Velma Ruiz and Santiago Tzep combined their collective four decades of experience in the food and restaurant industry to open a classic burger joint in Katy called Old School Burger in October 2022.

After working in kitchens across the local area and operating a food truck selling papusas and other Central American cuisine, the business partners learned to emphasize flavor, customer service and freshly prepared entrees, they said.

“I’ve worked in a lot of places where the patties are frozen or delivered from somewhere else,” Tzep said. “Here, everything is fresh. From the patty, to the tomatoes and lettuce.”

Meet the owners
Co-owner Velma Ruiz, who also runs a local food truck serving Central American cuisine, said she takes great pride in her business. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Co-owner Velma Ruiz, who also runs a local food truck serving Central American cuisine, said she takes great pride in her business. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Ruiz runs the front of the house, while Tzep leads the kitchen. Most of Tzep's time is spent cooking and developing the flavors that he said their customers love, and this is what he enjoys most about the business.

“It’s not just a simple [hamburger] patty with salt and pepper, we have our own seasonings,” Tzep said. “People come in and they say we have great burgers and great flavors. I love cooking for them.”


For Ruiz, she said she takes pride in giving each guest a personalized experience. This is what helps to spread the word about Old School Burger, she said.

“[I enjoy] everything because this is my business,” Ruiz said.
Tzep has spent more than a decade learning the food industry and the palate of Katy residents, which he said is the experience he brings to Old School Burger. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
Tzep has spent more than a decade learning the food industry and the palate of Katy residents, which he said is the experience he brings to Old School Burger. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
On the menu

Tzep and Ruiz introduced three new burger options to the restaurant in June, which are:
  • The Cowboy burger topped with spinach, tomato, caramelized onion, pickled jalapeno, mozzarella cheese and barbecue sauce
  • The Alamo burger with chorizo, Carolina cheese and crispy onion strings
  • The Tejana burger with a grilled tomato, grilled jalapenos, bacon, an egg fried over easy and jalapeno ranch
The newly introduced 'alamo' burger ($16.99) features chorizo, Carolina cheese, crispy onion strings and a Chipotle aoili. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
The newly introduced Alamo burger ($16.99) features chorizo, Carolina cheese, crispy onion strings and a chipotle aioli. (Asia Armour/Community Impact)
The three new options join the 16 different sandwiches on the menu, which range from fried chicken to a truffle wagyu burger. The partners said their variety of flavor combinations is what sets them apart from other burger joints.

“The meat is the same, but the options and the final product is what makes us different,” Ruiz said.