Confession time: I hate waiting in line for things. The last time I remember standing around for an opening was L&L Hawaiian Grill when it opened off Austin Highway because well, it turns out I'll do anything for Spam musubi.
So when Austin's
Hopdoddy Burger Bar opened at 17623 La Cantera Pkwy., Suite 101 in late April, I decided to give the burger chain a sec ... or several secs ... more like two weeks, before I headed in that direction.
But it was silly of me, almost naive considering I've been food and nightlife editor for almost three years to not expect a line out the door even then. Fool that I am, my dining partner and I drove up to Main Street at The Rim at around 7 p.m. on a Saturday and witnessed a line of 30-plus people outside the eatery's doors. Hard pass.
So it wasn't until I was once again in the area this past weekend that I was able to get my hands on those buns. A friend and stopped in at around 12:45 p.m. Saturday and managed to avoid a very long line. Sure, there were 10 or so people in line in front of us, but at least we were inside the building.
The location itself is pretty impressive. It features that same sleek design as the original South Congress location but includes a bier garten, a first for the burger chain.
Their ordering system is about as wonky as I remember it, but it helps keep track of where people are sitting and what they're ordering so I won't fight it ...
I stuck with the classic burger, but added bacon and cheese, as well as the gin black cherry hard limeade, and was pleased. The burger isn't a giant beast you have to take down with two hands, nor is it excessively messy. The fixins are fresh, the meat is cooked medium as most gourmet burgers should be. Though the fries my friend ordered weren't really our favorite, the limemade and her ginger lemonade were refreshing. It gave me hope for the rest of the bar menu, which includes a few drool-worthy margaritas and a SoCo sweet tea with house-infused lemoncello and Deep Eddy sweet tea vodka.
If you're able to sneak in during the rare slow times, Hopdoddy Burger Bar is already making for swell shopping fuel.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar is open 11 to 10 p.m. daily.
