Duke’s Grocery

Great neighborhood place! I’ve been a few times and each time get the Cubano sandwich — and it’s delicious. My friend got the burger which also looked amazing. The bartender was friendly and attentive and the place has a low-​key chill vibe. They also have an outdoor patio our front with great seating outside. Only negative is the limited space on the first floor if they are really busy and the upstairs isn’t open. Great place for first date, too!

The Proper Burger is just average, you guys. Or at least it was last Friday night. The toppings were delicious, but the patty itself was dry, over-​cooked, flavorless and quite honestly, more than likely pre-​cooked. I much preferred my last few bites when i had removed the remaining burger and focused solely on sauce, bun and pickled things.
Service was unfriendly, disorganized, and seemed to be more worried about getting people in and out then providing a good experience. We were sat at a «communal table» which was really two unoccupied seats at the end of another couple’s 4-​top. We, the aforementioned other couple, and the server were all surprised by this odd arrangement. Only our lifeless, somewhat robotic, hostess was unfazed as she checked us off the waiting list and prepared the next couple for the conveyor belt.
We came for the burger and put our order in promptly. Within no less than 5 minutes, we had burgers in front of us. Dry. Lifeless patties. A check was dropped off and without the opportunity to order dessert from our server, we paid up and quickly left.
Maybe if we came on a weekday night, off-​peak, we could have experienced something wonderful? The potential is there but Duke’s seems ill-​equipped to handle the fame and exposure they’ve received over the last year or so to deliver consistently.

They make a pretty good burger. Always a fan of putting an egg on it. Went towards the end of brunch time on a Sunday and wasn’t crowded at all, just sat at the bar and was served quickly. A nice experience overall.

Hosted a happy hour here for graduate school. They really only gave us a small space but everyone was extremely happy with the food and the unusual/​international drink options which felt nostalgic to many. I loved the London references, including the street sign next to the downstairs bar. First time I came to Duke’s I went upstairs with a friend and it felt too much like a frat house to me. I asked for grapefruit juice though and the bartender freshly squeezed an entire grapefruit for me! It was delicious. Ended up leaving early because of the frat vibe but the second time around with the happy hour was pretty cool. Wish the menu had more vegetarian options though.

Wowza! I’ve heard through the grapevine how good Duke’s Grocery was, however procrastinated to trying it until recently…
Let me tell you, this is the best burger I’ve had in my life and I’ve had a few burgers here and there *points at my bulging stomach*. There’s only two options to cook the burger (medium rare, or well done), which is great because that reduces decision anxiety, which nobody got time for that. The burger is called the «Proper Burger», which is kind of true. However I think it should be renamed to the «Proper… Burger». When the burger is brought out, it looks proper, however at the end of your meal, all that is left is a plate of beef juice and a primed face craving for another one. DJ Khaled would be proud.
This is also one of the few places that sell the Lucky Buddha beer! I was so happy when I saw this on the menu and even happier when it came out to me with it’s buddha bottle greatness.
I was afraid that Duke’s would have the décor of a run down fast food burger joint, however I was delighted to see that it is actually pretty upscale and gives off a hipstery vibe. There’s benches outside which is great for spring/​summer/​fall dining. I definitely plan to come back when its not below freezing outside.
IMO, although you should only come here for the burger, there are other options on the menu that look pretty good. My workout buddy got the BLT and man I drooled at that presentation as well and I’m not even a bacon fan!
Prepare your belly shopping cart because it’s going to be good haul at the grocery.

I’ve come here a few times because when the weather was nicer sitting in their patio was an easy choice. The happy hour is okay,$ 5 off of select beers and rail cocktails. The selection for HH is pretty standard. The food though is good. I’ve had the roast beef sandwich, the Eastender as well as the Banh mi. I like the Eastender a little better because the Banh mi was a little on the sweet side, little too much fish sauce, in my opinion. The proper burger was just okay, a little on the smaller side but the charred onions make it.
I like it and I’ve had good experiences there but I’ve spent most of my time in their patio so I’m not sure what it will be like now that it’s cold and their outdoor space is closed for the time being.

It’s been said many times but I’ll say it again. Their burger is bomb. I forget what’s in it but it’s good! It’s weird that they only cook it medium rare or well done though. Happy hour is decent, but crowded, and the space is pretty dark. Definitely would come back to get the burger again!

