The best place to get burgers in Bethesda. Super juicy patties and fresh toppings make their creations a joy. Customize and build your own burger or choose from some of their tried and true selections. With food brought out to you in a surprisingly quick manner I was able to chow down within minutes. Also the staff is overly nice and friendly which is a stand out among competitors. A reliable place for a dependable tasty juicy burger.
(5)
C B.
I usually don't think very highly of burger joints but this one actually impressed me. I was leary of how good the burger would be so I just ordered the regualr "smash burger" ... Let's just say, I SMASHED this burger, it was gone before I knew it. The rosemary fries were YUM. And to boot: the price is very reasonable. Pictures do not do justice. The service was ok, the decor was top notch trendy hip...the location in Bethesda leaves to be desired. I have to give this place a 5 star since I can't think of a better tasting burger for the money....I don't like giving away 5 stars easily on Yelp...only for those extraordinary dining experiences.
(5)
Adam J.
I was skeptical at first, given burgers being one of the trends in the area. Everyone either wants to do cupcakes, donuts, or burgers, and a zillion places have popped up as more try to get in the game. But I gave this place a try, and I'll say they caught me off guard at how much I liked the place. I actually went two days in a row, once to this location and once to Virginia. So this location, on Cordell Ave, right off Wisconsin Ave or Old Georgetown Rd in Bethesda, is easily accessible by car or metro. I took the red line metro to Bethesda station and made the short walk. There is metered street parking and a few area garages. Inside, no frills, but the place is clean and spacious. The glass windows makes dining alone okay, because you can grab a seat at the bar style seats and people watch out the window. The staff is pretty awesome. And menu much larger than I'm used to. So the food. They have a variety of burgers, and the same sandwiches chicken can be substituted if that is your thing, or you can opt for a salad. I did the bbq, bacon, and cheddar, smash chicken sandwich here. Delicious and juicy and a nice size. Order the smash fries. They are hands down the best thing in this place. Not to say the other food is bad, but I love these things. If they made an option for an extra extra extra fat man size fries, I would order that one. Overall a good experience.
(4)
William C.
Such high hopes for Smashburger, but in the end all my expectations were smashed to smithereens. Smashburger opened up right at a busy corner near my work and I thought it could be a nice addition to my list of lunch spots. However, the burger was just mediocre at best and the smash fries were ok nothing really great to brag about. However in their defense like skinny jeans on men, I don't like skinny fries. In my opinion you have a better chance of having a better burger at any bar offering happy hour specials than at Smashburger. Food - C Service - B+ Atmosphere - A
(2)
Fred K.
3 1/2 stars. One thing I like about Smashburger is that you can order either chicken or beef for any of their burgers. Only caveat, I wish you can request to cook beef burgers medium or medium rare (They don't ask and almost always comes out well done; sometimes juicy sometimes not). Their mushroom truffle and Swiss burger is so good and was also very surprised how great the goat cheese added in flavor (thought it would be overpowering) to its chicken sandwich. My favorite burger is still their classic smash burger and their capital regional burger though. Their fries are the skinny types and like their rosemary olive oil fries (even though the one today didn't have any olive oil or garlic, just rosemary) and you can also order fried pickles too! Just ask for an order, as I don't believe it's on their printed menu. Join their club and on rare occasions you will get some coupons like $2 off and free regular side.
(3)
Dean D.
What a great place for families. Napkin holder at table with condiments, clean large bathrooms with changing tables, bring your food to you. Have grill cheese, juice options, chicken drips etc for kids. My kid is very pick about bathroom cleanliness especially smells. He was ok with this one. Plus they have honest tea products which I really like. The burgers are very good and not oversized with pickable portions.
(5)
Benjamin G.
This place has a lot of Diverse Hamburgers. The diversity of hamburger types is what someone should come here for. They seem to have really fast and attentive customer service as well. The Classic Burger was good the first time I ordered it with everything on it, but not especially flavorful the time without everything. The Cynic in me wants to say they call it Smashburger because they "Smash" all the flavor out of it. Seriously, isn't all the fat what makes a burger tasty? The Fries I think are Great! They're very small and crispy. I couldn't have enough of them. :) The staff are industrious and appear to help customers quickly. It's actually very spacious inside and very clean. I went here another time and got a kid's meal. It was great and only cost $5.29. Where else can you get a meal for $5.29!? The fries were great and the burger didn't seem any different from an adult version. Everything was very tasty. I just found a new place for lunch, I'm pretty excited.
(4)
Mia E.
OMG! The Baja Cobb salad... It didn't last long enough to take a picture. The grilled chicken spinach cucumber goat cheese on the chipotle bun. Delicious! Our table also had the buffalo chicken blue cheese Sammy with Smash fries. Hey now with the oil & rosemary... SmashBurger is perfect! Never greasy always hot and fresh. Service is always excellent.
(5)
Mary L.
Bethesda is full of different types of restaurants that either make it or break it. The Smashburger in this location was relatively new and I was craving a burger so I decided to give it a whirl. The burger was not bad. I've tried the mushroom burger which has grilled mushrooms, Swiss cheese and uses truffle oil. A lot of times when restaurants use truffle oil, it tends to overwhelm the flavor of the dish. The burger was very rich but not too overwhelming. Overall, pretty good. I've also tried the capitol burger and added a fried egg to it as well. With the egg, it put the burger one step above. The burgers aren't bad here, just nothing too special to distinguish themselves from other places. However, the two things that make this place special are the shakes and sweet potato fries. The salted caramel shake and the nutter butter shake are highly recommended. Places like Five Guys don't give the option of shakes so it's nice to see a place that does. Second, sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for some fresh, hot sweet potato fries. There's are pretty good. Not too skinny and not too much potato. The regular fries are pretty disappointing (really skinny type) and the onion rings are shoe string with an overwhelming salty flavor. There's space to sit down and the people that work there get your food out to you pretty quickly. Overall: okay burgers + sweet potato fries + yummy shakes = good place to grab a burger and get dessert (milkshake) too.
(3)
Tyeisha B.
I loved it! Service was great the food was even better! It was a pretty great burger for a fast casual burger place. Will definitely come back!
(5)
Roger M.
This place had a friendly cashier and great variety of choices. Overall the burger was good but I really love the sweet potatoes fries
(4)
B J.
Okay, so let's cut to the chase and why only 3 stars. The outside of this place smells. Like really, really smells. Smells like what? Well...kind of like sewage waste. So needless to say, when I first walked in I was hoping it would smell like amazing burgers. Unfortunately, it did not. So, minus one star because I'm fairly sure that smell is the grease/oil they use. Which makes me a little bit concerned, but since I am not privy to their cooking operations I can only speculate. One other star deducted for their fries. They are skinny fries which just don't stand up to a good sized burger. Which brings me to the good aspects of this place... The burgers are really good. The server said the cook all their burgers well with no real pink which is awesome, because I don't want to see blood. The burger was tasty, still juicy, had a nice tasting sauce on top, and was a really good size. The bun was also, really soft. The server was also super nice. He explained the menu very thoroughly, provided suggestions, and was patient even when I took five minutes to figure out what I wanted. All in all, I would go back for their burgers, but would definitely want fries from somewhere else.
(3)
Sean W.
This is the best high-end fast food burger I have had. This is how a high-end burger should be done. The burgers are cooked on a buttered surface, just like steak at a high end steak house. THis gives the burger a wonderful, crispy, buttery char around the outside. You get a great mouth feel and taste from this with each bite. The toppings all seemed fresh and complimented the butteryness perfectly. The standard bun was perfect. You coudl see it absorbing some of the toppings wihtout dripping the grease on you. It can stand up to a multitude of toppings. My girlfriend and I were going to split a burger and were asked when ordering if we wanted the burger split. That is a small thing that makes a ibg impression. We also had a shake that was good, nothing fantastic. The smash fries are very slender, some may preffer a 'meatier' fry, but I enjoyed these.
(5)
Maximus M.
Salt, salt, oh my salt! I had a classic smash burger and it was like biting into nothing but pure salt. All the condiments in the world won't help the situation. All the soda / water won't make it any better... The restaurant smelled like sewage. I had to take my food outside as the odor was too pungent. I debated leaving as soon as entering; but I wanted to give this new place a shot. Very disappointing; won't be returning.
(1)
Chad P.
I used a gift card to come here and the burger I ordered was excellent. I like the bun a whole lot more than BGR. They have a very nice selection of different burgers and chicken sandwiches I would like to try. I ordered a side of the sweet potato fries which I think would have been good if they weren't cold. I was a little surprised about this when the burger was freshly made. Customer service was very good. I'll be back.
(4)
Rebecca B.
Lots of options, got the spicy baja chicken sandwich- I thought it was excellent and a good sized burger. Did not care for the veggie frites very much.
(4)
Jonathan P.
it's so good. just had mushroom swiss burger for lunch. fries delicious as always.
(3)
Sam B.
Smashburger, the smashup of other burger joints. --- So I've been considering how to compare Smashburger to my friends, and the best I've come up with is it's (appropriately) a smash between Five Guys and BGR. The ambiance felt like somewhere between a Five Guys and a BGR. The walls had some self promotional propaganda (get the larger burger, etc.), but the place otherwise looked fine. The staff had some mild confusion on ringing up my order, but since this was the opening night, I'll chalk that up to inexperience. The price point was 7 bucks for their 'big smash' (depending on the burger), which the guy behind the counter recommended I should get. Taking my seat, I found myself amongst a myriad of other eaters who were likely wondering the same thing; how is this meal going to be. My burger came relatively quickly, which leads into my next thought. The burger. I got a 'Spicy Baja' burger, a jalapeno and guacamole laden burger. I'm normally a "give me whatever the spiciest thing you have on the menu" guy, so this sounded enticing. The presentation was neat and the burger was actually quite tasty. As far as quality goes, it felt like a Five Guys patty with BGR toppings. The bun began to fall apart near the end of the burger, but I've yet to meet a bun that can contain a proper burger, so no points deducted there. I didn't try any of the sides, so the jury's still out on those. All in all, the burger was tasty, and at the end of the day, that's what I want from a burger joint. I'll definitely be going back to try some other items from their menu; their sides looked intriguing enough to warrant a second go.
(3)
Shirley H.
I've heard some people rave about Smashburger so since I was craving a burger and have been wanting to try Smashburger for a while, I ordered (to-go) a spicy jalapeno baja burger and sweet potato fries. Both were decent, nothing spectacular. I'd go with Elevation Burger over this.
(2)
Soy L.
The burgers are good but far too salty. The shoestring fries are average. The service is super friendly (Anthony). Expect to pay $9 for a big cheeseburger and fries, no drink.
(3)
Leah W.
Note to Smashburger- a veggie burger is not supposed to be a mushy brown mess. It is supposed to have structure, taste, and texture. This is disgusting. This "veggie burger" is so mushy, when I touched it with a knife to spread condiments on it, it moved like peanut butter. I will not be eating there again.
(1)
C P.
BGR has better burgers but is more pricey. SmashBurger's patties aren't as flavorful or juicy. The patties are very thin and there's none of that cooked over a real fire flavor. The fries are good here, but a little bit too much oil. Lots of variety, so, I'll definitely be back, but overall no better than the other options in the area.
(3)
Alex T.
Ordered to go. Had a BBQ burger, it hit the spot. It was juicey and had enough char to give you the flavor from the grill but didn't over power the meat. I love their buns, not too much breading. They could do work on their fries, but their fried pickles are great. I really enjoy their milk shakes. A great burger joint. Much better than all of those gastro pubs.
(5)
Jess A.
Came here tonight for a quick bite. I got the mushroom truffle burger and my boyfriend got the smash burger. We were told that everything had to be cooked medium "or above," which sucks. Got our food, walked home (like 2 minutes away)...the fries were cold and not great, the onion strings were okay. They accidentally gave him a chicken sandwich and we didn't get the sauce for the onion straws, so he had to walk back again. I would give one star but he said his burger was "okay," meanwhile mine was absolutely terrible. Dry, overcooked, and flavorless. The other reviewer is right; The Burger Joint is much better and right around the corner. I would say that maybe this place just needs time to get their stuff together, but isn't it a franchise? All in all, a waste of money. I didn't even eat my burger it was so bad.
(2)
Bryan J.
Really good. The Capital burger is the one!
(5)
Jayson S.
Came here within a couple days of open. Burgers are in no way special, and I always prefer my own on my grill. However I ordered the mushroom burger because I was enticed by the truffle mayo! I dislike mushrooms but my 1st bite of this burger made me think...Damon this place is 1 block from me..how dangerous for my heart n waistline. So yummmy
(4)
amy k.
Sort of disappointed with Smashburger. Did a nice job with the place. Ordering was friendly and they seem eager to please. Food just was not great. Had a regular smashburger. Burger was really salty (could be meat or the cheese) Bun was good but the saltiness made it hard to finish. Fries were not good. Warm to cold, too much rosemary and very oily. Also agree with there being no lunch special. $9+ bucks for lunch is too much with all the competition around.
(2)
M. P.
It was OK for lunch, not the best burger I've ever had. Perhaps it was hyped up for me but I probably would go to Five Guys or somewhere else for a burger. Service was OK but there was only one guy running the register so the line became very long and very slow. The manager was doing his best to keep things moving by delivering food.
(2)
Mitchell M.
Tried this place last night with our family. Absolutely the worst in terms of food and service. One of the cashiers appeared to be high on something. Could not get my 13 year old daughter's salad order correct - she ordered a regular Cobb salad but brought us twice a so-called spicy Baja Cobb. No apparent manager or adult supervision. A guy named Jose appeared to be the manager but was clueless. Place was far too chaotic with 3 workers tied up at one point like the 3 Stooges trying to figure out a large take out order apparently gone bad. And to make matters worse, the burger was nothing special. In fact, it was overly salted and tasted as if there was filler or sawdust in it. I was so disgusted by the experience that I almost went to McDonalds - which would have been at least better service. I recommend to spend the extra money and go to BGR - far better burger and service! Kraze burger, Zburger and Bobbys Burger Palace are also better. Even 5 Guys is better (even though it can be a bit greasy).
(1)
P C.
For some bizarre reason, they no longer accept telephone orders! Do you want our business or not?
(2)
Jacob R.
After visiting this restaurant twice, I can firmly say that it doesn't deserve your business. My first visit was shortly after it's Initial opening. The service was slow and my order (for 3 people) was delivered in four parts. The food was also unremarkable. Following this visit, I didn't visit the place for a long while. Today, I went back I placed an order for one sandwich and an order of fries. After watching the seemingly "challenged" staff run around fulfilling orders just as poorly as they had months ago, I decided I would not be back. My order took 20 minutes and arrived luke-warm and overly greasy. The staff ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and still managed to accomplish very little. The management of this restaurant seems to be non-existent. I have been to other smash burger locations, which have been fine. Just don't waste your money at this Bethesda location.
(1)
Terpfan F.
This time I called in my order. That it was waiting for me when I got there in the 10 minutes they said it would be ready was a pleasant surprise (given my in-house experience with a smaller order the previous time). The chicken sandwich was thin without any discernible taste, but filling. The sweet potato fries were OK - not bad, not extraordinary. After 2 tries, I have to say there are too many options in Bethesda - 10 comparably priced restaurants between my apt and them alone - for me to give SB any more chances. I'll go if I'm in a group that wants to go, but otherwise...I wish them good luck, though.
(2)
Terri R.
Went there yesterday, eager to try the big new thing in town. Wish I'd passed. They've been open several weeks, but still don't seem to have a clue. Half the order came out reasonably quickly, the rest required going up to the expediter after half our table had finished and half just sitting there waiting for food. Truffle burger not bad, but slap-dash thrown on the bun with half the ingredients on the paper beside it. Greasy, but tasty. Regular fries drowning in oil - yuck. Onion sticks so salty they were inedible. The place has only a few tables for four, so best to come alone or with one other person. Multiple tables (in a small restaurant) full of dirty dishes as no one was tasked to clear them. If you are going to be small, you've got to keep the tables clean or provide a place to self-bus. Felt like they jammed the place into a space too small. I won't be back. Five Guys, Kraze Burger, BGR - all much better.
(2)
Lily R.
I made my first visit to the new Smashburger in Bethesda the other day. I have been hearing about it for literally months, but had never eaten at one. I was very pleased with my burger. I got overwhelmed by the selection, so I just got a choose-your-own burger with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and cheese (I believe all food should be as close to a Philly cheesesteak as possible). I will have to try one of their specialty burgers next time. I am not a big burger eater, but I have a major weakness for Shake Shack, so that is what I compare most fast-food type burgers to. The regular Smashburger was slightly larger than Shake Shack, and a little less oily. The patty itself didn't have as much flavor, though. I didn't try the fries, so I don't have a comparison there. Instead, I had the onion haystack. It was sooo salty but delicious. They had a surprisingly large range of sides and burger options. The restaurant was clean and the staff friendly and competent. I will be back! Also: I think they should consider extending their hours on the weekend to take advantage of the late night Bethesda bar crowd. I would definitely be up in there for drunk food!
(3)
James H.
Took my two daughters into this location to get burgers. We are not from the area. Had never been to Smashburger before. The burgers were perfect. Better than In n Out by far. The fries are excellent too. Best burger I have had at any burger joint. The fries are similar to Steak n Shake in the Midwest . Definitely will go visit a Smashburger in my area soon.
(5)
Joy B.
I was lucky enough to visit Smashburger at a Yelp event and loved it. I recommended it to my son-in- law, who happens to be a chef. I was pleased that he also became a fan. He had the bacon cheeseburger and it was as juicy and flavorful as I remembered. My personal favorite is the burger with cheese and truffle mayonnaise. It is delectable. I was having cravings for this burger and even asked my son to bring me one when he came to visit. They have vegetables cooked in olive oil and flavored with sea salt. That is a guilt free side dish and is delicious. So, if you want a tender,juicy, and delicious burger give them a try. PS. The fries are great too. A little rosemary gives them a new taste.
(4)
Colleen G.
Came here for lunch today. Place was fairly busy. Walked in and was greeted by a friendly cashier. I ordered the Baja Cobb salad with Crispy Chicken. It came out quickly, was a good size, the chicken was hot and crispy and it looked appealing! My only complaint would by the lettuce in the salad was huge. Like whole full leaves of lettuce. It would have been helpful if it had been chopped down a bit by them before serving it. Otherwise all was well and tasty!
(4)
Katelyn K.
I love Smashburger in Bethesda. From the Yelp Event the night before it opened to the awesome staff who is always there! Most recent visit I ordered the Sin City burger which is on the menu but not listed. They did add a chicken breast to the sandwich which isn't the actual recipe, but man was it good eat. I also had the fried pickles which are also not on the menu but can be had by asked for them. I totally love the quality of the meat and I always feel like I'm getting a good deal for my money. Now they just need one in Silver Spring.
(5)
Lisa S.
My sister raved over Smashburger and gave me a gift card here. The first time, I had issues online- I would put the "create your own burger" in the cart, and then every time I checked out, it would highlight it in red and tell me to remove it because of an error (of course, it didn't tell me what it was). After doing this about 2 or 3 times, I called and they reluctantly let me order over the phone. My burger was big and tasty, pretty well priced (small burger starts at $5.39, big at $6.39) and the Smash fries with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic ($2.29) were my favorite. I still had some money left on my gift card, and was looking for another trip here sometime soon. Fast forward a few weeks, and I decide I'm craving a burger. I put the order through on the website, enter my gift card number- it shows my balance, about $15. Everything worked, I hit submit, and it tells me it can't communicate with the store, my order didn't go through, and that I should try again and call the store if this happens again. I put everything back into my cart and try again- and this time it tells me I have a gift card error. I check my gift card balance online- and it's $0. But I never received an order confirmation and had no way of knowing if the order went through. I called, and the store had no idea what was going on and told me they wouldn't receive a confirmation for at least 5 minutes. I waited 5-10 minutes, I called the store, and they told me they didn't receive an order from me. Nobody at the store- while everybody was fairly nice, if somewhat apathetic- could tell me who to contact about why the website wasn't working or where the $15 gift card money went. I then called HQ multiple times- the only phone number on their website- and it took a few tries before I was able to reach someone. However, once I reached someone at HQ, they handled it really well. They put my order through and told me they would contact the store and made sure it was waiting for me as soon as I could get there. They also emailed to let me know they figured out the problem and fixed it on the website so it wouldn't happen again. I really appreciated how nice they were and how proactive they were about fixing the situation. However, when I went to pick up my food, the employees just sort of glared at me and shoved the bag at me. They also forgot to give me a soda I had ordered and paid for (and at this point, I barely remembered what I had ordered). The smash fries and fried onions were incredibly greasy- to the point where they were dripping- but the burger was pretty good. Overall, it seems like Smashburger is a great organization. Their food seems like a great fit for the area, and I like their menu. However, the food at the Bethesda location is a bit inconsistent- sometimes great, sometimes greasy. The staff members seem young, uninterested, and not well-trained to deal with any issues that come up (or particularly interested in helping customers with issues). I'm not sure how often I'll come back, unless I get a craving for those awesome Smash Fries :-).
(3)
Jayna J.
Salt. So much salt. The meat was so salty it made the burger inedible. I usually don't drink anything when I eat, but I had to go buy a soda just to counteract the saltiness, and even then I could only get through half of it. Fries were alright, skinny and crispy which isn't my favorite but some people live it, and no complaints with customer service. But the salt in both my hamburger and my boyfriend's burger (two different burgers - the meat was definitely the culprit) was enough for us to never return.
(2)
Erin C.
