Lucky Buns at Union Market

The burger was well-seasoned and flavorful this past Friday evening, but I was disappointed with the service. I ordered my burger medium, but it was rare inside. When I asked the manger about it, he said "that's our version of medium well" several times after I showed him the undercooked meat. While he finally agreed to re-cook it after a bit of back and forth, I did not appreciate the implication that I was being unreasonable.

Union Market is a unique experience. Lots of vendors, food, drink, and shops. It is very busy with seating inside and outside. Lucky Buns mostly burgers. Cooked to order. The service gentelman was not warm and friendly. I asked him what he recommended and he was annoyed. I ordered a burger and a drink. The drink frozen punch was a special. It was ok. The burger was cooked to my specifications but drenched in their signature sauce. This made it difficult to eat, due to the mess. Since items are made to order you will have a wait at the counter My wait was 15 min. I also noted that the service gentelman explained to the people before me and after me that my number at the top of the sales slip would be called when my food was ready. Yet he did not do that for me. I am not a native of DC and this place was pricy. Right on par with every other eatery in DC.

My favorite thing there is OG buns well done

They have very nice food. Tried this at the airport and there was this very nice lady from Ethiopia, Eden. If you ever seen her make sure to know that shes very kind, she was a great server. The place was very nice, and beautiful.

I came and visited Union Market recently, and Lucky Buns caught my eye the most out of all the food stalls. I got a Hot Tiger Bun, and was really happy with my choice! The chicken has a fantastic crisp, and is very well seasoned throughout. Super juicy as well! The chili oil they use actually takes like authentic Chinese chili oil, and it complements the chicken seasoning really well. The other toppings (pickles, ranch, etc.) help balance the sandwich. The bun was a bit sad; I wish they had used a brioche bun for a spongier, bouncier texture, but I'm sure it's just easier to reuse their burger buns. My only other complaint is that the portion size is actually pretty small considering the price. I had to go grab another snack after, while most chicken sandwiches fill me up! Definitely will be back if visiting Union Market!

If you're trying to avoid eating your weight in a sandwich DONT come here. I LOVE lucky buns and always feel so full when I eat it. Quick service and great food -- you truly can't beat that!

Juicy Burger Bliss! Rating: Lucky Buns at Union Market is a great place to go for an absolutely mouthwatering burger experience. I had their burger recently, and it was surprisingly incredibly juicy and delicious. The patty was cooked to perfection, and every bite was bursting with flavor. I opted to pair the burger with fresh, crispy fries. Yum. I was super full, which I love. No complaints from me!

I guess have never reviewed the union market location - just as good as the others, with a slightly abridged menu (no bogan bun :/). But the lucky bun/belly bun will do (and the chicken sandos), love the thick cut fries and this location has "patatas bravas" aka their fries served with a side of romesco which are delicious. Messy, delicious burgers, melty gouda with a nice peppery/fresh bite from arugula, really like their meat mix/seasoning.

Lucky Buns is a cute little spot with delicious sandwiches + burgers. My go-to is the Chicky Bun (tandoori marinated and char-grilled chicken, gouda cheese, lucky sauce, arugula, charred red onion, pickles). *Chef's kiss* This was my first time trying the Hot Tiger bun, which is great if you love spicy food. Unfortunately, my bun had mold. If I'm paying upwards of $16 for a meal, I want it to be satisfied. The employees were apologetic and gave me a new bun, but I will be more aware when I eat here in the future.

She was thick, juicy, cheesy, and greasy. What burger dreams are made of. For $15 this burger was a steal, having two incredibly thick patties cooked to perfection. It was incredibly messy, and in hindsight maybe I should have used a fork/knife, but who in their right minds does that to eat a burger. Accept the mess and you will highly enjoy Lucky Buns! Next time I'm going to try their fresh fries and a drink (they had a variety of cocktails and draft beer).

There's something about the union market location that just draws me in. The staff are super helpful and the service is so speedy. I've come here a few times for their rum punch and it hits every time! For $10 you get a nice frozen rum punch, which can be enjoyed on the go. They have a cool set up, with Apple Pay/Google pay options and there are lots of seating options for people.

