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A 1/4 pound cheeseburger at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
I had so much fun at Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers, the glossy new burger spot on West Holcombe, that it seems almost churlish to parse the fast-food style burgers in critical fashion. But a mission is a mission, and at the heart of every pretty burger package is that all-important patty of ground beef, so on we go. Bring the kids, and be prepared to shell out.
The line forms among the produce boxes at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
Freshly crinkle-cut fries at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
A Blue Bell chocolate shake at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
*PRICE: $6.15 for a quarter-pound burger with American cheese option; $1.99 for French fries; $3.99 for a Blue Bell chocolate shake. Total with tax: $13.13
*ORDERING: Wend your way among the symbolic produce boxes spilling over with tomatoes, potatoes and onions, pausing to cast your eyes heavenward, whence riseth a blackboard menu outlining your choices. There are printed menus once you reach the counter, too, where efficient young people will inscribe your burger particulars onto paper bags, write your name on the bags, and even ask you thoughtfully whether you want whipped cream and a cherry on your Blue Bell shake. (No, thank you.) Then find a table inside or out on the terrace overlooking West Holcombe, keeping an ear out for the sound of your name over the loudspeaker. You pick up your burger-and-fries bag and your shakes at the counter. They're well-staffed and organized here, so your order is likely to come up surprisingly quickly.
*ARCHITECTURE: Salad stuff on the bottom, although it took me several minutes to determine which end was up once I had prized my burger from its cunning white box emblazoned with a quote from Einstein. (No kidding.) On a toasted bun goes shredded iceberg, rings of red onion, a tomato slice and a quarter-inch-thick patty of ground beef, followed by a square of American cheese and a swoosh of the pink "Ernie's sauce" (an amalgam of mayonnaise, ketchup and Wickles relish) I requested in place of the usual Texas mustard-and-mayo routine.
*QUALITY:This is a tough one. On an overall sandwich level, I thought this burger did pretty well, although the Ernie's sauce could have been a little more emphatic, and there seemed to be insufficient commitment to the sweet-and-sour Wickles relish component, to be perfectly grinchy about it. (I was left wishing I had stuck to my usual mayo and mustard regime, with a couple of jalapeños thrown in for good measure.)
The dining room at Jerry Built (note prep room behind glass at right). Photo by Alison Cook
The dining patio at Jerry Built overlooks West Holcombe and a xeriscaped urban arroyo. Photo by Alison Cook
The futuristic Ferrari-made custom soda machine at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
The automatic hand-washing machine at Jerry Built attracts a crowd. Photo by Alison Cook
What I liked a lot was the freshness of the produce, which is exactly what all of Jerry Built's artisanal-happy trade dress (i.e. produce boxes, signage, packaging etcetera) promises. And I approved of the springy bun with its slightly crisped top and bottom surfaces. Yet it seemed to be a little too much bun (both in size and gravitas) compared to the skinny ground-beef patty, which had been char-grilled (with the stripes to prove it) into very well-doneness.
Despite the fact that Jerry Built makes much of its beef quality, sticking a huge outline of a bull on its roof and boasting of the "natural" chuck and brisket it grinds daily in-house, I found the patty dispiriting. It was overly seasoned with salt, had a compacted texture that made it almost bouncy, and just didn't keep me longing for the next bite. I kept wishing the Jerry Built brain trust had opted for a 1/3 pound burger that might have been a little thicker, a little looser, a little juicier. But, of course, then the price would have gone even higher, taking the burgers even further out of arguable fast-food range.
*GRADE: B minus. Which pains me, because this burger has the potential to be far better than it is. And the overall experience is in A territory.
*OOZE RATING: fair plus. There were identifiable meat juices and beef fat mixed in with the condiment slurry at the bottom of the white paper wrapper, always a good sign.
*BONUS POINTS: The Blue Bell ice cream shakes are excellent: just the right balance of milk and ice cream, easily sippable without being too thick or too thin. The practice of setting out waxed paper tumblers full of ice cream ready to whirl means that some shakes will be meltier than others (not a plus), but mine was perfect, and another one I tasted later was pretty good even in a meltier condition. At $3.99, these shakes aren't cheap, but they are well made with good ingredients, and that counts for a lot these days.
