Elevation Burger

I had a bad experience with a manager there. They messed up my burger but I only found out when I’d eaten the whole thing (one edge of it was super burned and almost carbon, and it was the edge that was at the bottom of the pocket of lettuce – maybe this was not coincidental).
The manager accused me of trying to get a free burger, claiming I had intentionally eaten almost all the original burger before complaining.
Lady, I am not that hard up for cash and most of the people who come to Park Potomac are even more well off than I am. So that’s a pretty silly claim to make.
Haven’t been back since and don’t miss it a bit.

Gosh, where do I start. Dirty filthy girl taking order, floors, bathrooms and tables all were DIRTY! Over priced warm fuzzy feeling burger. Grass fed, massaged every day yada yada.
Greasy fries but were hot, two burgers, one fry and two sodas for $ 22.00! Come on!
Go around the block and get a great burger at Red Robin.

I know I’m beating a dead horse here as they’ve finally closed, but here’s why…
Food: OK to good
Service: friendly but disorganized
Management: Eh
Air Quality: Wretched
So, the conveyer-​style cooking was a bit nifty, but the ordering system was horrible and led you to give your order multiple times (not to mention even forcing the restaurant to be completely over-​staffed). Their vet hood was horribly undersized and, coupled with the conveyer-​belt cooker, this led the entire restaraunt to be as greasy as the backsplash. Every table, every wall, every tile on the floor was greasy. Walking in made me feel like a pubescent high-​school boy in dire need of OxyClean.
They eventually moved away from the conveyer belt (a bit like changing the brake fluid on a car that needs new pads), but they still didn’t upgrade the true issue: the hood.
The burgers could’ve been fantastic (actually they were pretty decent), but they could not compensate for the barely inhabitable conditions. Hopefully the other sites opening by the same name learn their lessons from this tragic mistake of a «design».

After hearing all the hype about how much better 100% organic, grass-​fed burgers taste, I decided to give Elevation Burger a try.
The Elevation Burger ($ 4sh) — Double Meat, Double Cheese Cheddar. They give you a checklist paper and you have to check which topping, sauce you want on your burger. The burger isn’t bad; they’re pretty juicy but small at the same time. To be honest, I don’t taste that much of a difference between organic, grass-​fed burgers with regular ones. They’re just more lean, that’s about it for me.
Fries ($ 2.20) — Really small, thin fries, yet flavorful.
Overall — I don’t think it’s as good as what people hype it up to be. For me, it’s just a decent flavored, healthier alternative burger. The service isn’t that good. They don’t really clean the tables fast enough; A lot of them’re left uncleaned.

I liked it better with the conveyor belt and the little paper slips. It gave the place a kind of uniqueness to it to separate itself from other burger places. Now it’s just another order-​at-​the-​counter, pre-​made kind of burgers like every other place. Oh, it’s organic you say? Great… who goes to a burger place and wants organic food? Please…
Service was okay. Not too slow, but not that quick either. I ordered a Kids Burger ($ 3.60ish) since I’m small with cheese (extra $ 0.60) and organic bacon ($ 1.35! Jeez…). I didn’t order any fries, but my coworker did, so we tried some of his. I did order a milkshake though ($ 4.19) with only Oreos, keeping it simple.
First to come out was the shake. It was pretty good, actually. Probably the best thing they have here. There wasn’t too many chunks of Oreos at the bottom; it was blended perfectly. Just FYI, they do have the «fancy» soda machine that’s popping up in restaurants now, so there is that choice if you don’t want the milkshake.
The burger was small and a pretty good portion for me. But if you’re looking for a filling burger, get the actual Elevation Burger. It was pretty oily and dripped into the paper wrapping it came in, which grossed me out a bit. The cheese, which is 6 month aged cheddar, was really tasty and quite good. The bacon on the other hand wasn’t that great. I prefer BGR’s bacon much better than this organic stuff. I actually prefer BGR’s burger all together.
The fries were okay, too. They’re small and stringy, so not too bad. They’re addicting in a way, probably because of the salt. But still not too bad.
Overall though, I’d suggest going to BGR for burgers. This place just doesn’t have a uniqueness going for it. I mean, who goes to a burger place because it’s organic?!

