Hamburgers By Gourmet

[overman138]

Anybody remember Burgers by Gourmet? I remember it from when I was young. I think it was located somewhere around St. Thomas. I remember the inside had a counter and might have had some kind of newsprint wallpaper. The burgers were wrapped in brown or orange paper, I think. Just a random musing. Can anyone confirm its location or supply a photo?

[sevfiv]

There is a long thread here that has some talk about it (link) - here's the picture i posted of an advertisement for the one in the Village:

[mikeybob2]

Anybody remember Burgers by Gourmet? I remember it from when I was young. I think it was located somewhere around St. Thomas. I remember the inside had a counter and might have had some kind of newsprint wallpaper. The burgers were wrapped in brown or orange paper, I think. Just a random musing. Can anyone confirm its location or supply a photo?

The one I used to go to was on the corner of Yoakum and W. Alabama (Southwest corner). I remember the decor as having a lot of yellow but those were the drug days of the early 70's so it might have been newsprint.

[memebag]

There was one down in the underground at Greenway Plaza. I have wonderful memories of running over there during Aeros games to pick up burgers, then taking them back up to the sound booth in the Summit to eat with my dad. I got to go backstage and use all the secret doors because I didn't have a ticket stub. That was a happenin' place in the late 70s.

[rsb320]

Anybody remember Burgers by Gourmet? I remember it from when I was young. I think it was located somewhere around St. Thomas. I remember the inside had a counter and might have had some kind of newsprint wallpaper. The burgers were wrapped in brown or orange paper, I think. Just a random musing. Can anyone confirm its location or supply a photo?

I remember it being where you said, near an equipment rental place (ABC Rentals, I think). It seems like the burger place had brown lattice and a drive-thru.

Down the street (Alabama) on the other side of the street was a place called Jenny's Hidaway. It was a converted old house. It later became something else.

[Subdude]

We used to go frequently to one on Kirby at University. I think it was where the Chinese restaurant is now. I still remember that Jalapeno Burger.

[brucesw]

I think there's another thread on Hamburgers by Gourmet here on HAIF. The original one was in what is now the Castle Dental building on Kirby; I first went there in September, 1970, and was blown away. The one on Alabama at Yoakum was one of the last ones and it was still there in the mid-to-late 80s - I went there often when I worked on Lovett, as did many of my co-workers.

The last one I think was on Park Place, just east of Reveille.

I went to the one in Greenway Plaza just once when I worked there and didn't like it - the patties were precooked to serve the hordes quickly and sometimes dried out and lukewarm by the time the burgers were assembled - at least the one I got the one time I went was and I wasn't turned on the sight of the big pan of pre-cooked patties.

My fav was either the cheddar cheese bacon burger or the chili cheese grilled knockwurst burger but their tacos were the best fast food crispy tacos ever.

[Croberts]

Anybody remember Burgers by Gourmet? I remember it from when I was young. I think it was located somewhere around St. Thomas. I remember the inside had a counter and might have had some kind of newsprint wallpaper. The burgers were wrapped in brown or orange paper, I think. Just a random musing. Can anyone confirm its location or supply a photo?

I remember it and ate there- Yoakum on the south side of alabama. It was a small chain, and this was one of the last ones. I went by there in the 90s and it was gone.

Edited May 11, 2008 by Croberts

[Absinthe_1900]

We used to go frequently to one on Kirby at University. I think it was where the Chinese restaurant is now. I still remember that Jalapeno Burger.

It was at Kirby and Tangley.

[robhan]

I went to the University Of St. Thomas in the 90's and enjoyed the wonderful greasy burgers at the location where the UST Chapel of St. Basil is now. Am I wrong or were there other locations in the city?

[sevfiv]

That was the 3802 Yoakum location.

In the mid-seventies they were also at:

-1929 Allen Parkway (in this building)

-2910 Hillcroft (Vietnam Coast restaurant now?)

-5712 Kirby (Castle Dental)

-1318 Louisiana (Benihana)

-1011 Milam

[rsb320]

This topic is a duplication of this one http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=15752

[dbigtex56]

This topic is a duplication of this one http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=15752

Thanks - topics have been merged.

Link to parallel thread.

[mrfootball]

Ahh yes. We used to go to the one on FM 1960 in the Target shopping center near Greenwood Forest.

[pachanga]

randy yost owned the gourmet hamburger place...there was an article in last weeks houston press about a murder in 1 of his rent houses....

Edited July 10, 2008 by pachanga

[citykid09]

I know this is a little of topic, but did Texas or the Houston area ever have White Castle, Harddes, or Ruby Tuesday?

[rsb320]

I know this is a little of topic, but did Texas or the Houston area ever have White Castle, Harddes, or Ruby Tuesday?

No White Castles. In the south Krystal is the equivalent, but they're more in southeastern states. I don't ever recall seeing Hardees either in Texas. Ruby's was here though, even recently. There was one (standalone) in a Randall's parking lot in the TMC area. For some reason they tore down the relatively new building and threw up a Chic Filet. I never could figure that out.

[mikeybob2]

I know this is a little of topic, but did Texas or the Houston area ever have White Castle, Harddes, or Ruby Tuesday?

There are a couple of Ruby Tuesdays in the Houston area... Katy, Sugarland, and Willowbrook..

[Zarec]

They had a breaded and deep-fried burger with cucumbers that was so good.......

