Burger Guys

Bummer that this place closed. The food was outstanding! I would bet a lot of $$ it had as much to do with that AWFUL, tiny sign as anything else. I had been there numerous times and still had a hard time finding it.

Burger Wars Episode II: Burger Guys v Burger Palace
You already know the story. Burger Guys’ chef-​owners Steve Marques & Jake Mazzu were originally hired to launch Burger Palace, but started their own burger joint instead after a disagreement with its owner. Both places serve up sandwiches w hand-​formed, ½ lb patties made from Akaushi beef from Texas-​raised, purebred Wagyū cattle owned by the HeartBrand company – some of the only true Kobe-​style beef available outside of Japan. Many of the sandwiches offered have nearly identical toppings. But whereas Burger Palace serves up sandwiches made w mass-​produced buns; toppings; & condiments, Burger Guys have upped the ante, using locally-​produced challah buns (from Craftsman Bakery) & cheeses (from Houston Dairymaids), locally-​raised eggs (from Hatterman Farms), & both sauces made– & vegetables pickled in-​house.
And whereas Burger Guys are a favorite both of the critics & the public alike, the most a Houston Chronicle’s staff critic could say of Burger Palace (in 2011) is «while I would eat at Burger Palace… if I were near the Galleria…, it didn’t strike me as destination-​quality». Presumably (s)he hasn’t bothered to return, & I’m not sure the Houston Press has ever reviewed Burger Palace.
In preparing for this review, I had planned to try equivalent burgers from both burger joints, one after the other, as I did for my review of Tookie’s (v Stomp’s). Sadly, I didn’t have the heart or the stomach to go through w it. What I did do was to try equivalent burgers – Burger Palace’s «Down Under» & Burger Guys’ «Sydney», served medium rare, exactly 1 week apart.
Both burgers feature grilled pineapple, cheddar, fried egg, & aioli. At its best, the sandwich is a great one – w sweet, salty, fatty & umami components that have been melded together by frying & charring them into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Burger Palace’s menu states that the Down Under is also topped with roasted beets, but I’ve ordered this sandwich twice, & didn’t receive beets either time.
The quality of the toppings were indistinguishable – the pineapple was not from a can in either case, the egg was equally fresh-​tasting (Are Burger Guys really using locally-​sourced eggs?), & the pre-​sliced white cheddar equally nondescript (Are their cheeses really made by Houston Dairymaids?).
Both Burger Guys & Burger Palace claim that their aioli is made in-​house. I believe Burger Guys assertion, having tried their chipotle aioli separately w fries – surprisingly, I found this to be understated to the point of being boring. As I did not try Burger Palace’s separately, I can neither confirm nor refute their claim.
One difference between the 2 sandwiches is the buns. Burger Palace uses somewhat overly-​big, better-​than-​average quality generic white wheat buns. The tops of these are too big to toast throughout, but I don’t feel they’re so big that the bun overwhelms the rest of the sandwich, as the Chronicle’s staff writer contends. By contrast, the perfectly-​toasted; freshly-​made; sweet; eggy; braided buns used by Burger Guys really do taste like well-​made challah – take it from an Ashkenazi Jew. Unfortunately, these just don’t hold up to the incredible amounts of grease that bathe the patties. And this brings me to real difference between the 2 sandwiches – the amounts of fats added to the meat.
Whereas Burger Palace’s patties are remarkably juicy & beefy-​tasting – almost certainly the best I’ve ever had, Burger Guys’ patties are so drenched in old grease from the grill & added oil – a mixture of duck fat & olive oil, I think, I couldn’t even tell whether they’re made of beef, let alone Akaushi beef. You may as well go to McDonald’s.
And it wasn’t only the meat that was drenched in old oil. During our visit to Burger Guys, the restaurant stank of rancid fats. Every surface was greasy. It was almost as manky as our house.
And this is the reason I lack the stomach to carry out a Burger Palace-​Burger Guys back-​to-​back taste test. I went to Burger Guys expecting them to be the absolute best, but was so disgusted by the taste of my burger & the smell of the restaurant that I couldn’t even finish my sandwich; & I’m absolutely revolted at the thought of going back; so is my husband.
Burger Guys’ burgers may be ambitious, but I suspect its chef-​owners are overly so. Their Downtown location closed in the fall, after less than a year in business; but during the summer, while their business was failing, Marques & Mazzu were starting up a food truck in Beaumont. I contend that Burger Guys need to be able to deliver consistently high-​quality food at their flagship location, before spreading themselves so thinly.
By comparison, Burger Palace, w its mass-​produced buns & toppings may have less lofty goals, but it offers at its lone location what Burger Guys-​Westchase presently does not – a great tasting sandwich that showcases some of the juiciest, most flavorful beef you’ll ever taste.

