I stumbled across Good Stuff around 4 years ago with my first trip to DC and I was so happy to go back again this December. Simple and good at what they do, Good Stuff makes delicious burgers (of bovine and poultry and veggie variety) and great sides to go along. You really can't go wrong with anything that they make and a personal favorite is the milkshakes. I've had the regular burger before and this time the hot chicken sandwich (a southern speciality) that left me dreaming of trips back to Tennessee. read more

Good idea, but falls short on execution. Came here expecting amazing gourmet burgers and left a little disappointed. I got the McCain Burger not because of political affiliation but because of the Southwest-themed toppings on the burger. In addition My husband and I shared some Village fries and a toasted marshmallow shake. While the burger was moist and well cooked, the size was small and the corn salsa was sparse and too much chipotle mayo for my taste. Shake was very good with a blend of marshmallow and vanilla bean taste. The ultimate downfall of this meal was the fries. While I liked the idea of garlic and herbs on my fries, I do not want anyone to dump McCormick's dried spices on top of my greasy brown paper bag of fries. Moderation and mix it up people! Oh and make better fries in the first place. Went here for a small get-together with the Burger Brigade, and the good times and good company made for an enjoyable time despite the meh burgers. Wouldn't go out of my way to come back here. read more

The burgers here are great. It is a bigger party than you would get at similar places (Shake Shack etc). If you're up near the Capitol building, it is worth the stop. read more

"Meh". Yep, I think the burgers really are just "meh". I usually judge a burger on the (probs unfair, but) "Five-Guys-Scale". And on the FGS, this really doesn't hold a candle. It's a fine cheeseburger, but nothing special, and certainly nothing $6-7 special. It's true, their shakes are good, but I didn't loose my mind or anything. Honestly, I'd almost rather have a Frosty. I know - that's a burn. Also, the music is waaay too loud and the service was strange. When you go up there to give them your beeper to pick up your food, they act like you should know what comes next. No eye contact, and rude. I really wanted to give Good Stuff 3 stars, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. So I'd try again, and hope for a 3-star upgrade, but I'd get the mushroom burger or something possibly more interesting. read more

Not gonna lie, I had to go because I'm an avid Top Chef viewer and a lover of Spike's culinary work. Oh, and I love gooey, greasy, bad-for-you burgers. *For all of you snobby foodies out there, I will note a disclaimer: No, the meat probably isn't prime or aged, but let me tell you, with this burger it doesn't really matter. If you want high caliber meat go to Fleming's, and leave the nondescript joints for those who don't mind getting a little dirty! My overall experience was a memorable one without a doubt. The rather small eatery was crammed full of people who looked as if they hadn't seen food in a year, the insanely awesome smell of french fries was billowing through the air, and the sound of meat sizzling behind the counter was music to my ears. I went with a group of people, but we were lucky enough to secure some spots at the bar along the front windows. The relatively short wait for my food made me feel like I was 20 years old again, frantically awaiting the day I could legally consume alcohol... Finally, order's up! Just the way it looked - cheese melting down all sides, bun delicate and fresh, and the mushy brown fries pilled high - made me smile from ear to ear. I ordered the "good stuff melt". A deliciously juicy piece of meat covered with muenster and cheddar cheese, sweet caramelized onions, seasoned sauteed mushrooms, and then doused with good stuff sauce - no clue what in the hell the latter is comprised of it, but it was tasty and completed the burger. And the fries, holy fries. Slightly burned, yet magically mushy...just how I like 'em. Oh, and did I mention there are about 5 different flavored mayos for dipping them in? From traditional to spicy to Asian-inspired, every fry wants to be dunked...trust me. I do not really have a sweet tooth, so I did without a milkshake. However, from my friends' raves over the toasted marshmallow milkshake - and just how aesthetically pleasing it looked - I would venture to try one next time. Good Stuff Eatery - the name really doesn't do the place justice. I would prefer something along the lines of: Damn Good Stuff Eatery, or Delicious Stuff Eatery. I guess Spike is just more humble than I am... read more

Sadly, Good Stuff is swarmed with seersucker and khaki-clad staffers in August and the line will be long. Can we say Congressional recess? If your expectations are not falsely inflated, you will be happy with Good Stuff. Good Stuff Eatery is an excellent addition to the Capitol Hill neighborhood and hedges its bets - a little too pricey for lunch, a little cheaper for dinner. Gourmet burger = gourmet price. It's pricey for what you're getting, but it's much better than any other fast food joint. Eg. milkshakes are $5, but where else will you get a toasted marshmallow milkshake? Their burger portions are not huge (this isn't 5 guys), but every bite is wonderful. I am a basic girl - bacon, cheese, burger, yum! However, I don't like what their sauce does to the bread. Or the bread could be a little sturdier. Their fries are a little on the salty side, and are not so much crispy as flavorful (especially if you get them with rosemary and thyme!). I would come here for the dipping mayonaises alone: siracha, mango, old bay (too salty!) and chipotle - Chipotle is by and far the best, and if they just sold it by the bottle... Milkshake, burger and fries are waaaay too much food. And will set you back about $16. Swap out the milkshake for a beer if you don't have to go back to work. Don't think about it, and just pick two of the three if you don't want a a triple bypass. There's a basic pager/pickup system for your food. Go up the sandblasted wood stairs and grab a seat while you wait. Or chat with Spike's dad, who usually mans the front. read more

