Burger-Chan in Houston is a smash burger haven where customization meets fresh, flavorful bites and crispy fries, all served by a genuinely welcoming staff.
"Since launching in 2016, this fast-casual burger bar has garnered a loyal following, and for good reason. Its burgers are built with 2- or 5-ounce 44 Farms beef patties and can be customized to your liking. A 2-ounce burger starts at under $6 — but you can make it a double for just a couple more dollars. Then, add interesting toppings like onion strings, kimchi relish, and charred jalapenos for $1 each." - Brianna Griff, Brittany Britto Garley
"Put this home-grown burger joint at the top of your list. This cult favorite serves up smashed patties and falafel burgers with a touch of Asian-diasporic ingredients — all assembled to diners’ specific preferences. Grab its checklist-style menu and choose between sweet sourdough, brioche, rye, or lettuce buns. Pack on toppings like seared spam, kimchi relish, pickled or charred jalapenos, and opt for sauces like scallion aioli or sambal mayo for dipping or slathering." - Brittany Britto Garley
"For those days when you’re craving a burger topped with spam, kimchi relish, chili, pickled habaneros, sauteed onions, and pepper jack cheese, head to Burger-Chan. The counter-service spot in the Galleria area embraces the fully customizable burger experience, so grab a clipboard menu at the front, check off whatever toppings will bring you the most joy, and hand your marked up selection sheet to the cashier who clips the paper to a makeshift mini zipline and whizzes it off to the kitchen where whatever delicious burger you desire will soon appear, ready to make all those wild toppings dreams come true." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene
"Some artists work in hunks of marble, others in hunks of marbled beef, like the folks over at Burger-Chan in the Galleria area. Known for fully customizable burgers, hot dogs, and falafel, Burger-Chan’s adorable griddled patties can be topped with an eye-crossing number of sauces and toppings. Fully counter service, Burger-Chan packs a lot of flavor and whimsy into its tiny stripmall space. We love slathering the all-beef hotdog in kimchi and sambal mayo, zhuzhing up a mushroom swiss burger with sauteed onions, smothering curly fries in chili cheese, or putting spam on literally anything. Grab a clipboard menu, check off whatever toppings will bring you the most joy, and hand your marked up selection sheet to the cashier who clips the paper to a makeshift mini zipline and whizzes it off to the kitchen. Add on a beer or a corn-flavored milkshake, and wait for your sculpted burger art to arrive. photo credit: Abbas Dhanani" - Chelsea Thomas
"Burger-chan, the local gourmet burger restaurant, is hosting a special rendition of its Anti Burger Club pop-up series this August, with burger-chan chef Willet Feng and Niki Vongthong, the executive chef behind speakeasy-style omakase restaurant Hidden Omakase. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16 at burger-chan, offering just 28 seats, which can be reserved online for $175 per person. The menu remains a mystery, but diners can expect a combination of Japanese cuisine and Southeast Asian flavors." - Brittany Britto Garley
