Daily dispatches on the Washington, DC area's food, restaurant and dining scene.

Burger Brackets: Central vs. Ray's Hell-Burger

Welcome to Burger Brackets, where we ask you to vote to discover the best burger in Washington. Today's face-off is...

Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Burger Brackets continue to advance! By tomorrow, we'll know all the burger spots that have moved on to the third round (or, as a friend suggested we call it, the Edible Eight). Elevation Burger and their, um, devoted fans beat out Palena Cafe to advance; Matchbox and Capital Grille are still battling it out (so go vote!). But for right now, we have a tough match-up in the burger world. Check below.

Central: We're fans of Michel Richard's famed lobster burger, but don't ignore the beef patty at his French/American bistro: the $16 sandwich is less exotic, but it’s the burger of your fantasies, big and plump and dripping with juice.

Ray's Hell Burger: This unassuming spot serves only one dish: ten-ounce hamburgers made from prime beef. It’s the same farm-raised meat—aged in house—that steak lovers line up for at Ray’s the Steaks and Ray's the Classics, just ground in-house several times daily.

Who makes the better burger? Vote in the poll below, spread the word to your friends, then leave your thoughts in the comments.

Keep tabs on all the Burger Brackets here.

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Comments

Central is the very best in the whole world. I live in California but I eat in Central.

Posted by: Vern, Apr 07, 2009 06:04:12 PM

RAYS!!

Posted by: NIki, Mar 22, 2009 12:42:37 PM

Central, without a doubt

Posted by: bj, Mar 20, 2009 11:15:37 AM

Trhow Elevation Burger out. Five Guys is ok but is "OK". Palena is way better and should have stayed in the running. Anyone who votyed Elevation over palena is not a gourmet. Ray’s and Centrale are equal. They are very different and should be tied for first. First of all, let’s eliminate all but beef burgers here. The quality of meat in both Ray’s and Central is superb. Now for the value, Ray’s cannot be beat for the quality of meat on the bun for the price. For the taste, Central and Ray’s tie but Ray’s has more options. If you want a grat red with your burger, Central. A great burger and a brew, Ray’s.

Posted by: Foodforlife, Mar 20, 2009 09:19:45 AM

Central Burger!

Posted by: NP, Mar 19, 2009 06:01:55 PM

Central is the best by far!

Posted by: Sharon, Mar 19, 2009 03:56:30 PM

I have been to both places, but Central’s burger is by far more tastier and juicier than Ray’s Hell Burger.

Posted by: Anne Weiss, Mar 19, 2009 10:13:45 AM

Thank you, Jason! Where is Good Stuff???

Posted by: Carrie, Mar 19, 2009 09:37:03 AM

Ray’s Hell Burger, simply stated, is the best burger that I have ever had!

Posted by: Anita, Mar 19, 2009 06:47:04 AM

Central is the best because of the natural Angus beef. Once you eat it, you’ll never want anything else!

Posted by: Patty, Mar 19, 2009 05:47:35 AM

I know where Central gets their beef for their burgers and it’s all legit. Natural Angus, local and dry-aged (not wet-aged in a plastic bag stewing in its own juice) that makes for their superior flavor. The others are pretenders-Central hands down!

Posted by: Beefanatic, Mar 19, 2009 03:38:54 AM

CENTRAL MICHEL RICHARD
THE VERY VERY BEST ALWAYS.
NO OTHER PLACE CAN COME CLOSE TO HIM.

Posted by: Anita Turkel, Mar 18, 2009 10:30:00 PM

Central is for lovers!

Posted by: Makeup, Mar 18, 2009 10:23:41 PM

lobster is for the well offs. beef is for all of us. no dirty looks for a burger on a sat night and gormet burgers all night long. sooooooooo good, ask anyone that works there and and they recommend the burgers and other cheap options that dont cost a lot, loooooove central.

Posted by: centralisthebest, Mar 18, 2009 09:41:09 PM

5 Guys burgers are junk, in my mind.....
I just want a juicy rich burger, not a layer of meat on a bun. I have been more than once, and think that rating them in the best category is like saying that Wendy’s rates up there as well. In fact, Wendy’s is better than 5 Guys, in my mind.
Central, that is a different story.

Posted by: Terry Popkin, Mar 18, 2009 09:35:31 PM

local black angus beef with a homemade lightly flavored ginger mayo, and a roasted tomato with garlic and rosemary that is put on the bun with a homemade potato tuille and either fries (homemade triple fried or mixed green salad is the best choice ever. simple but the best. and top quality service to boot.

Posted by: sarajane, Mar 18, 2009 09:32:17 PM

Has anyone had the burger at Vidali??!!!!!!

Freakin Amazing!!!!!!!

Posted by: Burt, Mar 18, 2009 06:53:20 PM

Michels’ burgers are more than just a burger, they have finesse & great taste and they don’t drop excess juice over my tie & shirt - that is a big plus.