I ate here last night and now I have food poisoning! I had to stay home from work today because I'm so sick. I ordered the mushroom and Swiss burger with a side of fries. I also drank the herbal lemon slightly sweetened tea. I've eaten at Smashburger in Denver and San Diego and never experienced this. Also their soda fountain is the normal one at most fast casual places opposed to the large red ones that offer hundreds of soda and add in selections they have in every other Smashburger location I've been in. The first batch of fries they brought us were cold so we had to ask for another batch. I'm so disappointed because I literally live across the street and was so excited to have seen a Smashburger out on the east coast but I won't ever chance it with this chain again. This is the first time I've even had food poisoning. Ugh so mad at this place.
(1)
Oliver J.
Burger time! They really come out swinging. Great sounding burgers, inexpensive prices. I was excited. The meal looked delectable. Crispy fries! The smashfries are seasoned. Crispy and thin, verging on two thin. Slightly over seasoned or salty, I can't remember, but I would order them again as they were good. They certainly make them in house. The burger, again, overly seasoned / salty but other than that super tasty. A great combination of flavors. Cooked very well (not even a smidgen of pink). I really like the concept, but I really wished they used sustainable ingredients, such as grass-fed beef. Also, a slightly thicker patty. People would go for it.
(3)
Rachel C.
Delicious. Best burger place I've been to. The sauces they have really add to the flavor of the burger. Great options for toppings. The milkshakes are great, especially the Oreo one. The fires are good - get them "smash style" (rosemary and olive oil). I personally, LOVE Five Guys fries, but I'd choose Smashburger any day over Five Guys because the burgers are just better.
(5)
Daniel B.
I don't get why Smashburger has all the hate? They make a damn good burger. The fries are awesome and the milkshakes are too. I usually get the bbq bacon burger and maaaaaaan it's good. The burger is meaty and juicy and the BBQ sauce is tasty. Best burger in the Bethesda area. Also happy to be the 69th review! Gigitty gigitty Alright!
(5)
David P.
major disappointment, given the quality of burgers and service available at other fast casual spots in Bethesda. Was drawn by a postcard with $2 coupon featuring Sin City burger. Ordered a Big Sin City to go from the cashier (a "certified trainer") who engrossed with his phone perched on the raised counter next to him. No ask of temperature for burger. When I got home a few blocks away, I found the tomatoes got on, but no pickle. No haystack onions at all as listed on menu. The egg bun was limp and mushy like white sandwich bread, and the burger was barely cooked through with no char-it had that metal taste where you wonder if it's even dead.
(1)
Carolyn C.
This little establishment just recently popped up on the Bethesda radar and boy did my co-workers come running to try this place out. It took them three attempts to get me to try this place. Burger places are not my ideal cheat meal, in fact I only let myself cheat on my meal plan twice a week and Smash Burger was not an ideal pick. I did read below that someone compared THIS place to SHAKE SHACK, did they happen to sprinkle crack on your burger in order for your taste buds to hallucinate? Shake Shack (being a NYer) is marvelous and one-of-a-kind, get it right. Looking around there was no one inside but us and two other customers. It was snowing out so I blame the lack of business on the weather, benefit of the doubt. Even though it was snowing outside it could have been snowing on the inside as well, seriously no heat? How are you supposed to serve our food hot? It was like 30 degrees inside! We did enter at 11:00 when they opened however there should be no reason that your employees couldn't be running the heat while they were getting ready to open so that your customers don't turn into ice. When it came to ordering the employee was overly nice, super helpful and basically ordered for me. He asked if I wanted chicken or beef and before I could even say chicken the boys screamed beef, it's like the mission in life is to make me fat. Therefore, I was stuck with a classic burger and rosemary/olive oil fries. These fires were super itty bitty slim and had just the right amount of olive oil on them so that they were still crisp and not soggy. The burger reminded me of Wendy's. I am not a fast food person and I would have to say in my opinion that this is like Wendy's and McDonald's. Also, I felt horrible afterwards. For anyone who is addicted to fast food, they have a reward service "Smash Club" that you can sign up for and receive the latest news and promotions directly from them.
(2)
Kat F.
Uh...YUM. I'm going to gain 50 lbs now that I just moved in a block away. Smashburger was simply smashing and I thought the Smashfries were great, albeit a little chintzy on the portion size. Just as good as Shake Shack and the burger was a lot bigger. My only complaint was that it was like 32 degrees in the restaurant...AC was on full blast even though it is fall. Everyone that came in looked freezing as well...seems to me that employees should've noticed. Needless to say, we got our food to go.
(5)
Eric P.
I have eaten here several times and I love the way the cook the burgers. Fresh never frozen.
(3)
Mike B.
As per usual, my visit to Smashburger is punctuated with friendly service and delicious food. I encounter the very friendly cashier who helped out at our Smashburger event some time ago. I've started to get their salads recently; owing to the enormous half-basketball sized bowl they come in. This time I got the Cobb Salad with chicken, blue cheese crumbles on the side, dressing - Spicy Chipotle instead of the planned Buttermilk Ranch. The Smashed Chicken defies logic in that it's super thin, but also fully tender. Its like picking up a hard lime, cutting it open, and realizing that it's overflowing with juices. You're like... huh? The veggies are fresh. The salad toppings are cut properly to be forked. The dressing is really on point. It's also like 3 million calories for a tablespoon... so #MakesSense. I dip my fork in the small 2 ounce container and vanquish any remains of a salad. A thin broken sheet of Spicy Chipotle coats the large bowl. A perfectly filling meal. Fried egg on top is a nice adaptation and is appreciated by this Yelper.
(5)
Alauna S.
Ordered the spicy black bean burger and regular fries. The black bean burger patty was pretty much flavor-less and doused in kosher salt. The only flavor came from the jalapeños, guacamole, and the bun (which was quite good). All in all, NOT a good veggie burger and I hated all the salt. Won't eat here again. Pluses- pretty cheap, good fries, online ordering is convenient.
(1)
Karena J.
Cravings can feel like an evil nag... Beckoning your taste buds to indulge in something sinful. I crave smashburger... And this is why: picture a soft brioche bun heavily buttered and toasted on the sliced side to brown and crunchy -- ready to soak in some of the juicy burger juices. The tender meat patty is smashed with a special encasing tool that optimizes juice retention as well as giving a nice brown char/crust to the outside. Succulence in my hands fulfilling that evil, nagging craving. Ok. Just one more time, I'll only need this just once more... My favorite here is the truffle burger. But I've tried many others which are all good because it's all about the bun and meat patty. I love the brioche bun but the egg bun is also very good. If you like a large portion of meat, make sure to order an extra meat patty. The patty is large enough for me but because of the special tool they use to make them crusty/steamed, the patties are thinner than other burger places. I've even had the chicken which was surprisingly tender and flavorful. Olive oil flashed veggies are ok but don't satisfy my need for fries. I guess burger preference is as individualized as preference to colors. Some people love this place, some people don't. Try it for yourself!
(5)
Nick M.
Just about every time I've come here my order was done incorrect. They are so slow, I cannot really understand how they have so many staff members but manage to keep things so inefficient. Try a local place up the street on northfolk. If they're open at the time, try bold bite. Definitely one of my favorites, better food, nicer staff, etc. Smash just has very convenient hours.
(1)
Anna M.
The burger, especially the meat, was disappointing. Should have walked up the block to BRG The Burger Joint, which serves a much better burger. The decor is great. Perhaps they should have spent less on the decor and focused more on the food.
(2)
Jordan E.
How the seven other reviewers gave this positive reviews are mind boggling. You may be hot ish up in New York where people will pay out the nose for crap food, but in Bethesda and DC, you have stiffer competition. It was a brisk Tuesday evening, about 830pm. To my delight, the long awaited Smashburger just opened! My bodacious craving for a BGR style burger was about to be met. I walked in and was shortly greeted by a 17 year old; who at first glanced appeared to be the number one member of Beib's fan club. Complete with the Justin Bieb's attitude/non-caring work demeanor. Now I'm all for being your own person, but I do not want a side of Canada with my buger. Took four or five times repeating my basic order to get the point across that I just wanted a burger and fries. I had a five minute discussion and four disclaimers about getting my burger medium-rare. They made me feel like I would die lest I got it well done. Me thinks a plausible excuse for cooks not knowing how to ... well ... cook. Fast forward twenty minutes later (legit twenty minutes, not ten, not fifteen) and my food arrives. The first thing I noticed is the intense stench of what I'm guessing is olive oil and grease of the day from the frier. One sense crossed off. Four left to go. The burger itself was visually unappealing/lackluster and the fries were maybe half a handful. Both were oozing with grease, the fries to the point almost inedible. Two senses to the way side. I hungrily burgeoned, and sunk my teeth into the Truffle-Mush burger. First thought, not bad. After five seconds it hit me; dead-sea esque salt levels. Now I'm one that can put down anything, especially when I'm hungry. But the sheer levels in the burger made it one of the harder chores I've encountered. I can't put my finger on it, but it almost tasted like the truffle oil wasn't actually truffle oil ... rather some sort of truffle flavoring. The fries were incredibly oilly. They pride themselves on their rosemary, oil, garlic fries ... they should market them instead as a serving with oil sprinkiled with fries on top. Taste = no bueno. Three senses down. I'm a 28 year old active man, and my stomach physically could not handle the Hiroshima grease bomb I had unleashed on it. Let's just say the burger lasted less than thirty minutes, before it decided to come and say hi. How about the service? Small reprieve. General Manager came over and asked how it was, kindly informed her of above and I'd likely not return, and was offered a free meal voucher. Kudos, your doing a good job. Your staff however, are 'slow', for lack of better terminology. Mad respect for her doing her job, she's really doing her best ... but Smash Burger itself, a joke. Second go around, I went in for a shake. Figure there has to be something worth while on their menu. Same Bieb's looking kid took my order and subsequently watched for fifteen minutes as he stood in front of the shake machine, trying to figure out the five ingredients to put into the shake. Consensus on the shake? Not worth $5.00. In fact, it was actually laughable. There was a cup of milk, one scoop of vanilla icecream, and one spoon of butterfingers. For five dollars! Think its worth more around three-fiddy. See attached picture. From behind the door discussions, our entire block of Cordell is laughing at this place. Maybe/hopefully they'll figure out us Bethesd-ians do not like shoveling McDonalds-esque food down our throats, at premium prices. We are not ignorant folks, and will gladly walk to BGR one block over.
(2)
Thomas N.
Great place if you want a quick eat. The customer service is just as good as the food which makes going there all the better. The workers are very nice and obviously care about the customer. Highly recommended.
(5)
Lindsey J.
I decided to give this place a try because I have coworkers who rave about the place. And my thought was, new location, must be good. Meh- that's about all the burger left me feeling. It wasn't horrible, especially with the choices of burger places we have here in Bethesda. I decided to get the Avocado Club and ordered the big size. I don't see what was big about it. It was the standard size of the rest of the burgers in Bethesda. The toppings on the burger, avocado, bacon, and ranch - those were a delicious combination. But I would have been happy just having those three ingredients on a bun I also ordered the rosemary fries after seeing someone else on Yelp claim they love them. Again, meh. I'm not overly impressed but then again, not to many places in this area offer rosemary fries. Service wasn't terrible. The place was pretty fast with getting our food too. I do like that it's made to order. Overall, I would go just to try it. But you're better off at five guys over in Bethesda Row.
(3)
Angel W.
I've read so many great reviews of Smashburger from fellow Yelpers - I think there have been several Elite Yelp events held at Smashburger - so I had to find out what all of the hype was about. It turns out there is a Smashburger in Bethesda, even though Siri is unaware of it. The Smashburger website lists all of the current locations. Perhaps this is a new Smashburger location?? The venue was very clean and the staff was exceptionally friendly which made me think it's a new location. I just noticed on the Yelp site that this location opened 4 weeks ago - makes sense! I ordered the spicy veggie black bean burger with fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chipotle mayo on a spicy chipotle bun. The jalapenos are no joke! The burger was quite spicy so it's a good choice if you like some heat. The spice was a little much for me. The price of the veggie burger is more expensive than a standard size regular burger, which I found odd. Do black beans cost more than meat these days? I also ordered the Smashburger fries with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The fries were decent. I forgot that the sweet potato fries were the preferred option based on Yelp reviews. Lori, the cashier, was amazingly friendly and efficient. She must have been sent from Corporate and her attitude was one of the tip offs that this was a newly opened Smashburger location. You could tell she was doing things by the book - the greeting, the questions, the service, and the delivery, etc. I was impressed! I was also pleased that she used hand sanitizer before she placed the carton of fries in the to-go bag:) Not sure I'll be back because I was not a huge fan of the veggie burger but if I ate regular burgers I would come back to try more options
(3)
Jennifer B.
I'm not really into burgers, so I always get the grilled chicken avocado club. I love how they "smash" down the chicken so its flat and easier to eat. The chicken is always moist and flavorful, never dry or chewy. They put a lot of fresh avocado on it, which I love. The sweet potato fries are excellent and even their regular fries are a lot better than most similar places. Prices are not bad and the service is always quick and friendly.
(4)
Ginger M.
Smash burgers are indeed smashed. We visited Smash Burgers on Saturday 5/17. The line was out the door. The wait after ordering was at least 20 minutes. :( The burger was smashed so thin and the bun was so thick, the tasteless burger was worse than McDonalds regular burger. We also ordered a Baja salad. It was drenched was diced red onion throughout the salad. The guacamole was about 1 tablespoon and thin. We sat outside at a dirty table. Had to clear the former occupant's dishes. No staff to clean tables. Ugh. We'll find a burger somewhere else the next time we want a burger lunch.
(1)
Nicole G.
I came in here for lunch today since I work basically next door. I was disappointed there wasn't a lunch special or small combo option to save a bit of money. I ended up getting the regular size classic smashburger and a soda. It was enough food for $7 and that price isn't so bad all things considered. The cashier was friendly and the restaurant was bustling but still very clean. As soon as I filled my soda and grabbed a stool by the window another friendly waitress brought my food over. It was busy in there so I was surprised with how quick they were! First thing I noticed was the meat was larger than the bun all the way around. Nice! But as soon as I bit into my burger hot grease squirted out all over my hand. As I mopped that up I noticed at least another teaspoon of grease come out. Pretty nasty... But, I was hungry and the burger was good! And it was also nice to have the free refills of course. I looked around and the fries and shakes looked pretty tasty, but I was already full. And since it's close to New Year's where everyone is supposed to be being good, I went to MyFitnessPal to log my meal. 730 for the burger?! WOOF! No wonder I was full! I definitely am interested in trying the fries and shakes, but they might have to wait a few months for me to fall off the healthy wagon ;)
(3)
adam f.
Went back again today. Got the burger with BBQ, cheddar, and crispy onions. Is so so good!!! The bread is so fresh. Whoever was working today was awesome. Sorry I forgot his name but he really stood out, great personality. Wife got the classic which she really liked too. The salad, the one with goat cheese (1st one listed on menu) was huge. Really like it here!!!
(5)
Dean J.
The dining room was freezing. No management was apparent, just a bunch of kids. Shakes came ten minutes after the burgers were served. No a bad burger, but the other issues make it a less appealing experience. The burger itself was thin although the classic is a unique taste.
(2)
James E.
I've been to this location about three times now, and each visit I have left unsatisfied with the service. Would not recommend. I was appalled by one of the server's responses to messing up some orders and will certainly not be coming by again.
(1)
Marc M.
I actually think Smashburger is one of the better burger places in the DMV area. The burgers are very flavorful and there are tons of customizable options. There are also a good number beef alternatives. The burgers are sizable but not overwhelming, the ingrediants are always fresh and the sides are really great. The fries are very tasty and the super thin onion rings are not too bready and make for a killer side dish. Overall it is a very clean spot making very good burgers. The customer service can guide you through the numerous burger options.
(4)
Eric B.
Ok, when I walked in, I thought, this smells like a McDonalds... when I ordered and waited for my food, I thought this is a lot like a McDonalds... the food, however, much better. The thing about Smashburger, and Five Guys, is that they take the patty, and smash all the juice out of the meat on the griddle and make flatter, medium-well, patties. It's a perfectly acceptable, American classic original way to make burgers, it's just not my fave... The District Burger was very good, I have to say. Fresh fixings, burger just the right size, bacon not rubber, or some big, thick, smoked thing... just good old bacon. Really liked it. Really liked the prices too. $5 and $6 bucks in an $11 or $12 burger town? I say cool. They're not huge, but I like that. Good, normal sized burgers, with two size choices. Cool. Fries were very fresh and tasty. This is a thin, classic fry. Like McDonalds, if McDonalds used real potatoes, and made good fries. Onion rings, not so much. Too thin, too salty. No real onion flesh to balance - and I like a successful thin onion ring, but these were not it. I felt like I was eating mostly the heavily seasoned, fried batter. Black bean burger was also very good. Not spicy at all, but I love that this is an option. And flash fried beans and carrots? Yes, also a great option. I thought these were a bit salty also, but very nicely prepared and a great option. Really looking forward to trying the chicken sandwich next time. Looks very good.
(4)
Katherine A.
The customer service here is really great. They messed up my lunch order a few weeks ago and the manager personally apologized to me and gave me a coupon for a free lunch. The food is also delicious and the employees in general are very friendly. The ambiance is casual and fun. I am docking a star only because it seems they can never manage to get the smash chicken burgers out quickly... they are always over time on them. Otherwise, i am really glad this restaurant cam to the neighborhood. Try the Smashfries!
(4)
Chandra O.
Burger was good but didn't care for bun. I took off a star because service was HORRIBLE! Stood at register several minutes while cashier made milk shakes or something. Once order was ready...waited several more minutes waiting for food to be placed in bag. I started to bag it myself. Smh I'll just go back to Shake Shack
(2)
Kirsten H.
Stopped by for an early dinner after having had milkshakes there on a prior visit. Milkshakes were great, so I thought I'd try real food, too. Service is everything. I was the only person there, and I ordered to go. When my order was ready, the cashier picked up my bag, and held it for several minutes while he talked to some girl at the soda machine. Eventually he gave it to me and I headed out. Six blocks away, I discovered there was no tomato - two pieces of wilted lettuce instead. I only ordered 3 things on my burger, and they got one wrong. Worse yet, the burger was soggy and all I could taste was SALT - the amount of salt you'd get at, say, McDonalds. Definitely not a fan. I ate half and threw the rest in the garbage. But hey, the milkshakes are great, and maybe the beef is better than that disgusting veggie burger.
(3)
Jay B.
I'm not a burger girl but OMG this place made me come back twice this week! Fresh and delicious, a bit pricy but oh the juicy, perfect flavor! The fries, meh, not so great, we had their signature ones and the buffalo kind. We also had the strawberry shake--pure sin but yummy and comes with extra in the silver metal mixer. Winner!!
(5)
Fernando F.
Negative reviews of this establishment are likely the result of the saturation of burger joints in this area, partially because the bar has been raised high and also out of brand loyalty. All that aside this place deserves 4 stars. The irregular burger lends to char which made it unique from the others in Bethesda (Bobby's, BGR, 5 Guy's) and the egg bun rocked. Good product and great location. I think this place will be around for a while.
(4)
Erik G.
The burgers and salads are great. We've been twice, and we really like the food. Smash Burger is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Today, however, the place was really messy. They had no doubt been hit hard during the day because there was a street fair right outside for most if the day. But, they need to pay attention to the details, or they'll turn customers off. I'll be back for more burgers in the future.
(4)
Rene D.
Not bad for a burger place. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger with the veggie frites and a local microbrew. The total came to about $13, and my meal was brought to me in about five minutes. The burger was pretty good. Not the best I have ever had, but certainly respectable considering the price and service. The meat was cooked well-done (but it's a fast food place, so I wasn't expecting to be asked). The toppings were tasty and well-balanced, and the bun was moist and a bit sweet and eggy. For $6 it was pretty respectable. I ordered the veggie frites as a choice. An abomination. Flaccid, greasy and not worth the effort. Stick to the sweet potato fries. It was nice to have a local microbrew at a fast food burger place. This is to be encouraged. Overall, I liked the place and would go back if I were near one. I would not go out of my way, though.
(3)
tom b.
Great service. We actually got some milkshakes that were a little disappointing, and decided to go back and tell them. Tony remade them thicker, and was super friendly in doing so. he really treated us a s valued customers. So we went back a week later, he remembered us and thanked us for the business, and later came over to make sure we enjoyed our order (which we did). Nice to see an employee take pride in the service and make sure customers were happy. We really appreciated it.
(5)
Mickey L.
Thanks to Smashburger, a great place for delicious and quick food in Bethesda is back.. Leading an all-day group event in Bethesda, we needed a place exactly like Smashburger. With Kraze Burger (cold food, inconsistency) and BGR-Bethesda (surly service, inconsistency) falling out of our favor, our options had dwindled. Always wanting to try Smashburger, the new-to-DC chain, and its close proximity made it more appealing; but what sold us was the excitement by one of our students who always had positive experiences with its location in Dallas. Bright and cheery, a major plus was that the food was brought to our table fresh and hot right from the kitchen. My dining companion and I ordered the Capital (Bacon, Grilled Onions, Swiss, Baby Arugula on Brioche Bun with addition of Jalapeno) and Spicy Baja (Guacamole, Jalapeno, Pepper Jack on Chipotle Bun) respectively. The pressed beef was nicely charred to maximize meaty flavor. The veggie toppings were bright and crisp, the cheese pleasantly gooey, and the bun springy while sturdy and toasted. The burger is plump enough to enjoy as two halves (for Capital) or together (for Spicy Baja to even out the scoop of guacamole). The Spicy Baja provided the kick after having a rich panini for lunch, but the Capital + Jalapenos is what I'll get next time thanks to the nicely grilled onions, arugula, and bacon. To accompany our order, we had the Sweet Potato and Smash Fries. The matchstick shapes were cute and lightly crisp while having distinct flavors (latter having a gentle touch of rosemary and garlic). A smashing success on its first attempt, Smashburger has risen up our list of favorite burger places and Bethesda restaurants. The beef is a nicer, less greasy thinner patty like that of Five Guys with finer quality bun and toppings like those of Kraze Burger and BGR--all at the lower Five Guys prices. Great food and a great value!