Very chill spot. Cool bartenders. Awesome fried rice.
Came here on a Friday with a couple of friends. The first floor is pretty small, but since it wasn’t too busy we were able to get seats together after waiting a few minutes. The music was pretty great and not too loud. We could easily have a conversation without fighting against other noise, which I loved.
I tried the hummus with pita and veggies and also the fried rice. The fried rice is served in one of those to-​go Chinese food containers which we all found interesting. It was pretty good — but sprinkled with peanuts so be warned if you have a nut allergy. The hummus was super garlicky so it that’s you thing (which it is mine) then you’ll love it!

Elote=BOMB!
Proper burger=ALSO AMAZING
We went here on New Years Eve. No wait. Delicious food. Great ambiance. Reasonable service. Only $ 24ish and we split the burger and the corn. And we got a new years noisemaker! Best decision ever.

My boyfriend and I went there to have one of the best burgers in the Washington DC, and we were not disappointed.
I loved everything about this place: the cozy environment, the paintings on the wall, the rock music in the background. It reminded me of my most favorite places in the world: cafés back home.
The food and the service was great.
We both obviously got the proper burger, and it was amazing. We also got the falafel for starters, and it was good as well.
We loved our waiter. Our table was near the bar, and the bartender waited on us. He was a pretty cool guy.
This place also has an interesting beer collection. I recommend everyone to try this place out.

I love Duke’s. My partner has had his birthday happy hour twice here now and it’s always such a great time. The staff has always been very organized and accommodating to when we have our events. Also, their food and drinks are wonderful.
Let’s start with food. Their menu changes daily so it’s hard to tell if what I crave will be in the menu, but their food is always excellent. I wish they had more gf options (usually it’s only their veggies and hummus which are fine). Their «cheesy toasty» is everything that is right in this world. Thick sourdough bread with three kinds of cheese and truffle butter on the outside. Let me repeat that. Truffle butter.
Their other toasts look wonderful too (like the avocado). Also they have some interesting Asian dishes sometimes that I’ve been meaning to try. I also heard some great things about their burgers.
Their drinks are well made. Always solid, I never have to worry about a weak drink here.

Cute spot! I came here for happy hour. The interior smells delicious! However, it was warm enough that we were able to sit outside. They have a decent happy hour: $ 5 for selected beers from their list. Also ordered the hummus platter. The hummus is delicious! I also really like the fact that they provided a number of veggies along with pita, such as radishes and carrots. It’s nice to have a selection of dippables!
I’d love to come back here for happy hour again and try other things on their menu!

Buen lugar rica comida buena atención pero te cobran el agua cuando por ley es gratuita en todo Estados Unidos

I’ve had Duke’s Grocery on my list for a while, so I was pretty excited in finally checking them out. The menu changes often, and you can check their daily updated one by checking out their FB page — it’s usually a snapshot of the chalkboard with chalk-​written menu items. A group of us came here after attending an event close by, and luckily, we were seated right away in the main dining area. I was able to try: the Avocado Toast (thick Texas-​style multigrain toast with a smear of avocado, a runny egg, red chili, thin radish slices, and a generous amount of rocket salad on top; this was pretty okay, as the avocado smear was thick, generous, and creamy; no seasoning but just a simple salt and pepper); a Local Corn ‘Elote Locos’ (slightly steamed MD sweet corn kernels, a very light crema dressing (wished there was more sauce!), some chili peppers, shredded cotija on top, and tons of cilantro/​parsley — this also had some sriracha type of sauce drizzled on top with a wedge of lime; I was surprised that this was more of a cold dish, rather than the typical ‘elote’ dish I expected); Truffle Mac & Cheese (came in a small little cast iron skillet; these were shell pasta with sharp white and mild cheddar and some Parmesan Panko breadcrumb crust — this was also a light dish, but had a good cheesy taste to it; it had a nice melty cheese on top, but the breadcrumbs seemed to have been missing!); a Proper Burger (Creekstone Farms Angus beef patty, melted gouda, dill pickles, charred red onion slices, Thai sweet chili sauce (couldn’t taste this!), garlic aioli, all set in a brioche bun; I’d also added strips of bacon and a runny egg; this burger was okay, with its thick patty; I just wished I could have tasted the nice addition of the Thai sweet chili sauce, as that would seem to add a nice little dimension to it); and, a «Sir» Loin of Beef (a panini-​like sandwich using a torta roll, filled with sliced prime ribeye, sun dried tomato chutney, double crema brie, garlic aioli, rocket, and truffle oil — this was way too tomato-​based, tomato chutney-​focused, and a bit overwhelming; tomato lovers will enjoy this). Service was pretty pleasant, as the staff were super attentive, refilled our glasses, and super efficient. The place itself is pretty dark and pretty jumpin,’ even during the late evening.
+Truffle Mac & Cheese
+friendly staff: D
+limited street parking

