BGR The Burger Joint

Average as far as food is concerned. Nice inside décor, workers could use more pep in their attitudes. The process for ordering a burger was… lengthy? Way too many questions! All I want is a burger, and maybe if the questions were asked in a nicer manner I wouldn’t have a problem with this.
Burger was okay. The tomatoes were underripe and tough– I had to remove them from the sandwich. DO NOT get the sweet potato tots. They had a really weird aftertaste and were not crispy. I ate a few and threw the rest away. Fries were also just okay. Overall, kind of on the expensive side for average food.

So I decided to go to BGR The Burger Joint for dinner tonight after work. I watching what I put in my body so the fought of having an organic burger sounded tasty. When you walk in you are lead straight to the counter where you will order your burger. The staff at this location are very very nice. They greeted me and asked what would I like?
I ordered the Legend (Plain Hamburger) with lettuce, tomato, fried onions, mushrooms and mayo. My total came up to over $ 10 which I feel like is a bit much. The best thing is they cook your burgers to temp. After you order you receive a buzzer your burger will take about five minutes to cook which is not bad. The burger is nice and juicy and has a lot of flavor oh and did I mention I burned the roof of my mouth biting into it.
I would have definitely gave this place five stars if it were not for the price I think that is outrageous to pay $ 10 just for a burger no drink no fries other than that great burger joint reminds you of five guys

Burger was cooked perfect (medium rare) just like I asked, the onion rings were crispy & large. Service was quick

FIrst timers on a Friday night. Found the cashier to be disinterested and unable to ring in our order. Other cashier none too concerned or willing to help him. No interaction between cashier and us. No «How are you?» No «Thanks for coming in» NOTHING! While the burgers WERE good, the prices are outrageous. Simply cannot afford to bring a family of 4 here to be treated as though we were invisible. Even getting the box set which include fries and a fountain drink was expensive. Not to mention cheese? Yes, that’s extra. My son REALLY wanted to get a milkshake, but we opted to not approach the cashier again and take our dessert craving elsewhere. Somewhere we could afford AND be acknowledged. Not worth the fortune it cost. Won’t be back.

Must try the BGR sauce… Wonderful milkshakes… Even in the winter… Great location…
One suggestion to the BGR crew… When order for a veggie burger, a veggie side, and a beef burger comes through… If you need to add side to a burger side, as default, add the side to the veggie burger. This makes sense if one person is vegetarian or just ask the customer where those sides should go.

I used to be a huge fan years ago when I worked in Bethesda. Twice a week I’d make it over to enjoy a BGR experience… but something happened. Perhaps it was the selection of the meats and seasoning that differs from today, or maybe I just found better options. The burger texture is uncomfortably firm and seasoning process is hit or miss. Sometimes it is overly seasoned, seemingly to compensate for a lack of meat flavor, and sometimes it is completely unseasoned. The fries aren’t bad, which is redeeming, however not strong enough to justify a burger purchase. Ultimately, with so many other great and superior burger options there is little point to go here.

Good, good burgers. Juicy and cooked to order. Any manner of toppings you want. Fries weren’t all that inspiring. What put it over for me were the onion rings — sure, they cost another 2 bucks, but man, are they worth it. Easily the best onion rings I have tried in a long time, maybe ever. Atmosphere, not really all that, but who cares?

I so want to be a bigger fan, but I cannot honestly say I’ve ever been really blown away by the food. The service was only passable, and the atmosphere was forced.
Food: I ordered the special, which was an apple/​brie burger with a micro-​green salad. The burger was pretty juicy and rather tasty, but the crust was a little too charred, which added an off flavor to the apples and brie. Not the best burger I’ve ever had, but decent enough. The fries were a let down. Even if they aren’t out of the freezer, then definitely tasted like it. In a world (state) where boardwalk fries rule, the standard-​cut boring fry is not going to be enough. Also, they weren’t hot. And the place was empty. How does that happen? Very underwhelming overall.
Service: quiet, non-​attentive, and all of the employees were more interested in milling about amongst themselves than dealing with customers. Granted it was mid-​afternoon on a Sunday, but that’s really no excuse. At least smile when you’re taking the order. I did not feel like our experience was of any importance to anyone there. No manager in sight.
Décor: Hard to be super-​critical of this one, actually. The posters/​prints on the wall were eye-​catching and intriguing. Band prints from back in the day, post-​nouveau-​pop-​counter-​culture kind of affairs. Neat! Worth spec’ing again.
Overall, really just too expensive for the underwhelming experience. I’ve heard tell other people enjoy them, but I just can’t throw my hat into that ring. This is the second BGR location I’ve tried, and both times I had the same lingering impression: meh.

