"Eat Brgz, the Capitol Hill-born counter for experimental mix-in burgers, opened its latest D.C. location on Wednesday, July 5. The sleek new Eat Brgz slides into the old home of Grillfish, EatWellDC’s long-running seafood spot that closed last fall at a prime Northwest nexus (1200 New Hampshire Avenue NW). Eat Brgz founder Brandon Gaynor opened the Southeast original in 2019 and counted Michelle Obama as an early fan of its revolutionary take on the American classic. Fresh ingredients and spices are mixed into each burger patty, with protein picks of beef, chicken, or Impossible meat. Best-selling orders include a double-patty wagyu smash burger with American cheese, caramelized onions, and homemade sauce. Eat Brgz recently closed its year-old Chinatown location across from Capital One Arena, and the booze-fueled relocation to the West End offers twice as many bar seats. The bar program centers around seasonal cocktails and classics like martinis and gin and tonics, plus a frose machine and local beers on draft. A crowd-pleasing brunch service kicks off the weekend early with spritz and mimosa towers served all day on Fridays to Sundays. Another fun new addition is a chicken fingers tower — a three-tiered compilation of 15 huge tenders, fries, and sauces, and fries. The caloric conversation starter ($50) feeds four to six. The West End Eat Brgz also rolls out morning hours for the first time. The brand toyed with eggy breakfast sandwiches years ago at the original D.C. store, but the pandemic put brunch plans on pause. Breakfast brings scrambled egg-and-sausage sandwiches on brioche to the table, along with flour tortilla-wrapped burritos, decadent chicken-and-Belgian waffles, parfaits, avocado and smoked salmon toasts, and fried egg-topped renditions of its burgers. Morning cocktails include the Canadian Breakfast (whiskey, maple syrup, lemon juice, egg white), peach sangrias, bloody marys, and a Carajillo — its answer to the espresso martini made with cold brew, vodka, Kahlua, and cinnamon syrup. Situated at the nexus of West End, Foggy Bottom, and Dupont, the new 3,000-square-foot Eat Brgz has a built-in customer base of locals, suits, college students, and tourists. Catering will also enter the equation in its 9-to-5 area. “I think the bar will hit a lot harder in this neighborhood, with 13 hotels in two square blocks,” Gaynor told Eater this year. Hours are 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday to Thursday. Service runs 8 a.m. until midnight on Friday and Saturday, complete with a late-night music vibe. Weekday happy hour runs 3 p.m. to 6 p.m." - Tierney Plumb
