Thursday, January 30, 2014

Burger Tap & Shake Food Review II


I was on my way home from the George Washington men's basketball game (GW won, in a rout) at Charles E. Smith Center last night, when I asked myself, "How could I make this night even better?" Five minutes later, I had my answer. A post-game feast at nearby Burger Tap & Shake. How could anyone do better?

The atmosphere at BTS was... in a word, hoppin'. It was after 9; and not only were they were still open, but they were packed to the rafters. I saddled up to the counter and asked for help ordering (the overhead menu isn't all that easy to understand.) Thankfully, the staff here are only too happy to assist. We agreed on a Six Buck Chuck (BTS' $6 house burger) with lettuce, tomato, onions and AP Sauce... no pickles, no cheese; and a $3 side of Onion Rings with a Cookies N Cream milk shake ($5.)

With no tables available, I grabbed a window spot and stood (I hate stools.) Service is fast (about five minutes) even with a full house, and a growing line of people waiting to order. My pager went off, and I doubled back to collect my tray of food. The onion rings were nice & crispy, perfect for folding and dipping into tiny ketchup cups. Yum. The burger was bigger than I remember, and cooked perfectly (MEDIUM.) Big burger, big bun... but I wish the bun was grilled a bit. Toppings were top-notch (bright green lettuce, GIANT slice of tomato and zesty AP sauce... a welcome change of pace from regular catsup.) The burger itself had lots of natural flavor (MEDIUM keeps it nice & juicy.)

It would have been nice to have had a soda (shakes are desserts, no?) but you can't find fault with one of the best milk shakes in town (currently ranked #5.) It's hard to believe it took me so long to try one. To be honest, BTS is usually too crowded to squeeze into (at least for someone like me, who prefers quiet dining rooms.) There's a lot of energy in this place... You feel envious just walking by. Also, they serve Benton's bacon & fried egg as $1 extra toppings (just $1... can you imagine?) I can hardly wait for the next Colonials game.

Atmosphere: B+ (Normally I hate crowds, but this place looks & feels fun.)
Burger: B+ (Grill the bun, and we're talking Top 10... at least.)
Onion Rings: B (Great price, I'd pay another buck for two more rings.)
Price: B (The shake bumps it up a notch, but it's a great shake.)
Shake: B+ (Debuts as #5 in our Top 5... Not bad.)
Overall: B+ (Improves from a B to a B+. Impressive.)

Click here to see our previous review from September 2012.