Chicagoans on a quest to find the best burger in Chicago! It is that serious. Let us know where we can find the best! We keep the ratings simple and to the point. Its all about the taste of the burger itself! @ChiBurgerBlog
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The Burger Point ~ The Dirty South and The Ashman ~ 3 out of 5
theburgerpoint.com
@theburgerpt
The Burger Point - Facebook
We headed to the South Loop for our latest burger stop. Burger Point, which opened in 2011, is yet another recent newcomer to the growing Chicago burger scene. The location is brand new with a welcoming roomy interior and a menu full of burgers to make your eyes bulge and your mouth water. Their main claim is to have all natural meats that are cooked fresh daily.
After browsing the menu of about 16 burgers for 5 minutes, we finally decided to get 6oz The Dirty South and 12oz The Ashman. The Dirty South is a grass fed burger topped with 5 year hooks aged cheddar, double smoked bacon, BBQ sauce all on the popular pretzel roll. The Ashman is described as a West Coast favorite, likely because of its toppings similar to In-N-Out Burger. This burger is topped with American cheese, special sauce, lettuce, vine-ripe tomato, diced pickles and onions. Instead of the Pretzel Roll, we opted for the Potato Roll.
The burgers took about 5-7 minutes before our number was called and we were picking up our tray of food. For a fast food burger, the presentation was great, we couldn’t wait to dig in. The burgers were cooked perfectly to medium well. The burgers could have used more seasoning, but the toppings carried the weight. If Cheddar is your thing, you will appreciate the hooks cheese, however, it can be somewhat overwhelming. All of the ingredients were vibrant in color and tasted fresh. We were surprised to see that the lettuce on The Ashman was field greens. We aren’t big fans of field greens on burgers and it was a misstep in trying to imitate the true west coast favorite, but apparently this is the only lettuce they carry.
Overall, we enjoyed our burgers and enjoyed studying the menu. These burgers don’t come down to the basics or just the meat itself, but the large number of creative toppings and combinations they offer. The price is on the higher end of other comparable options around the city, but it seems to be within range. We would definitely go back to try some of the other options as there are so many, but we don’t expect that we will find the best here. If you’re in the South Loop, definitely check it out as there aren’t a lot of burger options in the area.
Let us know what you think!
The Dirty South (6oz - $8.75) – Grass fed hamburger topped with 5 year hooks aged cheddar, double smoked bacon, BBQ sauce all on the popular pretzel roll.
The Ashman (12 oz (Double) - $11.75) – Grass fed hamburger topped with American cheese, special sauce, lettuce, vine-ripe tomato, diced pickles and onions on a pretzel roll.
1900 S. State St.
Chicago IL 60616
312.842.1900
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Au Cheval ~ Cheeseburger ~ 5 out of 5
Aucheval.tumblr.com
@AuCheval
Au Cheval - Facebook
Our latest quest to find the best burger in Chicago landed us in the West Loop at a new diner that has been generating a lot of buzz in an area full of buzz-generating restaurants. Au Cheval opened last year replacing Downtown Gyros at the corner of Randolph St and Halsted St. Before opening, they revamped the location into a modern trendy spin on a classic diner. When entering, you’ll notice the dim lighting, vibrant crowd, loud music, and a classic kitchen with a bar counter you’d imagine in an old-school style diner.
At Au Cheval, it wasn’t hard to decide what we wanted as there is only one cheeseburger (and a “double cheeseburger”) on the menu. Thus, it came down to a few options, so we had a little variety between our orders. We ordered medium-rare, and added both of the added options, fried egg and thick cut pepper bacon. We also tried a hamburger and a double cheeseburger without the egg and bacon.
To our surprise, the burgers weren’t just single patties, but double! Turns out the double is really a triple. The presentation of the burger was salivating as the gooey cheese melted over the edges of the patty enough to where you’d think the patty was dipped in cheese. The added bacon was almost as thick as the patty, while the egg on the other bun covered the Dijon mayonnaise and large cucumber style pickles. After first bite, we all felt like we were in burger heaven. There was no doubt in our minds that we were all comparing this to the best of the best. After setting the burger down, we realized that these thin patties were all cooked perfectly to a medium-rare which is a hard feat with the thinner patties. The patty was juicy and full of flavor, the egg and bacon was added flavor, but it wasn’t needed to make this burger a top contender. The brioche bun stood up to the task and lasted the whole meal.
