Uptown Dallas has a new burger heavyweight -- and the line out the door proves it. NADC (Not a Damn Chance) Burger, the fast-casual smashburger concept from professional skateboarder Neen Williams and chef and restaurateur Phillip Frankland Lee, officially opened its first standalone Dallas location in August on McKinney Ave. The new outpost is already drawing burger devotees from across DFW, with wait times reaching up to an hour to get a bite of what’s quickly becoming Dallas’ most coveted cheeseburger.
Founded on a mission to perfect the ultimate backyard-style burger, NADC’s menu is unabashedly stripped down and confident. The menu features just four items: a cheeseburger ($16), hand-cut fries ($5), a house-baked chocolate chip cookie ($4) and drinks from a full-service bar. But don’t mistake simplicity for lack of substance.
The star of the show is the beast-mode burger: a double Wagyu patty, smashed and seared with grilled onions, topped with American cheese, house pickles, slightly tamed jalapeños and secret sauce, all nestled inside a toasted potato bun. Each patty is seasoned with a proprietary spice blend from Williams’ NADC Spice Company, giving the burger its signature kick.
“We really just set out to make the perfect burger,” says Williams. “We didn’t plan on opening a bunch of restaurants. But then our friends started tasting it and kept telling us we had to sell it. The rest is history.”
It’s not just the burgers making tongues wag. The perfectly salted fries are double fried in beef tallow for maximum crisp. Adventurous types can upgrade to “Beast Mode” ($8) to get them loaded with cheese, pickles, jalapeños, special sauce and even more of that secret seasoning.
Inside, the restaurant pays homage to the founders’ roots in skate and food culture. The two-story space was designed by Lee’s hospitality team and features indoor-outdoor lounge seating, a colorful skate-inspired mural by local artist Scott Tarbox and laid-back counter service. It’s also the perfect place to lounge with friends and sip on one of their carefully curated cocktails, like the Deathwish - a nod to Williams’ skateboarding career, which is a tangy tropical, rum-based drink with passionfruit boba.
“It’s just been awesome to see this response,” Williams says. “The momentum is real, and it’s not slowing down. Dallas is a key market for us, and just like our standalone locations in Austin, Chicago, NYC and Denver, it’s a city where we know our NADC burgers will thrive. What sets us apart from our competitors is our commitment to doing one thing well. We don’t try to do everything, we just make a good burger with 100% wagyu, and that’s what keeps people coming back.”
Before landing in Uptown, NADC made its North Texas debut in Fort Worth, operating inside the Big Laugh Comedy Club. Despite its unconventional home, the burger earned a Best Burger award at the 2025 Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, cementing its local credibility.
NADC is the first fast-casual venture from the acclaimed team at Scratch Restaurants Group, founded by Lee and his wife Margarita Kallas-Lee. While Scratch is best known for its high-touch, omakase-style tasting counters, including Pasta|Bar Los Angeles, which has held a Michelin star since 2021, the team brings that same attention to detail to every burger, bun and batch of fries.
In a market that is arguably oversaturated with burger options, the less-is-more philosophy is a refreshing change. At NADC, every detail, from the beef sourcing to the hand smash technique is perfectly crafted to deliver the perfect bite, again and again, guaranteeing foodies an unforgettable culinary experience.