Burger Tap & Shake (BTS): Fast Food Revisited

Burger Tap & Shake (BTS) is a fast casual eatery with the soul of an upscale farm-to-table restaurant. Key ingredients are carefully sourced and prepared on-site, including buns, pickles, ice cream and even ground beef – sweet potato fries are the only item on the menu that BTS admits to buying premade. The dining area is an industrial-style space, clean and spare with a view of the kitchen. The food is served on a metal tray, no plate, and the shakes come out in plastic Greenware cups. True to its name, BTS spotlights burgers, milkshakes, and alcohol – the menu is comprised of eight burgers, ten shakes, and four "shaketails" made with liquor, as well as fries, onion rings, canned beer, and wine by the glass.

My first meal at Burger Tap & Shake was a home run. The Southern Comfort burger was delicious, cooked perfectly to order and loaded with pimiento cheese, Vidalia onions, bread and butter pickles, and a fried green tomato. What struck me most was the obvious attention to detail; the hamburger patty was thinner than most, allowing the flavor of the toppings to come out in every bite. The BTS shake – Butterfinger, Twix, and Snickers bars blended in vanilla ice cream – was served with an extra-wide straw to eliminate candy blockages. It's clear to me that the people behind Burger Tap & Shake take their fast food seriously, and I can't wait to go back and try their other creations. First on the list: the High Thigh chicken burger with aged cheddar and lemon garlic aioli and the black cherry milkshake. Of course, an after-hours trip with friends to try the shaketails is also in order; I have my eye on the Apocalypto, made with cinnamon whisky, homemade marshmallows, and chocolate ice cream, and the Stag Party, made with bourbon, tart cherry liquer, and vanilla ice cream. If you live or work in Foggy Bottom, definitely consider making BTS your next lunch or happy hour destination – you won't be disappointed with their high-concept take on classic fast food.