Citizen Burger Bar
1051 N Highland St, Arlington, VA, 22201
Citizen Burger Bar Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
1051 N Highland St
Arlington, VA, 22201 - Phone (703) 567-7401
- Website https://citizenburgerbar.com/clarendon/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
McDonalds is the most popular fast food burger restaurant serving different types of burgers in the United States. On the other hand, there are several restaurants such as Burger King are famous for serving the best hamburgers in the United States. Most burger restaurants in the United States often serve hamburgers with French fries and other condiments. If you have a liking for burgers in the United States, then you won't be disappointed. You can easily find the best burger restaurants in your city on our Restaurants Listings directory. Check the reviews and ratings of the top burger restaurants and savor yourself with the best hamburger in the city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Tom S.
Overall: Good food, good management, inconsistent service. Went to Citizen Burger on a Saturday (a few days after opening) and had an awesome experience. Seated immediately, food came out quick, and good service. I told multiple friends about the experience, and even brought two of them there for happy hour a few days later. Unfortunately, I didn't have the same experience the second time around. This time, our waiter (Francisco) was once of the worst servers I've ever encountered. First, he only brought out two of the three drinks we ordered. After telling him we were still waiting for another drink, he said he'd make sure we got it right away...15 minutes and another conversation with him later, still no drink. Second, one of our food orders was completely incorrect. Francisco took down the order incorrectly. This wouldn't have been a big deal if he had just apologized for his mistake. Instead of taking responsibility, he blamed the error on the new restaurant still "working out the kinks." "Kinks" would be putting in the correct order and getting the wrong order back from the kitchen. "Kinks" are not server error (don't push your mistake off on someone else). Third, throughout the meal, a waitress came over to our table approximately five times with various drink orders...none of which were ours. According to her, Francisco kept putting the drinks under the wrong table numbers. Fourth, it took us about 45 minutes to get our check. We asked Francisco for the check three times before he finally brought it, at which point he said that he "knew we'd been waiting for our check for awhile, but wanted us to be able to chill and have fun." Fifth, our check was incorrect. My boy Francisco added an extra beer to the check. Sixth (I really wish there hadn't been a sixth), after asking him to split the check 50/50 between two credit cards, he split it 60/40...don't ask me why. All of this being said, the manager was awesome. He comped the incorrect order immediately, and took the extra beer off the check before we paid. Unlike Francisco, he apologized multiple times for the errors. Plus, the food is pretty good and they boast a pretty solid beer list. I'll definitely go back, but if I get Francisco as my waiter, I'm walking out.
(3)Motrya M.
My husband and I were so excited to try CBB in Arlington today, after having a great experience at the Charlottesville location about a year ago. Needless to say, we were VERY disappointed. Our server was nice but our order took about 25 minutes. Wish that was the worst part, it wasn't. Right before our meal came, I headed to the bathroom where one of the employees was 'hanging out' and having a personal, loud (yelling) conversation on her cell phone. I was startled when I first walked into the ladies room because I thought I'd accidentally walked into the workers' break room. That was not the case, it was indeed the ladies room. Very unprofessional and awkward for a worker to be using the customer bathroom as a hang out/break room. Again, wish that was the worst part. It wasn't. What's the worst part? That my husband and I spent the evening with upset tummies after the meal. Mine has been mostly acid reflux and nausea but my husband has full blown food poisoning. We won't ever go back.
(1)Matt D.
Went in there today for lunch. My girl got the mini which was a perfect option for her and I got the citizen burger which was real good as well. The onions on there were on point. I also like having the fried pickle. Burger gets pretty moist and messy so I would never bring a date here unless you want to look like a slob. Luckily my girl already knows I'm an animal when I eat so I didn't care. Only thing I don't like about this place is that there is no pick up. You have to dine in which is pretty idiotic. I live right next to the place and would come a lot more often if I could just come pick up a burger. Will b to this place once a month or so, instead of once a week because of this.
(4)Nate V.
We waited 45 minutes for a cold grilled cheese (bread and just two slices of cheese) and it gets better.... the remake was made incorrectly. The rest of the table's burgers were the most poorly made burgers I have ever seen and were also - surprise surprise - cold. Disappointed. I don't think we"ll be back.
(1)Dan B.
Ok, ok, I'm one of those people that thinks what the world doesn't need is another burger joint, HOWEVER, this place serves THE best burger in Northern Virginia/DC/Maryland. Freakin' tasty! The environment is cool too. Minus one star for being a really expensive hamburger. I highly recommend and will be back.
(4)Laura T.
Fantastic burger. No perfectly formed frozen patties here! Only drawback is the price.
(4)Andrew P.
Went for the first time today, was promptly seated by the hostess and given menus right away. There was a huge delay from the time we were seated until someone came to take our drink and food order. We actually had to go back to the hostess to ask if there was anyone that would be taking our order. There has to be better communication between the hostess and the servers when they seat someone. Fries are very good. Burgers were well seasoned but overcooked and not juicy at all.
(3)S B.
I was looking forward to trying citizen burger since it was new and near my apartment. My husband, one year old daughter, myself, and a friend were seated directly in front of the Widescreens and blaring stereo. We asked politely and several times for the music to be lowered a bit, concerned about my daughter's ears. Instead the volume was increased. We are disappointed in the manager, who was asked not only by our waiter, but also another staff member to decrease the volume. Poor customer service and blatant disregard for your patron's and a child. Needless to say, we will not return.
(1)Matthew S.
Love, love, love this place! I've had two of the Mimi's of the day (MOD lunch special) and both were spectacular! I would highly recommend going here.
(5)Elizabeth C.
I can't imagine coming here again or recommending it. I appreciate that they offer customizable burgers and vegan options. The french fries, sweet potato fries & fried pickles were really great. But the burger was a kitchen nightmare. The vegan burger highly resembled red meat due to its beet base- which is a cool parlor trick. However it was incredibly mushy and tasteless - akin to baby food consistency. The vegan bun was ginormous and also tasteless and hard - which did not serve to balance the soft patty. The custom toppings did not serve to improve the burger because the size of toppings that were provided would only be adequate on a White Castle sized patty. I should have taken a photo. We were given a sliver of avocado and mushrooms, despite paying extra for these premium toppings. They were the equivalent of a bite's worth of toppings - and yet they were supposed to cover the giant bun and patty. This was not just the case for my order, it was what happened with another diner. Wait staff was good, music was a little loud, TVs were a little much.
(2)Christie F.
Burgers are like 'Homer with a donut' delish, melt in your mouth uuumAAAAzzing! We first came across this burger while staying in Charlottesville VA. So, we were so excited to find out there's now one in our backyard. A clean piece of meat, local ingredients and beverages, modern but cozy, warm and welcoming atmosphere. The service in Charlottesville was above and beyond, the server truly represented the brand. The service (hence minus one star) was lacking... the server didn't talk about the apps, burgers or options, beverages... NADA! One of the male managers (? Or supervisors) was more engrossed in chatting and joking with the staff than keeping up with the pass, floor tasks, and guests. Enough about the service... the monster, juicy, flavor packed burger! I ordered the hotness... omg, it was sooooo good! Spice, jalapeño, cheese, chili, spicy saucy spread, seared bun... ooolala! Kept it healthy w some sweet potato fries, lol! Enjoy! CHEERS!
(4)David H.
I like the burgers. They are a good size, decent price, and taste great. They don't seem to be able to get medium-rare down, but I didn't mind since they were good. The fries are also delicious - I tend to skip fries as they are never great but I would get them here. The citizen sauce is amazing with fries
(4)Jenna L.
Great happy hour spot! I had a few of the $5 cocktails, and loved each one. The portion size for the bar snacks was pleasantly large. Great indie playlist on in the background. And, I think I lucked out with a great waiter who was attentive, friendly, and had great suggestions on drinks. Can't wait to come back for dinner.
(5)Nikki B.
I don't know about you but, I like a good burger, especially a good grass feed burger. At CB, you can order one of their custom burgers or customize your own. Personally, I like to make it my own way. LOL Burger, no pink, with jalapeño jack cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, dijon mustard, on a brioche bun. Or, burger, no pink, jalapeños, blue cheese dressing, lettuce, brioche bun. Or, burger, no pink.... you get the idea. (I love the way you state you want your meat cooked: pink, little pink, or no pink.) Anyway.... The truffle fries and sweet potato fries are delicious, and a great selection of beer and wine. Oh, if you're sitting at the bar and Ian is working, chat him up. He's friendly, helpful, and and checks in on you often.
(5)Joi R.