[TexasVines]

No White Castles. In the south Krystal is the equivalent, but they're more in southeastern states. I don't ever recall seeing Hardees either in Texas. Ruby's was here though, even recently. There was one (standalone) in a Randall's parking lot in the TMC area. For some reason they tore down the relatively new building and threw up a Chic Filet. I never could figure that out.

There was a Hardees in Nacogdoches in the late 80s early 90s, but it looks like it is gone now

[memebag]

There was a Hardee's at Memorial City in the 70s. It was exotic, and didn't last very long.

[headrush77]

About 2000, Hamburgers by Gourmet was opened for about a year on Park Place BLVD. Mr. Yost was thinking about moving the restaurant to Clear Lake.

[houstonmacbro]

I think there was also one at South Post Oak.

[tcpIV]

Hamburgers by Gourmet was at the Corner of Yoakum and W. Alabama. It split the property where the Chapel of St. Basil now sits. It faced Yoakum with a drive-thru wrapping around the W. Alabama side.

[GaryLG]

I well remember the H by G on Kirby between WestU and Bissonette from 1970ish. They must have spent a fortune on antique candlestick table phones. They also met the dawn of drivethroughs head on.

That burger sauce was awesome. Never tasted anything like it anywhere else until... I assdentally recreated it around 2004. Half ketchup, half Kraft hickory smoke sauce. I had added a dollop of of the hickory BBQ sauce to a McD DblCheese with ketchup. Voila! McD by Gourmet! I keep a bottle premixed at the house now.

Cheers.

[Steve Parsons]

I used to work at the one on Hillcroft, between Westheimer and Richmond when I was in high school back in 1972. I miss it! I found a old baggie with a few books of their matches in an old back pack recently, and stashed them away.

[ArchFan]

I have fond memories of their Austin location, in the basement of a building on the drag (Guadalupe St) across from the UT architecture building.  The chain in general reminded me of Hamburget Hamlet in LA, which had menu consisting mostly of hamburgers with many different topping options. 

 

I don't recall when the Austin location folded, but I think the building was later taken over by the Church of Scientology.

[IronTiger]

There was a Hamburgers by Gourmet in College Station, too, but I forgot where. It was in the 1980s, I think.

[Brad L.]

My car club used to meet at the one at 4715 Westheimer.  I still have an old newsletter from January, 1985 showing the address.  The building is long gone and had been replaced by a strip center.  The Grotto Ristorante occupies the approximate space.

[BRUCEW]

I worked at the one Westeimer, Hillcroft and Kirby. Would like to know what happened to Randy Jones.

[Southernpilot]

Does anyone ever remember a fatality of an employee at the Kirby store? Someone on Facebook said her friend was killed to due a spark igniting cleaning fluid.

SP

[Whatgives]

It looks like someone's trying to resurrect this restaurant, on NASA Parkway just southwest of the visitor center.  The sign on the building looks like the logo posted in reply #2 of this thread.

 

Anyone know anything about it?

[sevfiv]

Interesting - I will check it out this afternoon!

[sevfiv]

Well, it sure is! No other information, though..

 

[Texmex1]

Please keep us updated on this!

 

 

 

Well, it sure is! No other information, though..

 

 

[Whatgives]

Please keep us updated on this!

 

I'll be watching for this place to open, and will let you know when it does.

[Earlydays]

i'll list all the former toodle house locations

 

Isn't it Toddle House?

[sevfiv]

A little more information:

 

As for an opening date of the new one: the NASA locale is the planned location of a reception of the United States Pilot Association’s Spring Fly-In in early March.

 

http://swamplot.com/hamburgers-by-gourmet-readies-for-relaunch-by-space-center-houston/2016-02-16/

[Subdude]

I am looking forward to seeing the new Hamburgers by Gourmet menu.  

[Fringe]

I am looking forward to seeing the new Hamburgers by Gourmet menu.  

 

Me to. Wonder if they will have the little chocolate mouse parfaits?  I ate far to many of those delicious deserts back in the day. 

[Whatgives]

On 2/15/2016 at 11:54 AM, Subdude said:

I am looking forward to seeing the new Hamburgers by Gourmet menu.  

You could get a sneak peek by rolling through the drive-through--that menu signage is now up.

[Whatgives]

On 3/29/2016 at 10:25 AM, Whatgives said:

You could get a sneak peek by rolling through the drive-through--that menu signage is now up.

Talked with the owner a few days ago (called the phone number listed per Google) and he was hoping to be open by Thurs or Fri of last week.  Went by at lunchtime Fri and they were stocking foodstuffs inside, but not open yet. Soft opening should be any day now, though.

Did get a shot of the drive-through menu, though--see attached.

[sevfiv]

^Neat - thanks for the update!

[Subdude]

The Jalapeno Burger returns!

 

[Whatgives]

Drove by this afternoon and saw the "Open" sign was lit, and folks were inside eating.  Hopefully I'll get to sample a burger within the next few days.

[Urbannizer]

Wasn't around when they were all over Houston, but I too plan to sample one sometime next week.

[Urbannizer]

Was here last Thursday. Jalapeno burger was great, just took me some time to eat it! Tons of fries too. 

 

 

 

[ChannelTwoNews]

Website is now up: http://www.hamburgersbygourmet.com/

[Whatgives]

Well, that didn't last long.  Not sure when it closed, but the place is now dark and there are "FOR LEASE" signs on all the windows.  Rats.

[mkultra25]

That's too bad, I never got a chance to check it out. I have to think that they'd probably do better with a location inside the loop. Or maybe not, perhaps I'm overestimating the number of people who remember eating at the original locations.