The best smash burgers in DC.

The Proper Burger on 17th Street

Duke's Grocery runs a sports-bar operation built for groups, with the burger sharing menu space against a banh mi that pulls its own crowd. It is counter to table service depending on the crowd size, and the room is built for watching a game with a group rather than a quiet lunch. Order the burger and fries; the banh mi is the other move.

Nick's Pizza DC is a quick-service counter where the burger gets the same attention as the pizza, and the ingredients read fresher than the price suggests. Service moves fast, and the kitchen has a habit of tossing in a free drink. It is a locally owned operation, and the burger holds up as a legitimate lunch order, not an afterthought to the pizza.

Good Stuff Eatery draws a line out the door in Georgetown, and the burger and milkshake are the reason. The counter-service format keeps things moving even when it is packed, though the patty can run drier and more well done than a smash burger should. It is a fast, convenient stop in a heavily trafficked part of Georgetown, worth it for the shake alone.

Detroit-Style Squares in Navy Yard

Emmy Squared Pizza in Navy Yard is built around Detroit-style, Sicilian, and Neapolitan pies, and the consistency across visits is the calling card. It is a Brooklyn import now planted near the ballpark, with reservations useful on weekends when the room fills. Go for the pizza; it is the reason regulars keep coming back, not the burger.

Thunder Burger & Bar sits on a Georgetown street corner in a small, close-quartered room built for casual meals rather than fast turnover. Service can slow on a busy Saturday, and the pacing between apps and entrees runs loose, but the staff stays warm about it. Come for the burger and a plate of appetizers, not a quick in-and-out.

The Brookland Grill runs a budget counter-service breakfast, and the pancakes are the dish locals actually show up for, thick and consistently praised. The bacon, potatoes, and eggs platter lands more inconsistently, sometimes underseasoned, and the room itself skews rundown with lukewarm coffee on off days. It is a cheap, no-frills stop before work, not a destination for a burger.