11 Forgotten ’80s Texas Burgers Locals Wish Were Still Around

Texas in the 1980s was a burger paradise, with family-run drive-ins and counter joints serving up juicy patties on every corner. Then, one by one, these beloved spots vanished – victims of rising rents, changing tastes, or simply the passage of time.

Now, decades later, former regulars still reminisce about the crinkle fries, thick shakes, and flame-broiled flavor that no modern chain can quite replicate.

Let’s pay tribute to some of the most legendary Texas burgers that still make many people’s mouths water today.

1. Players (Austin)

Right by the University of Texas campus, Players became the go-to spot for students craving griddled burgers and thick milkshakes after midnight. Open until the wee hours, it fed generations of Longhorns between 1981 and 2014.

I remember stumbling in there after a late basketball game, still buzzing with adrenaline and hunger. The lease ended when UT decided to redevelop the site, and Players served its last burger on November 23, 2014.

Austin lost a piece of its late-night soul that day, and no food truck has quite filled the void.

2. Holiday House (Austin)

Perched near the water, Holiday House offered a drive-in experience that felt like stepping back in time. Families pulled up for old-school burgers and crispy fried chicken, making it an Austin rite of passage well into the 1980s.

The lakeside vibe and carhop service made every visit feel special, even on ordinary weeknights. By the early 2000s, the last location had closed its doors for good.

Today, Holiday House survives only in faded photographs and handwritten recipe cards tucked into kitchen drawers across Central Texas.

3. Bellaire Broiler Burger (Houston)

That glowing neon crown became a Houston landmark, drawing burger lovers to Bellaire for more than five decades. Flame-broiled patties arrived simple and satisfying, with no gimmicks or secret menus required.

After a two-year closure, the Bellaire Broiler Burger at 5216 Bellaire Blvd briefly reopened in April 2022, then permanently closed in early September 2022; the property was subsequently sold and is being converted to offices.

Houstonians still debate which burger joint truly inherited Bellaire Broiler’s mantle, but most agree the original magic never quite transferred.

4. Kip’s Big Boy (Dallas, Fort Worth & Houston)

Texans who grew up in the 1960s through the 1980s have vivid memories of that towering Big Boy mascot and the double-decker burger slathered in special sauce. Carhops delivered trays to your window, and the whole experience felt like a mini celebration.

As the national brand contracted, the Texas locations began vanishing by the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Today, you can still find a few Big Boy restaurants scattered across other states, but none remain in the Lone Star State.

That checkerboard floor and vinyl booth nostalgia lives on only in old postcards.

5. Burger Chef (Multiple Texas Cities)

Before the big chains dominated every highway exit, Burger Chef served inexpensive, grill-seared patties and pioneered ideas that later brands copied shamelessly. Plenty of Texas families made it their regular stop throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

The chain got sold off and converted to other brands by the early 1980s, erasing Burger Chef from the Texas landscape almost overnight.

I asked my dad about it once, and he still remembers the Funmeals and how the burgers tasted better than anything you could grab today. Those memories are all that remain now.

6. Red Line Burgers (Coastal Bend & Rio Grande Valley)

Founded in 1987, Red Line brought the small-town drive-in vibe to places like Corpus Christi, Brownsville, and Harlingen. Patties arrived overloaded with toppings, and the whole operation felt refreshingly unpretentious.

Over time, the original stores closed one by one, though the brand has seen a few sporadic revival attempts. None of those comebacks has recaptured the magic of those late-1980s and early-1990s shops.

For folks in the Rio Grande Valley, Red Line remains a bittersweet memory of simpler times and bigger appetites.

7. Prince’s Hamburgers (Houston)

Carhops on roller skates, a giant neon crown, and burgers piled high with chili and onions made Prince’s a Houston institution throughout the 1980s. Multiple locations dotted the city, each one buzzing with families and teenagers.

The last old-guard location closed in 2018, ending an era that stretched back decades. A single revived Prince’s opened in 2020, but it cannot replicate the sprawling drive-in network Houstonians once took for granted.

That neon crown still glows in memory, even if most of the original signs have been dismantled and sold to collectors.

8. Mr. Swiss (Texas Locations)

Those distinctive A-frame buildings stood out along Texas highways, serving made-to-order burgers and swirled soft-serve cones.

Mr. Swiss peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, but relics of the chain lingered into the 1980s in towns like Denison and Henderson.

I once spotted an abandoned Mr. Swiss on a road trip, the A-frame roof sagging but still recognizable. The chain dissolved as newer fast-food concepts took over, and former buildings were either repurposed or bulldozed.

Today, only faded photographs and architectural enthusiasts keep the memory alive.

9. Little Hipps (San Antonio)

San Antonio locals knew exactly what to expect at Little Hipps: oversized, gloriously messy burgers stacked high on flimsy paper plates.

The quintessential SA style earned the nickname Too Tall, and regulars wore the grease stains on their shirts like badges of honor.

Founded in 1960, Little Hipps closed in November 2002 after decades of service. Offshoot efforts like Timbo’s kept the spirit alive for a while but closed in 2017.

I still think about that first bite, when juice and toppings cascaded everywhere, making every napkin within reach a necessity.

10. Nick’s Famous Hamburgers (Fort Worth)

Nick “the Greek” Koutsoubos ran his humble counter with quiet pride, grinding beef fresh daily and serving Fort Worth for generations.

By the 1980s, Famous Hamburgers (popularly called “Nick’s”) had become a beloved throwback, a place where nothing changed and nobody wanted it to.

The stand dates to 1921 and closed in May 1986, ending decades of simple, honest burgers. Regulars mourned the loss of both the man and his craft, knowing no chain could replicate his touch.

Fort Worth still honors his memory, even if the counter itself is long gone.

11. Club Schmitz (Dallas)

Thick, griddled burgers and golden crinkle fries defined Club Schmitz, a North Dallas roadhouse that stubbornly refused to modernize.

Walking in during the 1980s felt like time travel, with the same booths and menu that had been there since 1946.

After 68 years, the family decided to close in 2014, and the building was later demolished. I wish I had visited one more time before it vanished, just to soak in that unchanging atmosphere.

Dallas has plenty of trendy burger spots now, but none carry the weight of nearly seven decades of history.