. This place is so good it's like getting a high five for your mouth.
Little Bitty Burger Barn, 5139 Antoine Dr, Houston, TX 77092, Phone: 713-683-6700
Pappas Burger
Excellent burgers and excellent staff is the name of the game at Pappas Burger, a classic 1950s style diner dedicated to serving fresh and flavorful ingredients. More than your typical burger joint, Pappas Burger has been serving huge Texan-sized burgers with fresh toppings to an adoring public since 2001. Their staples are tried and true diner delights while the burgers are made from a special blend of prime beef and chuck for an unbeatably delicious combination.
Best sellers include the Pappas Burger and the cheeseburger, while other equally interesting options include the Peppercorn Ranch Burger, the Lucy Juicy Burger and, for those trying to avoid beef, a turkey mushroom burger and a grilled salmon burger. Pappas Burger also offers a veggie burger for all you vegetarians out there.
Pappas Burger, 5815 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77057, Phone: 713-975-6082
Stanton's City Bites
To put it simply, Stanton's is a Houston classic. Opened in the 1960's, Stanton's was originally a grocery store before becoming one of Houston's top eateries. It's history as a grocery can still be very much seen in the look and feel of the restaurant plus in the boxes of Blow Pops and M&Ms that still sit at the counter. Now, Stanton's City Bites has received praise from some of the pickiest burger eaters with its impressive array of burgers.
From the 13 burger variations on the menu, the Cowboy Brunch and the Spicy Chipotle have done nothing short of stealing the limelight. The Cowboy Brunch features a fried egg, grilled onions, house-fried pickles, bacon, and Swiss and American cheese all between Texas toast. Meanwhile, the Spicy Chipotle includes toppings like jalapeño jack cheese, bacon, grilled onions, chipotle mayo, and butter on a jalapeño bun.
Stanton's City Bites, 1420 Edwards Street, Houston, TX 77007, Phone: 713-227-4893
Cliff's Old Fashioned Hamburgers
A go-to place for burgers in the neighborhood, Cliff's Old Fashioned Hamburgers is a crowd favorite thanks to its homey atmosphere and no nonsense approach to food. Patrons can choose between dining in or ordering ahead of time online to pick up the mouth-watering meals that Cliff's has come to be known for.
Favorites at Cliff's include a Kobe beef burger served with the perfect balance of lettuce and American cheese, a bacon cheese burger, and a mushroom swiss burger. While the burgers are, of course, the main draw of the restaurant, Cliff's also has a great selection of tacos and sandwiches to choose from.
Cliff's Old Fashioned Hamburgers , 1822 Fountain View Drive, Houston, TX 77057, Phone: 713-780-4010
Killen's Burgers
Despite having just opened in 2016, Killen's Burgers is already starting to see long lines forming at its doors. Killen's Burgers features an expertly blended duo of brisket and chuck to produce a patty that is so good just one bite will have you addicted. Owner Ronnie Killen attributes the great taste of their beef patties to the fact that they are 100% all-natural Angus beef. That means no hormones and no antibiotics, ever.
Of the 11 mouthwatering burgers that Killen's has to offer, standout options include the Akaushi Burger, the Texas Burger, and a bacon burger. Diners with voracious appetites, however, should try the #99 out for size. Featuring two 10-ounce patties, the #99 is a massive burger topped with Nueske's bacon and delicious Wisconsin yellow cheddar.
Killen's Burgers, 2804 S. Main Street, Pearland, TX 77581, Phone: 281-412-4922
Southwell's Hamburger Grill
Made for locals by locals, Southwell's Hamburger Grill has brought fresh food and quality service to Houstonians since 1986. Following the mantra of "treat customers like family," Southwell's puts a premium on quality service and has consistently delivered a satisfying dining experience since they first opened.
From classics like the Old-Fashioned Hamburger and the double cheeseburger to more contemporary offerings like an onion patty melt and the Hickory Burger, Southwell's has a little something for every kind of diner to enjoy. One of the tried-and-tested favorites of this burger joint is their chili burger, which has classic toppings like mayo, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, and onions in addition to Southwell's famous chili and cheddar cheese.
5860 San Felipe, Houston, TX, Phone: 713-789-4972
More Burgers in Houston
Conclusion
Though there are hundreds, if not thousands, of places to grab a decent burger in the Lone Star State, few compare to the inexplicable deliciousness that can be found in Houston. From old-school crowd favorites that have practically become institutions to relatively new establishments swiftly making a name for themselves, the burger scene is alive and well in the heart of this Texan city.