The burger from Au Cheval is one of Chicago’s top burgers without a doubt, and could contend nationally as well (but that’s for another discussion). While the fried egg and bacon is a nice extra, it isn’t mandatory unless that’s your thing. The highlight of the burger was probably the American cheese that smothers the burger. Not only does Au Cheval offer a delicious burger, but the upscale diner is great environment for a night out with friends or a casual date, but arrive early or be prepared to wait. On a side note, the fries served with mornay sauce, garlic aioli, and fried egg are noteworthy and worth a try. Believe the hype.
Let us know what you think, agree or disagree?
Cheeseburger ($9.95) – Two beef patties topped with Dijon mayonnaises, pickles, onion, fried egg, and thick cut bacon. (extra for egg and bacon)
Double Cheeseburger ($11.95)
800 W Randolph
Chicago IL 60607
312.929.4580
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Portillo’s ~ Double Cheeseburger ~ 4 out of 5
portillos.com
@PortillosHotDog
Portillo’s - Facebook
This burger comes from a Chicago area favorite and classic, Portillo’s. Portillo’s first opened their doors in 1963 in Villa Park, and has grown to a chain in the Chicago area as well as extending to California, Indiana, and most recently, Arizona. This is the go-to spot for some of Chicago’s favorite foods including Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, and of course burgers.
We are no stranger to Portillo’s, so we ordered our usual Double Cheeseburger. The burger has an excellent char-grilled taste that few others attain. It comes served very juicy on a large classic Kaiser style bun. It’s a wide bun thin bun. The burger is so juicy, the bun doesn’t always hold up unfortunately. All the ingredients are fresh and taste great, and the onions always pack a punch. It usually comes with Mayo, but we tend to get mustard instead. Either way, you’re sure to be please.
Portillo’s is easily one of our fast food favorites as we never hesitate to stop in for a quick bite no matter how many other burgers we still have yet to try. Portillo’s is always busy, but they have enough staff to help you get in and out whether it’s inside or if you’re being helped by 3 or 4 people on foot in the drive through. Tell us what you think about this burger from a Chicago classic restaurant!
Double Cheeseburger ($5.95) – 2/3 pound char-broiled beef, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a toasted old fashioned style bun.
100 W. Ontario
Chicago IL 60654
312.587.8910
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Muskies ~ Cheeseburger ~ 2.5 out of 5
After passing by this corner burger joint with a giant size sign that reads “Char-Broiled Hamburgers” numerous times, it was time that we fulfilled our duty to eat their burger as part of our quest. This joint is located in Lakeview, right off Lincoln Ave.
We ordered a single cheeseburger. It came out in about 7 minutes with swiss cheese melted as you would hope and expect, ketchup, mustard, onions, and shredded lettuce in between a normal white bun, with a pickle on the side. The burger was well done as you more often than not see when a thin patty is char-grilled. The char-grilled taste was outstanding and is what gave this burger most of its flavor other than the toppings.
It turns out this hole in the wall actually churns out a pretty good fast food burger although the price could be slightly cheaper for what you are getting. It’s nothing huge or bursting with flavor, but the char-grilled taste along with the tasty traditional toppings and gooey cheese works pretty well. If you want a quick bite and you’re in the area, check it out. Don’t forget, a 2.5 and a pretty good burger by most people’s standards.
Cheeseburger ($4.95)
2878 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
773.883.1633
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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25 Degrees ~ Number One and Number Three Burger ~ 5 out of 5
25degreesrestaurant.com
@25DegreesCHI
25 Degrees – Facebook
Happy National Burger Day Edition!
There was quite a lot of buzz via word-of-mouth and the twitter-sphere for our next stop. We kept hearing of a Hollywood hotspot that made its way to Chicago, and that they have excellent burgers which was voted top 10 in the U.S. That place is Twenty Five Degrees. 25 aren’t known just for their burgers, but judging from the menu and the buzz, it’s their premier item, thus it’s a must we had a visit to this downtown hot spot.
We were presented with a menu of just 4 very different burgers, and none of which are conventional. In addition, they give the option to make your own burger. One thing that stood out was the number of cheeses to choose from; they have the largest cheese menu we have seen in Chicago, and none of them are your average cheeses. We ended up going with the Number One and Three (and Four as well which is Tuna but gets an honorable mention). The Number One comes with caramelized onions, vella toma cheese, aderkasse reserve cheese, bacon, arugula, and thousand island. Fancy, huh? The Number Three is a southwest style burger topped with mezza secco jack, hatch green chile, chipotle, and avocado. Oh yeah, we are fine dining now. Both burgers were ordered medium rare. We left the burgers topped as described and didn’t have the option to get a different bun.
