There are few foods as synonymous with American cuisine than the humble hamburger. Like pizza, even a mediocre burger is usually pretty passable (as long as it’s not dried out). But what makes a burger great? Is it the meat? The sauce? The bun? The ability to order it off a secret menu? These are all points of heated debate among food nerds, especially since the term “burger” can encompass pretty much anything on a bun. Here are eleven burgers we think are pretty fabulous, from fast-food favorites to fancy-pants gourmet versions (see here for our veggie favorites). You can let us know your picks in the comments.
Photo courtesy of Duke’s Grocery’s Facebook page.
WAGYU BEEF BURGER AT BAR CHARLEY: The burgers at Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring have a cult following, so it’s no surprise that co-owner Jackie Greenbaum’s other bars also do the hamburger a serious solid. Bar Charley, Greenbaum’s north Dupont cocktail bar and restaurant takes all the goodness of a classic burger but amps up the fancy factor. Made with deliciously marbled wagyu beef and tucked between a brioche bun, this version is definitely bougie-er than anything you’ll find at Quarry House, but there’s no arguing with magical beefy flavor. Most importantly, this gourmet burger is just $10 during happy hour. —Alicia Mazzara
Bar Charley is located at 1825 18th Street NW.
THE WELLINGTON AT BGR: BGR offers a wide variety of burgers, including rotating specials, but nothing can truly compete with their award-winning burger, the Wellington. The patty itself can be a bit underseasoned at times, but it’s kind of hard to beat a hamburger topped with caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, blue cheese crumbles, and black truffle oil. It’s a messy, larger-than-life dining experience that will leave you near comatose. But take a break from the salad lifestyle and indulge yourself. You’ll leave happy. —Jacob Dean
BGR has multiple locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
OAK-FIRED STEAK BURGER AT BOURBON STEAK: If you’re serious about your cow parts, look no further than Bourbon Steak’s steak burger, made with freshly ground dry-aged beef. The 75 percent meat to 25 percent fat ratio ensures plenty of juicy flavor from the first bite, though a coating of red wine butter and “special sauce” (think Big Mac) also adds to the decadence. This artful blend of brisket, short rib, and chuck doesn’t come cheap, but at $19 (fries not included), it’s fair to expect bovine perfection. —Alicia Mazzara
Bourbon Steak is located at 2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW.
THE HOUSE BURGER AT THE FAINTING GOAT: I met one of my favorite people for the first time at Fainting Goat and knew it was destined to be a beautiful friendship when she insisted I try their burger. Since then, it’s become my go-to order and it’s always been cooked to perfection—the exact right balance of slightly charred on the outside and richly beefy once you bite into it. Whatever is in the tomato jam is the perfect sweet-salty condiment—and don’t skimp on the wedge potato fries, either. —Elizabeth Traynor
The Fainting Goat is located at 1330 U Street NW.
A Good Stuff burger. Photo by Erin M.
THE MICHELLE MELT AT GOOD STUFF EATERY: One could make the argument that any one of Good Stuff Eatery’s devilishly designed mega-burgers should deserve their own spot on this list, but as someone that favors turkey burgers over beef ones (sorry/not sorry), I’ve got to single out the Michelle Melt. A free-range turkey patty is topped with caramelized onions, swiss cheese, ruby tomatoes, lettuce, and tangy southlawn herb garden mayo on a wheat bun. Look, this may be more of a “healthy” option or whatever, but it’s still damn delicious, OK? — Matt Cohen, from a previous list
Good Stuff Eatery has locations in D.C. and Virginia.
THE PROPER BURGER AT DUKE’S GROCERY: I firmly believe that Duke’s could serve nothing beyond The Proper Burger and beer and would continue to thrive as an establishment in its cozy Dupont space with the always-buzzing patio. The balance of sweet, savory, salty, and acidic flavors in this perfect sandwich is engineered to make us salivate: it comes with two tender beef patties topped with gouda, arugula (aka rocket), dill pickles, fried red onions, a dollop of garlic mayo, and another of sweet chili sauce. Add a duck egg if it’s your birthday. All this luxury is piled within a soft brioche bun that soaks up those succulent meat juices, so not a drop is lost. Proper, indeed. —Jenny Holm
Duke’s Grocery is located at 1513 17th St NW.
