Ray's Hell-Burgers Opens in Arlington
Michael Landrum, the owner of Ray's the Steaks in Arlington (and Ray's the Classics in Silver Spring) is opening is latest venture today - the long awaited Butcher Burgers - aka Ray's Hell Burgers, in the same strip as RTS (1713 Wilson Blvd). I'm not affiliated with this venture in any way at all, but a huge fan of both RTS and RTC, so I thought I'd pass along the news.
It sounds like it's a very straightforward burger place - charcoal grilled 10oz premium and prime aged beef burgers, with a choice of toppings. Most of the (free!!!) toppings are easily recognizable to anybody who's ever eaten at RTS: sauteed mushrooms, grilled red onions, beefsteak tomatoes, roasted garlic, and also sauteed peppers and charred jalapeno peppers. Bacon and guacamole are also available for a charge, as will be a number of great cheese toppers- aged Vermont cheddar, Danish Bleu, Italian Gorgonzola, Swiss Swiss, smoked mozz, Brie and many others. Even Epoisse. Imagine a medium rare Epoisse bacon burger! oh my.
In summer, corn on the cob and a slice of watermelon will be on the side, gratis.
And to make it even more irresistable, there is Dominion rootbeer on tap and a bunch of Moorenko ice cream flavors to add for a rootbeer float or just a scoop.
I don't know what the price point is, but hope to find out soon from personal experience. And no, no fries. :)
It is supposed to be open every evening at 5pm, and weekends starting at noon.
crackers
Jul 01, 2008 05:02AM
I blogged on it below, under the heading "The Single Best Bang for the Buck in the D.C. Area."
It is, believe it or not, $6.95. And it's delicious.
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sounds great. i'm pretty sure i'll be there tonight, but wow, i totally expect the lines to be worse here than at RTS.
aren't they also opening a ray's the classics in the navy league building?
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The great thing is that if the line is too long at RTS, Landrum can tell disgruntled patrons to go to Hell!
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Does anyone know if they will be doing takeout?
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Yes, they will be doing takeout!
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uh... awesome! crackers thx for the breaking news... again!
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Holy crap. Already 30 minute waits at 5:30pm today.
Luckily, I got there at 5:00. :-)
Go. Go now. You will not find a better $7 burger anywhere. Does it compare to Palena/Central? Well, it's not the same kind of upscale atmosphere, no brioche bun, no table service. But it's freakin $7, and it's made from the same aged steaks that Landrum is already serving at RTS.
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I waited about 20-25 minutes when I got there at 7:45. And it was worth the wait. DanielK is right, it's a different atmosphere from Palena/Central, but the meat is obviously prime and freshly ground. Michael was butchering it right behind the counter. I love the root beer on tap - my float kept me satisfied until my burger was done.
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This place serves serious burgers for serious people. The Diablo (with a spicy chipolte marinade) is a wonderful piece of meat. The buttery corn on the cob and the watermellon are nice, refreshing sides. The service obviously needs to work out some kinks, but it was opening night and the meat and its preparation was impeccable. Not to mention everything was FREE. It was a wonderful surprise to find that they were not charging for anything tonight.
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i think we waited for 20 minutes or so as well. i really didnt mind, since the burger was amazing and the food was free anyway.
i am pretty sure this is the best burger ive ever had.
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Ok, where exactly in the shopping center is this? Did it take over the Village Bistro spot?
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Guajillo is 1727, RTS is 1725, Village Bistro is 1723, Pho 75 is 1721, and Hell-Burger is a couple of doors further down at 1713.
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It's where Cafe Poulet used to be.
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does anyone know the hours/days? same as rays? we'd like to go this sunday but don't know if it'll be open.
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See M. Landrum's post here
http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?...
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I ate there tonight and it was extraordinary. There was a short line to order, but I was able to get one of the handful of tables after ordered. I had a grilled burger with onions and peppers and hell sauce and gruyere. Although I can't say that I remember every burger that I've ever had, this may be the best ever.
The meat was incredibly tasty and juicy. So many restaurant burgers are just garbage and I was really prepared to be disappointed by this place, but it exceeded my expectations many times over.
I highly recommend it.
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Have they started charging yet? I've been wanting to go, but didn't want to break the string of free burgers for those who got 'em. <g>
Has anyone been there for long enough to have a sense of whether tables turn over reasonably promptly? I'd hate to stand in line to order my food only to find that when it was ready, there was no place to eat it.
Are there official hours yet? Closing/cutoff time? Landrum's post on Don Rockwell's board was a bit ambiguous ("we plan to open . . . "). Since it's not open for lunch yet, I'm wondering about a Sunday dinner.