The ONLY place I will pay $ 10 for a burger.
I always get the Sonoma, which is always an incredible burger. This time I got the Lancaster, but stepped it up a notch and added a fried egg on top. Sauteed mushrooms and onions and bacon, swiss chreese, digonaise mustard surrounding the delicious burgers these guys serve up… this would be amazing by itsself any day of the week. But enter fried egg. Omgggg. To say it was an experience would be an understatement. Try it. Seriously.
The fries are good. I don’t worship them like some reviewers but they certainly complement the burgers. They’re different.
Sauces are all exceptional!!! EXCEPT — the ketchup. Idk what happened. maybe Im just not THAT fancy but I usually bring my own from home. Lol

Duck. Fat. Fries. with salted caramel & aioli.
That’s all I gotta say. Sometimes I come just to eat a basket of fries. One is probably a good amount for two to share.
Plus any burger with an egg on top, you can’t really go wrong.
Buttery bread and thick patties.
I really like the Sydney — the pineapple!
I’ve had their café sua da milkshake too, which is pretty good, just not sure if worth the price.
WARNING! Closed on Mondays :(

I remember when Burger Guys first opened and the quality oversight was impeccable, but now it’s a former shell of itself.
Overall I was not impressed, but glad to see they’ve stopped the ridiculousness of charging $ 1.00 for a cup of tap water. My favorite burger The Lancaster is recognizable, but not the same burger I fell in love with years ago. I’m not sure if management is being stretched too thin because of a new location, but everyone in my party that day was not happy with a broken down looking soda fountain which wasn’t calibrated to pump much syrup at all, dirty bathrooms with no hand towels and an oddly watery dripping sauce.

The 4 star rating doesn’t make any sense. If I could I would give this place a NEGATIVE 5 stars. This has to be one of the most DISGUSTING places in Hous… No wait, Texas. The floor has a thick layer of grease that kind of turns the whole place into a pseudo ice rink, all of the tables were caked in the same grease, the high chair was dipped into the fryer and rolled in potting soil (I am only assuming this as there is no other way for it to be this dirty). Btw, I do owe you guys a big thanks for strengthening my infant daughter’s immune system to Superman level. I am pretty sure she can survive anything after surviving touching anything in your restaurant and placing her hands in her mouth… So, I guess for that I change my review to a negative 4 stars.
The design and the way the place is run does not make any sense either… Why is the cash register two feet from the front door? Why does food come in through the front door while I am eating at your place? Why on a Saturday when college football or wait ANYTHING else is on TV… Why do you guys have it set to a proactive infomercial at ear piercing volume?
First and LAST!!!

Soooo glad I drove all the way out here! Found this place on the recent Houston Chronicle 100 best restaurants list and decided to continue my quest to visit them all.
The place is situated next to a large halal place with weird music but don’t be scared– this place isn’t related.
Inside there were two friendly guys watching the Texans/​Tennessee game but were happy to help us out and let us know what’s good and what’s sold out.
We perused the extensive menu and decided on the Houston and the Saigon burgers with a side of those duck fat fries (yessssss). I love how you can choose your fry sauce! We got the house made ketchup which is basically ketchup that tastes like they added a lot of brown sugar and the herbed ranch. And most importantly, you can choose your burger temperature. Yay! Medium-​town here I come!
All in all, the burger was delicious! The Saigon had a layer of pâté that just melted and the daikon and carrot slices had the perfect tartness to cut the grease of the meat. The jalapeños and cilantro aioli added a little heat and the egg bun was soft and moist. Their meat patties taste seasoned, albeit I can’t name the spices. Maybe a little garlic powder, salt, pepper??? Regardless, seasonings are good and I’m happy to have eaten a burger with some serious flavor.
Just watched Rock of Ages. Lame movie. But if you’ve seen it, then you can appreciate this– Burger Guys is like «Zee Guyeez». Double the Z, double the E, and double the flavaaaaaa! LOL. That movie sucks. But Burger Guys rocks! Next time I visit, I’m getting the $ 35 Foie Gras burger. Yum! And I’m not sharing!