Love the sandwiches here.. what a delightful taste!! This location is small but still pack a punch.. speaking of punch they have this very strong amazing Rum punch.. I love it!! Also the staff is so cool and laid back.. that's always a good energy to be around!

I had been craving a good burger for a while and Lucky Buns definitely hit the spot. This location in Union Market is great because you get free parking and have so many food options. I ordered the Lucky Bun with queso on top. It was a little pricey but delicious! Definitely recommend if you like burgers with a lot of cheese/sauce.

I was so excited for a good burger, which made this disappointment all the more bitter. The lucky bun burger was terrible, full stop. I asked for my burger medium rare, and it came without any kind of sear and so raw I could have turned the sad excuse for a burger patty back into ground beef. I'm not sure what fat mixture they used, but it was also inordinately greasy, with pools of fat puddling almost immediately - and not in the sinfully delicious way. To be fair, the sauce seemed good and the Lucky Bird was an absolutely solid chicken sandwich with great pickles, but overall Lucky Buns absolutely did not live up to the hype. Tragic.

Ordered delivery from Lucky Buns on GrubHub without ever having tried them before. When a burger craving strikes, you need to feed it asap! We got the Lucky Bun burger, a Royale bun, and an order of curry fries and cheesy fries. The burgers were both delicious, but I absolutely loved the royale! My only complaint was that I'd opted for both burgers to be cooked thru and one was very very red (medium at most) so that was a bummer. But regardless the flavors were impeccable. The cheesy fries were :chefs kiss: ... they are dangerously good! The curry sauce wasn't my favorite but I'm glad I tried it! All in all, I would definitely order from them again and stop by next time I'm in Union market.

Juicy, deliciously cooked burger. Not greasy at all just juicy and delicious. Lucky sauce tastes so good, not spicy flavored I would say more tangy flavored. I got the belly bun which was double patty, bacon, lucky sauce, Gouda, arugula and onion. I personally don't like onion so I removed it. I for sure recommend ordering a double patty, it won't be too much.

30 dollars for a burger and small portion of fries just doesn't sit right with me. Especially when there's not much service involved.

We enjoyed all of the places we tried at Union Market, but this was our favorite. We were torn between the Mambo Bun and the Dirty Bird Bun and the person ringing us up recommended the Dirty Bird Bun so that's what we got. I kind of wish we had tried the Mambo Bun now since DC is known for the sauce, but that's ok. The Dirty Bird Bun was absolutely delicious. They use a chicken thigh on their sandwiches which is way better than a breast like most places use (in my opinion). The chicken was juicy and flavorful. The sauce was delicious. I'd love to go back and try a burger too. I highly recommend trying this spot when you're at Union Market.

Yummy made to order spicy chicken sandwiches and burgers in Union Market! Fries looked great but we didn't try them. Will definitely have cravings for this place and come back!

Love that Dirty Bird!! You must try this place! Food is fast and delicious! Atmosphere is cool and the staff are very nice and efficient! Try the curry fries, they are Awesome !!

The fries were ready way earlier than the burger so they weren't really hot anymore by the time we ate them. The fries were a bit soft. The container for the fries was huge, but it was only filled half way. The curry dip is good, reminds my of the Japanese cube curry. The sauce for the burger is very good. I loved the extra amount of pickles and arugula they put it in. The burger itself is flavorful but way too salty.

The Union Market is an awesome spot with various food options for any palate. We decided to make a stop here and try several different meals, one of which was Lucky Buns. I was really indecisive about what sandwich to eat and asked the staff about the options I was contemplating. I really love spicy food and decided to go with Hot Tiger Bun, their hottest sandwich! The sandwich as a whole was decent. It was very crispy, like chip your tooth kinda crispy (lol). The meat itself tasted like it was dark meat and was fried perfectly. It was tender, and the sandwich really absorbed the flavors. Now, the flavors itself - I didn't really enjoy. The mustard was overpowering, a little more mayo than I like and the "Hot" Tiger Bun wasn't as hot as advertised. The staff were all cool and friendly, it's in a great location and prices are reasonable. I may come back here, but probably for another sandwich. Give it a shot and let me know what you think! My Order: Hot Tiger Bun Crunchy fried chicken, hot AF Sichuan chili mop, buttermilk ranch, yellow mustard, white onion, Gordy's pickles. -ODL Connect with me via IG: @AOEAT YouTube: @AOEAT https://youtu.be/SusY2ifAsZc

