Best Burgers in Texas

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The Jay Cafe in Needville

Needville owes its interesting name to August Schendel, the German immigrant who purchased a large tract of land and settled in the area in 1891. The following year, Schendel opened a general store to serve the people of the area popularly known as Schendelville.
When Schendel made application for a Post Office, he tried to use the name Needmore because everybody seemed to need more things. Makes sense! The Post Office, however, denied the application because the name was already taken. So, Schendel settled for the name Needville. The rest is history.
Located on state highway 36 in Fort Bend County, ten miles south of US 59 and southwest of Houston, Needville still lives up to its name. If you find yourself with a huge appetite and in need of great food, then you should get to The Jay Cafe in Needville as quickly as you can. This place serves up home cooked dishes at their best.
While I was momentarily tempted by the menu-full of delicious meal options, I ordered the Bacon Jay Burger and opted for the house seasoned fries instead onion rings. And, of course, a tall glass of iced tea — the perfect choice after a morning of adventuring with my wife’s Texas Master Naturalist group.
My burger arrived piping hot and flanked by a heaping serving of fries. I could see that I certainly would not need more bacon. This burger had a healthy helping of crispy bacon and cheddar cheese served on a moist bun with absolutely fresh fixings. Everything was visually right about this burger.
Burgers, however, are about a whole lot more than optics. And this burger did not disappoint. One bite and I knew that this was some of the best meat I have tasted on any burger I have reviewed. The big, crumbly patty of meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Enjoyed every single bite.

My only complaint is that I did not have room for dessert. The Jay Cafe offers a fantastic assortment of pies and a red velvet cake that looked absolutely amazing. Next time I visit I think I am going to start with dessert. At this point in my life I have no business buying green bananas or hoping I have room for dessert. Life its too short for that.

I am really glad that I visited the Jay Cafe in Needville. This place is just one more example of one of the many really good places to eat around the Lone Star State. Lucky for me that I live within driving distance. I certainly plan to eat at the Jay Cafe the next time I venture in their direction on one of my day trips. And, I will start my meal by eating dessert first!

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Champ Burger of Houston

Among the hidden treasures in the Lone Star State are off-the-beaten-path burger joints that serve up some of the finest burgers on the planet. This week I had an opportunity to venture from my suburban home in Katy to Houston’s Second Ward to eat a burger at Champ Burger — a fifty-plus year burger establishment on the corner of Sampson and Garrow.
champ-burgerChamp Burger is an old-fashioned walk-up burger place with plenty of shaded outdoor seating. They have a window where you can place your order and another where you can pick-up phone orders. Both had a steady stream of customers when I was there. That in itself is a great recommendation. And, to make things even better, the staff was very friendly and helpful.
champ-burger-exteriorIf there is such thing as a Burger Heaven, then Champ Burger is definitely in. The burger-aroma around the joint was heavy and heavenly. As usual, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings and a glass of iced tea. Within minutes of sitting down my order was ready. And then, the best part — eating!
champ-burgerI was immediately impressed with the size of this single patty burger. The bun was toasted to perfection, the cheese-covered meat patty was generous and juicy, the bacon was crisp, and the veggies were fresh. Everything looked delicious and inviting. As for my first bite — oh my soul. It was absolutely delicious. Within seconds I knew that this was one of the best burgers I have ever tasted.
chamop-burger-menuI know that fast food joints serve a purpose. But why, when you have options like this, would anyone want to eat a fast food burger. It’s definitely worth taking a few extra minutes to drive to a place like Champ Burger to make lunch a little more of an enjoyable adventure. Some regard Champ Burger as one of Houston’s Best Kept Secrets. I agree but want to do what I can to let the secret out.
champ-burger-signjpgI love finding places like Champ Burger. These guys have been around for more than fifty years for good reason. They have perfected the preparation of an unforgettable burger that keeps drawing customers back again and again. If you live anywhere in the greater Houston area, you owe it to yourself to give Champ Burger a try. If you are traveling anywhere near Houston and love burger adventures, then swing by and see the folks at Champ Burger. You’ll definitely be glad you did!

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Mig’s Burgers

After several days of hiking in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, a friend and I decided to travel west toward Salt Flat to explore some of the backroads in this vast part of the Lone Star State. There is a whole lot of openness out in the Trans-Pecos that has a calming beauty all its own. This is quintessential cowboy country for sure.

