After graduating from high school, Marron said he went into the automotive industry to make a living. However, when the industry began to decline, he opened the first iteration of his restaurant focusing on burgers and chicken tacos in Porter around 2007.
"I have always wanted to cook; I have always wanted to open a restaurant,” Marron said. “Over the years, I would barbecue or make food, and people would tell me my food was so good I should open a restaurant.”
Marron said when he started out, the business focused on to-go orders, but his clientele for homemade burgers was not in Porter.
“You want to sit down to eat it and appreciate it more,” he said.
After a few years, Marron said he relocated and took over the original RC’s Pizza near Hwy. 242. After dealing with a variety of building issues at the location, including lack of water, Marron said he asked his customers where they would want to see the burger restaurant, and most of them said The Woodlands and Spring area.
Since opening at its current location on Sawdust Road, Marron said the business has been doing well, although his plans for growth have been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Putting in extra effort
Marron said one of his core beliefs for is putting extra effort into preparing food.
“There are a lot of extra steps you need to take when you are cooking,” he said. “We use a lot of extra ingredients, which is why I want to say we are not inexpensive, but it is all quality food, and that is what you pay for.”
Marron said his signature burger is called the Ultimate Rattlesnake Burger, which consists of an Angus beef patty, pork sausage, onions and jalapenos mixed in with seasoning and placed on a jalapeno bun for a sweet and spicy combination. Marron added what makes the burger stand out is the combination of seasoning used before and during the cooking process.
“I love burgers,” he said. “I always experimented over the years with different kinds.”
Marron added Uncle Tony’s Burgers is also known for its chicken tacos, which it won second place for in a 2017 competition for the best tacos in Montgomery County.
“They are definitely American tacos,” he said. “People come in and ask where the rice and beans are. ... They are unique.”
Going mobile
Among the additions to Uncle Tony’s Burgers over the past couple of years is a food truck, which Marron said has been beneficial for spreading the word about the restaurant.
“We go to breweries and cater to neighborhoods,” he said. “People will ask where we park the truck at, and we tell them we actually have a restaurant. If we stock the food truck and do not sell out, we can always come back and sell it at the restaurant.”
Marron said there have been plans to expand the business, but due to the pandemic those plans have been put on hold.
“A few months before COVID[-19], we had actually been growing,” Marron said. “[Right] before COVID had been our best month ever. Then we had to shut down. ... We are starting to recover.”
Marron said the plans for the restaurant to expand are still on the horizon, although they will be delayed for the time being
Uncle Tony’s Burgers
314 Sawdust Road, Ste. 108, Spring
281-719-0916
www.uncletonys.biz
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily
