Duke’s Grocery Proper Burger (credit Duke’s Grocery Twitter)

Last Updated January 16, 2022

Fresh off my chicken sandwich post, I thought it would be even better to create another mostly crowd-sourced post of best burgers, and even better, generated from my content rather than someone else-further validated by a Twitter poll thread in January 2022. This directory tells you where to order, cost of burgers, and what’s on them. At the bottom of the post, I’ve done some more organizing by neighborhood, cost, etc.

Note that a lot of people feel that burgers don’t travel well via delivery, so try either do pickup (eat in your car if you have one) or deliver from places within a couple miles.

Best Value ($14 or under including fries): DC9, Ghostburger (4 oz Ghostburger only), Pogiboy, The Big Board (6 oz. LTO only), Good Stuff Eatery, Tune Inn, Swizzler

Gold Tier: The Best in Town

• Duke’s Grocery (Dupont/Foggy Bottom); Duke’s Counter (Woodley Park)
  • Open daily for lunch/dinner
  • $15 (+$4 fries, n/a in Dupont, $4.75 sweet potato fries avail in Woodley Park) Proper Burger
    • two ¼ lb. Creekstone Farms angus beef patties, gouda, pickles, charred red onion, sweet chili sauce, arugula, garlic aioli on brioche
  • 35%-one of best in DC (49% of who’ve eaten). 72% have eaten 
• Lucky Buns (Adams Morgan, Union Market)
  • dinner daily, brunch weekends (Adams Morgan); lunch (2p M-F, noon Sat-Sun/dinner daily  (Union Market)
  • $15-16 (+$8 fries – serving for 2) 4-5 options
    • all with 2 Creekstone Farms beef patties, gouda cheese and Gordy’s Pickles
    • Lucky Bun: lucky sauce, grilled red onion, arugula
    • OG Bun: shaved lettuce, raw red onion, Chinese yellow mustard, garlic mayo
    • Other options seasonal or based on location
  • 26%-one of best in DC (47% of who’ve eaten). 55% have eaten
• Mélange (Mt Vernon Triangle)
  • lunch/dinner daily
  • $13-17 (+$4 fries w/ sea salt or fries; +$5 sweet potato fries, $5 berbere fries)
    • The Classic ($13) – American cheese, LTO, brown butter aioli
    • The Italian ($14) – smoked mozz, tomato confit, arugula, spicy basil aioli
    • The Double Decker ($16) – American cheese, pickles, onions, shrettuce, special sauce
    • The Butcher’s Burger ($17) – Sharp white-cheddar, pastrami, pickles, roasted garlic-parsley aioli
      
  • 9%- one of best in DC (52% of those who’ve eaten). 17% have eaten.

