The Burger Guys, one of CultureMap's Top 10 burger spots, has closed its doors. Owner Jake Mazzu confirmed to CultureMap that the restaurant has ceased operations.
The Houston Press first reported the shuttering. Despite the widespread acclaim for the restaurant's akaushi patties, duck fat fries and hand-spun milkshakes, after three years the high-end burger concept simply wasn't attracting enough customers.
"Chasing a dream comes with a cost, and that has taken its toll."
"Due to low turn out, and a rise in number or restaurants, Houston has no room for us anymore," Mazzu wrote in a Facebook message. "Forever grateful for the three plus years we ran. We always tried hard, and went to work each day.
"Chasing a dream comes with a cost, and that has taken its toll."
This shut down follows September's closure of The Burger Guys downtown restaurant, an expansion of the original location. At the time, chef Brandon Fisch lamented that even highly touted restaurants can close to due to lack of support.
"I also believe that some of this is that when a place opens that’s small, we can’t forget about them after three months," Fisch said. "If we still tell our friends about them, I hope that we’re going there. I hope that we’re not just saying it and fluffing it up and never showing our face."
Mazzu declined to comment on his future plans, but the restaurant has started a successful run from a mobile trailer in his hometown of Beaumont. The restaurant had also been testing various smoked items. Perhaps the endeavor will be reborn as a Beaumont-based burgers and barbecue joint?
For fans of Houston's best cafe sua da milkshake, hopefully the answer is yes.
Sadly, this dark interior shows the current state of The Burger Guys Westchase location.