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They only didn't charge the first night.
They opened promptly at 5 the first two days, and people reported getting served well after 9pm so far.
Opening night, tables were turning quickly, and there were a number of takeout orders. After only two nights of service, I'm not sure there's enough data to answer your question yet! When the weather is nice, there's always the benches in front of RTS!
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They were charging last night. From what I heard, they intended to charge the first night too. The first few orders off the grill were gratis because of quality control issues, and then the word spread like wild fire, erroneiously, that all the burgers were going to be free all night. Being the magnanimous and wise restaurateur that he is, ML decided not to disappoint those who arrived later expecting free burgers.
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Thx for posting this. I never heard of this new joint, and I live in Gaithersburg, but if it's that good, I'm THERE at some point. It will make for a great road trip.
My favorite burgers are Matchbox mini burger, Houstons, and Palena Cafe so I'm exciting to try this place. And they're not $13.95? Even better! I'm trying to understand why they don't serve fries... What DO they serve with them? How many seats? What's seating like? Desserts?
Steve R
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as the OP notes, the burgers come with a slice of watermelon and corn on the cob and there is Moorenko ice cream for dessert.
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This may not be a politically correct question given the obvious nature of the menu, but do they serve anything for the non beef-eaters other than ice cream? One of my regular dinner companions always orders chicken and probably wouldn't want to go to a restaurant that served only hamburgers, no matter how good they are. (but I would!)
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At the moment, the only "entree" they offer is the burger.
As to stever500's questions, they don't offer fries, nor an explanation as to why they don't offer fries. They do have Route 11 chips, though, along with some other smaller brands.
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Ray's Hell-Burgers - Question please ???????is it open today July 4th and if so what time 5PM or are they open earlier because its a Holiday. Many Thanks.
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Landrum himself answered this over at Don Rockwell:
"We will be open today, from 5 on--as will The Steaks and The Classics.
One thing to mention, since it was noted somewhere that we have not specified closing hours. We have pretty much been serving until 11 or so or later each night we have been open, based on demand and traffic flow.
Just like at The Steaks and The Classics, as long as we have people coming in, we keep serving and rarely do we ever turn anyone away--as long as we are able, we will always turn the grill back on and throw on another order."
Sounds like tonight may be a great night to try to hit up Ray's the Steaks!
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I see that next Wednesday's Washington Post will feature burger tastings.
Please, please, Post, keep our little secret (as much as it's a secret) a little longer. I haven't had the patience to eat at Ray's The Steaks for a couple of years now. At least let me try the burgers before it goes over the top.
Maybe, just maybe, the article was written before Hell's Burgers opened, but I understand that news is news, and they print all the news that fits.
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Anyone know if they are open for lunch today (Sunday)? Or dinner only?
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Don't know about Sunday. I suspect that weekends at this point may still be in the experimental stage. There are no visible signs posting the hours. No sign with the name of the place, either, so you have to know that it's there, which, I suppose is a good thing, at least for a while.
I suppose I shouldn't let the secret out, but I was in the neighborhood yesterday (Saturday) about 2:30 in the afternoon so I pulled into the parking lot to scope out the new Ray's Burgers, figuring they'd be closed but at least I'd know where it is and maybe get a glimpse of the inside. The door was propped open and people were inside eating.
Unfortunately, I had a reasonable breakfast, wasn't even thinking about lunch, and I was completely unprepared for eating a 2/3 pound burger so I didn't sample the wares, but next Saturday I'll be ready if they're ready for me.
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Thanks. Michael's post indicated that they're open for lunch on weekends, but I wasn't sure when that started. At least they were open yesterday. I'll go check it out.
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RHB, according to Landrum, opens at 5p on weekdays, and 12n on weekends.
Quoth Landrum, on DR: "We have pretty much been serving until 11 or so or later each night we have been open, based on demand and traffic flow.
Just like at The Steaks and The Classics, as long as we have people coming in, we keep serving and rarely do we ever turn anyone away--as long as we are able, we will always turn the grill back on and throw on another order.
I fully expect that we will be serving until midnight or so on a regular basis rather soon--even on weekdays--and would not be surprised if we end up going well into the night on weekends."
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Is it open on Mondays?
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Yes. All of the Ray's locations have been open 7 days for some time now.
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I got mine!
Based on my walk by the shop last Saturday at about 2:15 and seeing that it wasn't busy at all, I went there hungry at about the same time today and found it quite packed. Still it took me only a couple of minutes to order, and I snagged a table before my burger arrived.