Don't come here if you do not want a greasy foodgasmic experience which is simply dubbed as "the Good Stuff." Don't come here if you don't want a greasy-hot-juicy hamburger and well-seasoned spike's village fries all over your face, which you can then subsequently wash down with amazing milkshakes (the toasted marshmellow s'mores one won some Food Network competition). And most definitely don't come here if you want the most epic and greatest food coma nap ever. Pro tip: Get every single mayo and tons of napkins. And proceed to pour sauce and fries everywhere, including into your mouth. You will have a great night. read more

So, I've been holding off on this review until I actually ate a real meal here instead of just getting a milkshake after a meal elsewhere. However, after numerous trips with no savory food ordered, I've decided that I should just accept the fact, that this place is only a dessert stop for me and write/rate solely off of the sweet treats Good Stuff offers. From the five stars, no doubt you all already know that I endorse the shake menu wholeheartedly, so the rest of this review will therefore only be used to rave in detail about just how much I love those sipable, slurpable, and suckable treats. My visits Good Stuff are normally begun with a spur-of-the-moment decision that I MUST have a milkshake. I won't say how this particularly intense craving is usually induced, but I'm sure some of you won't need many guesses to get the answer. ;) Anyway, when one such craving comes over me, all other plans are pushed down the list to put "Milkshake" at the very tip top. It's a serious matter that if not taken seriously by individuals in my current circle has sent me into childlike tantrums...yep...VERY serious matter people! When baby wants a milkshake, baby wants a milkshake!! My go to is normally the Salty Caramel Kiss. This combination is brilliant, yet so many sweeteries just don't find the delicate balance between the two flavors in their recipes, and this in turn leads to my 0 star face (see profile photos). So very thankfully, Good Stuff does not at all miss the mark in the salty sweet area. The Salty Caramel Kiss shake is truly a display of perfection on how to marry those two flavors. I recently tried the famous Toasted Marshmallow, and I feel very comfortable being labeled a fan of that shake along with the rest of the DC population. For the most part, I enjoyed that shake thoroughly; I just have one complaint. While sipping, no, sucking like there's no tomorrow on the Toasted Marshmallow, I found myself loving the marshmallowy sweetness, yet kind of wanting more of that charred sugar taste. Now, I am one of those people who all but burn away marshmallows in a campfire, so this is the reason for my wanting more of a burnt flavor in the shake. Those who like a light toasting, I'm sure will have no problem with the flavor. Good Stuff wins my vote for best munchie satisfying sweetery on Capital Hill. The next time you find yourself craving something sweet to suck on, know that Good Stuff has exactly what you need. read more

OK Stuff. About 10 of us walked in here recently at lunch time during the week. Amazingly there was no line. We ordered and waited. Got the little buzzer. Chef Jake or Buck or Deek - sorry I cannot remember his name handed us the bag of goodies itself. The kids recognized him. For something that contained 10 sets of burgers and fries it was kinda small. " Is it all in there?" I asked " Yeah dude, we got it." And they did, well , one chicken sandwich was missing but we got it. They serve beer, tremendous burgers and it is a buzzing spot. I really enjoyed it - especially as we scored the massive table upstairs for our crew. It's long thin room and it was tough to see the golf on the TV in the front. Of course CNN or CSPAn or whatever was on in the back, but hell,m that descirbes every bar and restaurant in this city. As we were eating Deek's Dad came out and said hello and recommended the kid size malts. We got them and the kids absolutely loved them. I like the fact that Dad was nice to the kids and they were the only kids in a place where it is clearly in most Capitol Hill job descriptions to go there for lunch. A few tables and chairs outside on the street - but they were tough to get on, and a fin selection of condiments served with the food. All good indeed. read more

This place has the taco bell effect...ya know....tastes so good going down but then you feel miserable for hours afterwards. I am still in a food coma from my meal 5 hours ago. I'd say that my poor little body is losing the fight against the fat and grease from my meal. That being said, the punishment my body goes through after a meal here is almost worth it because the Spike's Sunnyside is so damn good. Beef burger, bacon, cheese, fried egg...it's basically a heart attack on a bun. They should probably give out Lipitor prescriptions with every order. The plain sea salt fries are pretty tasty with the mango mayo. It has a whole salty-sweet thing going on. However, the fries with the herbs were pretty vile. They were covered with a pile of herbs so it was like digging through a pile of weeds to find each french fry. I would suggest avoiding the Michelle Melt. The time I got that burger, it tasted like an entire lemon, peel and all, fell into the turkey meat. It was one of the worst things I've ever put in my mouth. Our first lady would be ashamed to be associated with this burger. TL;DR: Place has taco bell effect. Get the Spike's Sunnyside. Avoid Michelle Melt and herbed fries unless you like eating whole lemons or piles of weeds. read more

Stars: 0 because I was not allowed to express my opinion on how I felt about this place. Not sure what to say about this place since when we got there after the Nats game. (Damn hot it was) and after walking more than I wanted to have a burger but this was a place I wanted to check out and well I was with two of my favorite people so the walk was well worth it. Till we got there along with about 10 other people including 2 police officers (not happy either can I tell you) Several people walked up to the window to look in as Spike was in there with several of the staff getting ready for the Top Chef Event going on tonight and tomorrow! I would say good luck Spike but I think you are going need more than Luck here in DC - We are picky and finicky eaters and even though you are new and I am always willing to give the newbies a chance as I have opened several restaurants in my time and totally understand working out the kinks but closing down and not putting anything on your website saying you are shutting down to host your friends from Top Chef. ( I would have understood and tried you another time) I really wanted you to succeeded but if this is the way you are going to run your business not sure you are going to make it in the long run and I have to say that makes me SAD! read more