I have really enjoyed following my fellow Unilocaler’s recommendations in my quest for finding great burgers! This led us to trek into the Westchase area to try the much touted Burger Guys.
The ambiance is pretty much the same as many such joints like Five Guys or Smash Burger, but perhaps in need of some upkeep. Burger Palace is much nicer.
The man who took our order was friendly and helpful, recommending the special, The Hatch Burger. Grilled Hatch Chili’s, onions, mozzarella, and meat I believe. Hubby opted for The Napa, I think. I’m not 100% on this however. We also ordered the fries, finished in duck fat. The burger prices were rather high, but we had been warned and ready, paying over $ 12. per sandwich. Some burgers were much more, like the one with Foie Gras for over $ 30.
The food was ready quickly. The buns were glistening, and nicely toasted inside. The meat patties were thick, just how I like them! However, not grass fed or kobe like at Burger Palace. The patties were nicely seasoned and cooked to medium as ordered, the chilies and onions tasty but overcooked. This first inkling of displeasure occurred as the fry juices ran in copious rivers of grease off the burger and onto the paper liner of the basket. Indeed, so much grease, not really meat juice, puddled, that I began to worry about just how much fat I was getting in the half a burger I’d decided to enjoy. I only eat half now to pamper my temperamental gallbladder. Listen, after just half, there was a good four inch wide, deep puddle of cooking grease on that paper. Now I understood why they have automatic paper towel dispensers on the wall of every booth! Yuck.
Hubby didn’t really like his burger either, also sighting all the grease, and our son said the same thing of his Hatch burger. Our hands literally glistened with it. The fries were tasty, but we couldn’t tell what difference, if any, the duck fat made other than to add unnecessary unhealthy fats. They were better than the battered style ones at Burger Palace, however.
Let me make clear that we are not a bunch of health food nuts that abhor fatty foods. Indeed, we wouldn’t be eating burgers if that were so. But, if I am going to take on the big bad food sin, I want equal parts good taste with it. These burgers just weren’t worth all that unnecessary artery clogging grease, and so for us, Burger Palace with their tasty Kobe beef burgers, sans grease, at a better price and taste, still wins our number one spot hands down, followed by the Amazon Burger at Charrascos. Stanton’s is a trailing third. And so, the hunt continues. I can’t wait to try Tookies!

Perhaps I just didn’t «get it», perhaps we went on a bad day… but whatever the reason, I just don’t understand the rave reviews about this place. Met a few friends here for lunch earlier this week, and was eager to try one of these so raved about burgers. It was ok. Beyond that I don’t have much to say. The meat was juicy, but lacked in flavor. The toppings were average, and a my grilled mushrooms were so greasy that they were hard to eat. My burger began to fall apart, not in the wow this is full of flavor and messy yumminess way, but in a way to soggy, bland bun sort of way.
I can honestly say the fries are out of this world yummy. Crispy and piping hot, topped with enough salt. Of course they come with your choice of homemade dipping sauce, and the chipotle aioli was incredible. So for the fries I would give at least four stars. Fries alone are not enough to love a place however, so overall I remain unimpressed.

