Ian Hilton is kicking himself for not starting Gee Burger a year ago, instead of at the start of 2021. “Shame on me,” says the restaurateur, who co-owns a sprawling group of bars and restaurants with his brother, Eric Hilton, including French brasserie Chez Billy Sud, pizza and beer spot Echo Park, and El Rey taqueria.
He’s convinced that if he debuted Gee Burger — a delivery-only, burger-focused spot — earlier in the pandemic, it would be even more successful than it is already proving to be. During the early days of the pandemic, diners had bottomless appetites for smash burgers and fried chicken sandwiches. Gee Burger specializes in both.
“There are certain foods that don’t break the bank and are very comforting,” Hilton says by way of explaining their popularity. “And they’re not the easiest thing to cook at home — unless you have a cast iron skillet to make a smash burger and a deep fryer to make fried chicken.”
It wasn’t just the breakout of D.C. area burger and fried chicken start-ups, including Ghostburger, Sandi Buns, and Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken, that spurred Hilton to get in the game. It was watching his teenage sons in virtual school “counting down the minutes until they could order food from an app.” He wanted in, so he set up four ghost kitchens that could deliver to D.C. and much of northern Virginia. The delivery-only (and sometimes takeout) spots operate out of three of Hilton’s other eateries — Café Colline in Arlington, Fairfax’s Parc de Ville, and Solace Outpost in Falls Church — as well as Crimson in Chinatown.
Hilton came up with the menu with input from his chef Brendan L’Etoile. “I’ve been eating his burgers for 10 years, and they’re really good,” says Hilton. “He worked out a recipe that would travel well and could be prepared quickly.”
Served on sesame seed buns from Uptown Bakers in Hyattsville, the burgers feature a pair of 3-ounce patties. Cooked smash burger style on a hot flat top, they get a nice sear but stay juicy. Though diners can simply order a bun with two plain patties (otherwise known as the Kenny Gee), most burgers are dressed to the nines.
Gee Burger’s biggest seller, the Oh, Gee! is a classic double cheeseburger piled high with American cheese, crisp Bibb lettuce, pickles, and secret sauce boasting a funky kick from shellfish-free kimchi brine. Other burgers go a little farther afield with their toppings combos. The Mellow Gee has Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions; the Smokey Gee is decked out with American cheese, bacon, crispy shallots, and hickory smoked barbecue sauce; and the Kickin’ Gee features kimchi, pickled jalapeños, and American cheese.
The oddest proposition in the lineup is the George Washington Carver, which sees the patties laced with bacon, fried shallots, and peanut butter. Hilton admits it’s their lowest seller, but the burger has dedicated fans who order it weekly. (The name perpetuates a widely held misconception that Carver invented peanut butter. Though he created several hundred applications incorporating peanuts — including massage oil, chili sauce, and glue — jelly’s favorite sandwich companion was not one of them.)
Sometimes, Hilton comes up with a name first and then tries to create a burger. He’s been attempting to craft a Warren Gee burger to honor the West Coast rapper, but figuring out what to put on it that would evoke the “Regulate” star has proven impossible.
Not in the mood for beef? There’s a fried chicken sandwich: the Crispy Gee. As expected, there are French fries available, but what kind will depend on the location and the chef’s sourcing options. Some offer freshly hand cut fries, others depend on commercially produced frozen fries designed to hold up to the stress of delivery. All of the sandwiches range from $10 to $14.
Though they tested a number of vegetarian burger options, there wasn’t one that resonated with Hilton, so plant-based eaters will have to look elsewhere. There are no beverages available either.
Hilton is “kind of obsessed” with his newest venture, and fully plans to keep it going after the pandemic. “I like what we’ve got going, so I’d like to keep the forward momentum going,” he says.
Gee Burger has various locations and hours.
