Dice Burger might close if business doesn’t pick up
Sayed Sanaei, the owner of Dice Burger, doesn’t want to close the Annandale burger restaurant but might have to if business doesn’t improve.
Dice Burger opened at 7023 Columbia Pike in February 2014. In addition to several varieties of burgers cooked on a wood-burning grill, the fast-casual restaurant offers burritos, veggie burgers, ribs, chili, gyros, hot dogs, and salads.
“Unfortunately, after nearly six years, our business has not taken off the way it should have. It seems that this area is not as busy as we had hoped and we have not seen much support from the community,” Sanaei says.
“Our food is fresh and high quality, as shown by our high reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook,” he says. “However, we cannot afford to stay open much longer with the way our business has been.”
The restaurant has its share of loyal, regular customers, but not enough of them. Several people were enjoying dinner at Dice Burger on Friday evening, but Sanaei says “the dining room should be packed.”
There’s a for-lease sign in the parking lot, and Sanaei says he might close Dice Burger if the property owner gets a better offer, but “we are trying to stay.”
“Come here and support us,” he says.
31 responses to “Dice Burger might close if business doesn’t pick up”
Leave a reply
I’ve eaten at Dice Burger twice – both times the food was not good. First time, the burger was most definitely a Bubba Burger patty that was pre-cooked and reheated and the hot dog was undercooked/cool in the middle on a stale bun. I have them a second chance when they added BBQ – and went in one afternoon around 1pm for lunch and ordered ribs. What I got was indeed a nice sized (but unseasoned rib or two), that had clearly been boiled, refrigerated and then unevenly nuked (cold to the bite) before getting some heated BBQ sauce poured over it. I have not been back. If you want to improve your business, use fresh quality beef, cook to order, get a liquor license and add service – THAT’s what this local market demands as proven by the line to get into Silverado almost every night. Don’t blame the community for not supporting your business – it’s your business that is not meeting the demands of the community.
A burger joint that serves "burritos, veggie burgers, ribs, chili gyros, hot dogs, and salads.". There's your problem right there. Focus on what you do best or find a niche, don't offer everything.
Someone should turn this place into a really good Mexican restaurant. The problem with many of the ethnic restaurants is a good deal of these are mediocre and then they just go out business. They don't get that if you serve really good food, service and atmosphere your restaurant would thrive. Silverados is a case in point. Having outdoor dining here is a big plus. Unfortunately allot of these new immigrants dont really understand a sound business plan. I have to go into Arlington or DC for good Mexican. With the amount of latinos in our area, I should not have to
There's like, zero outdoor dining in our immediate area…I'm not sure what you're talking about there. After talking to some of the local owners, it seems like outdoor seating is exceptionally tough to get a permit for. The block completely abandoned their idea for an enclosed garden in the back for that reason. Also, Annandale is like, ground zero for good ethnic food, plenty of those places are thriving. And bro, Mexican food != latino food. There's a shit ton of latino food around, just a general lack of what I think you mean is tex mex. I'm hoping that new place on 236 is legit, though.
As for permits, FFX is out of control and its worst enemy. Outdoor eating at the Block would we a big plus, but thanks to the anti business mentality of our leaders in FFX, you end up with these businesses barely making it go out of business. My point about good Mexican food, is the one has to go out of the area to get good quality food and service w the exception of Peking Gourmet. Look at the two horrible Mexican restaurant on Columbia Pike, something tells me that those places are not on the up and up.
Wait we have to leave the area for good food and service re:ethnic food? That’s just completely wrong.
The food at Dice is not that good. Blaming it on the community is wrong. Try harder, or leave and give someone else a chance.
I’ve been living in the area for 3 years and while a burger joint was highly relevant to our interests, the mediocre yelp reviews and lack of absolutely any business at peak hours meant we have never ventured in.