I came here with a really high expectation after reading some of the reviews on this place. I was really looking forward to some really good burger.
This place was hard to find if you’re just driving by on Westheimer. The shopping center does have a sign that says, «Burger Guys». But the actual restaurant’s sign is so small, it’s impossible to see. Even after I drove into the parking lot, I was still thinking, «where the hell is this place?»
Anyway, I came in and ordered the Sonoma: Avocado spread on the bun, some very crispy and thick bacon, juicy burger and all the good stuff. I also ordered some of their famous duck-​fat fries. You get your choice of two sauces with your fries. They don’t have regular ketchup so if you like your fries with ketchup (like I do), BRING YOUR OWN!
When my order came, I thought to myself, «wow, they really want their customers to eat their food the way they’re cooked and nothing else». There’s no salt and pepper to sprinkle on my fries. No ketchup. And no regular soda. They have weird selections.
Anyway, I bit into my burger and it was good. But it wasn’t «OH MY GOD, I“M GONNA DIE» good. The burger was really greasy and juicy. The juice was literally dripping off my burger, but do note that I had mine medium. If you asked for medium well, or well done, your burger would probably be a bit more dry. The bacon was good though. They were really good.
My friend ordered the Houston and he claimed that the onion bacon jam was super good. The burger came with these huge ass jalapeño peppers on top of the patty. it looked spicy. My friend claimed that it was spicy. But he enjoyed his burger.
The fries weren’t the best I’d ever had. Yes, it was good, but I guess the fact that I could only dip them in whatever sauces they had at the restaurant didn’t sit well with me. I had thee three herb ranch sauce and the tangy ketchup sauce. I personally liked the ranch better than the ketchup. The ketchup just tasted weird to me. Like there was curry in it or something and I didn’t like it. As for the ranch, it was pretty good but you could taste Dill in it. I guess that’s one of the herbs that they’d put in the sauce.
Anyway, I’d go back because this place is close to me. But I’m going to make sure that I’ll bring my own bottle of ketchup! However, if I’m craving for a really, really good hamburger, I’d probably be going out of my way and go to a place like Stanton’s City Bites, or Hubcap burger. If I’m in the area, then I’d just go to Bubba’s for their juicy Buffalo burgers since it’s about the same distance from me as this place.

Holy crap. Please bar me from this restaurant before I gain 300 pounds. Please.
We got the Lancaster and the Sonoma and they were fantastic. I like that the spreads are unique and fusion-​y (dijonaise? onion bacon jam?). The duck fat fries are pretty phenomenal, though I didn’t like the house ketchup (the ranch dip made up for it though). The Maine sodas are a treat as well, with the blueberry soda flavor being very addicting.
I don’t ever want to come back. But I will.

I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while and finally got the chance to go with my friend on Friday! I’ve passed by it in the daytime but it was really hard to find in the nighttime because their sign is so small and it doesn’t light up. It’s located in the same shopping center as Shipley’s donuts.
We each ordered a Sonoma burger and shared a side of duck fat fries. The duck fat fries come with 2 sauces but we couldn’t decide which ones to get so the lady gave us all of them to try which was really nice of her. There were two sweet sauces and three salty sauces. I tried the sweet sauces but didn’t like them and just used the salty sauces. They have the same selection of sodas as Torchy’s which is pretty awesome and colorful straws. Before we started eating our burgers a guy practically yelled at the workers there saying he was a burger connoisseur and that the burger he got was the best burger he had ever had and this heightened my expectations of the burger. I ordered the Sonoma which had guacamole, bacon and cheddar cheese. It was juicy and delicious. Make sure to come with an appetite because this meal was super filling!
They have automatic napkin machines at each table which should be done at crawfish places. The concept is really cool as well. There’s a burger bar in the center where you can sit and watch them make your burger with tables surrounding the bar.

West Chase location was a ghost town @ 5 pm.
Had that, «I just had a decent interview high» and after eyeballing De Google, I thought this spot on Westheimer would be kinda close to the Galleria.
Well Shakira, Hips might not lie, but barely paying attention to a Map…
Well it was farther from the «action» than I thought, but it was well worth the 15 minutes driving to the «other» fashionable part of Westheimer. It is located in a strip mall! Yes, good parking, easy to get in and out of.
For a burger joint, the menu is intimidating. They let you play it easy and you can opt for a standard combination. But some of the options are intimidating. Onion Jam? Aioli? DAIKON… Was I going to be daring today or pedestrian?
Didn’t wimp out and get the standard, I went with their Buffalo Burger option. (which is like going to a Thai place and getting the Drunken Noodles instead of Pad Thai cause you want to do something different, but not too different like Green Papaya Salad or Larb)
Blue Cheese Aioli (that’s fancy Mayo), fried onion strings, to accent a burger cooked to medium. With some duck fat fries for my the US government recommended daily intake of fried carbs, and some Coke to wash it down, I was set.
The break down
— Bun — nice and soft, but not Wonder Bread-​y.
— Toppings — The onion strings were fried, but I agree with other reviewers, could definitely use some seasoning. The Aioli/​Blue Cheese — it’s definitely there!
— Burger — I ordered medium because I tire of dried out and greyed out meat. In a thick burger should give you an inner layer of pink. I didn’t notice any pink when I got the burger, but praise George. H Bush, the Oakridge Boys, and Jesus, man was this burger juicy. There was definitely myoglobin in this burger, and I thank them for it.
— Fries — Double fried and finished in duck fat. I’ve had plenty of fries, and quite a few fried in Duck Fat. Hot Doug in Chicago, imo, has made duck fat the new «garlic frites» of the fry world. Could I taste the duck? Not a bit. Well fried fries though.
— The Coke
«There’s no coke»
«What»
“You heard me you, there’s no coke”
«What do you mean there’s no coke»
«I’ve been up and down this restaurant. I’ve been in every room»
«There’s gotta be coke»
«There is nothing»
«Nothing»
Instead of the usual suspects, the Burger Guys have brought in some Maine Soda. From the reviews, I thought I’d be buying 3 dollar bottles, and that’s a no go. If you know me, I have a love hate relationship with Maine Soda. I associate its interesting flavors with 18 dollar lobster rolls (and by roll, they mean a hot dog bun. And by 18 bucks, you can buy a whole lobster for 7 – 8).
The Doppelgänger is awesome. Dublin awesome?
*raising one eyebrow. and turning head ever so slightly*
I dunno, but I likes Dr. P. Root Beer is strong, leans more towards a Barq’s than an A&W, but wouldn’t please a hardcore root beer fan. The Cherry is good, not good like FD&C No 7 Artifcial cherry, but definitely not Rainier/​Bing Artisanal Chair.
I spent about 17 bucks, and I think it’s 17 well spent. This burger isn’t so awesome that I’d fight traffic regularly to get here, but it’s definitely a go to spot.