This place pretty much lived up to the my expectation. Great burgers, fries, and beer. My date had the Cville Burger, pink, on the truffle brioche bun. It was amazeballs. Let's talk about this bun, and how it is delightful and slightly sinful. Lightly perfumed, with a subtle woodsy taste. The grass fed beef was so succulent and juicy. All perfectly complimented with sriracha mayo, grilled yellow peppers, bacon, fried onions, and avocado. My only complaint is that the bacon wasn't nitrate free. The truffle fries...OMG - they were so good - and so simple. If you've never had truffles before (or even truffle oil) - please add it to your culinary bucket list! Crispy with truffle oil smothered in parmesan cheese. Love. I had my own creation... a grass fed burger, pink, with a lettuce wrap, chili, fried egg, and bacon. Another winner. I was excited to learn that the chili is paleo. All in all, we really enjoyed this place and will definitely be back.
(4)Karen S.
Mediocre, and certainly not worth the drive out to Arlington (we were there for a friend's birthday). The space is incredibly loud, to the point where I don't think the waiter could hear everything we said. The tables are very crowded with empty 4- or 6-pack beer carriers filled with condiments-- but they're weird because the salt and peppers shakers are too short to be visible. I got a steakhouse burger ($15), which I ordered medium-rare but came out well-done, topped with cheddar, onion straws, bbq sauce and bacon. The best part was the bacon, which was properly crispy! The onion straws, on the other hand, weren't crispy at all, which was disappointing, and also didn't taste like much. The most disappointing part was definitely how overcooked the meat was, because a thick patty needs to be juicy to be delicious, and overcooking it definitely robbed it of that. I asked for a side of garlic aioli for the fries (which are reasonably good) and it arrived with a hair sticking out of it. They gave me a new one when I pointed it out, but it was still kind of gross. A friend ordered the mini burger, which was again, cooked to oblivion. Five Guys would have been a better choice, he said. A vegetarian member of the group tried to get the vegan burger-- she was excited to see it-- but they were out of them at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night. Pretty disappointing. She did like the beet salad she got instead, though.
(2)Steve L.
I had the mushroom swiss burger and walked away unimpressed. Absolutely zero taste from the mushrooms, swiss, and onions and the burger itself was poorly seasoned. Basic salt and pepper seasoning seemed be massively under utilized. Nice beer selection though. Lots of local craft beers and $2 off draft beer until 7 pm during happy hour.
(3)David H.
This place is a welcome addition to the crowded Arlington landscape but they need to work out a few kinks quickly if they want to stay on top. They have a variety of burgers featuring local or black angus beef, chicken, a vegan faux burger, or a grilled cheese option. These come on a variety of buns and feature either an extensive topping list or pick one of their "signature" options (the menu reminds me a bit of Ray's Hell Burger). I had the Timbercreek local beef on the briochte bun. The beef was lean, tasty, and perfectly cooked. The bun tasted fresh and didn't fall apart which is a major plus. As for the toppings, I highly recommend the lean and tasty bacon which adds some flavor to the onions, pickles, etc. that accompanied my burger. I ordered the fries with the burger and while not amazing, they are tasty and well seasoned. They are a large order so a couple of people could split these with a couple of these huge burgers. The fried pickles aren't anything special, they are very heavily battered like a piece of fish at Long John Silvers or something at the county fair. They aren't awful but are too heavily breaded for me. They have an excellent beer and cocktail list (happy hour at the bar area too) so you have a variety of beers to choose from to wash down your burger. The service here is friendly but very much lacking. I ordered the fried pickles appetizer and they completely forgot about them. When I asked about it, they had a panicked look and finally brought them halfway though my meal. To be fair, they comped them but they should have since I would've told them to just forget it otherwise. Also, one really odd thing is the lack of ketchup on the table for a burger and fries shop. They don't bring it automatically and when we asked, they said "we're working on it now" and a few minutes later brought one individual portion, not enough for the table. You shouldn't have to almost make a Citizen's Arrest to get some ketchup for your fries. I enjoyed this place and will be back here for a burger and happy hour, hopefully they can work out their kinks and be around for a long time.
(3)Jason S.
Man, I really wanted to like this place. The menu has potential, the staff is great, good location, etc. But if you're a burger bar, you gotta nail burgers. This place doesn't. I don't typically eat meat, but I did here because they source it locally (good for them!). The patty was over cooked and tough. That's not acceptable anywhere, let alone a burger place. I typically order the vegan burger. Again, good on them for offering it. Sadly, it is just not any good. First, it's been different each time I've ordered it. While the menu claims it has grains and something other than beets, last night it was basically a soft pile of shredded beets. Nothing to give it any structure or texture and little to give it flavor. The beet-based vegan burger is NOT rocket science. Throw some quinoa and nuts in there, some seasoning, and something to make sure it stays together. Lots of places do it. Get it together, Citizen Burger Bar, or I fear you won't last much longer.
(3)Sherif F.
Good burgers and I like that they source local 100% grass-fed beef. Custom burger options are always fun. They have a pretty good drink selection as well.
(4)Lily L.
Overall - A solid place for burgers. I was here for lunch on a Saturday, and there was an average crowd in attendance, but luckily there was no waiting for table for 2 (thank goodness, I was HUNGRY!) I had the Big Mini, medium, with fries and found that the burger was cooked to my request and was generally delicious, but nothing that was completely standout in my mind. Like many new restaurants / bars in the area, Citizen Burger Bar has a very modern/industrial touch to its decor, and the high ceilings make the somewhat smaller restaurant feel more expansive and less cramped.
(3)Dawn S.
The food is great. The waitstaff is AWFUL. In an effort of full disclosure, I know that the food is great because I've had it at the Charlottesville location. Unfortunately, I didn't get to have any food or drink at the Clarendon location because the service was far too disorganized. For starters, I waited about 15 minutes (early on a Saturday, when the place was not too busy) to order the citizen '76 (a champagne cocktail). About 10 minutes after I ordered my drink, the waitress came by to hand me a beer. I informed her of the slip-up and she went back to get the cocktail -- about another 10 minutes later she came by to tell me that they did not have one of the ingredients on hand. I told her I'd look at the menu to change my order, but she took about another 10 minutes to get back to me -- at which point I'd decided that I was no longer thirsty. I realize that the Clarendon location is new, so I'm hoping that Citizen Burger is just working out the kinks. As mentioned, the food is delicious. If you don't mind waiting about 40 minutes for Citizen Burger to get your drink order right, then you'll probably have a fine experience.
(2)Janice S.
The food: happy hour is on drinks only - sad times because I like food specials during HH, especially if the burgers are as juicy and yummy as Citizen's. The beer selection is great and you'll find something you'll like. The truffle fries are enormous, justifying for the steep price tag for fries, but maybe too much for two people, unless you're really into fries. I would say this is a reasonable portion for 4 or 5 people. Service: The manager (I think) seemed really nice, but I wish the rest of the staff was as friendly and welcoming. Since we were seated at the bar, it's possible I didn't have the best representation of the service, but the bar staff, while ensuring we were not left wanting of food, were left wanting of more warmth and personality.
(3)Dick F.
The Truffle fries are pretty good...I had a burger w BBQ sauce n crumbled blue cheese which was pretty good also Some of the burgers are a bit small ...good location and the staff was very friendly n fast
(3)Jamie Q.
Went a few months back, had a great experience - we're Arlingtonians after all, and always want to check out the latest spots. Last nights experience, terrible. We were greeted by our server, who was clearly new. We asked about the happy hour, and ordered our drinks, only for him to come back and say oops the happy hour only takes place at the bar. How could we order drinks/food at the bar if there was no room for us, and why weren't we told when we asked. My wine glass was barely filled halfway, and for $9, I'm sorry, that's ridiculous. Ok, moving on. We then order our burgers, and when asked how we would like it cooked, I said "medium well, I don't like any pink." Our server looked at me like I was the craziest person ever, so I laughed and said, is that not ok? He just mumbled and went to get my friends order. Our burgers came, mine was almost completely pink. I wait for a few minutes for our server to circle back around, but he was no where in sight, so I ate around the pink and ate my fries. I figured that I would cook the rest of my burger at home and have for lunch tomorrow I left 3/4 of my burger on the plate with fries, I hardly ate - only to have the waiter show up and scoop the plate from under me without me noticing as I was turned talking to my friend. I grab him on the way back and say I want to take it, and he had thrown it out! Long story short, I spent a lot of money, and got absolutely nothing for it. I want my money back.
(2)Karisa D.