(5)
Lily R.
I made my first visit to the new Smashburger in Bethesda the other day. I have been hearing about it for literally months, but had never eaten at one. I was very pleased with my burger. I got overwhelmed by the selection, so I just got a choose-your-own burger with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and cheese (I believe all food should be as close to a Philly cheesesteak as possible). I will have to try one of their specialty burgers next time. I am not a big burger eater, but I have a major weakness for Shake Shack, so that is what I compare most fast-food type burgers to. The regular Smashburger was slightly larger than Shake Shack, and a little less oily. The patty itself didn't have as much flavor, though. I didn't try the fries, so I don't have a comparison there. Instead, I had the onion haystack. It was sooo salty but delicious. They had a surprisingly large range of sides and burger options. The restaurant was clean and the staff friendly and competent. I will be back! Also: I think they should consider extending their hours on the weekend to take advantage of the late night Bethesda bar crowd. I would definitely be up in there for drunk food!
(3)
James H.
Took my two daughters into this location to get burgers. We are not from the area. Had never been to Smashburger before. The burgers were perfect. Better than In n Out by far. The fries are excellent too. Best burger I have had at any burger joint. The fries are similar to Steak n Shake in the Midwest . Definitely will go visit a Smashburger in my area soon.
(5)
Joy B.
I was lucky enough to visit Smashburger at a Yelp event and loved it. I recommended it to my son-in- law, who happens to be a chef. I was pleased that he also became a fan. He had the bacon cheeseburger and it was as juicy and flavorful as I remembered. My personal favorite is the burger with cheese and truffle mayonnaise. It is delectable. I was having cravings for this burger and even asked my son to bring me one when he came to visit. They have vegetables cooked in olive oil and flavored with sea salt. That is a guilt free side dish and is delicious. So, if you want a tender,juicy, and delicious burger give them a try. PS. The fries are great too. A little rosemary gives them a new taste.
(4)
Colleen G.
Came here for lunch today. Place was fairly busy. Walked in and was greeted by a friendly cashier. I ordered the Baja Cobb salad with Crispy Chicken. It came out quickly, was a good size, the chicken was hot and crispy and it looked appealing! My only complaint would by the lettuce in the salad was huge. Like whole full leaves of lettuce. It would have been helpful if it had been chopped down a bit by them before serving it. Otherwise all was well and tasty!
(4)
Lindsey J.
I decided to give this place a try because I have coworkers who rave about the place. And my thought was, new location, must be good. Meh- that's about all the burger left me feeling. It wasn't horrible, especially with the choices of burger places we have here in Bethesda. I decided to get the Avocado Club and ordered the big size. I don't see what was big about it. It was the standard size of the rest of the burgers in Bethesda. The toppings on the burger, avocado, bacon, and ranch - those were a delicious combination. But I would have been happy just having those three ingredients on a bun I also ordered the rosemary fries after seeing someone else on Yelp claim they love them. Again, meh. I'm not overly impressed but then again, not to many places in this area offer rosemary fries. Service wasn't terrible. The place was pretty fast with getting our food too. I do like that it's made to order. Overall, I would go just to try it. But you're better off at five guys over in Bethesda Row.
(3)
Oliver J.
Burger time! They really come out swinging. Great sounding burgers, inexpensive prices. I was excited. The meal looked delectable. Crispy fries! The smashfries are seasoned. Crispy and thin, verging on two thin. Slightly over seasoned or salty, I can't remember, but I would order them again as they were good. They certainly make them in house. The burger, again, overly seasoned / salty but other than that super tasty. A great combination of flavors. Cooked very well (not even a smidgen of pink). I really like the concept, but I really wished they used sustainable ingredients, such as grass-fed beef. Also, a slightly thicker patty. People would go for it.
(3)
Mickey L.
Thanks to Smashburger, a great place for delicious and quick food in Bethesda is back.. Leading an all-day group event in Bethesda, we needed a place exactly like Smashburger. With Kraze Burger (cold food, inconsistency) and BGR-Bethesda (surly service, inconsistency) falling out of our favor, our options had dwindled. Always wanting to try Smashburger, the new-to-DC chain, and its close proximity made it more appealing; but what sold us was the excitement by one of our students who always had positive experiences with its location in Dallas. Bright and cheery, a major plus was that the food was brought to our table fresh and hot right from the kitchen. My dining companion and I ordered the Capital (Bacon, Grilled Onions, Swiss, Baby Arugula on Brioche Bun with addition of Jalapeno) and Spicy Baja (Guacamole, Jalapeno, Pepper Jack on Chipotle Bun) respectively. The pressed beef was nicely charred to maximize meaty flavor. The veggie toppings were bright and crisp, the cheese pleasantly gooey, and the bun springy while sturdy and toasted. The burger is plump enough to enjoy as two halves (for Capital) or together (for Spicy Baja to even out the scoop of guacamole). The Spicy Baja provided the kick after having a rich panini for lunch, but the Capital + Jalapenos is what I'll get next time thanks to the nicely grilled onions, arugula, and bacon. To accompany our order, we had the Sweet Potato and Smash Fries. The matchstick shapes were cute and lightly crisp while having distinct flavors (latter having a gentle touch of rosemary and garlic). A smashing success on its first attempt, Smashburger has risen up our list of favorite burger places and Bethesda restaurants. The beef is a nicer, less greasy thinner patty like that of Five Guys with finer quality bun and toppings like those of Kraze Burger and BGR--all at the lower Five Guys prices. Great food and a great value!
(5)
Marc M.
I actually think Smashburger is one of the better burger places in the DMV area. The burgers are very flavorful and there are tons of customizable options. There are also a good number beef alternatives. The burgers are sizable but not overwhelming, the ingrediants are always fresh and the sides are really great. The fries are very tasty and the super thin onion rings are not too bready and make for a killer side dish. Overall it is a very clean spot making very good burgers. The customer service can guide you through the numerous burger options.
(4)
Fernando F.
Negative reviews of this establishment are likely the result of the saturation of burger joints in this area, partially because the bar has been raised high and also out of brand loyalty. All that aside this place deserves 4 stars. The irregular burger lends to char which made it unique from the others in Bethesda (Bobby's, BGR, 5 Guy's) and the egg bun rocked. Good product and great location. I think this place will be around for a while.
(4)
Eric B.
Ok, when I walked in, I thought, this smells like a McDonalds... when I ordered and waited for my food, I thought this is a lot like a McDonalds... the food, however, much better. The thing about Smashburger, and Five Guys, is that they take the patty, and smash all the juice out of the meat on the griddle and make flatter, medium-well, patties. It's a perfectly acceptable, American classic original way to make burgers, it's just not my fave... The District Burger was very good, I have to say. Fresh fixings, burger just the right size, bacon not rubber, or some big, thick, smoked thing... just good old bacon. Really liked it. Really liked the prices too. $5 and $6 bucks in an $11 or $12 burger town? I say cool. They're not huge, but I like that. Good, normal sized burgers, with two size choices. Cool. Fries were very fresh and tasty. This is a thin, classic fry. Like McDonalds, if McDonalds used real potatoes, and made good fries. Onion rings, not so much. Too thin, too salty. No real onion flesh to balance - and I like a successful thin onion ring, but these were not it. I felt like I was eating mostly the heavily seasoned, fried batter. Black bean burger was also very good. Not spicy at all, but I love that this is an option. And flash fried beans and carrots? Yes, also a great option. I thought these were a bit salty also, but very nicely prepared and a great option. Really looking forward to trying the chicken sandwich next time. Looks very good.
(4)
B J.
Okay, so let's cut to the chase and why only 3 stars. The outside of this place smells. Like really, really smells. Smells like what? Well...kind of like sewage waste. So needless to say, when I first walked in I was hoping it would smell like amazing burgers. Unfortunately, it did not. So, minus one star because I'm fairly sure that smell is the grease/oil they use. Which makes me a little bit concerned, but since I am not privy to their cooking operations I can only speculate. One other star deducted for their fries. They are skinny fries which just don't stand up to a good sized burger. Which brings me to the good aspects of this place... The burgers are really good. The server said the cook all their burgers well with no real pink which is awesome, because I don't want to see blood. The burger was tasty, still juicy, had a nice tasting sauce on top, and was a really good size. The bun was also, really soft. The server was also super nice. He explained the menu very thoroughly, provided suggestions, and was patient even when I took five minutes to figure out what I wanted. All in all, I would go back for their burgers, but would definitely want fries from somewhere else.
(3)
Terpfan F.
This time I called in my order. That it was waiting for me when I got there in the 10 minutes they said it would be ready was a pleasant surprise (given my in-house experience with a smaller order the previous time). The chicken sandwich was thin without any discernible taste, but filling. The sweet potato fries were OK - not bad, not extraordinary. After 2 tries, I have to say there are too many options in Bethesda - 10 comparably priced restaurants between my apt and them alone - for me to give SB any more chances. I'll go if I'm in a group that wants to go, but otherwise...I wish them good luck, though.
(2)
Terri R.
Went there yesterday, eager to try the big new thing in town. Wish I'd passed. They've been open several weeks, but still don't seem to have a clue. Half the order came out reasonably quickly, the rest required going up to the expediter after half our table had finished and half just sitting there waiting for food. Truffle burger not bad, but slap-dash thrown on the bun with half the ingredients on the paper beside it. Greasy, but tasty. Regular fries drowning in oil - yuck. Onion sticks so salty they were inedible. The place has only a few tables for four, so best to come alone or with one other person. Multiple tables (in a small restaurant) full of dirty dishes as no one was tasked to clear them. If you are going to be small, you've got to keep the tables clean or provide a place to self-bus. Felt like they jammed the place into a space too small. I won't be back. Five Guys, Kraze Burger, BGR - all much better.
(2)
Leah W.
Note to Smashburger- a veggie burger is not supposed to be a mushy brown mess. It is supposed to have structure, taste, and texture. This is disgusting. This "veggie burger" is so mushy, when I touched it with a knife to spread condiments on it, it moved like peanut butter. I will not be eating there again.
(1)
Daniel B.
I don't get why Smashburger has all the hate? They make a damn good burger. The fries are awesome and the milkshakes are too. I usually get the bbq bacon burger and maaaaaaan it's good. The burger is meaty and juicy and the BBQ sauce is tasty. Best burger in the Bethesda area. Also happy to be the 69th review! Gigitty gigitty Alright!
(5)
William C.
Such high hopes for Smashburger, but in the end all my expectations were smashed to smithereens. Smashburger opened up right at a busy corner near my work and I thought it could be a nice addition to my list of lunch spots. However, the burger was just mediocre at best and the smash fries were ok nothing really great to brag about. However in their defense like skinny jeans on men, I don't like skinny fries. In my opinion you have a better chance of having a better burger at any bar offering happy hour specials than at Smashburger. Food - C Service - B+ Atmosphere - A
(2)
Rachel C.
Delicious. Best burger place I've been to. The sauces they have really add to the flavor of the burger. Great options for toppings. The milkshakes are great, especially the Oreo one. The fires are good - get them "smash style" (rosemary and olive oil). I personally, LOVE Five Guys fries, but I'd choose Smashburger any day over Five Guys because the burgers are just better.
(5)
Carolyn C.
This little establishment just recently popped up on the Bethesda radar and boy did my co-workers come running to try this place out. It took them three attempts to get me to try this place. Burger places are not my ideal cheat meal, in fact I only let myself cheat on my meal plan twice a week and Smash Burger was not an ideal pick. I did read below that someone compared THIS place to SHAKE SHACK, did they happen to sprinkle crack on your burger in order for your taste buds to hallucinate? Shake Shack (being a NYer) is marvelous and one-of-a-kind, get it right. Looking around there was no one inside but us and two other customers. It was snowing out so I blame the lack of business on the weather, benefit of the doubt. Even though it was snowing outside it could have been snowing on the inside as well, seriously no heat? How are you supposed to serve our food hot? It was like 30 degrees inside! We did enter at 11:00 when they opened however there should be no reason that your employees couldn't be running the heat while they were getting ready to open so that your customers don't turn into ice. When it came to ordering the employee was overly nice, super helpful and basically ordered for me. He asked if I wanted chicken or beef and before I could even say chicken the boys screamed beef, it's like the mission in life is to make me fat. Therefore, I was stuck with a classic burger and rosemary/olive oil fries. These fires were super itty bitty slim and had just the right amount of olive oil on them so that they were still crisp and not soggy. The burger reminded me of Wendy's. I am not a fast food person and I would have to say in my opinion that this is like Wendy's and McDonald's. Also, I felt horrible afterwards. For anyone who is addicted to fast food, they have a reward service "Smash Club" that you can sign up for and receive the latest news and promotions directly from them.
(2)
Adam J.
I was skeptical at first, given burgers being one of the trends in the area. Everyone either wants to do cupcakes, donuts, or burgers, and a zillion places have popped up as more try to get in the game. But I gave this place a try, and I'll say they caught me off guard at how much I liked the place. I actually went two days in a row, once to this location and once to Virginia. So this location, on Cordell Ave, right off Wisconsin Ave or Old Georgetown Rd in Bethesda, is easily accessible by car or metro. I took the red line metro to Bethesda station and made the short walk. There is metered street parking and a few area garages. Inside, no frills, but the place is clean and spacious. The glass windows makes dining alone okay, because you can grab a seat at the bar style seats and people watch out the window. The staff is pretty awesome. And menu much larger than I'm used to. So the food. They have a variety of burgers, and the same sandwiches chicken can be substituted if that is your thing, or you can opt for a salad. I did the bbq, bacon, and cheddar, smash chicken sandwich here. Delicious and juicy and a nice size. Order the smash fries. They are hands down the best thing in this place. Not to say the other food is bad, but I love these things. If they made an option for an extra extra extra fat man size fries, I would order that one. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Fred K.
3 1/2 stars. One thing I like about Smashburger is that you can order either chicken or beef for any of their burgers. Only caveat, I wish you can request to cook beef burgers medium or medium rare (They don't ask and almost always comes out well done; sometimes juicy sometimes not). Their mushroom truffle and Swiss burger is so good and was also very surprised how great the goat cheese added in flavor (thought it would be overpowering) to its chicken sandwich. My favorite burger is still their classic smash burger and their capital regional burger though. Their fries are the skinny types and like their rosemary olive oil fries (even though the one today didn't have any olive oil or garlic, just rosemary) and you can also order fried pickles too! Just ask for an order, as I don't believe it's on their printed menu. Join their club and on rare occasions you will get some coupons like $2 off and free regular side.
(3)
Dean D.
What a great place for families. Napkin holder at table with condiments, clean large bathrooms with changing tables, bring your food to you. Have grill cheese, juice options, chicken drips etc for kids. My kid is very pick about bathroom cleanliness especially smells. He was ok with this one. Plus they have honest tea products which I really like. The burgers are very good and not oversized with pickable portions.
(5)
Mike B.
As per usual, my visit to Smashburger is punctuated with friendly service and delicious food. I encounter the very friendly cashier who helped out at our Smashburger event some time ago. I've started to get their salads recently; owing to the enormous half-basketball sized bowl they come in. This time I got the Cobb Salad with chicken, blue cheese crumbles on the side, dressing - Spicy Chipotle instead of the planned Buttermilk Ranch. The Smashed Chicken defies logic in that it's super thin, but also fully tender. Its like picking up a hard lime, cutting it open, and realizing that it's overflowing with juices. You're like... huh? The veggies are fresh. The salad toppings are cut properly to be forked. The dressing is really on point. It's also like 3 million calories for a tablespoon... so #MakesSense. I dip my fork in the small 2 ounce container and vanquish any remains of a salad. A thin broken sheet of Spicy Chipotle coats the large bowl. A perfectly filling meal. Fried egg on top is a nice adaptation and is appreciated by this Yelper.
(5)
Alauna S.
Ordered the spicy black bean burger and regular fries. The black bean burger patty was pretty much flavor-less and doused in kosher salt. The only flavor came from the jalapeños, guacamole, and the bun (which was quite good). All in all, NOT a good veggie burger and I hated all the salt. Won't eat here again. Pluses- pretty cheap, good fries, online ordering is convenient.
(1)
Karena J.
Cravings can feel like an evil nag... Beckoning your taste buds to indulge in something sinful. I crave smashburger... And this is why: picture a soft brioche bun heavily buttered and toasted on the sliced side to brown and crunchy -- ready to soak in some of the juicy burger juices. The tender meat patty is smashed with a special encasing tool that optimizes juice retention as well as giving a nice brown char/crust to the outside. Succulence in my hands fulfilling that evil, nagging craving. Ok. Just one more time, I'll only need this just once more... My favorite here is the truffle burger. But I've tried many others which are all good because it's all about the bun and meat patty. I love the brioche bun but the egg bun is also very good. If you like a large portion of meat, make sure to order an extra meat patty. The patty is large enough for me but because of the special tool they use to make them crusty/steamed, the patties are thinner than other burger places. I've even had the chicken which was surprisingly tender and flavorful. Olive oil flashed veggies are ok but don't satisfy my need for fries. I guess burger preference is as individualized as preference to colors. Some people love this place, some people don't. Try it for yourself!
(5)
C B.
I usually don't think very highly of burger joints but this one actually impressed me. I was leary of how good the burger would be so I just ordered the regualr "smash burger" ... Let's just say, I SMASHED this burger, it was gone before I knew it. The rosemary fries were YUM. And to boot: the price is very reasonable. Pictures do not do justice. The service was ok, the decor was top notch trendy hip...the location in Bethesda leaves to be desired. I have to give this place a 5 star since I can't think of a better tasting burger for the money....I don't like giving away 5 stars easily on Yelp...only for those extraordinary dining experiences.
(5)
Jordan E.
How the seven other reviewers gave this positive reviews are mind boggling. You may be hot ish up in New York where people will pay out the nose for crap food, but in Bethesda and DC, you have stiffer competition. It was a brisk Tuesday evening, about 830pm. To my delight, the long awaited Smashburger just opened! My bodacious craving for a BGR style burger was about to be met. I walked in and was shortly greeted by a 17 year old; who at first glanced appeared to be the number one member of Beib's fan club. Complete with the Justin Bieb's attitude/non-caring work demeanor. Now I'm all for being your own person, but I do not want a side of Canada with my buger. Took four or five times repeating my basic order to get the point across that I just wanted a burger and fries. I had a five minute discussion and four disclaimers about getting my burger medium-rare. They made me feel like I would die lest I got it well done. Me thinks a plausible excuse for cooks not knowing how to ... well ... cook. Fast forward twenty minutes later (legit twenty minutes, not ten, not fifteen) and my food arrives. The first thing I noticed is the intense stench of what I'm guessing is olive oil and grease of the day from the frier. One sense crossed off. Four left to go. The burger itself was visually unappealing/lackluster and the fries were maybe half a handful. Both were oozing with grease, the fries to the point almost inedible. Two senses to the way side. I hungrily burgeoned, and sunk my teeth into the Truffle-Mush burger. First thought, not bad. After five seconds it hit me; dead-sea esque salt levels. Now I'm one that can put down anything, especially when I'm hungry. But the sheer levels in the burger made it one of the harder chores I've encountered. I can't put my finger on it, but it almost tasted like the truffle oil wasn't actually truffle oil ... rather some sort of truffle flavoring. The fries were incredibly oilly. They pride themselves on their rosemary, oil, garlic fries ... they should market them instead as a serving with oil sprinkiled with fries on top. Taste = no bueno. Three senses down. I'm a 28 year old active man, and my stomach physically could not handle the Hiroshima grease bomb I had unleashed on it. Let's just say the burger lasted less than thirty minutes, before it decided to come and say hi. How about the service? Small reprieve. General Manager came over and asked how it was, kindly informed her of above and I'd likely not return, and was offered a free meal voucher. Kudos, your doing a good job. Your staff however, are 'slow', for lack of better terminology. Mad respect for her doing her job, she's really doing her best ... but Smash Burger itself, a joke. Second go around, I went in for a shake. Figure there has to be something worth while on their menu. Same Bieb's looking kid took my order and subsequently watched for fifteen minutes as he stood in front of the shake machine, trying to figure out the five ingredients to put into the shake. Consensus on the shake? Not worth $5.00. In fact, it was actually laughable. There was a cup of milk, one scoop of vanilla icecream, and one spoon of butterfingers. For five dollars! Think its worth more around three-fiddy. See attached picture. From behind the door discussions, our entire block of Cordell is laughing at this place. Maybe/hopefully they'll figure out us Bethesd-ians do not like shoveling McDonalds-esque food down our throats, at premium prices. We are not ignorant folks, and will gladly walk to BGR one block over.
(2)
Thomas N.
Great place if you want a quick eat. The customer service is just as good as the food which makes going there all the better. The workers are very nice and obviously care about the customer. Highly recommended.
(5)
Benjamin G.
This place has a lot of Diverse Hamburgers. The diversity of hamburger types is what someone should come here for. They seem to have really fast and attentive customer service as well. The Classic Burger was good the first time I ordered it with everything on it, but not especially flavorful the time without everything. The Cynic in me wants to say they call it Smashburger because they "Smash" all the flavor out of it. Seriously, isn't all the fat what makes a burger tasty? The Fries I think are Great! They're very small and crispy. I couldn't have enough of them. :) The staff are industrious and appear to help customers quickly. It's actually very spacious inside and very clean. I went here another time and got a kid's meal. It was great and only cost $5.29. Where else can you get a meal for $5.29!? The fries were great and the burger didn't seem any different from an adult version. Everything was very tasty. I just found a new place for lunch, I'm pretty excited.
