Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

As a former 20-year resident of Virginia beach, and avid Harley rider, I had to include my vote for one of (IMHO) best burgers in Virginia, Monks Place. This fine establishment sits on Princess Road a few short miles north of the NC line, and has my vote for one of the best bar burgers ever. On any given day in riding season, you'll see one to a dozen or more Harley motorcycles parked out front, with their riders inside downing a burger! I only get back that way around once a year or so now, but it's on my short list of "gotta go to" places to eat while I'm there.

I had never heard the term slider in reference to food of any kind until mini-hamburgers of that name appeared on the Kelsey's bar menu sometime in the past year or two. I thought it was a poorly-considered Kelsey's name for something that will be, uh, sliding out the back door. I didn't realize it was an actual thing

Good article! As a native of Lynchburg and a current resident of Arlington, I'd like to point out some other Virginia/DC burgers of note:

Dude's Drive In (Christiansburg, VA) actual drive in, great atmosphere
Five Guys (chain) best chain
Ray's Hell Burger (Northern VA) minimalist menu, excellent meat quality
Blue Duck Tavern (DC) fancy and expensive, but worth the splurge
Central (Pennsylvania Ave, DC) fancy and well executed, whimsical
Ollie's Trolley (DC) interesting spicy fries
Circle Bistro (DC) great burger, bar and excellent service

Actually, I grew up in the west, so I had no idea about Crystal/White Castle until I was much older.

When I was in the Navy, the term 'slider' refers to all burgers, regardless of size/thickness/origin, mainly due to their tendency to 'slide' around the grill while the ship is rolling or pitching.

So, to me, when someone says 'slider', I don't think of a small burger, nor do I think of Crystal or White Castle, I just think 'hamburger', period. A 'slider' is completely non-specific.

@Stushi: LOLZ

AK, I do love me some slider action, that's for sure! They are my favorite iteration of the form.

I like BurgerBelly's note on this. Language is not static and is mostly dependent upon current usage (I was an English major with a minor in Linguistics in college, so I do know a bit about language). If you say just slider, most people with think of just a small hamburger patty on a very small bun that can be eaten in a couple of bites. The only major distinction people make is in the actual meat used. While purists may differ on opinions I think the usage of slider in something like the New York Times is accurate for their readers.

Thanks for this. Good to know there are other folks who share my nostalgia for the premise that, at least in the food, world, words have specific referents.

Urban Burger in Maryland is pretty good (also serve a good one at their Urban BBQ branch). Very juicy and can get it cooked medium rare!

I hate to encourage litigation, but 5 Guys probably has a pretty good trade dress infringement claim. They should take a look at the pleadings from the "Best Cellars"/"Grapefinds" case from ~2000 and the taco shack case from the early 1990s.

BaTampte half sours are my favorites.

Kosher dills, baby. But if we're dropping off the cucumber highway, give me pickled tomatoes, any day of the week. Set me down at a deli that gives me a bowl of pickles to start, and those olive drab beauties will be gone in seconds. I've been known to invest in a large jar of Ba-Tampte's and just work my way through it slowly. Damn. Pickles tomatoes. Nectar of the GODS.

Sour pickled cucumbers are the best, especially from The Pickle Guys in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. But my favorite pickled foods are Korean Kim-Chi, Wine Kraut, and these little jars of pickled brussel sprouts that I can't find anymore.