It was a cold Valentine's Day and the fiance wanted a good burger. Since I was taking him out on a date, I did my research and found Citizen Burger Bar. My younger sister who is a UVA alum, raves about how good this place is down in Charlottesville so we decided to give them a shot. First of all, Citizen Burger is much nicer than we had expected. We were expecting a burger place similar to other fast casual places where you order at the counter and pick up your meal. Not here. Citizen Burger Bar is an upscale burger joint/sports bar- there are TVs everywhere you look. We arrived and were told there was about a 10 minute wait, which surprised me given the impending snow. The wait wasn't bad at all and gave us a chance to observe our surroundings. They have funky modern paintings depicting burgers and other food. They also have their burger constitution proudly displayed behind glass and given it's own spotlight. But everything around us smelled amazing and we were very glad when we got the text saying our table was ready. When we were seated, the server brought us a bottle full of water. I love when places do that. I don't have to ask the waiters for a water refill, especially on a busy night. Our server was fantastic- we think his name is Mitch! He made great recommendations from drinks to our burgers. I was stuck on my beer choice and so he asked which beers I liked I said I was in the mood for a lager. He recommended the Schlafly Kolsch while my fiance got the Golden Monkey. He was on point. The beer was delicious and went perfectly with my burger. I ordered the Steakhouse and my fiance ordered the Hotness with a fried egg that our sever suggested. Both our burgers came with a side of fries. The burgers were sooooo good! They were juicy, messy, flavorful and downright a good quality burger. Loved the bacon on my burger and the cheese they used. My fiance loved the Hotness too. He said it was pretty spicy but worth it. I believe it given it had pepper jack cheese, jalepenos, and a siracha mayo. FYI they cook their burgers more pink. Prices are what you'd expect for a craft burger place. With their service and making sure diners are well taken care of, Citizen Burger Bar is worth it.
(4)Cody Y.
Without a doubt the best burgers in the DC-NOVA metro area...and it's not even close. As a regular traveler to the Charlottesville Area, Citizen Burger Bar is my go-to spot for excellent burgers, fries, and beer. I was delighted to see them branching out into the NOVA area, no more than ten minutes from my house. The philosophy of CBB fits perfectly with the area -- free range chicken, grass fed beef, all natural and organic. Other burger joints in the area don't even come close to competing with the quality of the burgers served here. My girlfriend and I came in on a Saturday morning right as they opened. We were warmly greeted and immediately seated. Our server Anthony was very friendly and accommodating, checking back frequently to make sure everything was fine. We ordered the Little Bleu ($10 -- a smaller 4 oz Black Angus burger with bleu cheese, caramelized onions, mayo and served on a potato bun) and the Steakhouse ($14 -- 1/2lb Timbercreek burger, cheddar, bacon, BBQ sauce, brioche, and onion straws), with sweet potato fries and a side salad. The burgers were cooked perfectly -- you order them "pink" or "no pink," and mine was perfectly the former. The patties were savory and juicy and melted in our mouths. The superior beef is complemented by the variety of high quality flavorful toppings. In particular, I really enjoyed the bacon and BBQ sauce on the Steakhouse burger and the bold bleu cheese on the Little Bleu. The sweet potato fries were another highlight of the meal - thick cuts of potato with a crisp outside and served hot. It was a perfect meal. If you've never been to the Charlottesville location, you are in for a major treat with CBB. UVA alumni rejoice -- this CBB is just as good as the original, with plenty of seating and an affordable beer/wine menu that is Charlottesville-focused (Bold Rock, Devil's Backbone, Blue Mountain, Barboursville, Lovingston, and others). My only recommendation is to update your website for both locations -- the menu is for the Charlottesville location not the Clarendon one. Otherwise, just excellent all around...of course I'll be back.
(5)Monica L.
I found this place through Thrillist. I then went on yell to see reviews and I became hesitant to try it because there was mixed reviews. However I still came with my family. This place honestly deserves 5 stars. I loved the look of the place. The service was great. We didn't have to wait along time to get served and have out food brought out to us, especially since we were a party of 8. The burgers were absolutely juicy and the fries were delicious. I will most definitely becoming back next time I pass through Virginia.
(5)Paul C.
I still give it 3 1/2 stars. My 2nd visit was not as good as my 1st. The Burger was good and I like the free add-ons. Great pickles and raw jalapeño are terrific. Good bun and good beer selection. Good service at the bar. Something I rarely do is order fries or rings. The rings looked good and were very crisp, but very greasy. I won't order again, just stick w/ a burger. I'll return.
(3)Steve N.
Went on Sunday to check out the latest incarnation of a burger bar in Arlington. These burger boutiques seem to pop up everywhere and close after a few years because they only do one thing and they can't seem to get that one thing right. Needless to say, this one is no exception to the rule. The setup: 3 friends out for a non-traditional Sunday brunch. Eschew the eggs and bacon for a large hunk of carnivorous treat. Atmosphere: Although there's nothing wrong with the interior, it feels a bit stale, uninviting, and disorganized. Something just feels off about it. For example, the TVs are mounted high on the walls all around. They just look out of place. Another example, there was a soda station in the corner that just looked completely out of place. It didn't even "fit" in the corner. Or the two rock gardens right outside the front door in glass cases. The hostess stand that just seems like it's in the middle of the room. It feels as if they didn't plan the interior very well and just stuck things where they could. Service: Our server was okay. He suffered from a lack of understanding our clear directions and always had to ask us to repeat what we said. I'm not sure if I can blame him or the fact that they had early 90s rock blaring loudly but it was a bit frustrating. The music wasn't bad it was just LOUD. It also seemed as if it was someone's iTunes they were playing. A song would start and after about 10 seconds it would be skipped for a new song. Food and a lack thereof: We ordered beers and they were pretty prompt at getting them to the table. The beer list is pretty good. Definitely a plus. We had an appetizer of cheesy fries and they brought a large plate of them to the table with a very small side of ranch. We had to ask for three more ranch sides and that still wasn't enough. The fries were decent but I wouldn't order them again. It was a good value but it was just shredded cheese on a mountain of fries. I ordered a hotness with onion rings and friends ordered a make your own. All of them medium rare. Well, after waiting for about 45 minutes to get the burgers, they all came out well done. Not only that, but my onion rings came on another plate. So, they completely botched the order. And, when I say the onion were bad and tasteless, believe me, they were just that. My friends reluctantly tried them at my behest and our lady friend promptly spit hers onto the plate. Steer clear of the onion rings if you go. After the burgers went back for another try, the asst manager came to the table to offer apologies and some free appetizers for our next visit. He was nice and clearly it wasn't his fault and he promised our succulent treats would be out promptly. Well, that wasn't true. After another 20 minutes and watching everyone else in the restaurant get served (seriously, there must have been at least 30 other people served and enjoying burgers as we continued to wait). Finally, we'd had enough and were out of time and so we just canceled the order with the manager. We offered to pay for what we'd consumed. He apologized again and offered to bag them up for us to go but we declined and he picked up the rest of the check. We tipped our server and left very unsatisfied. I really don't care how good or bad the burger is... no burger is worth a 45 minute wait to come out way overcooked and another 30 minutes turn around time for a send back. If you only serve one type of food and you can't get that type of food done right, you aren't going to be in business very long. I give this place the standard few years it takes before they shutdown like BGR... which was far better at doing burgers right AND had a better location.
(1)Traci R.
Very cool place! A burger joint that makes all their food fresh and offers grass-fed, vegan, gluten-free options. Wouldja look at that! Beer selection is extensive. I'm not sure how many beers they had on tap but our server said they had a selection of about 150 beers. We all got customized burgers with truffle fries. The only thing worth mentioning that I got on my burger was black onions because I never heard of them. Apparently they're Vidalia onions, which were really good. I don't actually prefer burgers. I only got one because my tablemates did but this one was really good. I ordered a lettuce wrap instead of a bun and they gave me ALOT of lettuce. I ended up having to discard some. And my burger had so much stuff on it, I just had to fork-and-knife it, which was fine. The truffle fries are really good. All in all, it's a good place!
(4)Marie M.
One of my favorite burger spots in the area. The fries are to die for, so fresh and tasty! I get the smaller burger option, and it is perfect for me. The toppings are fresh and the meat is cooked to my liking and delicious. One thing I did not like were the mushrooms on my burger. They were not your traditional mushrooms that burger spots use. They were not very flavorful, I was not a fan. We got chili on one of the burgers and it was to do die for. I want to go back and get chili cheese fries, the chili is so good!
(5)Sylvie S.
Stopped by Citizen Burger Bar after a few drinks to eat something unhealthy. The interior is upscale for a burger bar with a full bar and an open kitchen. I ate the American Burger which is the standard no frills cheeseburger with grilled onions add on. I also swapped out the regular fries with some onion rings. The burger topping were decent and the bun was fluffy and buttery. Unfortunately, the burger meat was bland and had a slightly odd taste. Since the most important component of the burger is the meat, it was a definite distraction. The onion rings looked promising but the fry was heavy, salty, and way oily. Service was friendly but the one burger to share took more than 30 minutes to arrive. Since the kitchen is open and service was slow, I left with a food aroma all up in my hair and clothes. Looks like I'll be sticking with el cinco muchachos.
(2)Allie W.
I've been hesitant to try this place because I figured it was just another mediocre Arlington restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, we were seated right away, the beer list was impressive and the food was great. My burger was cooked thoroughly without being dry, was very large and the bun was delicious. My only (small) complaint was that I couldn't taste the sauce, but the burger was still very good. And, as Midwesterners, we were impressed with the ranch dressing. We'll be back again!
