HERD's Hamburgers Best in Texas?

Has anyone eaten at this place? The reason I am asking is that I have a place I frequent here in the Phoenix Area that Has Herd's Style Burgers, absolutley one of my favorites! But have not "herd" of anyone on this forum ever talk about 'em. SOMEBODY has to had had one...

Got this from a good biker website:

HERD'S BURGERS
400 N. Main Street
Jacksboro, Texas
The world's best hamburger is still at Herd's Hamburgers. It's on your way from the courthouse out the road to Wichita Falls, or Henrietta. The present owner is the son of the founders: Jess and Mary Herd. They began the little one-room hamburger stand back in the '40s, or even maybe the late '30s, and it's been in operation ever since. Thousands of satisfied customers would agree that Herd's is the BEST anywhere! (Submitted by a non-biker)

BIKER REVIEW: The burgers are EXCELLENT! They don't serve fries, just burgers and chips. Also be aware that their seating space inside is VERY limited and their parking lot is gravel. It's well worth the stop, but it may be best to park in the church parking lot directly across the street. It's a great place for lunch on a mild day, but not one for bad conditions with outdoor seating.

http://www.dfwfreedomriders.org/bikergourmet.html


DD

Come on, nobody has eaten at this place? It's been there for 70+ years! Guess I gotta go over there and try it out for myself....where the hell are my car keys?

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog



Come on, nobody has eaten at this place? It's been there for 70+ years! Guess I gotta go over there and try it out for myself....where the hell are my car keys?

Give us a report when you get back. I don't believe I can get there from here.

The BEST Hamburger you'll ever eat! Born and raised there, ate them my whole life. There's a Ron's here in Tulsa that's close, but nothing is the same as a Herds Hamburger.

Well, I'm glad to hear someone has eaten there!

Is it still there? I tried and failed to find it on the Yahoo Yellow Pages.

I just received a wonderful email, and thought I would pass it along to everyone. I gotta get over to this place! This is the stuff legends are made of...


I was doing a little idle surfing on the net today, and accidentally came across your question asking if anyone knew any info about the history of Herd's Hamburgers in Jacksboro, Texas.

I know more than you want to know.

My Grandmother, Ella Gafford, started the business in 1916. It was already a legendary place of sorts by the time she sold it, in the mid-1940's, to her sister Mary (Aunt Sissie) and her husband, Jess Herd. (My Grandfather had a major heart attack at that time, and she had to quit work to take care of him.)

It then became Herd's Hamburgers. It has become even more of a legendary place since then. Aunt Sissie and Jess operated the place for many years, but at some point....I can't recall exactly when....they sold it to one of their sons, Claude Herd (my cousin). He has continued to operate it until the present time, but he is probably 70 by now, and is getting close to turning it over to his son, Danny.

They still make the hamburgers just like my Grandmother did in 1916. They have a small griddle, maybe 4 or 5 ft by 3 ft, heated by gas burners. Claude puts a pile of fresh ground meat on one corner and works that into individual patties that move from left to right as they progress, and then off the griddle to the "fixin's" assembly.

It is an absolutely unique hamburger in unique surroundings. The space inside is very small, and people sit in old fashioned school-type desk chairs....or on soft drink cases turned upside down over other cases of drinks. Herd's Hamburgers has been honored by the Texas State Legislature as one of Texas' historic businesses.

No fries, no onion rings, no malts, no nothing, except the best burgers you ever had, chips, and drinks.

I live about 16 miles from Jacksboro in Runaway Bay. Look me up if you're ever through here....

picker145

I drive through Jacksboro every once in a while (I like to avoid I-35 whenever possible), and I wasn't even aware of this hamburger joint. Next time I'm havin' me a burger!

Anybody know the days and hours they are open. I am going to try to make it up there on a Sunday if possible if not a Saturday.

joe

Herd's is open Tuesday-Saturday. The hours are 10:30AM-4:30PM. Once in awhile they go on vacation for a few days. If that happens the way you will know it is...there will be a sign on the door that says "Closed".