Silver Tier

• Le Diplomate (14^th Street)
  • Open daily for lunch/dinner
  • $20 (includes fries) Burger Americain
    • Cheeseburger w/ mayo
  • 20% say one of best in DC (38% of those who’ve eaten). 52% have.
• The Salt Line (Navy Yard)
  • Currently no delivery. Call to order pickup (Caviar sometimes available)
  • dinner M-Th, lunch or brunch/dinner Fri-Sat
  • $18 (includes fries or greens) New England Smash burger
    • 2 ground chuck patties, American cheese, LT, pickle, mayo on sesame bun
  • 11%-one of best in DC (40% of those who’ve eaten). 27% have eaten
• Slash Run (Petworth)
  • Dinner weekdays, brunch/dinner weekends
  • $15-16 (+$2 (small) +$5 (large) waffle or fresh cut fries)) (1/2 priced Mondays?) 6 oz Creekstone Farms beef patty on lyons bakery brioche bun unless stated, upcharges for vegan or gluten free)
    • Classic ($11): LTO
    • Slash Supreme: cheddar, bacon, LTO on pretzel bun
    • Morning Glory: applewood smoked bacon, sunny side-up egg, jalapeno cream cheese, maple syrup aioli
    • South of the Burger: avo, pico de gallo, jalapenos, pepperjack, tortilla chips
    • Rockaway Beef: American cheese, cherry peppers, slash sauce, bacon
    • Barstool Rodeo: bbq sauce, fried onion rings, cheddar, fine ground coffee
    • Otto’s Shrunken Head: Korean bbq, pork rinds, avo, pineapple relish
    • I’ll Have What She’s Having: sunny side up egg, shaved-fried Brussel sprouts, siracha aioli on pretzen bun
    • Le Petit Mort: arugula, red wine sautéed mushrooms, blue cheese crumbles, aioli
  • 12%-one of best in DC (41% of those who’ve eaten). 29% have eaten
• DC9 (Shaw)
  • No delivery
  • dinner Th-Sun
  •  $12 or $14 (including garlic fries) 8 oz burgers made with all natural beef
    • Plain Jane ($12): lettuce/tomato
    • South By: pepper jack, avocado, pickled jalapeno, garlic cilantro mayo
    • Slawter: coleslaw, Applewood smoked bacon, BBQ sauce
    • other rotating/seasonal versions
  • 10%-one of best in DC (42% of those who’ve eaten). 23% have eaten. [Note: DC9 posted about the poll on Twitter/IG but the results didn’t change much]
• Bourbon Steak (Georgetown):
  • Available on bar/lounge menu. No delivery
  • $24 (+$12 duckfat trio fries) Prime Steak Burger
    • cabot clothbound cheddar, secret sauce
  • 6%-one of best in DC (41% of those who’ve eaten). 15% have

Bronze Tier

• Red Apron Butchery (Capitol HIll/The Roost;  Union Market)
  • 11a-7p (Union Market); dinner Wed-Sun, lunch wknds (The Roost)
  • $17 (including beef fat fries) at The Roost; $13 (+$4.25 for beef fat fries) at Union Market Red Apron Original:
    • 2 patties, American cheese, island sauce, house pickles, shrettuce on challah bun
    • Other options seasonal
  • 11%-one of best in DC (28% of those who’ve eaten). 40% have (92% are fans)
• Ghostburger (Shaw, pop-up in Union Market area)
  • lunch/dinner daily
  • $13.50-15.50 for 8 oz burgers (+$5 for crinkle cut fries). $9-11 for 4 oz burgers  – all pat lafrieda beef patty on a potato bun
    • Ghostburger – American Cheese, Red Onion, Dill Pickles, Spooky Sauce
    • La Hamburguesa – Queso Oaxaca, Salsa Macha, Smoked Tomatillo Relish, Cilantro
    • Other rotating burgers
  • 10%-one of best in DC (26% of those who’ve eaten). 36% have
• Beuchert’s Saloon (Capitol Hill)
  • Dinner daily (brunch on weekends coming soo
  • $18 (+$2 fries, possibly to-go only) The Original Beuchert’s Burger
    • almost half pound pre-cook weight, dry aged roseda farms black angus, dredged in “trill spice”. Cheese, bacon, or egg extra
  • 4%-one of best in DC (31% of those who’ve eaten). 14% have
• The Sovereign (Georgetown)
  • Dinner Wed-Sun
  • $18 (includes fries) The Sovereign Burger
    • ground beef, bruin beer onion jam, gruyere mustard, fondue
  • 4%-one of best in DC (30% of those who’ve eaten). 12% have
• Primrose  (Brookland)
  • Tues-Sun dinner/ weekend brunch
  • $18 ($10 for Kid’s, $23 for double) (includes fries) Primrose Burger
    • caramelized onion jam, gruyere, mayo
  • 3%-one of best in DC (29% of those who’ve eaten). 11% have