(4)Liz R.
amazing service and amazing food! I even had the lobster club and not a burger and it was still delicious. also the cocktail named"mint condition" is so wonderful and appropriate for summer. give this place a try!! anywhere they brand the initials of the restaurant into a bun is a place to go.
(5)Payal P.
Glad to have this burger place down the street from me. The waitress was very friendly and kept coming back to check on us which you don't normally find too often. Love their wine bottle style water jug. We got the truffle fries as an appetizer...and the portion was HUGE we couldn't even finish half of it in one sitting. They were delicious but just too much for 2 people to share. Definitely want to try their sweet potato fries though. For our main entrees we got customized burgers, one with the Timbercreek Beef and one with Chicken. Because we wanted the beef to have no pink, it felt a little dry for our taste, but the chicken burger was perfect and next time I'll stick to that instead of beef burgers. The wait wasn't long as others may have experienced, it was rather quick for the amount of people that were dining during that time.
(5)James S.
These burgers are meant to be seen rather than eaten. And this really cheeses me off about a lot of gourmet burger joints -- they're so intent on ramping up the size or complexity of the product that they totally lose the plot. I got the Citizen Burger, which comes with a superfluous fried pickle impaled into the bun. It's impossible to eat this way, so you're first step is to remove the pickle, take a bite, remember why you didn't order that pickle on its own and then set it aside. Now take up your burger. Chances are, the brioche bun has already given up the ghost, and the bottom portion has dissolved into pink mud under the juices of the meat. The top bun will have to be repositioned because the mound of iceberg lettuce and onions have caused it to slip off. OK, try to reassemble all these parts and take a bite. Pretty good, right? I mean, the meat is pretty good, though that aioli is barely discernible. Probably needs some ketchup. The fries are fine, but nothing too exceptional. I think these burgers might be worth it, but you'd have to go bare bones on the toppings, and opt for a more formidable bun. Another option would be if the restaurant offers those paper envelopes that some burger joints to to contain their sopping meat messes.
(3)Cassie H.
Went with a co-worker for lunch and I love the many options you have. Got the big mini and fries ($12) from the lunch menu so it was a smaller portion but it was perfect. It helped me avoid the post-lunch ITIS and I was able to be a functioning human being while on the clock. The fries were really good, had the perfect amount of salt and best of all by the time I got back to my office 10 minutes later they were still warm enough to eat. Although there were only a few left since I was walking and eating. Sue me! As soon as I unwrapped the foil all I saw was gooey, melted cheese....sign #1 that it was about to be ON! My only negative is that if you have too many add ons I can see how the price can get away from you. But if you know that going in then you're good. And they clearly state it for you on the menu so it's not like there are hidden up charges. The service was AWESOME and the place looked clean. We ordered our meal to go so we didn't go past the front desk. Seems like a good place to catch a game, I saw a few big screens. Can't wait to try it again! I'm already imagining what it will be like if I add bacon and an egg! YUM!
(5)Rochelle R.
Perfectly medium cooked, grass fed burger! I'd read that this place was good, and I don't disagree! If you want a great burger, you must try this place! I was looking forward to the truffle fries but didn't try them since my burger came with fries. Will definitely go back to try them.
(5)Soo C.
Awesome burgers here made with Grass fed beef. Also a no bun option that is a thick stack of iceberg lettuce for you bun so it's not like a wrap of lettuce when you do a no bun option at most places. There truffle fries are so good that you could've easily pass out from just eating those wonderful things. The burgers are fresh, flavorful and juicy. Can't wait to go back. Good beer selection and they have happy hour every day from 4-7 with fry and fried pickle specials and drink specials too. . Yum!
(5)Stephanie A.
Walked in and felt warm and comfortable, Stephanie at the bar was friendly and attentive, our food was hot and delicious nevertheless. Will be back, not just for the burgers but the drinks are awesome too!
(5)Ally B.
The wait staff is very attentive and friendly -- service has definitely improved since they opened, which is a good sign. Ambiance is fun and the bar is a great place to hang out on weeknights. However, the beet burger needs MAJOR improvement. It's way too thick, soggy, flavorless, falls apart, and greasy. As a pescetarian, the beet burger is really my only option. The toppings are great and I love that you can be creative with the burger, but as the only veg option other than a grilled cheese for dinner, this burger NEEDS some rethinking! There are so many great ways to make veggie burgers so, Citizen Burger, please improve it so we can come back!!
(3)mariah I.
Purely awful! I ordered their signature citizen burger and it had to be one of the worst burgers I ever had in my life. First off, the burger was very dry although I ordered it "pink" secondly, the beef lacked flavor or seasoning. I don't recommend his place.
(1)Andrea W.
I like it, sometimes a little too greasy. Beer selection is excellent! Would suggest trying the truffle fries.
(4)Rachel S.
Citizen Burger is decent. The decor is really cool, the service incredibly friendly, and the all-natural food is good. My date and I started out with beers, but for both of us the first TWO options we each chose were out. Consequently, we both settled for our third-choice beers. Not a huge deal, but a burger and beer place should get their beer sitch together! I had the cheese fries (with added bacon, of course), which was a pretty big portion and delicious, though a tad bit soggy. For the main course I had the "Steakhouse" burger. It was full of flavor but overcooked. (I'm not really one to be whiny/finicky at restaurants unless there's a serious issue, so I didn't say anything.) It was still good, but I would just think a burger place would know how to cook one medium rare. I'd probably go back to Citizen Burger for snacks or a beer, but I think there are better burger options in Clarendon.
(3)Ian M.
First time customer, I will be back. Did a create your own, got: truffle brioche, chedder, beef, bbq, lettuce, tomatoe pickles and it was tasty. The restaurant was very clean and the wait staff was super nice. Happy hour is only available to those sitting at the bar, this does not include those at the table adjacent to the bar but I can get over that. My issues are that the waiter was impossible to hear over the music, and that they never asked how we'd like our burgers cooked. Mine came juicier than I'd normally ask for(still a good burger). I don't understand how a waiter could forget that at a place that only serves burgers. I also don't understand how a cook proceeds to cook a burger if they don't know how long to cook it for. Someone in the chain should have noticed. Disappointed in that but I will be back to give it another go.
(3)D C.
Worst restaurant in DC/VA that I've been to. I ordered a custom burger (beef) cooked medium and the burger was covered in a nasty burnt taste like the grill hadn't been cleaned in a while. This would have been forgivable if not for the terrible service. The waiter was strangely and uncomfortably insistent that I order an alcoholic drink, even after I said I wanted just water. He pretty much ignored my table. After I asked for the check (I was at the end of his round) it took 15 minutes for him to get it to me. He had done another round during that time, passed me, and then realized he had forgotten to print my check. There wasn't a check booklet or anything so I attempted to give it to him (I called his name twice as his back was turned to me) and he either just ignored me or didn't hear me from a mere foot away. Having had so much waiting time, I naturally watched the TVs they had set up. Unfortunately, the table I was at was very close to the TVs on both sides and I had to crane my neck to watch.
(1)Katie S.
Went for the first time last night, I got the American burger w truffle fries. Everything was so delicious! My boyfriend got the mushroom burger with regular fries and he enjoyed his meal just as much. We also ordered fried pickles, they were beer battered and came with a spicy aioli dipping sauce, they were yummy! Service was quick and the wait staff was very friendly, we'll definitely be back!
(4)Patricia S.
This is one of those places I wish I discovered sooner. Have been there a few times, and it hasn't disappointed me yet. They have a lobster club sandwich that may be the BEST SANDWICH EVER CREATED. maybe. But seriously, its aooooo gooooood. The aide salad is thoughtful , and their fries with herbs are a treat!
(5)Nichole C.
This place was great! Local grass fed meat, hand cut fries and ingredients that compliment their better product for better fuel model. As a girl who drinks the paleo Kool Ade, this a perfect place for me and w/ 7 ciders and titos vodka (umm as their house!)... I only slide a little off my diet. I'll definitely be back! Thanks for a great experience. The atmosphere is nice, music is good and our server Jordan G was efficient and friendly, anticipating my needs before I even did. I love that! Good job guys!
(5)Mark H.
Decent place for a burger and beer. Went on a Wed night about 7:30. Most of the tables were full, plenty of seats at the bar. Nice set up and great TV's at the bar. Decent bottle beer list, but the tap list is short and uninteresting. Got a mini smashed burger, which was excellent. Side of fries were pretty boring, not that hot or crispy. Music was an awful mix of 70's and 80's radio hits. After my second beer I asked for directions to the men's room and was informed that the facilities were out of order. Huh? How do you keep a bar open without working bathrooms? Then the bartender disappeared and I had to wait 10 minutes for my check. Not a great experience. I'd go back if they get working plumbing.
(2)Kirti K.