I like giving newish places my business but sometimes I am disappointed and this is one of those times.
No reason to sugarcoat:
The Fries taste like those big frozen fries at the grocery store. Remember they are not crispy unless they are cooked right? These fries bring back those memories. Slightly soggy, no seasoning and bland.
The burger:
Medium was more like medium rare but everyone can’t get it right all the time so I won’t take a point off for that.
Lettuce= soggy green thing. Bun — fine but no flavor. Would have been better buttered and toasted.
Very few choices for toppings.
The taste wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. Slightly drier than I hoped for. Mediocre at best. No real flavor — big lack of any seasoning.
Bottom line: For your money there are better choices and in the same area. Five guys offers way more toppings and the fries are ten times better. Cheeburger is a close tie with five guys.
I will stick to the familiar in burgers. Nothing is new here except the name. No rocket scientists creating burger recipes here.
Sorry but I won’t be back unless someone who knows seasoning does a makeover. Think Bobby Flay.
FYI, I am only interested in the burgers so I won’t try the other menu items so maybe they are better. Enjoy. Or not.

Underwhelming at best. When we got to the restaurant the food on the menu looked expensive yet promising. Unfortunately the food was not tasty. The veggie burger was as dry as the Sahara desert. The buns on the hamburger were dry and barely edible. On the way to use the restroom, the floors were so slippery with grease, it felt like ice skating. The restaurant would benefit from some quality control and cleaning.
This was the middle of August.

We have been here a few times already. Service is always quick and friendly. Order is always repeated back to make is what we asked for.
The last two times we have been able to redeem both offers they have when you check in. 6.00off of 25.00 and 5.00 off a box when you buy a box for 8.99
Clean and comfortable atmosphere.
The food takes a bit but they cook it as soon as you order it and it’s always really good.
No complaints here. We will be back and enjoy my lettuce wrapped veggie burger with sweet potato fries. Yum!

Edited to cover 2 visits:
Today was my first time in. Customer service was excellent. They were helpful and friendly and explained my options.
I actually was given the choice of medium well, medium, or well done which surprised me because I have never had that option in a burger place.
The burger was super thick and cooked and prepared as I asked and had a good grilled –type flavor.
The fries were excellent. Thicker than fast food ones and not greasy.
I ordered the package and I’m reducing stars because it wasn’t until I got home and started drinking my tea from their machine that I discovered that their button for UNSWEETENED tea is NOT unsweetened… it is sweet tea. I have diabetes and never drink sweet tea and my blood sugar shot way up after drinking it.
Ammendment to my first review after I just had visit #2:
I dropped in tonight to pick up dinner to take home. There were only 2 other customers before me. The woman at the register looked apathetic and never smiled or looked at me pleasantly once… actually she basically looked like she just didn’t want to be there. I ordered their ‘monthly special’: a salmon blt and onion rings. Subtotal: $ 18 and change! Holy moses! Granted the onion rings are REALLY thick and very good and the salmon burger was like 5″ thick with lettuce tomato and bacon on it and real good salmon. The food is good but the prices and apathetic service are enough to question returning…

I recently went to this location for the first time after eating exclusively at the Columbia, MD location previously. Frankly, not having a Coke Freestyle machine is a buzzkill and makes buying a drink a horrible value. If I want Diet Coke I will pay a buck at McDonald’s, but not 2.19 or whatever it is.
I usually go with beef but got a Turkey Burger in the Bowl after seeing the calorie counts (I think the beef on a bun is 800 before any toppings). Of course I added a fried egg but stop judging me I was in a fowl mood. Holy crap did I just bust that shitty pun out?
Anyways the Turkey Burger is beyond delicious. They must baste it in butter because it’s super moist and earthy and complex. The mushrooms and cheese inside the patty really made it the best turkey burger I have ever had. But really, the burger bowl is a joke for a 1 dollar up-​charge. Maybe one small roma tomato cut up and a few onion slice and cucumbers. They did nail the egg though, which was rare and runny and delicious. Apparently some people hate that though so be warned.
That said, at 12.50 for the bowl it was quite an expensive (allegedly) 350 calories. Next time I will spend 7 bucks on the beef burger and just get off my ass more to compensate.

Been to BGR a few times before in and around DC, and never particularly impressed. Got a coupon and thought we’d try it out for dinner tonight. Just okay, nothing to write home about.
I had the Legend with cheese, and girlfriend had the Wellington. Kudo’s that they let you select how you’d like it cooked. Mine M/​R her’s M.
The presentation puts Five Guys to shame, really nicely plated. The burgers were okay but the bun didn’t seem to hold up to the juice (grease?).
Also, the place is rather soulless (as is Five Guys, Smashburger, Elevation Burger etc). I would rather be at a pub having a draft beer with a burger because that is how I think a burger should be! Maybe it’s just me but we not likely repeat.

1 star because 0 not available. Had salmon burger, it was sloppy and tasteless. The tzaziki sauce was Greek yogurt and had no flavor. The bacon was soggy. $ 18 for sandwich and fries. Hate this place and want my lunch back average and overpriced.

