After five years of hosting sold-out pop-up events, Houston Chef Joseph Boudreaux opens his brick-and-mortar location called Boo’s Burgers in the East End.
“I’m a kid from Houston. I love my city and I hope I’m being a proper reflection of it.
Chef Joseph Boudreaux
“I’m a kid from Houston. I love my city and I hope I’m being a proper reflection of it,” says Boudreaux, standing inside his newly opened restaurant on Navigation Boulevard.
Born and raised on the East Side with family roots in Louisiana, Boudreaux is intentional about keeping his business close to home. “Montrose, the Heights, they have enough restaurants. I wanted to be somewhere where people look like me. Black and Brown people. A neighborhood steeped in culture. A place where I could make an impact.”
Boo’s Burgers started like many great things do, out of necessity and vision. After earning his degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Houston, Boudreaux was working in corporate banking. But a layoff in 2018 forced him to pivot.
“It wasn’t rewarding,” he says. “I liked the money but felt most fulfilled interacting with people.”
That led him to coffee.
“I was a barista for about three or four years. Then I started a cafe with one of my good friends called Tipping Point Coffee,” he says. They used the space to build community, activate culture and eventually launch Boo’s. “We started doing food pop-ups. I had it in my mind that I really wanted to do a burger spot. Something nostalgic, based on the old-school burger stands I grew up going to.”
His food philosophy is simple. He wants to create a solid burger that everyone can enjoy. He’s proud of Boo’s OG Smashburger, a quarter-pounder made with meat ground in-house, housemade pickles and sauce, thinly shaved onions and a challah bun from local bakery Cake & Bacon.
“That was the hill I decided to die on,” he said. “We grind our own meat. It’s all from scratch.”
For vegetarians, there’s the Shroom Sammie, crispy oyster mushroom clusters topped with mustard greens, cabbage slaw and garlic aioli.
“I put so much time into the OG, it just felt disingenuous to hand my non-meat-eating friends an Impossible patty,” Boudreaux says. “We want to execute at a high level.”
The space itself is a tribute to Boudreaux’s journey. Designed by Garnish Design, the interior blends retro diner energy with deep personal touches.
“These are my grandparents,” he says, pointing to the wall. “The spots I looked up to were those old-school joints with the celebrity picture wall. This is our version. But these are my people.”
Houston photographer and creative collaborator Josh West, who began working with Boudreaux in preparation for the physical location, says Boo’s is much more than a burger joint.
“Joe’s intention has always been clear. This isn’t a me thing, it’s a we thing. He’s not just trying to make money slinging burgers. He’s showing people what real work, care and community investment look like,” West says. “You can see it in how he sources his food, brings folks in and tells his story. That grand opening? People lined up before the doors opened and kept coming in waves all day.”
Boo’s is still small, but its impact is growing.
“We’re small, but mighty. Quality over volume. We want people to come in, get a burger, fries and a drink for under $20,” he says. “That’s what being accessible looks like to me. If someone wants to come two, three times a week, they should be able to.”
Transitioning from pop-up to full-scale restaurant came with challenges.
“Staffing was a big one,” he says. “When we were just popping up, it was based on my energy. Friends would come work the register, help assemble burgers. Now I’ve got a full staff. People’s livelihoods depend on me.”
Finding the right space was another uphill battle. He told real estate agents that he needed a thousand square feet. They kept offering him 5,000. But Bourdeaux knew what he wanted. The current space was a burger stand before he arrived. He is now making it a home.
And when asked what advice he has for other Black and Brown entrepreneurs looking to build something for the community, Boudreaux offers three powerful lessons: “First, community is about what you can give, not what you can get. A lot of people talk about what the community can do for them. But it’s about listening, providing something real.”
“Second, fear has no place in this work. Entrepreneurship is hard. But anytime there’s fear, I say step into it.”
“And third, execute. Be passionate. Hold yourself above any standard anyone else would hold you to.”
Joseph Boudreaux is doing exactly that. One burger at a time.