Our burgers arrived quasi fast-food style on a plate sticking half way out of a paper wrapper. The fluffy bun combined with the juicy burger and its toppings made our mouths water immediately. First bite was just about heaven for burger fiends such as us. The bun isn’t quite one we have tasted before. It looks sort of like a pretzel bun, however has the consistency and taste more similar to a croissant. This was a nice change from the norm. Both burgers hit the mark without a doubt. The caramelized onions were sweet and tasty. The bacon also had a slight sweetness to it as well. One qualm we had we the number one came down to preference which was that the aderkasse reserve cheese is similar to a blue cheese which is very strong and almost overpowering. The vella toma cheese alone would have been sufficient which is similar to a mozzarella, soft and very gooey. On the Number Three, the chile had a zing to it and was very tasty which went perfect with the slightly spicy mezzo secco jack cheese. All the ingredients were fresh and tasted how you would expect from a fine dining establishment. With that being said, Twenty Five Degrees has earned our highest mark.
We fell in love with Twenty Five Degrees; not just the burgers, but the establishment itself. Even though it sounds like an extra fancy restaurant, it’s really a down-to-earth place to eat, drink, and hang out. We’ve been back several times since our first encounter just a month ago. From the happy hour hangout to the late night club bar scene to the Sunday morning brunch with endless mimosas, we really can’t say enough about this place. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. We don’t really need to say it, but we highly recommend Twenty Five Degrees burgers as well as the rest of their menu.
Number One ($12 – Caramelized onion, Vella Toma, Aderkasse Reserve, Bacon, Arugula, Thousand Island
Number Three ($12 – Mezzo Secco Jack, Hatch Green Chile, Chipotle, Avocado)
736 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60654
312.943.9700
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Big and Littles ~ Cheeseburger ~ 3.5 out of 5
bigandlittleschicago.com
@BigNLittles
Big and Little’s - Facebook
A couple years ago on the Near North Side, we found a hidden gem for fast food prepared as if it were a sit down restaurant. The name of the place is called Big and Little’s, co-owned by a contestant on Chef Gordon Ramsay’s show, “Hell’s Kitchen.” Big and Little’s was also featured on Guy Fieri’s, “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.” Since our first visit, they have recently moved to a bigger location a couple blocks away from the original. Their menu changes seemingly weekly, and features some creative and seasonal dishes. Of course, we were there for the burger.
Big and Little’s usually has a specialty burger or two on the menu, or you can get it normal and request the toppings you want. We tried the cheeseburger with a fried egg on top. The fresh meat, char grilled burger was ready in under 10 minutes and it looked great served on a sesame seed bun which was toasted on the grill as well. Topped with American cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and a fried egg, over easy, it tasted as good as it looked. The burger was juicy and not overcooked which is common with thin grilled burgers. The fries are worth mentioning as well.
For fast food with class near downtown, head over to Big and Littles and try their burgers. At only six bucks or so (depending on your toppings such as Merkt’s Cheddar), you can’t really get more bang for your buck anywhere else. With fresh seasonal foods, the rest of their menu is worth checking out as well.
Cheeseburger ($6.00)
860 N Orleans, Chicago, IL
Chicago, IL
312.943.0000
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Clarke’s Diner ~ Mexicana Burger ~ 2 out of 5
Clarkesdiner.com
Clarke’s Diner - Facebook
In this edition, we headed over to South Side neighborhood, Hyde Park. New to the neighborhood, but well known in Chicago is Clarke’s Diner. We didn’t come here specifically looking to the burger, but once we saw the list of over 10 burgers with some delicious-sounding toppings, it was the call of duty for Chicago Burger Blog to have a taste.
We chose the Mexicana burger which comes topped with onions, jalapenos, jack cheese, homemade salsa, and guacamole. Some of their other choices of burgers come with Gyro meat, ham, green peppers, bbq sauce, and classic style just to name a few, but the Mexican really stood out. Unfortunately, the burger was better on paper than on a plate. The burger arrived on a whole wheat bun overcooked at well-done rather than the requested medium well. It was also topped with lettuce, tomato, both raw and grilled onions. Even with both sets of onions, and the salsa and sour cream on the side, this burger left a lot of taste to be desired. The salsa didn’t have much kick to it nor did the jalapenos. It was a decent diner burger, but you won’t find it on the top of burger lists in Chicago. Although not asked, perhaps we should have requested a pretzel bun; who really wants a burger judged on a whole wheat bun?