Lucky Buns is an excellent place to get a burger when at Union Market. It offers some of the best quality hamburger options in NE, each served with plenty of meat cooked by skilled staff who will ask you how how you want it done and deliver it as you request. By the way, for all those Muslims reading this, The meat at lucky buns is zabihah halal!

We ventured out to Union a market and stumbled upon Lucky Buns! Wow talk about delicious! We ordered the Carne Asada breakfast burrito and the bacon breakfast burrito. Not going to lie-- I was highly disappointed that the Thai Sausage wasn't available but well just have to go back when it is! The burrito is filled with meat, potatoes, well seasoned sautéed onions and some spicy jalapeño crema! It was a bit spicier than I imagined but it was still one of the best breakfast burritos I've had. I am already looking forward to going back and trying something else! Do yourself a favor and check out Lucky Buns!

So ordered the hot tiger bun with grilled onions instead of white onions and a side of fries with malt Mayo? Y'all...skip it. First of all...unsalted, completely flavorless fries? That's just unacceptable. Not to mention that they were EIGHT DOLLARS. If you're gonna charge that much for fries...they better be fucking seasoned even a little! C'mon. The sandwich was under whelming. The bread was chewy. The "hot af" seasoning was a hotter mild than "hot af"... It's a big ole pass for me.

If you're looking for a top-notch spot for a spicy fried chicken sandwich, this place is it! I ordered the Hot Tiger Bun and was instantly a fan. The sandwich was massive and had a balanced blend of Sichuan peppercorn, ranch, and mustard. The menu said the sandwich is spicy AF. I love spicy food to the extreme, so the sandwich wasn't spicy AF to me. But it may be spicy AF to someone not used to spicy food. The sandwich was filling, perfectly cooked, and overall delicious! The cheese fries were also top-notch. Fries were large and perfectly crispy. The cheese had a lot of flavor and portioned well. The staff members were nice and quick to serve.

Their main location doesn't open until 5 on weekdays so this (Union Market) is the option for lunch and earlier. A small stand for take out or eat-in at the general in/outdoor dining area. Menu is simple with Burgers, Chicken, Sides and a breakfast burrito but all about the burgers here. We ordered the Lucky Bun (added bacon) and Hot Tiger Bun (Chicken). They cook all burgers medium rare but it's more like medium which is fine as most spots don't get this right. Two patties so this is a substantial burger (justifies the price point). Beef was fresh and tasty and played nicely with the Gouda/grilled onions. I'm a fan of spicy but the Hot Tiger was really hot! Although not a ghost pepper that Sichuan Chili starts out slow and finishes with some major heat! The ranch and pickles balance it out though-loved this Chicken Sammie! For sides, It was Patatas Bravas. They put the toppings in a separate container and that Garlic Aoili and Romesco sauce were well worth the extra 2 bucks. Not the Bravas I had in Spain but thick and crispy and so much better than everyday French Fries. Service was friendly. Saw the posted recognition (I.e. 51 best burgers in America) & definitely lives up to the hype!

Great find while visiting the area. The burger was on point, and the massive portion of fries with a cold one hit the spot.

Ask Shane about their belt special. Thank you so very much and the food was awesome Mike and family from Wisconsin

Would make zero stars if I could, which makes me sad because I've been a huge LB fan since I moved to dc nearly a decade ago. Physician in the area who caught a nasty head cold from my patients. Was very excited for a burger and ordered for delivery to avoid infecting anyone else. An hour past the delivery time, still nothing. Calls going to voicemail. LB driver not answering. This is awful! Do better, lucky buns!

The burgers were good but not excellent like I remember from my previous visit. I noticed that the current menu describes the Lucky Bun as double patties instead of Double creekstone patties. Did something change?

