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    Inside The Burger Joint

    First taste: Montrose restaurant serves up classic burgers and shakes with late night hours

    Eric Sandler
    Nov 7, 2015 | 10:45 am

    Montrose is buzzing about its latest restaurant opening. No, it isn't another high-end place from a highly touted chef or an out of town concept hoping to make a mark in Houston's best dining neighborhood. Rather, it's a new place to get burgers and fries that has people lining up for a taste.

    Local entrepreneur Shawn Bermudez (Stone's Throw, Royal Oak, etc.) and chef Matthew Pak have already partnered on three food trucks: Koagie Hots, The Golden Grill and Coreanos. On Wednesday, they opened The Burger Joint, their first brick and mortar restaurant. It's located in the former home of Little Bigs on Montrose at Westheimer.

    "We’d been searching for that perfect brick and mortar. With it being Matt’s first place, it needed to be the right location and the right concept. One of the concepts was a classic burger joint, burgers and beer, simple as that," Bermudez tells CultureMap.

    Transformed inside and out

    The space has been transformed both inside and outside. Inside, Bermudez installed 24 taps that feature local craft beer. Outside, the rebuilt and expanded patio features TVs, new lighting and landscaping that shields patrons from the adjacent parking lots. During the week, The Burger Joint is open until midnight and 4 am on Friday and Saturday, which should appeal to late night revelers.

    "When we discussed the concept, we felt that a lot of places that were opening up that focused on burgers were more about how big the burgers were or how much ingredients they could put on them," Bermudez says. "You couldn’t really find a classic burger anymore unless you want to an older place that had been around for years."

    As Pak demonstrated when The Burger Joint began as a food truck this summer, he certainly understands the classic burger. It starts with a thin patty made of high-quality beef from 44 Farms and continues with fresh veggies on top on a grocery store-style bun. Cooked on a griddle to a juicy medium, it's the right size to eat with one hand.

    With the restaurant's increased cooking and storage capacity, Pak has upped the ante with a wide range of additional offerings. That includes a a lamb patty for its Greek-style Opa! burger, hot dogs, pulled pork and chopped beef (available either as sandwiches on top of burgers or dogs), and milkshakes.

    New burgers

    New burger additions include "BBQ," which is a bacon cheeseburger topped with barbecue sauce and onion rings, and a kimchi burger that features two kinds of kimchi and is marinated in Korean spices. Vegetarians even get a red bean and mushroom patty.

    Pak sources his hot dogs from famous New York vendor Nathan's, but the pulled pork and chopped brisket are made in house. Rather than smoke the meats, Pak explains that he sears them on the griddle to crisp them then roasts them in the oven. Then he applies a liberal dose of his homemade barbecue sauce —Texas-style for the brisket, Carolina-style for the pork — prior to serving.

    Milkshakes also utilize homemade syrups; for example, Pak cooks down strawberries with a little bit of brown sugar for the strawberry shake and enhances his salted caramel syrup with Mexican vanilla beans. Those 24 taps also enhance the shake offerings; adults can order one made with either Real Ale pecan porter or 8th Wonder's Rocket Fuel Vietnamese coffee porter.

    Wide range of diners

    Between the varied menu, expansive patio, solid beer selection and late night hours, Bermudez hopes to appeal to a wide range of diners.

    "I’ve been referring to this as an ice house that serves really good burgers," he says. "(I know) it’s impossible to please everyone, but I think it’s possible to please most."

    Bermudez acknowleges that he and Pak have already started scouting for a second location, but they want to perfect what they've created. They're only a few days in, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. With cooler temps sending people to patios, expect to hear a lot more about The Burger Joint.

    The BBQ Burger is topped with bacon, cheese and an onion ring.

    The Burger Joint BBQ burger
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    The BBQ Burger is topped with bacon, cheese and an onion ring.
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    news/restaurants-bars

    Drop it like it's hot

    Houston farmers market adds new indoor pickleball court with food and cocktails

    Brianna Griff
    Jun 18, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
    Photo by Abante Photography
    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Pickleball isn’t going anywhere — the racquet sport continues to score with Houstonians. The newest player on the city’s crowded court, Drop Shots HTX, stands out for one big reason: it’s entirely indoors.

    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
      

    Photo by Abante Photography

    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Opening June 21, Drop Shots HTX is the brainchild of hospitality veterans Roveen Abante (Conservatory Galleria, Duchess), Chase Lovullo (Conservatory Galleria), and Shawn Outlaw.

    “We didn’t just want to open a bar,” co-founder Roveen Abante said in a statement. “We built a space where people connect, whether they’re playing or not. There’s something for everyone here.”

    Drop Shots HTX is marking its grand opening on June 21 from 12-11 pm, offering all-day open play for $5 along with $5 food and drink specials. Live DJs and giveaways will add to the experience.

    Patrons can soak up the A/C while slapping balls across one of the six professional-grade indoor courts. Off the court, guests can engage in friendly competitions of skee-ball, ping pong, arcade basketball, and cornhole in the second-floor lounge. Nine screens make up one wall in the mezzanine, ideal for catching the latest game, or can be expanded into one 195-inch television.

    Clutch City Kitchen will keep the players' appetite at bay with pizzas, sandwiches, and acai bowls. For hydration, an indoor/outdoor full bar will have 10 signature pickleball-themed cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices crafted from local fruits and veggies.

    “Some venues lean into serious competition, we lean into fun,” added co-founder Shawn Outlaw. “We’re the only indoor pickleball facility inside the Loop with a full bar, kitchen, lounge, and patio. But more than that, we’re the only one that feels like your new favorite neighborhood hangout, even if you never touch a paddle.”

    Events like Glow-in-the-Dark Fridays, Tacos and Tequila Saturdays, and Pancakes and Pickball mornings add a twist to the typical pickleball match. Bring the kids—the venue is family-friendly until 10pm.

    “We created Drop Shots HTX because we fell in love with a game that brings generations together,” Outlaw said. “From our 10-year-olds to our 65-year-old parents, pickleball is for everyone. And so is this space.”

    Drop Shots HTX is located at 2520 Airline Drive, Building A, Suite 100. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 12-11pm, Friday from 12 pm-12 am, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-11 pm.

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