This past winter in DC felt very nostalgic (not in a good way) for the midwestern winters I grew up with. It was grey, dingy and all-around miserable for a solid few months.
When I asked my friend who’s from Michigan (I’m from Ohio) to accompany me on the search for the best burger in DC, she pounced on the opportunity. Let’s just say that the seasonal depression was real and we needed something to keep our minds off things!
Our rules were that the burger places needed to be locally owned and not national chains. Five Guys is locally owned (and we love it!) but it’s all over the place.
Enjoy our favorites!
Lucky Buns– Adams Morgan, DC
Brittany’s Favorite!
I, no joke, have dreamt about this burger since we went to Lucky Buns.
Overall Taste:
We both gave it a resounding A+. The burgers DEFINITELY lived up to the hype. Sigh, so good.
Bun
We both gave it an A
Appearance
We both gave it an A
Quality of Meat
We were obviously in major agreement that day because we both gave it an A+
Variety of toppings
Catherine: C
Brittany: B-
The toppings were creative toppings but very specific… There wasn’t a ton of variety.
Ambiance
We both gave the ambiance a B, but in hindsight, I think we were being perhaps a bit too generous. Weeks after we visited, I still remember how miserably freezing it was in there… damn Covid
Fries
We both gave the fries an A+. We loved loved the cheesy chips!
My very eloquent reaction to my first bite of the burger? “Holy Sh*t.” Burgers standard prices, everything else is high priced (but, trust me, it’s worth it)
Brickside–Bethesda, MD
Catherine’s Favorite!
Overall Taste:
Catherine: A+
Brittany: A+
Bun:
Catherine: A+ (direct quote: “I don’t want none unless you got buns hun!” )
Brittany: A+
Appearance:
Catherine: A
Brittany: A
Quality of Meat:
Catherine: A
Brittany: A
Variety of toppings:
Catherine: C
Brittany: C
The toppings were pretty standard but certainly got the job done–delish
Ambiance:
Catherine: A-
Brittany: A-
We happened to be there when some very loud fellas were screaming about some European soccer match but overall I love the ambiance at Brickside. It’s perfect for an in-between weather night out because it has an indoor/outdoor vibe.
Fries:
Catherine: B-
Brittany: B
There are different kinds of fries, which is fun!
Price point:
Amazing! Cheaper than chipotle.
All About Burger–Arlington, VA
This was our first stop on the best burger quest and it was a very, very solid spot. The food was delish and is great for an inexpensive evening out. The location is great too and would be perfect for dinner before an evening at the Arlington bars. I’ll also note that they had a Coke Freestyle, which is one of my all time favorite things so that always puts things in a positive light in my book. Anyway, see our specific grades below!
Overall Taste:
Brittany: A solid
Catherine: B+ a little dry, bacon perfect!
Bun:
Brittany: B- needs more
Catherine: B basic
Appearance:
Brittany: solid good ‘ole cheeseburger
Catherine: good but not great
Quality of Meat:
Brittany: B+ hand press not frozen
Catherine: A really good!
Variety of toppings:
We both gave it a solid A
Ambiance:
Brittany: B great diner look
Catherine: B clean great light.
Fries:
We both gave them a C+.. They were just kind of “meh.” HOWEVER, the special sauce they provide to accompany the fries was uhhhmazing.
Burger District–Arlington, VA
Next up was Burger District over in the Courthouse neighborhood. Unlike All About, Burger District is a sit down burger joint (so we were able to accompany our burgers with beer, which is always a plus). Even though our “grades” for this spot weren’t necessarily stellar, we did overall enjoy our experience there! I will say that the service there was absolutely abysmal, so bring some patience with you when you check it out.
Overall Taste:
Brittany: B
Catherine: B+
Bun:
Brittany: A-
Catherine: A-
Appearance:
Brittany: A–
Catherine: A
Quality of Meat:
Brittany: A-
Catherine: B+
Variety of toppings:
B
Ambiance:
Brittany: B-
Catherine: B
It was fine.. Reminiscent of a dive bar but much, much cleaner.
Fries:
Brittany: C (I didn’t like that they were all frozen products… I did like that they gave you a choice on what kind of fries you want)
Catherine: B (She said they were flavorful)
Z Burger–Tenleytown, DC
Don’t let the modest appearance of Z Burger fool you. This place is delicious and legit. They also have like, a bazillion flavors of milkshakes that I’m totally going to try one of these days. In the meantime, the burger certainly did not disappoint!
Overall Taste:
Brittany: A-
Catherine: A-
Bun:
Brittany: B+
Catherine: B+
Appearance:
Brittany: B-
Catherine: B
Quality of Meat:
Brittany: A-
Catherine: B+
Variety of toppings:
Brittany: A
Catherine: A
Ambiance:
Brittany: B-
Catherine: B-
Fries:
Brittany: A
Catherine: A
I’ve found that people tend to have strong opinions about the best burgers.. So I ask you, where are your favorite burger places in the DMV? We tried several places but can always try more! Happy burger eating!