Came back as I had a craving for a burger. I got the belly bun and the hot tiger bun as a salad. The fried chicken was really good and the additional sauces were a great addition. The belly bun was merely OK. The meat I self didn't have much flavor to me and I also felt a bit staffed with the meat. Website says burger comes with double patties but really what mine looked like was one patty cut in half and put on one side of the sandwich to make it look bigger than it really is. Guess I will stick to the fried chicken in the future

Lucky buns literally always delivers!! Their options are plentiful and their staff is helpful, friendly and keeps the ordering process easy as ever!

Loved lucky buns. I'd heard it was good for a while but hadn't been until recently and it did not disappoint. I got the dirty bun bird and queso fries. The sandwich was delicious! The fries are pretty expensive ($6 for regular; $8 for queso) but they fill what looks like a 24 oz cup with fries. it's a lot of fries lol, and the queso comes on the side, BTW. Would definitely recommend. If you're up in union market, I'll shamelessly plug the bread puddin from puddin' a couple restaurants down. Best I've had in my life (get it with ice-cream!)

This spot truly lives up to the hype! Sometimes food just looks good in photos, but this place certainly delivers when it comes to taste. We got the Dirty Bird and Belly Bun. Both were fantastic and we completely devoured everything within 10 minutes. Highly recommend! Definitely need to come back to try their Hot Tiger Bun.

Great burger at Union Market. First, the sesame seed bun was amazing. It made the meal. The meat patties were great. They advertise a medium rare preparation. So ask if this isn't your thing. The bacon was ok. Good toppings although I'm not a pickle fan. It was a really good burger. The thick cut fries were great. I'm not usually a fan of the thick cut. However these were great! The curry dipping sauce (for a $1 more) was a tasty addition. This isn't a review of Union Market but if you haven't explored it yet, pay a visit soon. It is a great spot for a meal. There are lots of great choices here.

if you are visiting DC and craving a good burger and fries, Lucky Buns is the place! Their homemade burgers are tasty and juicy -- and must be paired with their housefried fries (they offer different selections but we had the curry *chefs kiss*) definitely give it a try when you can!

My go to burger place in union market! Don't forget the fries, they are just as good.

HubBae's been on a hunt for DMV's best burgers and since I don't eat beef, I'm tagging along trying turkey burgers and chicken sandwiches. Lucky Buns' Mumbo sandwich and Drty Brd sandwich were both messy and delicious and solid competitors to Baltimore's Ekiben, I love. I would definitely look forward to having the Drty Brd sandwich again for lunch but the sandwiches aren't even why I'm here to rave about this place... It's the pop-up weekend AYCE crabhouse concept they do through the Summer, @instagram.com/luckyscrabhouse that has been one of my top 2021 Summer finds. On Friday - Sunday Lucky's Crabhouse offers patio seatings at Union Market for different times daily and includes all you can eat steamed male crabs, endless potato salad, corn, coleslaw, and braai chicken. Not only were these the BEST crabs I've had all Summer, the braai chicken is BOMB!!! I almost never eat the sides at crab feasts but this is a marinated and grilled spicier chicken that packs flavor I could not stop licking from my fingers. They take bookings through Resy the reservation service and seats are $50 per person for 2 hours to enjoy the all-you-can-eat delights. I hate when any place brings a bunch of crabs at once that get cold while you're eating and they didn't do that at Lucky's. I also looooved that the crab seasoning was not a super salty / Old Bay based mix and instead packed some heat. The delicious spiced seasoning was evenly spread on those Maryland #1/#2 (large) crabs, and all were heavy, juicy, and steamed just right! They have a bartender that makes a bunch of different crushes plus has lots of beer selections and there was plenty of space to spread out on the patio. We also flagged down a gentleman we saw promoting Unity Vibration Kombucha beers, which go perfectly with crabs especially during Summer because they're refreshing and pack a nice punch without that heavy bloated feeling most traditional beers leave you with. Would love to see the UV kombucha beers added to Lucky's standard drink menu so we could have them with sandwiches even after the crab house pop ups are over. As one final note, the AYCE crabs' patio will not be located with the general patio seating for all the other Union Market food stalls. Instead, located towards the far left side of the general patio area, there will be lots of Maryland flag markers to look for and that is where to check in for the AYCE crab seatings after you book the $50p/p time slots on Resy. Follow the flags & go get some braai chicken, kombucha beer, & AYCE crabs, Yelp Loveys!

