Beloved Austin Burger Chain Opens Another New Houston Restaurant

You could say Hopdoddy Burger Bar has hopped to it. The cult-favorite Austin burger joint first made a splash in Houston back in spring 2016. It’s expanded ever since, slinging its juicy, acclaimed burgers everywhere from River Oaks District to Rice Village to Vintage Park. Now, a fourth Hopdoddy is on the way.

CityCentre is getting its very own Hopdoddy this fall. The gourmet burger chain’s classics, from Llano Poblano to Goodnight/Good Cause, are coming.

The 4,000-plus square-foot restaurant space will be right by Hotel Sorella and across from Sweet Paris on CityCentre’s Sorella Court lawn. It will feature a patio, ideal for throwing back Hopdoddy’s signature cocktail, the Little Larry. The margarita may be small, but it’s mighty. It’s a potent drink topped with a Grand Marnier floater.

“The city of Houston has been so welcoming to Hopdoddy and we are thrilled to join the thriving CityCentre development,” CEO Jeff Chandler says in a statement. “CityCentre is one of Houston’s top dining destinations and hubs for entertainment, so it is an ideal place for us to expand our presence in this lively city.”

Hopdoddy isn’t the only burger chain that Houston has welcomed with open arms and eager bellies. Shake Shack, a New York-based burger chain that started a nationwide craze, is making its Rice Village debut tomorrow, as PaperCity first reported. Hopdoddy may serve up their Sassy Sauce, but can it contend with the iconic ShackSauce?

Hopdoddy certainly has an indie edge, starting in Austin and expanding more regionally. It’s got a certain Texas flair that may ward off New York chef Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack empire. Is Houston burger big enough for both of them to thrive?

Or, three of them, should In-N-Out ever make it into the Bayou City. The California favorite is no closer to finally making a firm Houston location commitment.

You can’t win every burger battle.