(4)
Mia E.
OMG! The Baja Cobb salad... It didn't last long enough to take a picture. The grilled chicken spinach cucumber goat cheese on the chipotle bun. Delicious! Our table also had the buffalo chicken blue cheese Sammy with Smash fries. Hey now with the oil & rosemary... SmashBurger is perfect! Never greasy always hot and fresh. Service is always excellent.
(5)
Kat F.
Uh...YUM. I'm going to gain 50 lbs now that I just moved in a block away. Smashburger was simply smashing and I thought the Smashfries were great, albeit a little chintzy on the portion size. Just as good as Shake Shack and the burger was a lot bigger. My only complaint was that it was like 32 degrees in the restaurant...AC was on full blast even though it is fall. Everyone that came in looked freezing as well...seems to me that employees should've noticed. Needless to say, we got our food to go.
(5)
Eric P.
I have eaten here several times and I love the way the cook the burgers. Fresh never frozen.
(3)
Ginger M.
Smash burgers are indeed smashed. We visited Smash Burgers on Saturday 5/17. The line was out the door. The wait after ordering was at least 20 minutes. :( The burger was smashed so thin and the bun was so thick, the tasteless burger was worse than McDonalds regular burger. We also ordered a Baja salad. It was drenched was diced red onion throughout the salad. The guacamole was about 1 tablespoon and thin. We sat outside at a dirty table. Had to clear the former occupant's dishes. No staff to clean tables. Ugh. We'll find a burger somewhere else the next time we want a burger lunch.
(1)
Nicole G.
I came in here for lunch today since I work basically next door. I was disappointed there wasn't a lunch special or small combo option to save a bit of money. I ended up getting the regular size classic smashburger and a soda. It was enough food for $7 and that price isn't so bad all things considered. The cashier was friendly and the restaurant was bustling but still very clean. As soon as I filled my soda and grabbed a stool by the window another friendly waitress brought my food over. It was busy in there so I was surprised with how quick they were! First thing I noticed was the meat was larger than the bun all the way around. Nice! But as soon as I bit into my burger hot grease squirted out all over my hand. As I mopped that up I noticed at least another teaspoon of grease come out. Pretty nasty... But, I was hungry and the burger was good! And it was also nice to have the free refills of course. I looked around and the fries and shakes looked pretty tasty, but I was already full. And since it's close to New Year's where everyone is supposed to be being good, I went to MyFitnessPal to log my meal. 730 for the burger?! WOOF! No wonder I was full! I definitely am interested in trying the fries and shakes, but they might have to wait a few months for me to fall off the healthy wagon ;)
(3)
Katherine A.
The customer service here is really great. They messed up my lunch order a few weeks ago and the manager personally apologized to me and gave me a coupon for a free lunch. The food is also delicious and the employees in general are very friendly. The ambiance is casual and fun. I am docking a star only because it seems they can never manage to get the smash chicken burgers out quickly... they are always over time on them. Otherwise, i am really glad this restaurant cam to the neighborhood. Try the Smashfries!
(4)
Chandra O.
Burger was good but didn't care for bun. I took off a star because service was HORRIBLE! Stood at register several minutes while cashier made milk shakes or something. Once order was ready...waited several more minutes waiting for food to be placed in bag. I started to bag it myself. Smh I'll just go back to Shake Shack
(2)
Erin C.
I ate here last night and now I have food poisoning! I had to stay home from work today because I'm so sick. I ordered the mushroom and Swiss burger with a side of fries. I also drank the herbal lemon slightly sweetened tea. I've eaten at Smashburger in Denver and San Diego and never experienced this. Also their soda fountain is the normal one at most fast casual places opposed to the large red ones that offer hundreds of soda and add in selections they have in every other Smashburger location I've been in. The first batch of fries they brought us were cold so we had to ask for another batch. I'm so disappointed because I literally live across the street and was so excited to have seen a Smashburger out on the east coast but I won't ever chance it with this chain again. This is the first time I've even had food poisoning. Ugh so mad at this place.
(1)
Kirsten H.
Stopped by for an early dinner after having had milkshakes there on a prior visit. Milkshakes were great, so I thought I'd try real food, too. Service is everything. I was the only person there, and I ordered to go. When my order was ready, the cashier picked up my bag, and held it for several minutes while he talked to some girl at the soda machine. Eventually he gave it to me and I headed out. Six blocks away, I discovered there was no tomato - two pieces of wilted lettuce instead. I only ordered 3 things on my burger, and they got one wrong. Worse yet, the burger was soggy and all I could taste was SALT - the amount of salt you'd get at, say, McDonalds. Definitely not a fan. I ate half and threw the rest in the garbage. But hey, the milkshakes are great, and maybe the beef is better than that disgusting veggie burger.
(3)
Angel W.
I've read so many great reviews of Smashburger from fellow Yelpers - I think there have been several Elite Yelp events held at Smashburger - so I had to find out what all of the hype was about. It turns out there is a Smashburger in Bethesda, even though Siri is unaware of it. The Smashburger website lists all of the current locations. Perhaps this is a new Smashburger location?? The venue was very clean and the staff was exceptionally friendly which made me think it's a new location. I just noticed on the Yelp site that this location opened 4 weeks ago - makes sense! I ordered the spicy veggie black bean burger with fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chipotle mayo on a spicy chipotle bun. The jalapenos are no joke! The burger was quite spicy so it's a good choice if you like some heat. The spice was a little much for me. The price of the veggie burger is more expensive than a standard size regular burger, which I found odd. Do black beans cost more than meat these days? I also ordered the Smashburger fries with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The fries were decent. I forgot that the sweet potato fries were the preferred option based on Yelp reviews. Lori, the cashier, was amazingly friendly and efficient. She must have been sent from Corporate and her attitude was one of the tip offs that this was a newly opened Smashburger location. You could tell she was doing things by the book - the greeting, the questions, the service, and the delivery, etc. I was impressed! I was also pleased that she used hand sanitizer before she placed the carton of fries in the to-go bag:) Not sure I'll be back because I was not a huge fan of the veggie burger but if I ate regular burgers I would come back to try more options
(3)
Nick M.
Just about every time I've come here my order was done incorrect. They are so slow, I cannot really understand how they have so many staff members but manage to keep things so inefficient. Try a local place up the street on northfolk. If they're open at the time, try bold bite. Definitely one of my favorites, better food, nicer staff, etc. Smash just has very convenient hours.
(1)
Anna M.
The burger, especially the meat, was disappointing. Should have walked up the block to BRG The Burger Joint, which serves a much better burger. The decor is great. Perhaps they should have spent less on the decor and focused more on the food.
(2)
Katelyn K.
I love Smashburger in Bethesda. From the Yelp Event the night before it opened to the awesome staff who is always there! Most recent visit I ordered the Sin City burger which is on the menu but not listed. They did add a chicken breast to the sandwich which isn't the actual recipe, but man was it good eat. I also had the fried pickles which are also not on the menu but can be had by asked for them. I totally love the quality of the meat and I always feel like I'm getting a good deal for my money. Now they just need one in Silver Spring.
(5)
Justin J.
The best place to get burgers in Bethesda. Super juicy patties and fresh toppings make their creations a joy. Customize and build your own burger or choose from some of their tried and true selections. With food brought out to you in a surprisingly quick manner I was able to chow down within minutes. Also the staff is overly nice and friendly which is a stand out among competitors. A reliable place for a dependable tasty juicy burger.
(5)
Rene D.
Not bad for a burger place. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger with the veggie frites and a local microbrew. The total came to about $13, and my meal was brought to me in about five minutes. The burger was pretty good. Not the best I have ever had, but certainly respectable considering the price and service. The meat was cooked well-done (but it's a fast food place, so I wasn't expecting to be asked). The toppings were tasty and well-balanced, and the bun was moist and a bit sweet and eggy. For $6 it was pretty respectable. I ordered the veggie frites as a choice. An abomination. Flaccid, greasy and not worth the effort. Stick to the sweet potato fries. It was nice to have a local microbrew at a fast food burger place. This is to be encouraged. Overall, I liked the place and would go back if I were near one. I would not go out of my way, though.
(3)
Jennifer B.
I'm not really into burgers, so I always get the grilled chicken avocado club. I love how they "smash" down the chicken so its flat and easier to eat. The chicken is always moist and flavorful, never dry or chewy. They put a lot of fresh avocado on it, which I love. The sweet potato fries are excellent and even their regular fries are a lot better than most similar places. Prices are not bad and the service is always quick and friendly.
(4)
Jay B.
I'm not a burger girl but OMG this place made me come back twice this week! Fresh and delicious, a bit pricy but oh the juicy, perfect flavor! The fries, meh, not so great, we had their signature ones and the buffalo kind. We also had the strawberry shake--pure sin but yummy and comes with extra in the silver metal mixer. Winner!!
(5)
Lisa S.
My sister raved over Smashburger and gave me a gift card here. The first time, I had issues online- I would put the "create your own burger" in the cart, and then every time I checked out, it would highlight it in red and tell me to remove it because of an error (of course, it didn't tell me what it was). After doing this about 2 or 3 times, I called and they reluctantly let me order over the phone. My burger was big and tasty, pretty well priced (small burger starts at $5.39, big at $6.39) and the Smash fries with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic ($2.29) were my favorite. I still had some money left on my gift card, and was looking for another trip here sometime soon. Fast forward a few weeks, and I decide I'm craving a burger. I put the order through on the website, enter my gift card number- it shows my balance, about $15. Everything worked, I hit submit, and it tells me it can't communicate with the store, my order didn't go through, and that I should try again and call the store if this happens again. I put everything back into my cart and try again- and this time it tells me I have a gift card error. I check my gift card balance online- and it's $0. But I never received an order confirmation and had no way of knowing if the order went through. I called, and the store had no idea what was going on and told me they wouldn't receive a confirmation for at least 5 minutes. I waited 5-10 minutes, I called the store, and they told me they didn't receive an order from me. Nobody at the store- while everybody was fairly nice, if somewhat apathetic- could tell me who to contact about why the website wasn't working or where the $15 gift card money went. I then called HQ multiple times- the only phone number on their website- and it took a few tries before I was able to reach someone. However, once I reached someone at HQ, they handled it really well. They put my order through and told me they would contact the store and made sure it was waiting for me as soon as I could get there. They also emailed to let me know they figured out the problem and fixed it on the website so it wouldn't happen again. I really appreciated how nice they were and how proactive they were about fixing the situation. However, when I went to pick up my food, the employees just sort of glared at me and shoved the bag at me. They also forgot to give me a soda I had ordered and paid for (and at this point, I barely remembered what I had ordered). The smash fries and fried onions were incredibly greasy- to the point where they were dripping- but the burger was pretty good. Overall, it seems like Smashburger is a great organization. Their food seems like a great fit for the area, and I like their menu. However, the food at the Bethesda location is a bit inconsistent- sometimes great, sometimes greasy. The staff members seem young, uninterested, and not well-trained to deal with any issues that come up (or particularly interested in helping customers with issues). I'm not sure how often I'll come back, unless I get a craving for those awesome Smash Fries :-).
(3)
Jayna J.
Salt. So much salt. The meat was so salty it made the burger inedible. I usually don't drink anything when I eat, but I had to go buy a soda just to counteract the saltiness, and even then I could only get through half of it. Fries were alright, skinny and crispy which isn't my favorite but some people live it, and no complaints with customer service. But the salt in both my hamburger and my boyfriend's burger (two different burgers - the meat was definitely the culprit) was enough for us to never return.
(2)
Mary L.
Bethesda is full of different types of restaurants that either make it or break it. The Smashburger in this location was relatively new and I was craving a burger so I decided to give it a whirl. The burger was not bad. I've tried the mushroom burger which has grilled mushrooms, Swiss cheese and uses truffle oil. A lot of times when restaurants use truffle oil, it tends to overwhelm the flavor of the dish. The burger was very rich but not too overwhelming. Overall, pretty good. I've also tried the capitol burger and added a fried egg to it as well. With the egg, it put the burger one step above. The burgers aren't bad here, just nothing too special to distinguish themselves from other places. However, the two things that make this place special are the shakes and sweet potato fries. The salted caramel shake and the nutter butter shake are highly recommended. Places like Five Guys don't give the option of shakes so it's nice to see a place that does. Second, sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for some fresh, hot sweet potato fries. There's are pretty good. Not too skinny and not too much potato. The regular fries are pretty disappointing (really skinny type) and the onion rings are shoe string with an overwhelming salty flavor. There's space to sit down and the people that work there get your food out to you pretty quickly. Overall: okay burgers + sweet potato fries + yummy shakes = good place to grab a burger and get dessert (milkshake) too.
(3)
Roger M.
This place had a friendly cashier and great variety of choices. Overall the burger was good but I really love the sweet potatoes fries
(4)
Chad P.
I used a gift card to come here and the burger I ordered was excellent. I like the bun a whole lot more than BGR. They have a very nice selection of different burgers and chicken sandwiches I would like to try. I ordered a side of the sweet potato fries which I think would have been good if they weren't cold. I was a little surprised about this when the burger was freshly made. Customer service was very good. I'll be back.
(4)
Jonathan P.
it's so good. just had mushroom swiss burger for lunch. fries delicious as always.
(3)
Tyeisha B.
I loved it! Service was great the food was even better! It was a pretty great burger for a fast casual burger place. Will definitely come back!
(5)
Sean W.
This is the best high-end fast food burger I have had. This is how a high-end burger should be done. The burgers are cooked on a buttered surface, just like steak at a high end steak house. THis gives the burger a wonderful, crispy, buttery char around the outside. You get a great mouth feel and taste from this with each bite. The toppings all seemed fresh and complimented the butteryness perfectly. The standard bun was perfect. You coudl see it absorbing some of the toppings wihtout dripping the grease on you. It can stand up to a multitude of toppings. My girlfriend and I were going to split a burger and were asked when ordering if we wanted the burger split. That is a small thing that makes a ibg impression. We also had a shake that was good, nothing fantastic. The smash fries are very slender, some may preffer a 'meatier' fry, but I enjoyed these.
(5)
Maximus M.
Salt, salt, oh my salt! I had a classic smash burger and it was like biting into nothing but pure salt. All the condiments in the world won't help the situation. All the soda / water won't make it any better... The restaurant smelled like sewage. I had to take my food outside as the odor was too pungent. I debated leaving as soon as entering; but I wanted to give this new place a shot. Very disappointing; won't be returning.
(1)
Rebecca B.
Lots of options, got the spicy baja chicken sandwich- I thought it was excellent and a good sized burger. Did not care for the veggie frites very much.
(4)
C P.
BGR has better burgers but is more pricey. SmashBurger's patties aren't as flavorful or juicy. The patties are very thin and there's none of that cooked over a real fire flavor. The fries are good here, but a little bit too much oil. Lots of variety, so, I'll definitely be back, but overall no better than the other options in the area.
(3)
Alex T.
Ordered to go. Had a BBQ burger, it hit the spot. It was juicey and had enough char to give you the flavor from the grill but didn't over power the meat. I love their buns, not too much breading. They could do work on their fries, but their fried pickles are great. I really enjoy their milk shakes. A great burger joint. Much better than all of those gastro pubs.
(5)
Jess A.
Came here tonight for a quick bite. I got the mushroom truffle burger and my boyfriend got the smash burger. We were told that everything had to be cooked medium "or above," which sucks. Got our food, walked home (like 2 minutes away)...the fries were cold and not great, the onion strings were okay. They accidentally gave him a chicken sandwich and we didn't get the sauce for the onion straws, so he had to walk back again. I would give one star but he said his burger was "okay," meanwhile mine was absolutely terrible. Dry, overcooked, and flavorless. The other reviewer is right; The Burger Joint is much better and right around the corner. I would say that maybe this place just needs time to get their stuff together, but isn't it a franchise? All in all, a waste of money. I didn't even eat my burger it was so bad.
(2)
Bryan J.
Really good. The Capital burger is the one!
(5)
Jayson S.
Came here within a couple days of open. Burgers are in no way special, and I always prefer my own on my grill. However I ordered the mushroom burger because I was enticed by the truffle mayo! I dislike mushrooms but my 1st bite of this burger made me think...Damon this place is 1 block from me..how dangerous for my heart n waistline. So yummmy
(4)
amy k.
Sort of disappointed with Smashburger. Did a nice job with the place. Ordering was friendly and they seem eager to please. Food just was not great. Had a regular smashburger. Burger was really salty (could be meat or the cheese) Bun was good but the saltiness made it hard to finish. Fries were not good. Warm to cold, too much rosemary and very oily. Also agree with there being no lunch special. $9+ bucks for lunch is too much with all the competition around.
(2)
M. P.
It was OK for lunch, not the best burger I've ever had. Perhaps it was hyped up for me but I probably would go to Five Guys or somewhere else for a burger. Service was OK but there was only one guy running the register so the line became very long and very slow. The manager was doing his best to keep things moving by delivering food.
(2)
Mitchell M.
Tried this place last night with our family. Absolutely the worst in terms of food and service. One of the cashiers appeared to be high on something. Could not get my 13 year old daughter's salad order correct - she ordered a regular Cobb salad but brought us twice a so-called spicy Baja Cobb. No apparent manager or adult supervision. A guy named Jose appeared to be the manager but was clueless. Place was far too chaotic with 3 workers tied up at one point like the 3 Stooges trying to figure out a large take out order apparently gone bad. And to make matters worse, the burger was nothing special. In fact, it was overly salted and tasted as if there was filler or sawdust in it. I was so disgusted by the experience that I almost went to McDonalds - which would have been at least better service. I recommend to spend the extra money and go to BGR - far better burger and service! Kraze burger, Zburger and Bobbys Burger Palace are also better. Even 5 Guys is better (even though it can be a bit greasy).
(1)
P C.
For some bizarre reason, they no longer accept telephone orders! Do you want our business or not?
(2)
adam f.
Went back again today. Got the burger with BBQ, cheddar, and crispy onions. Is so so good!!! The bread is so fresh. Whoever was working today was awesome. Sorry I forgot his name but he really stood out, great personality. Wife got the classic which she really liked too. The salad, the one with goat cheese (1st one listed on menu) was huge. Really like it here!!!
(5)
Dean J.
The dining room was freezing. No management was apparent, just a bunch of kids. Shakes came ten minutes after the burgers were served. No a bad burger, but the other issues make it a less appealing experience. The burger itself was thin although the classic is a unique taste.
(2)
James E.
I've been to this location about three times now, and each visit I have left unsatisfied with the service. Would not recommend. I was appalled by one of the server's responses to messing up some orders and will certainly not be coming by again.
(1)
Jacob R.
After visiting this restaurant twice, I can firmly say that it doesn't deserve your business. My first visit was shortly after it's Initial opening. The service was slow and my order (for 3 people) was delivered in four parts. The food was also unremarkable. Following this visit, I didn't visit the place for a long while. Today, I went back I placed an order for one sandwich and an order of fries. After watching the seemingly "challenged" staff run around fulfilling orders just as poorly as they had months ago, I decided I would not be back. My order took 20 minutes and arrived luke-warm and overly greasy. The staff ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and still managed to accomplish very little. The management of this restaurant seems to be non-existent. I have been to other smash burger locations, which have been fine. Just don't waste your money at this Bethesda location.
(1)
Erik G.
The burgers and salads are great. We've been twice, and we really like the food. Smash Burger is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Today, however, the place was really messy. They had no doubt been hit hard during the day because there was a street fair right outside for most if the day. But, they need to pay attention to the details, or they'll turn customers off. I'll be back for more burgers in the future.
(4)
tom b.
Great service. We actually got some milkshakes that were a little disappointing, and decided to go back and tell them. Tony remade them thicker, and was super friendly in doing so. he really treated us a s valued customers. So we went back a week later, he remembered us and thanked us for the business, and later came over to make sure we enjoyed our order (which we did). Nice to see an employee take pride in the service and make sure customers were happy. We really appreciated it.
(5)
Sam B.
Smashburger, the smashup of other burger joints. --- So I've been considering how to compare Smashburger to my friends, and the best I've come up with is it's (appropriately) a smash between Five Guys and BGR. The ambiance felt like somewhere between a Five Guys and a BGR. The walls had some self promotional propaganda (get the larger burger, etc.), but the place otherwise looked fine. The staff had some mild confusion on ringing up my order, but since this was the opening night, I'll chalk that up to inexperience. The price point was 7 bucks for their 'big smash' (depending on the burger), which the guy behind the counter recommended I should get. Taking my seat, I found myself amongst a myriad of other eaters who were likely wondering the same thing; how is this meal going to be. My burger came relatively quickly, which leads into my next thought. The burger. I got a 'Spicy Baja' burger, a jalapeno and guacamole laden burger. I'm normally a "give me whatever the spiciest thing you have on the menu" guy, so this sounded enticing. The presentation was neat and the burger was actually quite tasty. As far as quality goes, it felt like a Five Guys patty with BGR toppings. The bun began to fall apart near the end of the burger, but I've yet to meet a bun that can contain a proper burger, so no points deducted there. I didn't try any of the sides, so the jury's still out on those. All in all, the burger was tasty, and at the end of the day, that's what I want from a burger joint. I'll definitely be going back to try some other items from their menu; their sides looked intriguing enough to warrant a second go.
(3)
Shirley H.
I've heard some people rave about Smashburger so since I was craving a burger and have been wanting to try Smashburger for a while, I ordered (to-go) a spicy jalapeno baja burger and sweet potato fries. Both were decent, nothing spectacular. I'd go with Elevation Burger over this.
(2)
Soy L.
