Five Guys

[babka]

devoured half the bacon cheeseburger with crispy juicy bits flying everywhere in 3 minutes solid....and that'd be my calories for the next 24 hours and my waist will be just fine.

but can someone explain this boardwalk fries thing? clearly there's a well-founded infatuation with 'em that I'm just not getting--what's the attraction in limp potatoes, direct from Idaho, soaked in grease? A couple of fries and I switched the malt vinegar and salt combo over onto lettuce bits and was much the happier for it.

[Steve Klc]

babka--I'm a fan of Belgian/French/Dutch twice-cooked fries myself. (Though I like the 5 Guys fries more than the limp ones I had at the much-lauded In-N-Out burger chain in California this weekend.)

[BackwardsHat]

babka--I'm a fan of Belgian/French/Dutch twice-cooked fries myself. (Though I like the 5 Guys fries more than the limp ones I had at the much-lauded In-N-Out burger chain in California this weekend.)

The appeal of in-n-out is that everything is made fresh to order, and not really anything else... Anyone who says it's the "best burger" or "best fries" is kidding themselves... It's basically a fast-food place that has fresher food than most other fast food places (i.e. - mcdonalds, burger king, jack in the box, carls jr), taste has nothing to do with it for me as In-n-out is too greasy for me.. But I still eat there from time to time whenever I'm in Cali for nostalgic purposes and because most of my friends there love the place...

[DonRocks]

Though I like the 5 Guys fries more than the limp ones I had at the much-lauded In-N-Out

Can we examine this statement a little more closely?

[silentbob]

If the In-N-Out fries are too limp for your tastes, it's always possible to order them "well-done" (BTW, I've never understood the hype about Five Guys -- the burgers are fine but hardly spectacular).

[pastramionrye]

agree with the five guys comment...the fact that you can only order the burgers well-done detracts for what they could be.

as for in-n-out...it is clearly the best fast food burger i have tried. i love them. when i went out to california for college, all my friends told me that the burgers were awesome and the fries were unspectacular.

[JennyUptown]

agree with the five guys comment...the fact that you can only order the burgers well-done detracts for what they could be.

as for in-n-out...it is clearly the best fast food burger i have tried. i love them. when i went out to california for college, all my friends told me that the burgers were awesome and the fries were unspectacular.

Wait, what? Only well-done? If that is true, let me know (so I don't go there).

My personal fave in CA is Fatburger. I know I am in the minority, but I don't really care.

[pastramionrye]

100% true...Five Guys burgers are all served well done....there is a sign in the "restaurant" saying those exact words. i was bummed when i finally made the trek from maryland to virginia to try these much lauded burgers.

[bilrus]

Do any fast food restaurants allow you to choose the level of done-ness you want for your burger?

This isn't a thick, half-pound burger we are talking about here.

And it's not like a Five Guys burger comes out dry and tired. It is still juicy, just cooked through.

[pastramionrye]

i dont see five guys as fast food like BK or McDonalds or Jack n the Box are...they are made to order with toppings and are much thicker than those other burgers. I think their burgers would benefit from not being well done....just my opinion.

[mnebergall]

I think I would prefer my burgers from Five Guys a little on the well done side, for health reasons.

[cjsadler]

I really like the burgers at the Five Guys in Alexandria, but the ones at the new DC location (over by Howard) are totally mediocre. However, the fries at the Howard location are crisp and delicious.

[rbh]

yesterday, we were walking over to grand slam sports cafe to catch some of the NCAA games over lunch - and passed a "coming soon" sign for Five Guys. On H Street, around 8th or 9th Street, near the Blimpie.

i've never had a five guys burger but everyone raves - can't wait for it to open to try it out.

[Steve Klc]

Not everyone raves. The burgers are good, gray and greasy, fairly cheap and that's it.

Now, if you want a slightly more special burger, ask for the "chopped steak" at Ray's the Steaks in Arlington. Imagine steak tartar, seasoned, seared. A blend of different cuts and trimmings, ground once or twice, depending on the age and cut. I had it the other night, it cost 14.95 I think, and was delicious. If more people ask for it when making reservations, maybe it will find a place on the regular menu. Like everything on their menu at the moment it is served with very nice mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and if you like, roasted garlic and sauteed onions. Best burger I've had in months.

[JennyUptown]

Greasy or not, I'll be glad to have another lunch option in the metro center vicinity.