JD’s Hamburgers — Restaurant in Fort Worth

“Father’s Day at JD’s: Where the Burgers Slap, the Staff Shines, and the Bourbon Goes Down Singing ‘God Bless Texas’”

Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t come to JD’s Hamburgers to play games. I came to eat like a man honored for keeping two daughters alive into adulthood. And buddy, they delivered.

It was Father’s Day. I had my wife on one side, my oldest daughter on the other, and a ravenous hunger in my soul that only a specialty burger joint could fix. We rolled in right at 11:00am—beat the crowd, beat the rain, and most importantly, beat the “sorry, there’s a wait” conversation.

The Scene: The moment we walked in, it was like the hostess had been training for this moment her whole life. Friendly, quick, efficient — like a Southwest gate agent with snacks. They got us seated inside, away from the rain, and right in the heart of this cozy Fort Worth gem. The staff? Spectacular. The vibe? Homey with just enough honky tonk. The soundtrack? I don’t remember the music—because the TV at the bar was playing a Texas A&M football rerun, and honestly? That was the exact kind of background noise this dad needed. A touchdown throw, a sizzle from the kitchen, and a bourbon cocktail in hand? That’s peace.

The Meal: Let’s talk meat, y’all. I came in hoping for the legendary Buford T, which made waves at Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival. Sadly, it wasn’t on the menu yet. But what I did get? An off-menu special so over-the-top it could’ve been featured on a Food Network showdown.

A burger topped with: • Crispy hash browns (because fries on the side is amateur hour) • A perfectly cooked fried egg • Grilled jalapeños with just enough kick to make me question my life choices • Cheddar cheese, gooey like a Hallmark movie ending • And a creamy sriracha sauce that gave it attitude All served on a sourdough bun so good I wanted to write it a thank-you card.

I added a side of onion rings that were crunchier than my knees in the morning. Golden, crispy, and seasoned just right. One bite in and I almost called my doctor.

My wife ordered the Texas Toast Grilled Cheese, which was basically a love letter from dairy. Three cheeses (Monterey Jack, American, and Swiss) grilled to gooey perfection on buttered toast that tasted like it grew up in Sunday school and got a little wild in college.

My daughter went classic with the Allie Mae & JD burger—lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, and that mystery magic “Sister Sauce.” One bite and she gave me that look that said, “I’m not sharing, Dad. Don’t even ask.”

The Beverage: I wasn’t about to celebrate Father’s Day without a little bourbon therapy. Enter: the Parker County Peach Smash — Makers Mark, fresh peaches, mint, lemon juice, ginger beer, and the kind of Southern charm that makes you say “Mmm” out loud without shame. It was so good, I ordered a second. Because it’s Father’s Day. And because I could.

TL;DR:

JD’s Hamburgers is what happens when great people serve great food with great timing. From the top-tier staff to the house-made sauce to a bourbon peach cocktail that deserves its own state fair ribbon — this place flat-out gets it right. And if you can enjoy it with a football game in the background, even when it’s not football season, that’s called ambience.

Would I go back? I’d go back in a monsoon, barefoot, carrying both daughters and a lawn chair.

Signed, Brisket & Banter — Still Full, Still Punny Lover of BBQ, bourbon, burgers, and the women who keep me from eating...

Such potential, wasted and a year later just as tragic. Last year wily wife and I came by to see what the hype was about. We were disappointed with the food sounding great, but being very sad ( huge bun, tiny meat pattie and sparing toppings) slow and inattentive service and we figured the atmosphere would improve once the other two got better. Fast forward a year and it’s much of the same: Saturday night, with 9 open tables, we had a 20-minute wait because the “kitchen was busy”. Drinks came out quickly, the strawberry lemonade was good, but nothing to write home about. Fried green tomatoes were nice, but despite us obviously struggling to share them from one plate, no one offered to get us an extra plate or more sauce… My wife ordered the Allie Mae & JD and it was tasty! The buns are huge and almost as sweet as Hawaiian Rolls. I get it, lots of people love, especially West Coast folks that seem to have made it their hangout, but it’s not our favorite. The meat was quite anorexic and crumbly, but overall worked out. The fries were standard. I had one with bacon, which was also tasty overall despite having a tiny pattie hiding inside the bun. At this point we were kinda disappointed that service was slow and staff was just hanging out, but when we were offered the dessert options, we were hopeful it would be a strong finish. The Blackberry cobbler with Buttermilk ice cream took 15 minutes to make an appearance. Expectations were high. But as you can look at the photos, one bite into it and we gave up. The buttermilk ice cream wasn’t sweet. Tasted like they used bad buttermilk to make it. The cobbler itself not only wasn’t warm, but the bottom was as cold as the ice cream! Out of the whole evening, this was the only time our waitress stayed close and despite us saying we did not like either the ice cream or the cobbler, she just said “ sorry, here’s the check” what if we wanted another dessert? Or a nightcap? Wtf? Overall, not worth the money. Even coming back a year later and it’s just as bad as before. Hopefully it’ll get better, but I’ll have to just hope for it, we won’t be...

I went to JD's for the 1st time today. The parking lot is tiny. I got there at 1050 am and barely found a spot. I should have taken pictures of my experience, but I didn't. So the atmosphere seems fun and energetic. I sat inside, but they have a back patio with outdoor seating. Staff was ever present and always around ready to refill your drinks or provide you with anything you may need. I couldn't decide between their Texas Chili Company Hot or a burger. After thinking on it, since it's my 1st time, I went with a burger. The name of the restaurant is JD's Burgers so I had to go with a burger. I got the Allie Mae and JD that comes with lettuce, tomato, American cheese caramelized onions and pickles with their sisters secret sauce (ketchup, Sriracha, mayo) I am a picky eater so I had my burger minus the tomato, pickles and sauce. Then I had the regular fries, and they also offer sweet potato fries. My food arrived and it was warm. The fries were crispy and soft on the inside and a nice amount of salt. They were delicious. The sourdough bun on the burger was soft, pillowy, and tasty The beef patty itself was great. It was juicy and not overcooked. It's a good ol messy burger. I was hesitant about the caramelized onions because lots of places either put raw onion or undercooked onion, and they overpower the flavor of the food. However, the caramelized onions added to the overall taste of the burger. They were there, but there wasn't so much that onion flavor over powered the burger. They were a nice compliment to the burger. I'm definitely going back. I want to try that hotdog! The only downside is the parking...