What can I say about Duke’s that hasn’t already been said before? Probably nothing, but I’m going to say it anyways.
Duke’s Grocery has arguably the best burgers in town. To be fair, I haven’t gone around trying burgers to make this a representative sample, but I’ve eaten enough burgers to know what tastes good. And the Proper Burger is a must have if you fancy yourself a burger aficionado. The meat is juicy, perfectly cooked, and has that bite you look for when chomping down. With several options and varieties to choose from, you may feel overwhelmed and want to order everything… don’t hide from that temptation, embrace it, you won’t go wrong.
Space is limited at Duke’s, so you’ll probably find yourself jostling for some space during peak hours. But unless you hate people or the random bumps as folks shuffle by, you should definitely make your way to Duke’s.

What they say about the burgers is true. Duke’s makes a damn good burger, and it’s more because of the meat than the toppings. The toppings are good, but the patty it’s self is one of the best I’ve had.
Burgers don’t come with sides, but are large enough to be filling. Aside from the burger, I didn’t see much on the menu that interested me. However, I got a very good, and very very large bowl of olives on the side. For $ 6, I was impressed.
However, the service and atmosphere at Duke’s left something to be desired for me. On a Saturday night around 8, the place was so packed, and so loud I accidentally called it a bar. There were dozens of people just standing around waiting to be seated. Duke’s is in a row house, so it was uncomfortably packed. Perhaps because it’s so small, they make use of stools downstairs, which are not particularly comfortable. Since water, silverware, etc is already on the table, the waiters don’t come by much. Maybe 10 minutes after I ordered, my burger was plopped down in front of me and that was kinda it. We were in and out in a little over a half an hour, which isn’t how I want my Saturday night dinners to go.
Moral: come if you are craving a burger, not a nice dinner out.

Three stars is the most appropriate for this place. I had the burger which was lukewarm and tasted just like… any other burger.
The wait staff was just rude. I walked in and one of them told me, right off the bat, that i need to order within the next 8 minutes since the kitchen was going to close soon; then she said «OK?, i need you to order now.»
It would have been totally fine if she had greeted me first, sat me down and then told me that they needed my order soon since the kitchen was going to close…
Also, I did not get why identify their food as British…

As a vegetarian, I like, but don’t love Duke’s. My husband and a number of friends will all swear up and down that the burger here is the best they’ve ever tasted. The salads and sides here are consistently delicious too, as are the pies. Maybe I just have bad timing, but anytime I’m here, the vegetarian sandwich is the curried jackfruit, which is tasty, but not so amazing as to warrant repeat visits. The naan is tender and buttery and the texture and flavor of the jackfruit are nice (surprisingly «meaty») but the other toppings, like the mango chutney and garlic sauce totally overpower the other flavors. Also, the garlic sauce seems to have increased in funkiness over time to an unpleasant degree. A bit of funk = A-​OK. Stinky cheeses, kombucha, sour beers — all in my wheelhouse, but the last time I had this sandwich, the garlic sauce was toe curling.
It gets pretty crowded here, so time your visits strategically. For lunch on the weekdays, it seems like you can easily get a table if you’re there by 11:30am or after 2pm. I haven’t been able to find the weekend sweet spot — it may not exist. I’m told that if you’re there for the burger, the wait is worth it. As for me, I plan to continue checking the posted menu periodically, hoping for a dazzling new vegetarian option.