Once as a small child I burned a cake. I thought that if I just turned the oven up to 500 it would cook faster and was devastated by the blackened result. Rather than fess up I figured I would just cover the whole thing with tons and tons of frosting. No worries, it still tasted terrible. Why am I telling you this story you may wonder? While eating the village fries at Good Stuff Eatery I was reminded of it. They just took fries that were truly disgusting and figured that if they threw enough herbs on it no one would notice. Well, I did. So did everyone else that was eating there. Those herbs were so overpowering that I had to find fries without the herbs and realized that they were gross as well... The burger itself was alright, but on the small side. Seeing as I couldn't even eat my fries, I didn't leave full. Anytime I leave a burger place I should feel so full that I might die and if that doesn't happen, I can't say it's great. read more

If you have watched Top Chef ever, then you basically have to come here, just to say you did. Yes, this is Spike's restaurant from Top Chef and when we went here he was there and we had a nice little conversation with him! Nice guy! Even if he wasn't always so nice when he was on the show! And his dad works here too! And hands you your food, which I think is pretty cute. This place usually has a line of some sort, probably because it is Spike's restaurant. It was known for having an Obama and McCain burger, and I went here during obama mania and they had the obama burger on their menu so of course that is what i got. Meat with blue cheese and these super taste caramelized onions, but I really think that Spike, you need to add some arugula onto this burger!! And maybe increase the size a little bit??? The burgers are not that big for what you pay. For my boyfriend and I both getting burgers and splitting an order of fries (which by the way are super tasty, and they have different dipping sauces so it is like a fry party!!) and getting a drink it was about $25 which for lunch and a burger joint is kinda pricey....so maybe a little more meat??? But the flavor is all there, so good job on that Spike!!! read more

Ok, I'll be honest. I came here with friends specifically because this was Spike's place. Yes, I wanted to be close to reality television celebrity, because my own life is just that sad and boring. The line The line is long, oh so long. We waited for a while outside the restaurant, and then inside the restaurant, and so on. Hopefully, this will get better as everyone calms down. The Assembly WHY?! Ok, I get that the place was swamped with hungry (and in our case, slightly to very drunk) customers demanding their food. But when the line marches right by where you're making the food...AND we see you pre-making burgers to sit under a heat lamp until they're needed?!? That's just poor planning. Maybe the burgers will be freshly made after the giant crowds?! But should I just never come here whenever this place looks crowded? Gaaaaaah. If people are paying that much for the burger, again, better planning is going to be needed so they don't feel like they're overpaying for a McDonald's burger. The Food Again, I'm going to blame this on the rush, and hope they pull their act together. Most people agreed that the burger was better than a McDonald's burger. On the other hand, it was not five times better than a McDonald's burger, although that's how much more expensive it is. Most of the burgers were overcooked, I assume because they were sitting there (continuing to cook on the insides while waiting). The fries were not bad; I throughly enjoyed them--although this was mainly due to the dipping sauce. I think the fries could also have been a bit crisper and less lukewarm...but again, we'll blame it on the rush. The Dipping Bar The saving grace of this entire place. Seriously. I would come here to order fries just to use the dipping bar. The glory of this place is twofold. Firstly, not many places have caught onto the mayo and fries deliciousness. Secondly, places that have tend to overcharge you (see Granville Moore and their charging $1 per teeny portion of sauce). Here at Good Stuff Eatery, its all freeeeeeeeee! Again, the saving grace. Spike Appeared stressed out, but was friendly. Made nice conversation with the friend who was drunk. Did not laugh in her face when she proceeded to ask assorted questions. I wonder if anyone ever asks him about the scallops? The Confession Feeling as if we'd overpaid for everything else, I took 8 containers of dipping sauce home to use for myself. That's some good sauce. read more

Moldy buns, undercooked food, no restaurant grade regulated floors, long wait, slow service, expired milk in milkshakes. Do not eat here at any cost!!! If I can rate it 0 stars I would read more

Kori K. suggested Welshie and I meet her and Jim B. there last night to watch Top Chef. Since I was gently housed by the nine White Russians I had at my office holiday party and was at home by 9 twiddling my inebriated thumbs, smoking inside like a bad girl, it sounded like a great idea. We rolled up a little early and ordered. I got the Good Stuff Melt and D. got the Farmhouse (no cheese). The Fuddrucker-like ordering process was irritating. You order, get a buzzer, go sit down, come back and get your food. We even had to do this for a milkshake we ordered later. Seriously? It wasn't a huge sin or anything, just annoying, especially when you are a bit, how shall I say this? Drunk. My burger was good, and I adored the sriracha sauce on the table. It went perfectly with my juicy, albiet small, burger. I think the value here isn't the best, but I hold Five Guys as my burger pinnacle. FG's burgers are a bit bigger, a hell of a lot tastier and better-priced. However, two burgers and two Blue Moons for $23 doesn't seem outlandish to me. It's just that you can finish that burger in about eight bites. D. and I both thought the excessive paper use was a bit much. Paper on the trays, paper around your burgers, then they came in a paper bag. I mean it's not very "green" is it? But I suppose Five Guys does the same thing. It just seems unnecessary to serve the food on a tray AND a bag. It almost came off as if Good Stuff did some market research and took the worst of what's around (see, Fuddrucker's ordering method, FG's bagging method and Elevation Burger's pricing). The milkshake was passable, I got a plain chocolate one. I saw lots of girls with vanilla and chocolate syrup shakes, and one that looked like banana and chocolate syrup. I'm into trying one of those varieties at a later date. The place was pretty packed. Kori and Jim showed up right before 10, as having ordered a pizza for a certain Derby-topped someone on the premises delayed them a wee bit. Kori ordered the village fries, which I of course sampled. They were really good, I thought, and the accompanying sauces were delicious and varied. Not exactly what a fry-lover would be craving, I'd imagine, but they were sort of kicked up a notch with herbs and lots of sea salt. Watching Top Chef here was fun. Even if i did own a TV, I'd be back to watch it at Good Stuff again. I'm coming back to try the o-rings, another burger (maybe the five napkin? which I think might actually need to be named the five-bite) and another flavor of shake. read more

