Austin's #6-ranked smashburger per The Infatuation, built on wagyu beef with a surprisingly intense crispy sear. $5 on Burger Mondays inside Lavaca Street Bar on South Lamar.
Thunder Chief is the bar kitchen program at Lavaca Street Bar on South Lamar, bringing chef-driven bar food — smashburgers, wagyu beef, Korean fried chicken sandwiches, and birria crunchwraps — to the heart of Austin's liveliest strip. The concept launched around 2023 and established itself quickly enough that The Infatuation made it a named destination in Austin's smashburger rankings. A former Rainey Street location closed in March 2024; the South Lamar kitchen remains the sole active outpost.
Thunder Chief uses wagyu beef for its smash patties — a controversial choice for a format typically defined by economy cuts and maximum surface sear. But the execution wins the argument: both patties take on an intense crispy char while staying pink and juicy inside, and the finished burger reads as beefy in a way that most smashburgers don't. The Infatuation ranked it #6 in Austin and called it 'the beefiest of them all.' Show up on a Monday and the single smash is $5 — arguably the best food deal on South Lamar.
The double smashburger is massive, with wagyu beef patties that somehow take on an intense crispy char while staying perfectly pink throughout.
The beefiest of them all. Tastes more like a classic backyard burger than the paper-thin patties we tend to associate with smashburgers.
If you're going to make the silly decision to use wagyu beef in a smashburger, this is how to cook it.
This menu is seriously so good. I get the smashburger many times ($5 on Mondays!) — perfect execution.
Such an amazing hidden gem. Great smashburger with a nice crisp edge on the patties.
4.7 stars from 120+ delivery ratings — consistently praised for quality and value.