Certified Smash 2 Houston Locations Est. 2021

Hotline Burger

Hotline Burger
Energy Corridor, Houston, Texas · 100% Halal beef smashburgers · 2 locations
📍 1585 Hwy 6, Houston, TX 77077 · 📞 (832) 684-6910

Houston's #1-ranked smashburger per DiningOut, built with 100% Halal beef, caramelized onions, and the house Smack Sauce. Two locations, consistently 4.7+ stars.

Smashburger Halal Beef Energy Corridor Smack Sauce
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Smash Score
83SMASH
SCORE
Certified Smash
Houston DMA
Market
0 Tier 1 Hits
Editorial Coverage
6 Sources
Scored Inputs
Medium
Confidence
Last calculated April 2026
Algorithm v1.1

Representative photography. Actual appearance may vary.

The Story

Houston's Pop-Up Origin Story.
Built to Keep the Smash Tight.

Hotline Burger began in Summer 2019 as a nameless pop-up slinging SoCal-style smash burgers at Houston bars and breweries, then expanded in 2021 into two permanent locations: Energy Corridor on Highway 6 and Chinatown on Bellaire Boulevard. The concept stays intentionally focused on fast, consistent smash execution.

The namesake Hotline Burger is a double smash of 100% Halal beef with American cheese, sweet grilled onions, pickles, and house Smack Sauce on a buttered bun. DiningOut Houston ranked it #1 on its best smashburgers in Houston list, and consumer ratings remain extremely strong.

Score Breakdown

How the 83 Was Calculated

Critics 35% weight
0
Crowd 45% weight
96
Community 10% weight
81
Accolades 10% weight
0
RAW WEIGHTED AVG
82.96
COMPETITION BONUS
+0
SOURCES SCORED
6
Final score formula: 82.96 raw weighted average + 0 qualitative boost + 0 competition bonus = 83.
The Burger

Hotline Burger

🥩
Build
Two smashed patties of 100% Halal beef
🧀
Cheese
American
🍞
Bun
Buttered bun
🥕
Toppings
Sweet grilled onions, pickles, Smack Sauce
💵
Price
$11.99
🍽
Sides
Smack Fries (must-order)
🔥
Concept
SoCal-style fast-casual smashburger spot
📅
Opened
2021
Location

Find Hotline Burger

⭐ Primary Location
Energy Corridor
1585 Hwy 6, Houston, TX 77077
(832) 684-6910
Mon-Thu11:00am-9:00pm
Friday11:00am-9:30pm
Saturday11:30am-9:30pm
Sunday11:30am-9:00pm
Second Location
Chinatown / Sharpstown
8880 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036
Mon-Thu11:00am-8:45pm
Friday11:00am-9:15pm
Saturday11:45am-9:15pm
Sunday11:45am-8:45pm
What Critics & Diners Say

Review Excerpts

"

Built with double patties of 100% Halal beef, pressed on a hot griddle until crisp, locking in a juicy center. Every bite delivers a fantastic balance of crunch and melt.

DiningOut Houston
"

Phil's take on the smashburger is outstandingly delicious, and almost belongs in its own category of excellence.

Best Burgers Near Me
"

The smack fries put In-N-Out to shame and stay crispy even after the cheese melts over them.

Yelp
"

Hotline Burger's Patty Melt features two smashed beef patties, grilled onions, Swiss, pickles, and Smack Sauce on Texas toast.

Tasting Table
Accolades & List Inclusions

The Record

🏆
DiningOut Houston - #1 Best Smashburger in Houston
2025
📋
Best Burgers Near Me - #7 of Top 30 Hamburgers in Houston
2025
📋
Tasting Table - 30 Absolute Best Burgers in Houston (#27)
2023
📋
CultureMap Houston - Featured at Underground Hall opening
2020
Our Assessment

Strengths & Caveats

✓ Strengths
Ranked #1 smashburger in Houston by DiningOut Houston (August 2025).
100% Halal beef is a clear differentiator in Houston's smashburger scene.
High consumer scores: Yelp 4.7 and Google 4.9 in the source set.
Smack Sauce is a signature proprietary element praised across reviews.
Two Houston locations improve accessibility and consistency.
⚠ Caveats
No Tier 1 editorial coverage in the provided source set.
No formal competition awards found in source data.
Tasting Table placement of #27/30 suggests limited national editorial profile.
Hours end relatively early on weekdays compared with late-night burger competitors.