Below a towering McDonald’s billboard sits Cream Burger, a family-owned hamburger and shake stand that has faithfully served Third Ward residents for almost five decades.
Verna Greenwood, a housekeeper, opened the restaurant in 1961. She cleaned the house of a woman who was so impressed by her service that she gave Verna a down payment to start her own business.
Verna and her husband Willie opened their first burger stand in Willowbrook off South Post Oak Road.
Their daughter, Beverly Greenwood, said the two originally called their stand Willie’s Cream Burger, since they wanted to sell burgers and ice cream.
‘They needed a name that hadn’t already been taken,’ Beverly said.
The business moved to its current location at the corner of Elgin and Scott streets, across from the Exxon gas station. Since then, it has become a favorite spot among residents.
Cream Burger is the idyllic family-run small business, since today the burger stand is still owned and operated by Verna and Willie’s seven children.
‘Cream Burger is just a little hamburger stand,’ Beverly said, adding that they serve ‘no fish, just burgers; just good hamburgers.’
Beverly said that UH students occasionally visit, but that the store thrives off neighborhood regulars, some of who have been eating cream-burgers for the last 40 years.
It’s no wonder – despite its humble location and small size – that Cream Burger’s selections are sure to convert fans of bigger fast food places. Its patties are juicy and leave a spicy flavor on the tongue. There is a deliciously home-cooked feel to the entire burger. Cream Burger’s smooth shakes complement its burgers perfectly.
The restaurant does not have much seating, but students on the go can place an order over the phone for pickup at (713) 659-7660.
