Burger and Brew

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! To celebrate Kay's birthday, we lunched at the Burger and Brew in midtown near 15th and R streets. We had been hearing from friends who are aficionados of the American burgers that it was one of the better eateries in town. Now was as good a time as any to see for ourselves.

The ambience is casual with a self-ordering counter, noisy with an eclectic youthful energy, and rustic with its red brick walls. The styling is typical of old converted brick warehouses from our past and sparsely decorated with some interesting posters; otherwise it's more about function. Although it was an hour pass noon when we arrived, it was still very busy with nearly a full house and a longish line for ordering which wound through the seating. Though busy, service throughout our lunch was great and I moved through the line quickly. I do not normally have patience for lines and this was not even close to setting off my nerves. That's service for you! Our meals were served within a reasonable timeframe, tables were bused often and quickly, and we were even asked if all was well. So far so good!

So how's the burger? I had a plain no frills burger and Kay had hers with avocados. One was medium well while the other a medium and I did notice a slight difference in the meat. We both agreed that this is one of the better burgers in town. Nicely balanced appearance, great tasting meat and a good quality bun. For me, the bun is often the overlooked ingredient on an otherwise good burger. I won't say "best burger in town" only because there isn't such a standout for me. There are a number of good eateries where I partake in a good burger and this is one of them. Will I come back? You bet! The only downside to my lunch was the garlic fries, but that's a another hunt and a different story. Go with the curly fries.