We were super excited to try this place even though we knew that they were probably still working out the kinks of an opening. Totally expected. What we didn't expect was the food to take an hour to get to us (not to mention already having to wait 30 minutes for a table) it to arrive cold (no, not lukewarm or room temperature, but literally cold) and no one checking in to see if we were enjoying our meals when we clearly hadn't taken any bites. After numerous attempts at trying to get our server's attention (who was far from attentive, though others around us seemed to be), we were able to ask to speak with the manager, who was apologetic of the food being cold, and offered to get us fresh orders. Honestly, we were hesitant because the food took so long the first time round but he insisted it would be quick and he would send over fries while we waited, since those were easy to get out fast. The fries arrived and, to further disappoint, they were burnt and well... just not good. The burgers came out within the next 10 minutes and turned out okay; but the only thing that made them special was the Timbercreek Beef. The manager ended up comp-ing the meal (which was a much appreciated gesture of customer service) but failed to check in after the first time and our server seemed oblivious that we had a bad experience. Can't say we'll be dining at Citizen Burger again. Not until they've got 150+ reviews and 4 stars, at least.
(1)Sonja H.
We placed an order and came to pick up 25 min later only to find the phone number is their charlotsvile location. They need to change their number. Thanks for your comment back Andy. We will be happy to try again. I'll update my review once we try the food.
(3)Andrew L.
Another trip in the books, and another great burger. This time I created my own burger -- it was awesome! Also, just two words: fried pickles. If you're here, be sure to get them. They are some of the best fried pickles that I've had. Also, Nina, my server, was the best! My iced tea never saw the bottom of its glass.
(5)Faith F.
I'd really give a 2 1/2. I had the vegan patty, custom "burger". The problem was the thing was so mushy, it was the consistency of mashed potatoes on a bun. The flavor was good. It appeared it was a formed patty, but it just was so soft. Had to eat with fork and knife. Also had the truffle fries. Huge portion. Very good. They impressed me. Also had the key lime pie, it was pretty good again. Would recommend. We also had top service and the place has hip atmosphere, but not pretentious or full of itself. They show sports on tv's.
(3)Christina M.
The service was terrible and a manager lectured me about how to eat fries. My fries came out stale & soggy. I was almost finished with my burger before my waiter came over to check on us. I told him I wanted new fries. Later, a manager came over with my new fries and told me that I needed to take these out of the cup ASAP to prevent them from getting soggy. Really?? A lecture on how to eat fries? That's a new low in customer service. I did in fact take them out of the cup and spread them out like he told me, but they were still soggy. I only ate a few and pushed my plate away. It's hard to enjoy your meal after someone tells you you were eating it wrong. My waiter took my full plate of fries away without asking if there was anything wrong with them too. Of course, the fries were not comped on the check. BTW: if your fries need to spread out immediately in order to be eaten correctly, why don't you just serve them spread out to begin with??? In addition to the fries fiasco, my husband and I ordered a salad and asked the waiter to bring a separate bowl so we could split it. No extra bowl when the salad arrives. I asked for an extra bowl and he brings two bread plates (too small). I said, "can we just have an extra salad bowl?" and pointed to the salad bowl. He came back with two tiny little bowls. I asked again "can we just have an extra salad bowl?" and third time was a charm. But, the point is that he was just so clueless and we couldn't start in on our salad as soon as it arrived. The salad bowl thing is so small that I'd never focus on something like that. Just a minor annoyance. But being lectured to on how to eat fries is infuriating. Everyone makes mistakes. I don't judge a place for making a mistake. But I do judge them on how they handle mistakes and this was handled about as poor as I've ever seen. If you're going to pay almost $50 for salad and burgers for two people, the wait staff and management should be top quality. The one in Charlottesville is great. Try that one if you're ever in Cville. But, skip the one in Arlington.
(1)T D.
Awesome food! Became a fan in C'ville and was happy to learn of the Clarendon location since it's close to home! The Asst. GM in Clarendon is a beast! I forget his name but he's always on the go serving food, cleaning and talking to customers. We bring our kids and probably get a bit messy sometimes, but we haven't gotten any crazy looks yet.
(4)Annie O.
I don't have enough words to explain how great this burger was. Stop reading this. Just go.
(5)Chris M.
We went there in a group of 5, and the wait was 90 minutes (quoted as 45-50). We spent most of the time at a close-by bar having a drink. You have to expect a crazy wait during opening week in Clarendon! This place has a great atmosphere and amazing fries. The meat-eaters in our group loved their burgers, but our veggie burgers were a disappointment. As the menu indicates, they are made up of mostly beets. Still, two of us took a shot. The experience was like eating mushy beet oatmeal, though the toppings were good. We'll go back - for the fries! - and to try one of the other non-meat options, like the grilled cheese. So, I give this place a 4 out of 5. This place would get a 5, as Elevation Burger does, if it offered a decent veggie burger! The Assistant Manager, Mikey, was very nice and made sure to check on us to ensure we had a good experience. That was a nice touch!
(4)Bruce G.
First visit. Ordered the vegan burger w/lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper. Burger had a mushy beet red interior, not like beef at all. Veggie should be firm and more of a meat-medium in colour. Lettuce was a huge wedge, unfit to sit on a bun. Thick white onion unappetizing. Should have been thin sliced red onion for better texture and flavour. Ordered onion rings -- big disappointment. Greasy coating. You've gotta taste Whitlow on Wilson in Clarendon for the best coated and non-greasy onion rings! And for a really great all beef burger, highly recommend Boulevard Woodgrill in Clarendon. Service was fine. (My server Grant has a really cute butt). One final observation: Interior rather dark. How about outside seating?
(3)Jason F.
I give Citizen Burger 3.5 stars. The servers are very friendly and the burgers are typically hot and juicy. I've visited CB about 4 times and my only complaints are inconsistency and wait-time. On my third visit I went with larger group and it took close to 50mins for one of the guys I was with to get his burger. Since this is a new establishment this is a kink I am sure will be ironed out. I've also noticed that many burgers spend upwards of 5-7mins sitting in the window waiting to be picked up. Perhaps they should get some additional food runners to address this problem. PS - the sweet potato fries are delicious. Will be back soon and see if they can get the additional 1/2 star!
(3)Trisha H.
The burgers here are delicious. Came here with some girlfriends. Got a few drinks, ordered some burgers, got a free bowl of sweet potato fries. Our waitress Lenora was great, super spunky and friendly and generous. Overall, definitely a great burger joint!
(4)Carmen C.
So me and my fiancé have been dying to come to this restaurant ! So last night we went around 10 pm and everything was HORRIBLE! My fiancé ordered a burger with sweet potato fries. First thing that comes out is just regular potato fries so we asked to just switch the fries to what he ordered then he picked up his burger and the bread was so HARD and just falling apart so he asked to just make the whole meal all over again ! The waiter comes and says I'm sorry I think there just rushing your food ! Then comes back with the new order and guest what ... Still no sweet potato fries ! Everything was just all messed up ! Our waiter took forever just to even get us a glass of water !!! I'm never coming back and the burgers aren't even the best either.
(1)Paul T.
sat at the bar. had the executive burger with lobster. Was pretty damn good. A 5 star rating for me is if it was to die for, it up there, but just not that high. But definitely worth the drive and money out there. I will def be back. keep up the good work. Service is 5stars
(4)Thomas J.
The burgers are quite competent, but the place is WAY too noisy. When your servers end up bringing you the wrong things because they can't hear your order correctly, even after leaning in to get your order, something's wrong. In trying to identify *why* it's so noisy, noticed that pretty much every surface in the place is made of hard, sound-reflecting materials. Add in crowd noise and add in the overly-loud, six-song loop of 80s music, and it really makes you want to go find someplace quieter ...like an active construction site or a tarmac at a busy airport. We probably would have ordered the fried pickles for our appetizer, but noticed the description said they were spears. You don't fry pickle spears, you fry pickle chips. I"ve never had fried spears that were as good as even bad fried pickle-chips. I got the Executive burger. Tasty but way juicy - the stack of napkins wasn't up to the task and it quickly destroyed the bun. Everyone at my table seemed to be having similar issues with their burgers, so, it wasn't just that mine was an especially messy design. Fries tasted good, if a bit under-done and pasty. The onion rings were excellent. My wife loved her rosemary collins. My chile margarita was, at best, "meh". Drunk through a straw, it was utterly unremarkable. Drunk with lip to glass, I couldn't tell you whether the chile powder on the rim added to or detracted from the drink. Either way, I'd not order it again. Looked at the beer selection but didn't order: there wasn't anything on it that you won't find at any of the other craft beer bars in the DC area.
(2)Carletta G.