*SUPER BONUS POINTS: Crinkle-cut fries usually betoken potatoes right out of a freezer bag, flannel-like things that aren't worth the calories. Not at Jerry Built: here they are cut fresh in house through the miracle of modern on-site machinery (with the process and the Russet potatoes visible in a spanking-clean, glassed-in prep room at certain times of the day). I loved the well-bronzed conviction with which my potatoes were fried, and the lovely slick-soft potato texture of their interiors, not to mention the way they shaded from crisp through a bit of appealing floppiness here and there. I ate every last one in my box, wishing only that Jerry Built's fine arsenal of condiments parked on every table included a squirt bottle of vinegar. These fries just seem to demand it.
*LOCAL COLOR: Jerry Built is already a full-bore West U family scene that attracts an older clientele as well. Half the fun is hearing the kids chatter excitedly about the futuristic touch-pad soda machine, a sleek candy-apple specimen designed by Ferrari, which dispenses 129 possible flavor combinations by adding flavored syrups to the soda of your choice.
A quote from Einstein meets its grease-spotted fate at Jerry Built. Photo by Alison Cook
The rest of the fun involves taking in the amusing design touches (the many spatulas that serve as sculpture or door handles; the zoomy light fixtures; the xeriscaped urban "arroyo" out front). Oh, and watching the big staff go about their jobs with great cheer and efficiency. And — how could I forget?— enjoying the comic spectacle of diners interfacing with the automatic hand-washing machine, a fearsome contraption that looks as if it will grab you and grind you up if you plunge your forearms into its gaping maw.
I didn't have the courage to stick my arms inside it, but plenty of little kids and a few grown men did. Maybe next time.
P.S. Jerry Built has a new location in The Woodlands, which makes sense, because the West Holcombe location has "prototype" written all over it.
Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers: 3501 W. Holcombe Blvd., 713-664-2874. Open daily: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday — Thursday and 11 a.m.—11 p.m. Friday & Saturday.
Me and my fellow burger-loving co-workers had the same comments as you. We loved everything about the burger, except the meat.
prices comparable to 5 guys burger but the fries and the burger and fixings are better.
don't waste your money when you could get your money worth at fudruckers.
grass fed organic does not mean you can charge a premium when it just does not taste good
also do not try the chicken sandwich( ground up meat and taste terrible...i prefer an actual chicken breast like at chix fil lay
Wow, love the interior! Looks fun!
I have not heard a positive review from anyone I know thats been there yet....
Everywhere I turned, what I saw seemed to exhibit the hallmark of a couple of M.B.A grads, not either Mom or Pop, and definitely not a farmer branching out into retail.
That would account for so much. Now I'm curious.
The owners previously ran Quiznos franchises, if that helps shine a little more light on the subject.
They've been open a little while now, and just about everyone has commented on the underwhelming burger meat. I tried it and thought it was OK, but I'll bet once the concept takes off out of Houston (and it will), it takes off like wildfire.
I can't give a burger place that fails on its patty (which is the most important part!) higher than a C. I give this place a D+. Yea, the place looks sweet, but the burger was the biggest let down I've ever had.
JerryBuilt is all flash and no go.
I understand your reasoning. The weird thing, for me, was that I liked the overall effect DESPITE not liking the patty. That's kind of a first for me, and it's reflected in the grade.
Alison,
You've got to come back to Pearland and try the bacon cheeseburger & homemade fries at Pena's Donut Heaven just West of 288 on Shadow Creek Parkway. Ray Pena (fellow UH grad) is doing it right!
I'd go there for the name alone. Thanks for the tip!
Yeah you definately need to come back to Pearland! Especially if you named Gringos in the top 5 restaurants in Pearland. Gringos really sucks. It's not even real Mexican food!!! Lupe Tortilla is so much better and then there is Las Rosas....and not to forget Lila's.
And yes my brother Raymond Pena of Do-nut Heavean and Grill...he does have a pretty mean burger. So Allison....we'll be waiting for you!!!
So the whole is more than the sum of the parts?
$13.00?