What’s with all this Unilocal hatorade? Never been to a BGR before so the girl at the counter was really patient as I tried to navigate the menu, which I found to be pretty busy and tough to figure out… this is from a newb’s perspective. I’m sure veterans probably don’t find this to be the case. Anywho, I figured I’d keep it simple and as close to a Five Guys or Elevation Burger experience as possible for a fair comparison.
I ordered a Create your own Legend single patty with cheddar, and made it a meal, which included fries and a drink. I initially wanted to double it (Five Guys style) but asked the pleasant cashier what her thoughts were on this, and she said «Oh no… a single is plenty, especially with fries. That’s a lot of food.» I appreciated her honesty and, most importantly, she was right! She also hooked me up with a free BGR card — after buying 10 burgers, you get a free one.
The wife got a similar meal, but got cheese and grilled jalapeños on hers (cheese is 99 cents extra and the jalapeños were 75 cents extra… adds up!). Our total was just over $ 23, so I think it was slightly on the pricey side but our burgers were cooked perfectly to our liking. We got to pick how we would like the burgers cooked during the ordering process by the way… nice touch.
Good-​sized burgers made with quality ground beef, fries that aren’t soggy with grease (sorry Five Guys, but that’s you), and really friendly staff all add up to a pretty darn good dining experience. Ding for the price and the fact that they don’t have one of those cool Coca Cola machines that dispenses a million flavors of every kind of beverage imaginable. Ok, I’m reaching. Anyway, we’ll probably still hit up Five Guys whenever we’re in the mood for a burger of this nature just because of the distance to the crib, but this place deserves more than 2.5 stars. C’mon people.

Bottom Line: Good burgers, average everything else.
Ahh, yes, it is about time that high-​end burger joints take over the East Coast. The burger craze has just about hit its zenith in SoCal and since those trends seem to migrate here, I think BGR has some real potential to do well. Of course I think BGR also has some shortcomings that could easily be overcome by the next entrant into this market. Here is my take-​away on my BGR experience:
— The burger was very good. A tender patty topped with fresh produce and melted cheddar cheese situated between a buttery sesame seed bun.
— The sweet potato fries were just average and definitely in need of seasoning. I don’t usually salt my food, but these need salt, and lots of it. The portion was big enough for sharing.
— They have Coca-​Cola products and iced tea on fountain.
— Service was friendly enough but the guy taking my order either wasn’t listening or had short term memory less. After ordering a burger with cheese and a side of fries, I had to answer questions about if I wanted cheese on my burger or any fries. Maybe that’s the joint part of The Burger Joint. ;-)
— It did take what felt like a while to get the food out but I chalked that up to being the first customer of the day or the food being freshly made. I didn’t mind the wait since I wasn’t in a rush but if I wanted to drop in to pick up lunch, the wait would have been too long.
— The theme to me is very disjointed. The logo is a European bumper sticker, the table tops are a fake mosaic pop-​art and the wall has record covers on them. I don’t really understand how any of these things go together. To make matters worse, the workmanship on the tables and record covers seems kind cheap. Moreover, the chairs at tables resembles chairs from a high school classroom. (I understand why another Unilocaler compared the interior to Chuck E Cheese or Discovery Zone.) For me, the ambience took away from the yummy burger. A more cohesive design would pull this concept together much better and make this eatery more credible.

I took hubs for an impromptu lunch date today. I’ve seen a few BGR’s in DC but there isn’t adequate parking for me to go in. I got a chance to visit the one in Annapolis which has adequate parking so here are my thoughts.
The Good: The burgers were cooked well and they were seasoned perfectly. The cookie was awesome and had 2 types of chocolate in it.
The Bad: The onion rings weren’t that great. The indoor décor wasn’t too impressive.
The Ugly: Our check! It was flat out disrespectful. They charged extra for everything. 33 dollars for 2 burgers 1 order of onion rings, 2 Cokes and a cookie.

Not bad, not cheap, not speedy, but also not seasoned. I am encouraged by this brand-​new spot by the quality of the ingredients. Probably the best burger this side of Bayridge. I had the triple D in a lettuce wrap to indulge my low carb diet. He had the Wellington with fries. The fries were respectable but from view of the table next to us, the Onion Rings look to be the side to add. Nice staff, clean and squeaky new.

While visiting the new and improved Pier 1 in Annapolis, I saw a brand new burger spot… well, brand new to me. Located right next door to the Pier 1, BGR (The Burger Joint) is a quirky little restaurant that sells burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, shakes and other burger joint specialties. The décor included a flat screen tv on the wall, pictures of rockers/​singers and cool table tops. Seeing as though this was my first time here, Jasmine, the employee taking the order, was very patient and welcoming. She walked me through the menu and explained my options.
I ordered «The Legend» burger and added an extra patty… what can I say, I was hungry. The only free toppings you can get are tomatoes, onions, mojo sauce, lettuce and pickles. All other toppings cost extra, even the cheese… sigh! You can either dine in or take out, but keep in mind, their aren’t a lot of tables. I opted to take my food home.
The burger was seasoned really well. The fries had a taste to them that I didn’t really like. They were packaged in a cute carry-​out box, but they were pretty bland. All and all, it was a good meal, but the price is a little too much for a burger. Perhaps I’m spoiled by Five Guys and all of their free toppings, but I don’t think a burger meal should cost $ 14. IJS…