Food & Beverage

Katy burger fans who have been waiting for Burger Bodega to make its long-planned move west finally have a date to circle.

The Houston-born smash burger restaurant will officially open its new Katy location at 21904 Franz Road on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at the corner of Franz Road and North Mason Road. Doors are expected to open at 11 a.m., marking Burger Bodega's first expansion beyond its original Washington Avenue restaurant. 

"The wait is (almost) over, Katy!!" Burger Bodega announced ahead of the opening. "Our official open date for our Katy location is September 19th, 2026. We are going to be located at 21904 Franz Rd, Katy, TX 77449.. right at the corner of N Mason and Franz Road. We have a lot of cool things planned for our grand opening and we can not wait to finally serve you!"

For Katy-area diners, the opening means one of Houston's better-known homegrown burger concepts will now be within easier reach, without the drive into central Houston.

From Backyard Pop-Ups to a Houston Burger Destination

Burger Bodega began well before it had a permanent storefront.

Chef and owner Abbas Dhanani launched the concept as a pop-up in 2021, building a following around crispy-edged smash burgers and a playful identity inspired by the neighborhood bodegas of New York City. The popularity of those pop-ups eventually led to Burger Bodega's first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 4520 Washington Avenue in Houston, which opened in November 2022. 

The restaurant quickly became recognizable for more than its burgers. Its Washington Avenue space combined Houston street-food culture with a New York bodega look, complete with shelves of faux convenience-store products, bold graphics and an intentionally casual atmosphere.

That same visual personality is being carried into Katy. The new restaurant will seat just over 100 people, include an outdoor patio and offer a dedicated pickup and curbside window for to-go orders. Artwork and bodega-inspired design elements will once again be part of the experience. 

Dhanani has said Katy was not a random choice for the company's first expansion.

"Katy has been on our radar since day one," he said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. "It's one of the most vibrant, food-loving communities in the Houston area, and we're beyond grateful for the chance to bring Burger Bodega here. This grand opening is for everyone who has supported us since we were slinging burgers out of a backyard pop-up." 

What's on the Burger Bodega Katy Menu?

The Katy Burger Bodega will bring over the core menu that helped establish the Houston location.

At the center is the Double Smash Burger, made with two smashed beef patties, American cheese, grilled onions, house-made pickles and Bodega sauce on a potato bun. Burger Bodega also serves single and triple versions of the burger. The restaurant uses 100 percent halal beef, an important part of the concept and one that helped make Katy especially appealing to Dhanani because of the area's large Muslim community. 

Another signature is the Chopped Cheese, Burger Bodega's take on the New York staple, made with chopped beef patties, American cheese, onions, bell pepper, lettuce, tomatoes and Bodega sauce on a hero roll.

The menu also includes crispy thin-cut fries along with heavier options such as Screwed Fries, topped with cheese sauce, onions and Bodega sauce, and Chopped Fries, which add chopped beef and bell peppers. Milkshakes round out the menu, with flavors that have included traditional choices alongside options such as Vietnamese coffee and mango lassi. 

That mix of recognizable burger-shop food and influences from Houston's multicultural dining scene has become part of Burger Bodega's identity.

Why Burger Bodega's Katy Opening Matters

The new restaurant also says something about how Katy's dining landscape continues to change.

While the area has long attracted large national restaurant chains, it has increasingly become a destination for independent Houston concepts and locally grown brands looking to reach families across Katy, west Houston and surrounding communities. Burger Bodega's move to Franz Road puts another Houston-founded restaurant into that mix.

For Burger Bodega, it is a significant step as well. Until now, the brand's physical presence has remained centered on Washington Avenue, even as its reputation spread across the Houston area through social media, pop-ups, collaborations and word of mouth. The Washington Avenue restaurant was included in the Houston Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants of 2025. 

The Katy restaurant gives Dhanani and his team a chance to see whether the following they built closer to Houston's urban core translates into the suburbs — and based on the length of time locals have been asking when the Katy location would open, there appears to be plenty of anticipation.

Burger Bodega Katy Opening Details

Burger Bodega Katy is scheduled to open Saturday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m. at 21904 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77449, near the intersection of North Mason Road and Franz Road.

The restaurant has said additional plans are in store for the grand opening, although full details have not yet been announced.

For Katy residents who have been watching the project develop, Sept. 19 will finally answer the most important question: when can they get the burger without heading down the Katy Freeway toward Washington Avenue?

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for updates on new Katy restaurants, business openings and other changes shaping the community.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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