Ordered well done burger, got pink raw patty instead. Ordered the Mumbo Nugs for appetizer, which are fried chicken thighs and not breast meat, tough meat. Wouldn't order either again. Basket of fries was good.

Dirty bird Chicken sandwich was bomb. Good amount of crunch and spice. A pretty tasty sandwich. Would recommend to anyone in the dc area.

Great customer service and Natalie was amazing! I witnessed her handling multiple guests and completing orders at the same time. We'll be back

4.5 stars since it's a bit pricey and not the most exceptional service/hospitality. Still an excellent option at Union Market, especially the curry fries!! It might take a bit when it's busy (weekends), but worth the wait. I also enjoy the Lucky Bun and Dirty Bun Burger. They're super filling and flavorful.

This Is A Vegetarian Review TLDR: Food wasn't worth the cost and the baseball cap wearing bro taking orders was rude. I went to the Adams Morgan location last year and it was excellent. So I took my wife to this location last night. The Beyond Beef burgers themselves were pretty good. They were a little better than, for example, Burger Fi up in Silver Spring, yet they cost twice as much. And our $9 order of cheesy fries were cold, even though we ordered at the counter and ate our food right there at Union Market! The fries were lukewarm and limp. The cheese, which came in a small plastic container, was room temp and congealed as soon as we opened it. At the AdMo location, it had come on the fries. This was not nearly as inspired. Plus the guy who was taking orders and kind of managing the whole place was rude. He seemed annoyed that I was wearing a mask, though I didn't judge him for not wearing one. He looked at my mask as I walked up and kind of pursed his lips. He either barked at the customers, or staid stoically silent when a kind word of direction would have been helpful. He seemed to be tailoring who he was nice to based on how fancy someone looked. And he treated his staff the same way. On brand. Two Beyond burgers and one cheesy-fries was $49. Definitely not worth the price to deal with cold fries and a rude dude. Over-hyped.

Horrible. How do you guys don't have any tomatoes. I asked for my burger to be well done then I added to say crispy to make sure he knows I like it very well done. Burgers was medium rare or just rare didn't touch the grill but the time it took to make my two burgers I thought it was fully cooked! I was wrong! Cashier guy wasn't no help with exposing things or wanting to fix the issues, don't really think he was listening. Had to come home and put my burgers in the skillet and cook it through myself which paying like $40 I shouldn't have too. Will be my last time might even mess up the 18th street location business experience for me as well. No Stars.

Probably the food best option in Union Market. Chicken is well seasoned and fried correctly...probably the best fried chicken sandwich in DC

Better late than never HAPPY #nationalburgerday ! it's only right that we celebrate with arguably one of the best DC burgers there is @eatluckybunz . Would you agree? If not, drop your favorite (outside of the DMV welcomed too) places to get your favorite burger! @eatluckybunz can be found in #admo & @unionmarketdc * : Belly Bun * Serious question though, do other types of sandwiches count for a burger, like chicken sandwiches or other handhelds?

I find burgers so hard to photograph in a way that captures their full sexiness, so I rarely try. HOWEVER this one from Lucky Buns at Union Market was so good I had to share it with the world! I got the El Jefe Bun: hatch green chili relish, gouda, queso fresco, red onion, yellow mustard, shaved lettuce. It had two but it actually wasn't spicy to me. Still good though!