Or $52.00 for a family of 4 to eat a burger with fries and a shake.
Guess I'll go to my credit union Monday and take out a small loan to try this place out.
NOT
What I don't understand is how a critic can rate any burger place on a well done hamburger patty. Blasphemy!
Do they have a veggie burger?
Unfortunately no. It's something I mentioned to them, and they said the best I could do was all of the veggies on the menu with a fried egg.
I like 5 guys burgers and fries. Their burgers are more like homemade than any other place I've been to since Roznosky's closed years ago.
Roznovsky's hasn't closed; they are happily doing business at 34th and T. C. Jester. The Feagan location did close some years (decades) ago, but the 34th location does it right.
Seriously amazing burgers paired with the most God-awful fries known to man...unless you like a soggy bag of mushy fry shaped grease....
If they could upgrade their fries to even slightly below palatable I could eat there.
5 Guys is the most overrated burger joint ever. Their patties aren't even seasoned and they are overpriced. Don't hold a candle to Jax burgers who not only have the right size burgers, but they have amazing flavor along with many choices on fries (garlic are best).
Ugh, too many brats for my taste. I'll pass, thank you, and go to Baba Yega's where you can have an adult conversation over a good sandwich.
I recently tried JAX Burgers in Magnolia. They have one on 2920 in Spring and one in Pearland somewhere. Very good burger. Very fresh, not overdone,1/3 pound and Blue Bell shakes as well. I had a Mint Chocolate Chip shake.
I was looking forward to the Jerry Built in the Woodlands until I read your review. I think now I'll stick to my recent JAX discovery. Alison, You should try it too.
Amen to JAX. Best burger so far in Pearland. Def a must try Alison.
If it compares to the burgers served at JAX Grill on S. Rice and Bissonnet I'm sure it's awesome. Honest char-broiled heaven on a bun.
Never mentioned if Jerry Built frys or char-broils...
For the budget-mided Bellaire Broiler Burger down the street from Jax has never left me disappointed.
The Jax Grills are different from the Jax Burgers in Pearland, Spring and the Woodlands. I always used to love the burgers at Jax Grill--but when I went to the one on S Rice about a year ago, the burger was dreadful. I was shocked. Meant to go back and re check but so far haven't been able to gin up the enthusiasm.
The Bellaire JAX Grill was a regular go-to when I worked nearby, haven't been there in years. Sounds like it went downhill. Shame...
I have been to JerryBuilt twice. The 2nd visit was to make sure the first visit was not an off day.
The 1/4 lb burger was $5.50 both times and I hope they have not raised their prices. The burger to bun ratio is way off. They need at least a 1/3 lb burger for the large bun (its a great, soft bun).
I am told Hopdoddy's (from Austin) is coming to Houston soon. They have a similar feel when you enter, clean, bright, with an obvious emphasis on the local, fresh ingredients.
However, Hopdoddy's has a much better burger.
P. Terry's in Austin needs to open a couple of locations here. Problem solved.
Reading the description it sounds they took quite a bit (except taste) from Mighty Fine in Austin (which I very much hope makes it to Houston), right down to the glass prep room and the hand washing machine.
I thought the exact same thing! It seems like JerryBuilt copied Mighty Fine on everything from the onsite crinkle cuts to the turbo handwasher but somehow missed the mark on the burgers.
Overpriced and extremely limited selections. Fries come in a box that steams them unless you rip your bag open and pour the fries out immediately. Three Bros bun is underwhelming, too. Overall a huge disappointment. I've been twice and won't be back. And it's not a big hit. The place was only sparsely occupied right at the Thursday dinner hour when Skeeters and other family joints in the West Univ area were packed, and almost empty the once lunchtime I went, at about 12:30 on a weekday. I give this six mos max.
CAN YOU SAY WHATABURGER???? enough of all this silly gourmet
stuff, that really isn't gourmet at all. Just to think how one can
go to a weekly steak night at some beer joint somewhere and enjoy
a steak and a beer for not much more that this high dollar dog
sh&^%$%t sold
You don't have to settle on homogenized fast food to get good burgers at a good price. Plenty of locally owned places around town. Totally agree about the burger snobbery though. I feel like some of the writers here care way more about sourcing buzzwords and the like than the actual TASTE of food.
