How do you take the everyday burger and make it better? Start with fresh ingredients, homemade buns, farm-raised beef, and a creative mind to think of something different. And there you have Hopdoddy, an Austin based burger bar that is taking burgers to the next level.

Established in 2010 in Austin, Texas, "hop" refers to the bitter plant used in beer and "doddy" is the nickname for a type of cow. When burgers and beer is your signature, Hopdoddy has to be your name. The menu offers 13 signature burgers with meat that they butcher and grind daily on buns that are baked fresh every day. Burgers range in price from $9 to $13.

I got the opportunity to have the Hopdoddy experience at their newest location in Webster, Texas. The burger joint had a laid back, lively kind of atmosphere. From Willie Nelson and other music artists hanging on the walls to the melodic sounds filling the space, music is clearly a big part of the Hopdoddy culture. Second to that is the importance of beer. The bar is the hub of all the action and located smack dab in the center of the restaurant. Surrounding that is an array of brightly colored chairs and tables with booths flanking the outside. Another good focal point is the open kitchen where diners can see part of the food preparation.

Diners coming in need to just pick their spot and begin the hard task of deciding what to eat. Perusing the menu sent my taste buds in a spin as I imaged how each scrumptious dish would taste in my mouth. There were Angus beef burgers topped with ingredients like Applewood Bacon, Tillamook Cheddar Cheese, Basil Pesto, Chipotle Aioli and Caffeinated BBQ. Non-beef eaters will enjoy chicken, turkey, tuna, vegan or a black bean & corn patty options. Plus, there are salads, sides, and shakes. There is something for every palate.

With so many options, making a decision was super hard so I allowed the public relations team to guide me. Since I don’t eat red meat, they suggested I try the Thunderbird, Ahi Tuna, and the Brew Burger. Yes, that’s three burgers. Don’t judge me. My friend, who is a beef eater, opted for the Primetime and Goodnight/ Good Cause Burger. We were kind of hungry.

Before I tell you about the burgers, let talk potatoes, fries that is. Most burger joints will have fries and maybe fries topped with chili and cheese. That’s typical. Being typical is not the Hopdoddy’s style. Your taste buds are stretched here. Fries options include regular potato or sweet potato. Now for the toppings. How about fries topped with Honey, Sage, Truffle Oil, Green Chile, and Buffalo Sauce. When I say the Hot Honey and Sage sweet potato fries are the business...oh so good. Be prepared for the kick though. These fries combined spice with that perfect hint of sweet that blends so well with sweet potatoes. Now while I was a huge fan of the above, my friend was a bigger fan of the Parmesan Truffle Fries. She loved the Kennebec fries that were sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese and Parsley and came with Aioli for dipping. The fries came highly recommended and they are a must try. Both make you hate to wipe your fingers on a napkin (since it is bad manners to lick your finger but you will want too). A good thing about these fries is that they are on their shareable menu. Yes, you don’t have to be a pig by yourself because yes, they are that good. Besides the above mention, other options that are equally as savoring are the Green Chile Queso Fries, Chili Cheese Fries, and Buffalo Fries.

Getting back to what Hopdoddy is known for…its burgers. Arriving on a silver tray with a single piece of brown butcher paper, the server also supplies a fork and knife to let you know eating this burger might be a challenge. And when you are looking at three of them that challenge can be overwhelming. First off, kudos to Hopdoddy for not just slapping a grilled chicken breast on a bun.

The Thunderbird is actually a ground chicken patty that is moist, juicy and exploding with flavor. And I shouldn’t even call it a patty because of it far plumper than a flat fast food burger regular patty. The burger is topped with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Tillamook Pepper Jack, Seared Poblanos, Avocado, Pico de Gallo, Chipotle Aioli, and Lettuce in between two toasted buttered buns. Reading the ingredients and I grew concerned about a couple of things – Pico de Gallo, Seared Poblanos, and Chipotle Aioli. I am able to say that I had nothing to fear. Now I dare not try the poblanos but I kept everything else. I was able to handle the fire this burger gave. I literally tasted every ingredient and one didn’t overpower the other.