Next Tier

• Pogiboy (Downtown)
  • lunch/dinner Wed-Sun
  • $11 (single patty) $14 (double patty) (includes fries)
    • Pogi Burger: freshly ground roseda beef, secret sauce, American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, on housemade ube bao bun
    • To”Chino” Burger: longanisa & Tocino mix double patty, secret sauce, pickled papaya, grilled pineapple,  on housemade ube bun
  • 4%-one of best in DC (25% of those who’ve eaten). 14% have
• Brookland’s Finest (Brookland)
  • dinner W-Sat, brunch/dinner Sun (Closed M-Tue)
  • $16 (includes (w/ fries or chips) Colonel Burger
    • Angus beef, pickled onions, Tilamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon on brioche
  • 4%-one of best in DC (24% of those who’ve eaten). 17% have
• Mintwood Place (Adams Morgan)
  • dinner Wed-Sun, brunch wknds
  • $19 (includes hand-cut French fries) Mintwood Burger
    • Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar, Lettuce and Pickle Roulade, Marie Rose Sauce
    • $16 during HH Tue-Fri all night Sunday. $18 during brunch
  • 6%-one of best in DC (24% of those who’ve eaten). 24% have
• Unconventional Diner (Shaw)
  •  brunch/dinner daily
  • $16 (including fries) Double Cheeseburger
    • LT, caramelized onions, pickles
  • 5%-one of best in DC (24% of those who’ve eaten). 23% have
• Convivial (Shaw)
  • dinner weekdays, brunch/dinner weekends
  • $20 (including fries) Cheeseburger Le Classique
    • double patty, cheddar cheese LTO, pickle
  • 3%-one of best in DC (23% of those who’ve eaten). 14% have
• The Big Board (H Street)
  • No delivery
  • Dinner M-Th, Lunch & Dinner F-Sun
  • Mostly $10.25 (6 oz), $12.25 (8 oz) (+$5.50 fries, $6.50 onion fries, $7.50 sweet potato fries) comes with LTO and pickles
    • for LTO only; $7.75 (6 oz), $9.75 (8 oz) 
    • Port D’Amsterdam: sautéed mushrooms, port reduction, aged swiss
    • Ciao Bella: sliced prosciutto, aged mozz, roasted red pepper, sweet red pepper aioli
    • Le Burg-Aire au Poivre: seared w/ cracked black pepper, topped with Wisconsin blue cheese, cognac cream sauce
    • The Big Apple: Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, tomato, pickles
    • Memphis Blues 2.0: Monterrey jack cheese, house bbq sauce, crispy steak cut onion rings
    • The Great Chicago Fire: chipotle-dusted burger, fire-roasted chili/mango salsa, pepper jack cheese, chipotle aioli. Side of spicy mango-habanero sauce
    • Quebec City: crispy hand-cut French fries, brown gravy, melted cheese curds
  • 4%-one of best in DC (22% of those who’ve eaten). 18% have

Rising Stars (Burgers-Wise)

These spots were all highly rated by the people who’ve eaten there but less than 10% of you have eaten their burgers, so it didn’t seem like large enough sample size to move up in the tiers. Will revisit them in 2023

• Lutece (Georgetown)
  • Appears to be dine-in only but may do call-in pickup orders
  • Dinner Wed-Sun, brunch wknds
  • $20 (includes fries) Lutece Burger
    • caramelized onions, dijon, miso, Vermont aged cheddar
  • Only 1% have eaten burger. 50% of those say one of best in DC. 
• Elle (Mt. Pleasant)
  • $15 (+$9 crispy potato “tots’ -for 2) Smash Burger
    • American & raclette cheese, B&B pickles, seared onion, mustard, remoulade, on house-made potato roll
  • Only 7% have eaten burger. 34% of those say one of best in DC
• Emmy Squared (Navy Yard / Shaw)
  • $17 (+$7 waffle fries) Le Big Matt
    • double-stack Pat LaFrieda grass-fed beef patties, American chees, Sammy sauce, greens and pickles on a pretzel bun
  • Only 9% have eaten burger. 32% of those say one of best in DC
• The Commodore D.C.(Dupont)
  • $15 (including fries, roasted potato salad, mac n cheese, slaw, collard greens, B&B pickles, or tots) 2 patty burgers on potato bun
    • Squirrel Kicker: smoked gouda, onion jam, bourbon mayo
    • Shlogan Burger: white american bacon bits, B&B pickles
    • La Flama: sharp cheddar mornay, fried garlic, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro
  • Only 9% have eaten burger. 23% of those say one of best in DC

