Hopdoddy Burger Bar — Restaurant in Houston

Had a pretty BAD experience at this location yesterday evening (Sunday evening).

Started with my wait in line. I get there, get in line, see that there was a young woman w/ child at the register ordering, and a couple in front of me. "Cool this won't take long". WRONG.

In line and an employee asked the couple in front of me what their seat preference was, they answer. After woman walks right past me and the guy behind me, no questions. Didn't think much of it at the time.

In line, this is taking a while. Look ahead. Same woman w/child ordering. Menu in hand, chatting it up with register employee, employee reciprocating. Only one register open. Woman takes FOREVER to order, and finally time to pay & woman pulls out purse and rummages to find card all while still yucking it up with employee. Took FOREVER.

Now this is much more on the inconsiderate woman. But it'd be good if employee could TRY to move things along when just 1 register open and order line growing to 10+ people.

My turn to order. She asks, take out or for here, I say for here and outside. She asks for table number. What? I didn't get a table assigned,. She leans over and cranes her neck in an attempt to see outside. Can't see. Me: Ma'am, I'll just take whatever table is available. Her: I need a table number for order for dinning in. Me: Well doesn't make sense with you back here. Her: There's a hostess that is supposed to assign you a table. Me: No one did. Do I have to leave this line and go find a table outside MYSELF? Her: Shrugs shoulders

Yep. Just shrugged her shoulders! I get out of line to find a table, when I see the woman from earlier talking to the bartender and laughing it up. Ah, now i get it. This was the hostess, the person who was too "busy" to get me a table #. I go up to hostess.

I ask for her help to get table # for outside. She's actually annoyed. Starts to outside and then stops. Tells me that she can't seat me outside because it looks like it might rain. Seriously? Seriously. Fine, I'll order To Go then.

Get to register, order. Buffalo Bill, medium no onions add pickle. I'll try that Kale Caesar. Pay. This place has NO good place for customers to wait for to go's. Last time I sat at bar and no one came to inform me order was ready. So this time, I stand around expo area. A single burger in to go box gets put on the line. I know its mine somehow. All I need is salad to be made. Time passes. People who were behind me in order get their food, I'm still waiting. Salad? Where's salad? Eventually expo person starts to make my salad. No enough salad/cabbage, she has to go back to get more. Gets more and finishes salad. Over 20 minutes after I order for a single burger and a salad. Get my food in a large bag. Thanks.

Go outside, there's a common area right next to establishment that has tables. Pick a spot and get to it. Plasticware? Napkin? Nope, didn't get one with my TO GO order. Have to go back inside. Ask for plasticware. Got it. Napkins? I'm told to get some from the rolls on the inside tables. Really? REALLY.

Finally got what I need. Mix up salad. Pull out burger. Salad is just OK. Caeser dressing is weak and the amount they gave isn't nearly enough. Now... the BURGER:

It's lukeworm now because of time it spent on line. It's WELL DONE, not medium. The outside of burger is even charred. Notice something... it's pretty bland... why is that.. OH, it's because they forgot the BUFFALO SAUCE and the BLUE CHEESE.

The Buffalo Bill usually CLAPS. Juicy, lots of flavor, messy cause the juices are pouring out after each bite. NOT this one. Very disappointing especially considering my experience before I even took a bite. And after that, still a very steep downhill ride.

Consider going back in to complain. No. NOPE. I'm done with that place for...

I have had terrible problems with this location before and was asked to give them a second chance.

The second chance is that this place still sucks. I have eaten here many times, and the service and quality over time have progressively deprecated.

I even observed the same rude, evil, and spiteful employees still working, and they also recognized me as well because I had complained about them in their presence.

We exchanged glances several times during my so-called second chance visit.

My service or food did not improve. It depreciated. Additionally, I witnessed a lot of smirking and whispering amongst the staff.

It was very busy when we arrived, and there was a line extending from the register through the restaurant and nearly out the door.

By the time we advanced to the register, the line had dissipated.

After ordering, we sat and almost immediately were served overly salted fries in a chromed metal bowl without the burgers that we ordered.

What is the sense in that? Especially knowing the burgers will not arrive for another 20 minutes or more?

And that is exactly what happened. The burgers arrived in about half an hour, and the fries were cold.

We complained, and the employees were very unconcerned.

However, we were given another bowl of overly salted fries.

When the burgers did arrive, the server was confused about the order details. Somehow, believing they had included another tables order with our own.

After accepting the order, we were abandoned for the duration of our visit. At no time did any of the numerous employees verify that we were satisfied with our order.

In other words, the service is trash, and the burgers are not made well or as tasty as they once were.

Additionally, I have noticed that the management is responsible for the gradual decline.

I had submitted a poor review in the past and had been asked to give it a second chance, which is the only reason I returned. It took almost a month for the management to respond to my messages, and when they finally did, it was a poor, reckless approach.

The first time, it was not even busy, I arrived about two hours before closing. Almost every staff member expressed they were upset about something. The female server recklessly threw the bowl of fries on my table while walking away. The burger was dry and overly cooked. The fries were not good either. I complained to the manager who patiently listened and then asked me what I wanted them to do about it. At which point I left without continuing.

It also seems that the employees have formed unhealthy work relationships and behaviors, resulting in an environment that poses a threat to physical, mental, or emotional health. In short, the employees hate the customers with a smile,...

*Most Recent Visit:

Because I have heart issues, I have to have my burgers well done. The managers and line cooks already know this as I have been there plenty of times. I ordered a classic burger well done, no pink. I even explained to the person taking my order why it must be well done. He assured me that they will take care of it. I ordered this to go earlier this evening and so when I picked it up I didn't slice through the beef as they had been getting right recently under this new manager. I ate about half of it while I was on my way to run an errand but began to notice that it wasn't good like it normally is. When I got to HEB and parked the car, I turned on the dome light inside the car and to my dismay, I noticed that the beef was cooked RARE!! How did they mess up that bad?! I took it back and the manager Leah seemed to be in a rush and was trying to get me to quickly decide as to whether I wanted a remake or a refund. Her tone of voice was unapologetic. She didn't seem to care at all. She was trying to get to the point. No sympathy whatsoever. Only excuses stating they have no way of checking the temperature and that they only go by a timer so it's hit or miss. I can see it being a little pink because of only going by a timer but RARE?! That's way off!! That means they shortened the time on my burger quite a bit. So who messed that up? Needless to say the burger was extremely disappointing and I pray I don't get heart palpitations when I go to bed tonight. I don't think I'll be coming back to this place.

Previous Bad Experience:

Hit or miss depending on who's making the burgers and who the manager is. The two daytime managers (big country boy with glasses and skinny lady with tattoos) are most likely not going to give you good service if apparently they don't like something about you. Also whenever one of their main cooks (who usually wears a hat on backwards) is there, my order never fails to have a glaring problem such as burger not being cooked to the requested temperature, etc. Their new evening manager, as well as the rest of the stafff are wonderful, however. For example, earlier I a simple Thunderbird. I pay a lot of money hoping to enjoy a delicious meal (and I normally do as long as those problem people aren't there) but nonetheless got an uncooked tasteless burger instead. Not sure if I'm coming back...