Went in with a friend shortly after they opened and we enjoyed it. We were there on a weekday and it can get noisy in there - we were there and seated just before the start of Happy Hour. Our waiter was really nice, bordering on overly attentive but I'll take that over someone invisible any day. We had the shisito peppers which were really good but I recommend getting the sauce they put on them on the side. Also - most of them are mild but some of them are zippy so if you're heat sensitive be careful! My friend had the mini and I had the little bleu. Both were solid although I am not a fan of their pickles. The french fries were outstanding. All in all - really decent burger joint, nice atmosphere and fairly convenient location. Will definitely go back.
(4)Sandeep K.
I doubt this place is going to survive. The food took over an hour to come out from the kitchen and when it did, it was cold. Not warm or lukewarm, but cold. This was really disappointing.
(1)Stephanie G.
I went here on a Saturday evening around 8:30pm and the place was full. We sat at the bar for about an hour waiting for a table. They had a fairly decent beer list (although less beers on tap than I thought they would have). Once seated our waiter was very friendly and the food ended up being delicious (best sweet potato fries I've ever had). The reason I'm only giving Citizen Buger 4 stars is because it took over an hour for us to get our food (6 people ordering burgers). Then it took another 45 minutes or so to get the check... We ended up leaving around midnight. Maybe this place is still working out some kinks. For now I would only recommend going here if you aren't in a rush.
(4)Thomas C.
Really enjoyed our dinner here! The place was busy, but our server Tia was incredibly helpful and checked in on us regularly. In terms of burgers, we had the Southern and the Wild Mushroom & Swiss, both sans bun and deliciously indulgent. One of us also ordered the roasted beet salad, which was enjoyed as well. I switched out my fries for the sweet potato variety, and they were seriously phenomenal! Between the massive burger and the generous portion of fries I was already feeling stuffed halfway through and ended up bringing a lot of the meal back to the hotel fridge. We were so happy with Citizen Burger that we even ended up seeking out the original Charlottesville location after visiting U.Va . the next day. This time I tried the Hotness, and opted to give the gluten-free bun a go. This burger was not as awesome, as the chili was just too greasy and wet. The bun was also pretty crumbly and dry, although this is almost unavoidable with GF products (and I know this doesn't affect most people). Also, with everything piled high on the burger, it fell apart completely when I first picked it up and I ended up having to eat it with a spoon...an experience I hadn't encountered the night before when I just skipped the bun altogether. From what I've seen, it looks like a lot of their burgers would be susceptible to this. Tons of toppings are nothing to complain about, but it's something to consider.
(4)H L.
I have been to this Citizen Burger twice and both experiences were great.The food is really yummy - and they have gluten free buns/vegan options which is great for limited eaters. We were also blown away by the management staff who were so friendly and nice in taking care of us. Like the decor as well, and they always play good music! Highly recommend this place, one of our favorites in Arlington!
(5)Allie S.
I ordered the beet and goat cheese salad, as well as the mini burger. I took one bite of my salad and started crying it was so tart. They took it off our check and the burger was good, as were the fries, but I was really disappointed in the salad experience.
(2)Kathryn M.
One of the only places you can find grass-fed beef burgers in North Arlington. It just opened recently and I went for the first time today with three friends. We all thought it was good, but not life-altering. My burger was a little bit under-cooked and we thought the fries were a little over-cooked. We all thought we'd definitely eat there again, but probably wouldn't go out of our way to do so. The waiter was very pleasant, and offered to help us finish the fries. Cute. :)
(4)David K.
The burger smell is gone, the new furniture smell is gone, the staff is friendly and on it, the playlist is great, the food has been and still is amazing. 4th time here, I will be back...
(4)Lauren H.
The burgers are well-formed, not pounded so when cooked it just melts in your mouth. I loved the chili on The Hotness burger. Fried pickles were giant and battered like an onion ring. Cool place, lots of TVs.
(5)Shereen H.
This is exactly what Clarendon has needed! By far the best burger in the area. Happy hour is awesome here, great deals on quality beers on tap. The shishito pepper appetizer is delicious! I created my own burger with angus beef, which is a bit juicier than their local option. The brioche bun is perfect, I can't ever go back to eating any other kind of bun. Our fries came out cold and within 30 seconds they had brought us fresh fries. I also feel like there are a lot of people that work there, and the employees spend more time talking with each other, than with customers. Like someone else mentioned, the bar staff is attentive, but not very social. My only menu recommendation is to add a fish sandwich option on the menu!
(4)Adam A.
Ate here for the first time over the weekend for lunch. Didnt have the highest expectations, given how many burger places are in the area, but I was proven wrong - this place is awesome. Got the fried pickle appetizer and the Citizen Burger. Pickles were tasty, and I really liked the sriracha mayo dip. The burger was huge and messy - exactly what burgers should be. Fries on the side were great too. Perfectly salted. The place is pretty big with a bar, lots of tables, and lots of TVs. Great atmosphere and not cramped at all. We did experience an issue - one of our party got the wrong sandwich - but the manager and server did everything they could to help. Gave us the wrong burger for free, and the replacement free, offered dessert free too (sorry we couldnt oblige - we were in a hurry!). Offered free sweet potato fries for the waiting party member. That is how you should address a problem, and in the end we were all happy. Five Guys and Ray's Hell were my favorite burger places for a while, but they have been trumped. Citizen is the real deal. A new bar is set. Cant wait to go back.
(5)K W.
By far the best burgers in DC. The atmosphere is modern rustic, all the food is locally grown/raised free range and organic. Absolutely phenomenal food. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Lucas B.
Love the Arlington outpost of the C-Ville original. What a great bar! Bartenders are awesome, food is great and the patrons are not your typical Clarendon D-bags. Although you do get a free show of the bruhs and skanks trying to procreate at Mister Days across the street. This is my favorite place in Clarendon. Keep it up, Citizen!
(5)Daniel M.
Best burger place I've been to in Arlington since moving down. For anyone from NYC area that's relocating this is your Bareburger replacement
(5)Chuck L.
Fantastic, incredibly tasty burgers. The appetizers are also great, as is the beer selection. What really stands out is the service, though. Every single person there is friendly, fast, and knowledgeable about the menu. Seriously: do yourself a favor and check them out.
(5)Jessica B.
Happy hour is ONLY at the bar, for a whopping 3 hours. Pretty pricy for mediocre burgers. Friendly waitstaff, but it doesn't make up for the overpriced food or incompetence of the managers. We ordered drinks at the bar to receive happy hour deals and were then later told that we were no longer able to do that because they were trying to increase the amount of people coming to the bar. This would be understandable, but when the restaurant is empty at 6:30, they should attempt to attract customers as much as possible instead of only to the bar. In addition they paid little attention to detail as 2 TVs were off for the majority of our visit and fries were missing from 2 of our orders. Overall it is a good mission statement and ideals, with terrible follow through in insuring the customer experience overall. Local food should encourage locals to come in instead of pushing them away.
(2)Chase D.
Citizen Burger Bar knows how to cater to their customers. I am friends with the assistant managers Mikey and Cara. Citizen does well to get your burger out quickly and delivering really high quality. Their beer selection is wide. I look forward to going back soon!
(5)nathan g.
arrived at opening today, a saturday. we were promptly greeted, seated, and we ordered within moments. very good. the waitress gave us a little pitch about why grass-fed makes sense, which was fine. i get the sense that the locavore thing's really about the c-ville outpost, and kind of is actually a little counter what's going on here. if the stuff's within 100 miles of c-ville, it may be exceeding the carbon footprint radius of appropriate for arlington. none of which is something about which i'm a stickler, however, locally sourced/goodvibe/happy ingredients is seemingly their hook. so, it'd be nice if they got on that one. the food took forever to arrive. we had to be one of the first orders of the day, and it really did take about 30 minutes for them to bring out an order of rings. in all fairness, i'd been asked if we wanted it as an appetizer, and i said bring it out whenever. i didn't mean in a half an hour though. the burgers came out not long after the rings, and as James S. pointed out, the burgers are made to be "seen, not eaten." the stacked up thing on a skewer's just kind of ridic to try to eat. does anyone need *that* much iceberg lettuce on a burger? wth? but yeah. i'm frustrated by burgers being sold as "sloppy" or "messy" when in fact it's just stupid and impossible to eat. the bun falls apart under the wet, and it was all just kind of "meh." the fries and onion rings tasted mostly of grease. the burger was hot and just ok, nothing special. crumbly. the multi-grain bun could've been yesterday's. two minutes after the burgers came, they came to ask if everything was ok. we said it was. that was followed by bringing the check 40 seconds later. "take your time" was delivered with the check. uh, thanks. we weren't halfway through. "if you want anything else i can bring that." well, you'd already brought the check. it takes 30 minutes to get the food, do people love it when 3 minutes into eating it they're getting the check delivered.? nah. i don't need another beer or dessert. i'll just pay this. oh. and paying. the burgers are 8 and giant, which seems fine and fair. fries are 3 with a burger, which seems a little high to me, and rings are 6. which is just wrong. that's just too much. so, two burgers, one order of fries, one order of onion rings, and one short beer--$31 and change. that's too high. the food was ok. no reason to visit again though.
