A Very Particular Burger Spot Is About to Open in Uptown

Is Uptown coming up on a little vacancy renaissance? Pro skateboarder Neen Williams and chef Phillip Frankland Lee may be the catalyst the area needs.

The duo was on a mission to create the ultimate backyard burger that felt indulgent yet familiar.

But when you're working with a chef who operates Scratch Restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Pasta Bar in Los Angeles, and 12 Sushi by Scratch locations around the country, including the one in Dallas, it's eventually going to catch wind — and it has.

NADC ("Not A Damn Chance") Burger started as a pop-up in Austin before the first brick-and-mortar opened off East 6th Street in 2021. The new Dallas location in the old Playground Bar space at 2908 McKinney Ave. will be the concept's ninth location nationally.

Now, usually we're not too fond of being told what to do, but when it comes to a one-item menu, we can be swayed. You'll come to NADC Burger for a burger ($16), fries ($4), potentially a brown butter chocolate chip cookie ($4), and cocktails ($15). So many great businesses already claim to have the best burgers in Dallas, so why commit to the one-hit wonder?

For starters, you have a burger recipe backed by a Michelin-starred chef. Two: the signature burger is made with 100% Japanese wagyu beef sourced from Japan. Finally, it's made with a third-pound double wagyu beef patty, American cheese, secret sauce, grilled onions, pickles and "slightly tamed" jalapeños. They say they created the perfect ratios of everything to tame the fatty wagyu flavor and create the perfect bite every time. One burger. One way.

With it, the fries are twice fried in tallow, which they say maximizes flavor and offers an unmatched crispiness. Going "Beast Mode" for $8 loads the fries with cheese, pickles, those peculiar "slightly tamed" jalapeños, special sauce and extra seasoning. Without compromising the ratio, of course.

NADC Burger Dallas will have a laid-back vibe with a nod to skate culture. Local artist Scott Tarbox is completing an urban mural as we speak, and they're making use of all the outdoor seating.

Next week, we'll be getting our paws on this burger taking cities by storm and see what all the hype is about. A full review is to come, but for now, NADC Burger is slated to open on Friday, August 15, at 2908 McKinney Ave. and will be open from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.