Red Apron Butcher

Overall a disappointing experience. We ordered two burgers, one meatball sandwich, and one Italian sub. The burger patties are fairly small, which is ok, but they were not cooked as requested. Medium was rare, and well done was medium. Fries were ok, and arugula salad the same. This place is an example of upscale price for mediocre food; I suppose you are supposed to swallow a «cool, hip» surcharge that comes with average food. Whatever floats your boat. If you want to brag about where you ate, then you’ll probably justify this place to yourself. If you want good food at a good price, go to Five Guys where the burger will be better, the fries crunchier and far more plentiful, and service comparable (what service?).

I really wanted to like this place. It’s 5 mins from my house, they carry delicious sounding items in their butcher/​charcuterie case, and they offer a small menu of sandwiches in the back. Alas, I’ve been 3 times and don’t see a reason to visit ever again.
Visit 1:
My husband and I chose some delicious sounding sandwiches (Porkstrami? Yes, please!) and an order of fries. And then waited… And waited. Finally, the food came out and the fries were worth the wait! Hot from the fryer, these beef fat fries were awesome. Expecting great things after such a delicious start, we eagerly unwrapped out sandwiches.
My husband’s Porkstrami was mostly… bread. Same deal with my sad Italian sub, which contained a few slices of meat, lots of iceberg lettuce, with nary a drop of oil/​vinegar to add any flavor to the thick, flabby bread. You would think a butcher’s shop would want to put some meat in their $ 10 sandwiches, and have the sense to put their prized offerings on traditional hard rolls. The flabby, pale ciabatta like loaf they use for sandwiches is just embarrassing.
Visit 2:
I enter the empty store, browse the charcuterie case.
Me: «Hi, I’d like to buy some bacon.»
Butcher: *ignores*
Cashier: «Bacon? Ok. It’s going to be awhile.» *gestures to butcher guy slicing prosciutto*
Butcher: *Ignores, slices prosciutto*
Me: «Ok.» *browses good on nearby shelf*
Butcher: *turns around, continues to ignore*
Me: *browses. glances at butcher. browses. glances at butcher. finishes browsing everything on nearby shelf*
Me: «Hey [husband], do you want to leave?»
Husband: «Well…»
Me (loudly): «He said it’s going to be awhile.»
*Butcher turns around. He is finished slicing!*
Husband and I step over to case, hopefully: «…»
Butcher: *continues to ignore*
Cashier: …
Butcher: *begins meticulously trimming prosciutto of fat*
Me: «Ok, what do you think?»
Husband: «Let’s go.»
*Cashier looks up as we leave. Doesn’t say a word.*
Visit 3:
Me: «Omg, Taylor Gourmet is packed! Why are people waiting out the door for a sandwich? There’s other places around for lunch.»
Husband: «Yeah, there’s that butcher place down the street.»
Me: «Well, maybe it’s packed, too. It’s peak lunch time.»
Husband: «Doubt it. Let’s go see.»
Red Apron Butcher: *crickets*
Me: «Should we go in and try to buy some bacon? LOL!»

Great food! Mildly pricey but the service is fast, friendly and the establishment is a different style than most places in the mosaic district

Good food and friendly staff. I went a bit before lunch time so beat the rush and found a seat. Had the pulled chicken and it was great. Had a nice kick to it. Will def go back and try other dishes.

ATMOSPHERE: Hipster. I always love a good casual hipster joint.
SERVICE: Nice people. Everyone is a hipster, haha.
FOOD: So I never order meatball subs anywhere, but when I came here with a girlfriend I was in the mood for a hot sandwich. This place made me a meatball sub lover! I highly recommend it. The meatball is really tender and tasty and embellished in not too much marinara and salsa verde. The flavors are all in perfect harmony! The baguette they select for this sandwich compliments compliments and holds the meatballs really well. I also tried their pressed grilled cheese. I’ve never had one like it before. It’s description says smoked cheddar with roasted apple and fig vincotto on a brioche. However, I would describe it as tasting like a grilled cheese made with pimento cheese spread — it was excellent! I also tried their fries and these weren’t that impressive. They were kind of luke warm when I got them and weren’t crispy, but I honestly was so distracted by the meatball sub I didn’t even care.
OVERALL IMPRESSION: This place always manages to satisfy my cravings. I’m a huge fan!

Finally got to try this after a friend wanted burgers in Mosaic.
We went on a weekend for lunch. They had several people at the bar and no one in the tables around noon. We took the long table in the back and had two small kids with us. They seemed to tolerate the kids who had small outbursts, thankfully. I think everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the meatloaf sandwich which was good but not great. I was hoping for more meat. It was thin and in a long roll and a seasonal item. The burgers seemed to be very much enjoyed. The fries were good and they had rosemary and garlic on them. The pimento grilled cheese was ok. You have to like the smokey pimento cheese flavor. I’d go again for the burger or another sandwich.

