Just a few years ago, Michael Landrum’s strip-mall burger joint was a cash-only foodie favorite. But a couple of high-profile visits (how would you like that cooked, Mr. President?) changed that. We’re glad most of the burgers have stayed the way they’ve always been, from the Mack, a sublime pile-up of American cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and onions, to the more sophisticated B.I.G. Poppa, a peppered patty layered with blue cheese and Cognac-sautéed mushrooms. Excellent sides include coleslaw and a mac and cheese so wonderfully rich it’s hard to believe the $2.50 price tag.
Also good: Dogcatcher burger with bone marrow; cheesesteak; New Jack Zing burger with pepperjack and jalapeños.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