Elevation Burger seems pretty cool. I went here with my friend today. We were kind of waffling about where to go. At first we were going to go to Red Robin, but she saw some bad reviews so we ended up at Elevation Burger. Personally, I’ve always felt Elevation Burger should have an Elevator. Ha!
Ok, so for real, The burger was really good. It was fresh tasting and yummy. We both got elevation burger, fries and a drink. I think it cost us each around $ 11 total or so. Not so bad for a non fast food burger, and it tasted good too. I really love the drink machine. It’s so much fun to play with. The fries were not the most appetizing thing but they were crunchy and yummy and I don’t know why I had so much fun eating them. I’d say 4 out of 5 on the food.
The food was a little slow in coming out, but since I was out to dinner more to enjoy my time with my friend and talk than eat, I didn’t really care. They also came around several times to make sure we were alright and enjoying the food, so I liked that. Overall, maybe a 3.5?
There really wasn’t much I didn’t like about the place, because it was generally a pleasant experience. So overall, I give it a 4.

After reading the other reviews we didnt have high expectations, fortunately we were very surprised. Burgers were so good and juicy. Can really tell the difference in quality of meat at EB compared to any other chain or restaurant that doesn’t serve grass fed, organic beef! Food was delicious service was fast but the price is a little more than other chains– you are paying for quality though so it is worth it.

I had a bit of doubt that I had been too hard on Elevation Burger, and a friend mentioned there had been some changes since the last time I’d been. I figured I’d give them one more chance to redeem themselves, but it didn’t happen.
The good news is that things have changed around a bit. The conveyer belt system is gone and has been replaced with a single short-​order grill. The bad news it hasn’t really changed anything for the better. My bacon cheese burger still dripped and managed to cover my hand in grease. I don’t know what it is, but something about they way they cook a burger doesn’t appeal to me.
At first I thought they’d gotten my order wrong and forgot the bacon, but after pulling everything apart I finally found one incinerated half-​strip of bacon folded over on itself hiding under one of the patties. I double checked if there any additional bacon hiding elsewhere; no such luck. If I’d had known that what bacon consisted of at Elevation Burger I wouldn’t have bothered.
The tiled portion of the floor around the edges of the space (near the registers and drink fountains) felt like it was covered in residue. You know that feeling you get like the bottoms of your shoes are covered in something like grease mixed with dirt when someone mops with REALLY dirty water? Not awesome. Thankfully the floor of the eating area seemed fine.
I will say that the burger itself was tasty. It just wasn’t tasty enough for me to overlook everything else. If the Burger Joint that opened at the Rio is anything like the one in Bethesda I’ll be headed there from now on.

I shared a double cheeseburger with my pop a year ago and some greasy fries. I remember this day as if it was yesterday. I was so excited I knew my order and I wanted some grass fed beef burgers.
To my amazement I they messed up my order and forgot the cheese, so when it came out I said where’s my yellow? They kindly put a cold slice which did not melt and put it on top. I bit into the burger and didn’t find any satisfactory. It tasted dry and bland. What was all the hype about? Why was I excited in the first place?
Then I tried the fries which were limp and oily, if you are thinking what I’m thinking, your right. It was not good, just oily. What a sad day for food. Though the quality of the beef is better than any other fast food joins aka mcD or bk, so I give them props.

So much hype! But does it live up to it?
ehhh… kind of. For the most part, yes. The burgers here are just delicious. And considering that it’s grass-​fed, free range, USDA certified organic beef, for roughly 7 dollars (depending on the toppings you get), this is some good fast-​food. They also offer a vegetarian burger and a vegan burger.
But is elevation burger actually a ‘healthy’ meal option? No, but this is as good as it gets. They lose points on the fries. They were bitter, thin and soggy. Not sure if they were freshly cut, but it was a waste of an opportunity for Elevation Burger to offer a twist on the usual side of fries. Maybe instead offer sweet potatoe fries? That would push them to a 5-​star rating for sure.

I am bumping elevation burger to 3 stars… still no five guys. But I do appreciate the fries and there was a game changer when we went this Monday, the pepper jelly I think they call it… was so good. Granted the food is still lacking seasoning, I feel like I have to put salt on everything. Another aspect of the jump, I happened to leave my purse and it was waiting for me when I discovered and called. which was nice.
They have also changed the way you ordered the papers are gone and you order at the register which throws me off. This visit was courtesy of a gift certificate, not sure if I will be going back on my own buck. It is such a catch 22 the fries are very good the burgers are okay. Five Guys has great burgers and fries and is right next door. What is a girl to do???

