Chef Alex McCoy has a few different concepts under his belt between the diner-style Crisp Kitchen + Bar, and Thai pop-up, Alfie’s. The one constant: delicious, arm-dripper burgers (case in point: this is the same guy who brought you the Proper Burger at Duke’s Grocery, though McCoy’s moved on). Now the chef will fully embrace this particular talent with the Lucky Buns burger pop-up, launching Sunday, May 29 at Alfie’s in Park View between noon and 9 pm.*
Though Alfie’s—a pop-up itself—experimented with Sunday Thai brunch, McCoy says he wants to test his burger joint concept for future brick-and-mortar locations. Diners order at a counter and can eat-in or take meals to-go; those who linger can post up inside, or on the outdoor patio with a cold beer and yard games. The opening menu is fairly simple, and built around the kind of burgers McCoy is known for: thin, diner-style Creekstone Farm patties, griddled for the perfect mix of char and juice, and served on Lyon Bakery buns.
Versions of Alfie’s Aussie burger and the garlic mayo-sauced Burger Royale from Crisp are joined by new combinations, such as an Asian-style patty with bacon-XO sauce, grilled red onion, chili jam, and smoked cheddar. There’s also a riff on a green chili burger with charred and lightly pickled poblanos, a classic diner combo (yellow mustard, cheese, shaved lettuce), and a banh mi-style veggi burger with fresh herbs. All will be priced at $10 and under. Fries may come later, but for now, look for sides like potato salad and slaw.
Lucky Buns. 3301 Georgia Ave., NW. Open Sunday (May 29) noon to 9.
*This post has been updated from a previous version, which had the incorrect launch date.
Lucky Buns Opening Menu (subject to change):
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
