Hopdoddy Burger Bar

"Austin has a history of building empires. Torchy’s Tacos was a trailer before it expanded to over a dozen states, Chuy’s started out on Barton Springs Road, and have you ever heard of Whole Foods? Then there’s Hopdoddy, which began on South Congress in 2010 and has since spawned a fleet of burger bars from Denver to Nashville. photo credit: Hopdoddy Burger Bar Despite the national expansion, the burgers at the original Hopdoddy are still solid. The beef patties are ground fresh and cooked to a perfectly pink finish, the brioche buns are soft and slightly sweet, and the toppings range from the classic lettuce-and-tomato to things like au poivre aioli, fried cheese, and tomato bacon jam. And while the parmesan truffle fries might feel like they came from an early-2010s time capsule, they’re still a nice addition to the meal. Is this the best burger in Austin? Probably not. But after a long day of shopping on South Congress, it’s a reliable choice that still gets the job done as good as it ever has. Plus, there’s something satisfying about revisiting the original spot that started it all. Food Rundown Parmesan Truffle Fries If you’re not a big fan of truffle oil, you may want to skip these. Otherwise, they do their job well, and they come in a big metal bowl to prove that they’re freshly cooked and seasoned. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Burger This tastes like the type of burger you’d find in an early-2010s gastropub, but without the astronomic price tag. It’s a pretty traditional burger made with high-quality ingredients. We like the one topped with bacon jam and mustard-grilled onions, but the classic is also a safe bet." - Nicolai McCrary

"Handcrafted burgers made with all-natural ingredients, buns baked in house, and hand-cut French fries. My favorite fries in Austin are hands down Hopdoddy’s truffle fries with extra truffle sauce and chipotle ketchup! Along with a side of Primetime burger and caramel and sea salt milkshake." - A Taste of Koko

"Lippincott and two other partners, Abe Zimmerman and Stan Biderman, also developed the South Congress complex, that houses Hopdoddy burgers." - Erin Russell

"Hopdoddy refused to take our money for feeding hospital staff during the pandemic." - Erin Russell

"Similarly, an employee of Hopdoddy Burger Bar’s South Congress location had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 10 after last working at the restaurant on April 25. The restaurant just deep-cleaned the space, but didn’t temporarily close. Then another staffer found out they had the novel coronavirus on Friday, May 15, after which the restaurant temporarily closed over the weekend for another deep-cleaning and reopened on that Monday, May 18." - Nadia Chaudhury