Christian’s Tailgate

Christian’s Tailgate is a fantastic place to just hang out and relax with friends. The owner and staff couldn’t be more gracious hosts, friendly and engaging to talk with. The music and atmosphere is great, they have pool and other fun party games available as well. They have a kitchen with bar snacks, and reasonable prices for both beer and spirits. If you’re in the Houston area and want to visit a bar that makes you feel at home, check out the Tailgate.

Decent burger. Guy on the grill is a rude dick though. In a party of seven people, three complained about him speaking to them like they were idiots or barking at them. No, fifty+ year old fat burger flipper, we are not idiots. There are a dozen places within a few miles of here with as good or better burgers and great service. I think we will try another spot next time.

One of the NASTIESS PLACE EVER. Employees don’t wash their hands. The whole place needs to be shut down and condemned. Hair in your food, roaches in the kitchen, and not to mention the bartenders are always drunk or high.

This place is awesome! The food is AMAZING! Get a burger, they are delicious!!! Steve, you are doing an amazing job and I love your place!

Heard about this place for a long time about their burger and I finally stopped by to try it tonight. I ordered the swiss mushroom burger and was a little bit disappointed. I expected a thick, juicy and nicely cook medium ¹⁄₃ burger but it came out small and over cooked and under seasonning… The fries was crispy and good… Nice place though…

This is likely the most horrendous place where I have ever dined. In an effort to capitalize on a Wednesday steak night at an unexplored restaurant, we decided to come here. The ambiance is mediocre but I was initially excited by the Texan hole in the wall feel. Our server was a little confused and had no idea the answer to any question. Whenever we asked if she had a specific liquor she replied with a quizzical look and «i don’t know» with little attempt to find out. We decided to go for the steak night and I have never been more disappointed. I asked her if I could substitute the baked potato for another side to which she adamantly answered that it would be impossible. After a bit of back and forth she finally replied that it would be possible with an extra charge (I would’ve been ok with it from the get go). And finally; the steak tasted like dog food. It was a thin 8 oz steak that I ordered medium rare but received well done. Probably thinner even than fajita meat. If I return here ever it will only be for drinks.

Went to the one on Washington. Service could have been more friendly & most of the food was just ok. This rating was chosen by a group of 5. I had fish tacos which were pretty good. Friends said the burgers at this location were nothing to rave about. We had almost 30 people here to watch a basketball game & made reservations. They wouldn’t play the sound because there were a few people watching a football game. Wth? Also no dessert on the menu at all? Lastly, you go get your own food, drinks, & bus your own table. We won’t be back. Plenty of better places to choose from.

Food great… Bathrooms disgusting. Set the bar at shitty truck stop and work from there.

Best burger I’ve had in a long time. Owner greeted and served us. Great experience.

The burgers were good! We were hoping for beer battered onion rings… but they were good. Inside was rather dark & bar like.

I’ve seen this place on many lists but somehow never made it until now. Other reviews seemed favorable so I was excited to try. This location has plenty of parking but watch out during peak hours. We ended up ordering the bacon burger with onion rings and black bean burger with french fries. I was really impressed with the black bean burger. It is hands down the best black bean burger I have tasted. It is hard to maintain the burger flavors when you substitute with black bean patty, but they managed to do so. The bacon burger was quite good. It is hard to get bacon right on a burger as most places just end up with burned bacon or just not really able to combine both flavors of the bacon and beef. Although it is probably not a good idea to combine beef and bacon, this is an exception. The burger was juicy and I really loved the textures and moistness of the burger. However, for reasons I am still unsure of, this burger just could not rank in my top 3 choices. There was something missing just not quite sure what it was. I will say that the weakest items happened to be the fries and the onion rings. The fries were too fried and crispy and the onion rings just tasted like the oil they had been fried in. I would definitely recommend this place, perhaps it will even rank in your some peoples top 3 burgers, however for me, it did not.

