Bun B’s Crazy Popular Trill Burgers Is Finally Opening as Sports Celebs and Rappers Get a Tasty Sneak Peek

Update: Trill Burgers opened on Wednesday, June 7. Its initial hours are 11 am to 9 pm seven days per week. The drive thru will open at a later date and this burger haven is cashless.

What was going on at the old James Coney Island, we wondered, as we rolled down Richmond the other night and stopped at the Shepherd traffic light? JCI’s signature red and white were gone replaced with a dusty yellow with Trill Burgers painted across the windows. Yes, beloved rapper Bun B’s long awaited first brick-and-mortar restaurant of his Trill Burgers is very close to opening, making the buzzy burgers that won “Best Burger in America” honors on Good Morning America available to all.

After much teasing of what was to come, Bun B (aka Bernard Freeman) revealed in December that he was finally taking his smash burger concept from pop-up to a permanent restaurant in the old James Coney Island space in Montrose. A recent sneak preview night packed the place with rap royalty, sports celebrities, music stars and other VIPS.

Joining the party were celebrated rappers Slim Thug, Lil’ Keke, Willie D of the Geto Boys, and Le$. And if those don’t ring a bell with you we bet that celebrated restaurateur Johnny Carrabba and Riel’s Chef Ryan Lachaine are familiar. As would be Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson, former Texans general manager Rick Smith and Houston Rockets hero Mario Elie.

“It was nice to invite some friends over to the new space and cut on the equipment for the first time,” Bun B says. “We learned a lot and realized we are a lot closer than we thought. Stay tuned Houston, we might be open soon.”

Checking in with Bun B’s team on Monday, the answer to the quest for an opening date was “very soon,” a step closer to last week’s “soon.”

What’s all the excitement about: The magical  Trill Burgers are made with 44 Farms beef, the secret Trill sauce, onions and pickles. Throughout this first VIP preview night, the kitchen team grilled and fried as the burgers were consumed with enthusiasm.

PC Seen: Trill Burger partners restaurateurs Andy Nguyen, Nick Scurfield and chefs Mike Pham and Fernando Valladares; plus Bun B’s wife Queenie Freeman, The Suffers’ Kam Franklin, country singer Rich O’Toole, media personality Courtney Zavala, street artist Donkeeboy, sports radio pundit Lance Zierlein, attorney and radio host Charles “Big Angry” Adams, Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, former Texans linebacker Darryl Sharpton, and NFL agent Kennard McGuire.