You can also order it Topless, where the burger is simply stacked onto a bed of greens without the bun. Sides such as French Fries served with BBP Fry Sauce and Beer Battered Onion Rings along with Griddled Cheese sandwiches, milkshakes and malteds, sodas, and alcoholic refreshments are available to create the ultimate BBP meal." Closest Metro is Foggy Bottom.
I was excited to see Chef Flay open his Burger Palace here in DC and while out for the day, Keith suggested we try it out. The line was long when we arrived, almost out the door, but it moved quickly. I was especially interested in the turkey burger option, as I do not eat red meat and immediately chose the L.A. Burger for the tempting avocado relish. Keith ordered the Classic - medium-rare and "crunchified", which means to top with crisp potato chips at no additional cost. We wanted a Dundee Honey Brown - a New York brewed beer that I was very familiar with, as my uncle works for Genesee Brewing Company - however they were SOLD OUT! boo! Instead Keith ordered an Anchor Steam (from San Francisco) and I ordered an ice tea. We also ordered a side of fries to share. The cashier handed us a number and we found ourselves seats at the stylish-mod bar. The decor was very colorful and clean with mixes of masculine wood and bright green leather stools. On the counter were napkins and a tray of five sauces: yellow mustard, ketchup, chipotle ketchup, jalapeno, and burger sauce. After a while, a server brings your drinks, shortly followed by the food. [One note: Several people who were in line after us ordered theirs "to go" and received their food before us, and then still sat down at the counter. Must be a shortcut trick of some sort to get you in and out quicker, since they finished their entire meal and left before us.] The first thing I noticed about the food when it arrived, was that the bun was not toasted, rather cold and undressed. The size of the burger was decent, the ingredients quite fresh, yet the patty itself under seasoned. I was a little underwhelmed, since I have dined at Chef Flay's restaurants in NYC before and know his cuisine to be a bit bolder in flavors. Keith's beef patty was cooked perfectly as he ordered, however he felt it, too, could have been more seasoned and more juicy. The fries were decent, although I was not a fan of the fry sauce - kind of an ode to remoulade. Overall, the burger options are a nice twist, the prices reasonable, and the service and atmosphere are better quality than most other fast-casual restaurants. The only things for improvement that I would suggest are to butter and toast the bun and season the patties a bit more. Of the fancier burger joints in town, we much more prefer the Shake Shack or Ray's Hell Burger (Keith's fave!) over BBP. Therefore, while a nice attempt and welcomed addition to DC, Bobby's Burger Palace left us with a "meh" feeling and no interest to rush back anytime soon.
Total Rating: 3.5
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5
What I ate:
L.A. Burger (Turkey)
with avocado relish, watercress,cheddar cheese, tomato
French Fries
with BBP fry sauce
Plus Keith ate:
Palace Classic Burger
with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion
*Photo credits and introduction quote from Bobby's Burger Palace website.