The burgers are good but far too salty. The shoestring fries are average. The service is super friendly (Anthony). Expect to pay $9 for a big cheeseburger and fries, no drink.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : No Caters : No
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Justin J.
The best place to get burgers in Bethesda. Super juicy patties and fresh toppings make their creations a joy. Customize and build your own burger or choose from some of their tried and true selections. With food brought out to you in a surprisingly quick manner I was able to chow down within minutes. Also the staff is overly nice and friendly which is a stand out among competitors. A reliable place for a dependable tasty juicy burger.
(5)C B.
I usually don't think very highly of burger joints but this one actually impressed me. I was leary of how good the burger would be so I just ordered the regualr "smash burger" ... Let's just say, I SMASHED this burger, it was gone before I knew it. The rosemary fries were YUM. And to boot: the price is very reasonable. Pictures do not do justice. The service was ok, the decor was top notch trendy hip...the location in Bethesda leaves to be desired. I have to give this place a 5 star since I can't think of a better tasting burger for the money....I don't like giving away 5 stars easily on Yelp...only for those extraordinary dining experiences.
(5)Adam J.
I was skeptical at first, given burgers being one of the trends in the area. Everyone either wants to do cupcakes, donuts, or burgers, and a zillion places have popped up as more try to get in the game. But I gave this place a try, and I'll say they caught me off guard at how much I liked the place. I actually went two days in a row, once to this location and once to Virginia. So this location, on Cordell Ave, right off Wisconsin Ave or Old Georgetown Rd in Bethesda, is easily accessible by car or metro. I took the red line metro to Bethesda station and made the short walk. There is metered street parking and a few area garages. Inside, no frills, but the place is clean and spacious. The glass windows makes dining alone okay, because you can grab a seat at the bar style seats and people watch out the window. The staff is pretty awesome. And menu much larger than I'm used to. So the food. They have a variety of burgers, and the same sandwiches chicken can be substituted if that is your thing, or you can opt for a salad. I did the bbq, bacon, and cheddar, smash chicken sandwich here. Delicious and juicy and a nice size. Order the smash fries. They are hands down the best thing in this place. Not to say the other food is bad, but I love these things. If they made an option for an extra extra extra fat man size fries, I would order that one. Overall a good experience.
(4)William C.
Such high hopes for Smashburger, but in the end all my expectations were smashed to smithereens. Smashburger opened up right at a busy corner near my work and I thought it could be a nice addition to my list of lunch spots. However, the burger was just mediocre at best and the smash fries were ok nothing really great to brag about. However in their defense like skinny jeans on men, I don't like skinny fries. In my opinion you have a better chance of having a better burger at any bar offering happy hour specials than at Smashburger. Food - C Service - B+ Atmosphere - A
(2)Fred K.
3 1/2 stars. One thing I like about Smashburger is that you can order either chicken or beef for any of their burgers. Only caveat, I wish you can request to cook beef burgers medium or medium rare (They don't ask and almost always comes out well done; sometimes juicy sometimes not). Their mushroom truffle and Swiss burger is so good and was also very surprised how great the goat cheese added in flavor (thought it would be overpowering) to its chicken sandwich. My favorite burger is still their classic smash burger and their capital regional burger though. Their fries are the skinny types and like their rosemary olive oil fries (even though the one today didn't have any olive oil or garlic, just rosemary) and you can also order fried pickles too! Just ask for an order, as I don't believe it's on their printed menu. Join their club and on rare occasions you will get some coupons like $2 off and free regular side.
(3)Dean D.
What a great place for families. Napkin holder at table with condiments, clean large bathrooms with changing tables, bring your food to you. Have grill cheese, juice options, chicken drips etc for kids. My kid is very pick about bathroom cleanliness especially smells. He was ok with this one. Plus they have honest tea products which I really like. The burgers are very good and not oversized with pickable portions.
(5)Benjamin G.
This place has a lot of Diverse Hamburgers. The diversity of hamburger types is what someone should come here for. They seem to have really fast and attentive customer service as well. The Classic Burger was good the first time I ordered it with everything on it, but not especially flavorful the time without everything. The Cynic in me wants to say they call it Smashburger because they "Smash" all the flavor out of it. Seriously, isn't all the fat what makes a burger tasty? The Fries I think are Great! They're very small and crispy. I couldn't have enough of them. :) The staff are industrious and appear to help customers quickly. It's actually very spacious inside and very clean. I went here another time and got a kid's meal. It was great and only cost $5.29. Where else can you get a meal for $5.29!? The fries were great and the burger didn't seem any different from an adult version. Everything was very tasty. I just found a new place for lunch, I'm pretty excited.
(4)Mia E.
OMG! The Baja Cobb salad... It didn't last long enough to take a picture. The grilled chicken spinach cucumber goat cheese on the chipotle bun. Delicious! Our table also had the buffalo chicken blue cheese Sammy with Smash fries. Hey now with the oil & rosemary... SmashBurger is perfect! Never greasy always hot and fresh. Service is always excellent.
(5)Mary L.
Bethesda is full of different types of restaurants that either make it or break it. The Smashburger in this location was relatively new and I was craving a burger so I decided to give it a whirl. The burger was not bad. I've tried the mushroom burger which has grilled mushrooms, Swiss cheese and uses truffle oil. A lot of times when restaurants use truffle oil, it tends to overwhelm the flavor of the dish. The burger was very rich but not too overwhelming. Overall, pretty good. I've also tried the capitol burger and added a fried egg to it as well. With the egg, it put the burger one step above. The burgers aren't bad here, just nothing too special to distinguish themselves from other places. However, the two things that make this place special are the shakes and sweet potato fries. The salted caramel shake and the nutter butter shake are highly recommended. Places like Five Guys don't give the option of shakes so it's nice to see a place that does. Second, sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for some fresh, hot sweet potato fries. There's are pretty good. Not too skinny and not too much potato. The regular fries are pretty disappointing (really skinny type) and the onion rings are shoe string with an overwhelming salty flavor. There's space to sit down and the people that work there get your food out to you pretty quickly. Overall: okay burgers + sweet potato fries + yummy shakes = good place to grab a burger and get dessert (milkshake) too.
(3)Tyeisha B.
I loved it! Service was great the food was even better! It was a pretty great burger for a fast casual burger place. Will definitely come back!
(5)Roger M.
This place had a friendly cashier and great variety of choices. Overall the burger was good but I really love the sweet potatoes fries
(4)B J.
Okay, so let's cut to the chase and why only 3 stars. The outside of this place smells. Like really, really smells. Smells like what? Well...kind of like sewage waste. So needless to say, when I first walked in I was hoping it would smell like amazing burgers. Unfortunately, it did not. So, minus one star because I'm fairly sure that smell is the grease/oil they use. Which makes me a little bit concerned, but since I am not privy to their cooking operations I can only speculate. One other star deducted for their fries. They are skinny fries which just don't stand up to a good sized burger. Which brings me to the good aspects of this place... The burgers are really good. The server said the cook all their burgers well with no real pink which is awesome, because I don't want to see blood. The burger was tasty, still juicy, had a nice tasting sauce on top, and was a really good size. The bun was also, really soft. The server was also super nice. He explained the menu very thoroughly, provided suggestions, and was patient even when I took five minutes to figure out what I wanted. All in all, I would go back for their burgers, but would definitely want fries from somewhere else.
(3)Sean W.
This is the best high-end fast food burger I have had. This is how a high-end burger should be done. The burgers are cooked on a buttered surface, just like steak at a high end steak house. THis gives the burger a wonderful, crispy, buttery char around the outside. You get a great mouth feel and taste from this with each bite. The toppings all seemed fresh and complimented the butteryness perfectly. The standard bun was perfect. You coudl see it absorbing some of the toppings wihtout dripping the grease on you. It can stand up to a multitude of toppings. My girlfriend and I were going to split a burger and were asked when ordering if we wanted the burger split. That is a small thing that makes a ibg impression. We also had a shake that was good, nothing fantastic. The smash fries are very slender, some may preffer a 'meatier' fry, but I enjoyed these.
(5)Maximus M.
Salt, salt, oh my salt! I had a classic smash burger and it was like biting into nothing but pure salt. All the condiments in the world won't help the situation. All the soda / water won't make it any better... The restaurant smelled like sewage. I had to take my food outside as the odor was too pungent. I debated leaving as soon as entering; but I wanted to give this new place a shot. Very disappointing; won't be returning.
(1)Chad P.
I used a gift card to come here and the burger I ordered was excellent. I like the bun a whole lot more than BGR. They have a very nice selection of different burgers and chicken sandwiches I would like to try. I ordered a side of the sweet potato fries which I think would have been good if they weren't cold. I was a little surprised about this when the burger was freshly made. Customer service was very good. I'll be back.
(4)Rebecca B.
Lots of options, got the spicy baja chicken sandwich- I thought it was excellent and a good sized burger. Did not care for the veggie frites very much.
(4)Jonathan P.
it's so good. just had mushroom swiss burger for lunch. fries delicious as always.
(3)Sam B.
Smashburger, the smashup of other burger joints. --- So I've been considering how to compare Smashburger to my friends, and the best I've come up with is it's (appropriately) a smash between Five Guys and BGR. The ambiance felt like somewhere between a Five Guys and a BGR. The walls had some self promotional propaganda (get the larger burger, etc.), but the place otherwise looked fine. The staff had some mild confusion on ringing up my order, but since this was the opening night, I'll chalk that up to inexperience. The price point was 7 bucks for their 'big smash' (depending on the burger), which the guy behind the counter recommended I should get. Taking my seat, I found myself amongst a myriad of other eaters who were likely wondering the same thing; how is this meal going to be. My burger came relatively quickly, which leads into my next thought. The burger. I got a 'Spicy Baja' burger, a jalapeno and guacamole laden burger. I'm normally a "give me whatever the spiciest thing you have on the menu" guy, so this sounded enticing. The presentation was neat and the burger was actually quite tasty. As far as quality goes, it felt like a Five Guys patty with BGR toppings. The bun began to fall apart near the end of the burger, but I've yet to meet a bun that can contain a proper burger, so no points deducted there. I didn't try any of the sides, so the jury's still out on those. All in all, the burger was tasty, and at the end of the day, that's what I want from a burger joint. I'll definitely be going back to try some other items from their menu; their sides looked intriguing enough to warrant a second go.
(3)Shirley H.
I've heard some people rave about Smashburger so since I was craving a burger and have been wanting to try Smashburger for a while, I ordered (to-go) a spicy jalapeno baja burger and sweet potato fries. Both were decent, nothing spectacular. I'd go with Elevation Burger over this.
(2)Soy L.
The burgers are good but far too salty. The shoestring fries are average. The service is super friendly (Anthony). Expect to pay $9 for a big cheeseburger and fries, no drink.
(3)Leah W.
Note to Smashburger- a veggie burger is not supposed to be a mushy brown mess. It is supposed to have structure, taste, and texture. This is disgusting. This "veggie burger" is so mushy, when I touched it with a knife to spread condiments on it, it moved like peanut butter. I will not be eating there again.
(1)C P.
BGR has better burgers but is more pricey. SmashBurger's patties aren't as flavorful or juicy. The patties are very thin and there's none of that cooked over a real fire flavor. The fries are good here, but a little bit too much oil. Lots of variety, so, I'll definitely be back, but overall no better than the other options in the area.
(3)Alex T.
Ordered to go. Had a BBQ burger, it hit the spot. It was juicey and had enough char to give you the flavor from the grill but didn't over power the meat. I love their buns, not too much breading. They could do work on their fries, but their fried pickles are great. I really enjoy their milk shakes. A great burger joint. Much better than all of those gastro pubs.
(5)Jess A.
Came here tonight for a quick bite. I got the mushroom truffle burger and my boyfriend got the smash burger. We were told that everything had to be cooked medium "or above," which sucks. Got our food, walked home (like 2 minutes away)...the fries were cold and not great, the onion strings were okay. They accidentally gave him a chicken sandwich and we didn't get the sauce for the onion straws, so he had to walk back again. I would give one star but he said his burger was "okay," meanwhile mine was absolutely terrible. Dry, overcooked, and flavorless. The other reviewer is right; The Burger Joint is much better and right around the corner. I would say that maybe this place just needs time to get their stuff together, but isn't it a franchise? All in all, a waste of money. I didn't even eat my burger it was so bad.
(2)Bryan J.
Really good. The Capital burger is the one!
(5)Jayson S.
Came here within a couple days of open. Burgers are in no way special, and I always prefer my own on my grill. However I ordered the mushroom burger because I was enticed by the truffle mayo! I dislike mushrooms but my 1st bite of this burger made me think...Damon this place is 1 block from me..how dangerous for my heart n waistline. So yummmy
(4)amy k.
Sort of disappointed with Smashburger. Did a nice job with the place. Ordering was friendly and they seem eager to please. Food just was not great. Had a regular smashburger. Burger was really salty (could be meat or the cheese) Bun was good but the saltiness made it hard to finish. Fries were not good. Warm to cold, too much rosemary and very oily. Also agree with there being no lunch special. $9+ bucks for lunch is too much with all the competition around.
(2)M. P.
It was OK for lunch, not the best burger I've ever had. Perhaps it was hyped up for me but I probably would go to Five Guys or somewhere else for a burger. Service was OK but there was only one guy running the register so the line became very long and very slow. The manager was doing his best to keep things moving by delivering food.
(2)Mitchell M.
Tried this place last night with our family. Absolutely the worst in terms of food and service. One of the cashiers appeared to be high on something. Could not get my 13 year old daughter's salad order correct - she ordered a regular Cobb salad but brought us twice a so-called spicy Baja Cobb. No apparent manager or adult supervision. A guy named Jose appeared to be the manager but was clueless. Place was far too chaotic with 3 workers tied up at one point like the 3 Stooges trying to figure out a large take out order apparently gone bad. And to make matters worse, the burger was nothing special. In fact, it was overly salted and tasted as if there was filler or sawdust in it. I was so disgusted by the experience that I almost went to McDonalds - which would have been at least better service. I recommend to spend the extra money and go to BGR - far better burger and service! Kraze burger, Zburger and Bobbys Burger Palace are also better. Even 5 Guys is better (even though it can be a bit greasy).
(1)P C.
For some bizarre reason, they no longer accept telephone orders! Do you want our business or not?
(2)Jacob R.
After visiting this restaurant twice, I can firmly say that it doesn't deserve your business. My first visit was shortly after it's Initial opening. The service was slow and my order (for 3 people) was delivered in four parts. The food was also unremarkable. Following this visit, I didn't visit the place for a long while. Today, I went back I placed an order for one sandwich and an order of fries. After watching the seemingly "challenged" staff run around fulfilling orders just as poorly as they had months ago, I decided I would not be back. My order took 20 minutes and arrived luke-warm and overly greasy. The staff ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and still managed to accomplish very little. The management of this restaurant seems to be non-existent. I have been to other smash burger locations, which have been fine. Just don't waste your money at this Bethesda location.
(1)Terpfan F.
This time I called in my order. That it was waiting for me when I got there in the 10 minutes they said it would be ready was a pleasant surprise (given my in-house experience with a smaller order the previous time). The chicken sandwich was thin without any discernible taste, but filling. The sweet potato fries were OK - not bad, not extraordinary. After 2 tries, I have to say there are too many options in Bethesda - 10 comparably priced restaurants between my apt and them alone - for me to give SB any more chances. I'll go if I'm in a group that wants to go, but otherwise...I wish them good luck, though.
(2)Terri R.
Went there yesterday, eager to try the big new thing in town. Wish I'd passed. They've been open several weeks, but still don't seem to have a clue. Half the order came out reasonably quickly, the rest required going up to the expediter after half our table had finished and half just sitting there waiting for food. Truffle burger not bad, but slap-dash thrown on the bun with half the ingredients on the paper beside it. Greasy, but tasty. Regular fries drowning in oil - yuck. Onion sticks so salty they were inedible. The place has only a few tables for four, so best to come alone or with one other person. Multiple tables (in a small restaurant) full of dirty dishes as no one was tasked to clear them. If you are going to be small, you've got to keep the tables clean or provide a place to self-bus. Felt like they jammed the place into a space too small. I won't be back. Five Guys, Kraze Burger, BGR - all much better.
(2)Lily R.
I made my first visit to the new Smashburger in Bethesda the other day. I have been hearing about it for literally months, but had never eaten at one. I was very pleased with my burger. I got overwhelmed by the selection, so I just got a choose-your-own burger with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and cheese (I believe all food should be as close to a Philly cheesesteak as possible). I will have to try one of their specialty burgers next time. I am not a big burger eater, but I have a major weakness for Shake Shack, so that is what I compare most fast-food type burgers to. The regular Smashburger was slightly larger than Shake Shack, and a little less oily. The patty itself didn't have as much flavor, though. I didn't try the fries, so I don't have a comparison there. Instead, I had the onion haystack. It was sooo salty but delicious. They had a surprisingly large range of sides and burger options. The restaurant was clean and the staff friendly and competent. I will be back! Also: I think they should consider extending their hours on the weekend to take advantage of the late night Bethesda bar crowd. I would definitely be up in there for drunk food!
(3)James H.
Took my two daughters into this location to get burgers. We are not from the area. Had never been to Smashburger before. The burgers were perfect. Better than In n Out by far. The fries are excellent too. Best burger I have had at any burger joint. The fries are similar to Steak n Shake in the Midwest . Definitely will go visit a Smashburger in my area soon.
(5)Joy B.
I was lucky enough to visit Smashburger at a Yelp event and loved it. I recommended it to my son-in- law, who happens to be a chef. I was pleased that he also became a fan. He had the bacon cheeseburger and it was as juicy and flavorful as I remembered. My personal favorite is the burger with cheese and truffle mayonnaise. It is delectable. I was having cravings for this burger and even asked my son to bring me one when he came to visit. They have vegetables cooked in olive oil and flavored with sea salt. That is a guilt free side dish and is delicious. So, if you want a tender,juicy, and delicious burger give them a try. PS. The fries are great too. A little rosemary gives them a new taste.
(4)Colleen G.
Came here for lunch today. Place was fairly busy. Walked in and was greeted by a friendly cashier. I ordered the Baja Cobb salad with Crispy Chicken. It came out quickly, was a good size, the chicken was hot and crispy and it looked appealing! My only complaint would by the lettuce in the salad was huge. Like whole full leaves of lettuce. It would have been helpful if it had been chopped down a bit by them before serving it. Otherwise all was well and tasty!
(4)Katelyn K.
I love Smashburger in Bethesda. From the Yelp Event the night before it opened to the awesome staff who is always there! Most recent visit I ordered the Sin City burger which is on the menu but not listed. They did add a chicken breast to the sandwich which isn't the actual recipe, but man was it good eat. I also had the fried pickles which are also not on the menu but can be had by asked for them. I totally love the quality of the meat and I always feel like I'm getting a good deal for my money. Now they just need one in Silver Spring.
(5)Lisa S.
My sister raved over Smashburger and gave me a gift card here. The first time, I had issues online- I would put the "create your own burger" in the cart, and then every time I checked out, it would highlight it in red and tell me to remove it because of an error (of course, it didn't tell me what it was). After doing this about 2 or 3 times, I called and they reluctantly let me order over the phone. My burger was big and tasty, pretty well priced (small burger starts at $5.39, big at $6.39) and the Smash fries with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic ($2.29) were my favorite. I still had some money left on my gift card, and was looking for another trip here sometime soon. Fast forward a few weeks, and I decide I'm craving a burger. I put the order through on the website, enter my gift card number- it shows my balance, about $15. Everything worked, I hit submit, and it tells me it can't communicate with the store, my order didn't go through, and that I should try again and call the store if this happens again. I put everything back into my cart and try again- and this time it tells me I have a gift card error. I check my gift card balance online- and it's $0. But I never received an order confirmation and had no way of knowing if the order went through. I called, and the store had no idea what was going on and told me they wouldn't receive a confirmation for at least 5 minutes. I waited 5-10 minutes, I called the store, and they told me they didn't receive an order from me. Nobody at the store- while everybody was fairly nice, if somewhat apathetic- could tell me who to contact about why the website wasn't working or where the $15 gift card money went. I then called HQ multiple times- the only phone number on their website- and it took a few tries before I was able to reach someone. However, once I reached someone at HQ, they handled it really well. They put my order through and told me they would contact the store and made sure it was waiting for me as soon as I could get there. They also emailed to let me know they figured out the problem and fixed it on the website so it wouldn't happen again. I really appreciated how nice they were and how proactive they were about fixing the situation. However, when I went to pick up my food, the employees just sort of glared at me and shoved the bag at me. They also forgot to give me a soda I had ordered and paid for (and at this point, I barely remembered what I had ordered). The smash fries and fried onions were incredibly greasy- to the point where they were dripping- but the burger was pretty good. Overall, it seems like Smashburger is a great organization. Their food seems like a great fit for the area, and I like their menu. However, the food at the Bethesda location is a bit inconsistent- sometimes great, sometimes greasy. The staff members seem young, uninterested, and not well-trained to deal with any issues that come up (or particularly interested in helping customers with issues). I'm not sure how often I'll come back, unless I get a craving for those awesome Smash Fries :-).
(3)Jayna J.
Salt. So much salt. The meat was so salty it made the burger inedible. I usually don't drink anything when I eat, but I had to go buy a soda just to counteract the saltiness, and even then I could only get through half of it. Fries were alright, skinny and crispy which isn't my favorite but some people live it, and no complaints with customer service. But the salt in both my hamburger and my boyfriend's burger (two different burgers - the meat was definitely the culprit) was enough for us to never return.
(2)Erin C.