(2)Jenn M.
I wanted to really like this place because this girl loves burgers but it just wasn't happening for me. Came to CB for a really late lunch (or super early dinner, it was about 4PM-ish). My bf and I both started with a beer and an order of onion rings. We saw at a booth by the kitchen so we got to see the action. The chef/manager served us our onion rings. He was kind and friendly. The onion rings were way tooooo greasy. I could see the oil drippings on my hands. The dips, ranch and bbq, were so small. The little containers it came in were not even filled halfway. The onion rings may look good but weren't. Skip them, in my opinion. I ordered The Southern burger (Timbercreek beef, house pimento cheese, Nueske's bacon, yellow mustard, iceberg, tomato, house brioche). It was just average to me. The house pimento cheese was a bit overwhelming. My bf got The Hotness burger (Timbercreek beef, jalapeno jack, sriracha mayo, fresh jalapenos, grass-fed chili, onion, tomato, house brioche). He said his burger was just okay too. He was overwhelmed as well. For those that like a big hearty burger, this place is definitely for you, but sadly, not for us. Sometimes a simple plain burger is all it takes to captivate me. Fries were ordinary as well, it was half crispy and half soggy. The atmosphere is really nice though and the chef/manager was really nice. But this place is a bust for us.
(3)Carrie L.
I was sadly underwhelmed. I love their concept (grass-fed, locally-sourced meat) and will always support businesses who use good quality food (especially meat). However, the problem was the wait (once we were seated) and the inconsistency of the cooked burgers. I asked for mine pink and it came out very red and cold. I have never had a cold burger in my life. NOT GOOD! After a few bites, I sent it back. My friend complained that his was overcooked and not pink either.I think the guys doing the grill need more practice o n consistency all around. We arrived at 7 on a Saturday and waited 40 minutes (no problem, we knew we would wait). However, we didn't leave until 9:15. For a table of four to eat burgers, that seems quite extensive. We waited FOREVER for our food with zero apologies at all. I do not mind waiting if the waitress gives us a head's up: "The kitchen is backed up tonight. Can I offer you a free app?" The sweet potato fried were delish and once my burger was cooked more, it was great as well.
(3)Jennifer B.
Totally understand that we walked in 15 minutes before your kitchen closed but to not greet us and your whole staff is staring at us while sitting in booths, watching tv. Then after we're sat finally, the server just stands in front of us without saying a word and doesn't say anything when we tell him our water glass is filthy. We got up and left. Why would I spend money there being treated like we're unwanted. No thanks! Good luck with business, you're going to need it.
(1)Carla P.
Yums! They have a tasty vegan burger with great toppings! Service is friendly. Nice drinks/beer selection. We'll definitely be back.
(5)Paige M.
I've been waiting for a good burger place to open up in Clarendon, and this place delivered. I, too, am a big Shake Shack fan, and found it difficult to compare Citizen Burger with Shake Shack, because you're really in for a very different kind of burger. Citizen Burger features plenty of gourmet burgers. My group ordered the mushroom swiss, citizen burger, and steakhouse burger. The guys loved the steakhouse burger, it was really moist and flavorful, and the brioche bun was delicious. I really enjoyed the citizen burger - again, brioche bun and the black onion was a nice touch. The fried pickle it came with had a bit too much breading, but was still fun. The mushroom swiss fell pretty flat for our group. The whole wheat bun was really dry, and the mushrooms could use a bit more seasoning to bring the flavor out, since I could hardly taste them on the burger. The sweet potato fries were delicious, and you get SO MANY of them with your burger. Though we didn't drink, the beer list was pretty impressive. Regarding the service - our waiter was really friendly and attentive, and made sure we had plenty of water. We had to wait quite a long time for the burgers, but it is only the first week they have been open, so we went into it knowing they would still have some kinks to work out with getting the food out on time and weren't too bothered by it. We had all asked for various levels of "done-ness" on our burgers, and my friend that asked for "no pink" ended up with a fair amount of pink in her burger (probably about a medium), so that was a bit disappointing. The manager was really great and apologized for the long wait, and throughout the time we were there we were treated quite well. Overall, I give it four stars for good service (minus the wait time) and great food. Glad to have a great burger place nearby when I'm looking for something more adventurous than Shake Shack!
(4)Cindy B.
I had heard good things about this place but it could not be further from the truth. The hostess tells me that my take out order was going to take 20 minutes. I dropped by the restaurant and the hostess says 5 more minutes. 10 minutes later another waiter comes over and says the order had not been placed yet. So she lied. When I finally received my food, I realized that the hostess did not take down the right order. When I asked her for my missing onion rings she looked at me with a perplexed look. Wow. The food is greasy and not anything special. I would not recommend this place.
(1)Andrew G.
I sort of want to write a bad review so then the place won't be so crowded. But I can't , because the food is really really good. I ordered the steakhouse burger and it was succulent and amazing. And the beer selection is off the hook. So I would say this is a great addition to the restaurants in Clarendon. Oh, the wait staff is awesome and really knowledgeable. Mitch served us and he's a chill dude from Collinsville, Illinois.
(5)Female I.
Excellent. I frequented their Charlottesville location during my time as a student at UVA. The burgers are delicious and come with a large portion of fries. The ingredients are all local, which is a nice plus. The siriacha mayo sauce is a must as well!
(5)Kelly C.
My friend and I stopped by here on a rainy Tuesday afternoon around 2:30pm and the place was empty which is to be expected. The service was good, we were promptly greeted and our waiter was the right amount of attentive. We ordered the truffle fries which were delicious but would be enough to feed about 6 people as they come in a huge bowl. You definitely get the $8 worth. I made my own chicken sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries and my friend ordered the citizen burger with onion rings. Both were delicious and well cooked but nothing remarkable. I'd come back here for sure as the food was good and the portions were generous. I think it's a good addition to the Clarendon restaurant scene.
(3)Jen E.
Had high expectations. Food looked great, prices fair, good portion sizes. I ordered the citizen burger, onion rings and fried pickles. It was a pool of grease. Everything tasted bitter because of the amount of oil everything had. Burger patty lacked seasoning and im pretty sure the bbq sauce is from the jar. It tastes like it does. Service was mediocre. A bit slow, but I understand it is a new place and needs time to work out the kinks. Probably wouldn't go back again. Lacks flavor, greasy and mediocre service.
(1)M S.
Around 1pm on Valentine's Day, tables full so we sat at the bar. Great service from the start as bartender was very helpful explaining the menu. We had beers from the amazing beer list (sculpin, Firestone, 3 brothers....) then had the Citizen burger. It was delicious and a ton of food. Fries were maybe the best in Clarendon. We will be back for sure to try the truffle fries, beet salad, smaller burgers( mini?) and of course more beers. Also the atmosphere of this place is really cool. Reminds me of a place you'd find in Denver or San Diego. Strong addition to the Clarendon scene. Should do very well.
(4)John M.
Best burger I've had in years. I was impressed by the range of burger options I had, I ended up getting the citizen burger. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. The prices were very reasonable, which was a pleasant surprise.
(5)Phil D.
great burger and fries, Chris the bartender informed me about the beer selection. He suggested the Firestone ipa, great beer!!! I will be back soon great service
(5)Joe P.
I love this place. Outstanding burgers and you can literally build your own. Great taste and quality ingredients. I love the truffle fries, they are fantastic. Good beer selection and the service has always been great. It is tough to get in, but well worth the wait.
(5)Mary P.
WoW! What a great burger! My server recommended the Lagunitas Little Sumpin' - love you for that! Those sweet potato fries were oh, so perfect. First time here, and just wow. Excellent all the way around. I'm stingy with the stars but giving 5 is no problem here. Back to Old Town but definitely will be back.
(5)Steve S.
A solid four stars. Delicious basic burger and rings. Tasty ranch dressing. I wish the patty was just a little bit more seasoned with salt and pepper before hitting the cooking surface and that the bun did a little better job standing up to the super juicy burger, but on the whole very enjoyable. Friendly casual service.
(4)Jim W.
Looking for neighborhood adventures, we decided to ignore the silly organic, local, free range pretense. The upshot was an excellent burger and generous sweet potato fries. Great beer selection too.
(4)Katie L.
One of the best burgers I've ever had, if not the best. I've been 5 times now and the food has been consistently good. I love both the regular and sweet potato fries. Beer selection is also solid.
(5)Laura S.
Grass fed burgers were really good! Most other burger joints use low quality beef fed cheap grains and loaded with antibiotics and steroids. I'm happy to pay more for a high quality product. The interior is pretty nice and sleek. A very open and clean feel. I don't get people that slam the decor as if they are doing an architectural critique for Architectural Digest.... If you want a high quality burger, nice ambiance and to support a local business, this is a great place!
(4)Liv D.
