Burger Bucket List: 15 Burgers To Taste In East Texas

Published 7:30 am Friday, March 5, 2021

By Christina Cavazos
ccavazos@news-journal.com

A double cheese burger at Longview’s Fat Boyzzz on Wednesday January 20, 2021. (Michael Cavazos/ News-Journal Photo)

A decent burger isn’t hard to find. Almost any restaurant that serves classic, American food will have at least a handful of tasty options.

Finding an outstanding burger isn’t as simple.



Many things make a burger special — the way the meat is pattied, the seasonings used, whether the buns are toasted or not. You can get a burger with almost any imaginable topping tailored to your palate. The freshness of those toppings can play a role in how the whole burger tastes.

What ultimately makes a burger the best?

It’s really a matter of exactly how satisfying it is.

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“I’m a burger fanatic and this is my favorite,” Chris Capps said as he ate a hamburger – better known as a “Bubba Burger” – at Fugler’s Grocery and Market in Marshall. “I don’t know what to say except that my belly loves it.”

Fugler’s launched East Texas into the national burger spotlight when Marshall native George Foreman told Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” that Fugler’s “Bubba Burger” was the best hamburger he’d ever had.

In fact, Foreman and his family continue to make trips to this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Marshall for a taste of their iconic burger. Pictures of the Foremans with the Fugler family adorn the walls in the combination grocery store, laundromat and hamburger restaurant.

Not only did Fugler’s take a seat in the national spotlight, the restaurant also proved that the best burgers can come from anywhere, from a small-town favorite to the fanciest of restaurants, anyone can make an outstanding hamburger.

We went on a search to find the best burgers in East Texas.

Although the burgers on this list are special in their own ways, many of them have the same qualities you’d expect: a soft, toasted bun; juicy, hand-pattied beef seasoned and cooked to perfection; and fresh veggies often chopped daily in house.

In no particular order, here is our Burger Bucket List of 15 hamburgers you have to taste across East Texas.

Fugler’s

At George Foreman’s favorite burger joint, John “Bubba” Fugler Jr. serves hamburgers in the combined grocery store, restaurant and laundromat that his family has owned since 1940.

While the store has existed for 81 years, it started serving burgers exactly 40 years ago in 1981 after a neighbor came in and asked for Bubba to cook a hamburger.

Fugler’s serves one of the largest patties around at 12 ounces. Meat is ground in-house daily and patties are formed by hand. Buns are toasted on both sides and toppings are customized to whatever a person wants.

“We make it exactly how you want it,” Fugler said.

Stack the patties as high as you want for your ultimate burger experience. The record is currently a burger with six patties and 12 slices of cheese.

Try a double cheeseburger. You’ll leave feeling satisfied, full and maybe in need of an afternoon nap when you leave. Fugler’s is located at 10079 Texas 154 in Marshall.

If You Go

Fat Boyzzz

For hearty portions of delicious down-home food, including one of the best burgers in Longview, look no further than Fat Boyzzz.

Dwayne Alexander started his restaurant five years ago with a desire to bring home-cooked meals to South Longview. He learned to cook from his mother and his father, who worked for more than 30 years at Longview’s iconic Johnny Cace’s Seafood and Steak House restaurant.

At Alexander’s restaurant, everything is made from scratch including the hamburgers. Fat Boyzzz juicy hamburgers feature half-pound patties made with Angus beef and placed on a sourdough bun. The hand-pattied meat is placed on a sourdough bun that’s toasted to perfection and topped with fresh cut veggies.

“The meat, the way we season it, the bread, the fresh vegetables – it’s a combination of everything but it’s one of the best combinations around,” Alexander said.

With music playing and a relaxed atmosphere, Alexander has transformed the former Denny’s on I-20 into a cool hangout with amazing food.

Try a double patty cheeseburger with all the toppings for an excellent experience. Fat Boyzzz is located at 607 N. Access Road in Longview, just off of I-20 at Estes Parkway.

