Christian's to close
Iconic Houston burger joint shutters in two weeks, but a cool concept is coming
One of Houston's most beloved, old school burger joints will close this month. The original location of Christian's Tailgate on Washington Ave will close on May 24, owner Steve Christian tells the Chronicle.
Local developer Braun Enterprises will acquire the property from Christian in two weeks and has plans to remodel the space before finding a new occupant. In an email to CultureMap, Braun Enterprises president Dan Braun writes that the company is already talking to interested parties and that he's committed to finding a "cool concept" for the iconic space.
Christian's has served one of Houston's favorite burgers for decades. In his book Hamburger America, author George Motz praised the jalapeno cheeseburger:
The burger to get is the jalapeno cheeseburger—a fresh ground half-pound griddled two-fister that comes in a green plastic basket on a toasted white bun with lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, mustard, and mayo. The jalapenos are snappy and hot and compliment the large portion of meat well. Halfway through my burger I had a good sweat going and a slight buzz from the heat.
In 2013, Christian sold locations in The Heights and Midtown to new owners who have since expanded to the Energy Corridor and downtown. All locations still use the same recipe for the burgers, but the new owners have added a range of additional menu items.
Still, nothing beats the original. Fans should make their last visits before it's gone forever.