As we traveled west on US 180, the Guadalupe Mountains slowly faded from view and nothing but the horizon loomed in front of us. And I do mean nothing but the horizon. We eventually headed south on FM 1111 toward Interstate 10 — a long stretch of road that eventually led us to a little town called Sierra Blanca.

Sierra Blanca, translated White Mountains, is a Census Designated Place with a population of less than six-hundred people. This nearly invisible little town is located 30-miles from the Mexican border and 80-miles southeast of El Paso. It has the distinction of being the county seat of the sparsely populated Hudspeth County.
Mig's BurgersWe arrived in Sierra Blanca at noon and were hungry for a good burger. That’s when I noticed a Border Patrol vehicle parked in front of Mig’s Burgers. Since there are not a lot of places to eat in Sierra Blanca and because we did not want to drive to the next town on empty stomachs, we decided to check out Mig’s.
Mig's Burgers InteriorWhen we walked in I noticed the two border patrol guys seated at a table. I walked over and asked them if the food was good. They smiled and pointed to their empty plates and assured me I would not be disappointed. So, we sat down, checked out the menu, and placed our order. I ordered a jalapeño cheeseburger and onion rings with a glass of tea.
Mig's MenuWe were surprised to learn that Mig’s has only been opened for about four months. That’s why I did not find any recommendations when I checked my Yelp! and Trip Advisor apps. But, no worries since we had it on good authority — literally — that the food was good. And indeed it was.
Mig's Burger ViewMy bacon cheeseburger was prepared to perfection and was absolutely delicious — and not just because I had spent several days hiking and had an appetite the size of Texas. It was really good. The onion rings were store-bought and nothing to write home about, and that’s ok. The burger, however, met and exceeded my expectations.
Mig's SignI hope Mig’s gets enough drive by business to stay in business. The folks that run the place are friendly and attentive to customer needs. And they definitely know how to put together a good burger. I wish Mig’s the very best as they grow their business. Be sure to stop by if you ever find yourself in this far-flung region of the Lone Star State.

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Brady’s Restaurant in Brady

My search for the best burger in Texas has convinced me that if you are willing to drive past the fast food joints that crank out burgers faster than the speed of light, then you will find some really amazing burgers. But, you have to be intentional about looking for those out-of-the-way places that do more than slap a frozen patty on the grill. And you have to be willing to stop and check things out for yourself.
Brady's SignThat’s exactly what a friend and I recently did while making our way to the geographic center of Texas. While driving through the small town of Brady, the town known as “The Heart of Texas,” we noticed a sign that boasted the best burgers in Texas. “Look,” I said, “that place serves the best burgers in Texas!” No hesitation — we had to check this out for ourselves. So, we drove around the courthouse in the town square and made our way back to Brady’s Restaurant.
Brady's RestaurantAfter a morning of hiking at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, we were both hungry and ready for a hot meal. Simon, the guy who cooks the burgers, took our order. The menu above the counter described their burger as having a hunger-busting half-pound of Angus beef served on a caramelized bun with a side order of hand-cut fries. Perfect! That and a cold glass of tea completed my order.
Brady's MenuSimon personally brought the piping hot burgers and hand-cut fries to our table. The burger was served sans condiments, something that we got to add ourselves from the condiments bar. The aroma of the burger and fries was a treat in itself. The first bite did not disappoint. Wow! The flavor of the meat and the moisture of the bun were perfect. Whatever Simon does in the kitchen to cook these burgers he does well. The last bite was as delicious as the first.
Brady's BurgerAfterward, I had the privilege of meeting Syed, the owner of Brady’s. Syed and his family have owned the restaurant for about ten years. As we talked about some of the other dishes on the menu, Syed convinced me that I should come back to try their famous chicken fried steak or all-you-can-eat catfish — dishes he claims are the best in Texas. And, of course, there is their big Cowboy Burger for those with a really huge appetite.
Simon the Cook at Brady'sNo pretense at Brady’s. Syed and Simon believe in their product — and after eating their burger, I believe in it, too! Stopping to eat at Brady’s was definitely a good call. It’s so easy to talk ourselves out of stopping to eat at family-owned places like this and opt instead for the more familiar brand-name places. Traveling Texas backroads has certainly changed my default setting from the familiar eateries to the more interesting places that are easy to miss. I am happy to add Brady’s to my list of favorite places to eat a burger in the Lone Star State.