Dirty Martin's Place

John Martin founded Martin’s Kum Bak Place in 1926. Located in what was
once known as far North Austin, the restaurant had a humble beginning attached to a bar and gas station, with a dirt floor and only eight bar stools. Martin intentionally misspelled the words ‘Come Back’ with the belief that “if you spell something wrong, people will notice it”. With time, the nickname “Dirty’s” was affectionately coined by customers due to the dirt floor. In 1936, Stuart Nemir Sr. purchased the property, and in 1941 the restaurant too, unknowingly setting the precedence of Dirty Martin’s as a family-owned business. By 1954, Mr. Nemir sold the restaurant to Cecil Pickens for a mere $2,500, and he owned the business until 1989 when Nemir’s grandson, Mark, took ownership.

While Dirty Martin’s has upheld a cult burger status throughout the years, its devotees have equally returned for our all-star staff. Among Dirty Martin’s most notable staff was “Doc” Mallard who served as a car-hop for 46 years, the infamous sibling duo Faye and Margie Braddock, and J.T. and Wesley Hughes who were the
face of Dirty Martin’s for nearly half a century. Each employee contributed to Dirty Martin’s history, especially the antics customers anticipated from J.T. and Wes scooping up hamburger patties and throwing them onto the grill, and J.T.’s invention of the O.T. Special, Austin’s first bacon cheeseburger.

For the past 20 years, Dirty Martin’s has featured a new cast of characters
behind the grill, such as Will, Val, Zarin “Z,” and Jonny. Together, this lively crew has upheld the spirit of Dirty Martin’s, serving the same great-tasting food known for generations. Among UT students, sports fans, and Austin natives, Dirty Martin’s has consistently been a place to call home. Although Austin continuously changes, and has lost many famous historical landmarks over the years, Dirty Martin’s is a charming piece of this city’s culture that will always remain.