The Washington Post recently released its “10 Best Burgers in the D.C. Area” list and Montgomery County’s very own Steeze Burger was ranked the #1 burger in the area. It was the only MoCo burger to make the actual list, with burgers from Soko Butcher (Takoma Park) and Quarry House Tavern (Silver Spring) named as honorable mentions. After going back and trying some reader’s picks, write Tim Carman believes MoCo’s Sunshine Burger deserves a spot on the original list.
“The Sunshine burger deserves a spot on the original list. It checks all the boxes: an unassuming preparation that trusts the basic building blocks of a good burger, even if they’re not necessarily the kind of ingredients sought out by chefs in white-tablecloth restaurants.” Carman wrote. The burger itself is generally loved by many, but there are also plenty (based on various comments through the years on our various social media posts) who can’t get past the look of the Sunshine General Store, where the burger is made.
Five years ago, we took you through a step by step look at the general store where the burger many consider the “best in the DMV” is made. “The inside looks like a truck stop diner scene from an 80s movie. After passing the register you’ll see a few tables and four stools at the counter of the dining area.” we wrote in the 2018 piece. At the time, the Sunshine General Store didn’t accept credit cards and the closest ATM was a few miles away in Olney or Laytonsville. That is no longer the case, as you can now pay with your card.
Now, let’s discuss the taste. Carman wrote, “…the Sunshine burger is a tender bite. Your teeth sink into it with little resistance, the ground beef, seasonings and fat just barely held together under a layer of good, gooey American cheese. The raw onions are placed on top of the patty, the thickly sliced dill pickles and tomatoes on the bottom. It’s a simple burger, executed to perfection.” The burgers are cooked well done unless you ask for them to be cooked differently, which we highly recommend to avoid getting a burger that may fall on the drier side. In our experience, asking for it to be cooked “medium” usually yields a “medium-well” product.
The full Washington Post article can be seen here.
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