A Houston chef is ready to take the step from pop-up to brick-and-mortar restaurant. Joseph Boudreaux will officially open Boo’s Burgers this Saturday, July 26.
Located on the Navigation Esplanade near the Original Ninfa’s, opening Boo’s Burgers has been a five-year journey for the self-taught chef. As CultureMap first reported in 2021, Boudreaux built a cult following for his signature smash burgers with a series of well-attended pop-ups that started at downtown coffee shop The Tipping Point (since relocated to Montrose) but soon went citywide to festivals, bars, and even other restaurants such as Nancy’s Hustle and Burger Bodega.
The chef’s formula has remained simple — in-house ground patties that use beef from Texas ranch 44 Farms, topped with the chef’s smoky burger sauce, American cheese, shaved onions, spicy pickles, sliced tomatoes, and shrettuce, all served on a challah bun from local bakery Cake & Bacon. Double meat burgers and bacon are also available.
For the new restaurant, Boudreaux has made three additions to the menu. The first is the Shroom Sammy, made with fried oyster mushrooms that are topped with lemon pepper wet sauce, garlic aioli, pickles, and a cabbage-mustard green slaw and served on a challah bun. If that’s too adventurous, choose a grilled cheese on toasted milk bread. Seasoned fries, served with Boo’s OG Sauce (a Cajun-style remoulade), ranch, or garlic aioli, round out the menu.
Once everything is running smoothly, Boudreaux plans to add sandwich specials, soft serve ice cream, and even “you buy, we fry” specials. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s Instagram for updates.
“We built Boo’s one pop-up at a time, but the goal was always to create a place that felt like home,” Boudreaux said in a statement. “This new space in the East End lets us serve the community that’s supported us since day one. We look forward to doing what we love: making honest food for the city that made us.”
To create a properly homey feeling for his brick-and-mortar, Boudreaux turned to Brittany Vaughan of Garnish Design. Known for her work on restaurants such as Milton’s, Maximo, and Tiny Champions, Vaughan took inspiration from classic delis and roadside hamburger stands to develop a retro-inspired look for Boo’s Burgers. The interior features walnut wood paneling, vintage-style lighting, and nods to Boudreaux’s family.
“The decor really honors Joseph and his journey; photos of him and his family live alongside images of the Boo’s community and watercolor meme illustrations — the whole display could be a week or a century old, just like at grandma’s house, or even some of the greatest restaurant institutions in the United States,” said Vaughan.
Similarly, the restaurant shows off a new logo and other branding. Created by Houston’s Letterset Design, it takes inspiration from the ‘60s and ‘70s as well as street art, graffiti, and hip-hop — influences that make sense for a native Houstonian like Boudreaux.
Boo’s Burgers will be open to the public beginning Wednesday, July 23 for a soft opening. Saturday’s grand opening will include performances by Houston DJs from Ice House Radio.
Boo’s Burgers is located at 2510 Navigation Blvd. Hours of operation are 11 am-9 pm Wednesday-Friday and 12-9 pm on Saturday and Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday).
Photo by Michael Anthony
Boo's Burgers will serve cheeseburgers, a fried mushroom sandwich, and fries.
The Rice Box Space Center is expected to open later this summer.Courtesy of The Rice Box