There was a delivery mix-up - apparently when you have a common name like Mike you have to sit pretty close to the kitchen to be sure you hear your name before someone else thinks he hears his. After sitting at the table for about 20 minutes, one of the servers came over and asked what I had ordered. When I told him, he said they gave my burger to someone else and that he'd bring me the next medium one off the grill, which he did, just a couple of minutes later.
It was a little past what I'd call medium, but still fine. Really tasty, great texture and cooked with just a bit of a crust on the outside. Great eating, but honestly, with the wait, the crowd, and the noise, it wasn't much fun. By the time I finished, about 3:00, the place had quieted down considerably and about half the tables were empty. I must have come in just on the tail end of a peak.
I'll try it again, for sure, but maybe next time plan it as an early dinner rather than a late lunch.
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I finally tried Ray's today.
The burger was tasty. The meat wasn’t greasy and the huge patty was matched with the right amount of cheese. I ordered the burger cooked "recommended" and it was just right: warm and red in the center. It could have used a touch more seasoning or maybe the hell sauce for a little more flavor. The burger came with the new bun (apparently the old ones were falling apart) and it was good, but a little too big, maybe? The watermelon and corn were a welcome substitute to french fries. If I had fries, I would have had to lie down on the floor and wait for a crane to bring me home.
Ray’s would benefit from two improvements: frosted mugs for the root beer and air conditioning. Otherwise, the price is right ($7.95) and the food is tasty.
photo here http://arugulafiles.typepad.com/the_a...
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Arugula, I am with you on the oversized hamburger buns, I had to chase my burger from one side of the bun to the other, but it was worth it. Grilled with grilled onions and mushrooms it was a very good burger all the way around. I ordered mine medium and it was just a bit charred, touch of pink in the center, very flavorful. The dill pickle was a bit bland so I tossed it and enjoyed both the burger and the root beer immensely. The iced mugs would be a nice touch. Friendly competent staff, great burger, very good price, all in all this place is a winner. I used to be a huge fan of the old 5 Guys, but with Ray's Hell Burgers around I won't be seeing the 5 Guys too often.
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I didn't realize that there was a bun change. When did that happen? I had my Ray's burger a week ago (Saturday 7/12) and followed the recommendation to cut the burger in half. After a few bites, the bun was in quarters, so I guess it "fell apart." It got too messy and I finished the job with a fork. Just as well to save a few carbs.
It's easy to over-analyze this. I had my burger without cheese, but with a topping that looked pretty much like what was in your photo. Could be that it could be improved by a different assembly sequence. The juice from the grilled onions, garlic, and peppers soaked the top of the bun, but the bottom was nicely protected by the lettuce leaf. Maybe by stacking it (bottom to top) as bun, lettuce, tomato (if used), grilled onion stuff, burger, cheese, top (with mustard if used). That way the lettuce would keep the bottom bun from getting soaked, and the cheese would glue the top bun together.
Back to my morning coffee. ;)
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Been there a couple of times now.
First time got a "Soul Burger #1" (bacon, swiss, mushrooms/onions), medium-rare; the burger was a little closer to rare, which I could have forgiven except that they use a very loose pack on the meat, and so when it's that rare, the meat just falls apart (as my burger quickly did). The toppings were fine, but the meat itself was a little underseasoned. Crumbly bun issues were confirmed.
Second time (yesterday), I got the New Jack (cajun blackened, w/ onions, roasted jalapenos, pepper jack), medium. This time, the meat was well-seasoned (to be expected given the cajun blackening), but overdone--much closer to medium-well, which just a hint of pink in one bite, and pretty dry. The toppings were also fine on this one; as a warning, the roasted jalapenos are nice and fiery. The bun did appear to have been reworked, as there was no crumbling that I noticed.
The corn and watermelon were fine both times.
All in all, I'd say it's a great value, but a little inconsistent and not as earth-shattering as some are claiming.
1713 Wilson Blvd Arlington VA
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shun the nonbeliever!
just kidding. i agree it's got some work to be done, but it's certainly quite nice to have a good, hearty burger joint in the 'hood besides five guys.
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did i hear: no a/c???
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Yes, you heard right, no AC. At least when I went (and admittedly I've only been once)
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Does anyone have any updates to the AC issue? I'm planning on stopping by this weekend with a 1-year old, but I'm concerned about no AC, especially with the temperature in the mid-90's and humid this weekend. Is it unberably hot in there, or do they have some airflow?
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I was there last night. There is some AC (and a large fan), but it's underpowered for the space. It was pretty warm in there, but not at the level it would have been if there was absolutely no AC.
It was pretty crowded, enough that I got my order to go. I would think that, with a small child, I might be concerned about waiting for seating unless I went at an off hour.