I ate here last night and now I have food poisoning! I had to stay home from work today because I'm so sick. I ordered the mushroom and Swiss burger with a side of fries. I also drank the herbal lemon slightly sweetened tea. I've eaten at Smashburger in Denver and San Diego and never experienced this. Also their soda fountain is the normal one at most fast casual places opposed to the large red ones that offer hundreds of soda and add in selections they have in every other Smashburger location I've been in. The first batch of fries they brought us were cold so we had to ask for another batch. I'm so disappointed because I literally live across the street and was so excited to have seen a Smashburger out on the east coast but I won't ever chance it with this chain again. This is the first time I've even had food poisoning. Ugh so mad at this place.
(1)Oliver J.
Burger time! They really come out swinging. Great sounding burgers, inexpensive prices. I was excited. The meal looked delectable. Crispy fries! The smashfries are seasoned. Crispy and thin, verging on two thin. Slightly over seasoned or salty, I can't remember, but I would order them again as they were good. They certainly make them in house. The burger, again, overly seasoned / salty but other than that super tasty. A great combination of flavors. Cooked very well (not even a smidgen of pink). I really like the concept, but I really wished they used sustainable ingredients, such as grass-fed beef. Also, a slightly thicker patty. People would go for it.
(3)Rachel C.
Delicious. Best burger place I've been to. The sauces they have really add to the flavor of the burger. Great options for toppings. The milkshakes are great, especially the Oreo one. The fires are good - get them "smash style" (rosemary and olive oil). I personally, LOVE Five Guys fries, but I'd choose Smashburger any day over Five Guys because the burgers are just better.
(5)Daniel B.
I don't get why Smashburger has all the hate? They make a damn good burger. The fries are awesome and the milkshakes are too. I usually get the bbq bacon burger and maaaaaaan it's good. The burger is meaty and juicy and the BBQ sauce is tasty. Best burger in the Bethesda area. Also happy to be the 69th review! Gigitty gigitty Alright!
(5)David P.
major disappointment, given the quality of burgers and service available at other fast casual spots in Bethesda. Was drawn by a postcard with $2 coupon featuring Sin City burger. Ordered a Big Sin City to go from the cashier (a "certified trainer") who engrossed with his phone perched on the raised counter next to him. No ask of temperature for burger. When I got home a few blocks away, I found the tomatoes got on, but no pickle. No haystack onions at all as listed on menu. The egg bun was limp and mushy like white sandwich bread, and the burger was barely cooked through with no char-it had that metal taste where you wonder if it's even dead.
(1)Carolyn C.
This little establishment just recently popped up on the Bethesda radar and boy did my co-workers come running to try this place out. It took them three attempts to get me to try this place. Burger places are not my ideal cheat meal, in fact I only let myself cheat on my meal plan twice a week and Smash Burger was not an ideal pick. I did read below that someone compared THIS place to SHAKE SHACK, did they happen to sprinkle crack on your burger in order for your taste buds to hallucinate? Shake Shack (being a NYer) is marvelous and one-of-a-kind, get it right. Looking around there was no one inside but us and two other customers. It was snowing out so I blame the lack of business on the weather, benefit of the doubt. Even though it was snowing outside it could have been snowing on the inside as well, seriously no heat? How are you supposed to serve our food hot? It was like 30 degrees inside! We did enter at 11:00 when they opened however there should be no reason that your employees couldn't be running the heat while they were getting ready to open so that your customers don't turn into ice. When it came to ordering the employee was overly nice, super helpful and basically ordered for me. He asked if I wanted chicken or beef and before I could even say chicken the boys screamed beef, it's like the mission in life is to make me fat. Therefore, I was stuck with a classic burger and rosemary/olive oil fries. These fires were super itty bitty slim and had just the right amount of olive oil on them so that they were still crisp and not soggy. The burger reminded me of Wendy's. I am not a fast food person and I would have to say in my opinion that this is like Wendy's and McDonald's. Also, I felt horrible afterwards. For anyone who is addicted to fast food, they have a reward service "Smash Club" that you can sign up for and receive the latest news and promotions directly from them.
(2)Kat F.
Uh...YUM. I'm going to gain 50 lbs now that I just moved in a block away. Smashburger was simply smashing and I thought the Smashfries were great, albeit a little chintzy on the portion size. Just as good as Shake Shack and the burger was a lot bigger. My only complaint was that it was like 32 degrees in the restaurant...AC was on full blast even though it is fall. Everyone that came in looked freezing as well...seems to me that employees should've noticed. Needless to say, we got our food to go.
(5)Eric P.
I have eaten here several times and I love the way the cook the burgers. Fresh never frozen.
(3)Mike B.
As per usual, my visit to Smashburger is punctuated with friendly service and delicious food. I encounter the very friendly cashier who helped out at our Smashburger event some time ago. I've started to get their salads recently; owing to the enormous half-basketball sized bowl they come in. This time I got the Cobb Salad with chicken, blue cheese crumbles on the side, dressing - Spicy Chipotle instead of the planned Buttermilk Ranch. The Smashed Chicken defies logic in that it's super thin, but also fully tender. Its like picking up a hard lime, cutting it open, and realizing that it's overflowing with juices. You're like... huh? The veggies are fresh. The salad toppings are cut properly to be forked. The dressing is really on point. It's also like 3 million calories for a tablespoon... so #MakesSense. I dip my fork in the small 2 ounce container and vanquish any remains of a salad. A thin broken sheet of Spicy Chipotle coats the large bowl. A perfectly filling meal. Fried egg on top is a nice adaptation and is appreciated by this Yelper.
(5)Alauna S.
Ordered the spicy black bean burger and regular fries. The black bean burger patty was pretty much flavor-less and doused in kosher salt. The only flavor came from the jalapeños, guacamole, and the bun (which was quite good). All in all, NOT a good veggie burger and I hated all the salt. Won't eat here again. Pluses- pretty cheap, good fries, online ordering is convenient.
(1)Karena J.
Cravings can feel like an evil nag... Beckoning your taste buds to indulge in something sinful. I crave smashburger... And this is why: picture a soft brioche bun heavily buttered and toasted on the sliced side to brown and crunchy -- ready to soak in some of the juicy burger juices. The tender meat patty is smashed with a special encasing tool that optimizes juice retention as well as giving a nice brown char/crust to the outside. Succulence in my hands fulfilling that evil, nagging craving. Ok. Just one more time, I'll only need this just once more... My favorite here is the truffle burger. But I've tried many others which are all good because it's all about the bun and meat patty. I love the brioche bun but the egg bun is also very good. If you like a large portion of meat, make sure to order an extra meat patty. The patty is large enough for me but because of the special tool they use to make them crusty/steamed, the patties are thinner than other burger places. I've even had the chicken which was surprisingly tender and flavorful. Olive oil flashed veggies are ok but don't satisfy my need for fries. I guess burger preference is as individualized as preference to colors. Some people love this place, some people don't. Try it for yourself!
(5)Nick M.
Just about every time I've come here my order was done incorrect. They are so slow, I cannot really understand how they have so many staff members but manage to keep things so inefficient. Try a local place up the street on northfolk. If they're open at the time, try bold bite. Definitely one of my favorites, better food, nicer staff, etc. Smash just has very convenient hours.
(1)Anna M.
The burger, especially the meat, was disappointing. Should have walked up the block to BRG The Burger Joint, which serves a much better burger. The decor is great. Perhaps they should have spent less on the decor and focused more on the food.
(2)Jordan E.
How the seven other reviewers gave this positive reviews are mind boggling. You may be hot ish up in New York where people will pay out the nose for crap food, but in Bethesda and DC, you have stiffer competition. It was a brisk Tuesday evening, about 830pm. To my delight, the long awaited Smashburger just opened! My bodacious craving for a BGR style burger was about to be met. I walked in and was shortly greeted by a 17 year old; who at first glanced appeared to be the number one member of Beib's fan club. Complete with the Justin Bieb's attitude/non-caring work demeanor. Now I'm all for being your own person, but I do not want a side of Canada with my buger. Took four or five times repeating my basic order to get the point across that I just wanted a burger and fries. I had a five minute discussion and four disclaimers about getting my burger medium-rare. They made me feel like I would die lest I got it well done. Me thinks a plausible excuse for cooks not knowing how to ... well ... cook. Fast forward twenty minutes later (legit twenty minutes, not ten, not fifteen) and my food arrives. The first thing I noticed is the intense stench of what I'm guessing is olive oil and grease of the day from the frier. One sense crossed off. Four left to go. The burger itself was visually unappealing/lackluster and the fries were maybe half a handful. Both were oozing with grease, the fries to the point almost inedible. Two senses to the way side. I hungrily burgeoned, and sunk my teeth into the Truffle-Mush burger. First thought, not bad. After five seconds it hit me; dead-sea esque salt levels. Now I'm one that can put down anything, especially when I'm hungry. But the sheer levels in the burger made it one of the harder chores I've encountered. I can't put my finger on it, but it almost tasted like the truffle oil wasn't actually truffle oil ... rather some sort of truffle flavoring. The fries were incredibly oilly. They pride themselves on their rosemary, oil, garlic fries ... they should market them instead as a serving with oil sprinkiled with fries on top. Taste = no bueno. Three senses down. I'm a 28 year old active man, and my stomach physically could not handle the Hiroshima grease bomb I had unleashed on it. Let's just say the burger lasted less than thirty minutes, before it decided to come and say hi. How about the service? Small reprieve. General Manager came over and asked how it was, kindly informed her of above and I'd likely not return, and was offered a free meal voucher. Kudos, your doing a good job. Your staff however, are 'slow', for lack of better terminology. Mad respect for her doing her job, she's really doing her best ... but Smash Burger itself, a joke. Second go around, I went in for a shake. Figure there has to be something worth while on their menu. Same Bieb's looking kid took my order and subsequently watched for fifteen minutes as he stood in front of the shake machine, trying to figure out the five ingredients to put into the shake. Consensus on the shake? Not worth $5.00. In fact, it was actually laughable. There was a cup of milk, one scoop of vanilla icecream, and one spoon of butterfingers. For five dollars! Think its worth more around three-fiddy. See attached picture. From behind the door discussions, our entire block of Cordell is laughing at this place. Maybe/hopefully they'll figure out us Bethesd-ians do not like shoveling McDonalds-esque food down our throats, at premium prices. We are not ignorant folks, and will gladly walk to BGR one block over.
(2)Thomas N.
Great place if you want a quick eat. The customer service is just as good as the food which makes going there all the better. The workers are very nice and obviously care about the customer. Highly recommended.
(5)Lindsey J.
I decided to give this place a try because I have coworkers who rave about the place. And my thought was, new location, must be good. Meh- that's about all the burger left me feeling. It wasn't horrible, especially with the choices of burger places we have here in Bethesda. I decided to get the Avocado Club and ordered the big size. I don't see what was big about it. It was the standard size of the rest of the burgers in Bethesda. The toppings on the burger, avocado, bacon, and ranch - those were a delicious combination. But I would have been happy just having those three ingredients on a bun I also ordered the rosemary fries after seeing someone else on Yelp claim they love them. Again, meh. I'm not overly impressed but then again, not to many places in this area offer rosemary fries. Service wasn't terrible. The place was pretty fast with getting our food too. I do like that it's made to order. Overall, I would go just to try it. But you're better off at five guys over in Bethesda Row.
(3)Angel W.
I've read so many great reviews of Smashburger from fellow Yelpers - I think there have been several Elite Yelp events held at Smashburger - so I had to find out what all of the hype was about. It turns out there is a Smashburger in Bethesda, even though Siri is unaware of it. The Smashburger website lists all of the current locations. Perhaps this is a new Smashburger location?? The venue was very clean and the staff was exceptionally friendly which made me think it's a new location. I just noticed on the Yelp site that this location opened 4 weeks ago - makes sense! I ordered the spicy veggie black bean burger with fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chipotle mayo on a spicy chipotle bun. The jalapenos are no joke! The burger was quite spicy so it's a good choice if you like some heat. The spice was a little much for me. The price of the veggie burger is more expensive than a standard size regular burger, which I found odd. Do black beans cost more than meat these days? I also ordered the Smashburger fries with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The fries were decent. I forgot that the sweet potato fries were the preferred option based on Yelp reviews. Lori, the cashier, was amazingly friendly and efficient. She must have been sent from Corporate and her attitude was one of the tip offs that this was a newly opened Smashburger location. You could tell she was doing things by the book - the greeting, the questions, the service, and the delivery, etc. I was impressed! I was also pleased that she used hand sanitizer before she placed the carton of fries in the to-go bag:) Not sure I'll be back because I was not a huge fan of the veggie burger but if I ate regular burgers I would come back to try more options
(3)Jennifer B.
I'm not really into burgers, so I always get the grilled chicken avocado club. I love how they "smash" down the chicken so its flat and easier to eat. The chicken is always moist and flavorful, never dry or chewy. They put a lot of fresh avocado on it, which I love. The sweet potato fries are excellent and even their regular fries are a lot better than most similar places. Prices are not bad and the service is always quick and friendly.
(4)Ginger M.
Smash burgers are indeed smashed. We visited Smash Burgers on Saturday 5/17. The line was out the door. The wait after ordering was at least 20 minutes. :( The burger was smashed so thin and the bun was so thick, the tasteless burger was worse than McDonalds regular burger. We also ordered a Baja salad. It was drenched was diced red onion throughout the salad. The guacamole was about 1 tablespoon and thin. We sat outside at a dirty table. Had to clear the former occupant's dishes. No staff to clean tables. Ugh. We'll find a burger somewhere else the next time we want a burger lunch.
(1)Nicole G.
I came in here for lunch today since I work basically next door. I was disappointed there wasn't a lunch special or small combo option to save a bit of money. I ended up getting the regular size classic smashburger and a soda. It was enough food for $7 and that price isn't so bad all things considered. The cashier was friendly and the restaurant was bustling but still very clean. As soon as I filled my soda and grabbed a stool by the window another friendly waitress brought my food over. It was busy in there so I was surprised with how quick they were! First thing I noticed was the meat was larger than the bun all the way around. Nice! But as soon as I bit into my burger hot grease squirted out all over my hand. As I mopped that up I noticed at least another teaspoon of grease come out. Pretty nasty... But, I was hungry and the burger was good! And it was also nice to have the free refills of course. I looked around and the fries and shakes looked pretty tasty, but I was already full. And since it's close to New Year's where everyone is supposed to be being good, I went to MyFitnessPal to log my meal. 730 for the burger?! WOOF! No wonder I was full! I definitely am interested in trying the fries and shakes, but they might have to wait a few months for me to fall off the healthy wagon ;)
(3)adam f.
Went back again today. Got the burger with BBQ, cheddar, and crispy onions. Is so so good!!! The bread is so fresh. Whoever was working today was awesome. Sorry I forgot his name but he really stood out, great personality. Wife got the classic which she really liked too. The salad, the one with goat cheese (1st one listed on menu) was huge. Really like it here!!!
(5)Dean J.
The dining room was freezing. No management was apparent, just a bunch of kids. Shakes came ten minutes after the burgers were served. No a bad burger, but the other issues make it a less appealing experience. The burger itself was thin although the classic is a unique taste.
(2)James E.
I've been to this location about three times now, and each visit I have left unsatisfied with the service. Would not recommend. I was appalled by one of the server's responses to messing up some orders and will certainly not be coming by again.
(1)Marc M.
I actually think Smashburger is one of the better burger places in the DMV area. The burgers are very flavorful and there are tons of customizable options. There are also a good number beef alternatives. The burgers are sizable but not overwhelming, the ingrediants are always fresh and the sides are really great. The fries are very tasty and the super thin onion rings are not too bready and make for a killer side dish. Overall it is a very clean spot making very good burgers. The customer service can guide you through the numerous burger options.
(4)Eric B.
Ok, when I walked in, I thought, this smells like a McDonalds... when I ordered and waited for my food, I thought this is a lot like a McDonalds... the food, however, much better. The thing about Smashburger, and Five Guys, is that they take the patty, and smash all the juice out of the meat on the griddle and make flatter, medium-well, patties. It's a perfectly acceptable, American classic original way to make burgers, it's just not my fave... The District Burger was very good, I have to say. Fresh fixings, burger just the right size, bacon not rubber, or some big, thick, smoked thing... just good old bacon. Really liked it. Really liked the prices too. $5 and $6 bucks in an $11 or $12 burger town? I say cool. They're not huge, but I like that. Good, normal sized burgers, with two size choices. Cool. Fries were very fresh and tasty. This is a thin, classic fry. Like McDonalds, if McDonalds used real potatoes, and made good fries. Onion rings, not so much. Too thin, too salty. No real onion flesh to balance - and I like a successful thin onion ring, but these were not it. I felt like I was eating mostly the heavily seasoned, fried batter. Black bean burger was also very good. Not spicy at all, but I love that this is an option. And flash fried beans and carrots? Yes, also a great option. I thought these were a bit salty also, but very nicely prepared and a great option. Really looking forward to trying the chicken sandwich next time. Looks very good.
(4)Katherine A.
The customer service here is really great. They messed up my lunch order a few weeks ago and the manager personally apologized to me and gave me a coupon for a free lunch. The food is also delicious and the employees in general are very friendly. The ambiance is casual and fun. I am docking a star only because it seems they can never manage to get the smash chicken burgers out quickly... they are always over time on them. Otherwise, i am really glad this restaurant cam to the neighborhood. Try the Smashfries!
(4)Chandra O.
Burger was good but didn't care for bun. I took off a star because service was HORRIBLE! Stood at register several minutes while cashier made milk shakes or something. Once order was ready...waited several more minutes waiting for food to be placed in bag. I started to bag it myself. Smh I'll just go back to Shake Shack
(2)Kirsten H.
Stopped by for an early dinner after having had milkshakes there on a prior visit. Milkshakes were great, so I thought I'd try real food, too. Service is everything. I was the only person there, and I ordered to go. When my order was ready, the cashier picked up my bag, and held it for several minutes while he talked to some girl at the soda machine. Eventually he gave it to me and I headed out. Six blocks away, I discovered there was no tomato - two pieces of wilted lettuce instead. I only ordered 3 things on my burger, and they got one wrong. Worse yet, the burger was soggy and all I could taste was SALT - the amount of salt you'd get at, say, McDonalds. Definitely not a fan. I ate half and threw the rest in the garbage. But hey, the milkshakes are great, and maybe the beef is better than that disgusting veggie burger.
(3)Jay B.
I'm not a burger girl but OMG this place made me come back twice this week! Fresh and delicious, a bit pricy but oh the juicy, perfect flavor! The fries, meh, not so great, we had their signature ones and the buffalo kind. We also had the strawberry shake--pure sin but yummy and comes with extra in the silver metal mixer. Winner!!
(5)Fernando F.
Negative reviews of this establishment are likely the result of the saturation of burger joints in this area, partially because the bar has been raised high and also out of brand loyalty. All that aside this place deserves 4 stars. The irregular burger lends to char which made it unique from the others in Bethesda (Bobby's, BGR, 5 Guy's) and the egg bun rocked. Good product and great location. I think this place will be around for a while.
(4)Erik G.
The burgers and salads are great. We've been twice, and we really like the food. Smash Burger is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Today, however, the place was really messy. They had no doubt been hit hard during the day because there was a street fair right outside for most if the day. But, they need to pay attention to the details, or they'll turn customers off. I'll be back for more burgers in the future.
(4)Rene D.
Not bad for a burger place. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger with the veggie frites and a local microbrew. The total came to about $13, and my meal was brought to me in about five minutes. The burger was pretty good. Not the best I have ever had, but certainly respectable considering the price and service. The meat was cooked well-done (but it's a fast food place, so I wasn't expecting to be asked). The toppings were tasty and well-balanced, and the bun was moist and a bit sweet and eggy. For $6 it was pretty respectable. I ordered the veggie frites as a choice. An abomination. Flaccid, greasy and not worth the effort. Stick to the sweet potato fries. It was nice to have a local microbrew at a fast food burger place. This is to be encouraged. Overall, I liked the place and would go back if I were near one. I would not go out of my way, though.
(3)tom b.
Great service. We actually got some milkshakes that were a little disappointing, and decided to go back and tell them. Tony remade them thicker, and was super friendly in doing so. he really treated us a s valued customers. So we went back a week later, he remembered us and thanked us for the business, and later came over to make sure we enjoyed our order (which we did). Nice to see an employee take pride in the service and make sure customers were happy. We really appreciated it.
(5)Mickey L.
Thanks to Smashburger, a great place for delicious and quick food in Bethesda is back.. Leading an all-day group event in Bethesda, we needed a place exactly like Smashburger. With Kraze Burger (cold food, inconsistency) and BGR-Bethesda (surly service, inconsistency) falling out of our favor, our options had dwindled. Always wanting to try Smashburger, the new-to-DC chain, and its close proximity made it more appealing; but what sold us was the excitement by one of our students who always had positive experiences with its location in Dallas. Bright and cheery, a major plus was that the food was brought to our table fresh and hot right from the kitchen. My dining companion and I ordered the Capital (Bacon, Grilled Onions, Swiss, Baby Arugula on Brioche Bun with addition of Jalapeno) and Spicy Baja (Guacamole, Jalapeno, Pepper Jack on Chipotle Bun) respectively. The pressed beef was nicely charred to maximize meaty flavor. The veggie toppings were bright and crisp, the cheese pleasantly gooey, and the bun springy while sturdy and toasted. The burger is plump enough to enjoy as two halves (for Capital) or together (for Spicy Baja to even out the scoop of guacamole). The Spicy Baja provided the kick after having a rich panini for lunch, but the Capital + Jalapenos is what I'll get next time thanks to the nicely grilled onions, arugula, and bacon. To accompany our order, we had the Sweet Potato and Smash Fries. The matchstick shapes were cute and lightly crisp while having distinct flavors (latter having a gentle touch of rosemary and garlic). A smashing success on its first attempt, Smashburger has risen up our list of favorite burger places and Bethesda restaurants. The beef is a nicer, less greasy thinner patty like that of Five Guys with finer quality bun and toppings like those of Kraze Burger and BGR--all at the lower Five Guys prices. Great food and a great value!