FIVE GUYS: If you’re a fan of a dainty burger where all of the various sauces and toppings are readily distinguishable from each other, Five Guys is not your burger joint. If you’re a fan of a hot, steaming, keep-it-in-the-foil-to-hold-its-shape burger though, then look no further. Five Guys might not offer the most dignified of meals (I have yet to leave one of their locations without smelling like French fries), but the burgers are fresh, truly made to order, and you can get as many toppings as you want. The transparently and often locally-sourced fry servings are also ludicrously enormous, and they offer free, unlimited serve-yourself in-shell salted peanuts. The underutilized secret menu is also pretty awesome, including an option where you can replace the bun with two grilled cheese sandwiches. Need we say more? —Jacob Dean
Five Guys has multiple locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
THE HEIGHTS BURGER AT THE HEIGHTS: The Columbia Heights restaurant The Heights has seen a change in ownership over the past year, but the self-named Heights burger remains a highlight. Mushrooms, cheddar, bacon, and aioli all make an appearance, but the king of the castle is definitely the sunny side-up egg. All together it’s a bit of a gut buster, but, man, the egg! That’s the good stuff right there. —Jacob Dean
The Heights is located at 3115 14th St NW.
Photo by Rey Lopez.
BEEFSTEAK BURGER AT BEEFSTEAK: Once upon a time, a famous TV commercial asked, “Where’s the beef?” According to Beefsteak, the 2015 answer is, “outta here!” The eponymous Beefsteak Burger forgoes the patty entirely. With a bulky slice of beefsteak tomato in the spotlight, the burger returns the meatless concept back to its literal definition as a burger of veggies. The tomato-centric burger gets fresh with sprouts, pickled red onions, caper herb mayonnaise and olive oil between a pillowy olive oil brioche bun. For a heartier fix, you can add avocado, egg, cheese, or meat. It’s a handful and a mouthful that syncs with another, more recent TV commercial—the one that shows sexualized burgers as seductive, oozing, juicy messes. As Beefsteak aspires to bring sexy back to vegetables, its drippy, awkwardly luscious Beefsteak Burger is fully in character. —Andrea Adleman
Beefsteak is located at 800 22nd Street NW and 1528 Connecticut Avenue NW.
THE BURGER AMERICAIN AT LE DIPLOMATE: Yes, it seems like utter sacrilege to order a burger at the Frenchest of the city’s French restaurants. But there’s a reason Le Dip’s burger is so gosh darn popular: The restaurant approaches the classic American burger with the same deference as its steak frites or sole meunière. Piled with two beef patties, pickles, Thousand Island dressing, and crowned with a tiny American flag toothpick, it’s a playful nod to the Big Mac on a divine house-made brioche bun. —Alicia Mazzara
Le Diplomate is located at 1601 14th St NW.
SHRIMP BURGER AT PROOF: Shrimp and burger are not usually two words I associate with each other, but Proof has made me a believer. The Asian-inspired burger in question is actually a mixture of pureed shrimp that’s been formed into a patty and deep fried to crispy perfection. Topped with fresh cucumber slices and shreds of pickled daikon and carrot, it channels another favorite dish of mine—Vietnamese shrimp fritters on sugarcane. —Alicia Mazzara
Proof is located at 776 G St NW.
THE DOGCATCHER AT RAY’S HELLBURGER: Ray’s Hellburger, the source of the biggest meat coma of my life, re-opened last year to the joy of carnivores everywhere. Chef Michael Landrum knows his way around beef, and these juicy, hand-ground burgers are yet another testament to his skill with animal protein. Ordering these patties well-done is a crime, food-borne illness be damned. My personal favorite is The Dogcatcher, served with roasted bone marrow and garlicky herbs for an explosion of magical beefy flavor. If your arterial health is of no concern, spring for the Fat Joe which comes with a hunk of foie gras, crispy onions, and a drizzle of white truffle oil. — Alicia Mazzara, from a previous list
Ray’s Hellburger is located at 1650 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Va.