If You Go

Kamo’s Kajun Grill

One of the newest additions to the East Texas burger scene is arguably one of the best around, and it’s entirely the creation of 19-year-old Tylerite, Kameron Mitchell.

Mitchell started up Kamo’s Kajun Grill toward the end of his senior year of high school, but he’s been cooking almost as long as he’s been walking. He wanted to use his finesse to offer a new type of burger to East Texas.

Enter the Cajun burger. A special blend of seasonings gives Kamo’s patties a unique, Cajun flavor. Patties are flavorful and fluffy, veggies are fresh and buns are toasted.

“Everything we put onto our burger or anything in our restaurant is farm to table. We use locally sourced ingredients that increase the quality of our food,” Mitchell said.

Kamo’s Cut Beef Boudin Burger is a crowd pleaser. It’s a Cajun patty with toppings that include boudin all placed between two buns. Try it with a side of Brenden’s seasoned fries created by Mitchell’s brother.

Kamo’s is located at 16700 FM 2493 in Tyler.

If You Go

  • What: Kamo’s Kajun Grill
  • Where: 16700 FM 2493, Tyler
  • Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
  • Phone: (903) 258-4205
  • Information: www.facebook.com/KamosKajunGrill

Butcher Shop

Since 1983, Butcher Shop has been serving up some of the most iconic hamburgers in Longview.

“Our entire process starts with grinding our meat fresh daily. That takes a hamburger to the next level,” said Michael Ashdown, the restaurant’s director of operations and marketing. “We put our patties on freshly baked buns and allow the custom to choose their toppings at our fixins bar.”

In addition to its traditional burgers, Butcher Shop also has a Bet You Can’t Burger Challenge which dares individuals to eat a burger made with a 5-pound ground beef patty, topped with a half-pound of melted shredded cheddar cheese on a giant sourdough bun with 2 pounds of fries served on the side. Patrons have one hour to complete the challenge. Though many have tried, none have conquered this burger feat so far.

Family-owned and operated, Butcher Shop offers a variety of specialty burgers including The Flamethrower. This burger features an 8-ounce patty topped with ghost pepper cheese, bacon, freshly grilled jalapeno slices and habanero mayonnaise on a jalapeno cheddar bun.

Butcher Shop is located at 102 Lehigh St. in Longview.

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East Texas Burger Co.

East Texas Burger Co., located at 124 E. Broad St. in Mineola, may have been established in 1984 but if walls could talk this restaurant would tell stories that date back to the days of Bonnie and Clyde who stopped in the building when it was a different restaurant.

Napkin art from restaurant patrons and memorabilia recounting the restaurant’s history adorn the walls in this classic hamburger joint. The cooking method makes their hamburgers unique, owner Ken Davis said.

“Everything is fresh. Our meat is hand-pattied everyday and of course all of the ingredients that we add to it are fresh,” he said. “All of that combined means that we serve a really top-notch, quality product every day.”

Popular burgers include the Bacon Three Cheese Burger and the Allaso Burger, which is named after nearby Allaso Ranch. The Allaso Burger features a half-pound patty, topped with jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, bacon and chipotle mayonnaise on a jalapeno bun.

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Loggins Restaurant

For 71 years, Loggins Restaurant has been a popular Tyler lunch spot, especially among East Texas Aggies who will find extensive Texas A&M memorabilia adorning the restaurant’s walls.

Locally owned by Texas A&M alumni Jerry and Lyana Loggins, the restaurant has a vast menu that includes a good, old-fashioned, classic hamburger.

Manager Patricia McNease said the burger’s uniqueness comes from grinding its hamburger meat daily and making its own buns. The difference can be tasted in the homemade buns, which take this burger to the next level.

“We have fresh buns, fresh hamburger meat and a lot of nostalgia in our food,” McNease said.

The restaurant serves classic burgers, bacon cheeseburgers and jalapeno burgers with quarter-pound patties seasoned to perfection. Try a slice of Loggins homemade pie for dessert to complete your meal.

Loggins is located at 137 S. Glenwood Blvd. in Tyler.