Always stopped there on 4-H/FFA trips; no need for fries when burgers are that good.(good to see so many from our area here.....I'm north of Decatur)

I'm Danny Herd, who my cousin referred to in an earlier post as taking the hambuger business over from my dad. My wife and I intend to start running the business next summer after my parents have run it for over 35 years. I'll be the 4th generation to operate the business and continue to make the burgers the way they've been made for over 90 years. It's a tradition we're proud and honored to carry on. We've got three kids who'll help as they get older and maybe continue the business into another generation.

We currently go in on most Saturdays and help since that is their busiest day. I think it's kind of a neat thing to think that I'm standing in front of and cooking burgers on the same griddle and in the same way that my Grandfather did.

I can remember being down at the old Hamburger Stand when I was probably around 4 years old. My mom worked for my grandparents then, so I was down there every day. They didn't have any running water in the building then, so after the lunch run, I would go with my grandfather to their house. He would go inside and set at the kitchen table and drink a cup of instant coffee and then lay his head on the table and take a short nap, in the meantime, I filled up old milk cans with water to take back down to the stand so they could wash dishes and clean up. We've still got two benches in the stand that my grandfather made when they started running the business in the '40s.

I promise you, if you come in and eat one, you'll be back for more!

Hours are Tuesday thru Saturday 10:30 - 4:00

For pictures of Herd's, click here: http://www.star-telegram.com/825/gallery/728664.html

Anyone know if Herd's is open on the 4th of July?

Well, the topic is a little old,it looks like. I would still like to offer my opinion. Going to Jacksboro High School in the early 80's I would eat at Herd's Hamburgers at least three times a week. I was a year or two ahead of Danny Herd, but knew him fairly well. I think he will do a good job or running the place.
Now, about the burgers. Like was mentioned earlier, a big chunk of fresh ground beef is put on the back of the grill, off the heat. As a burger is ordered, Claude would scrape off enough to form a pretty good size patty and form it on the grill. That is the one thing that sets Herd's apart, I think. It is a loose-formed patty, not a pressed and formed perfect circle. Of course this allows all the little loose chunks to carmelize and crisp up on the outside edges, and that adds a flavor all its own. The buns are also placed on the patty(s) while they cook, allowing all that flavorful grease to soak into them. I promise you will never eat a dry burger there.
Claude and Orlene also know nearly everybody n town and greet you by name. Of course in a town of about 4000, that's not too hard. I still remember going in a few years ago after being away for over 20 years and having Orlene greet me by name and say "you want your usual?"

Does anyone know the current days/hours for Herd's? I can't find a phone number for them. Thanks

I went to Herd's over the weekend and posted some pics in the Trip Reports topic under "Weekend in Texas." I wouldn't go so far as to say they are the "best" burgers in Texas, but they are pretty darn good, and it's certainly worth the time and effort to go there if just for the experience.

never been to Jacksboro,Tx that I know of as a kid, unless it is located on US281.Yeah checked www.texasescapes.com and it is.
If we ever ate there, it was so long ago I don't remember and it was back in the 1960s when we drove from San Antonio to Anchorage cause my dad was going to Elmendorf AFB to work at the Alaskan Air Command.

While I can't speak for Herd's Burgers, they do make good burgers at the Bracken Cafe in Bracken,Tx, northeast of San Antonio.You take Nacogdoches Road and follow it past Rolling Oaks Mall and just follow it till you get to Bracken and there should be signs for the place which is next door to the Hanging Tree Saloon.
Popular with the military crowd from Randolph AFB plus the locals.
Maybe I'll go eat there Saturday for lunch.

Bracken's had good burgers for at least 25 years - I used to eat there often when I worked in Schertz back then. Thanks for reminding me, it's been too long and I need to go back!

I'll be there on my next Tx visit.

Grew up in Jacksboro and Grew up eating Herd's Burgers. You will never eat another burger like it. They are GREAT!!!