Many consider the Sunshine Burger from the Sunshine General Store in Brookeville, MD (often referred to as Sunshine, between Olney and Damascus) the best burger in Maryland. The burger boasts a ½ pound of ground beef topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. However, part of the burger’s charm lies in the unique atmosphere of the General Store itself. A MoCoShow commenter once wrote “Best burger in Maryland, just don’t look at the walls.”
Seven years ago, we provided a
step-by-step look
at the Sunshine General Store where the 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.
A post on a foodie Facebook page based in Frederick, MD known as “The Frederick Fatty” has recently discussed the burger with overwhelming support– garnering over 700 reactions and more than 130 comments in just half a day. According to reviews on
Yelp
, where the General Store currently holds a 4.2 rating with 183 reviews, don’t judge a book by it’s 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!”
Another reviewer writes,
“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 Twinkie’s, 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 reader’s 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 various social media posts) who can’t get past the look of the Sunshine General Store, where the burger is made. “I walked in and walked right out. No way I am eating any food made there,” one commenter shared on a social media post in the past.
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