If You Go

Jucys

Since opening the doors of its first restaurant in Longview in 1980, this locally owned restaurant chain has lived up to its name by serving some of the juiciest hamburgers in East Texas.

The late Ronny Maxey opened the original Jucys at 816 W. Marshall Ave. in Longview about 41 years ago. Since opening, the restaurant grew so much in popularity that the family has opened two additional locations in Longview, one in Marshall and two locations in Tyler. A third Tyler location is currently under construction.

Jucys makes everything in house to maintain a fresh quality. From grinding their own meat to slicing their own vegetables, Jucys keeps its quality high with its freshly made burgers.

While Jucys offers a variety of hamburgers, we recommend the classic Jucys cheeseburger made with a half-pound patty, topped with your choice of cheese and toppings, and served on a toasted bun.

If You Go

Dairy Palace

An East Texas burger bucket list wouldn’t be complete without this world famous restaurant.

The weekend prior to the first Monday of every month nearly every available table at Dairy Palace will be filled as travelers from far and wide flock to Canton for First Monday Trade Days. But just about any regular day, the Dairy Palace will also be filled with loyal customers who enjoy the restaurant’s many hamburger options.

Dairy Palace, located at 2301 N. Trade Days Blvd. in Canton, first opened its doors in 1984 with a simple menu focused on burgers, fries and Blue Bell ice cream.

Today, the menu has grown substantially and now includes some of the most exotic burgers you’ll find in East Texas, including elk, duck, venison, bison, wild boar and turkey burgers.

If you prefer a classic burger, you won’t go wrong with any choice from the classic menu. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the bison burger. This hamburger consists of a one-third pound buffalo patty topped with mustard, pickle, onion, lettuce and tomato on a 5-inch buttered and grill-toasted wheat bun.

If You Go

Rick’s on the Square

For 28 years, Rick’s on the Square has served up a menu of richly diverse culinary options in Tyler.

“It’s all about the quality,” Assistant Manager Health Dewaele said. “Everything is fresh. We get three shipments of seafood, produce, the whole works every single week. … So when you come here, your food is going to be fresh every time.”

In the scratch kitchen, everything is made in house including the sauces and dressings. That attention to detail and quality is reflected in the food, including Rick’s burgers.

Burgers feature half-pound patties with a variety of toppings. Fan favorites include the Texas Burger, which features provolone cheese, grilled jalapenos and onions, and housemade chili on a brioche bun, as well as the California Burger which includes Swiss cheese, avocado, grilled onions and mushrooms on a wheat bun.

“We’re here to create an experience for people and that’s what we try to do,” Dewaele said. “From our service staff to our food, we want people to leave not just happy with the food but happy with the service and to have an all around good experience.”

Rick’s on the Square is located at 104 W. Erwin St. in Tyler.

If You Go

Wanda’s Kountry Korner

Located in a convenience store on the outskirts of Longview at 15229 Gum Springs Road, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant serves one of the juiciest burgers around.

Wanda Bullock opened her namesake store in 1976 and started serving burgers in 1979. For 40-plus years, the Bullock family has used a cast iron grill to cook its freshly made patties that are precisely weighed to the half pound.

Her son, Wesley Bullock, said the heart, soul and love the family puts into its food helps set it apart from others. Being family owned with the family members still cooking the burgers themselves daily also has added to the consistency of the food, he said.

“If you came here 10 years ago and you ate a burger, if you come back today you’re going to get the exact same burger,” he said. “We keep everything the same and as consistent as what we’ve always done.”

That includes freshly made patties, shopping at local supermarkets to handpick produce that is then sliced fresh daily, and toasting buns. At Wanda’s, try a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger with a side of fries.

If You Go

Noonday Store

The Noonday Store, which is part of a gas station convenience store at the corner of Texas 155 and Big Eddy Road, has been serving Tylerites for about 30 years.

The restaurant’s staff grinds meat daily and forms patties by hand, employee Judy Layton said. The restaurant focuses on quality meats and vegetables to make the burgers the best.