Others Worth Checking Out

• Good Stuff Eatery (Capitol Hill, Georgetown)
  • $7.95 – $8.95 (mostly) (+$3.25/$3.95 handcut fries, +$3.50/$4.25 Village fries w/ thyme, rosemary, and sea salt) Natural farm raised beef mostly on a potato bun
    • Prez Obama Burger ($8.95):  (may be most popular) Applewood bacon, onion marmalade, Roquefort cheese, horseradish mayo
    • Several other varieties
  • 13%-one of best in DC (18% of those who’ve eaten). 70% have eaten
• The Capital Burger (Shaw)
  • $16-18 (including hand-cut french fries, green salad, or kale salad; other sides available for up $1-4 upcharge) Pat LaFrieda Beef
    • Several varieties
  • 5%-one of best in DC (18% of those who’ve eaten). 25% have eaten
• Tune Inn (Capitol Hill)
  • $10-12 (including fries or salad) several options half pound burgers
    • about 7 or 8 varieties
  • 4%-one of best in DC (17% of those who’ve eaten). 25% have eaten
• Chef Geoff’s (AU Park, West End)
  • $18 (including fries, sweet potato fries, or greens) CG Burger
    • bacon, cheddar, LTO, chipotle aioli
  • 5%-one of best in DC (17% of those who’ve eaten). 28% have eaten
• Boundary Stone (Bloomingdale)
  • $12 (+$5 fries/salad, +$6 garlic french beans/brussel sprouts, +$8 sweet potato fries) OG Boundary Stone Burger
    • Seven Hills Farm patty, bacon jam, bleu cheese, sautéed onions, pickled beet
    • $9 option to build your own
  • 4%-one of best in DC (15% of those who’ve eaten). 27% have eaten
• Swizzler (Navy Yard)
  • $7.35 (+$2.35/$3.50 for small/large fries, +$3.85 for meal w/  small fries/drink, +$3.85/$4.95 for sweet potatoes fries, for +$4.95 large Parmesan truffle fries) Swizz Stack
    • 100% grass-fed double cheeseburger with cheddar cheese, arugula, shallots, dill pickles, stack sauce)
    • Several other options include veggie burger (sweet potato-tahini, or beet). Classic singles ($4.19), doubles ($6.65), bacon cheddar jalapeno ($9.89)
  • Truck also at Wundergarten: $11.50-$14.50 meals with fries only
  • 3%-one of best in DC (14% of those who’ve eaten). 21% have eaten

Others Mentioned Multiple Times: Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Bluejacket, Desperado’s, Moreland’s Tavern, Red Derby, eatBRGZ, Five Guys

ORGANIZED BY NEIGHBORHOOD

• Mt Vernon Triangle: Melange, The Capital Burger
• Georgetown: Bourbon Steak, The Sovereign, Lutece, Good Stuff Eatery
• Foggy Bottom/West End; Duke’s Grocery, Chef Geoff’s
• Dupont: Duke’s Grocery, The Commodore
• Woodley Park/Cleveland Park: Duke’s Counter
• Adams Morgan/Mt Pleasant: Lucky Buns, Elle, Mintwood Place
• Union Market Area: Lucky Buns, Red Apron, Ghostburger (pop-up)
• Columbia Heights/Petworth: Slash Run, Red Derby
• Navy Yard; The Salt Line, Emmy Squared, Swizzler, Bluejacket
• 14th/U/Logan Circle: Le Diplomate, DC9, Emmy Squared, Pearl Dive, Desperado’s
• Capitol Hill: Beuchert’s, Red Apron, Tune Inn, Good Stuff Eatery, eatBRGZ
• Brookland: Primrose, Brookland’s Finest
• Shaw: Ghostburger, Unconventional Diner, Convivial
• Downtown: Pogiboy
• H Street: The Big Board
• 16th St Heights: Moreland’s Tavern

TWITTER POLL RESULTS