Unlike many other Unilocalers, I enjoyed the fries well enough. For next time I’ll know to order my burger ‘under done’ or whatever the designation here is, as I don’t particularly care for well done burgers. I do like the fact that the burger can be ordered wrapped in lettuce as opposed to a bun. Not a place I’ll rush back to, but will do if I’m craving a burger and fries.

This is a great burger! Unlike some older reviews, my service was very fast and friendly and the burger was perfect. I loved the multiple ordering options, the burger assembly line cooking machine that warms your bun while the meat cooks, the fancy soda machine and the prompt burger delivery! Plus you can order ahead from your smart phone if you prefer.
You can’t mention this without comparing it to 5 Guys which is across the street. 5 Guys seems to have an almost cult following and fans of it may not give Elevation Burger a fair chance. The elevation burger is an all around better product. The meat is better quality, there are better quality topping options, and the burger is easier to eat!
It stays together while you eat it and you can taste all those fine add-​ins like the crunchy pickles, flavorful cheddar cheese, and hot pepper and sauce options. It really is a great burger. It isn’t restaurant quality (or «In-​and-​Out» good), but it’s good. This location is also a little cheaper than some other EB locations since you pay for the cheese separately and still come up paying less money.
The fries. Everyone seems to like to complain about the fries. They are not bad fries, but people expect a burger place to have great fries. Nobody is going to be coming in here just for the fries. They are fresh cut and if the olive oil really makes them significantly more healthy, I’m on board. But they do lack crispness. It would be nice if they had some other side options, maybe some onion rings or something.
All in all, I hope they succeed in this location. It is nice to have an alternative to 5 Guys and I’m still missing the California Tortilla which closed down around the corner. Parking for EB can be a chore since there are minimal places out front and in back, and it competes with Chipolte on the same block.

So I got a free burger coupon in the mail and decided to use it. Well the set up is nice. The décor is nice I give them props on that. You have to pencil in your order on how you like your burger. Okay cool. Then your greeted by a snobby cashier who is upset that she now has a customer now and has to put her cheap Blackberry down. I order my food. plus a shake. The food prep takes forever. Plus, my shake is forgotten. I go back 15 minutes later and I asked for my shake and the cashier hissed! I should be hissing not her! lol. So I get my shake, Its good and very delish! I give it that. Then comes the burgers and fries in a tiny metal tray. I couldnt finish my burger. And they dont have boxes just the newspaper wrap your burger came in. The burger was soo sloppy. The meat is not cooked all the way.
Fries: cooked in olive oil… yuck. They are not crispy yuck. Not salty enough yuck… no salt shakers dbl yuck and :(
Im not sure why a place like Elevation burger takes forever in making food. When they have like burger belt like BK cooking it. The service is slow and horrible. The cashier is more concerned with her phone and could careless if you got your fries and shake. For a juicy well done burger that gets it right the first time, make a bee line to your left and head to 5 guys.

Want a terrible dining experience? Try Elevation Burger. The Germantown restaurant has mastered being slow, sloppy and customer unfriendly. I asked if I could get a «Big n Rare» cooked medium-​rare … No problem, said the cashier and rung it up along with a veggie burger and 2 grilled cheeses for my vegetarian kids. 20 min later, no food. Asked at counter and was told they were waiting on one item… ok. …back to my seat. 10 min later, one grilled cheese is delivered to the table and the server bustled away. ?? Back to counter– where are my other 3 sandwiches? Here are two more, clerk responds, you’re all set. No, 1+2 does not =4. Oh, we are still waiting on one.?? I wait and wait. Finally as I’m up from the table headed to the counter for the third time, a manager comes over with my burger. No need to get up, he says so helpfully– we bring food to you! Really?
Ahhhh. Finally, after 35+ min of waiting I bite into my burger. Not medium rare, not rare. RAW. As in chilly ground beef that moos. Just like you’d get at the butcher Shop.
Back to the counter. Well, the clerk explained, that’s how they come out — raw. Excuse me? Well, they’re rare or raw always. In exasperation, I tell her to scrap it, just give me a well-​done, greasy Elevation burger. More waiting and waiting. I ask at counter again. My new burger was just sitting on the counter, unattended, and getting cold.
But I shouldn’t have worried. Wasn’t til I unwrapped it seated back at my table did I realize it was not an Elevation burger, but yet another Big-​n-​Rare. And guess what. Yep, RAW. Chilly and not even close to cooked. Ready with whatever bacteria it free-​roamed in the door with. Check out my photo.
So I wasn’t surprised when I noticed my vegetarian kids hadn’t eaten their grilled cheeses either. Why not, I asked, hands bloodied from burger. Look. Buried in the greasy grilled cheeses were two slabs of bacon. Nice. We did what we should have done 30 min before and left, never to return.