(5)Lily R.
I made my first visit to the new Smashburger in Bethesda the other day. I have been hearing about it for literally months, but had never eaten at one. I was very pleased with my burger. I got overwhelmed by the selection, so I just got a choose-your-own burger with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and cheese (I believe all food should be as close to a Philly cheesesteak as possible). I will have to try one of their specialty burgers next time. I am not a big burger eater, but I have a major weakness for Shake Shack, so that is what I compare most fast-food type burgers to. The regular Smashburger was slightly larger than Shake Shack, and a little less oily. The patty itself didn't have as much flavor, though. I didn't try the fries, so I don't have a comparison there. Instead, I had the onion haystack. It was sooo salty but delicious. They had a surprisingly large range of sides and burger options. The restaurant was clean and the staff friendly and competent. I will be back! Also: I think they should consider extending their hours on the weekend to take advantage of the late night Bethesda bar crowd. I would definitely be up in there for drunk food!
(3)James H.
Took my two daughters into this location to get burgers. We are not from the area. Had never been to Smashburger before. The burgers were perfect. Better than In n Out by far. The fries are excellent too. Best burger I have had at any burger joint. The fries are similar to Steak n Shake in the Midwest . Definitely will go visit a Smashburger in my area soon.
(5)Joy B.
I was lucky enough to visit Smashburger at a Yelp event and loved it. I recommended it to my son-in- law, who happens to be a chef. I was pleased that he also became a fan. He had the bacon cheeseburger and it was as juicy and flavorful as I remembered. My personal favorite is the burger with cheese and truffle mayonnaise. It is delectable. I was having cravings for this burger and even asked my son to bring me one when he came to visit. They have vegetables cooked in olive oil and flavored with sea salt. That is a guilt free side dish and is delicious. So, if you want a tender,juicy, and delicious burger give them a try. PS. The fries are great too. A little rosemary gives them a new taste.
(4)Colleen G.
Came here for lunch today. Place was fairly busy. Walked in and was greeted by a friendly cashier. I ordered the Baja Cobb salad with Crispy Chicken. It came out quickly, was a good size, the chicken was hot and crispy and it looked appealing! My only complaint would by the lettuce in the salad was huge. Like whole full leaves of lettuce. It would have been helpful if it had been chopped down a bit by them before serving it. Otherwise all was well and tasty!
(4)Lindsey J.
I decided to give this place a try because I have coworkers who rave about the place. And my thought was, new location, must be good. Meh- that's about all the burger left me feeling. It wasn't horrible, especially with the choices of burger places we have here in Bethesda. I decided to get the Avocado Club and ordered the big size. I don't see what was big about it. It was the standard size of the rest of the burgers in Bethesda. The toppings on the burger, avocado, bacon, and ranch - those were a delicious combination. But I would have been happy just having those three ingredients on a bun I also ordered the rosemary fries after seeing someone else on Yelp claim they love them. Again, meh. I'm not overly impressed but then again, not to many places in this area offer rosemary fries. Service wasn't terrible. The place was pretty fast with getting our food too. I do like that it's made to order. Overall, I would go just to try it. But you're better off at five guys over in Bethesda Row.
(3)Oliver J.
Burger time! They really come out swinging. Great sounding burgers, inexpensive prices. I was excited. The meal looked delectable. Crispy fries! The smashfries are seasoned. Crispy and thin, verging on two thin. Slightly over seasoned or salty, I can't remember, but I would order them again as they were good. They certainly make them in house. The burger, again, overly seasoned / salty but other than that super tasty. A great combination of flavors. Cooked very well (not even a smidgen of pink). I really like the concept, but I really wished they used sustainable ingredients, such as grass-fed beef. Also, a slightly thicker patty. People would go for it.
(3)Mickey L.
Thanks to Smashburger, a great place for delicious and quick food in Bethesda is back.. Leading an all-day group event in Bethesda, we needed a place exactly like Smashburger. With Kraze Burger (cold food, inconsistency) and BGR-Bethesda (surly service, inconsistency) falling out of our favor, our options had dwindled. Always wanting to try Smashburger, the new-to-DC chain, and its close proximity made it more appealing; but what sold us was the excitement by one of our students who always had positive experiences with its location in Dallas. Bright and cheery, a major plus was that the food was brought to our table fresh and hot right from the kitchen. My dining companion and I ordered the Capital (Bacon, Grilled Onions, Swiss, Baby Arugula on Brioche Bun with addition of Jalapeno) and Spicy Baja (Guacamole, Jalapeno, Pepper Jack on Chipotle Bun) respectively. The pressed beef was nicely charred to maximize meaty flavor. The veggie toppings were bright and crisp, the cheese pleasantly gooey, and the bun springy while sturdy and toasted. The burger is plump enough to enjoy as two halves (for Capital) or together (for Spicy Baja to even out the scoop of guacamole). The Spicy Baja provided the kick after having a rich panini for lunch, but the Capital + Jalapenos is what I'll get next time thanks to the nicely grilled onions, arugula, and bacon. To accompany our order, we had the Sweet Potato and Smash Fries. The matchstick shapes were cute and lightly crisp while having distinct flavors (latter having a gentle touch of rosemary and garlic). A smashing success on its first attempt, Smashburger has risen up our list of favorite burger places and Bethesda restaurants. The beef is a nicer, less greasy thinner patty like that of Five Guys with finer quality bun and toppings like those of Kraze Burger and BGR--all at the lower Five Guys prices. Great food and a great value!
(5)Marc M.
I actually think Smashburger is one of the better burger places in the DMV area. The burgers are very flavorful and there are tons of customizable options. There are also a good number beef alternatives. The burgers are sizable but not overwhelming, the ingrediants are always fresh and the sides are really great. The fries are very tasty and the super thin onion rings are not too bready and make for a killer side dish. Overall it is a very clean spot making very good burgers. The customer service can guide you through the numerous burger options.
(4)Fernando F.
Negative reviews of this establishment are likely the result of the saturation of burger joints in this area, partially because the bar has been raised high and also out of brand loyalty. All that aside this place deserves 4 stars. The irregular burger lends to char which made it unique from the others in Bethesda (Bobby's, BGR, 5 Guy's) and the egg bun rocked. Good product and great location. I think this place will be around for a while.
(4)Eric B.
Ok, when I walked in, I thought, this smells like a McDonalds... when I ordered and waited for my food, I thought this is a lot like a McDonalds... the food, however, much better. The thing about Smashburger, and Five Guys, is that they take the patty, and smash all the juice out of the meat on the griddle and make flatter, medium-well, patties. It's a perfectly acceptable, American classic original way to make burgers, it's just not my fave... The District Burger was very good, I have to say. Fresh fixings, burger just the right size, bacon not rubber, or some big, thick, smoked thing... just good old bacon. Really liked it. Really liked the prices too. $5 and $6 bucks in an $11 or $12 burger town? I say cool. They're not huge, but I like that. Good, normal sized burgers, with two size choices. Cool. Fries were very fresh and tasty. This is a thin, classic fry. Like McDonalds, if McDonalds used real potatoes, and made good fries. Onion rings, not so much. Too thin, too salty. No real onion flesh to balance - and I like a successful thin onion ring, but these were not it. I felt like I was eating mostly the heavily seasoned, fried batter. Black bean burger was also very good. Not spicy at all, but I love that this is an option. And flash fried beans and carrots? Yes, also a great option. I thought these were a bit salty also, but very nicely prepared and a great option. Really looking forward to trying the chicken sandwich next time. Looks very good.
(4)B J.
Okay, so let's cut to the chase and why only 3 stars. The outside of this place smells. Like really, really smells. Smells like what? Well...kind of like sewage waste. So needless to say, when I first walked in I was hoping it would smell like amazing burgers. Unfortunately, it did not. So, minus one star because I'm fairly sure that smell is the grease/oil they use. Which makes me a little bit concerned, but since I am not privy to their cooking operations I can only speculate. One other star deducted for their fries. They are skinny fries which just don't stand up to a good sized burger. Which brings me to the good aspects of this place... The burgers are really good. The server said the cook all their burgers well with no real pink which is awesome, because I don't want to see blood. The burger was tasty, still juicy, had a nice tasting sauce on top, and was a really good size. The bun was also, really soft. The server was also super nice. He explained the menu very thoroughly, provided suggestions, and was patient even when I took five minutes to figure out what I wanted. All in all, I would go back for their burgers, but would definitely want fries from somewhere else.
(3)Terpfan F.
This time I called in my order. That it was waiting for me when I got there in the 10 minutes they said it would be ready was a pleasant surprise (given my in-house experience with a smaller order the previous time). The chicken sandwich was thin without any discernible taste, but filling. The sweet potato fries were OK - not bad, not extraordinary. After 2 tries, I have to say there are too many options in Bethesda - 10 comparably priced restaurants between my apt and them alone - for me to give SB any more chances. I'll go if I'm in a group that wants to go, but otherwise...I wish them good luck, though.
(2)Terri R.
Went there yesterday, eager to try the big new thing in town. Wish I'd passed. They've been open several weeks, but still don't seem to have a clue. Half the order came out reasonably quickly, the rest required going up to the expediter after half our table had finished and half just sitting there waiting for food. Truffle burger not bad, but slap-dash thrown on the bun with half the ingredients on the paper beside it. Greasy, but tasty. Regular fries drowning in oil - yuck. Onion sticks so salty they were inedible. The place has only a few tables for four, so best to come alone or with one other person. Multiple tables (in a small restaurant) full of dirty dishes as no one was tasked to clear them. If you are going to be small, you've got to keep the tables clean or provide a place to self-bus. Felt like they jammed the place into a space too small. I won't be back. Five Guys, Kraze Burger, BGR - all much better.
(2)Leah W.
Note to Smashburger- a veggie burger is not supposed to be a mushy brown mess. It is supposed to have structure, taste, and texture. This is disgusting. This "veggie burger" is so mushy, when I touched it with a knife to spread condiments on it, it moved like peanut butter. I will not be eating there again.
(1)Daniel B.
I don't get why Smashburger has all the hate? They make a damn good burger. The fries are awesome and the milkshakes are too. I usually get the bbq bacon burger and maaaaaaan it's good. The burger is meaty and juicy and the BBQ sauce is tasty. Best burger in the Bethesda area. Also happy to be the 69th review! Gigitty gigitty Alright!
(5)William C.
Such high hopes for Smashburger, but in the end all my expectations were smashed to smithereens. Smashburger opened up right at a busy corner near my work and I thought it could be a nice addition to my list of lunch spots. However, the burger was just mediocre at best and the smash fries were ok nothing really great to brag about. However in their defense like skinny jeans on men, I don't like skinny fries. In my opinion you have a better chance of having a better burger at any bar offering happy hour specials than at Smashburger. Food - C Service - B+ Atmosphere - A
(2)Rachel C.
Delicious. Best burger place I've been to. The sauces they have really add to the flavor of the burger. Great options for toppings. The milkshakes are great, especially the Oreo one. The fires are good - get them "smash style" (rosemary and olive oil). I personally, LOVE Five Guys fries, but I'd choose Smashburger any day over Five Guys because the burgers are just better.
(5)Carolyn C.
This little establishment just recently popped up on the Bethesda radar and boy did my co-workers come running to try this place out. It took them three attempts to get me to try this place. Burger places are not my ideal cheat meal, in fact I only let myself cheat on my meal plan twice a week and Smash Burger was not an ideal pick. I did read below that someone compared THIS place to SHAKE SHACK, did they happen to sprinkle crack on your burger in order for your taste buds to hallucinate? Shake Shack (being a NYer) is marvelous and one-of-a-kind, get it right. Looking around there was no one inside but us and two other customers. It was snowing out so I blame the lack of business on the weather, benefit of the doubt. Even though it was snowing outside it could have been snowing on the inside as well, seriously no heat? How are you supposed to serve our food hot? It was like 30 degrees inside! We did enter at 11:00 when they opened however there should be no reason that your employees couldn't be running the heat while they were getting ready to open so that your customers don't turn into ice. When it came to ordering the employee was overly nice, super helpful and basically ordered for me. He asked if I wanted chicken or beef and before I could even say chicken the boys screamed beef, it's like the mission in life is to make me fat. Therefore, I was stuck with a classic burger and rosemary/olive oil fries. These fires were super itty bitty slim and had just the right amount of olive oil on them so that they were still crisp and not soggy. The burger reminded me of Wendy's. I am not a fast food person and I would have to say in my opinion that this is like Wendy's and McDonald's. Also, I felt horrible afterwards. For anyone who is addicted to fast food, they have a reward service "Smash Club" that you can sign up for and receive the latest news and promotions directly from them.
(2)Adam J.
I was skeptical at first, given burgers being one of the trends in the area. Everyone either wants to do cupcakes, donuts, or burgers, and a zillion places have popped up as more try to get in the game. But I gave this place a try, and I'll say they caught me off guard at how much I liked the place. I actually went two days in a row, once to this location and once to Virginia. So this location, on Cordell Ave, right off Wisconsin Ave or Old Georgetown Rd in Bethesda, is easily accessible by car or metro. I took the red line metro to Bethesda station and made the short walk. There is metered street parking and a few area garages. Inside, no frills, but the place is clean and spacious. The glass windows makes dining alone okay, because you can grab a seat at the bar style seats and people watch out the window. The staff is pretty awesome. And menu much larger than I'm used to. So the food. They have a variety of burgers, and the same sandwiches chicken can be substituted if that is your thing, or you can opt for a salad. I did the bbq, bacon, and cheddar, smash chicken sandwich here. Delicious and juicy and a nice size. Order the smash fries. They are hands down the best thing in this place. Not to say the other food is bad, but I love these things. If they made an option for an extra extra extra fat man size fries, I would order that one. Overall a good experience.
(4)Fred K.
3 1/2 stars. One thing I like about Smashburger is that you can order either chicken or beef for any of their burgers. Only caveat, I wish you can request to cook beef burgers medium or medium rare (They don't ask and almost always comes out well done; sometimes juicy sometimes not). Their mushroom truffle and Swiss burger is so good and was also very surprised how great the goat cheese added in flavor (thought it would be overpowering) to its chicken sandwich. My favorite burger is still their classic smash burger and their capital regional burger though. Their fries are the skinny types and like their rosemary olive oil fries (even though the one today didn't have any olive oil or garlic, just rosemary) and you can also order fried pickles too! Just ask for an order, as I don't believe it's on their printed menu. Join their club and on rare occasions you will get some coupons like $2 off and free regular side.
(3)Dean D.
What a great place for families. Napkin holder at table with condiments, clean large bathrooms with changing tables, bring your food to you. Have grill cheese, juice options, chicken drips etc for kids. My kid is very pick about bathroom cleanliness especially smells. He was ok with this one. Plus they have honest tea products which I really like. The burgers are very good and not oversized with pickable portions.
(5)Mike B.
As per usual, my visit to Smashburger is punctuated with friendly service and delicious food. I encounter the very friendly cashier who helped out at our Smashburger event some time ago. I've started to get their salads recently; owing to the enormous half-basketball sized bowl they come in. This time I got the Cobb Salad with chicken, blue cheese crumbles on the side, dressing - Spicy Chipotle instead of the planned Buttermilk Ranch. The Smashed Chicken defies logic in that it's super thin, but also fully tender. Its like picking up a hard lime, cutting it open, and realizing that it's overflowing with juices. You're like... huh? The veggies are fresh. The salad toppings are cut properly to be forked. The dressing is really on point. It's also like 3 million calories for a tablespoon... so #MakesSense. I dip my fork in the small 2 ounce container and vanquish any remains of a salad. A thin broken sheet of Spicy Chipotle coats the large bowl. A perfectly filling meal. Fried egg on top is a nice adaptation and is appreciated by this Yelper.
(5)Alauna S.
Ordered the spicy black bean burger and regular fries. The black bean burger patty was pretty much flavor-less and doused in kosher salt. The only flavor came from the jalapeños, guacamole, and the bun (which was quite good). All in all, NOT a good veggie burger and I hated all the salt. Won't eat here again. Pluses- pretty cheap, good fries, online ordering is convenient.
(1)Karena J.
Cravings can feel like an evil nag... Beckoning your taste buds to indulge in something sinful. I crave smashburger... And this is why: picture a soft brioche bun heavily buttered and toasted on the sliced side to brown and crunchy -- ready to soak in some of the juicy burger juices. The tender meat patty is smashed with a special encasing tool that optimizes juice retention as well as giving a nice brown char/crust to the outside. Succulence in my hands fulfilling that evil, nagging craving. Ok. Just one more time, I'll only need this just once more... My favorite here is the truffle burger. But I've tried many others which are all good because it's all about the bun and meat patty. I love the brioche bun but the egg bun is also very good. If you like a large portion of meat, make sure to order an extra meat patty. The patty is large enough for me but because of the special tool they use to make them crusty/steamed, the patties are thinner than other burger places. I've even had the chicken which was surprisingly tender and flavorful. Olive oil flashed veggies are ok but don't satisfy my need for fries. I guess burger preference is as individualized as preference to colors. Some people love this place, some people don't. Try it for yourself!
(5)C B.
I usually don't think very highly of burger joints but this one actually impressed me. I was leary of how good the burger would be so I just ordered the regualr "smash burger" ... Let's just say, I SMASHED this burger, it was gone before I knew it. The rosemary fries were YUM. And to boot: the price is very reasonable. Pictures do not do justice. The service was ok, the decor was top notch trendy hip...the location in Bethesda leaves to be desired. I have to give this place a 5 star since I can't think of a better tasting burger for the money....I don't like giving away 5 stars easily on Yelp...only for those extraordinary dining experiences.
(5)Jordan E.
How the seven other reviewers gave this positive reviews are mind boggling. You may be hot ish up in New York where people will pay out the nose for crap food, but in Bethesda and DC, you have stiffer competition. It was a brisk Tuesday evening, about 830pm. To my delight, the long awaited Smashburger just opened! My bodacious craving for a BGR style burger was about to be met. I walked in and was shortly greeted by a 17 year old; who at first glanced appeared to be the number one member of Beib's fan club. Complete with the Justin Bieb's attitude/non-caring work demeanor. Now I'm all for being your own person, but I do not want a side of Canada with my buger. Took four or five times repeating my basic order to get the point across that I just wanted a burger and fries. I had a five minute discussion and four disclaimers about getting my burger medium-rare. They made me feel like I would die lest I got it well done. Me thinks a plausible excuse for cooks not knowing how to ... well ... cook. Fast forward twenty minutes later (legit twenty minutes, not ten, not fifteen) and my food arrives. The first thing I noticed is the intense stench of what I'm guessing is olive oil and grease of the day from the frier. One sense crossed off. Four left to go. The burger itself was visually unappealing/lackluster and the fries were maybe half a handful. Both were oozing with grease, the fries to the point almost inedible. Two senses to the way side. I hungrily burgeoned, and sunk my teeth into the Truffle-Mush burger. First thought, not bad. After five seconds it hit me; dead-sea esque salt levels. Now I'm one that can put down anything, especially when I'm hungry. But the sheer levels in the burger made it one of the harder chores I've encountered. I can't put my finger on it, but it almost tasted like the truffle oil wasn't actually truffle oil ... rather some sort of truffle flavoring. The fries were incredibly oilly. They pride themselves on their rosemary, oil, garlic fries ... they should market them instead as a serving with oil sprinkiled with fries on top. Taste = no bueno. Three senses down. I'm a 28 year old active man, and my stomach physically could not handle the Hiroshima grease bomb I had unleashed on it. Let's just say the burger lasted less than thirty minutes, before it decided to come and say hi. How about the service? Small reprieve. General Manager came over and asked how it was, kindly informed her of above and I'd likely not return, and was offered a free meal voucher. Kudos, your doing a good job. Your staff however, are 'slow', for lack of better terminology. Mad respect for her doing her job, she's really doing her best ... but Smash Burger itself, a joke. Second go around, I went in for a shake. Figure there has to be something worth while on their menu. Same Bieb's looking kid took my order and subsequently watched for fifteen minutes as he stood in front of the shake machine, trying to figure out the five ingredients to put into the shake. Consensus on the shake? Not worth $5.00. In fact, it was actually laughable. There was a cup of milk, one scoop of vanilla icecream, and one spoon of butterfingers. For five dollars! Think its worth more around three-fiddy. See attached picture. From behind the door discussions, our entire block of Cordell is laughing at this place. Maybe/hopefully they'll figure out us Bethesd-ians do not like shoveling McDonalds-esque food down our throats, at premium prices. We are not ignorant folks, and will gladly walk to BGR one block over.
(2)Thomas N.
Great place if you want a quick eat. The customer service is just as good as the food which makes going there all the better. The workers are very nice and obviously care about the customer. Highly recommended.
(5)Benjamin G.
This place has a lot of Diverse Hamburgers. The diversity of hamburger types is what someone should come here for. They seem to have really fast and attentive customer service as well. The Classic Burger was good the first time I ordered it with everything on it, but not especially flavorful the time without everything. The Cynic in me wants to say they call it Smashburger because they "Smash" all the flavor out of it. Seriously, isn't all the fat what makes a burger tasty? The Fries I think are Great! They're very small and crispy. I couldn't have enough of them. :) The staff are industrious and appear to help customers quickly. It's actually very spacious inside and very clean. I went here another time and got a kid's meal. It was great and only cost $5.29. Where else can you get a meal for $5.29!? The fries were great and the burger didn't seem any different from an adult version. Everything was very tasty. I just found a new place for lunch, I'm pretty excited.