Holy Mother of Pearl. Food: After reading some fairly dispassionate reviews I wasn't expecting the party in my mouth that is Good Stuff Eatery. Seriously guys? Too salty? Too greasy? These are burgers and fries we are talking about. The last time I checked the word fries connoted that something had been fried, which by definition requires oil. I ordered the Michelle Melt turkey burger (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=8FzNLsh0bbP5xfi9j9rNAQ) with a kid's Mini Moo sour strawberry milkshake (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=xoSHGhRczwtWepb0ogVlLg). The burger was juicy and tender. I have never before felt such an intimate connection with turkey. The shake was pretty big for the cheaper kid's version. I was still working on it a good hour after starting (although I did eat and drink a bunch of other things in between). I also scarfed down a good portion of the thyme, rosemary, and sea salt fries (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=rZDYD45BDcgpXxVNobdQ0g), as well as the sea salt only fries (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=aM4c-ywL1SQdvR4mFJ2EZQ). To top off the experience, they have several kinds of mayo in a dispenser on the first level including chipotle and mango, (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=A6z9133qLL5WfXEP1Ztg7g, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=XoRq9qLwXUBDriqjO7Ks9Q). It's weird that so many people who I went with actually didn't like the food here. They thought that the burgers were too moist and the fries weren't crispy enough. Honestly, I couldn't really believe it. I think their expectations were too high because this restaurant is owned by some guy on a reality tv show, but when you compare it to a normal burger joint it really just blows the competition out of the water. Atmosphere: There are two levels to this bright and airy restaurant. The immaculate bathroom is on the top along with a lot of other seating. Order on the bottom level. There's a lot of American-themed paraphernalia like flags and mementos from the White House, not to mention their giant cowbell logo (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/M_duatTMdDsNtQJQJcLOtw?select=0XnPATC6LCzZSDAjrhZt9Q). Service: What you'd expect from a fast food joint. Synopsis: Yummers. read more

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The Obama burger was out of this world incredible and my wife really enjoyed the Michelle Melt (turkey burger with cheese)... Kids loved their cheese burgers with pickles and Oreo milkshakes. I had the toasted marshmallow shake (something complete outside of my wheelhouse) and it was really good! The burgers didn't look too appetizing as we took them from their greasy wrappers looking all smashed, but one bite and we were all sold on them. SUGGESTIIN: I'd try to find a table upstairs first and then send someone from your party back downstairs to order. This place is a "must do" when in DC. read more

Ok, so we crashed the friends and family soft opening. Whoops. (We are literally so dumb that we missed the huge PRIVATE EVENT signs until we were in the restaurant -- the girl at the door was super-nice and let us in anyway.) The food is really excellent. Fries better than Five Guys, burgers at least as good. It was a smaller subset of the menu on offer, so we tried the Uncle D's Chili and Cheddar Burger (so good I had to go get a fork to finish the chili) and the Farmhouse Bacon Cheese. We're really anxious to try the Spike's 5 Napkin, which is on a brioche bun with an egg on it. Spike mentioned that it was one of his favorite items on the menu. The famous toasted marshmallow shake is as good as the hype. I could taste a little coconut in there to give it some of the "toasted" flavor, and Spike confided that he puts a little yogurt in, too. If the lines calm down next week, we're going again so I can have a full-size one of these babies. The marshmallow dropped in the shake is a nice touch. Everything in this restaurant is carefully thought out. Spike is a master marketeer, something we didn't necessarily see on the show. The graphic design is superb, the space is nicely laid out to maximize on a fairly narrow footprint. Finally, the nicest touch were the several handmade mayos available for the fries. I sincerely hope this wonderful European tradition finally takes off in the US -- I love mayo on fries! The mango mayo was my favorite, although I also tried the old bay mayo and chipotle mayo and those didn't disappoint. Only the thyme- and rosemary-seasoned Spike's Village Fries were available at this event, and those were a *little* complicated flavor-wise when paired with the more heavily seasoned mayos. But they were still great and will taste perfect with the plain fries. So definitely go -- the opening is set for July 7th! And thanks again to the Good Stuff crew for letting us crash your party! read more

First, the "positives". The burger here was alright, not amazing. It was a lot smaller than I expected, but it's not bad. I got to see Spike which was interesting - a C? D? list celebrity, I suppose, if reality show contestants can be considered celebrities. The cashier was friendly as was the line chef I talked to. I find the cow logo to be adorable, and the giant cowbell made me smile. Mango mayo is great - until now, I haven't found it anywhere besides Pomme Frites in NYC. Negatives. The village fries were gross. Over salted, over-seasoned, I only ended up eating a couple before giving up. One of my most favorite foods are fries, and screwing them up is a cardinal sin. It's hard to mess up a french fry...and yet it can be done. (So sad) read more

