Mmmmm, I miss Clyde's. I used to live near the Columbia, Md location. Nobody really went for the burgers. They have an open-face sandwich that is filet mignon on an english muffin with sprouts and hollandaise. It's freakin' awesome. Chili's good, too, though a bit sweet for my taste.
When I was a wee lad at sleepaway camp, our counselor snuck us in a meatlover's pizza as a midnight snack. We didn't finish it and tossed the rest in the trash. The next morning, it still looked pretty good, and we didn't see pizza very often at camp, so . . .
Smoke. It's all about
Wood, Apple, mesquite or oak.
Not heat, but pork fat.
I still carry the umbrella I got leaving Bread Bar a year ago. It's a cheap umbrella, but it was a very courteous gift.
I always find myself turning to Alton Brown, sometimes accidentally. Like, I accidentally did an Alton Brown Super Bowl this year.
Good to read you on Serious Eats, Josh. Let the Meatwave begin.
First Five Guys was in Alexandria VA, I believe.
Mr. Smith's is nasty. You should have skipped it and gotten the Black and Blue burger at The Guards if you needed to stay in Georgetown. Or Chadwicks (under the Whitehurst), I've never been but I know people who swear by their burger.
Nick has some of the best reviews of burgers -- or any other food -- hands-down, no questions, end of story. If you want diverse reviews (albeit from know-nothing morons), go Yelp.
The first Five Guys, was definately not in Georgetown. I believe the first one was in Arlington, VA but doesn't exist anymore. While this is hardly an original thought, my vote for best burger in DC is the front bar of Palena.
I know it is a chain now, but isn't the original Five Guys in Georgetown? I only know one person who has been to the original and a franchise and he says the original is better. But to me they are really good burgers.
Definitely try Z-burger in Chevy Chase. I tried it this weekend and fell in love. Watch out Five Guys, the DivaofYum has found your competition. Savory, decent sized patties with all the toppings you could ever want! Gotta try the onion rings and the z-sauce! YUM!!
I live in VA and my favorite is Elevation Burger: they use organic beef for the burgers and olive oil for the potatoes. The place is extremely clean and very family-friendly. You should definitely check it out next time! Take a word from an ex-vegetarian who hardly ate any meat before.
Not far from Georgetown, I highly recommend Chef Geoff's. While I'm not a fan of their food generally, it's hard to beat their $5 burger and fries happy hour special (all day on weekends). The burgers use great meat and are properly cooked to temp (toppings like bacon and cheddar included for $5). The fries are thin and crisp. Paired with an $8 supermug of a great microbrew, it makes for a tasty and filling dinner. Great after work or, for tourists, after a day of sightseeing.
Now that my husband and I have left D.C., we compare all burgers to Chef Geoff's.
http://www.chefgeoff.com/main/index.cfm?Restaurant=cg_downtown&Category=Events&Section=Main
As a former resident of DC, might I suggest that next time you also try Sign of the Whale and Buffalo Billiards, both have great burgers.
I've got Nick's back on this one. Yeah. It's difficult to write about the same subject matter over and over and over and ... and not find yourself revisiting similar phrasing and topics. I've struggled with it for years now with burgers and pizza. Nick manages to hit all the main points a burger freak would look for -- juiciness, bun-beef ratios, patty texture -- and still write compelling reviews that give a comprehensive view of a particular place and its burger. I think the copious detail and history of a place that he often gives balance out any perceived repetition. The only other approach I could see a guy taking is one that Mister Hamburger took while he was still active: reducing the parameters to a grade scale and glossing over them. I like Mister Hamburger's approach, but I like that Nick gives us lots of detail beyond a simple scale.
I used to work as a server at Clyde's in Georgetown. The burgers are a staple and always good. I love getting a blue cheese burger with bacon and raw onion.
I seem to remember that the fries were frozen, as you deduced. Their qualtiy, unfortunately, is very changeable, depending on when you go. The best time to get good, fresh, crispy fries was during the lunch or dinner rush, when the fries are likely to be freshest. During the post-afternoon or later in the evening time, they do sit around for a little while.
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