Austin-Based NADC Burger Brings Its Cult-Favorite Texas Wagyu Beef Concept to Downtown Fort Worth
The Collaboration Between Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and Pro Skater Neen Williams Promises an Elevated Burger Experience
BY Edward Brown // 01.31.25The NADC cheeseburger is made with all-Wagyu beef, onions, pickles, cheese, special sauce, and jalapeños. (Photo by Sarah Block)
Four years ago, Fort Worth-based pro skater Neen Williams was dining at one of Phillip Frankland Lee’s Sushi by Scratch outposts when he struck up a conversation with the Michelin-starred chef. Little did they know that this moment would lead to both a thriving Wagyu cheeseburger business and an unexpected friendship. And today, the seventh location of NADC Burger (Not a Damn Chance Burger) opens in downtown Fort Worth.
Despite their different backgrounds, the duo found common ground in their shared passions. Chef Lee, who expanded his Los Angeles-based Sushi by Scratch concept to Austin (he originally moved to ATX during the pandemic to open Sushi|Bar) and Dallas in 2023, is an avid fan of professional skateboarding. While Neen, a passionate home cook, has his line of seasonings. Their conversations often revolved around a simple but essential question: where to find the best cheeseburger in town.
“There are so many different subgenres of burgers,” Lee tells PaperCity. Neen and I “both had our first kids about a month apart from each other three years ago. Burgers are a fun and easy family-type thing to eat. The balance of flavors, textures, and mouthfeel are important to us.”
After perfecting what they believed to be the ultimate cheeseburger, the duo took their creation to the streets where they handed out free burgers at pop-up events in Austin comedy clubs. A friend suggested they use his kitchen space off Austin’s Rainey Street to start selling their craft burgers in late 2022. Since then, NADC Burger has spread to Chicago, Denver, and, most recently, downtown Fort Worth.

Comedy Club Connection Leads to Fort Worth NADC Burger Location
When the owners at Big Laugh Comedy Club reached out to Lee and Neen to open a location in Fort Worth, the venue seemed like a natural fit. The two friends say they are longtime fans of live comedy and maintain close friendships with several professional comedians.
“It is a surprise it has taken this long to get to Fort Worth since Neen lives there,” Lee says. “The right opportunity came up. We have a bunch of friends in the comedy world. I think that is how the comedy club in Fort Worth knew about us. The idea of having a 300-person comedy club where people can have our burgers while watching a show or just walk in and have our burger is amazing.”
The NADC burger, Neen says, is all about balance.
“We use a double patty that is two ounces shy of half a pound,” he says. “The Japanese Wagyu raised in Texas [at Houston’s R-C Ranch] is rich, fatty, and delicious. There is a pickle in every bite. We do super-thin onions on one side of the burger that steams the burger and adds flavor. Every bite is a flavor bomb.”
Lee says countless hours went into crafting their NADC cheeseburger, which he recommends trying at least once with the standard toppings. These also include American cheese, secret sauce, and jalapeños.
“We learned that the bun has to be overtoasted,” he says. “Almost dry because the burger is so fatty and rich. If you don’t have a properly toasted bun, it will end up soggy. All of our patties are rested for a minimum of one minute.”
The only other item on the menu is fries served with chipotle peppered ketchup. Or, you can make them “Beast Mode” with cheese, pickles, jalapeños, special sauce, and seasoning.
Having an NADC Burger in his hometown is a dream come true, Neen says — but he and Lee aren’t stopping there. With the concept taking off, they’re thinking bigger. Much bigger.
“We want to be the biggest burger company in the world one day,” Lee says. “And we’re just getting started.”