Big Buns — Restaurant in Virginia

First time customer, and I was very excited to try them out, waiting months for them to finally open. I hate to say it, but I’m sadly disappointed.

We used the online order interface via their website. They have dedicated pickup shelves, but one tip: if you order any drinks esp those from the bar or any of their shakes, don’t just grab your pickup order in a rush and assume you’ve got everything. And double check your ticket. I sent my husband to pick up, he saw two empty cups in a cup carrier to indicate there were missing drinks he had to grab. He realized the fridge below the shelves were to keep shakes cold, so he was able to grab those easily. However, there was no third “placeholder cup” in our cup carrier to indicate there was a third bar drink to pickup. Apparently you have to go to the counter or bar area for that to show ID. Which makes sense, but there was no signage or directions, nor a placeholder cup to give you a visual reminder. So he drove all the way home and then realized there was a third missing drink he wasn’t given. Did not want to make the trip back to the restaurant, so we called the manager and he refunded the drink.

Now, a review of the food and drink. On the bright side, the regular shakes (Oreo and chocolate) were good. Super pricey and a bit small, though. For $7.50, you get just a short clear 8oz cup. (As a comparison, for $7 you get a 16oz hand-spun shake or for $4.50 you get a 8oz one at a local chain diner.)

We ordered the Peppercorn Steakhouse burger as it comes, but asked for the peppercorn mayo on the side. The brioche bun was sizeable and fresh tasting, the medium temp we requested was more medium rare, and it was a decent tasting burger. BUT, we got regular mayo on the side and not the peppercorn mayo so we didn’t get to experience the recipe as advertised. It was large and assembled well in the carton and pretty tasty, but a hefty $14 price tag.

Our second burger was essentially just a plain cheddar burger cooked “medium” (read: medium rare), and that was as ordered and tasty. $11 for this burger.

We ordered a side of bacon queso fries based on the pics we had seen online, and that was the biggest disappointment of all. First, value for price: $7.99 and I’ve posted pics of what you get for that price. A small handful of cold greasy fries, the portion is for more for one person even though you think at the price it would be a shareable side. The fries are not dressed and assembled or ready to eat, though. There was a plastic lidded ramekin filled with congealed cold queso (see pics) and a second one filled with what looked like the bottom of the grease container with bacon remnants. It was so disgusting and unappetizing. We tried reheating but there was just no saving it. If you eat in, perhaps you receive them plated and dressed as advertised and expected. But for to-go orders, save your money and skip what you thought would be a delicious side.

Our total order for the two of us was $65 (minus a refund for the Margarita we didn’t receive); it was definitely not a $65 value in portion or food quality. Sadly I think this Best Buns location will not last long here in the Franklin Farm shopping center. Which is too bad, because us locals really looked forward to this exact...

I visited on a Friday afternoon to get a relatively quick lunch before an appointment in the same shopping center. The interior shows its newness well with an open inviting space and clean eating areas inside and outside. Ordering at the counter was quick and straightforward. The person taking my order was the same person who delivered my order to my table and took my tray away to dispose of the little trash I had. His demeanor and attitude were equally pleasant and gracious from start to finish of my 45 minutes there, so I enjoyed that part of my experience as much if not a touch more than the lunch itself. My order took 10-15 minutes to arrive at my table which I thought was appropriate.

I ordered a Shirlington hot chicken sandwich with fries, a side of Brussel sprouts, and a pumpkin spice shake. The chicken clearly stood out as the star of the meal. The meat was a good portion, thick enough to be juicy, and fried enough for a crunchy exterior. I liked the amount and spice level of hot sauce which was assertive but not numbingly hot. The slaw on top was crisp and not too overdressed though I personally would have liked a little less dressing. The fries were warm and crisp, and the Brussel sprouts had some crispness to them and thankfully not too much siracha. The bacon jam was hard to detect with the sprouts, and given the plain nature of the fries I might go for the Cajun fries on a future trip. The pumpkin shake could have used more pumpkin flavor for me, although I suspect the flavor comes from a predetermined ratio of milk, ice cream, and some kind of mix.

The total bill came to a little over $30 excluding tax and tip. I suppose with general inflation trends such a price could be expected for our area. Good value for a plate like the one I have could be $5 lower, so I think customers could feel okay with the value of what they receive for their time here. I could be tempted to return and try another sandwich and fry combination when patronizing the...

I have wanted to try Big Buns, as a freind recommended it. I ordered the Smokey Fab Frickle, as I love smoked meats and fried pickles. My son ordered the same after he was told the Mexican Street burger rotating on the monitor was from last month.

Although I requested no mustard, it arrived with the mustard, and I sent it back. They quickly redressed it and redelivered it soon after. The meat was dry, lacked a smokey taste, the cheese was barely warm, not melted onto the meat, and the pickles tasted and had the texture of something that was fried a long time before being served. My son's burger was the same, and his Lucky Charms shake didn't arrive until after he was done with his burger (even with reminding the food runner it had not been delivered). We agreed that the serving of queso cheese fries was about 1/2 of what is shown in photos and their instagram page. My son thought the shake was good.

We are big fans of Melt in Leesburg and Burger Shack in Chantilly. We prefer burgers that are hot and juicy with melted cheese, and didn't get that at Big Buns.

They were not busy, so the quality of food and service was a surprise. That said, the restaurant ambiance was nice, modern and clean. I am a trained chef, and try to be very open minded and positive, but the staff and food don't support the price for a counter service, pre-tip when you order, and get your own...