Fuddruckers is back in DC! (It's not in the same exact location, but you can find it in the same…read morevicinity - across the street, right around the corner from the Chinatown arch.) The "classic" Fuddruckers is upstairs. They have Burger Bar by Fuddruckers on the main level (for guests 21+ only). We were feeling nostalgic and opted for the classic experience.
We stopped by before a concert at Capital One Arena, so it was busier than usual. You order at the register and then seat yourself. There was a winding line, but it moved quickly. There was definitely some sticker shock at first - most of the items average to about $24-$25, which is pretty high for a "fast casual" spot. The exotic burgers were $27. These are stadium food prices outside of the stadium... I can pay the same price or less for a burger at a nice sit-down spot. To lessen the blow, the prices are for combo meals, which include a drink and fries.
The drink is almost necessary to kill time. Aside from the price, my biggest knock is that kitchen service is sloooooow. We waited over 20 minutes for our food, others waited 30. They take your name down when you order at the register, and then they will call it over the PA system when it's ready. Order pick-up announcements seemed far and few between. People started crowding around the pick-up window, waiting for their orders to come out, because everyone was getting antsy. "Fast food" this is not. Granted, the place was busy and filled with fellow concert-goers, but there is a sign on their menu board that basically says everything is made fresh-cooked to order, so take a seat, enjoy your drink, and be patient! (I'm paraphrasing, but it's essentially a disclaimer saying, "We're slow, but don't say we didn't warn you.") This tells me the slowness is pretty commonplace.
They have a Coke Freestyle machine (the touchscreen soda machine with a bunch of different flavor combinations), but I found the flavors to be weak. I think the ratios of syrup inside the machine are off.
I ordered the Philly cheesesteak combo ($20) with tots. Annoyingly, they made my order wrong and served me the standard potato wedges instead. Since we waited so long for our orders, I didn't press the issue. They have a toppings bar where you can add lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, pico de gallo, banana peppers, etc. There's also a condiment station, but the piece de resistance is the nacho cheese machine! The melty cheese machine, offering both nacho cheese and jalapeño nacho cheese, is a game-changer. The fries already come seasoned (some are more salty and seasoned than others), but since they are the meaty potato wedge cut, you need some extra dipping sauce. Sure, there's ketchup available, but dispensing a warm blanket of nacho cheese over your fries is where it's at. The nacho cheese was great for dipping my sandwich and all the fries in. Yum, yum, yum!
No major complaints about my Philly Cheesesteak. It was pretty standard- soft bread, shaved meat (not too greasy but a little on the dry side), cheese, grilled onions. Food was hot and fresh, but I wouldn't say it's worth the wait. I do think portion size is commensurate with what you're paying. My friend ordered the Ribeye sandwich and it was just as good as he remembered it.
There was limited seating available, but we were able to snag seats at a table with another group. Staff did bus tables quickly to allow new diners to get seated. Tables also had paper towel rolls as the napkins. Some were a little grimy on top from condiment spills, etc., but that's more on fellow customers than the restaurant.
Overall, I would say the food is overpriced for the quality, and while the nacho cheese is its saving grace, the wait for food was too off-putting for me.