Eh, not so much.... The good: the fries and the variety of sauces to dunk/drown em. (Notice I didnt say great kids, the fries are only good.) The also good: you can get a beer here. The bad: You can also get a beer at the Tune Inn, The Hawk and Dove, the Cap Lounge, the Pour House etc etc. And you can get burgers at those spots on par with, or I suspect, better than the one offered here -- scratch that -- the burger at H&D is consistently excellent -- this place couldnt carry that burger's umm, shoes... Which gets us to... The worst: The burger. Bun ala McDonalds - seriously, I thought the bun was from MC Dee's. And the burger wasnt especially hot, tasty or fresh -- all kinda requirements in my world. Hate to be a hater, but I wont miss this place if it goes... read more

All these reviews and not one person has used "Spike, please pack your knives and go"? Wow, I was so shocked I had to double-check my search. I wonder if that makes you all cooler than me since I would have loved to use that phrase if I didn't enjoy my meal at Good Stuff Eatery. Unfortunately I did enjoy it, so I won't be using that or any other catchphrase in this review. I promise. So I had to go to Good Stuff Eatery to see if this place was in, or was it out? Well, the tribe has spoken, and Good Stuff Eatery has good stuff to eat. Yes, the burgers may not be as large as the massive HellBurgers of Rays, but they won't have you asking where's the beef, either. We saw Spike hanging out around the counter, totally available to chat, so if you want you can go up to him and say Whaassupp!! Ay caramba, it does get packed in there, but don't have a cow man, because once you get to the counter, they'll quickly book em Danno, and give you a little beeper for when your order is ready. We went upstairs, found a table pretty easily, and before we knew it, we were called to Come on Down, we were the next customers to get our food. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and the Village Fries did not disappoint. They are a little soggy, but nicely seasoned, and come with a bunch of different sauces that are simply, dyn-o-mite! The srichacha sauce was one spicy a-meatball, and the Chipotle sauce was great too. I've got to say to the Old Bay sauce though, you are the weakest link...goodbye. My girlfriend got the Portobello burger, because homey don't play that when it comes to beef. Not exactly a healthy alternative since it was bursting at the seams with cheese,...so definitely tastes great, but not exactly less filling. I got the patty melt, and not only did it look mahvelous, it was delicious too. If you come to Good Stuff Eatery with the simple expectation of getting a great burger,...you got it dude. They are well cooked and seasoned with really high quality ingredients, but don't expect to come in and not pay a lot for this muffler. Show me the money, because it definitely is expensive for a quick bite to eat in a crowded, noisy establishment. But it's fun for Top Chef fans like myself, and I liked my meal, so I'd give it two thumbs up. Is this my final answer,...no, I still need to try the milkshakes. But, to those who'd like to tell Spike "you're fired",...whatch you talking bout Willis? read more

Pros: In the toasted marshmallow shake, there are actual toasted marshmallows floating! The dulce de leche shake's sticky thickness may not work well with thin straws, but the caramel decadence is worth the effort. You can dip the fries in mayo! Choose from Chipotle mayo, Sriracha mayo, Mango mayo... The staff are super nice. On a recent cold day, one staff member was opening the front door and personally welcoming each customer. The upstairs has plasma TVs, so you and your friends can comment wittily on the latest headlines while you eat. Cons: The fries are too soft. (They're nicely seasoned though). The prices are high. (I recently ordered salad, shake, and fries: the bill came to more than $17 in all). read more

Still a four star, but wanted to add that I finally got a chance to try the Village Fries. Whoever it was that wrote that fries are indeed soggy but so are Five Guys fries, is entirely right. I loved the Village Fries, I really liked the spices, you didn't actually need the dipping sauces, but that didnt' stop me from eating the hell out of the chipotle sauce. read more

Sure, I'll admit it: I went here because Spike owns it. He's easy on the eyes and there's something about his swagger that gets me. There. Ya happy? Onto the food: It's good. I went with the farmhouse cheese burger. I wish it wasn't with American cheese, but whatever. The burger was fresh, the bun was tasty (that's what he said), and I loved the random dips to accompany the fries. Did it blow my mind? No. But it was pretty good for what I was craving and that's all that mattered to me. read more

Years ago I told my mother I had decided to become a vegetarian while still living in Texas and under her roof. My mother looked at me and said, "Stacy, we are carnivorous in this family. You can eat meat, or you can eat nothing." I ate peanut butter for two years. I am pretty sure if she experienced the veggie burger at Good Stuff, she may have thought differently. While it certainly cannot be healthy, it was pretty fantastic. How could you go wrong with a "meaty" portebello mushroom that is stuffed with cheese, battered and fried into a pattie? It was sort of amazing. I actually gave up being a vegetarian years ago and this burger made me think it would be possible to convert back to my herbivore days. While I normally keep it healthy and would never get a milkshake, my eyes bugged out of my head when I saw the milkshakes. They looked too good to pass up. Two thumbs up for the toasted marshmallow milkshake and my lack of self control. Pretty sure this place was so good I'll be trying not to go back...unless Spike wants to go on a date with me. read more

