Burger Bodega, the smashburger restaurant that started as a Houston pop-up, will open its first Katy location at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at 21904 Franz Rd.

The opening marks the first expansion for chef-owner Abbas Dhanani's restaurant beyond its original spot at 4520 Washington Ave. in Houston. Dhanani founded Burger Bodega as a pop-up in 2021 before opening a permanent location in November 2022, according to Style Magazine.

The Katy restaurant seats just over 100 guests and includes a patio for outdoor dining. There is no drive-through, but a dedicated pickup and curbside window will handle to-go orders, according to Community Impact.

The menu mirrors the Washington Avenue original: smashburgers on potato buns, chopped cheese sandwiches with bodega sauce and milkshakes in flavors like mango lassi and Vietnamese coffee. All beef is 100 percent halal, the Houston Press reported. Dhanani plans specials and collaborations unique to the Katy store, the Houston Press reported.

"This grand opening is for everyone who has supported us since we were slinging burgers out of a backyard pop-up," Dhanani said in a news release.

The Sept. 19 celebration will feature local vendors alongside the full menu. The Katy location was first announced in late 2024, according to Community Impact.

Burger Bodega has drawn attention well beyond Houston since opening on Washington Avenue. Former Houston Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook gave the restaurant an A-plus review, and The Infatuation named it to its 12 Best Burgers in America list. The restaurant also won Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year at CultureMap Houston's 2024 Tastemaker Awards and a Houston Business Journal Landmark Award in 2023. Dhanani's growing profile has drawn coverage from The New York Times, according to the news release.

In a Sept. 1 Community Impact article announcing the Katy opening, Dhanani said the area "has been on our radar since day one." Katy-exclusive menu specials and vendor partnerships are expected after opening day.