Two of Houston’s favorite casual dining spots are making their way to Memorial in spring/summer 2025. Co-founders Shawn Bermudez and chef Matthew Pak celebrated The Burger Joint’s ninth anniversary this week by announcing its expansion to the Memorial/Spring Branch area, alongside its sister restaurant, The Taco Stand. Construction is already underway at 1016 Gessner Road, with Cisneros Design Studio Architects leading the project.

“It is amazing to think how far we have come in just nine years. We are so grateful to our Houston fans for embracing our concepts,” Pak said in a statement. “Our team is excited to bring our brand of burgers and tacos to the Memorial area of Houston.”

What started as a humble food truck in April 2015 quickly grew into one of Houston’s most beloved burger spots. Just seven months after its launch, The Burger Joint moved into its first brick-and-mortar location in Montrose. Fast-forward nine years, and the Memorial restaurant will be the brand’s sixth Houston location, joining Montrose, the Heights, University of Houston, Baybrook, and the soon-to-open Kirby outpost.

At 4,300 square feet, the new Memorial location will feature a full bar and a spacious 1,500-square-foot patio. Guests will be able to dine daily from 11 am to midnight, enjoying the restaurant's take on classic American burgers that includes favorites such as the Smoke Stack ($12.99), which is topped with pulled pork, mac and cheese, and a fried egg, as well as the boozy 8th Wonder Rocket Fuel Shake ($8.99), made with the local brewery’s cold brew coffee porter.

Next door, The Taco Stand will offer a 2,000-square-foot space including a 1,100-square-foot patio, with dine-in and drive-thru available daily from 6 am to midnight. Known for its street-style tacos, the menu features housemade corn and flour tortillas filled with barbacoa, vegan beef, fish, and more. The Taco Stand also offers burritos, quesadillas, and bowls. For breakfast, there will be taco staples such as chorizo and potato ($3.29), migas ($3.49) and nopales and egg ($3.49).

Since opening its first location in the Heights in 2021, The Taco Stand has rapidly expanded to Webster, the University of Houston, and the soon-to-open Montrose location.

Bermudez and Pak have more projects in the works beyond The Taco Stand in Montrose and The Burger Joint in Kirby. The duo has two new concepts slated to open in the Heights: Happy Go Lucky will serve Hawaiian-style shaved ice and frozen cocktails, while The Pizza Place will feature housemade pizzas, pasta, salads, and gelato. Bermudez also owns the space-themed Roswell’s Saloon and the tequila-focused Pistolero’s.