There is now house made lemonade at $1.00 per glass (quite tasty), and printouts of the menu at the front so you can make your decision while in line.
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There goes the neighborhood. Ray's Hell Burgers made it to the Post today.
The day I was there, it wasn't very hot and the door was propped open, so it probably doesn't have air conditioning yet. Thinking ahead, I hope it has heat for the winter.
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I really want to try this place.
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We've been twice so far and it will probably become a regular for us since we live in that area.
The burger justs tastes so fresh! As it should since they are butchering the meat fresh in the store. I feel like it could use a bit more seasoning throughout (I've had just the grilled both times), but it's still a really good burger.
My only wished for change is a smaller burger (well, and beer too). 10 oz on a big bun is a big committment for me, with or without the sides. And I really hate wasting food. I'm rather happy they don't serve fries.
I've had the soul burger and a grilled burger with their sauted 'shrooms and grilled onions. No bun problems either time (actually impressed with how well the buns held up given the juiciness of the burger). Cooked to order well enough both times (medium).
Interestingly they've already raised their prices on some of their "specialty" burgers. I first went two weeks ago and the soul burger was $7.95. This week, the price for the soul burger was at $8.95.
Have taken out both times, so haven't noticed AC issues. But they really need to make a nice large sign with clear print (not the printed 1-page menus hanging on the walls) that makes clear the menu choices and the process for ordering. If the lines are long, the current lack of system and signage is really confusing to people who are either new or don't know what they want until the get close enough to read the small signs.
But a great deal regardless. I'd love to try some of the other new burger joints in town for comparison, but doubt I'll get around to it anytime soon given the quality of Ray's product, the price, and my proximity to them.
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"If the lines are long, the current lack of system and signage is really confusing to people who are either new or don't know what they want until the get close enough to read the small signs."
The one time I was there (a Saturday afternoon) there was a stack of those one-page menus by the door, but I didn't notice it until I was walking out. I did see a few people standing in line with those "menus" and I wondered where they got them.
I noticed something that nobody's mentioned yet, and that was a sign that said something like "Cash only, No-Fee ATM on the premises." I don't recall seeing the ATM, but I assume it's there somewhere, and it's a nice gesture.
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ray's hell-burgers is cash only?
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That makes me picture a surly guy behind the counter yelling, "No burger for you! Next!"
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It is definitely cash-only. I was there Monday, but the ATM is past the cash register around the corner.
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Finally got to Ray's Hellburgers-
WOW.
The flavor of the burger, the ground steak is just amazing. I had the Big Poppa and it was really good, I didn't need mustard or ketchup, the flavor of the meat was just so good. I had it au poivre, recommended temp and the peppercorns with the flavor of the steaky beefy meat really was great. Next time I just want a tangy or spicy sauce and mushrooms, no cheese as it didn't need it, it is so rich and delicious it is good just as it is.
At first I thought I would be annoyed with no french fries, but the corn and watermelon were perfect with it, they tasted light and fresh and mixed with the heavy steak taste of the burger well.
They have print outs of the menu at the doors, and it is posted in a few places, I didn't notice it being too hot, but it was such a nice day today. This is better than Tallula's burger which was my favorite in the area because of the quality of their meat, but this one was just like ground steak grilled to perfection. They have a NO CHARGE ATM in the place, which takes away any annoyance of cash only. The tea was good too, it was a nice spicy tea they used, not like a lipton, I liked it.
Anyway thought I would give my two cents, oh and went at 8- 8 15 and there was no line, and it wasn't too hard to get a table, although it got a little busier at 8 30.
I can't imagine anyone comparing to this. We will see.
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Ate at Ray's Hell Burger on 8/17 at about 5 p.m.. The place was moderately busy. As others have reported, the quality and flavor of the meat were excellent. The corn on the cob was very tasty as well. I kept it fairly simple and had my burger with white cheddar and mushrooms. The bun still needs work. It was too fluffy for my taste and provided, as some folks have commented, an unappealing bread to meat ratio. At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, I also feel the need to kvetch a bit about the lack of fries,the lack of ice for the soft drinks, and the fact that the soft drinks, with the exception of the root beer on tap, come in single serving bottles. Perhaps some of the choices Mr. Landrum has made have to do with the tiny size of the space and the need to keep things as simple as possible. Nevertheless, because of these limitations, I don't plan on becoming a regular at Ray's Hell Burgers.
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He has publicly stated that he will not serve fries, due to a) taking the shine away from the burgers, and b) the substantial added prep time to do them right.
As far as single-serving soft drinks, that's a hallmark of all of his places. None of his sodas are corn syrup based, only cane sugar, so a fountain system