BGR THe Burger Joint (Photo: News-Press)

How can you tell a place is going to be good? When there is really loud construction going on, but every table inside is filled with patrons who are smiling and eating.

Let it be noted that the mess in the parking lot isn’t The Burger Joint’s fault but, like a mouse having to run a maze to get the cheese, it did make the end result for this writer all the sweeter.

The current restaurant trend of gourmet burgers is exploding. The only problem with them is that the insides usually feel more like a Chipotle or something one would find on a space ship. This is not the case with The Burger Joint. The décor mostly consists of dark purple walls with pictures of classic rock album covers. The rest of the “joint” is pretty subdued as well. Patrons can sit at a table that is made to look like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.

BGR is a restaurant where customers order their food at a counter, and then sit down until it’s made. A handwritten menu graces the wall next to the register and features nine gourmet burgers, as well as sides.

The music playing in BGR is an odd mix of tunes. While sitting there, this writer heard everything from The Backstreet Boys’ “I Want it That Way” to Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle,” followed directly by Kanye West’s “Golddigger.” For the record, it is not the easiest task to eat a burger while trying to say “We want pre-nup.”

The menu is simple. BGR has burgers, fries and milkshakes. At the top of the menu is The Burger ($6.99), a basic patty cooked to the customer’s liking and served on “fresh toasted buttery brioche” buns made exclusively for The Burger Joint and delivered fresh every day. Bacon and other extras can be added to the burger ($.99).

General Manager Greg Comer’s favorite burger is The Greek ($12.99). “It’s made with wonderful ground lamb and just tastes awesome. It has also won a bunch of awards,” he said.

The Greek, featured on Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” features lamb, cumin, mint, garlic and is topped with tzatziki, feta, lettuce, tomato and sliced onion. Aside from The Greek, other bestsellers include The Wellington and The Southwester, Comer said.

Also not to be missed are The Burger Joint’s fries. Customers can get their choice of The Gold Standard fries ($2.89), made out of thick slices of Yukon Gold potatoes; The Orange Standard ($3.99), made out of Idaho Sweet Potatoes or even The Green Standard ($3.89) which are large asparagus spears grilled and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

For those who prefer eating towards a goal, BGR has the ultimate challenge. The 9 Pounder – which is only nine pounds of beef, plus a bun, plus two heads of lettuce, eight tomatoes, three red onions, four pickles and “a river” of its mojo sauce – weighs in at a mere 15.4 pounds. If one person can eat this whole thing by themselves in one sitting, they will get it for free. Otherwise, they best be willing to pony up $79.99. As of this writing, it has never been accomplished. Proving the owners have a sense of humor, every 9 Pounder comes with a bottle of Maalox.

Whether one is hankering for a gourmet burger, or wants to eat oneself into an early grave, they should check out BGR The Burger Joint. One thing is for sure; nobody leaves hungry.

BGR The Burger Joint

3129 Lee Hwy., Arlington

bgrtheburgerjoint.com • 703-812-4705

Hours:

Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday, noon – 9 p.m.