Classic combination a hit in family-friendly restaurant

Steak and potatoes, bacon and eggs, peanut butter and jelly — some things are just meant to be together.

Such is the case for burgers and beer, and Pam and Bill Josza.

The Joszas were high school sweethearts and have been together for 32 years, married for 20. They have been the brains behind 3B's Burgers & Beer at 466 Rayford for five years.

"People's jaws drop when they realize we're together 24-7," Bill said. "But we love it. It's great. I wouldn't want it any other way."

After graduating from Westfield High School in Spring, Bill went on to study Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston while Pam studied advertising and marketing at the University of Texas.

After settling in Tiki Island near Galveston, the duo got into the bar business as the owners of Maxwell's Pub in Houston — now renamed Roeders Pub —and Doghouse Tavern in Midtown.

Ten years later, weary of bar hours and hurricane warnings, the couple sold both bar and beach house and headed for the suburbs and a fresh start in the restaurant industry.

"When we got up here, I still had bars on the brain," Bill said.

"We even had our hours until midnight," Pam said, "until we realized most people around here go to bed at 9."

Regardless, 3B's Burgers and Beer has been a hit, and two years later Bill and Pam knocked down a wall that had been separating them from another tenant, thereby doubling their space to 3,000-square feet.

One thing they didn't change?

"We're old school," Bill said. "Handwritten orders, counter-service, no computers."

Now, the family-friendly, no-smoking restaurant seats 70, boasts several flat screen televisions, and houses a handful of arcade games and two pool tables.

The duo knows their business inside and out, easily slipping into whatever role is necessary. That is why customers might find Bill at the grill and Pam at the till. In one case, a customer became a prized staffer. Randy Garcia was a regular diner at 3B's; he now serves as general manager.

"We love it when customers walk in and immediately look for Randy," Pam said.

Everything on the menu has been taste-tested by Bill and Pam, from the Frito Pie Burger to the Green Chile Cheeseburger.

"Bill is back there putting things together and asking me what I think," Pam said. "So we are literally back there inventing things."

Pam and Bill are quite particular about their food. It matters to them how the bun is toasted, how the meat is grilled and how burgers are built in a way that the bottom bun does not become soggy.

The signature "Bill Burger," with grilled onions, jalapenos, cheese, pickles and barbecue sauce, is a hit.

Pam likes to joke that if customers substitute the beef with chicken, it becomes the "Pam Burger."

Indeed, if beef isn't your thing, there's bird too. Chicken sandwiches, chicken wings and chicken tenders.

3B's offers a variety of bottled beers, wine, and malt-based drinks.

Out of all their customer service-based adventures over the years, the burger business is one Pam and Bill are particularly proud of — they started it when Rayford Road was merely one lane each way, have watched it grow along with the neighborhood and now look forward to a bright future, especially with Exxon Mobil moving to town.

"When Bill and I do anything," Pam said, "failure is not an option."

Unique burgers

Green Chile Cheeseburger — Made with flame-roasted Hatch green chilis, $7.99

The Italian Cheeseburger — Made with pepperoni, cherry peppers, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and Romano cheese, and marinara sauce, $8.49

Frito Pie Burger — Made with chili, cheddar cheese, diced onions and Fritos, $6.99

3B's Burgers & Beer, 466 Rayford Road, Spring, 281-419-3553

• Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Dinner Tues.–Thur. 4–8 p.m.
• Dinner Fri. 4–9 p.m.
• Dinner Sat. 4–9 p.m.
• Sunday Noon–10 p.m.