(4)Mia E.
OMG! The Baja Cobb salad... It didn't last long enough to take a picture. The grilled chicken spinach cucumber goat cheese on the chipotle bun. Delicious! Our table also had the buffalo chicken blue cheese Sammy with Smash fries. Hey now with the oil & rosemary... SmashBurger is perfect! Never greasy always hot and fresh. Service is always excellent.
(5)Kat F.
Uh...YUM. I'm going to gain 50 lbs now that I just moved in a block away. Smashburger was simply smashing and I thought the Smashfries were great, albeit a little chintzy on the portion size. Just as good as Shake Shack and the burger was a lot bigger. My only complaint was that it was like 32 degrees in the restaurant...AC was on full blast even though it is fall. Everyone that came in looked freezing as well...seems to me that employees should've noticed. Needless to say, we got our food to go.
(5)Eric P.
I have eaten here several times and I love the way the cook the burgers. Fresh never frozen.
(3)Ginger M.
Smash burgers are indeed smashed. We visited Smash Burgers on Saturday 5/17. The line was out the door. The wait after ordering was at least 20 minutes. :( The burger was smashed so thin and the bun was so thick, the tasteless burger was worse than McDonalds regular burger. We also ordered a Baja salad. It was drenched was diced red onion throughout the salad. The guacamole was about 1 tablespoon and thin. We sat outside at a dirty table. Had to clear the former occupant's dishes. No staff to clean tables. Ugh. We'll find a burger somewhere else the next time we want a burger lunch.
(1)Nicole G.
I came in here for lunch today since I work basically next door. I was disappointed there wasn't a lunch special or small combo option to save a bit of money. I ended up getting the regular size classic smashburger and a soda. It was enough food for $7 and that price isn't so bad all things considered. The cashier was friendly and the restaurant was bustling but still very clean. As soon as I filled my soda and grabbed a stool by the window another friendly waitress brought my food over. It was busy in there so I was surprised with how quick they were! First thing I noticed was the meat was larger than the bun all the way around. Nice! But as soon as I bit into my burger hot grease squirted out all over my hand. As I mopped that up I noticed at least another teaspoon of grease come out. Pretty nasty... But, I was hungry and the burger was good! And it was also nice to have the free refills of course. I looked around and the fries and shakes looked pretty tasty, but I was already full. And since it's close to New Year's where everyone is supposed to be being good, I went to MyFitnessPal to log my meal. 730 for the burger?! WOOF! No wonder I was full! I definitely am interested in trying the fries and shakes, but they might have to wait a few months for me to fall off the healthy wagon ;)
(3)Katherine A.
The customer service here is really great. They messed up my lunch order a few weeks ago and the manager personally apologized to me and gave me a coupon for a free lunch. The food is also delicious and the employees in general are very friendly. The ambiance is casual and fun. I am docking a star only because it seems they can never manage to get the smash chicken burgers out quickly... they are always over time on them. Otherwise, i am really glad this restaurant cam to the neighborhood. Try the Smashfries!
(4)Chandra O.
Burger was good but didn't care for bun. I took off a star because service was HORRIBLE! Stood at register several minutes while cashier made milk shakes or something. Once order was ready...waited several more minutes waiting for food to be placed in bag. I started to bag it myself. Smh I'll just go back to Shake Shack
(2)Erin C.
I ate here last night and now I have food poisoning! I had to stay home from work today because I'm so sick. I ordered the mushroom and Swiss burger with a side of fries. I also drank the herbal lemon slightly sweetened tea. I've eaten at Smashburger in Denver and San Diego and never experienced this. Also their soda fountain is the normal one at most fast casual places opposed to the large red ones that offer hundreds of soda and add in selections they have in every other Smashburger location I've been in. The first batch of fries they brought us were cold so we had to ask for another batch. I'm so disappointed because I literally live across the street and was so excited to have seen a Smashburger out on the east coast but I won't ever chance it with this chain again. This is the first time I've even had food poisoning. Ugh so mad at this place.
(1)Kirsten H.
Stopped by for an early dinner after having had milkshakes there on a prior visit. Milkshakes were great, so I thought I'd try real food, too. Service is everything. I was the only person there, and I ordered to go. When my order was ready, the cashier picked up my bag, and held it for several minutes while he talked to some girl at the soda machine. Eventually he gave it to me and I headed out. Six blocks away, I discovered there was no tomato - two pieces of wilted lettuce instead. I only ordered 3 things on my burger, and they got one wrong. Worse yet, the burger was soggy and all I could taste was SALT - the amount of salt you'd get at, say, McDonalds. Definitely not a fan. I ate half and threw the rest in the garbage. But hey, the milkshakes are great, and maybe the beef is better than that disgusting veggie burger.
(3)Angel W.
I've read so many great reviews of Smashburger from fellow Yelpers - I think there have been several Elite Yelp events held at Smashburger - so I had to find out what all of the hype was about. It turns out there is a Smashburger in Bethesda, even though Siri is unaware of it. The Smashburger website lists all of the current locations. Perhaps this is a new Smashburger location?? The venue was very clean and the staff was exceptionally friendly which made me think it's a new location. I just noticed on the Yelp site that this location opened 4 weeks ago - makes sense! I ordered the spicy veggie black bean burger with fresh jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chipotle mayo on a spicy chipotle bun. The jalapenos are no joke! The burger was quite spicy so it's a good choice if you like some heat. The spice was a little much for me. The price of the veggie burger is more expensive than a standard size regular burger, which I found odd. Do black beans cost more than meat these days? I also ordered the Smashburger fries with rosemary, olive oil and garlic. The fries were decent. I forgot that the sweet potato fries were the preferred option based on Yelp reviews. Lori, the cashier, was amazingly friendly and efficient. She must have been sent from Corporate and her attitude was one of the tip offs that this was a newly opened Smashburger location. You could tell she was doing things by the book - the greeting, the questions, the service, and the delivery, etc. I was impressed! I was also pleased that she used hand sanitizer before she placed the carton of fries in the to-go bag:) Not sure I'll be back because I was not a huge fan of the veggie burger but if I ate regular burgers I would come back to try more options
(3)Nick M.
Just about every time I've come here my order was done incorrect. They are so slow, I cannot really understand how they have so many staff members but manage to keep things so inefficient. Try a local place up the street on northfolk. If they're open at the time, try bold bite. Definitely one of my favorites, better food, nicer staff, etc. Smash just has very convenient hours.
(1)Anna M.
The burger, especially the meat, was disappointing. Should have walked up the block to BRG The Burger Joint, which serves a much better burger. The decor is great. Perhaps they should have spent less on the decor and focused more on the food.
(2)Katelyn K.
I love Smashburger in Bethesda. From the Yelp Event the night before it opened to the awesome staff who is always there! Most recent visit I ordered the Sin City burger which is on the menu but not listed. They did add a chicken breast to the sandwich which isn't the actual recipe, but man was it good eat. I also had the fried pickles which are also not on the menu but can be had by asked for them. I totally love the quality of the meat and I always feel like I'm getting a good deal for my money. Now they just need one in Silver Spring.
(5)Justin J.
The best place to get burgers in Bethesda. Super juicy patties and fresh toppings make their creations a joy. Customize and build your own burger or choose from some of their tried and true selections. With food brought out to you in a surprisingly quick manner I was able to chow down within minutes. Also the staff is overly nice and friendly which is a stand out among competitors. A reliable place for a dependable tasty juicy burger.
(5)Rene D.
Not bad for a burger place. I ordered the Spicy Baja burger with the veggie frites and a local microbrew. The total came to about $13, and my meal was brought to me in about five minutes. The burger was pretty good. Not the best I have ever had, but certainly respectable considering the price and service. The meat was cooked well-done (but it's a fast food place, so I wasn't expecting to be asked). The toppings were tasty and well-balanced, and the bun was moist and a bit sweet and eggy. For $6 it was pretty respectable. I ordered the veggie frites as a choice. An abomination. Flaccid, greasy and not worth the effort. Stick to the sweet potato fries. It was nice to have a local microbrew at a fast food burger place. This is to be encouraged. Overall, I liked the place and would go back if I were near one. I would not go out of my way, though.
(3)Jennifer B.
I'm not really into burgers, so I always get the grilled chicken avocado club. I love how they "smash" down the chicken so its flat and easier to eat. The chicken is always moist and flavorful, never dry or chewy. They put a lot of fresh avocado on it, which I love. The sweet potato fries are excellent and even their regular fries are a lot better than most similar places. Prices are not bad and the service is always quick and friendly.
(4)Jay B.
I'm not a burger girl but OMG this place made me come back twice this week! Fresh and delicious, a bit pricy but oh the juicy, perfect flavor! The fries, meh, not so great, we had their signature ones and the buffalo kind. We also had the strawberry shake--pure sin but yummy and comes with extra in the silver metal mixer. Winner!!
(5)Lisa S.
My sister raved over Smashburger and gave me a gift card here. The first time, I had issues online- I would put the "create your own burger" in the cart, and then every time I checked out, it would highlight it in red and tell me to remove it because of an error (of course, it didn't tell me what it was). After doing this about 2 or 3 times, I called and they reluctantly let me order over the phone. My burger was big and tasty, pretty well priced (small burger starts at $5.39, big at $6.39) and the Smash fries with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic ($2.29) were my favorite. I still had some money left on my gift card, and was looking for another trip here sometime soon. Fast forward a few weeks, and I decide I'm craving a burger. I put the order through on the website, enter my gift card number- it shows my balance, about $15. Everything worked, I hit submit, and it tells me it can't communicate with the store, my order didn't go through, and that I should try again and call the store if this happens again. I put everything back into my cart and try again- and this time it tells me I have a gift card error. I check my gift card balance online- and it's $0. But I never received an order confirmation and had no way of knowing if the order went through. I called, and the store had no idea what was going on and told me they wouldn't receive a confirmation for at least 5 minutes. I waited 5-10 minutes, I called the store, and they told me they didn't receive an order from me. Nobody at the store- while everybody was fairly nice, if somewhat apathetic- could tell me who to contact about why the website wasn't working or where the $15 gift card money went. I then called HQ multiple times- the only phone number on their website- and it took a few tries before I was able to reach someone. However, once I reached someone at HQ, they handled it really well. They put my order through and told me they would contact the store and made sure it was waiting for me as soon as I could get there. They also emailed to let me know they figured out the problem and fixed it on the website so it wouldn't happen again. I really appreciated how nice they were and how proactive they were about fixing the situation. However, when I went to pick up my food, the employees just sort of glared at me and shoved the bag at me. They also forgot to give me a soda I had ordered and paid for (and at this point, I barely remembered what I had ordered). The smash fries and fried onions were incredibly greasy- to the point where they were dripping- but the burger was pretty good. Overall, it seems like Smashburger is a great organization. Their food seems like a great fit for the area, and I like their menu. However, the food at the Bethesda location is a bit inconsistent- sometimes great, sometimes greasy. The staff members seem young, uninterested, and not well-trained to deal with any issues that come up (or particularly interested in helping customers with issues). I'm not sure how often I'll come back, unless I get a craving for those awesome Smash Fries :-).
(3)Jayna J.
Salt. So much salt. The meat was so salty it made the burger inedible. I usually don't drink anything when I eat, but I had to go buy a soda just to counteract the saltiness, and even then I could only get through half of it. Fries were alright, skinny and crispy which isn't my favorite but some people live it, and no complaints with customer service. But the salt in both my hamburger and my boyfriend's burger (two different burgers - the meat was definitely the culprit) was enough for us to never return.
(2)Mary L.
Bethesda is full of different types of restaurants that either make it or break it. The Smashburger in this location was relatively new and I was craving a burger so I decided to give it a whirl. The burger was not bad. I've tried the mushroom burger which has grilled mushrooms, Swiss cheese and uses truffle oil. A lot of times when restaurants use truffle oil, it tends to overwhelm the flavor of the dish. The burger was very rich but not too overwhelming. Overall, pretty good. I've also tried the capitol burger and added a fried egg to it as well. With the egg, it put the burger one step above. The burgers aren't bad here, just nothing too special to distinguish themselves from other places. However, the two things that make this place special are the shakes and sweet potato fries. The salted caramel shake and the nutter butter shake are highly recommended. Places like Five Guys don't give the option of shakes so it's nice to see a place that does. Second, sweet potato fries. I'm a sucker for some fresh, hot sweet potato fries. There's are pretty good. Not too skinny and not too much potato. The regular fries are pretty disappointing (really skinny type) and the onion rings are shoe string with an overwhelming salty flavor. There's space to sit down and the people that work there get your food out to you pretty quickly. Overall: okay burgers + sweet potato fries + yummy shakes = good place to grab a burger and get dessert (milkshake) too.
(3)Roger M.
This place had a friendly cashier and great variety of choices. Overall the burger was good but I really love the sweet potatoes fries
(4)Chad P.
I used a gift card to come here and the burger I ordered was excellent. I like the bun a whole lot more than BGR. They have a very nice selection of different burgers and chicken sandwiches I would like to try. I ordered a side of the sweet potato fries which I think would have been good if they weren't cold. I was a little surprised about this when the burger was freshly made. Customer service was very good. I'll be back.
(4)Jonathan P.
it's so good. just had mushroom swiss burger for lunch. fries delicious as always.
(3)Tyeisha B.
I loved it! Service was great the food was even better! It was a pretty great burger for a fast casual burger place. Will definitely come back!
(5)Sean W.
This is the best high-end fast food burger I have had. This is how a high-end burger should be done. The burgers are cooked on a buttered surface, just like steak at a high end steak house. THis gives the burger a wonderful, crispy, buttery char around the outside. You get a great mouth feel and taste from this with each bite. The toppings all seemed fresh and complimented the butteryness perfectly. The standard bun was perfect. You coudl see it absorbing some of the toppings wihtout dripping the grease on you. It can stand up to a multitude of toppings. My girlfriend and I were going to split a burger and were asked when ordering if we wanted the burger split. That is a small thing that makes a ibg impression. We also had a shake that was good, nothing fantastic. The smash fries are very slender, some may preffer a 'meatier' fry, but I enjoyed these.
(5)Maximus M.
Salt, salt, oh my salt! I had a classic smash burger and it was like biting into nothing but pure salt. All the condiments in the world won't help the situation. All the soda / water won't make it any better... The restaurant smelled like sewage. I had to take my food outside as the odor was too pungent. I debated leaving as soon as entering; but I wanted to give this new place a shot. Very disappointing; won't be returning.
(1)Rebecca B.
Lots of options, got the spicy baja chicken sandwich- I thought it was excellent and a good sized burger. Did not care for the veggie frites very much.
(4)C P.
BGR has better burgers but is more pricey. SmashBurger's patties aren't as flavorful or juicy. The patties are very thin and there's none of that cooked over a real fire flavor. The fries are good here, but a little bit too much oil. Lots of variety, so, I'll definitely be back, but overall no better than the other options in the area.
(3)Alex T.
Ordered to go. Had a BBQ burger, it hit the spot. It was juicey and had enough char to give you the flavor from the grill but didn't over power the meat. I love their buns, not too much breading. They could do work on their fries, but their fried pickles are great. I really enjoy their milk shakes. A great burger joint. Much better than all of those gastro pubs.
(5)Jess A.
Came here tonight for a quick bite. I got the mushroom truffle burger and my boyfriend got the smash burger. We were told that everything had to be cooked medium "or above," which sucks. Got our food, walked home (like 2 minutes away)...the fries were cold and not great, the onion strings were okay. They accidentally gave him a chicken sandwich and we didn't get the sauce for the onion straws, so he had to walk back again. I would give one star but he said his burger was "okay," meanwhile mine was absolutely terrible. Dry, overcooked, and flavorless. The other reviewer is right; The Burger Joint is much better and right around the corner. I would say that maybe this place just needs time to get their stuff together, but isn't it a franchise? All in all, a waste of money. I didn't even eat my burger it was so bad.
(2)Bryan J.
Really good. The Capital burger is the one!
(5)Jayson S.
Came here within a couple days of open. Burgers are in no way special, and I always prefer my own on my grill. However I ordered the mushroom burger because I was enticed by the truffle mayo! I dislike mushrooms but my 1st bite of this burger made me think...Damon this place is 1 block from me..how dangerous for my heart n waistline. So yummmy
(4)amy k.
Sort of disappointed with Smashburger. Did a nice job with the place. Ordering was friendly and they seem eager to please. Food just was not great. Had a regular smashburger. Burger was really salty (could be meat or the cheese) Bun was good but the saltiness made it hard to finish. Fries were not good. Warm to cold, too much rosemary and very oily. Also agree with there being no lunch special. $9+ bucks for lunch is too much with all the competition around.
(2)M. P.
It was OK for lunch, not the best burger I've ever had. Perhaps it was hyped up for me but I probably would go to Five Guys or somewhere else for a burger. Service was OK but there was only one guy running the register so the line became very long and very slow. The manager was doing his best to keep things moving by delivering food.
(2)Mitchell M.
Tried this place last night with our family. Absolutely the worst in terms of food and service. One of the cashiers appeared to be high on something. Could not get my 13 year old daughter's salad order correct - she ordered a regular Cobb salad but brought us twice a so-called spicy Baja Cobb. No apparent manager or adult supervision. A guy named Jose appeared to be the manager but was clueless. Place was far too chaotic with 3 workers tied up at one point like the 3 Stooges trying to figure out a large take out order apparently gone bad. And to make matters worse, the burger was nothing special. In fact, it was overly salted and tasted as if there was filler or sawdust in it. I was so disgusted by the experience that I almost went to McDonalds - which would have been at least better service. I recommend to spend the extra money and go to BGR - far better burger and service! Kraze burger, Zburger and Bobbys Burger Palace are also better. Even 5 Guys is better (even though it can be a bit greasy).
(1)P C.
For some bizarre reason, they no longer accept telephone orders! Do you want our business or not?
(2)adam f.
Went back again today. Got the burger with BBQ, cheddar, and crispy onions. Is so so good!!! The bread is so fresh. Whoever was working today was awesome. Sorry I forgot his name but he really stood out, great personality. Wife got the classic which she really liked too. The salad, the one with goat cheese (1st one listed on menu) was huge. Really like it here!!!
(5)Dean J.
The dining room was freezing. No management was apparent, just a bunch of kids. Shakes came ten minutes after the burgers were served. No a bad burger, but the other issues make it a less appealing experience. The burger itself was thin although the classic is a unique taste.
(2)James E.
I've been to this location about three times now, and each visit I have left unsatisfied with the service. Would not recommend. I was appalled by one of the server's responses to messing up some orders and will certainly not be coming by again.
(1)Jacob R.
After visiting this restaurant twice, I can firmly say that it doesn't deserve your business. My first visit was shortly after it's Initial opening. The service was slow and my order (for 3 people) was delivered in four parts. The food was also unremarkable. Following this visit, I didn't visit the place for a long while. Today, I went back I placed an order for one sandwich and an order of fries. After watching the seemingly "challenged" staff run around fulfilling orders just as poorly as they had months ago, I decided I would not be back. My order took 20 minutes and arrived luke-warm and overly greasy. The staff ran around like chickens with their heads cut off and still managed to accomplish very little. The management of this restaurant seems to be non-existent. I have been to other smash burger locations, which have been fine. Just don't waste your money at this Bethesda location.
(1)Erik G.
The burgers and salads are great. We've been twice, and we really like the food. Smash Burger is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Today, however, the place was really messy. They had no doubt been hit hard during the day because there was a street fair right outside for most if the day. But, they need to pay attention to the details, or they'll turn customers off. I'll be back for more burgers in the future.
(4)tom b.
Great service. We actually got some milkshakes that were a little disappointing, and decided to go back and tell them. Tony remade them thicker, and was super friendly in doing so. he really treated us a s valued customers. So we went back a week later, he remembered us and thanked us for the business, and later came over to make sure we enjoyed our order (which we did). Nice to see an employee take pride in the service and make sure customers were happy. We really appreciated it.
(5)Sam B.
Smashburger, the smashup of other burger joints. --- So I've been considering how to compare Smashburger to my friends, and the best I've come up with is it's (appropriately) a smash between Five Guys and BGR. The ambiance felt like somewhere between a Five Guys and a BGR. The walls had some self promotional propaganda (get the larger burger, etc.), but the place otherwise looked fine. The staff had some mild confusion on ringing up my order, but since this was the opening night, I'll chalk that up to inexperience. The price point was 7 bucks for their 'big smash' (depending on the burger), which the guy behind the counter recommended I should get. Taking my seat, I found myself amongst a myriad of other eaters who were likely wondering the same thing; how is this meal going to be. My burger came relatively quickly, which leads into my next thought. The burger. I got a 'Spicy Baja' burger, a jalapeno and guacamole laden burger. I'm normally a "give me whatever the spiciest thing you have on the menu" guy, so this sounded enticing. The presentation was neat and the burger was actually quite tasty. As far as quality goes, it felt like a Five Guys patty with BGR toppings. The bun began to fall apart near the end of the burger, but I've yet to meet a bun that can contain a proper burger, so no points deducted there. I didn't try any of the sides, so the jury's still out on those. All in all, the burger was tasty, and at the end of the day, that's what I want from a burger joint. I'll definitely be going back to try some other items from their menu; their sides looked intriguing enough to warrant a second go.
(3)Shirley H.
I've heard some people rave about Smashburger so since I was craving a burger and have been wanting to try Smashburger for a while, I ordered (to-go) a spicy jalapeno baja burger and sweet potato fries. Both were decent, nothing spectacular. I'd go with Elevation Burger over this.
(2)Soy L.
The burgers are good but far too salty. The shoestring fries are average. The service is super friendly (Anthony). Expect to pay $9 for a big cheeseburger and fries, no drink.
(3)