Everyone that knows me is aware that I will park myself in front of Bravo and watch for hours. Even that stupid Top Design show, where the contestants didn't do anything real. So when I heard that my (in)famously food-bereft city of DC was getting Spike from Top Chef, I freaked out. I was so excited. My Hill friends told me that there were lines out the door for lunch. And burgers, fries and shakes? I win. Had some friends from out of town with me, so I figured this was a good time as any to give Good Stuff a shot. Their website is impeccable, loved how they were describing the product. I had high expectations, due to both Spike's celebrity and the delicious burger offerings on the menu. I emailed the restaurant to see if they take reservations, and got an email back the same day from Micheline, who was extremely nice and said no, we don't take reservations but we've added a ton of seating for inauguration. Sweet. Especially with 7 of us meeting up at the restaurant, I was concerned. We showed up, and the place was buzzing. The "inauguration menu" was up, which included an Obamaburger, but not willing to acquiesce to Obama-mania, I ordered the turkey burger, village fries and a chocolate shake. I realize that we live in a capitalistic society and the city was about to be flooded with people for our first black President, but jacking up the already none-too-cheap prices seemed a little excessive. I don't think I've ever paid $7 for a milkshake in my life (inauguration price advertised at $6, but the price in the computer said $7). The burger, shake and fries ran me about $21, which I felt was completely excessive. And this ain't no Ray's Hell Burger, people. My turkey burger was frankly, tiny. I'm lucky to have found it in the bag. I'd say about 4 inches in diameter, no larger than my palm. The burger itself was dense and juicy, but had an overwhelming flavor of lemon (I'd imagine lemon pepper, or an overzealous squeeze of lemon juice). The bun was forgettable, some kind of oat bread that wasn't toasted. And I think it might have been good to order lettuce and tomato to be put on it, as mine didn't have any. The fries were oily, undersalted and soggy, and my chocolate shake had so much malt in it that it didn't taste like chocolate at all. Well, at least it was chocolate colored? And I've never paid so much for a shake in my life, and not gotten the extra little bit of milkshake in the silver cup! Although we didn't have trouble getting seating, and the food came quickly enough, the quality of the food is not enough to warrant a $21 meal. The ambiance is more In n Out (California reference, sorry) than Old Ebbit's, and to top it all off, the end of the night was punctuated by girls screaming. And standing on chairs. On the second floor dining area, there was a mouse jumping around and causing terror. To his credit, Spike himself came upstairs, signature hat in tow, and was chasing the rodent, trying to trap it under a burger basket (unsuccessfully). My friends and I took that as our cue to leave, and as we passed by him on our way out, Spike smiled at us ruefully and said "Thanks for stopping by, guys." So, despite all the hype, and Spike's obvious talent as a food-smith, Good Stuff has a lot to work on, including how their registers are programmed and some pest-control issues. I may have given it 2 stars, but the mouse just turned me off of the place. I'm sure all kinds of disgusting things happen in restaurants all the time, but having a mouse loose in the second floor dining area, when all the kitchen and trash areas were downstairs, is just really disturbing. My man and I now refer to this place as "Mouseburgers." We won't be heading back, especially with the Capitol Hill location (kinda off the beaten path). read more

Dirty, hot, and unprofessional staff sums it up. I went to Good Stuff on Labor Day expecting a great experience and wonderful hamburger. Boy has this place gone down hill. It started with me arriving at 1110am (they open at 11) to find a line of four people waiting to order because the cashier was still counting her drawer. There didn't seem to be any management around concerned by this (it actually looked like the manager was conducting an interview out front). Once she was finally ready to take orders she didn't apologize for the delay or seem at all concerned. The upstairs seating area was even hotter than it was outside. It was extremely unpleasant. Also, the bathroom was filthy. Considering they just opened, it surprised me that nobody cleaned it overnight. I ordered the steakhouse burger which was decent, but not great. The fries were soggy and greasy. There are definitely better places to get a burger in DC. I wouldn't waste your time with this place. read more

Solely three stars because the milkshakes are A-mazing. Other than that it sounds good on paper. The burgers are a little small and spending 17 bucks on fast food alarms me. P.S. The mini-moo is more than enough milkshake for one gal. It it definitely brings all the boys to the yard... read more

This place didn't knock my socks off, and certainly didn't make me start becoming burger obsessed as DC seems to be at the moment. I had the cheeseburger (eek! Mayo galore), village fries (I have had this seasoning before.....can't place it.), and the toasted marshmallow shake. The shake was good, so rich in fact I couldn't even finish it. But all this for 16 dollars? It was certainly more than I want to pay in these financial times for a burger and fries--and an average burger and fries at that. read more

Spike Mendelsohn had the right idea when he named this place GOOD STUFF eatery. I've had this place on my radar ever since I first came to DC and finally stumbled upon it on a random Saturday afternoon. Such an instance automatically put me at risk of overhyping the burgers and shakes here in my head, but I'm happy to say that it really didn't disappoint. As people have noted, this is an order at the counter, get your beeper, and come back to pick it up once you're burger's been assembled, which works well for this eatery because it really isn't a very big space. Most seating is upstairs with maybe 15 small tables. I came in the middle of the afternoon, so there wasn't quite as much traffic but I'd imagine it's a pain in the butt to find seating during prime lunch hour. Regardless, the burgers and fries here are off the wall. I had the Obama Burger (I love how even the food is political themed in DC) which was heavenly. With a soft brioche bun, tangy roquefurt cheese, thick cut bacon, and a juicy drippin' beef patty, this burger compelled me to scarf it up like a stray dog that's been given prime rib. My buddies and I also gave Spike's Village fries a go -- one of the best choices of the day. Although the little paper pocket they put the fries in looked disappointing at first, it was simply a strategic method to surprise both our minds and tastebuds. Those little pockets hold enough fragrant meaty fries for a party of 2 or 3 to share (insert Harry Potter reference here). While they weren't particularly crispy, these fries make up for it by being filled with a healthy dose of hot fluffy potato and being as fragrant as an herb garden (Spike doesn't skimp on the thyme and rosemary!). The only small disappointment was the cookies and cream milkshake, which, while they did throw in whole cookies, was a bit thin. Don't think these milkshakes will be bringing too many boys to the yard. Despite the slightly disappointing milkshake, Good Stuff is worth the trip if you're tired of the same old burger. It's a wonder that our politicians on the Hill aren't chubbier with all these Good Stuff nearby. read more