Unfortunately I can’t comment on the food. We went for a late lunch. Unfortunately we couldn’t stay… Reason is that the limited seating they have are stools. 2/​3rds are tall… The rest a bit lower… But none have backs. Unfortunately due to my husband disability he can’t sit on things without a back. I will point out there are two outdoor tables with regular chairs but as there were trucks idling in the fire lane delivering to the various businesses on the block we refused to deal with that… But even if they aren’t there… There are some that can’t do stools for all sorts of reasons.
Hence my 1star review!

I have been to red apron a few times now and while good, it is nothing I would go out of my way for. Especially since Matchbox is literally right around the corner and they have some of the best burgers in the DC area.
The burger has a good taste but they really need to do something with their bun. It gets soggy quickly and then just falls apart. They should rethink the bread their use. And diet coke, please?

I’ve been several times, now and I’ve had consistently excellent food and service. The first sandwich that I had is no longer on the menu and I can’t remember what it was (some type of Bologna?). However, the Porkstrami and Haute dog are fantastic.
The Chili fries will ruin every other chili fry that you’ll ever have again. Order them (slightly off-​menu) with cheese since they make their own atomic cheese whiz. Just order it before 4pm when the shared kitchen is more focused on next door’s B-​Side restaurant.
It’s the quality of the meats that really make everything so special. You can taste the difference in the fresh, local meats.
I also love that they have so many flavors of San Pallegrino to drink!
My only gripe, and the only thing keeping this from being 5-​stars, is that they’re just a tad pricy. I’d eat here a lot more often if they were a little less expensive, but you do get what you pay for… Some of the best sandwiches in the area!

SO delicious. I’ve tried the beef and cheddar, porkstrami, and fries. All mouthwateringly (just found out that’s a word) good! The porkstrami was a perfect marriage of meat, mustard aioli, and sauerkraut. The pork was very tender. The aioli balanced out the usual bite of mustard and sauerkraut, forming a pleasant, almost creamy dressing. The baguette, although plain, was an appropriate vehicle for its flavorful and meaty filling.
The beef and cheese was yummy. The roast beef, again, was of high quality and tender. The homemade cheese whiz was delicious and undeniably American. The ranch and mayo formed a nice, unexpected condiment duo.
Finally, the fries may at first appear unassuming. However, they were crispy on the outside, soft and super potato-​ey on the inside, tossed with rosemary and whole garlic cloves. I am usually not huge on fries, but these ones were amazing!
The staff were friendly and helpful, and the inside of the restaurant was like a hipster place for non-​vegans (loved it!). There is limited seating though, so I would either gamble on an open seat, or get my food to go.

yummy! Despite the abundance of sit down restaurants, we were hungry and wanted something delicious we could quickly eat before a movie. Stopped in for a burger, and it hit the spot! Perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned. I love how they offer a side of arugula salad to make this a less guilty indulgence, and i LOVE arugula.
The restaurant itself is a casual burger spot but there was a packed sister-​bar next door which I didn’t get a chance to stop in. They have a choice of wines and beers to accompany your burger, so of course, I had a glass of wine.
The seating is small, and is essentially a row of long-​table seating by the burger window.
I’d go back again for a nice burger!

It looks and feels like a real butcher shop … it’s somewhat sparse, which is nice.
The burger was outstanding. They sous vide the meat to medium, supposedly, then grill it. It was surely unusually juicey and had a lot of flavor and good texture. That’s a superior burger. The cheese was right and so was the bun. Bacon was kind of off — gristly. Sometimes one gets inferior bacon, I picked it off so as not to distract from the burger.
Fries were as good as promised. Fried in lard with a couple garlic cloves. I’ll forego the rosemary next time, it distracts from fries done right.
Got beers from the bar next door, but they have a selection of bottles in Red Apron if you don’t want to wait @ the bar.
Service was top notch. If he didn’t care, he was VERY good at faking it. I didn’t ask an obnoxious question he didn’t know the answer to from the ingredients in the roll to where the cheese came from. Thanks!
My only complaint was the other patrons.
Too many whiney kids!
What is wrong with you people?! Now that hipster Millenials are making babies, they too are dragging them out to late dinner @ 9pm? There were 2 hipster couples with screaming miserable kids who needed to be home in bed. Not Red Apron’s fault but it soured my dining experience.

I can without a doubt say that this is one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time! It was true simple perfection. The bun was mile high and held up to the beef nicely but still soft and tasty like my favorite Martin’s potato rolls of youth. The burger was absolutely juicy and flavorful and the bacon and cheese on top just melded everything else together nicely. It was American simplicity at it’s very best.
The fries are the real deal — they are deep fried in beef fat and come with whole pieces of roasted garlic. My sister shied away from the whole garlic pieces but since I’m half vampire, I dug in! The garlic was so sweet I didn’t any after dinner mints at all. Plus there were tons of extra fried brown french fry bits which are my favorite!
This place is first and foremost a butcher so vegetables are kind of an afterthought. However, I was really happy that they served arugula salad as a side dish. The peppery tang of the greens with a little bit of lemon and some freshly grated cheese on top was the perfect foil to all of the animal fat I had just consumed.
Service is helpful and they have a few small communal spaces in the back where you can sit plus tons of beer options! If you are looking for more of a full-​service experience you can go to their sister restaurant B Too right next door.
Until then… I’ll be seeing those beef fat fries in my dreams!