I have eaten here three times. First two times, this place was packed to the brim. I would have to order the food and then wait for somebody to leave before I can seat myself. Today, I arrived for lunch around noon and thought the place was closed. Lights were off, but the doors were open. Sure enough it was open and I guess we were the first ones there as they flipped the lights on after we had been seated for awhile. But I’ve never seen the place so deserted :(Even after we left, there were very few people who came in afterwards. What gives?!
Anyway, this place has phenomenal gourmet burgers! I’ve had the Lancaster burger and the Perigord (I believe it’s now called the BMF) $ 35 burger. Everytime I’ve had the duck fat fries to go with it. Very impressed with the the Maine Root sodas. Food is absolutely delicious, decadent, and consistent which is why I was so dumbfounded about why the restaurant was so deserted?
Today, I was just in the mood for dessert as we had already had Indonesian food for lunch earlier. We ordered the usual duck fat fries to munch on while watching the Olé Miss football game on TV there. Also ordered the salted caramel milkshake for my dessert. Instead of dipping the fries into the usual balsamic ketchup, we all dipped the duck fat fries into the milkshake. The fries and milkshake are decadent enough separately, but together it became a bacchanalian delight. Diabetes here we come!
I rate it 4.4 stars. The food is absolutely delicious, but for some reason, I could never find myself finishing to completion any of their burgers, fries, or shakes. The portions are very generous, but I’ve finished larger amounts of food before without difficulty. Still highly recommended and come out to support this gem on the westside! I hope today’s slow day was just a fluke and not a foreboding. (disclosure: I have no financial interests in this restaurant)

What is WRONG with you people complaining about the burgers being messy?! Burgers are not a dainty food, y’all. And I wouldn’t have a Burger Guys burger any other way.
Delicious. Totally delicious. I’ve been many-​a-​time, and I can’t believe I’m just getting around to writing a review. Why am I just now writing a review? Because on my last visit, Burger Guys totally captured my heart.
My most recent visit I got the Texas burger, and this is definitely my favorite of what I’ve tried and I think relatively new to their menu. Big fat burger with bacon, sauteed onions, garlic and jalapenos, and provolone cheese. And of course, I put an egg on it. If you like it, then you shoulda put an egg on it. Why? Because Burger Guys makes a perfect, runny-​yolked egg, and it gets all up in that messy, delicious business and down your gullet and it’s just a thing of beauty. (Holy crap, just noticed on their online menu that you can get a duck egg! Something for next time…)
Oh, but there’s more! The duck fat fries! Let me repeat. DUCK FAT FRIES! And they come in an adorable little bucket with two of their homemade dipping sauces. I highly recommend the cilantro jalapeño bacon… CJBC. I forget what all the letters stand for. And the sriracha lime is fab too. I recommend getting one order of fries per two people because there are a lot of them, and the burgers are huge. HEEEE-​YOOGE.
Quick mention of the awesometacular sugar-​not-​corn-​syrup soda fountain, which includes Doppelgänger, formerly known as Dublin Dr. Pepper.
So yes, the place is small, and their sign is small. And yes, the burgers are $ 10 (It says so right there in their website, so I don’t know why anyone is surprised). WHO CARES?! It’s one of the best burgers, if not THE best burger*, in Houston. I’m drooling just thinking about it.
*Yep, Burger Guys may have ousted Bernie’s Burger Bus as my absolute fave.

