Burger Bodega — Restaurant in Houston

I consider myself a pretty big Smashburger fan Within the last couple years, the craze has kind of taken over. But most places just make a regular burger and smash it down and add maybe an extra sauce.

Burger Bodega’s burger stood above the rest in many ways.

It could be the 90s hip-hop and the nostalgic feeling that I got when I walked in the building It could be the carefully crafted aesthetics and attention to detail of every visual cue in the building

It could also be the extremely nice staff that was zooming through the line of people, and getting their food to them in a timely manner

It could be all those things, but none of that would matter if their burgers were just another burger The burger stood out in many many ways to me The patties were seasoned very well and cooked to perfection. It was mix between the tender soft patty and a char crispy edge. The pickle (or pickles I’m unsure of how many were there I wasn’t really looking most of the time I was devouring the burger) gave it a contrasting acidic taste that was further enhanced by the onions and the amazing sauce.

I got a triple smash and I was left thoroughly satisfied My wife got the double smash and she was full (she’s not a heavy eater, so I didn’t think she would finish the double but she cleaned her plate)

The Screwed Fries were great, the sauce on there was fantastic. My only desire would be for slightly more fries, but that’s just me being picky.

An extra thing at truly stood out to me Was that the owner (at least I assume he is) approached us towards the end of our meal, and asked us how the food was. I told him that I was shaking my head and not because I was mad or disappointed but I was upset because my meal with soon be over, (that’s just a reactionary thing for me: when the food is so great, towards the very end, I start shaking my head because subconsciously I know it’s about to end and I won’t be able to get this experience again until I return in the future) He was extremely appreciative. He dapped me up and said “well I don’t want you to leave upset, so how about another burger on me?” And gave me a burger to go It was a small gesture, but nonetheless it was one that had a lot of weight (not on this review but my perception of him and how he runs his business)

The “Smash burger” market is growing steadily with a lot of pretenders and contenders in the mix

Burger bodega in it’s short time has shown that they’re not here just to compete they’re here...

I'm a Vietnamese coffee fiend so when I saw that this place had a Vietnamese coffee milkshake I knew that trying it was a need, not a want. Finally decided to try it out the other night and was glad I did!

To be honest, parking is a little rough here. It is both limited and the spots are oddly narrow. I drive a sedan and even parking in the middle of my spot I had to get out of my car matrix style to avoid my door bumping into the car next to mine.

The staff here were incredibly friendly, and the man who took my order at the register made me feel like I was just talking to a long-time friend. The interior was very brightly lit with decorations reminiscent of an American supermarket, which was pretty unique and gave the place an interesting vibe. They also have a fairy-light-lit rooftop seating area for when the weather is nice.

I will say these are not the cheapest burgers in the world but they are maybe still just slightly less expensive than you would expect from a "trendy" burger spot. Since it was the evening I sadly opted to skip the Vietnamese iced coffee this time and instead ordered a mango lassi shake to accompany my double patty burger and fries.

The burger patty was smashed pretty thin so I would recommend ordering at least a double. The burger's bun had a nice fresh bread taste to it and all of the ingredients tasted super fresh. The patties had a nice caramelization to them that stood out visually as well as to my taste buds. The sauce on the burger was also tasty and there was enough of it that I never once thought that the burger seemed dry. The fries here were not my style, personally. They are advertised as thin-cut but are slightly thicker than most thin-cut fries. Additionally, they have a thick fried exterior shell that makes them crunchy. Some people might like this but it just wasn't for me. Lastly, the mango lassi shake was subtle. I was expecting the whole shake to be mango lassi flavored but it almost tasted like they just dumped a mango lassi into a vanilla milkshake.

I enjoyed my meal at Burger Bodega despite not being the biggest fan of both their fries and mango lassi shake. I am still holding out hope for their Vietnamese iced coffee shake and I will for sure be returning to give that a try in the future and I definitely wouldn't be opposed to grabbing a burger...

This is indeed a true 4.5 Star burger joint. To start off, the burgers are delicious. The curb appeal draws you in with it's bright colorful exterior that continues once inside. Full dislosure I am a burger lover and I still believe the best burger in the Houston area is the original Joy Love Burger in Katy...but I have to say Burger Bodega might just compete for that #2 spot (sorry Whataburger...I still love you).

We tried the Single Smash, a Double w/beef bacon and The Chopped Cheese. All delicious, hot, fresh and pretty fast. Me personally, I cannot eat a burger without mustard, but I took a gamble and tried the double all the way with Bodega sauce. I didn't miss the mustard one bit. It was THAT good. My younger daughter said it gave her "Good Burger" vibes. My other daughter raved about the chopped cheese on the hoagie roll...its enough to share with a friend.

The fries were fresh and crispy and well seasoned, cooked to perfection. The milkshakes were delicious as well and not overly thick. This place is everything to a real burger lover.

The price is not crazy expensive but with no combos and everything ala carte it can get expensive, especially with 7 dollar shakes. Burgers The Single all the way is about 9 bucks, Double w/bacon about $11. Chopped cheese is 10 bucks I believe.

Bottom line, this is a burger joint and they do burgers very well. If this business ever decides to expand they will be among the heavy hitters in the burgersphere. If you're ever rolling down Washington Ave. don't pass this place up....