“They’re very good,” she said. “We have so much repeat business. People come from Palestine, Canton, all over East Texas to try our burgers.”

The burger at Noonday Store is a classic, old-fashioned, smashed hamburger that is a must-try.

If You Go

  • What: Noonday Store
  • Where: 16822 Texas 155, Tyler
  • Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
  • Phone: (903) 534-9498

The Porch at ETX Brewing Co.

After a career working in restaurants, Nate Rhyne opened his own company, The Porch at ETX Brewing Co. three years ago.

Six months later he expanded to include a food truck. In a short amount of time, Rhyne’s burgers became some of the most popular in Tyler.

“We grind fresh daily and we season our meat all the way through our grind, so our burger is a well-seasoned patty,” Rhyne said. “You’re going to taste all the flavors. Then we cook it on a flat top so it sears it nicely and all of our sauces are made from scratch.”

All of that combines to make burgers that Tylerites love. Rhyne has unique offerings including the Dragons Breath Burger which features flaming Cheetos and the Cowboy Burger that includes such Texas themed toppings as jalapenos and barbecue sauce.

But the most popular is the classic Porch Burger, which features a patty topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, cheddar cheese and Rhyne’s homemade Porch Sauce (a seasoned mayonnaise-based sauce).

The restaurant, located at 221 S. Broadway Ave. in Tyler, is open Wednesday through Saturday while the food truck can be found around Tyler on other days.

If You Go

Backstreet Bar & Grill

For 12 years, Rhonda Fulton has cooked the burgers that are ordered at Backstreet Bar & Grill in Longview.

That’s been key to keeping the quality top-notch and consistent over the years. Prior to Fulton taking over the restaurant, her mother operated it for 10 years in the same location at 214 W. Methvin St. in Longview.

“I season my burgers a certain way with a top secret ingredient that no one knows and the patties are handmade by me every day,” Fulton said.

With Fulton cooking the burgers herself, she oversees the quality control of everything being served to her loyal base of customers.

Among her popular items are a patty melt, a classic burger and a jalapeno burger that’s topped with grilled onions, bacon, pepper jack cheese, red pepper and garlic sauce, and served on a jalapeno and cheese bun.

If You Go

The Back Porch

A relaxed atmosphere, live music and freshly made food combine for the ideal setting to enjoy a burger at Kilgore hotspot The Back Porch.

Jackie and Vicki Clayton have owned The Back Porch since 1990, but the roots of the building date back to the 1960s when the building was a pool hall.

Today The Back Porch, located at 904 Broadway Blvd. in Kilgore, serves popular burgers that General Manager Ryan Roberts said are made fresh daily.

From classic burgers to gourmet burgers, The Back Porch offers a variety of options to please any palate. One of the most popular options is the Farmhouse Burger which features a half-pound patty topped with a fried egg, Applewood bacon, fries, lettuce, tomato and mayo served on a brioche bun.

If You Go

Daniel Boone’s Grill & Tavern

In 2021, Daniel Boone’s Grill & Tavern will be celebrating its 20th anniversary of serving fresh food to Tyler.

The late Daniel Boone started his namesake restaurant in a small location on Tyler’s West Loop. In 2004, the restaurant moved to its current location at 1920 East Southeast Loop 323 and has expanded since.

While the restaurant features a vast menu and farmhouse style décor, Janet Boone said the burgers are iconic for their freshness and unique ingredients.

“We make the patties ourselves,” she said. “From the seasoning to the fresh bread to the fresh vegetables that top it, it really is a good quality hamburger.”

The restaurant’s vast menu includes several half-pound patty burgers with a variety of toppings. The Triple-Bacon has three slices of crisp bacon while the Mushroom Swiss features freshly grilled sliced mushrooms.

One of its popular creations, the Pepper-Bite Ranch Burger features a half-pound patty topped with Monterey Jack cheese, breaded and fried jalapeno slices and Daniel Boone’s homemade ranch.

If You Go

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