We went on Friday evening– the bar and tables were both mostly empty. The waitress was nice and took our order at the bar. I ordered the special, a three shrimp taco platter with chips, salsa, and a soda. The bf ordered a burger, fries, and wings.
Here’s the good part:
1) The wings were delicious! Served wet with hot sauce.
2) the chipotle sauce went well with the tacos
Here’s the bad part:
1) my three taco platter arrived with only 2 tacos
2) the corn chips were stale and tasteless
3) the blue cheese dressing appeared yellowed and tasted a bit off.
4) the fries tasted like they’d been cooked in old, oxidized fry oil. I’m usually a French fry fiend, but this time, no dice.
I felt really bad leaving behind so much food, but so much was inedible.

First time here but I gotta tell ya, I was apprehensive because of the bad reviews. This place is amazing! The burgers were the best our group have had in a long time! I had the Mushroom Swiss Burger (¹⁄₃ lb was plenty for me) and the burger was huge, not a skinny piece of meat slapped on a bun, but a large well-​cooked, well-​seasoned, patty on a very soft bun. Delicious! The fries and onion rings were really good too! Couldn’t decide which we liked better so get both — we did. And, BTW, the bathroom was clean!

One of my favorite places to eat in Houston. Their burgers are pretty darn good. You get so much burger that you will have trouble walking out! I have never tried their 1lb burger because I can only imagine the monster burger I would be served with. No joke, their burgers are great in size and taste.
I have only been a few times and I can say I will keep returning to CT when I want a good burger and fries meal. Though I will say that the ambiance is not what will keep you returning. I was not a big fan of the place itself but they have awesome burgers.
P.S.
THUMBS UP. You have to try their burgers!

Christian’s Tailgate (CT) has several locations in Houston. My «home» location In which I dine is the one on Washington Ave. I have also been to the Downtown location on Bagby (not sure if it is still there). Anyways, CT is a burger joint that I feel gets its fame by word of mouth versus the media. I have been a returning customer since 2009 and have NEVER been let down or disappointed in the quality of the food.
If you have never been to CT, the method in which you order could be confusing at first and you will seem a bit lost so let me steer you in the right direction. To place your order you simply walk up to the bar and grab a menu and order there. Prices for a burger combo range between $ 9-​$ 13 (pretty average). Once you order you get a ticket and you can have a seat anywhere you’d like. Your number will be called over the PA system and you walk back up and get your meal. Wait time is usually not bad at all. I try to go after lunch time to avoid lunch rush because the line is out the door and I like to have a seat and be relaxed and not rushed. (Saturday is my favorite day to go due to less traffic).
To break down the menu for you real quick you are basically given 3 decisions of burger sizes. (¹⁄₃ lb, ½ lb, and 1 lb). They also have «specialty burgers» on the menu as well. They don’t only sell burgers but if you are going to CT and don’t get a burger then you are a waste of space and need to go elsewhere. okay Nah I’m just kidding. (lol). But on a serious note, literally any burger you order will be perfectly made and you will not have any complaints so ask for it how you love it.
Now the most important part of this review…(drum roll please)… THE TASTE REVIEW. Simply said, each and every time I have been to CT my burger and fries have been fresh made. There’s no doubt about it. The meat is made to order and fries have a crispness that you will not forget. In my years of eating burgers, I have found it most difficult to find a burger joint that has amazing burgers AND fries. Usually you either get one or the other but never both. At CT you won’t have that problem.
My usual order is the ¹⁄₃ lb with mustard, mayo, cheese, double pickles and Bacon. (You can keep the veggies. If i wanted a salad I would have asked for one ;) lol)
To conclude, I give CT a perfect ⁵⁄₅. If it was possible I’d score it higher. This place has been my favorite burger spot since I started eating here. Christian’s Tailgate is my number one burger joint so far but I am still on the hunt for one that can beat it. If you too are searching for a bite into heaven, stop on by with a few friends. Come hungry because even the smallest burger on the menu will put a dent in your stomach. (Don’t forget to add bacon!!!)
–Marcos F. Sanchez

Be still my beating heart! No seriously, if I continue to eat here my freaking heart is going to stop. I got introduced to this place in 2012 and it is so mouth wateringly delightful. It’s a small bar setting with indoor and outdoor seating. Good ol’ American greasy. I took a business associate there yesterday and she couldn’t even finish her plate so you know the portions are a little big (or just right depending on your mindset) and everything is just down right delicious. Go. Eat. Be Heavy.

