Fred’s Texas Cafe — A True Fort Worth Original Serving the Best Burgers, Coldest Beer, and Bold Texas Flavors Across Three Cowtown Locations Since 1978
When Fort Worth locals want to settle the debate on the best burger in the city, the conversation almost always starts and ends with Fred’s Texas Cafe. This iconic restaurant has been serving up the best burgers in Fort Worth since 1978 and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — a distinction that brought national attention to what west-siders had already known for decades. At this all-American diner, Chef Terry Chandler serves up classics with a Southwestern spin, and the result is a menu that somehow manages to feel both deeply rooted in Texas tradition and genuinely creative at the same time. Cold beer served in frozen mugs, a rowdy covered patio, live music several nights a week, and a staff that makes every table feel like a regular — Fred’s is not just a restaurant, it’s a Fort Worth institution.
The burger menu is built on 100% Angus beef and spans everything from the legendary Fred Burger to the Bolo — loaded with mixed cheeses, queso blanco, tortilla strips, guacamole, fried jalapeños, an onion ring, cilantro, and Mexican crema — alongside the spicy Diablo with Serrano peppers in the patty and Oaxaca cheese, the smoky Chipotle Mushroom Swiss, and the fiery Battered Jalapeño Burger on a cheddar jalapeño bun with jalapeño cream cheese and housemade jalapeño jam. Beyond burgers, the seasonal New Mexico green chile and lamb stew and the steak with chipotle brown butter have both been praised for their big, memorable flavors, and the in-house ground chili with cheddar, onions, jalapeños, and corn chips is legendary in its own right. The draft beer is served in frozen mugs so cold it practically hurts, and the covered patio with its own bar is the perfect place to catch live music on a cool Texas evening.
Fred’s Texas Cafe is open Monday through Sunday from 10:30am to 10:30pm at all three Fort Worth area locations — Camp Bowie West at 7101 Camp Bowie West, Western Center at 2730 Western Center Blvd, and Crowley at 101 N. Magnolia St. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 3–6pm with $3.50 wells and domestics, $4.50 Shiners, and $7.50 margaritas. Online ordering, takeout, and private party bookings are all available. For more of Fort Worth’s most beloved burger joints and casual dining spots, explore the Fort Worth restaurant guide on Selling the Fort.
