Washington, D.C.
Although it won’t be official for another couple of weeks, it’s safe to say that summer and grill season has arrived in the District. I’ve already talked about hotdogs. Now, let’s turn our attention to burgers.
There’s only one place to go when you’re really feeling the need for ground chuck: Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. It’s out in Clearfield, Pa. For the competitive eater — amateur or pro — this hole in the wall is a dream, offering several different challenges:
- Beer Barrel Belly Buster: It’s 10.5 pounds of ground beef, 25 slices of cheese, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, a cup-and-a-half each of mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, mustard and banana peppers sandwiched in a gigantic bun. “It’s like trying to eat half a cow,” says one local resident.
- Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser: The Buster too easy? Move onto the Bruiser, two 25 pounds beef patties, 4 pounds of cheese, five heads of lettuce, a couple of onion, a cup of peppers, a jar of relish, smothered with loads of ketchup, mustard and mayo. It stands 34 inches tall and takes 4 hours to cook. It’ll set you and 50 of your friends back $179.
- Beer Barrel Main Event Charity Burger: This thing is just a monster, weighing in at 123 pounds (80 of which are beef). Counting calories? “If you were worried about calories you would be at home eating Kellogg’s,” says the owner. The beast costs $379 — almost as much as the triple bypass surgery you’ll require.
If quantity isn’t your thing, you can still get your burger on this summer. There’s “Baseball’s Best Burger,” available at the Gateway Grizzlies stadium in St. Louis. It’s a hamburger patty, topped with sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon — all between a sliced Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut. And, for those not ready to leave the District, there’s this list of the best burgers.
Marc Zawel 
Hmmm. After knowing you forever (over a year), you seem like a great travel writer kind of guy. Have you ever thought about pursuing that?