Burger joint re-opens in Fresno as father-daughter creation. ‘It’s juicy and it’s delicious’
Take 3, one of downtown Fresno’s favorite burger joints, has reopened in its original Fulton Street location after more than a four-year absence. And with a new twist.
The originator of Take 3, Brian Washington, is being joined by his daughter, Desirae “Des” Washington, who is known in the local burger community as Grumpy Burger Lady’s. The father-and-daughter team will operate the joint venture and are calling it: Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Lady’s.
They are in the restaurant’s old spot at 1230 Fulton St. They originally planned to open several weeks ago but were delayed by getting all the appropriate approvals.
Both father and daughter are skilled at cooking burgers and are eager to share their meaty masterpieces. Des Washington helped her father run Take 3 before it closed in December 2020.
For those knowledgeable about Fresno’s burger history, you may remember Brian Washington when he owned and operated Monster Burger in west Fresno during the 1980s and early ’90s. His claim to fame was a loaded burger, aptly named the Monster Burger, that was made from a quarter-pound of ground beef, cooked medium well and topped with cheese, bacon, a grilled hot dog, onion rings and an egg.
Brian Washington resurrected the Monster Burger at Take 3 and he will reintroduce it in the new restaurant.
Des Washington promises customers a blend of her dad’s recipes and hers.
One item that will definitely be on the menu is a Take 3 favorite, the California burger, topped with avocado, thick-cut bacon and Swiss cheese in between a brioche bun. Des Washington also plans to add her specialty, the smush burger. Not to be confused with the popular smash burgers, Washington’s smush burger flips the smash concept on its head.
It was a customer favorite when she had a restaurant at the former Full Circle Brewing Co. tasting room in downtown’s Brewery District.
Unlike a smash burger where the patty is pressed onto a hot grill, Washington puts whatever ingredients you chose on the grill first, then presses the beef patty into the ingredients. She then tops the burger with two slices of cheese and serves it on a brioche bun.
“It’s melty, it’s juicy and it’s delicious,” she said.
The new Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Lady’s will also bring back special events like the homage meals for The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls and the one for Tupac. Both events drew lines out the door on Fulton Street.
As a self-described burger nerd, Des Washington also wants to display her trove of burger memorabilia in a mini-museum inside the restaurant.
She has carefully curated items from her personal collection including an ice chest with the Bob’s Burger logo, a vintage McDonald’s hat, a Bluetooth speaker that resembles a hamburger and a wallet shaped like a hamburger. The wallet may not immediately be on display since it’s Washington’s everyday wallet.
Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Lady’s will be open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Washingtons may extend their hours if customer demand is there.
Both father and daughter said they are excited about reopening the restaurant and greeting old and new customers.
“The Washington family and our burgers have been a staple in this community since the ’80s — and I think that’s a really big deal. I love this legacy of burgers that me and my dad are creating,” Des said. “To me, food is not just something that you’re eating, it’s part of an active community. It’s where people gather and they fellowship together, and they laugh and they cry. It’s a very special thing that we love to share with the community, and we appreciate their support.”
This story was originally published February 1, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