Staying on the spicy kick I checked out the Big Parma next. It’s a spicy chicken Parmesan sandwich with jalapenos and mushrooms. I liked this burger a tad better than the Thunderbird, mainly because spices a little more pronounced. It is equally as juicy and plump as the Thunderbird. Now don’t go looking for this on the menu, as it is part of Hopdoddy’s Brew Burger Series. Burgers in this series have one key ingredient in their preparation a local craft beer. Month-to-month a new burger is rotated along with the brewery of the month. So don’t get hooked on one burger too long.

Last in my culinary exploration was the Ahi Tuna, which is described as sushi on a bun. This description is perfect as the tuna is slightly seared leaving the middle rather pink. Although I was warned beforehand, it was still a bit too colorful for my taste so I sent it back to the kitchen for them to put some more fire on it. Now that my burger was no longer pink, I could appreciate the Sunflower Sprouts, Nori Chips, Teriyaki, Honey Wasabi, Mayo, Pickled Ginger, Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion on the Sushi-Grade Tuna. Instantly, I tasted the wasabi first and was ever so thankful that its punch was less heighten by the sweet of the honey. This was definitely an interesting culinary adventure for my tongue. To me, this takes an acquired taste.

On to the beef burgers that my friend had. Her favorite was the Goodnight/Good Cause Burger. Good taste is paired with a good cause. The burger is an Angus Beef patty topped with Tillamook Cheddar, Caramelized Onions, Jalapenos, Caffeinated BBQ, Sassy Sauce, Lettuce, and Tomato. Hats off to the cooks at Hopdoddy because this burger is good because of the seasoning. It wasn’t too much or too little but just enough. She wanted to finish it all but had to save room for her other burger.

The best thing about the Goodnight/Good Cause Burger is that it is a burger with a purpose. Hopdoddy donates $1.00 to a local charity with every purchase of this burger. These efforts have allowed the chain to raise over $1 million since 2010. Proceeds from Houston area Hopdoddy locations will benefit the Periwinkle Foundation. According to its website, the Periwinkle Foundation develops and provides programs that positively change the lives of children, young adults, and families who are challenged by cancer and other life threatening illnesses and are cared for at Texas Children's Hospital.

While Angus Beef is from Scotland, Kobe Beef is from Japan, and both are very good meats. American Grass-Fed Kobe Beef is the star of the Primetime Burger that also has Brie, Arugula, Caramelized Onions, Truffle Aioli, HD1 Steak Sauce, and Tomato. This burger was my friend’s second favorite. Although she loved the presentation and did enjoy the burger, her only comment was that it needed a tad bit more seasoning for her taste. Most people will probably not need to add a thing to this burger. However, if you have stronger taste buds, taste the food first before adding more seasoning.

With all these good eats we had to have something to wash it down with. Our thirst was quench with two Hopdoddy’s smooth and creamy shakes. With seven different varieties, I selected the Strawberry Shortbread Shake and my friend got the Oreo Cookies N’ Cream Shake. I am so in love with their shakes. Disregard the fact that all of their shakes are over 700 calories making it a real treat when you have one. Feel a little less guilty by getting a small size. Each one is handspun and made with their vanilla custard recipe. The Strawberry Shortbread Shake had bits of real Shortbread Crumble mixed in with Fresh Strawberries and Vanilla Buttercream. All the ingredients that make life grand. The Oreo Cookies N’ Cream Shake had tons of Oreo Cookie Crumble. These shakes are so smooth and go down so easy, thanks to the super big straw that it’s served with, that you might get a brain freeze.

Hopdoddy’s growth has been rapid and new locations are constantly popping up. Make plans to make Hopdoddy your lunch and/or dinner destination, just make sure you come hungry.