Suiname wrote:The wait at Kuma's is generally pretty ridiculous, I always avoid it by sticking to the following couple rules:
1) go with as few people as possible, even better if you go by yourself
2) go at times when you know it wont be packed. These times are either immediately at opening or around 2:30-3:00 after the lunch rush is over
3) pick up your burger for takeout (they only allow this when the patio is closed). One time I picked up my burger and then sat and ate it on curb in front of everyone waiting in line like a total dick. I was hungry though, not being spiteful.
Some people don't want to jump through hoops like this just to get a really delicious burger, which I understand. I think that Kuma's is partially a victim of its own success, partially unwilling to be more accommodating (clearly they don't have to be to survive). I have heard heresay that the owner of Kuma's may indeed be a jerk, but I can't confirm or disconfirm this personally.
spinynorman99 wrote:Rule #1, unfortunately, applies to lots of places. There are innumerable restaurants in town where 4 is workable but 6 is near impossible. We were planning to go to Longman with some friends one night when I overheard my wife extending an invitation to another couple, which immediately forced a "plan B" workaround. It sucks, but it's a harsh reality of "no-reservations" restaurants.
Suiname wrote:The wait at Kuma's is generally pretty ridiculous, I always avoid it by sticking to the following couple rules:
1) go with as few people as possible, even better if you go by yourself
2) go at times when you know it wont be packed. These times are either immediately at opening or around 2:30-3:00 after the lunch rush is over
3) pick up your burger for takeout (they only allow this when the patio is closed). One time I picked up my burger and then sat and ate it on curb in front of everyone waiting in line like a total dick. I was hungry though, not being spiteful.
Some people don't want to jump through hoops like this just to get a really delicious burger, which I understand. I think that Kuma's is partially a victim of its own success, partially unwilling to be more accommodating (clearly they don't have to be to survive). I have heard heresay that the owner of Kuma's may indeed be a jerk, but I can't confirm or disconfirm this personally.
d4v3 wrote:So the place is getting so crowded that nobody goes there anymore? Actually, like MrTusks (welcome), I have found that Sunday afternoons are usually pretty easy going.
Regardless of how you feel about the place, you have to admire the owners. I remember they did months of research before opening the place. They spent a lot of time going to similar establishments and speaking to both customers and future competitors. They also established friendships with various influential people in the beer/burger/bar scene like Nick Floyd (of FFF).
Like Barry of Smoque, they did enough market research that they were able to hit the ground running and have confidence in their concept. They didn't waste time and resources by second guessing themselves and endlessly tweaking their business model. Although they are relative newcomers to the business, aspiring restaurateurs can learn a lot from them.
Alright, so the menu had things like mussels on it (pretty good ones too), but their specialty was a burger with an egg on it (IIRC it was called the Kuma Burger). It is true that the "metal" burgers came later, after the Metallica (I believe) became a best seller. The music, the tat flash and metal vibe were there from the beginning, and their basic business model stayed in place, even if the menu changed (with the chef). The first few months they were open they did pretty good business for a new joint. No 2 hour waits, but an hour was not uncommon during prime time. My point was not that they were from the beer "scene", but that they cultivated friendships with scene "fixtures", at places like the Maproom (where they researched beer selections prior to opening). These people (including the FFF crew) were among their earliest customers and influenced others to try the place.NobleSquirrel wrote:Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.
Marija wrote:We did the Kuma Burger at DC Sarnies last year and were very disappointed. Definitely not a burger to remember.
Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.
Ok, maybe "hit the ground running" was hyperbolic, but I meant it in terms of they had a masterplan, not that the place was jammed packed from the start. I also used to go there back when you could actually hangout for an evening. It was a fun place. I was there the first weekend they opened and the place was empty, but within a couple of weeks, it was pretty hopping, but still tolerable. Within a couple of months, you had to wait 45 min,+ to eat on a busy night, but there was still room to stand inside while waiting. When they first introduced the specialty burgers, I used to bring my metal head nephew from Wisconsin there on weekend afternoons and we had the whole place to ourselves. Post Check-please, I won't go near the place during peak hours and only venture in mid-afternoon for food, but leave before the volume gets cranked. It is just unusual to see people who have never owned an establishment before, become so successful so quickly. We should all have their problems.rmtraut wrote:Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.
I was going to chime in making the same point. Kuma's became my neighborhood bar when they first opened as I am an ex-and-somewhat-current metal head. They had a great beer selection from the get go and I could belly up at the bar any time of the week. The food was great as well. And then the burger thing happened and I couldn't belly up any more....
long101 wrote:I have visted Kumas more times then I care to count. I travelled to Kumas too today with some work folks, showed up at opening and we were the first people there, even upon leaving around 1230 the joint wasnt even half full. Everyones burger at the table was overcooked, people that ordered medium had no color, and my medium rare was only a very light pink in the middle. That being said they were still edible, just not up to pay to my typical Kumas burger. All 6 of us were underwhelmed, probably just working out some kinks I hope
valgalder wrote:
yeah, I always order Rare, and last time it came out more Medium. Not easy to find a place that will actually serve a proper rare burger around here for some reason.
boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)
Lerdawg wrote:boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)
What was the beer? When I went last, it was Lagunitas IPA, which was great!
boudreaulicious wrote:Lerdawg wrote:boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)
What was the beer? When I went last, it was Lagunitas IPA, which was great!
I think it was something from Revolution Brewing but it's not on the list now and all I remember was that it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff. I also thought our bartender was kind of rude--after tasting the sample, I told him I'd just go ahead and pay for a beer (even without it, you still come out a bit ahead with just the burger and the shot). I told him I like Krankshaft (Metropolitan) which is ON their bottle list and he actually made a comment along the lines of "well, you like THAT but you don't like weak beer ?" or something to that effect. Really strange. Burger was still terrific. Hipster beer bartenders, not so much.
I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
d4v3 wrote:I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
d4v3 wrote:I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
Yeah, that sounds like it. It is meant to be an LA beer. In that context, it probably competes favorably with others in this category. It undoubtedly has more flavor than a mainstream LA beer, but it is still a confusing choice for the BBB special, especially considering that anybody who drinks a shot and a beer with their burger, probably could care less about the alcohol content of the back beer.mtgl wrote: It looks like this beer may be the one you're referring to, in which case, it seems to be the intended style