Blaming the community because you don’t have a successful business is embarrassing and a clue into why this owner hasn’t figured out how to run a restaurant yet. The Block and Silverado are within a stone’s throw and are thriving — take a look in the mirror, it’s not us, it’s you.
Good riddance, hope someone comes in with some business sense and an enticing restaurant, rather than ego and money and thinking that entitles them to success without delivering on quality.
Yelp reviews for Dice Burger are rather good.
Been twice; won't go back. In 2019, good burgers are easy to come by — except in Annandale. Good burgers are fresh, never frozen. The burgers I ate at Dice Burgers were obviously frozen patties. Go to Holy Cow in Del Ray and copy what they are doing there and do it in Annandale — please! I would go to a place that did that, frequently. Don't blame the community when your food just isn't that good.
Have to agree with the majority posts here, the food is really pretty mediocre. Dice is surrounded by some pretty spectacular food, they're going to have to do better to get a following.
4:34 is right though, people seem to like it a lot. I've been a couple times and it's been meh – perhaps I should give it another shot…it's been a while.
My wife and I have always had good meals at Dice Burger.
lol, "f business dont improve we'll close"
Sorry dear, if you want business to improve you need to sell something desirable.
Moved here from DC a year ago, it cant be that The Block and Dominion Wine are the only two decent options outside of Mosaic.
Location is great, parking is there, traffic is there –
rethink your place and setting and see how can you improve:
-outdoor seating
-serve alcohol
-open late close late
-get a strong theme (outdoor movie nights, community activities)
-join forces with a civil org (firefighters, police, edu)
(and please, enough with another korean, thai, chinese, mexican food, this area has nothing but hot pots, thai, chinese and mexican, try something new)
Good luck!
Having been to Dice Burger once, I would say they have gotten exactly the business and support they have earned.
Look at Lazy Mike's in West Falls Church – same basic idea as Dice except the food and service are good. I live walking distance from Dice but opt to take my family (we have young kids) to Lazy Mike's instead (and often).
It would be great to see a good restaurant move into the DB space. Somebody open a decent pub in Annandale and they'll have our business multiple times per week.
Second that! I love all the international food options here, but sometimes some American pub grub and a ball game on the TV are what's in order! A sports bar/burger bar would kill it in Annandale because no one has filled that market.
Doesn't Glory Days fit that mold?
Glory Days?
Glory Days is not a decent pub in any respect. It is a family restaurant – basically a local version of Chilis or Applebees.
But, to that point, Glory Days does a lot more business than Dice Burger does and I do take my family there fairly regularly.
Yeah kind of agree dude
Meat meat meat. Sick of meat. How about a nice vegetarian place? I was so sad when Sunflower at 7 corners closed. How about a pub with yummy veggie options? 🙂
Agree 100%.
Lost Dog Cafe is what Annandale needs
Not sure why my original post wasn't posted, maybe it was too long, but I just stated that I actually liked DB's burgers, they are wood grilled which you don't get around here, a nice smokey flavor rather than gas. I think what would have really improved them is using a brioche or using a good bun. Their buns are way too dry, and it ruins the entire burger. I think I told the owner but he hasn't changed the buns. If a good bun is used, it'll make the burger much better being that the patty is wood grilled.
Not a fan of Dice Burger. DC and the surrounding areas has become known as a burger town. To have a forgettable burger in a "burger town" is the quickest way to ensure business doesn't pick up. As an Annandale native, I was glad when DB moved in, replacing the fake Mexican place that it moved into, but the location itself is cursed with bland food, and DB is its latest victim.
And really? Blaming the community for your substandard food? Lol. Good luck in your next business venture.
I keep hearing wood-fired … ummm, how about pizza, strompli's and sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches
I like Dice Burger. I like their burgers and that it has a variety of other foods. I hate to see it go.
What the Annandale area needs is a good All-American restaurant that serves a decent breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We don't need anymore specialty restaurants.
So, Silverado?
lol
The salmon burger at Dice rocks … and they get the size portion of the fries right, IMHO.