Posted by: Lance H, Mar 18, 2009 05:02:29 PM

I can’t tell you anything about Ray’s, but I can tell you that the beef that the Central burger is made of is raised within 100 miles of Central’s door, and processed in Baltimore. A vote for Central is a vote for local farmers. For more information regarding the dry-aged beef used to make the Central Steak-burger see: www.rosedabeef.com
Mike Brannon, General Manger, Roseda Beef

Posted by: Mike Brannon, Mar 18, 2009 04:31:34 PM

central is the very best burger in thewestern world so say6 them all. Z

Posted by: publicus, Mar 18, 2009 04:00:33 PM

Kinda fun to see all these idjits ripping on Ray’s.

I’ve seen the cuts go into the grinder at RHB, and I’ve seen the raw sides of beef come in to RTS to get butchered. You can like or not like the stuff, but to pretend that this meat is grocery-store Choice quality meat is simply incorrect.

That said, this competition really should be the final. RHB makes the best "backyard burger", and Central’s can’t be beat (though Palena comes close) for an upscale take on the common burger.

Posted by: Daniel, Mar 18, 2009 01:11:32 PM

;) CENTRAL !!

Posted by: David Cannes, Mar 18, 2009 12:58:33 PM

I ate at Ray’s today. I am a regular at Central, but Ray’s was the best burger I’ve ever eaten. Juicy, pink, flavorful, crusty. For those who complain about the bun falling apart, eat faster!

Posted by: FoodieMom, Mar 18, 2009 12:35:54 PM

First of all, I don’t think where you live has anything to do with your ability to judge a burger. If location had anything to do with it, then Inn at Little Washington wouldn’t be as highly rated every year. I love Rays Hell Burger, it feels like neighborhood joint, perhaps its just not pretentious enough for MayorMcCheese and his love for Michel Richard.

Posted by: MayorMcCheeseisanA**, Mar 18, 2009 12:12:41 PM

Jason -- Good Stuff was eliminated in an earlier round.

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/restaurants/bestbites/11615.html

Posted by: Greg M, Mar 18, 2009 11:55:22 AM

Why isn’t Good Stuff Eatery on here!!!!

Posted by: Jason, Mar 18, 2009 11:37:51 AM

Trustys on Cap Hill

Posted by: Coach, Mar 18, 2009 11:35:56 AM

There’s only one guy in town that gets away with serving Choice Beef, chars it, and it gets passed off as "the best". CHEAP ISNT GOOD AND GOOD ISNT CHEAP! Snake oil salesman sum’s it up well. Don’t be fooled , unless of course you like having your burger in a replica of the mens room at FedEx field at halftime. Same walls same floors! Rays should go to their namesake and stop fooling people. Mr Landrum laughs all the way to the bank .....you morons!

Posted by: A fine burger, Mar 18, 2009 11:08:12 AM

I had the Central burger on Friday night for the first time—in honor of this contest, actually—and I have to say, it was phenomenal. I like Ray’s, but the burger I had there was just too sloppy. Central’s burger gets my vote today.

Posted by: Emily, Mar 18, 2009 10:40:27 AM

Ray couldn’t cook Michel’s jockstap you stupid suburbanites!

Posted by: Mayor Mc.Cheese, Mar 18, 2009 10:33:27 AM

There is only Ray’s. Sorry Michel.

Posted by: Shido, Mar 18, 2009 09:25:32 AM

rAY’S HELL-BURGER IS THE BEST "REAL" BURGER...COOKED TO PERFECTION....THE RIGHT SIZE AND JUICY AND IT IS COOKED TO ORDER....A REAL WINNER

Posted by: BURGERLOVER, Mar 18, 2009 08:31:26 AM

ray’s Hell Burger is vastly overpriced for a burger made with the same meat that the Marriott uses down the street. Now the snake oil salesguy Landrum maybe able to fool stupid yuppies but his orders with his supplier tell the real tale. Five guys rules at half the price1

Posted by: fred, Mar 18, 2009 08:18:10 AM

The 5 Guys juggernaut cannot be beat. Watch them roll to victory like the Tide.

Posted by: Those Guys, Mar 18, 2009 08:16:13 AM

This matchup is really more like the final round. Too bad it happened in the second round instead of the final.

Posted by: Burgermeister, Mar 18, 2009 08:14:59 AM

If Michel Richard wasn’t the name behind Ccntral, no one would pay $16 for a burger or $30-40 for the lobster burger and other overpriced food. Nor would they crowd in.
Although BGR in Bethesda, Harry’s, Palena and a few others may be contenders, The Hell Burger has the competition whipped for a real burger.
Five Guys tries to be the Inn-N-Out of the DC area- it isn’t fair to compare an overcooked thin patty with a really good juicy burger cooked to order at a real restaurant.

Posted by: Jeff M, Mar 18, 2009 08:10:41 AM

Burger Brackets: Central vs. Ray's Hell-Burger

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