I've been a few times and the service here is terrible. Always takes about an hour to get our food. I usually come at lunch and I cannot take 2 hour lunch breaks from work, so I won't be returning anymore. But we went with a table of 10 and our food came out in two shifts with a roughly 20 min wait in between. Kind of ridiculous as everyone wanted to eat together so food got cold. The fries are delicious though! The burgers are huge so I usually go for the mini of the day which is $10 and comes with fries and a soda. This last time I went, the burger was completely overcooked and dry, so that was sad. My coworker got a salad and it was huge and she enjoyed it.
(3)Mim L.
I love the atmosphere and their use of local/farm to table on their menu. The meat is local, the beer is local and the staff is extremely nice. Overall I enjoyed my experience. 3 stars because the burger meat itself was not well seasoned. I understand that they pride themselves on the quality of their meat but a little bit of salt can't hurt. Because this is a burger joint so I based my rating on just that. The chili that was serve on top of my burger was delicious. I think my burger was called "The Hotness". My boyfriend ordered "The Southern" which I actually preferred over mine just because it was less messy. We also ordered the fried pickles because I love fried pickles. Their fried pickles were juicy and crisp but extremely large spears. I think I prefer the fried pickle "chips". Their fries are also delicious. Their portions are large! I would definitely give this place another try. My boyfriend the place overall.
(3)Dana P.
Great burgers and the citizen sauce is amazing! Excellent service. Make sure you say hi to Mitch (best host ever!)
(5)Usman Z.
Excellent customer service. Nice gluten free options. They go out of their way to make it a good experience. Knowledgeable staff...they aren't clueless when you ask them about the ingredients used. Especially impt for people who avoid gluten.
(5)Kristina K.
It took a very long time for us to get our food. The staff was very friendly and we really liked how they would text you when your table was ready so you could leave the restaurant. The burger was good but not worth the wait. They have a very large bar area with a great variety of beer.
(2)Amanda B.
Two stars seems a little harsh, but I would definitely call this place "Meh" and not "A-OK." I came with an appetite (which makes me predisposed to like whatever you serve me) and ridiculously early (i.e., 5:30 pm on a Sunday). Service: Our waitress was sweet about it, but the service was SLOW. A couple next to us arrived after us and got their food way before us. I saw our burgers sit up at the bar for at least 5 minutes before she picked them up. If it's like this at 5:30-- well before the dinner rush-- then I would hate to eat here at a normal hour. Beer Selection: Good, but my husband and I each ordered a beer to find out after the fact that they were out of said choices. I get that you can't have everything in stock all the time, but instead of offering up an extensive list and having waitstaff go back and forth to the bar to see if it's stock-- why not just print a more limited daily menu (or have a chalkboard) with what you got? Keep in simple. Food: I took a chance and ordered a custom burger, because the ones on the menu had too much going on. Surprisingly, it came out just as I ordered it. It was one of the better burgers that I've had in the area, but when I went home, within a couple of hours I started to feel very, very gross. I wouldn't go as far as saying it was food poisoning, but my husband felt the same way and proclaimed "I won't be going back there." Husband, I'm inclined to agree.
(2)Nick V.
Meh. Place was packed which I thought was a good sign but I was wrong. I ordered a medium rare burger that was so over cooked it was like a hockey puck. I was with four other people who ordered burgers and everyone ordered it cooked red or pink and they were all grey/brown. When my burger arrived they didn't give me the pickle that was supposed to come on the burger. I asked the waitress for my pickle, a side of aioli, and another beer. about 5 minutes later I needed to ask another waitress for the same thing. It took another 5 minutes to get me everything by which time the fries were cold. Fries were tasty even cold. I told the waitress about the burger being overcooked and they offered me a free beer and gave us some coupons for free appetizers to comeback. I will probably not be going back. Burgers are not difficult to do well and Citizen Burger struggled.
(2)Andrew L.
This place is great!! I would say that it is on par, no, better than Ray's Hell burger. Also, Mitch, the kitchen chef, is the man! If you're looking for a great burger in Clarendon, go here. Also, the fries pickles are great!!
(5)Jeff W.
The burgers were big and flavourful. The fries were good but a littke too much salt. The service was good although cider ale was unavailable when we went. My only issues with going during lunch time is there are other restaurants with just as good burger at half the $17 price for burgers and fries. I wish them sucess but will not be going often.
(4)Dan M.
I came here about a month ago with a large party. We were told we would be seated right away- but we ended up having to wait an hour and a half. The manager was very apologetic and took care of some drinks and appetizers. We were held over by fried pickles and truffle fries (both were delicious!) Our party was happy and it definitely made us forget about the long wait. We were finally seated and our server was very sweet and attentive. I had the basic American burger and added bacon. I also ordered the sweet potato fries. The food here is great and is one of the best burgers you can get in Arlington. The rest of the party enjoyed their food as well. Such a great addition to Clarendon!
(5)Kimberly M.
I came here with my boyfriend for late lunch on Saturday. We love burgers and we really wanted to try this place. This place is great! I'm not sure what exactly these negative people expect. I mainly rate places based on food, service, and value. I also don't normally get on yelp to write a review but I liked this place so much I decided to share. I love a good burger and this place did not disappoint. The burger was fantastic, as were the fries. We were a little overwhelmed by the choices but our server helped break it down and told us the most popular dishes. We both went with the smokehouse. We were told to expect about twenty minutes for our food and that's what it was. Was the burger huge? Yes. I loved every minute of it. I cut it in half and had no problems. The drinks and beer selection were all great! There was a mix up at the bar and they brought us out the wrong drink but our server was quick to correct the error and was very polite and super helpful. I'm sure this place will just continue to get better as they work out the kinks. It's part of being new... Stuff happens. But any issues we had were quickly corrected. I wish I could remember my servers name so I could give him a shout out for being so great. To me, it's not about being perfect but how you handle the mistakes. I had low expectations for service because this place is new, but you wouldn't have know it. Service was fantastic. My boyfriend and I have told all our friends to check this place out and I'm excited to go back and try new drinks and burger combos. Keep up the great work!
(5)Mary M.
We had a really good experience at Citizen Burger last week. We're both vegetarians so we can't speak to the meat burgers but the veggie burgers were great. I liked the beets - it is something different from what you usually find in regular veggie burgers. Making your own was great fun and provided a lot of variety - though I may have gotten a bit carried a way with mine. The french fries were also amazing. Portions were huge! We share a side salad to start and enjoyed that as well. It was big enough for 3 to share as a start. We didn't have beverages that night, but their beer list was intringuing with lots of local options. We will for sure come back!
(5)S L.
For a burger place that specializes in burgers, you'd think they allow you to specify how you want your meat cooked. But nooooo - they only have red, pink, and well-done as options. Strike #1. The burgers and standard fries took a good 20 minutes to arrive and tasted bland without any sort of flavoring that might entice you to take a second bite. Except I was hungry, so I kept on eating. Their onion rings also lacked any sort of seasoning and somehow not even deep frying made them palatable. The fries were fine - I'd say the fries were the highlight of our meal. Our party of two arrived just before noon on a snow-day, so we were able to get seated at a booth right away, so that was nice. However, if you sit right by the cooking stations, you get the joy of getting the chef shouting pep talks at the team of line cooks. And for a not very busy lunch hour, I don't think waiting 10 minutes for drinks, 20 minutes for bland burgers, and another 10 minutes (upon inquiry with manager) about tasteless onion rings was worth it.
(1)Jane B.
Burgers were good with the exception of a soggy bun on mine, and general dryness on my friend's multigrain bun. Perhaps they could consider toasting them. Service was friendly but slow.
(3)Rebecca K.
I went out for a late lunch today, and decided on this place since my coworkers recommended it to me. I took a seat at the bar and the bartender was very prompt with my order and drink. After almost 20min of patiently waiting, I noticed that the bartender was cashing out and done with his shift, the evening bartender checked in with me about 5 minutes later and I said I was just waiting for my food. He did not check on my food or offer me anything else. I then noticed that the original bartender that had taken my order was eating his food at the other end of the bar. I continued to wait very patiently, enjoying my break from work, but when I hit the 40min mark, I decided I had to speak up. After checking my check to see when I had indeed ordered my food, he went to the manager who promptly came over to apologize and state that they were working on my food now, but that it would be taken care of. I asked for my food to-go since I had to get back to work. I was presented with a check for my iced tea, which I was mildly surprised that I got charged for, but I paid for it anyways. My food came out very quickly and I left to go back to work and eat at my desk. My food was pretty disappointing. I will not hold it against them too much since I ordered a custom chicken sandwich. The multigrain roll was too thick and incredibly dry. There was hardly any dressing on the sandwich, and the chicken tasted like beef and was also dry. I eventually gave up on the bun and ate the chicken. Ultimately I am glad I didn't have to pay $15 for my sandwich and side salad. The whole experience was really underwhelming. It would have been nice if the service staff was paying more attention to the customers at the bar.
(2)