As a true foodie I have always been up front and honest about my experiences. This one really takes the cake. I walked into this tiny take out space with noticing some health and safety issues (see pictures). While standing in line I notice the beef and turkey patties tray over top of a operational sink. Then looking at the cooks cell phones on he prep area, a dirt computer modem and the cooks Starbucks Shake that he was of and on drinking disturbed me. Sir, that is what breaks are for!!! Although I did order my food a burger well done and spikes village fries I can not get over the un slightly ness of A public health write up which if I were still in the business It was be clearly a citation. Word of advice Spike, get lockers for your employees for the cell phones, Starbucks shakes and employees food items should be stored away from food prep areas and other personal items. Employees use of gloves a must and clean the prep area up. I don't think I would be back. PERIOD read more

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i love burgers. i love milkshakes. i love top chef. i love spike mendelsohn. the trip to good stuff is definitely worth it, even if you go once, just to say you've been there. the five-napkin burger (which goes by a new name now) is where it's at. burger, bacon, cheese, fried egg. all sitting atop a soft, buttery brioche bun (my favorite). in all honesty, the burger was so delicious, i had to close my eyes every time i took a bite. i went with the village fries, which were good, but there was rosemary and thyme overload. the herbs were getting into my dipping mayos and i felt like they were better alone or with ketchup, which was a little disappointing. the herb-to-fry ratio was too much for me, and dusting off my fries before each bite got boring, and fast. i think i'm going with the regular fries next time so i can enjoy the different mayos. personally, the sriracha mayo was my favorite. it was so zesty and the perfect addition to anything. chipotle came in second. the mango mayo wasn't bad, either. finally, you CANNOT leave until you've gotten the toasted marshmallow milkshake for dessert. well, i suppose unless you're lactose intolerant..but still. i'd give up a night of easy dairy digestion for this thing. i don't think i've ever had a better milkshake. it tasted like good times at a bonfire sans all the mess. and a bonfire. the place is clean but always busy, and for good reason. i'd definitely make the trip down for the food again. read more

Good Stuff Eatery - spike's 5 napkin burger and spike's village fries. - Burgers Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Surprisingly, 3.5 stars. I expected to hate this place. We strolled in about 9:15 on a Thursday night, waited in line a couple of minutes, placed our order with a very friendly and competent guy, and sampled the flavored dips while waiting 10 minutes for our order (I can see how the main floor could become quite congested during peak hours). Plenty of seating (next to be-suited boys from the Hill) upstairs, and some strange programs on the televisions. So far, so good. After a couple of comments about the size of the burgers (deceptively small to the eye), and disappointment that the sandwiches had been smashed before being wrapped, we eagerly turned to eating. The 5 Napkin burger, rechristened the House Special (or something equally innocuous), truly warranted a pile of napkins for its savory, chewy bacon, oozing yolks, and loving spoonful of special sauce. The Obama burger's caramelized onion topping, bacon, and blue cheese tasted wonderful together, better than the individual ingredients, and the fresh meat had a nice pinkness in the center. The 'Shroom burger was smoking! hot! from the fryer! and needed to steam for a few minutes before it could be consumed. The portobellos were nicely firm, though, and the mild cheese beautiful and gooey. Things were still going pretty well. Inevitably, we shifted to the village fries and the toasted marshmallow milkshake. Fragrant with rosemary and thyme, with dimensions that resembled the finest Belgian frites, I could see the fries wilting in the basket, burdened by the plight of commercialized potato production (I guess). They were far too soft, but I wanted to love them because they were perfectly seasoned, and because I couldn't justify eating the sriracha mayo (tangy, sweet, hot and garlicky goodness!) by itself and needed something to dip in it. Alas, they were unyielding in their mediocrity. The marshmallow shake was very sweet and filled with bits of marshmallow ( of course), but one companion commented that its flavor more closely resembled cotton candy. Overall, I enjoyed it, but do not feel the need to order it again. Good Stuff Eatery is on a level comparable to Five Guys, Elevation Burger, and In-n-Out. Gourmet it is not, but the seasoned fries, gratis dipping sauces, and designed burgers push it out of the traditional fast food league. I would return if I'm in the neighborhood, though it's a bit expensive for what you get. But, Spike has to pay the rent, one companion pointed out. Recommended-ish. read more

