Many consider the Sunshine Burger from the Sunshine General Store in Brookeville, MD (often referred to as Sunshine, between Olney and Damascus) to be the best burger in Maryland. This burger features a ½ pound of ground beef topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. However, part of its charm lies in the unique atmosphere of the General Store itself.
Six years ago, we provided a step-by-step look at the Sunshine General Store, where this famous burger is made. In our 2018 piece, we wrote, “The inside looks like a truck stop diner scene from an ’80s movie. After passing the register, you’ll see a few tables and four stools at the counter of the dining area.” At that time, the Sunshine General Store didn’t accept credit cards, and the closest ATM was a few miles away in Olney or Laytonsville. However, that’s no longer the case, as you can now pay with your card.
According to Yelp, where the General Store currently holds a 4.2 rating from 183 reviews, it’s important not to judge a book by its cover: “This place’s super run down & it looks like it hasn’t passed inspection in decades. However, don’t let it fool you because they serve the best burger in DMV!”
“Hands down the best burger you will ever eat. Be prepared to wait 15 minutes for it and don’t scrutinize the inside. If you need night crawlers, gas or Twinkies, you’re covered too. It’s a quaint old store that’s family-owned and operated.”
In 2023, the Washington Post released its “10 Best Burgers in the D.C. Area” list, and Montgomery County’s very own Steeze Burger was ranked the #1 burger in the area. It was the only MoCo burger to make the actual list, with burgers from Soko Butcher (Takoma Park) and Quarry House Tavern (Silver Spring) named as honorable mentions. After going back and trying some readers’ picks, writer Tim Carman believes MoCo’s Sunshine Burger deserved a spot on the original list.
“The Sunshine burger deserves a spot on the original list. It checks all the boxes: an unassuming preparation that trusts the basic building blocks of a good burger, even if they’re not necessarily the kind of ingredients sought out by chefs in white-tablecloth restaurants,” Carman wrote. The burger itself is generally loved by many, but there are also plenty (based on various comments through the years on our social media posts) who can’t get past the look of the Sunshine General Store.
Now, let’s discuss the taste. Carman wrote, “…the Sunshine burger is a tender bite. Your teeth sink into it with little resistance, the ground beef, seasonings, and fat just barely held together under a layer of good, gooey American cheese. The raw onions are placed on top of the patty, the thickly sliced dill pickles and tomatoes on the bottom. It’s a simple burger, executed to perfection.” The burgers are cooked well done unless you ask for them to be cooked differently, which we highly recommend to avoid getting a burger that may fall on the drier side. In our experience, asking for it to be cooked “medium” usually yields a “medium-well” product.
The full Washington Post article can be read here.
The Sunshine General Store is located at 22300 Georgia Ave, Brookeville, MD.
Tuesday 5 AM–5 PM
Wednesday 5 AM–5 PM
Thursday 5 AM–5 PM
Friday 6 AM–5 PM
Saturday 6 AM–5 PM
Sunday 6 AM–3:30 PM
Monday Closed