Clarke’s is a well known staple of Chicago, great for light night dining and a great option for breakfast at any time of the day. Don’t be fooled by their large burger menu, it just isn’t their forte.
Mexicana Burger ($9.99) – Onions, jalapenos, Jack cheese topped with homemade salsa and guacamole
(Multiple locations)
1447 E 53rd St.
Chicago, IL 60615
773.891.4027
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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LOKaL ~ LOKaL Burger ~ 3 out of 5
lokalchicago.com
@LOKaLChicago
LOKaL - Facebook
For this review, we headed to one of our favorite Sunday brunch destinations, usually motivated by the bottomless mimosas. Sporting a décor as trendy as the neighborhood, LOKaL is located in the heart of Wicker Park on North Avenue and offers a simple yet sophisticated brunch menu. However, this time, we were concerned with one item on the menu, the burger.
We ordered their signature burger, the LOKaL Burger which is similar to a classic burger except its topped with Mayo Aioli. We ordered the burger medium rare with all the toppings and added Cheddar Cheese for $1.50. The burger arrived as ordered and the patty was a nice thick size. The Cheddar Cheese was shredded rather than sliced, which sometimes makes for an odd texture and an oily taste. Not big fans of field greens on burgers, but they were definitely fresh and added a nice color to the presentation of the burger. Nevertheless, the burger was hearty, juicy, and seasoned well yet a bit salty. You can’t go wrong with the Brioche Bun, its always a nice bread choice for any sandwich.
If you are looking for a Sunday morning brunch, we highly recommend checking out LOKaL for their Sunday drinks (Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s) as well as their menu. The burgers are worth a try as well.
LOKaL Burger w/ Cheese ($13.50) – Cheddar Cheese, Mayo Aioli, Tomato, Red Onion, Field Greens, on a Brioche Bun
1904 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773.904.8113
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Rockit Burger Bar ~ Locavore and Black Angus Burger ~ 3.5 out of 5
rockitburgerbar.com
@RockitBurgerBar
Rockit Burger Bar – Facebook
Our next review comes from one of Chicago’s “newest” burger joints, Rockit Burger Bar, formerly known as Rockit Bar & Grill of Wrigley. We were notified directly on Twitter by Rockit that they would be transforming their Wrigley location to a burger joint after realizing most of their sales were burgers. Located conveniently across from Wrigley field, they decided to open the same days as the Cubs home opener. Excited to try yet another new burger restaurant, we slapped on our bibs, put our burger faces on, and headed over to Rockit Burger Bar on Opening day.
One of us went with the Locavore burger since the “local movement” is catching popularity these days. Ordered medium-rare, this burger is said to be topped with goose island beer battered onion rings and Nordic creamery smoked cheese and nueske bacon aioli between the ever-so popular pretzel bun. We didn’t really know what Nordic creamery smoked cheese was, but it sure sounded good. One thing we noticed is that aioli was very visible on the menu with almost every burger having some sort of aioli. We thought it was overkill, but it seems to be catching popularity on burgers. The 2nd burger was the Black Angus Burger ordered medium-well. This is the classic style burger with your normal toppings including Lettuce, Tomato, and Onion.
The burgers seemed to be cooked in the reverse order in which the Locavore burger came out medium, and the Angus burger came out medium-rare (hopefully the actual meet wasn’t swapped as we can’t tell the difference between the local beef and the black angus beef). The burgers were definitely fat and juicy, with grill marks on each side. The drawback was that the grill marks also left the taste of all the burgers burned onto the grill through the day, at least that’s the flavor we felt the grill marks added. The toppings were fresh and colorful. Our favorite part about the Locavore burger was definitely the cheese which was gooey, creamy, and smothered the burger.
While we enjoyed our burger, we didn’t quite get what we expected which was an exceptional burger. It was the small mistakes such as being cooked incorrectly and the grill taste was a little overbearing. Perhaps it was the fact that it was opening night and at the end of a long day. Nevertheless, Rockit Burger Bar really pushes the limits with their burger menu trying a lot of new combinations. Perhaps we’re at fault for not being more adventurous and trying some burger with toppings such as apples, mac & cheese, or salami. We won’t shy away from another visit to try some of their more unconventional burgers and I look forward to trying the burger with ghost pepper aioli. On a side note we also had the Motherclucker chicken sandwich which was outstanding. If you’re in Wrigley drop by one of Chicago’s newest and hottest burger joints, and let us know what you think! Their Burger Fest wraps up this tomorrow by the way.
