With Burger, Tap & Shake’s closure, students are desperate for a new restaurant to grab a delicious burger. 

The Hatchet went out on a mission throughout the District to find the next best burger spot. We ordered each restaurant’s original cheeseburger and ranked which one we thought was the best. 

Number 4. Good Stuff Eatery’s ‘Farmhouse Cheese’ burger ($7.50)

This burger is a messy delight. Good Stuff Eatery is generous with its toppings, which include its signature “Good Stuff” sauce and a mess of gooey American cheese. 

The standard Farmhouse cheese also comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onion for several flavors. The bun was a fairly standard soft bun that you would buy at the grocery store. There was nothing extremely special about it, but it was not poorly done either. 

The meat was also flavorful and standard to what you would expect for a classic burger. Overall, it tastes most similar to a McDonald’s or other fast food burger. It elicits tastes of a classic comfort sandwich that would go great with a cold soda and greasy fries.

Good Stuff Eatery, 3291 M St. NW.

Number 3. Z-Burger’s cheeseburger ($5.29)

With this burger as well, make sure to load up on napkins before you dig in for a savory bite of this juicy burger. 

The burger’s standard toppings include mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, fried onion, sautéed mushrooms, ketchup and mustard, which come together for a mess of flavor. 

The bun was a standard sesame, but it was soft and held together well. The meat was nice and juicy with a good meaty flavor. It was a good, hearty burger, perfect for the end of a late night out. 

Z-Burger, 2157 P St. NW.

Number 2. Lucky Buns’ ‘The Lucky Bun’ ($15)

Lucky Buns’ burger had a much more gourmet taste than the previous two. The bun had a slight sweetness to it. It did a great job of soaking up the oiliness of the rest of the burger, yet still staying together. 

The Lucky Bun automatically comes with two patties, so there’s a hefty portion of meat with each bite. The burger comes with its lucky sauce which is creamy and a tad spicy. The burger is also topped with gouda, arugula, pickles and grilled red onion. 

The arugula addition is a nice touch, adding a unique freshness different from your standard lettuce. The gouda also paired well with the burger, offering a nice sharpness to the rest of the burger. This sandwich is a top quality choice if you are looking for a fancier option. 

Lucky Buns, 2000 18th St. NW.

Number 1. Thunder Burger & Bar’s ‘Thunder burger’ ($10.95)

At first glance, this burger size-to-price ratio may seem a bit high, but trust us when we say that is it worth the cost. 

What makes a good burger stand out from others ultimately depends on the patty and bun. Not only was Thunder Bar’s patty juicier than the others, it also was seasoned the best. The burger included flavors of cumin, offering a Southwest kick. The brioche bun also appeared to have cheese melted onto the inner sides, making it taste like a mashup between a burger and grilled cheese.

While the standard toppings of pickles, lettuce, onion and tomato were nothing special, the addition of a creamy and garlicky aioli took this burger to the next level by better bringing out the flavor of the patty. 

Thunder Burger Bar, 3056 M St. NW.