D.C.’s fast-casual burger market is notoriously crowded. From Bareburger to Z-Burger, there’s seemingly no end to the lengths restaurants will go to provide a fresh take on affordable, quality, and customizable patties. So when Red Apron Butcher announced in December it was opening Red Apron Burger Bar (1323 Connecticut Ave. NW), there was as much reason for skepticism as there was for excitement.
At first glance, the spinoff makes a lot of sense. Red Apron Butcher, part of Neighborhood Restaurant Group, has built a reputation around the city for quality meats and sandwiches since opening in 2013. And after having the opportunity to visit the new burger bar and try the menu, it turns out that this history of butchery and working with quality animals is one solid way to separate from the competition.
Red Apron Burger Bar has the shell of a typical counter-serve joint. Guests order and pay at a register and eat from paper wrappers on cafeteria trays. But it quickly becomes clear they are aiming for something a notch above.
“The goal was never to be just a quick-order burger place,” says Nathan Anda, head butcher at Red Apron, who worked with his team for more than a year to develop the concept.
Anda himself has more than 10 years of experience researching beef production and cultivating relationships with area farmers. That means the kitchen has inroads to a steady stream of quality, local cows. In this case, the meat is exclusively from Virginia.
That connection means Red Apron Burger Bar can offer two distinct types of beef: Black Angus and Ancient White Park. Black Angus, with its pronounced buttery and beefy taste, is the standard-bearer for burgers and easily the most familiar. Ancient White Park, on the other hand, is something new for most people. These cattle are mild on the beefiness with a subtle funk that Anda describes as a “pronounced earthiness.” They’re also 100 percent grass fed.
Either choice is well-suited for the house burger, which comes topped with white American cheese, pickles, shaved onions, special sauce, and a single or double patty. Prices are $5.85 and $8.95 for Black Angus and $7.35 and $11.35 for Ancient White Park. Extra toppings such as pimento cheese, chili, bacon, cheese wiz, and gluten-free buns are available for an upcharge.
Single patties are on the small size but make a good meal when paired with a side of garlic-rosemary fries. A double is an easy call for larger appetites.The menu also includes a pair of specialty burgers, including the Double Vision, with a double patty, pimento cheese, bacon, and tomato jam.
The beef is great, but Red Apron Burger Bar is much more than that. The menu has sandwiches for all tastes and diets, ranging from $8.35 to $8.75. They include the El Jefe (chorizo with chimicurri), the Piggyback (pork with provolone and broccoli rabe), and the Yardbird (yogurt-marinated chicken with whipped feta, pickles, and harissa mayo). There’s also a vegetarian burger and—believe it or not— it’s one of the best items of all.
“We knew that we needed a kick-ass veggie burger,” Anda says, and he clearly wasn’t kidding.
A bite into the meatless Groundswell burger reveals a burger of mushroom, rice, and cashews that’s then topped with spicy smoked chimichurri, creamy avocado, and lettuce. Beans were left out, Anda notes, because they got too soggy during grilling, making for a loose consistency instead of a firm patty. Even those who swear by red meat may find a reason to come back for this creation.
Once you’ve settled on your order you can browse the beverage menu. As with all Neighborhood Restaurant Group restaurants, drinking here is an attraction all its own. The 18-tap beers rotate frequently and draws heavily on top-notch breweries from Maryland and Virginia. A series of $8 carbonated boozy punches and $7-$8 wines by the glass round out the hard drinks. Rather than attempt a lengthy milkshake menu, Red Apron sells a “house freeze,” a blend of vanilla soft serve and root beer that lands somewhere between a full-on shake and a fizzy root beer float.
This variety makes Red Apron Burger Bar work both as a quick $10-$15 grab-and-go-lunch spot or a place to linger over a serious burger and throw back a couple excellent beers. Don’t miss the daily happy hour either, with its $3, $4, and $5 draft beer selection.
Red Apron Burger Bar can’t do anything about the many burger joints in business a stone’s throw away, but it shouldn’t be worried. This place is putting out some of the tastiest and most creative burgers in the city for the price.
Red Apron Burger Bar is located at 1323 Connecticut Ave. NW. It is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. from Sunday-Wednesday, and 11 a.m.-midnight from Thursday-Saturday.
