Nothing Special

Most overrated place I have been to lately. Burgers were good, but they are certainly nothing special. They do not compare to five guys, or In N Out burger, and those are just burger chains. The service was rude, crass, and the cash only concept is fine but you should certainly post that with larger signs at the door rather than with a tiny 3"x3" sign at the cash register. It was quite sad, and poor customer relations as I watch a family of 8 have to cancel their order because they did not have cash, and the staff acted as if they were idiots for not knowing. All in all, it is a burger joint, certainly nothing special about it.

Not as Good as Five Guys

I love a good burger and so was very much looking forward to the much hyped Ray's. What a disappointment! The burger was dry, the bun wasn't fresh. So the long wait in line was a waste of time and appetite. Save yourself the line and hassle and go to Five Guys for a much better burger and free peanuts.

Soup Nazi of Burger Joints

It's ironic Ray's attempt at emphasizing food over atmosphere has me doing the exact opposite. Sure, my diablo was tasty, as well as spicier than I thought a burger could be. And my girlfriend's made au poivre with bleu cheese was delicious. But the memories I take away from the meal are the long line to order, jockeying to stay out of the way of the busy bussers, the rush to decipher the menu, the worry of getting a seat, and feeling rushed to give up my seat so others could eat. This burger-joint du jour has it's diehard supporters, and I agree it was really tasty. But the emphasis on the neighborhood crowd worked. It is too busy for me to drive from DC to crave stopping in again. Trust me, they will not miss the business.

Messy but good

Super Messy burgers and they really cook them Med rare even though they say Med! But all in all very delicious...

what a great burger

great burger with assorted topping, all of excellent quality. you have to get there when it opens to get a seat. yum

They should have stayed with Steaks

Poor choice of beef cooked to hamburger perfection. Don't go unless you plan to eat there!

meh

Elevation, Ray's. Five Guys, Gimme a double double animal style at in n out. Obviously, it's the sauce. That said, Ray's is a damn fine burger and my "Let's get it on" was downed with gusto. I'm looking forward to taking my out of town beefy cousins. I will be back again and again. It just wasn't the revelation and best burger ever that I was looking for and was half confident that I'd find.

Overpriced and overrated

All in all, not the worst burger I've ever had but surely the most expensive and most overrated! Meat was good and fresh but that was the only highlight. Four of us went and only 1 will be going back voluntarily. The burgers were not cooked evenly, the toppings were too sparse, the sides (coleslaw and tater tots/puffs) were surprisingly bland and very average. To make matters worse, the staff isn't that friendly - esp the pretentious dude taking our orders. Didn't live up to the hype and wasn't worth the hassle (wait for tables, parking, and cash-only) but at least I can say I tried it.

Relentlessly Delicious

Ray's has the best burgers that I have ever had and it will take a mighty challenger indeed to knock Ray's off that pedestal. The burgers are juicy, the meat flavorful, and the the add-ons top notch. The first time I had Ray's I noted with awe that "even the tomato on top is good" - which was something of a minor miracle, since it was the dead of winter.

Lives up to the hype

The hype was high but the burger lived up to it. It's so fresh you can literally see them cutting and packing the beef in front of you. The mushrooms, onions, and bacon were also wonderful. It is really juicy/messy, but you can preserve the bun if you don't let it sit in its grease. Also, no fries is a downer, and the cheesy tater puffs were decent but nothing special. The root beer was good though. The line on a Saturday night (8pm) was really long and the service wasn't especially quick, but it was worth it. Two burgers, tater puffs, and a root beer for under $23.

Greasy Burger

After hearing my wife rave about this place which is a stone's throw from my office, I finally sampled the famous hell burger Is there a third time? PROBABLY NOT. Why Not? It's too greasy!!! I'm not a health nut and I do like the texture and freshness of their burger, but it tastes like it was cooked in lard or butter like a steak at Ruth Chris. Compared to California's IN-N-OUT burger or even Five-Guys, they really ruined it by leaving too much fat in the burger. The aftertaste is so greasy I feel like I needed a head to toe shower.

Best burger in DC

I've spent my whole life in this area and I can say that Ray's has the best burger in the metro area bar none. I cannot understand all these negative reviews. The beef is top quality, the toppings interesting and original (e.g. peppercorn) and the dive atmosphere is a nice touch. Forget fries, I don't go to a burger joint for fries. Keep your overrated Five Guys, I'll take my Ray's thank you and apparently so will President Obama.

Micky's Review

See my review here: http://whatmickyeats.blogspot.com/2009/02/rays-hell-burger.html

Awesome Burger!

Best burger in DC! These burgers are huge, well seasoned, well cooked, and delicious. My favorite is the blackened with smoked mozzarella and bacon but the regular and au poivre are great too. And, they've changed the buns so they don't fall apart anymore. Before going you need to be prepared: - They just have burgers and some sides--no salads or chicken sandwiches - There are no fries, just chips or these cheesy tater puffs (they're ok but need more flavor) - They only take cash - They will probably be busy, sometimes even a line almost out the door - There's no Coke or Pepsi but the root beer is really good - There's no sign out front so it can be tough to find If you like a REAL burger then this place is for you.

To hell and back

I've wnated to try this place for months. Finally got the chance this past weekend and 2 things, Still no sign. If you are not familiar with the area its hard to find, especially with the sun blaring in your face. #2 They only take cash and I never carry cash anymore so we had a long, hungry ride home thinking about what could have been. Food looked wonderful, staff seemed very attentive. It would have been nice to know no credit cards.

Best burger in dc

The meat is perfect, yes my bun falls apart but only on the last few bites, the taste & quality make up for it the bun has both sesame & poppy on it for a unique taste. I went twice this weekend, saturday was so good (my 1st time there) I went back sunday & will go back again soon. Also there is no more corn & it comes with an orange slice. The root beer is from dominion brewery they also have some deli type of bottle sodas Boylan's brand I think. The mushrooms are the tastiest I've had, the cheeses are very good too, get the pepper jack. And as far as being too big I saw many couples splitting the burgers.

Perfect.

No BS - just the best burgers around.