The Locavore ($12) - local beef raised in the Midwest, goose island beer battered onion rings, Nordic creamery smoked cheese, nueske bacon aioli, pretzel bun.
Black Angus Burger ($10) - Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle on Pretzel Bun, added White American Cheese.
3700 N. Clark
Chicago, IL
773.645.4400
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Billy Goat Tavern ~ Double Cheezborger ~ 3 out of 5
billygoattavern.com
@Cheezborger
Billy Goat Tavern – Facebook
Unlike a lot of our recent reviews which featured establishments new within the past couple years, today we’re looking at one of Chicago’s landmark burger joints founded in 1937, Billy Goat Tavern. Not only are the burgers famous, but so is the establishment once featured on Saturday Night Live parody, and the history behind the founder of Billy Goat’s and his feud with the Chicago Cubs. Known as the curse of the Billy Goat and the single reason the Cubs haven’t won a title in over a century… well you guys can research the story, we’re here to talk about the burgers .
Billy Goats has one policy, “doubles the best!” Their fresh grilled burger was great on the signature Keizer roll with cheese. Not too filling, the double is an ideal portion of meat if you’re going for a nice mid afternoon snack as the meat patties are very thin. The burger’s served with just cheese and you can add optional condiments, (ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, etc.) are laid out for you to put on at your disposal. Personally, I like ketchup and mustard, but the pickles can be a nice touch. The Keizer roll is thick with good flavor, although somewhat dry. The burgers are served hot and fresh every time.
If you’re looking for a massive amount of meat this is not the place, but if you’re coming in for a good burger to satisfy a light hunger for a great price, Billy Goats is a great choice. The rich history, the vintage décor, and the enthusiastic employees only make the experience better. Our favorite location is the original but they have multiple locations across Chicagoland.
Double Cheezborger ($4.55) - American Cheese, Ketchup, Mustard, Pickles, Onion
Billy Goat Tavern Original
430 N. Michigan Ave at Lower Level
Phone: (312) 222-1525
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Dillinger’s Bar and Grill ~ Ma’Barker and Capone Burger ~ 4 out of 5
Yet again we find ourselves dining from another Lincoln Park establishment. The trend we see in Lincoln Park when it comes to burgers is quantity over quality. A burger isn’t hard to find in one of Chicago’s most popular neighborhoods, but finding the best is. This bar is less known than many others, as well as new to the scene. In comes Dillinger’s Bar. We didn’t have any intentions of coming here for a burger till we walked by and saw a sign that claimed they had the best burgers. It was an offer we couldn’t refuse. This bar which we believe opened last year, has a 30’s mobster them sporting some popular “Public Enemies” across the menu and with the décor.
Dillinger’s has an excellent burger menu with plenty of choices to choose from, many of which are unique and creative. Our mouths began to salivate. I went with the Ma’Barker which is a 10 oz. burger with Pepper Jack cheese, grilled pineapple, jalapenos, jumbo onion ring, topped with a teriyaki glaze. I requested this medium rare. MM went chose the Capone which was described as a burger drenched in buffalo sauce, topped with bacon, Blue Cheese crumbles, and Caramelized Onions. This burger was requested medium.
Both burgers arrived on a pretzel bun—one of our favorite burger buns—which kept it tidy and was toasted to a perfect crispiness. The burger was cooked to perfection, seasoned nicely without being overbearing, and full of taste. The sweetness of the pineapple and jumbo onion ring went together perfectly with the spiciness’ of the fresh jalapenos, which were also spicy as opposed to bland. I actually would have appreciated more jalapenos as there were only 4 or so, but they were so good. The BBQ sauce didn’t seem to be any regular grocery style BBQ sauce, but instead a zesty flavorful BBQ sauce we don’t think we’ve had anywhere else. The Capone burger came out with two very large pieces of bacon across it and a generous portion of blue cheese atop it. The burger wasn’t “drenched” as describe, but had a splash of buffalo sauce across it and then a full cup on the side. Again, the taste of all the ingredients just flowed together perfectly; even the crispy bacon went well with the buffalo.