I have got to say… I have had better. Not a fan.
Im not understanding the hype to this place. Their ordering process is kinda retarded, and then the burgers themselves I found to be just ok. I have had more taste in a McDonalds double cheeseburger. Not to mention they seems a little overpriced.
Five guys is better, In-​N-​Out Burger is Best (though you cant get that around here).

Not knowing there was a form to fill out, I walked right by stacks of paper and nubby mini-​golf pencils to order from one of the multitude behind the counter. I was politely rebuffed and told I had to use the paper system. It’s not rocket science, but I’m not 100% certain I filled it out correctly.
I hand it over, follow the line past the endless rows of cast iron griddles to the cashier who gladly takes my $ 4 or $ 5 or whatever it was for the basic double-​patty cheeseburger.
I take a number and sit down at a window barstool.
Seven minutes later, I’m presented with my burger that I can only assume, considering there were nine individuals visible behind the counter, was made with extra special care.
Visually, it looks like a Wendy’s burger. (Which I could have gotten at half the price and a microfraction of the wait.)
Taste – and here’s where it gets abstract – it tasted weird. I’ve had eaten countless burgers, including my fair share of grass-​fed beef burgers and none of them tasted like this. And I don’t mean that in a good way. There was a tinge of something tangy when when I bit into the dry patty – and that’s after I’d isolated it from the Elevation Sauce which was pretty much your run-​of-​the-​mill Thousand Island-​like concoction.
Honestly, the only reason I finished the burger was in the hope it was more an acquired taste that got better as I got closer to finishing.
It didn’t.
I respect very much their desire to use grass-​fed beef, however after having eaten their signature burger, coupled with the whole ordering experience, I can say with confidence there are countless better options to satisfy your hamburger hunger. Particularly in Germantown where Five Guys is a stone’s throw away.
There was nothing about Elevation Burger that I liked.
Except the touchscreen soda fountain. That was kind of cool.

I just saw Elevation Burger on Sunday on my drive to the library in Germantown. I read «100% Grass Fed Beef» and I knew I had to try it. I became a self imposed vegetarian a year ago because the options for grass fed beef burgers are non-​existent in the restaurant world and freakish expensive at the grocery store. My health condition requires either grass fed or vegetarian. I chose vegetarian even though I still craved and wanted a burger.
So I went today during my lunch break. I’m glad I read the Unilocal reviews before I left. The army staff they had today for the lunch crowd was 10 people. 10 people behind the counter! There was at least one woman who’s job there is a mystery to me, she just wandered around the tables, but didn’t clean them. With that army someone could have cleaned at least one table that had a drink left on it. But otherwise the place was clean, the soda dispenser was cool looking. One of the patrons had to tell me where to place the order because there are no signs to say which end is which (or at least they were not clear to me).
I ordered a kid burger (the only way to get «just» a hamburger apparently), fries and a shake, vanilla ice cream with strawberries and bananas. It took a good 10 minutes for my food to be done, the shake was done in no time. And the bag was greasy when I received it.
I tried eating the fries on my way back to work. One word: yuck. Skinny, just shy of cold, with either feast or famine when it came to salt on the fry. My biggest turn off was one fry that looked like it had mold on it.
The shake was unremarkable. It was fresh and tasted good, I’ll give it that. Like I could have made it at home.
I saved my biggest hope for the burger. The result? I’m happy. Now it’s been over a year since I had a good and proper burger (Sunshine Burger is my secret love burger), but this will do in a pinch. The order was correct and it was still warm. I’ll give it another go and will even bring my family here. But we’ll go across the street to get real fries from Five Guys and make a shake at home.

I found this place totally on accident. I heard about it from friends so I wanted to try it.
Verdict: BLAND.
Fries were too bland, burger was too bland. I know they advocate for a more healthy burger and fries but come on. Put some salt and spices on that bish. Besides, it still tastes like a ball of gooey greasy meat with a soggy bun. How much healthier can it be?!
I also agree with what everyone else says about the 206 799 281 employees working behind the counter. They’re slow. I’ll go to five guys instead. They make a burger that hits the spot.

Not a fan of the food or service. Grass fed, organic, blah blah blah. When your burger is swimming in an excessive amount of grease, who gives a s***?