ray's hell burger, arlington, va

this is probably not the best place to take someone on the first date, unromantic, no ambience, crowded and slightly dirty. nevertheless, if you're in the mood for a good burger, not afraid to get your hands dirty or maybe it's the fourth date..then ray's hell burger is probably the right place for you.

when you get inside, there's a long line along one wall to get up to the cash register. kyle ordered the big punisher which has pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and grilled onions. i opted for the dogcatcher which has bone marrow, persillade, lettuce and tomatoes. bone marrow may seem like an odd choice for a burger topping and that's because it is. i love bone marrow- it's a bit carnivorous when you think about what you're actually eating..but maybe you're just thinking too much. my only complaint is that the marrow doesn't add much in the way of flavor to the burger, plus the burger is juicy enough as it is that the marrow just adds to the jus..leaving a messy pile of wilted bun on your plate and greasy hands. 


the other thing to note is the fact that tables are a first come first serve type of deal. there were many awkward moments perching by a table that looked like it was about to become available, only to have someone swoop in to take your table. normally i would have been ok with that and politely just backed away, but when you're holding a burger in one hand and a milkshake in the other and someone gets between you and your chance to eat said burger..primitive instincts start to kick in.


good burger joint, not as good as ray's other restaurant in arlington, ray's the steaks.