The presentation of the burgers as they brought them out was somewhat lackluster and probably our biggest gripe (we only rate on the burger itself though). Also, the fries were actually pretty good, but as you can see in the picture, you only get about 10 fries. We aren’t huge on fries, but we were pretty disappointed to only get 10 of something so good that normally comes in mounds.
We hadn’t heard about this place in any capacity other than they had a beer pong tournament fundraiser on this particular Thursday night which we had tons of fun participating in. The restaurant wasn’t over packed, and was pretty comfortable to eat in as well as play beer pong and socialized with other patrons. This was almost a diamond in the rough find for us as the only reason we ordered burgers was due to the claim they had the best. It may not be the best in Chicago, but its close. We recommend trying out Dillinger’s even if you aren’t burger fiends like us. We will definitely be back, and perhaps we’ll try the burger challenge! Let us know what you think!
Ma’Barker ($12) – 10 oz. burger with melted Pepper jack cheese, grilled pineapple, and chopped jalapeño topped with a jumbo onion ring and drizzled with a teriyaki glaze.
Capone ($10) - Drenched in buffalo sauce, topped with bacon, Blue Cheese crumbles, and caramelized onions.
2470 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
773.697.4752
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Chicago’s Pizza ~ Double (1/2lb) Cheeseburger ~ 2 out of 5
Chicagos-pizza.com
@ChicagosPizza
Chicago’s Pizza - Facebook
When it comes to food, one thing Chicago is known very well for is Pizza and Chicago does it best without a doubt. So we decided to give a burger a try from one of Chicago’s best and straightforward Pizza joints, Chicago’s Pizza. They actually have a good selection of 8 different char-broiled burgers, including beef, turkey, and veggie.
I ordered the Traditional Cheeseburger so I could get a good idea of what we were working with. Topped with the classics: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and American Cheese. The burger arrived on a Sesame seed bun (which I should mention I’m not the fondest of). It really didn’t have any special attributes to it to make it stand out. The lettuce was dull and not very crisp. The tomato and onions were the same. The best part was the cheese oozing over the edges. I took a bite into the burger and my reaction was a simple shrug. The meat was cooked well as most char-broiled burgers are if they aren’t medium well. The burger was somewhat dry, but the ketchup, mustard, and mayo made up for that.
If you are hungry for a cheeseburger and Chicago’s is a delivery option or nearby, go for it. It will fill you up as it’s a nice size and it’s still a decent burger and for the price, you can’t go wrong. However, we recommend sticking to their pizza, especially their thin crust sausage, it’s pretty amazing. Check out their burger and let us know if our review is on point! They have 4 locations across Chicagoland.
Double (1/2lb) Cheeseburger ($6) – American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickles, Ketchup, Mustard, and Mayo.
3006 N Sheffield Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
773.755.4030
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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George’s Hot Dogs ~ Double Cheeseburger ~ 1.5 out of 5
The stop to this Bucktown venue was last minute as we drove past on Damen Ave. hungry. George’s Hot Dogs is older venue, yet newly remodled.
Having only a couple options for a burger, we went with the Double Cheeseburger which is served with fries. They quickly took our order and slapped the frozen patties on the grill. It took about 6 minutes before our burger was ready, sitting on a normal sesame seed bun. The patties were quite large as was the bun.
We bit into our burgers but weren’t really impressed, so there isn’t too much to say. The burger itself was very dry and overcooked. The condiments were so-so, yet they were the best aspect of the burger. This isn’t a bad place for a quick bite, but don’t expect much when it comes to burgers. We recommend trying out their hot dogs and steering clear of the burger.
Double Cheeseburger ($6) – Two slices of American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickles, Ketchup, Mustard, and Sport Peppers.
1876 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773.227.4034
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Deuce’s and The Diamond Club ~ Deuce’s Classic ~ 3 out of 5
deucesandthediamondclub.com
@DeucesChicago
Deuce’s and The Diamond Club – Facebook
We asked what review you wanted to see next on Twitter, so we are delivering! In this addition, we make a midnight trip to Wrigleyville to check out Deuce’s Beer & Burger Bar. Opened in August 2011, this is yet another burger establishment that opened within the last couple of years. Sharing its two story space with The Diamond Club on the second floor which boasts a lively Chicago club style scene.