The bulk of my original review is still true... (See Below) But why the update then? Parking - IMPOSSIBLE! Take a colleague with you if you are driving. Have one person go in and another circle the block. During rush hour every shop around them gets deliveries and double park around the block. So even if you got a parking spot on the street in front of Good Stuff, there is no guarantee that you would be able to get out of it when you came back to your car. Ordering - We have ordered from here several times now. When you place an order for more than two burgers they ALWAYS screw it up. We came back 2 burgers short and 3 fries short this most recent trip. After several rounds of arguing with management after we discovered the mistake when we got back to the office they refunded part of the cost, but that did nothing for the number of hungry coworkers. The "Good Stuff" about food - I had the farmhouse cheese burger. Delicious high quality cheese burger. I am a fan of 5 Guys and found this to be less greasy, equally filing, and better tasting. I have fallen in love with the Portobello Mushroom burger also. It isn't healthier than their regular burger, I would argue, but it is delicious and filled with cheesey goodness. The Chipotle Mayo is FANTASTIC! I would eat it on anything I could get my hands on and the village fries (which are rosemary and something else) covered where great. The "Bad Stuff" about food - The fries weren't just soggy... they were like a mushy pile, like the consistency of poutine (for my Canadian friends) with too much gravy. In short, the soaked fries, which were steam soaked, were not necessarily greasy. We have officially decided in the office not to order from Good Stuff anymore because of the most recent experience. read more

Oh my gosh... Yesterday I came here & it was closed. I was crushed. So today I headed back, on a mission. It wasn't too busy, about a 5 minute wait, just long enough to decide what to order. I went with the smokehouse burger, mini village fries, a salty caramel shake, and a coke. I started with a sip of the shake. Even if everything else had been awful, that shake would still have made me happy that I came. Thick, just salty enough, great caramel flavor...effing AMAZING. The burger was next, I picked off the super soggy onion rings (boo) and bit into a moist & delicious meat festival. Bacony, cheesy, BBQ-y...heaven. the bun was a bit greasy, but who cares? It's a burger, not a tofu wrap. The fries? Disappointing. Soggy, not salty enough, and the rosemary tasted burnt. Thus, the -1 star. Sadface. All-in-all? I am Soooo glad I came. When planning my dc trip, this place was first on my list, and well well worth it. Thanks Spike! ;) read more

DC's best burger! Five Guys is ubiquitous and (now) my second favorite burger. Good Stuff's burger is every bit as good and it is more carefully constructed which gives it the edge. The fries are also awesome and the shakes wash it all down with frozen goodness. Try the toasted marshmallow shake! read more

The burgers are super greasy and fast-foodesque, which is fine if that's what you're looking for. The fries kind of sucked (lots of small overdone niblets), but the dipping sauces were interesting. I wanted to get a milkshake since I heard they are excellent, but I didn't think burgers, fries, beer, AND a milkshake would be a good combination before heading out for the evening. If you want a gourmet burger, Ray's is definitely better. read more

When I discovered this place had a toasted marshmallow shake, it immediately went on my list of places to go when visiting DC for the weekend. After walking 463 miles around the museums all day (ok, so not really but it sure felt like it), I was starving. We trekked the extra mile for this place in what seems to be the more historic part of DC. I wasn't disappointed! A small joint, not too busy when we stopped by at 4pm. We ordered two Prez Obama burgers, a Milky Way shake, and a toasted marshmallow shake. After paying, it dawned on me that another Yelper raved about the Village fries, so I placed a second order for the small fries. The orders came out within 7-8 minutes at the same time. Burgers were huge, juicy, and medium to medium rare, just how I like them. It was just like my dad makes them off the grill, but with yummy extras! Some yummy cheese I can't pronounce, sweet grilled onions, and a spicy horseradish mayo made this burger the BEST burger I've ever had. And for $7.25 it doesn't come close to the burgers we have back at home, which are at least $1-3 more. The fries lived up to the Yelper's review. Sprinkled with thyme, rosemary, and sea salt, they were delicious! I'm usually not a fry fan, but I pretty much the whole thing myself. Milky Way shake- yummy. Very sweet. Marshmallow shake definitely lived up to my every expectation. Not overly sweet. No fake marshmallow taste. And just a hint of smokiness at the end. I could almost imagine the charcoal on the outside of the marshmallow as I slurped it through my straw. I tried all of the homemade sauces- chipotle (the best), Old Bay (great), mango (good), and siracha (think spicy mayo for sushi and yummy). All I can say is, I wish we had this place where I lived! But I'm glad I joined the party while in DC! read more

I've eaten here a bunch of times and here's the run down: 1. ordering: go during the week to avoid a line. Ordering is slow. You get a buzzer circa 1995 after you order. You pickup your order in a paper bag that is stapled shut. The bag is then placed in a red plastic basket lined with wax paper. 2. Burgers: not bad, i usually go with a double patty. The ingredients are fresh. The patties are thinner than homemade/steakhouse style, but thicker than fast food. They cost $10. There are lots of crazy ingredients like a fried egg. Most of the burgers come with bacon, which I don't like. They are kind of greasy and the buns fall apart. However they taste god. 3. Fries: soggy and gross. Village fries are a horrible mess of yucky spice mix on soggy, greasy fries. 4. mayo bar: old bay, siracha, mango, and some other kind of mayo that I can't remember. Siracha is pretty dang good! I boosted this place a star just for that stuff. Note: there are siracha bottles all over the tables. I'm not a super fan of siracha, but the mayo mix is awesome. 5. Milkshakes: awesome. Expensive but awesome. Come with a giant straw. Major highlight of this place. 6. Space: downstairs there is a bar-type area, tables on the sidewalk outside. But upstairs is HUGE and great for big groups. There are TVs. Pretty solid setup. Strongly recommended for large groups. 7. Parking: street. 8. Speed: SLOW. They make everything after you order, resulting in soggy burgers that are made hastily, and taking forever. Even if you only order a milk shake it takes a while. The soggy burgers are really annoying but they are so flavorful that I can't complain too much. They should probably change bread, however. Overall, pretty solid choice for a fast food style burger. Will set you back over $10 for a burger and a drink. Milkshakes are $6+. read more