It’s hard to describe Duke’s Grocery. First off, don’t read too much into the name. Duke’s is definitely not a grocery store or bodega. Beyond that, things get murky. Is it a bar? Pub? Café? Club? Restaurant?
The décor can best be described as retro hipster. It’s also very casual and seems to attract neighborhood regulars. The vibe is light and laid back. The service reflects the vibe as our server, who was also the bartender, was chill, friendly and very accommodating. Despite being slammed with customers, he made a point to ensure every customer got personalized attention.
We tried the Chickpea and Green Chili Hummus as well as the Proper Burger.
The Hummus was good, but not great. The best part was probably the pita bread, which was hot, moist and tender. The addition of green chili added a nice level of heat. Overall, the hummus offered decent flavors. I think the one issue is consistency of the hummus was a little off as it was on the dry side. It could have used some olive oil and a dash of lemon juice.
The Proper Burger is the signature item at Duke’s and something that has drawn raves. Generally, I’m skeptical of such hype, especially in DC where it seems like even the most mediocre things get pumped up for no reason. In this case, the Proper Burger was worth everything and then some. The burger consisted of Creekstone Farms Angus Beef, Melted Gouday, Dill Pickles, Charred Red Onion, Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, Rocket, and Garlic Aioli, served on a Brioche Bun. Just for good measure, I added avocado and egg. While some places struggle to turn a lot of elements into a cohesive burger, Duke’s excelled. The best thing about the burger was the patty, which was tender, juicy and flavorful. Each topping served a purpose to elevate the burger collectively as opposed to being overpowering.
Dare I say, this is probably one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. As much as I bash the DC area restaurant scene for their focus on quantity vs. quality, they are stacked with upscale burger options. Duke’s is high on those list of options, top three on my list. Dupont Circle can be a hike to get to and a pain to find parking, but that Proper Burger is the perfect motivation. I’ll be back!

I came here for the first time today, with a big group of coworkers. We had a reservation (apparently you need a reservation for lunch, which speaks to how popular this place is) and they were okay with the fact that we showed up with, like, five more people than we’d said there would be.
Apparently they have a lunchtime happy hour, which is awesome. Some wines and beers were $ 5.
The food was outstanding. I had the «sir» loin of steak, which was the best sandwich I’d had in a really, really long time. Steak, brie cheese, sun dried tomato spread… I’d eat it again right now if I could. Many in my group got the proper burger and raved about it. I’ll have to try that one next time.

Today was my first trip to Duke’s with some girlfriends who have gone several times. We were just 3 and we were seated almost immediately which was surprising at 12:15 on a Sunday!
We sat out on the little patio. Great coffee, nice that they give you a water bottle to refill (and no ice which is pleasantly European). I got the burger (+bacon) and the Potato Boxty because the burger itself does not come with a side.
The burger was AMAZING. You get two meat patties and a ton of cheese and toppings, so to those who say it’s not worth the price because you don’t get a side – I must respectfully disagree. For a two-​patty burger in this city of this caliber, you should be paying more. Word of warning: the burger was on the rare-​Med rare side of things by default which is fine for me but if you don’t like your meat to be pinkish/​red you may want to speak up.
The food came out really quickly and our server was pretty busy so we ended up waiting a bit for boxes but that’s about the only negative I have!

Das Duke’s liegt in einer schönen Gegend und ist sowohl von außen, als auch von innen sehr interessant und gemütlich eingerichtet. Die Atmosphäre im ersten Stock ist sehr freundschaftlich und einladend, während es im zweiten Stock etwas ruhiger zugeht.
Die Speisekarte ist übersichtlich, bietet jedoch genügend Auswahl. Auf den Burger war ich sehr gespannt, da er von vielen als «bester Burger» gelobt wurde. Der Burger ist wirklich gut, allerdings kein «normaler» klassicher Burger, sondern eher etwas exotisch von den Zutaten. Auch die anderen Gerichte, die ich probiert habe, waren sehr gut.
Einziges Manko war der Service. Der war nicht schlecht, aber auch nicht super. Die Bedienung wirkte etwas gelangweilt und gab sich nicht übermäßig viel Mühe. Die Teller wurden einfach schnell abgeräumt, ohne zu fragen, wie und ob es geschmeckt hat.
Insgesamt ist der Laden wirklich nett und sehr einladend, um mit Freunden einen entspannten, netten Abend zu verbringen.