Alex from lucky buns took the time to email me and explain the extra service fees. Looks like it's chowhound online ordering adding it... even though chowhound customer service tells me it's the restaurant. I tend to believe Alex, and appreciate him taking the time to explain it to me. According to Alex the employees here are paid well above giphy rates which is so awesome to see Just be aware it's about 20% more to order ahead, I would just order at the counter next time. The staff were friendly and attentive and the line only a couple people long. Original review: For the rest of the review. I got the hot chicken sandwich, the description makes it sound very spicy, which I like but I was a bit nervous it would be too much. But it was perfectly balanced with the creamy cool mayo and the sweet onions and pickles. The chicken itself was PERFECT! Juicy inside but cooked all the way through, and seasoned and breading just right. The fries were good too but I think they got soggy pretty fast? Only my first few had truly crispy edges. Out of this world food but what's with the surprise 18% forced service fee at the end... for takeout! Guys if you can't afford to pay your employees just up the prices a bit. A place charging $16 for a burger should be able to treat employees fairly. That really soured my whole experience here. Just to be clear.. it's a booth inside the busy union market food court where you line up and then stand in a crowded hall waiting for them to call your name. They don't even have any of their own seating (many of the other vendors in here do). So I'm not sure what additional service they are billing us for?? On that note: it was tricky to find. Their sign is smaller and less obvious than most of the others. If you're lost head to the middle of the food hall behind peregrine.

I ordered a plain cheeseburger & thick fries for my 5-year-old. Oh. My. Goodness. This double burger was huge & delicious. And I highly recommend the thick fries. Union Market is fun & has something for everyone.

Came here with my boyfriend, the staff was so nice and friendly, and I came another time during happy hour so the drinks are okay (happy hour prices are great)! but unfortunately if you want food this is not the place to go. we got the hot tiger bun and the mumbo bun and they were both inedible. the chicken was nauseatingly and overwhelmingly greasy and was mostly over-fried breading. the sandwiches were over sauced and too salty which in combination with the extreme grease resulted in a horrific stomach ache for both of us. spending 40$ for two sandwiches and an order of fries left us feeling disappointed and unfortunately very sick.

Came and got a belly burger which is basically a lucky burger with bacon on it and fries. The burger was excellent. Juicy, hot, the bacon was perfectly crunchy. My boyfriend said the burger was better then his favorite Shake Shack. The fries were fresh, hot and crispy and had a decent amount of salt but they needed something. More seasoning, some spice or heat, something to dip the fries in. They are thicker steak cut fries and were just a little bland. That being said it says they come with malt vinegar mayo which might of helped but we didn't discover that we didn't get the mayo til we were in the car. Over all a great burger and decent fries.

I've had this for lunch twice in the last week or so. A good friend of mine swears that these are the best burgers in the city. He's so convinced that he bought me one and delivered it to me at my place of employment. I couldn't eat it immediately due to my massive workload, but when I finally did partake of that delicious burger, I was sort of impressed. A little disclaimer....I absolutely love real steak fries. Not that Red Robin imitation steak fries but the kind you get at these near extinct mom and pop spots throughout the DMV. Nothing compliments a burger better than real authentic steak fries. I can't recall exactly what burger he bought me but the "lucky sauce" set it off! Even cold/Luke warm it was still impressive. Fast forward, my honey and I needed a quick "lunch date," her way of getting me to talk about all the many things she loves to talk about. She had the chicken sandwich, I think the one with the sriracha is called the "Dirty Bird" or "Dirty Bun" and it had to be pretty good because she did not offer a brother any....... at all. I ordered the "Lucky Bun" with bacon on Greens (bed of lettuce). We shared the delicious steak fries. I still haven't gotten used to these $15+ dollar burgers in this city! I'm like blown away that a burger is even considered "pricy." Only in America!! I will admit that Lucky Buns is a contender. But my favorites right now include: King Street Oyster Bar and their happy hour burger, Steak N Egg on Wisconsin Ave and their salmon burger on a croissant, and my favorite of favorites.....GHOSTBURGER!! Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the poor customer service that we experienced at the Union Market location. It was an irritable, tall, young looking Hispanic/Caucasian male that was very stand-offish, not very helpful, and just overall rude. Not sure if it was just a bad day but he definitely did not contribute to anything good that we have to say about Lucky Buns. The cook was more congenial when we asked questions about menu items and substitutions. I think a better description of the tall young man would be condescending. For that, Lucky Buns gets three stars. I really wanted to give 2 and 1/2 but I couldn't. Customer service is a key contributor to the entire experience. There is no service without us customers. I may try the 18th street location but that young man left a pretty bad taste in my mouth.