KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — Burger Bodega, the Houston-born restaurant known for smash burgers and chopped cheese sandwiches, is nearing the opening of its long-awaited Katy location at the northwest corner of North Mason Road and Franz Road.
An official opening date for customers has not yet been confirmed but the location is expected to open sometime next month.
From pop-up to permanent restaurants
Burger Bodega was founded by Houston native Abbas Dhanani and began in 2021 as a pop-up — a temporary restaurant concept that serves customers without operating from its own permanent location. Pop-ups often operate for limited periods at existing restaurants, bars, markets or special events.
The concept developed a following before Dhanani opened Burger Bodega's first permanent restaurant on Washington Avenue in Houston in 2022.
Burger Bodega describes its concept as a combination of Houston food culture and the neighborhood bodegas associated with New York City. Its relatively focused menu centers on smash burgers, chopped cheese sandwiches, fries and shakes.
The restaurant's signature double smash burger features two smashed beef patties with American cheese, grilled onions, house-made pickles and Bodega Sauce on a potato bun.
A smash burger gets its name from the cooking method. The beef is pressed onto a hot cooking surface, producing a thin patty with browned, crispy edges.
Burger Bodega also serves a chopped cheese, a sandwich closely associated with New York bodegas. Burger Bodega's version combines chopped beef patties with American cheese, onions, bell pepper, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and Bodega Sauce on a hero roll.
Burger Bodega
A smash burger from Burger Bodega
Katy expansion has been long anticipated
Burger Bodega's expansion into the Katy area has been in the works for more than a year.
Plans for the Franz Road restaurant were announced in late 2024, with the new location initially expected to open in summer 2025. The upcoming Chamber ribbon cutting comes more than a year after that original target and provides the clearest indication yet that the restaurant is preparing to welcome Katy-area customers.
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records describe the project as a new, freestanding 3,000-square-foot restaurant with an estimated construction cost of $1.5 million. The original state filing listed construction as beginning in January 2025 with an anticipated completion in April 2025.
“We are thrilled to announce our second location in Katy,” Dhanani said in a statement when the expansion was announced. “Katy is such a vibrant and welcoming community, and we are excited to bring our concept to even more people in the area.”
Dhanani also credited customers with helping Burger Bodega grow from its pop-up beginnings into a restaurant preparing to open a second permanent location.
“The past two years at our first location have been incredible, and we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from our customers,” Dhanani said. “This support has been the driving force behind our growth, and we cannot wait to share this new chapter with everyone in Katy.”
The Katy restaurant will also significantly expand Burger Bodega's reach beyond its original Washington Avenue location.
Dhanani previously said Katy's growing food scene and large Muslim community were factors in choosing the area for Burger Bodega's second permanent location. Burger Bodega serves a halal menu.
The new restaurant's location at the northwest corner of North Mason and Franz places it in a heavily traveled commercial area surrounded by established neighborhoods in the north Katy area.
Burger Bodega's main website continues to prominently feature its original Houston restaurant, while the company's online ordering system has added the Franz Road location.
The Sept. 9 ribbon cutting is scheduled from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at 21904 Franz Road.
Stay ahead of what’s coming to Katy. From new restaurants and retailers to major developments and local decisions that affect your community, Covering Katy News keeps you informed. Subscribe today and support local journalism focused on the Katy area.