Always wanted to try this place and today I got the chance. I came here without much expectations as I was pretty hungry for food. I got the porkstrami sandwich and my god it was the best sandwich I’ve had (Yes, even tops the sandwich from Cenote)! Everything from the bread to the meat was made fresh, so you know you’re in for a treat. The bread itself was soft and just the right crisp on the outside. The porkstrami? It’s like when you take a bite of something that came right out of the kitchen, the subtle aroma, the tender texture of the meat gave the sandwich a rich flavor. I give this sandwich a power level 9999.9. COUGH!
P. s. They also house a large unique set of beers for you folks. Definitely coming back for more.

Pro: The original burger is good, the garlic fries are awesome, and the beer selections there is amazing!
Con: limited seating, a bit pricey.
Overall, this is a great place to get some good food and to stock up on your out of the norm beers!

I had an opportunity to dine in today and could not have been more pleased with my burger and fries. My burger was cooked exactly as I asked, it was well seasoned and flavorful as were the french fries. Everything was hot out of the kitchen (but I was the only customer).
They have a limited menu, but everything looks good. They have a small area for eating inside.
I will definitely be back.

I can’t give a full-​on review unfortunately because I was not feeling well the day that I went here. In fact, all I felt like eating were the fries. I would say they are just OK. The fresh garlic and rosemary cooked in with them was a little overpowering for me.
The menu doesn’t offer much in the way of light fare. But the big, meaty sandwiches and burgers they do have sound like a meat-lover’s dream. My friend got the chorizo burger which was literally a burger patty made out of chorizo sausage. It looked pretty darn amazing, and he said it was good.
The options here aren’t really my thing, and the soft drink selection really blows. But I may go back and give one of the sandwiches a try myself someday. Won’t be at the top of my list though.

amazing customer service. i love the décor and items available for window shopping. i got the muffaletta and fries…
don’t get the muffaletta.
since it’s a meat store, you think «mounds and mounds and abundances of meat!» my sandwich came out and it was like someone popped my red balloon. it was the tiniest sandwich on the planet. it was a really boring sandwich, too. no flavor stood out whatsoever.
it was a sad experience.
i think if i go back ill stick with the classics and get a burger or a hotdog.
.
tiny sandwich: $ 8
fries: $ 3.75

Ok, this could be an interesting one, so buckle up Virginia, it’s going to be a meaty ride.
You walk into this place and the wondrous smells just hit the olfactory system and lift you like Pepe le Pew being led by his lover’s scent. I was drawn to the freshly cut meats and custom sausages in the counter and had no idea what to choose from since I originally went in to order sandwiches. The workers behind the counter understood and chuckled at my distraction.
I found the paper menus to order from and turned to find a wall of craft beer and wines. Like I needed more distraction from my ordering. I did my best to maintain focus and ordered the takeout sandwiches for my wife and I (one roast beef and a porkstrami). Yeah, I said porkstrami, want to fight about it? I also picked up fried for each of us… who can resist fries aged in beef fat? This was not a night to try to diet.
While waiting for the goodness between bread to be prepared, I picked out a nice craft beer to take home and enjoy. While they have tables to eat there, you can’t drink alcohol on premises, so I was glad this was a take out night.
Upon arriving home with hot sandwiches and fries, my wife was very appreciative, as were my taste buds. These sandwiches are forces to be dealt with and could easily put down a small revolution, or start one, or just create anarchy… I don’t really care at this point, as long as I get to have another.

Just went here on a whim ( Unilocal app said it was close and had good reviews). When I went in it was empty but that just meant I could take as many pictures as I wanted. I felt at home as this looks like a place I’d decorate myself. The mash up of modern and rustic really pulls it all together. Open large table seating, high stools, open kitchen facing the customers, warehouse style ceilings, I loved it.
There was actual meats you could get cuts off if you want some for carryout. I ordered from the friendly cashier who let me taste samples of the chickpea like salad they had before I decided if I wanted it as my side.
I checked out the cool drinks (wines, mixers, and juices) that they had in the coolers and on the wall.
I ordered a pork sausage burger with tomato aioli, broccoli rabe topped with fontina and my mouth did a happy dance! It was so delicious I had a hard time putting it down to steal bites of my bf’s porkstrami but his was equally yumtastic. It was a little on the greasy side so I kept a pile of napkins beside me but all in I’d order it again in a heartbeat.
This seems like a place where you’ll be happy with anything you get on the menu, so don’t be afraid to try something new!