• The new Hopdoddy at Highway 29 and Ronald Reagan opened to the public on Sept. 2, 2026.
  • The dining room is modern and family-friendly, with plenty of booths and a large bar in the center.
  • The bison burger, chicken lollipops and fries with queso were the standouts from our first visit.
  • Our only real complaint is the lack of a patio.

We got an early look at the new Hopdoddy in Leander during its friends-and-family opening on Aug. 30, a few days before the restaurant opened to the public on Sept. 2.

I think this is going to be a place we end up at pretty often.

We have been to the Cedar Park Hopdoddy a few times and have always liked it, but this one is much closer to us. It is nice to finally have a really good burger place at Highway 29 and Ronald Reagan without having to keep driving farther down Ronald Reagan.

Dining room, booths and center bar inside the new Hopdoddy in Leander

What the new Hopdoddy looks like inside

The restaurant feels clean and modern, but it is still casual enough that taking the kids there is easy.

There are booths throughout the dining room, which immediately made our kids happy because they would choose a booth over a regular table every single time.

There is also a large square bar in the middle of the restaurant that I really liked. TVs surround it, but there are not so many that the whole place feels like a sports bar. If there is a big Texas game on, I could definitely see this being a good place to sit at the bar, have a burger and watch it.

My one complaint about the space is that I wish they had built a patio. I was surprised there was not one. This feels like the kind of restaurant where a patio would get used all the time when the weather is nice.

TJ Larkin and his children seated in a booth during the Hopdoddy Leander friends-and-family opening

What we tried

I ordered the bison burger, which I am pretty sure was the first bison burger I have ever ordered. I did not know exactly what to expect, but it was really good. I would absolutely get it again.

We also ordered the chicken lollipops because I honestly had no idea what a chicken lollipop was supposed to be. They ended up being something like a bone-in chicken wing, and they were surprisingly good too.

The kids kept things simple with burgers and chicken fingers, but one of their favorite things ended up being the fries with queso.

I love that Hopdoddy serves the queso on the side instead of pouring it over the fries. The fries do not get soggy, and the kids can dip them themselves, which they thought was great.

TJ Larkin with his children at the Hopdoddy Leander friends-and-family opening

What the preview night was like

The staff was incredibly attentive. Almost overly attentive, honestly, but I mean that in a good way.

It was a friends-and-family preview, so the restaurant had more staff on hand than it probably will during an ordinary dinner service. Still, everyone we talked to seemed genuinely excited to have the restaurant open.

We also talked for a while with one of the regional managers. He lives in Round Rock, plans to spend plenty of time at the Leander location and seemed genuinely happy with how the restaurant came together.

There were a couple of small preview-night issues still being worked out. The shake machine was not working yet, which disappointed the kids, but that is not something I am going to hold against a restaurant before its public opening.

TJ Larkin and his children inside the new Hopdoddy restaurant in Leander

Our verdict

Overall, we were really happy with it.

We already knew we liked Hopdoddy, so there was not a huge mystery about whether the food would be good. The bigger thing for us is having one right here.

Between the food, the way the restaurant looks, the booths for the kids and the bar in the middle, it feels like a very good fit for this part of Leander.

We will be back, and the kids will make sure the shake machine gets another chance.

Hopdoddy Leander: What to know

Address: 19389 Ronald W. Reagan Blvd., Suite 100, Leander, TX 78641

Public opening: Sept. 2, 2026

What we tried: Bison burger, chicken lollipops, burgers, chicken fingers and fries with queso

Good for: Families, casual dinner, burgers and watching a game at the bar

Our take: A welcome addition to this part of Williamson County and one we will probably visit regularly

Frequently asked questions

Where is the new Hopdoddy in Leander?

It is at 19389 Ronald W. Reagan Blvd., Suite 100, at the corner of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Highway 29 near H-E-B.

When did Hopdoddy Leander open?

The Leander restaurant opened to the public on Sept. 2, 2026. WilCo Guide visited the friends-and-family preview on Aug. 30.

Is Hopdoddy Leander good for families?

Based on our first visit, yes. The restaurant is casual, has plenty of booths and offers straightforward choices for kids alongside the full burger menu.

Does Hopdoddy Leander have a patio?

No. The Leander location does not have a patio.