Saturday, March 22, 2014

Smashburger - Bethesda Food Review

Create Your Own Burger with French Fries

I can't seem to get enough of Smashburger, one of the few fast casual restaurants I find myself returning to (even with a long list of restaurant reviews to get to.) I stopped by their Bethesda location for the first time since last December's media preview, and am happy to report... same great food, even better customer service.

Cashier Anthony extended me a warm greeting, and took my order for a Create Your Own Burger (Big Classic Smash with Bacon & Fried Egg... $6.39 + $2 for premium add-ons) regular French Fries ($1.99) and a 22 oz. fountain drink (another $1.99.) I arrived early (just before noon) and had my choice of seats, opting for a quiet table by the fountain drink dispenser. 10 minutes later, there was a steady steam of customers filing in and out; so it pays to come early (if you're like me.)


Service was top-notch, filled with politeness ("Yes sir," "No sir," etc.) and my personal favorite, "Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you." Not one bite of food; yet I already felt like a big shot. Between you and me, Bethesda is a tough neighborhood to act nice in (pampered customer alert!) but the staff here couldn't have been nicer: I hope their customers appreciate it as much as I did.

Wait times are practically non-existent: Anthony delivered my order to my table in just over five minutes. As always, kudos to Smashburger for great presentation. Everything was perfect (right down to the two tomatoes I asked for.) Food quality was sensational too. Love the egg roll, and Smashburger uses great bacon to go along with killer fries. Speaking of, regular fries are $.30 less and a lot less greasy than Smashfries (sea salt vs. garlic & rosemary tossed in Italian olive oil.) 60 fewer calories too!

It remains to be seen if Smashburger makes any changes to their menu (new items specifically) but their selection of buns and "smashing" technique already have a hold on me. Needless to say, I highly recommend them.