Has anyone done a review purely on the Perigord Burger? I feel like ANY burger that’s worth a whopping $ 35 (yes, you heard right.) calls for its own little shout-​out, don’t you think?
Before I start — no, I’m not crazy. Honestly, I had no clue I was ordering a $ 35 burger (to my defense, prices are *not* listed on their website). I saw «foie gras» on the description and for whatever reason, that’s all I could think about. I was hypnotized, tantalized by happy memories of rich, fatty foie gras melting in my mouth. Price? Forget about it. That is, up until my fiancé came back from the register, placed the receipt in front of me, and gave me the death stare. …oops. (I gave him more than half of it.)
SO. The Perigord Burger. «Onion bacon jam, gastrique, foie gras, toasted garlic aioli.» I’m telling you, they had me at «foie gras,» and the «toasted garlic aioli» sealed the deal. Presentation-​wise, it’s not pretty: the onion bacon jam looks like a dark mess slathered onto the bun, the patty is charred on the outside, there’s no veggies, there’s no color, so it all looks like a big, black heap. When I pulled it out of the bag, the top bun was separated from the rest of the burger in its own container — that’s how massive this thing is. As with all Burger Guys’ creations, this burger was greasy and messy: the gastrique was dripping all over the place, the burger wasn’t holding together; it just felt very cumbersome to eat. Taste-​wise, some flavors out-​shined the others: the onion bacon jam was delightfully sweet and delicious, but I couldn’t taste any garlic, and the foie gras ended up being a small piece. It was tough having to decide which bites would have some foie and which bites wouldn’t.
So, the big question: is it worth it?
There were, no doubt, some good flavors in there, but the final impression I’m left with is that it’s big and messy, not too pleasing to the eye, it doesn’t leave you OR your wallet feeling too happy afterwards, AND I’m suspecting it contributed to the 20 extra minute wait we had to endure to get our take-​out order. So, no. Next time, I’ll stick to the Sonoma.

Man, I REALLY wanted to like this place… After hearing people on Unilocal rave about burger guys I was super excited to try it out. I even had my burger picked out and everything :(
I arrived to an empty lot and thought the place was closed… Nope. Walked inside and the place was completely dead! It was really weird because not only was it quiet, but one of the cooks were watching us eat the entire time. Lol talk about awkward.
Anyway, long story short. The burgers were just shy of alright. I opted for the Sonoma and my boyfriend had the Saigon. My burger was super bland. Not to mention super greasy (yup thats oil running down your arms, not meat juice). My bun was actually getting soggy from all the grease. As for the Saigon, it was sour. The pickled veggies and pâté overpower everything. Bummer.
BUT there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The duck fat fries! One word. Perfection. And I don’t even like fries. As for the dipping sauce. Get the cilantro jalapeño sauce. It kinda tastes like tartar sauce. Idk why they were being stingy with their sauces but we were only allowed to choose 2 dipping sauces for our order of two burgers, fries, and a milkshake (I think they charged us for a third). Tried the café sua da milkshake. Yeah that bad boy was good. So thick and creamy, you’ll need a spoon.
Probably the most I ever spent on a burger. 2 burgers w/​2 eggs, one basket of fries, and a shake was around $ 32 without tip. Willing to dish out the cash for a badass burger but my experience was sub par. Maybe I came on a bad day?