This is my least favorite Christian’s Tailgate and with good reason. Came here because the other Christian’s were extra busy since it was NBA Playoffs time (GSW Vs. Memphis was showing). Parking here is ample which is probably the only thing it has going for it.
Service here is absolutely crap. They don’t advertise that you have to put in a food order at the actual bar, so if this is your first time, just a heads up. The bartender is pulling double duty as the only waitress and bartender on staff. This has been the case more than once.
Tables here are sticky and still full of debris after it has been bused. Gross. The food here tastes the same as the other locations which is probably the only reason i’ll come to this one and avoid the chaos.

Awesome burger, very nice list of beers.
I don’t get all the haters giving this place anything but 5 stars. its a dive, with possible the best burgers in houston.

Decent burger and fries. There wasn’t anything special about it. I think I may go back to try the wings. Friendly staff.

This place is a great lunch spot if you work in the area. The burgers are pretty substantial and tasty!
This place is super casual– it’s not about the ambiance that brings people here, it’s the good food!

Close your eyes and try to picture the quintessential American burger. Very rarely to famous or higher burger joint deliver but that’s exactly what Christians tailgate. A monster burger that was juicy and delicious with all the fixings wrapped in paper with a mound of onion rings and fries on the side. Best burger I’ve had in a very long time. The fries were very good but the onion rings took this meal to the next level. Lightly breaded and crispy, and the onion does not pull out of the batter. The burger was huge. I ordered half and half onion rings and fries and got more than I needed. For about 18 $ I got out with a burger fries/​onion rings and a 24oz bud light. Atmosphere is what you would expect in a dive bar. Little older a few arcade games. No frills or anything to get in the way of the reason you’re there. Will deffinately be going back as soon as I’m craving a burger.

Ignore the posts about the «atmosphere, the clientele, and the bathrooms». If atmosphere is why you go out to EAT, don’t go here. If you’re a snob and are choosy about who you break bread with, don’t go here to EAT. And if you have to go to the bathroom, you should have done that before you went out to EAT.
If you want a damn good burger, onion rings and fries (and chili burger) this is where you want to go. I believe they might be the best burgers in Houston!

I have some seriously mixed feelings about this place. I guess if you’re just looking for a good burger and an amazing set of fries, then you’ll like this place. BUT, if you want to have a clean table, restrooms that have been clean at least once in the history of mankind, predictable hours, parking that actually makes sense and an easy-​to-​find location, then you may be disappointed.
I had the famous burger with fires, and yeah, I was impressed. I’m not the biggest burger fan, so the fact that I enjoyed the burger and ate ALL of it, means something good. That’s where all the positives end, though.
The place is a dive bar. It smells like a dive bar, looks like a dive bar, and is frequented by dive bar folks. I am not a fan of dives– especially when I’m paying more than $ 10 for a burger! So be forewarned if this is your first visit.
STAY AWAY FROM THE RESTROOMS AT ALL COSTS. Trust me. One whiff from the open door and you will re-​think how much you reallllllly need to go. Probably more hygienic if they had a portapotty outside.
The Washington location is located at a really weird corner of I-​10 and Washington, and if you haven’t seen it before you’ll probably drive by it several times before figuring out how to get to the place. And forget about parking! Again, very awkward and confusing.
To top it off, the hubs and I tried to go Sunday to pick up food to go around 7pm and the place was closed! Makes no sense. I’d recommend going somewhere else for your burger cravings. This place has too many problems and only one pro.

We went on a Friday afternoon for lunch. When we walked in we were told to go to the bar to order because they don’t have any servers. The Bartender who told us that came to the table to tell us… Then walked behind the bar and stood there.
She spilled water on my girlfriend, got our order wrong and made no attempt to sell us more beer. I’ve been in the service industry for 15 years as a bartender, manager and now a beverage director for multi-​million dollar company. This was the worst I’ve ever seen