"I been here 17 years," one employee told me as I bought a chocolate shake one night for the road.
"That's a long time," I laughed back, impressed. "You must like it."
10606 Fuqua St.
Houston, TX 77089
Category: Restaurant > American
Region: Outer Loop - SE
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2 user reviews
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281-481-8606. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays.
Mini burger: $0.99
Special sauce burger: $3.24
Frito pie: $2.99
Tater tots: $1.29
Chopped barbecue sandwich: $3.49
Chicken fried steak sandwich: $3.89
Junior burger combo: $4.79
Medium shake: $2.49
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BLOG POST: The Taste of Nostalgia at C&D Burger Shoppe
SLIDESHOW: Nifty Nostalgia at C&D Burger Shoppe
She chuckled and threw a glance at Craddock, saying, "That's cause I do what I want here." Craddock just smiled and turned back to his drive-through window to hand over a white paper sack to his next customer.
_____________________During the day, C&D isn't the sleepy semi-living room it is by night. At lunch, it's bustling and busy, with nearly every oil-clothed table filled, and a line of folks waiting to take their sack of burgers to go. On a recent afternoon, I counted four UPS trucks lined up next to C&D's parking lot sign that reads simply: "2 burgers 2 fries $7.49." Across the parking lot from them were two ambulances, an HPD cruiser and a fire department's Crown Vic.
Inside, a team of UPS drivers had taken over the Touchdown Club Luncheon table, where they were busy polishing off a table heaped high with burgers. Ditto the cops at the back, the volunteer firemen up front and nearly every other person in C&D. Burgers are the bread and butter here.
Despite this, I ordered a chicken-fried steak sandwich and a special sauce burger to deviate a little, seeing if I was missing something even more special than those thin, mustard-topped burgers. It turns out that the "special sauce" is just barbecue sauce from a bottle, so the answer was no. And the chicken-fried steak sandwich was an unappetizing gray color inside, with a gummy breading that tasted oddly of fish. So that was a resounding no, too.
I also ordered a strawberry shake and was reminded of why I always stick with chocolate. Here at C&D, the thick and creamy chocolate shakes taste like — to quote my dining companion — "someone got happy with the Hershey's chocolate syrup back there." The strawberry, sadly, tastes only of artificial sweetener and strawberry flavoring.
I wasn't unhappy with the tater tots and fries, at least. The fries have that soft yet mostly inoffensive taste of pureed potato; they're certainly not hand-cut, and they've clearly been frozen. Yet they reminded me of the old Catfish King hushpuppies with their fine, soft texture and slightly crisp exterior. The tater tots pack more potato punch, and are more fun to drag through a pool of ketchup, too.
Because my lunch had been fairly substandard, I went back to C&D with a friend that night to try to revive the affection I'd felt for it on previous visits. A junior cheeseburger put everything right again, and my affections were further bolstered by a chopped barbecue sandwich heaped high with sweet shreds of beef under a chase of pickles and onions.
"This reminds me of the barbecue sandwiches we used to make at family reunions," I beamed across the table at my dining companion. And there was that old rush of nostalgia again, which I'm willing to admit might be primarily responsible for my affinity for C&D Burger Shoppe. But as we left later that night and got into the car, I was relieved to find I wasn't alone.
"I feel like we should be turning on the AM radio," sighed my friend. "That was an awesome meal."
I am 27. I've been going to C&D since I was able to walk! Their burgers really do take you back to simpler times. I've always hated when it was sunday because they aren't open! LOL I'm a Dobie grad and a native sagemont citizen relocated to Austin. I've lived in alot of places since I've moved from Sagemont and none have that wonderful, warm feeling that C&D does!
I live in Singapore and visit Houston once every year to visit a couple of old Vietnam era buddies. We always make the breakfast stop at C&D and talk trash about the good old days. I just wish they had a really good T-shirt I could wear down Orchard Road here in Singapore!
This place has been and still is one of my favorites in the neighbor where I grew up and still live/work. When I was a student, the counter help were usually some of the pretty girls I went to school with. And trust me, I don't go there for what's on the TV. I don't give a (to borrow a phrase) good gravy shit what's on the TV as long as the burgers they crank out are as good as Joe's been cranking out for lo these many years. While a double cheeseburger and order of chili cheese fries don't do my cholesterol a lick of good, that bit of nostalgia you mentioned sure does my heart good.
Was your dentist Dr. Ray Pomokol (sp)? He was mine (first near Eagle and later across from San Jac) and he ate there ALL the time.
Nope, that's not him. But funny to know that both of our dentists were C&D regulars! :D
And of course I went to Dobie. And by chance I work with 7 Dobie alumni downtown. We truly ARE everywhere.
I guess that's what happens when you have classes as big as Dobie did.
Seriously? This place is a 30 year old icon of fast food goodness & the only comments are about the TV station? Get back on track people. Its about the food!
these people look as though they'd PREFER to lose customers who don't like FOX.
and Zappo's is still around. they sell shoes online.
"These people look as though they'd PREFER to lose customers who don't like FOX." From my understanding, you're right. Pretty much the whole area was like that when I grew up there, which is why I kept to myself.
FYI...I wouldn't call that section of Fuqua "quiet". Maybe not as busy as it used to be when the Randalls was there, but good gravy sh*t the traffic is horrendous.
I'm going to now co-opt the hilarious phrase "good gravy shit" from you. Thank you, sir.
True! I forgot about Zappos. Another one to throw on the "You know you're from Houston if ..." list.
My nostalgia stays with Bellaire Broiler Burger. I was lucky to have it in my backyard growing up. If only Zappos were still around.
And what does C&D stand for anyway? Any $2 bills there?
Man I love the Bellaire Broiler Burger as well. I'm not originally from Houston, but when my wife and I started dating in 2000 my father in law who owns Bellaire Shoe Repair right across from it took me there first time I met him. They also serve ice cold High Life in there; a find pairing.
Haven't been here in years. Burgers sound like they're stillngood but you lose ne as a customer when FOX News is played. Advice to restaurants and bars, turn the tv to something like sports or the local channels, leave the political stations out.
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