The burgers are not for the faint of heart or the light of wallet. But if you want a really, really, really good burger with some of the most interesting toppings in town — go here.
Be aware you can easily drive by and miss the place because the sign outside is quite tiny. Look for the Shipley donuts for help.
Once you get inside you look to your left for the blackboard filled with the burger offerings. These are not your basic cheeseburger, bacon cheeseburger or chili cheeseburger choices. Nutmeg and cinnamon aioli, apples, fried duck egg, grilled pineapple, dublin dr. pepper bbq sauce, lawnmower ale mustard, onion bacon jam and even foie gras — which adds a delicious greasy goodness to the sandwich — are all offered on a variety of burgers and hot dogs. They have seasonal special burgers and those offered all the time.
I love very much that they ask you how you want the meat cooked. So often anymore you get it done one way — medium well. I actually could get it medium rare and that added so much to my enjoyment of the sandwich.
The challah bread buns are lightly grilled and are the perfect vessel for these amazing meat patties. The outer shell is crusty (no seeds — yeah!) and the inner bread is soft and sweet. Perfect to help sop up the grease and juices from the meat and toppings. Yum!
Be warned the fancier the burger the higher the price. We’re talking $ 35 for the foie gras burger — but it was worth it to try just once. Most are about $ 10. Don’t let the expense of the burgers lead you to believe the place is fancy. It’s an order at the door, sit in a booth or at the counter and paper napkins kinda place.
Duck fat fried fries are crispy and very hot when they arrive at the table. You get a choice of dipping sauces. My favorite was the balsamic ketchup. The sweetness of it made the fries 10X better.
The soda fountain was again a pleasant surprise. Real sugar sodas like cream and black cherry and Mexican cola. Refill as you will and enjoy. No you won’t find Diet Coke or Dr Pepper, so if you can’t venture out of that comfort zone you are out of luck.
We LOVED that they don’t play a bunch of loud music. There is no music there at all. It’s a very pleasant change because we hate places where you can’t hear the person sitting across the table from you.
It’s not a place I’d go every day for lunch because I’s go broke! But it’s a place I’ll go back to when I want to splurge on a burger that’s interesting, fun and delicious. Plus the folks that work there are extremely easy to like!

After all the reviews we had to check this spot out… I was so geeked to come in and try the «Shipley» and that I did… I just felt somehow when the guy behind the counter said I would have to go two stores away to the actual Shipley donut store and actually purchase a donut and bring it back and pay them to make the burger with the donuts I had just purchased, some lame excuse that if they were to buy a certain amount not everyone comes in to get the burger and so on and so on… Paying twice to eat a burger is weird to me but OK. Enough complaining…
As I took my first bite I felt like I was in another planet (LOL) literally, Ive never tasted such a sweet but salty burger in my entire life! hahahaha! It was GREAT, however I doubt I will get it again. Honestly I feel like it was my pregnancy cravings that got me to do all that work to get the burger… I’m good on getting that again… Will I go back, Yes every once in a while I would… Oh and the fries, if two of you go one order is all you need…

How good? In contention for my last meal on Earth.
A thick savory crust containing a magma of juices waiting to burst through from underground. No, I’m not describing the Earth around the ring of fire but the half pound patty of my burger at Burger Guys. I’ve only seen crust like this on perfect steaks, but I never thought to ask «why can’t you do this for ground beef as well?» On top of my succulent patty rested thick strips of bacon, a melted slab of cheese, and a golden fried duck egg. Sorry, Donald and Daffy but rest assured your offspring was delicious. The innards were encased in two billowy toasted toasted buns slathered in avocado. The guys here don’t skimp out on portions.
What goes with a perfect burger? The muscle from Brussels or Belgian Fries. For my whole life, I believed the only way to get crispy fries was to have them cut thin. Apparently, the cooks at Burger Guys know how to work miracles. I guess by twice cooking them you can get that mythical crunch. Add the element of duck fat and we now have a deity in the form of a golden strand of potato. Not enough? tBGs also offers several dipping sauces. So far, I’ve tried the homemade Ketchup (sweeeeet), the Tabasco Mash (a little bit of a kick), and the Cilantro Jalapeño Blue Cheese (an awesome twist to regular blue cheese). I wish I could buy the condiments at HEB so I can use them to douse everything.
Even the soda fountain is unique. Instead of using syrup that you would find in normal coke machines, Burger Guys has a special Imperial Sugar soda pop making contraption. Here are some the creations: Vanilla Crème, Tangerine bursts, Root Beer, and Cherry Limeade.
After talking with Clint, I can tell the workers here and the owner (Jake) have a passion for food and people. They even told me they’re thinking of expanding into the downtown Houston area, so I am just going to throw that rumor out there and give some people a heart attack. I can’t wait to come back and try the Shipley Burger.