When we first entered, the first floor bar was pretty crowded with a young good looking crowd and the music blasting. Different than most burger bars we have visited, this one seems to be a bar first, restaurant second. The décor was snazzy and modern. Because it was late night, we could only order their classic burger, so that’s what we went with. The classic comes with your “classic” toppings: lettuce, tomato, raw red onions, and pickles. We added Swiss cheese and requested the burger medium rare. The burger arrived in two parts (as pictured) with the lettuce, tomato, onions and pickle nicely laid out in perfect layers on a sesame seed bun. We took a bite of the burger and immediately noticed it was overcooked to a medium-well…bummer. However, the Swiss cheese was very tasty and despite the toppings looking average, they were tasty and fresh.
Overcooking a burger is one of the biggest drawbacks even the best can suffer. Deuce’s is no different, yet the burger was still satisfying and the bar downstairs and the club upstairs was pretty awesome. It was a different experience. If you are nearby for a Cubs game or looking for a late night spot to mingle, grab a drink, and jump on the dance floor, this is the place to go. Perhaps if you want to try some of their other burgers, visit earlier in the day.
Deuce’s Classic Burger ($8) – Swiss cheese, Boston Bibb lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle. (Pictured)
3505 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
773.644.5554
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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Butcher and the Burger ~ Grass-Fed Beef Burger (Custom) ~ 4 out of 5
butcherandtheburger.com
@ButcherBurger
Butcher and the Burger - Facebook
Our next review comes from a spot that has been getting a lot of buzz since its opening last year. Yet another Lincoln Park spot, this place specializes in burgers, and not just your old-fashioned beef burgers. Butcher and the Burger is modeled after an old fashioned butcher shop, except they cook your burger however you prefer, much like how you can get whatever cut of meat just the way you prefer it.
Upon entering, it’s a very small shop that’s very reminiscent of a neighborhood butcher. The fact that its small means its cozy and cute, but also can be a little too crowded at times. As we waited in line, another staff member took our order on a iPad, Talk about a butcher of the future! Butcher and the Burger allows you to choose from a variety of ingredients for every single item that makes up the burger, from the mean, bun, seasonings, and cheese.
For one burger, we went with the Grass-Fed Beef Burger with the Chicago Steakhouse spices on a Prezel roll (+$0.50). We topped that off with Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Onion, Bacon, Fried Egg, and BBQ sauce. This recipe was similar to the one that was suggested to us via their twitter. Instead of the Elk meat suggestion, we wanted to try beef on our first visit. Our second burger was a Salmon Burger seasoned with Umami Glaze (described as a miso, sweet soy marinade) on a Split Top Egg Bun. With help from the person taking our order, we topped it with Lettuce, Onion, Tomato, and Swiss Cheese.
The beef burger arrived to our table on a wooden cutting board which we thought was a great touch to add to them. It came out looking like one of the most visually appetizing burgers we have yet to encounter on our quest. Upon first bite, we once again knew this was a Chicago top contender. It was cooked perfectly to a medium rare and was very juicy and not greasy. One gripe we had was that the seasoning was a little overpowering. Other than that, this burger was near perfect. In fact, this burger really didn’t need much seasoning at all, it was that good. One rookie mistake we made was putting lettuce on this burger. With the juices, BBQ sauce, and egg, it tends to get soggy and just isn’t needed.
It was until we tried the salmon burger that we decided that we here at Chicago Burger Blog would include non-beef burgers in our burger blog (but we don’t include in ratings). This burger was top notch, it was fresh, juicy and moist, cooked perfectly with an Asian-inspired twist.
Overall we were very pleased, thus we give Butcher and the Burger a 4 out of 5. The main thing holding them back is the lack of a pre-made or classic burger with suggested toppings. It’s easy to get the wrong toppings and mess a burger completely up. Luckily we kind of know what we are doing J Also, the Chicago Steakhouse seasoning was a bit much. At the same time, the variety of meats also including Elk, Bison, Shrimp, Turkey, and more is very enticing. For that reason alone, we would go back and recommend anyone to check out this burger joint. There something for everyone here and the novelty of this restaurant really makes this place stands out among an ever growing crowd.
Grass-Fed Beef Burger ($9.50 + $1 cheese + additional for some toppings) – Chicago Steakhouse seasoning, cheddar cheese, lettuce, grilled onions, bacon, fried egg, BBQ sauce . (Pictured)
Salmon Burger ($9.50 +$1 cheese) - Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, raw onion
1021 W Armitage
Chicago, IL 60614
773.697.3735
—@ChiBurgerBlog
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