Burger Bodega, the Houston smash-burger restaurant that started as a pop-up in 2021, is opening its second permanent location at 21904 Franz Road in Katy.

The $1.5 million project sits at the northwest corner of North Mason Road and Franz Road, with a ribbon cutting planned for Wednesday, Sept. 9, Covering Katy News reported. An official opening date for customers has not been confirmed, but the restaurant is expected to welcome diners sometime in September.

The opening comes more than a year after the restaurant's originally anticipated timeline for the Katy site.

Founder Abbas Dhanani, a Houston native, launched Burger Bodega as a pop-up concept in 2021 before opening the first brick-and-mortar location at 4520 Washington Avenue in Houston in 2022. The menu is short. It centers on smash burgers, chopped cheese sandwiches, fries and shakes. The signature double smash burger features two pressed beef patties with American cheese, grilled onions, house-made pickles and Bodega Sauce on a potato bun.

Dhanani has said the concept draws on Houston food culture and New York City bodega traditions, according to Covering Katy.

Burger Bodega's Instagram page lists the restaurant as halal and shows the Katy location is already holding open interviews Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The restaurant's Houston location operates Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Customers waiting for the Katy opening can watch for a confirmed date in September.