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    Hopdoddy's Big H-Town Arrival

    Huge lines greet wildly popular Austin burger chain's arrival, with a second H-Town location on the way

    Eric Sandler
    May 31, 2016 | 11:26 am

    Judging by the hundreds of people who stood in line up to three hours on Monday, Houstonians are very excited about Austin-based burger juggernaut Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s arrival in River Oaks District.

    In town for the opening, co-founder Larry Perdido (a Houston native and Strake Jesuit alum) concedes it’s taken the company too long to arrive in Houston.

    “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since year one — once we figured out we could scale this thing,” Perdido tells CultureMap. “We’ve come close to having a couple of spots here. We should have been here about three years ago.”

    Brand manager Erin Fohn notes that Houstonians have been asking for a location since the first location opened in 2010. “It took us this long to find the right spot,” she says, but plans for at least one more are already underway.

    The company's second location will be in Rice Village, Perdido confirms. While he wasn’t ready to confirm a timeline, opening next year would put Hopdoddy head to head with Houston’s second Shake Shack location to make the shopping area a must-visit burger destination.

    While Houstonians will have to wait a bit for that opening, no one seems to be holding a grudge that it’s taken so long for the first one to arrive. Fohn said the line, which snaked in front of Hopdoddy before turning a corner at the new outdoor shopping center, was the longest she’s seen at any location’s opening day. A dream deferred is not a dream denied — at least when it comes to hamburgers.

    Thankfully, the restaurant has grown pretty adept at managing the lines. A dedicated server offers diners the chance to get drinks while they wait, and the kitchen sends out a constant stream of samples of both fries and shakes.

    “The first person who doesn’t get a sample because we ran out gets the cowbell,” Fohn explains. “When they order, they get free fries. That happens all day.”

    Once they reach the end of the line, diners will find a wide selection of burgers awaits. Choose from beef, chicken, turkey, tuna, or veggie patties. Both traditional and gluten-free buns are available, with a wide range of toppings. Fries come plain, topped with parmesan and truffle oil, or alongside queso (either regular or green chile).

    While all of those things sound pretty familiar, Hopdoddy sets itself apart by its control of the process. Buns are baked on site — the aroma of freshly baked bread occasionally wafts into the dining room — and all meat, hormone and antibiotic-free, natch, is ground in-house.

    In addition to the expected sodas and shakes, Hopdoddy offers a full bar, as well as craft beer and wine. A frozen margarita costs $7, and most of the rest are either $8 or $9.

    Perdido says diners can start with one of the company’s beef burgers, but his favorites are the Continental Club (a turkey burger with bacon and provolone) and the Ahi tuna.

    “Those are my two that I personally eat (and) some of the salads. When I designed it, there are definitely different categories to hit. Some are very cheffy or foodie in design. The akaushi (beef) is very decadent, very rich,” he notes.

    Whatever the order, Houstonians are obviously excited about the city's newest burger joint. While the opening day line probably won't be repeated, don't expect to walk right in, either. Everybody wants a first bite of a Hopdoddy burger.

    Hopdoddy opens daily at 11 am.

    Terlingua burger.

    Hopdoddy Houston
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Terlingua burger.
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    Where to eat lunch now

    7 new luxe Houston lunch deals that make the midday meal memorable

    Brianna Griff
    Apr 25, 2025 | 4:00 pm
    hamsa lunch houston
    Kristen Gilliam
    At Hamsa, diners can select two salatim to begin their prix fixe lunch.

    A luxury lunch doesn’t always require a splurge — at least not a major one. These Houston restaurants’ prix fixe menus and bento boxes allow diners to sample curated, high-caliber cuisine for a fraction of the cost of a full dinner. Whether someone is entertaining a client, catching up with a colleague, or simply treating yourself to something special midweek, these prix fixe offerings deliver flavor, efficiency, and just the right amount of indulgence.

    Barbacana
    The downtown endeavor by chef-owner Christian Hernandez serves a prix fixe lunch that leans upscale at $50, but also delivers a quick introduction to his mashup of Houston’s diverse cuisine scene. Begin with a jicama or cauliflower salad, followed by a choice of a fried grouper sandwich, a veggie sandwich, or a mushroom donburi with confit egg yolk. Pair it with a creative side of Greek potato pave, crispy sunchokes, or brassica pickle chips. The price includes a glass of wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic beverage. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday from 11 am-3 pm.

