Now that I've been to Stomp's, I know just how far I'll go for a superlative onion ring: 30 miles, which is the distance from my doorstep to this amiably scruffy burger joint in Bacliff on Texas 146.

Here’s the quick story as I understand it: Tookie’s — the iconic gold-and-green burger stand in Seabrook — opened in 1975, served happy customers giant burgers for many wonderful years and was ...