Korean Chain Kraze Burgers Opens First U.S. Location In Bethesda

WASHINGTON -- Burgers aren't just an American domain anymore. Last week, Korean-owned chain Kraze Burgers quietly opened its first U.S. location in D.C.'s Maryland suburbs.

Patch reports that the company, which was founded in 1998 with the aim of introducing Koreans to American-style burgers, opened the doors to a location in Bethesda at 7301 Woodmont Ave.

Kraze also plans to expand into the District of Columbia, with locations eyed for Georgetown, Dupont Circle and possibly Union Station. Arlington County and other locations in Northern Virginia may also be in the works.

Monday night, The Huffington Post swung by the Bethesda location to check out the new digs, which are clean, bright and green. The establishment is fairly small, with a handful of tables and a seating counter along the window wall facing out on Elm Street. The ordering system involves display screens at the cash register, on which each order pops up for customers to double-check. Buzzers alert customers when orders are ready.

We ordered the K. Onion burger, a tasty number topped with a large fried onion. It came on a multi-grain bun, which was lightly accented with a pleasant "cream cheese sauce." We complemented our meal with perfectly serviceable sweet potato fries. We could have picked herb fries -- or, if we'd felt more health conscious, asparagus spears.

Check back for a more in-depth look at the space and its menu.

RELATED VIDEO: In Search of Kraze Burger In Seoul

Comments

[daigz]

05:56 PM on 12/13/2011

So this started as a way to get Koreans into American burgers, and now they're bringing it to Americans? Unless there's a distinct Korean influence in the food, I'm not sure this entirely makes sense to me.

[majesticjkr]

06:11 PM on 12/11/2011

when is the world going to stop filling its people with burgers frys and sugar fizy drinks, humans are ment to be the boss of the planet, yet we eat fat, we are fat, and we love it, whats wrong with us,

[dirtydog1776]

12:34 AM on 12/02/2011

Are little Korean children chained to workstations, forced to make hamburgers all day long for slave wages, while polluting the environment?. Or is that just Chinese burgers?

[yooj870]

08:24 PM on 12/07/2011

No, like any other developed country, majority of workforce involving banal activities are populated by part-time workers. The ethnography of these corporate part-time jobs varies but majority of them are college students, the law forbids companies to hire underage workers and most owners dislike the idea of hiring someone young since irresponsibility and immaturity are the connotations of young people in Korea.

[Grace Jones]

03:49 PM on 12/01/2011

Kraze Burgers uses 100% U.S. beef and all their ingredients are from the U.S. Their corporate company is a U.S. company based in Virginia when you look on their website. Also their CEO is white. They use Vintage Natural meat.

http://www.vintagenaturalbeef.com/AboutUsSub.aspx

They also use all fresh ingredients, bake their own breads in the U.S. and add NO MSG. When I went there it was all americans that were working there. That means they're making and giving new jobs for U.S. citizens in this economy. The burgers taste great and that's all I care about.

[Brian Corvello]

10:56 AM on 11/30/2011

What's wrong with Korean food? There's a Korean restaurant right down the street from me (I live in Brooklyn) and I'd rate it as excellent.

[carnivaluv]

07:36 AM on 11/30/2011

Yum, they serve asparagus.

[Carl E Cook]

11:35 PM on 11/29/2011

a korean based hamburger? let me see if i get this right........they sell their hyundais and kias here...........we import LG TVs from korea, samsung copies every product they possibly can, including all kinds of APPLE products....so i need to eat in a korean owned restaurant and send even more money to korea, helping to kill our economy just a little bit more..................knowing americans, it will probably kill off wendy's in a few years, and we'll blame it on "mismanagement"

[TommyObama]

09:49 AM on 11/30/2011

Well if they incorporate some Korean spice and it tastes anything better than the bland McBeef slopped by by most US chains lately, it SHOULD put them out of business! Not even salt and pepper?! It's been easy to give up beef...damn I'm craving a Michigan olive burger right now.

[Carl E Cook]

10:01 AM on 11/30/2011

well....as i said.....40 years+ of watching how a country kills their own goose that laid the golden eggs--our economy, that is---and for a little spice, i guess, you are advocating for more of the same.
i always use the same observation when i encounter someone who fails to see the bigger picture.........our house is on fire, and you're throwing more wood on the fire......

[Carl E Cook]

10:05 AM on 11/30/2011

the us burger chains used to taste better, granted.........that was before LAWYERS and DO-GOODERS decided the chains shouldn't sell taste, but health, and that suing them would be a great source of income......now they have to post nutritional information, as if anyone reads it, anyhow.

[Kev Bat]

09:57 PM on 11/29/2011

From the picture I would say that the " Yam fries " and " Magic Mushroom Burger " meal is very
popular .

[ForReallyReal]

09:52 PM on 11/29/2011

Ballsy move. How many Americans have opened kimchee restaurants in Seoul?

[KBLAIR3]

08:32 PM on 11/29/2011

oh,boy,,,,,dog,dammmmmmm,good

[wegugin]

08:28 PM on 11/29/2011

The dogmeat jokes are so cliche.

[scooo1]

08:27 PM on 11/29/2011

Dog or cat not going there..........

[FEngels]

06:05 PM on 11/29/2011

All Korean restaurants here use MSG. Same in Korea.

Does this place use MSG in its food?

[BlueKansas]

04:15 PM on 11/29/2011

I don't care if they're selling 100% Grade A Kansas beef, I would never buy a burger from a Korean outfit. It's Korea's business if they want to eat dog meat, but I sure wouldn't support any Korean burger chain. Come to think of it, I don't really support American burger chains either. And when my husband travels to Seoul on business, I always warn him to read the food labels!

[Piet Jones]

07:13 PM on 11/29/2011

Nothing like a few racial stereotypes to really let people know how xenophobic you are.

[wegugin]

08:25 PM on 11/29/2011

Ha! You know nothing about meat in Korea. You can't accidentally eat dogmeat there. Koreans eat great food. Dogmeat is not common. Their seafood puts ours to shame. Koreans hate their president for entering into the free trade agreement which allows American beef with lower standards to enter their market.

[dirtydog1776]

12:36 AM on 12/02/2011

They are protectionists and interventionists, preventing market imports from entering their markets. That sounds like China and other nations as well. Sounds fair to me!!! LOL!

[lkgilles]

04:10 PM on 11/29/2011

Dog meat?