Burger Schmurger, the East Dallas smashburger shop that started as a pandemic backyard experiment, has put down roots in its home turf. Founder Dave Culwell and co-owner Phil Schanbaum are behind the restaurant.
The news comes from The Dallas Morning News, which reports that Burger Schmurger is planning another restaurant.
Culwell started making burgers in his backyard during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Dallas News. Before he ever opened a storefront, the operation had already been named the best burger in town by D Magazine, the Dallas Observer and The Dallas Morning News, per D Magazine. Burger Schmurger's first permanent restaurant opened in 2025 in East Dallas.
A Shop Built On Backyard Grilling and Word of Mouth
The East Dallas restaurant has built a community of customers. Culwell had hoped to start serving diners there as early as March 2025, though the restaurant didn't actually open its doors until April 30, 2025.
That East Dallas location has become something of a neighborhood institution in the time since. Its wood-paneled walls host more than 100 framed snapshots of Schmurger friends and regulars, the same Dallas News report notes.
The appetite for Schmurger's smashburgers has only grown since. By September 2026, after 17 months in its permanent home, the East Dallas restaurant was closing in on 500,000 smashed burger patties, according to Advocate Lake Highlands. That pace works out to an average of 1,000 patties smashed every single day.
The Menu and Its Following
The menu features smashburgers and frequent specials.
Schanbaum, who also co-owns Hendy's on Henderson in East Dallas, Double D's in the Design District and Tiny Victories in Oak Cliff, said the Burger Schmurger team chose the Preston-Forest area because customers had been asking for a location closer to central Dallas. The team is aiming to open at least two new locations per year and is already eyeing a third spot somewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Bigger Space, Same Vibe
The Preston Hollow restaurant is expected to be larger than the East Dallas original, with Coeval Studio handling the design. Despite the added square footage, Schanbaum said the new space is expected to mirror the original's decor, down to checkered floors, squishy booths and a family-friendly vibe. The bigger footprint will also let the team try something the East Dallas shop hasn't: third-party delivery.
Brandon Hays and Schanbaum are partners in Burger Schmurger.
