Obama and Biden Hit Ray’s Hellburger
Burger Slice
Originally uploaded by tbridge
White House reporter Mark Knoller put President Obama and Vice President Biden at lunch over in Courthouse at ever popular burger joint Ray’s Hell Burger. I’m guessing that Michael’s got a couple of big & awesome burgers waiting for them, but what do you suppose they take on their burgers?
I’m voting cheddar and bacon for Biden, and maybe guacamole for the President?
So, was it that President Bush never went out in DC at all, or is it that we’re just so obsessed with President Obama that normal lunch habits seem like good news fodder?
Update: Knoller reports, “Obama ordered a swiss mushroom burger with chili and cheese cooked medium. Paid cash.” Damn. He also ordered burgers for a few of the press that were invited along.
Update the Second: NBCWashington wants to post your cell phone video of the Prez wiping burger off his chin.
Update the Third: NBC 4 passed along this video, behind the cut:
As you can see, Mark Knoller’s initial pass-along of the orders was wrong. The VP had Swiss with Jalapenos, and the President had a basic cheddar burger, with cheesy potatoes. Not a bad lunch.
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16 Responses to “Obama and Biden Hit Ray’s Hellburger”
May 5th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
TWO THUMBS UP FOR AN EXCELLENT LUNCH-PLACE CHOICE! Also, I don’t think I’ve ever had a President in my neighborhood before. woo hoo!!!
May 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Of course he paid cash. Ray’s doesn’t take credit cards, much to my chagrin. :)
Also, does this mean the wait for a table is going to be even worse from now on?
May 5th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
“Pool got it wrong: Obama really ordered a basic cheddar cheese burger, medium well with spicy mustard. also order cheesy tater puffs….”
May 5th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Barack and Michelle need to come to Silver Spring and try Rays the Classics- you can make a reservation there!
May 5th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Nooooo! Now I’ll never be able to get over there to satisfy my Hell Burger craving.
I’m glad he has good taste. But I wish he’d go to the local joints I don’t like now and then.
May 5th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Thank you to whomever corrected the President’s burger order. He did not have a “swiss mushroom burger with chili.” Duh! He had a simple cheddar cheese burger cooked medium. How in the world do you get that wrong?!
Not that it’s a big deal but sometimes it’s just the principle of the matter.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
This may alter my plan to grab a burger tomorrow. Hell Burger is going to be packed (like it wasn’t already) for the foreseeable future.
@andrea – I’m pretty sure Ray’s The Steaks’s new Courthouse location takes reservations.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Every time I’ve been to Ray’s it’s been packed. I guess I don’t understand why people think thousands of people are now going to wait in line to eat at Ray’s just because Obama and Biden ate there today. Even if there is surge in customers, I’m sure it’ll go back to “normal” pretty quickly.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
They think that because it’s exactly what happened to Ben’s Chili Bowl.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
@Max – it’ll be packed b/c tourists and other celebrity followers will want to go there.
There was already a celebrity/hip feeling to it since it’s Michael Landrum’s brand. Now you throw the Obama seal of approval on Hell Burger and people will be lining up with their Portugeuese water-dogs in tow.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
True, but Ben’s is in the heart of the city, easily found and accessible by tourists, and is already a top tourist destination. It’s been written up countless times as one of the places you should visit when you go to DC. I doubt this will happen with Ray’s but only time will tell.
May 5th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
@Dee: I have no idea how the White House Press Pool screwed that one up, but yet, they did. Maybe this is why newspapers are going under?
May 5th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
[...] read coverage in the DCist, Famous DC, 44 (Politico’sblog devoted to all-things Obama), WE LOVE DC, and the NYT Caucus blog. If you have cell-phone pics of the lunch date, specifically of Obama [...]
May 5th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
It’s pretty cool to have a Pres. and First Lady who are part of the life of the local area, instead of having the local area being painted as some demon cesspool that draws the life source away from all who enter.
And for anyone who didn’t know, Ben’s Chili Bowl has been packed for years – day & night. It already had history and big namers like Cosby and Oprah putting it on the map.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:52 am
“And for anyone who didn’t know, Ben’s Chili Bowl has been packed for years”
True. But I’ve lived her over a decade, and there was a difference. We live a few blocks from Ben’s, and after the Prez stopped by, it got insane. Lines wrapped down and back up the alley – more than the usual Friday night madness.
But really, there’s a much bigger issue: they both ordered the burgers medium-well and not as recommended? This just makes me sad. Mmmmm… red Hell Burger.
May 6th, 2009 at 9:00 am
That should read “lived here.”
But one other note: it’s not just “Obama ate there, run away.” It’s that press coverage = busy, whether tourists or people in the area who are reminded “I’ve been meaning to try that.” It’s the same as when a favorite restaurant gets reviewed – I’m going to avoid it for awhile, because it is going to be hopping for a bit.
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