    Doko
    One of the newest establishment on this list, Doko is Duckstache Hospitality’s intimate Japanese concept in the Autry Park mixed-use development. A midday visit invites diners to explore the creations of chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee through three sushi sets. Set A ($19) has a makimono roll of your choice and three pieces of nigiri—akami (lean tuna), masu (trout), and hamachi (yellowtail). Set B ($25) expands the nigiri selection with madai (sea bream) and kanpachi (amberjack), while Set C ($32) adds the popular chicken fat rice with jidori chicken and a fried egg. With just 50 seats, reservations are recommended. Lunch is served daily starting at 11 am.

    Hamsa
    This Rice Village restaurant’s $25 prix fixe lunch menu highlights the bold, colorful flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. Start with two salatim, such as baba ganoush, shaved tomato and feta, or classic hummus. For the main, choose from entrees like a falafel sandwich with tahini, or a chicken thigh skewer served with a parsley-red onion salad and a side. It’s $10 more to upgrade that chicken thigh to ribeye. End on a sweet note with one of three desserts: basboosa malabi (a cake-pudding hybrid), petite beurre shortbread layers, or dark chocolate halvah. Add a glass of wine for $10. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 am-2:30 pm.

    Kata Robata
    Chef Hori-san recently updated the lunch offerings at this Houston institution, including changes to the restaurant's popular bento boxes. Featured main options are shrimp tempura ($19), miso-marinated Alaskan black cod ($25), or Texas wagyu ($23). Each box comes with miso soup and a choice of chicken teriyaki or crispy karaage. Round out the meal with optional add-ons such as sashimi ($6), kakuni pork belly ($5), or a snow crab California roll ($4). Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 am-3 pm.

    Perseid
    Hotel Saint Augustine is already racking up the accolades, with that excitement extending to Perseid, the first all-day concept from Bludorn partners Aaron Bludorn and Cherif Mbodji. The French-inspired menu reflects the hotel’s proximity to the Menil Collection, with a Gulf Coast influence woven through every dish.

    “From the outset, we wanted to create a neighborhood restaurant in a hotel, rather than a hotel restaurant, and that means making it accessible to neighbors and businesspeople in equal measure,” Bludorn tells CultureMap. “You can come for a lunch meeting with a colleague and be finished in an hour, or you can come for a leisurely birthday party and stay all afternoon.”

    The $35 prix fixe menu starts with an appetizer: Caesar salad with boquerones, carrot soup with falafel, or a smoked salmon dip served alongside homemade potato chips. For the entrée, choose from potato gnocchi with asparagus, steelhead trout with Romano beans, or chicken paillard with fingerling potatoes. Desserts are either a trio of sorbets or a chocolate entremet with salted caramel. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, from 11:30 am-2 pm.

    Tavola
    This Uptown spot from the company behind Michelin-starred Le Jardinier offers a $28 executive lunch that’s both polished and efficient. Start with the baby spinach salad with walnuts and shaved pear, the house Caesar, or the soup of the day. For the main course, choose from one of four entrées: spaghetti cacio e pepe, a spicy cavatelli in arrabbiata sauce, crispy chicken parmigiana, or — for a lighter option — the avocado cucumber salad with either salmon or chicken. Cap it off with tiramisu or creamy vanilla gelato for an additional $8. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, from 11:30 am-2 pm

    Tony's
    Fans of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion will get a chuckle when they order lunch at this fine dining institution in Greenway Plaza. Chef Kate McLean’s Romy and Michele’s Business Woman’s Special ($35) is a playful nod to the cult film with two Tony’s cheeseburgers with double 44 Farms patties, fries, and Diet Cokes. It’s available for dine-in or to go.

    For more variety, try the Greenway Express prix fixe ($35), which includes soup or salad, a main dish (chicken sandwich with French onion dip, short rib cappelletti, or roast hen salad), and a scoop of the day’s gelato. Pair it all with one of Tony’s lunch spritzes, such as the Front Porch Swinger ($15), a mix of Amaro Montenegro, St. George’s NOLA, and lime. Lunch is served from Tuesday through Friday, from 11 am-3 pm.

    hamsa lunch houston
      

    Photo by Kristen Gilliam

    At Hamsa, diners can select two salatim to begin their prix fixe lunch.

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