Houston’s smashburger scene is getting juicier. After five years of hosting pop-ups, native Houstonian Joseph Boudreaux is expanding his popular Boo’s Burgers concept into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, set to open this Saturday, July 26 at 2510 Navigation Boulevard in the East End.
The new Boo’s Burgers on the Esplanade comes with a hefty side of nostalgia, with its design inspiration drawn for the roadside stands and ice cream parlors of times past. Boudreaux enlisted Brittany Vaughan of Garnish Design to lead the design, which includes a walk-up window, large open-air patio with fiberglass umbrellas, and interiors wrapped in walnut wood paneling and bedecked with vintage lighting.
The opening is a long time coming for the self-taught chef, who himself was raised on Houston’s East Side. Boudreaux soaked up his knowledge of cooking from the men in his family. After earning a degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Houston, he worked a corporate gig as a project manager in banking for years until he was laid off in 2018. He made the fateful decision to pivot to the food industry, with his passion for cooking fueling the journey.
Boudreaux teamed up with David Rodriguez, the founder of Tipping Point Coffee, to partner in the innovative space that is part coffee shop, and part vintage retail shop. It was here that he began hosting pop-ups during the pandemic, giving locals the first taste of his breakfast sandwiches and burgers.
“We built Boo’s one pop-up at a time, but the goal was always to create a place that felt like home,” says Boudreaux in a press release. “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.”
Boudreaux plans to build on the foundation of community by Boo’s Burgers serving as a hub for collaboration. In the past, he has teamed up with local restaurant icons like Shipley’s Do-Nuts, the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation, Nancy’s Hustle, Pudgy’s Fine Cookies, and others. With a more permanent space, the potential for partnerships is even greater.
Boo’s fans will perhaps be most thrilled by the fact that the brick-and-mortar space gives way for more extensive offerings. At the heart of the menu is the signature OG burger, a handheld that became synonymous with the brand during its pop-up years. The classic smashburger layers a beef patty with American cheese, shaved onions, spicy pickles, sliced tomatoes, “shrettuce”, and a drizzle of smoky burger sauce in a Cake & Bacon challah bun. Guests can amp theirs up with double patties and bacon. With Texas-based 44 Farms as its official partner, guests can expect fresh, in-house ground beef on all of Boo’s signature burgers.
Vegetarian diners have just as much reason to venture in to Boo’s as anybody else. A Shroom Sammie serves as a worthy vegetarian alternative to the OG, layered with fried marinated oyster mushroom clusters, lemon pepper wet sauce, garlic aioli, pickles, and cabbage-mustard green slaw on a challah bun. A grilled cheese sandwich on toasted Cake & Bacon milk bread is simple, but equally delicious.
Either way, guests can pair their handhelds with seasoned fries, tossed in Boo’s special spice blend, and dip away with sides like Boo’s OG sauce, the brand’s own remoulade; or housemade ranch and garlic aioli. Loyalists can look forward to even more in the coming months, with soft-serve ice cream, sandwich specials, and collaborative drops all in the pipeline.
Boo’s will debut with great ceremony this Saturday, with a grand opening party from noon to 5 p.m., featuring a DJ lineup from Houston’s Ice House Radio. It will then be officially open for business, operating from 11 a.m to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Friday; and from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Boo’s Burgers, 2510 Navigation Blvd., Houston