Reminds me of countless blind taste tests done with organic fruit. Food snobs say the organic tastes better when they are labeled, but 90% of them choose the non-organic when it is done blind. I have a good feeling you would get similar results with the Cron writers here and "organic, grass fed, moon rock massaged" beef and normal good quality beef.
Maybe "In and Out" will be in Houston soon, then we can have the greatest burgers and fries in town:)
Overrated..... Why do we need another overhyped chain burger restaurant? Tons of great locally owned burger shops. Don't forget the trucks either.
I think your review was rather generous, or maybe I went on a particularly bad day. We felt completely underwhelmed in every way, except for their fancy Coke machine. I didn't find the burger to be any better than what I'd get at Whataburger, and the fries were soggy.
Just a bit too pricey for a burger & fry!!!!! Next!!!
Allison, are you going to try the new Elevation Burger when it opens up? It is being built now. Located on Kirby Dr. just to the north of the SW Freeway, before Richmond on the east side of the road. I tried one in south Florida (they are an expanding chain - with stores in Austin) back in 2010. I was not impressed at all. Save your cash when it opens and eat a real burger next door at Haven.
Gotta try it just out of curiosity! Haven't had the burger at Haven yet--I should try that, too.
Ate there on Saturday. I wanted to like the place, because I liked the look of it, but the hamburger patty was awful. It was tough, thin, overseasoned, and overcooked. I only ate half of the burger, and I went in there absolutely starving for a burger. A Wendy's burger patty would have been a huge improvement. I won't be eating there again unless the burger improves--not worth the $$.
How much was that slice of AMERICAN cheese? Pass.
Fuddruckers and Bullritos also have the fancy soda machines...they are not unique to Jerry Built.
I didn't say they were, merely that I found them pretty startling. I had never seen one before.
i agree with your review, alison. my wife and i went to the one in the woodlands. i've had better burgers, but something about the place was really enjoyable. i'd go back just for that. the manager was very friendly, as were all the other employees that work there.
Jerry Built is in my neighborhood and I've been there a few times. Their burgers are REALLY SMALL and the meat is VERY DRY. I don't really care for the bread, either. The fries are good, but the cute little boxes they serve the fries in are never filled. My son (11) went with two friends the other day for lunch and the bill was $38 - THAT'S EXPENSIVE. They ordered three burgers, drinks and only ONE order of fries.
I was also disappointed because I saw only one neighborhood kid working there. They should make an effort to hire more kids from the neighborhood.
FYI - i have never seen a burger there that looked like the burger on your photo.
With these prices they'll be gone soon so if you're up for a medocre cheese burger, fries, and drink for 12 buck +, you'd better get there soon. WHAT A RIP-OFF.....
I enjoyed my trip there. Best milkshake in quite a while. V good fries. Bun was v good and not run o' the mill. I had the jalapeno cream cheese (instead of American) & the Ernie's sauce and was quite pleased w/ the taste. I asked for medium-rare but didn't check b4 going and was stuck w/ well. It still tasted okay tho.
So I'll definitely give them another chance.
We've been once on opening day but, like some of you were not impressed with the beef. Jerry Built has a great idea with the fresh ground meat yet, the final product just isn't what we expected. The flavor reminds me of soybean product and not real beef; maybe it's the way they press the meat to such a thin patty changing the flavor so extremely and unfortunately, in a negative manner. Other burger places use the same or similar cuts of meat but deliver a different product that isn't smashed down to the status of McDonalds...
We plan to return again and give them another shot in the near future.
http://thewoodlandseats.com/jerry-built/
We've since been back once and not likely to ever return.
We've since been back once and not likely to ever return.
Three strikes on the first visit so they are out. First I noticed they put the wrong cheese on the burger-there are only two choices and they got it wrong. Next, I ordered bacon and there was no bacon on it, yet it was on the recipt as paid for. Last, the burger patty was rubbery and tasteless.
I got this to go and it wasn't worth the drive back to get my money back or get it corrected. And it is not worth going back for another try.