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Kraze Burger, A Korean Hamburger Chain Comes To The DC Area With Several Locations


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I'd prefer a In'N'Out personally. (Of course, you could always pursue a franchise B)).

They don't expand without a logistics backbone in place. For an eastern onslaught of double-doubles you'd need to spend tens of millions of dollars to manufacture a localized supply chain from the ground up that meets I&O's PRECISE standards (the buns, meat, and ingredients used must be the EXACT same as their CA home).

This is what they did in Texas and it took them ten years to do it. At this pace we won't see an East Coast In-and-Out for two decades. If anything I'd expect the next expansion to be in the Chicago area simply because of the ease of procuring meat coupled with a "larger" population *cough*.

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Looks like they are getting close. The restaurant will replace the defunct National Jean Co. at 7301 Woodmont Ave. The counter-service restaurant will also serve tofu, turkey and garden burgers. They are aiming for a "soothing, more upscale" setting, similar to "a Panera-type experience." He put the quality somewhere between Five Guys and a gourmet burger, and the price somewhere between $10 and $11, including a drink and fries. (relaying a couple of press releases).

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This place is "kraze." They have a "semi-nude beef brunch." (Scroll down) :o

(Anybody able to translate the Korean on what that actually means?)

ETA: Looks like it might mean a burger that is missing its top bun.

Yeah, I'm thinking semi-nude equals bunless. Brunch might refer to the egg on top? Or maybe it's like a value meal?

Either way, the "original brunch" seems to have two fried eggs sandwiching ham (looking at the picture). Seems sort of a like a brunch dish...

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Yeah, I'm thinking semi-nude equals bunless. Brunch might refer to the egg on top? Or maybe it's like a value meal?

Either way, the "original brunch" seems to have two fried eggs sandwiching ham (looking at the picture). Seems sort of a like a brunch dish...

Guess I'll have to get Grover to translate the menu (and phonetically) so you can order. (of course, the point and grunt method works as well. It's kept me well fed all over the world). Okay, this should make things better. The menu in Mee Guk (English for you non-Koreans )

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They must have soft opened two weeks ago because we tried it then for a quick dinner.

Thought it okay but got a bit frustrated with the lack of transparency around the beef. Recap of a discussion about the beef, labeled just as "natural" on signs, with counter staff:

- Q: Do you know where the beef comes from?

- A#1: "We source locally"

- A#2 (different staffer who'd heard the question but not his colleague's answer): "The beef all comes from California."

- Q: So that's not "local" right? Is it grass fed?

- A: Yes

- Q: Really?

- A: "Not sure but it is natural"

Given that "natural" is a meaningless term, didn't ask anymore about this.

Burger tasted fine but I'd go for the one at Newton's table just down the street over this every time; bun was ordinary. Sweet potato fries were especially good though; crispy, well seasoned, thin, nice.

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I wouldn't count on minimum wage workers at a burger counter to know the provenance of what they are serving you. You got a more detailed reply than I would expect, nice.

Agreed but I would expect an opening crew (who are typically a bit better scripted than the legions who'll follow them as the churn begins) not to BS answers and for the senior manager there to know a bit more about the central item that defines the business. Likewise on the signage which just lists the burgers as "all natural." Maybe it is too much to expect. The transparency thing always gets me.

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I tried the Leesburg location a *long* time ago (6+ months ago) and honestly did not find the occasion warranting of a review.  I found both burgers I tried solidly average in flavor both meat and meat+condiment-wise (plus point: both were quite juicy), and didn't consider the *very* premium price justified for the time it took to drive out there.  The one 'neat' thing was that their in-store bakery is exposed for everyone to watch them freshly bake their rolls, which is a good thing, since decorative use of the space at the Leesburg location makes you think you just walked into the dictionary definition of 'dull.'  Seriously, imagine a Subway franchise with no yellow to be found and you'll have a good idea of the interior.  Better yet: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/33/09/f1/kraze-burgers.jpg

If you like 'classic' burgers, you've got tons of other places you can go where the execution will be miles above and ahead of this place for a comparable price as the DC burger scene leaves you spoiled for choice.  If you like burgers with 'wacky shit' on them (the Kraze sauce presented to my palate as 'sweet-BBQy'), you'll love the options you can get at Kraze, since they seem to rely on their condiments and toppings for most of the flavor.  I do remember the fries being good, and you get a very generous pile in a 'combo' order to offset the overpriced burger.

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[According to their website, they have four MD locations and 2 in VA, in addition to the newest one on Barracks Row, so the topic title needs to be amended and this has to be added/moved to "Multiple Locations."]

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I drove past Falls Church (at the opposite end of the same shopping center containing (the *much* more deserving) Meat In A Box)), and didn't notice if it was closed - I'll take a closer look next time.

Some investors aren't very happy right about now.

I think that location is a Smashburger, not a Kraze Burger (unless they were in and out of there so fast I didn't notice).

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I think that location is a Smashburger, not a Kraze Burger (unless they were in and out of there so fast I didn't notice).

You're right - I got the names confused because they're similar (I was definitely not thinking "Korean chain"). I deleted my post because it was nonsensical.

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