Fatburger coming to Chicago

According to the Fatburger website, Chicago is going to be having one soon, real good burgers from CA. Anyone know when?

That announcement has been on their website for a number of months now. Good burger.

IIFC, I have seen Chicago listed on the Fatburger website since late October. There was a brief mention of the anticipating opening on Dish. They do not have much detail either. I can't wait til Fatburger arrives!

After looking at their site, I noticed that they just opened up one here in New Orleans...and I had NO IDEA. Gimme Port of Call any day. But in any event, can someone clue me in to what these things are all about? It looks just like another chain concept, just with more copious portions than say, the ubiquitous McD's/Burger King/Beef Kaiser...

After reading the " Chicago's Best Burgers" thread (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2773), it seems that the city has a wealth of killer burger joints, and I'd wager the average prices are not even that much higher than Fatburger's! Would a chain burger joint fare well in Chicago? Then again, I haven't tried the chain...maybe I'm just talking out of a bitter, dark place....

Speaking of unfamiliar Burger places coming to Chicago, has anybody been to the Burger Delight on Ashland that just replaced a Burger King that used to be there? It's right around Ashland and Roscoe, near the Whole Foods, and all I know about it is that it looks pretty awkward, in that there is some sort of huge sheet draped over the massive Burger King sign.

I just read a post on Chowhound that theorizes that the BK owner got in an argument with the franchise, and decided to break away from the mold. Does anybody have any reviews? If it's no longer BK, I've got to imagine that the quality of the meat would have to exponentially improve...

listerine wrote:Speaking of unfamiliar Burger places coming to Chicago, has anybody been to the Burger Delight on Ashland that just replaced a Burger King that used to be there? It's right around Ashland and Roscoe, near the Whole Foods, and all I know about it is that it looks pretty awkward, in that there is some sort of huge sheet draped over the massive Burger King sign.

I just read a post on Chowhound that theorizes that the BK owner got in an argument with the franchise, and decided to break away from the mold. Does anybody have any reviews? If it's no longer BK, I've got to imagine that the quality of the meat would have to exponentially improve...

That's what happened -- the franchisee didn't want to stay in his agreement.

My understanding is that the quality of the food has gone down.

The Burger Delights at Foster and Northwest Hwy is offering italian beef now, too. Perhaps another stop on the next beefathon?

Sal Monilla wrote:After looking at their site, I noticed that they just opened up one here in New Orleans...and I had NO IDEA. Gimme Port of Call any day. But in any event, can someone clue me in to what these things are all about? It looks just like another chain concept, just with more copious portions than say, the ubiquitous McD's/Burger King/Beef Kaiser...

If you just don't do chain burgers, you won't likely start with Fatburger. That said, they make a good product. I like to get the burgers char-broiled, or "on the char," but you have to ask for it to be cooked that way. In the Los Angeles area at least, Fatburger will generally accomodate requests for burgers cooked medium rare. It will be interesting to see if they will do that, here, in Chicago. Unless otherwise specified, burgers come with mustard and mayo. That is my style. Did you know that I hate ketchup, too?

My favourite way to get a Fatburger is with an egg on top. I know some folks like the chili topping. For those that need to watch their cholestorol more closely than I, these might not be suitable courses of action.

I also like Fatburger's onion rings and hand-scooped ice cream milkshakes.

Before VI chimes in, I'll share this with you.

Regards,
Erik M.

Oh, I've "done" chainburgers ("eaten"..y'know), but have yet to have one match the formidable nature of a hand-formed patty, seasoned just right, and cooked medium rare. If in fact Fatburger can attempt a modicum of these provisions, then I'd totally be tempted to try it! "On the char" may be my mantra for tonight, too.

In fact, my "absolutism" on any thing gastronomic always seems to waver and be put to the test...as I ate my onion rings today, I actually used ketchup!!! Damn stupid lack of creole mustard, mayo, and Dave's Insanity Sauce in those convenient lil' packets!!!!!

Erik M. wrote:Before VI chimes in, I'll share this with you.

Regards,
Erik M.

Erik, thanks for the trip down memory lane! Perhaps you missed this post where I much more enjoyed my fatburger experience.

As to the point above, there are times you want to sit down to a nice burger, there are other times you want it wrapped in wax papper. Of course, there is an in between from fast food and bar/steakhouse burgers, and that would be the diner burger--cf Pie n' Burger or Apple Pan in LA. But anyways, sometimes you need it fast, and Fatburger does it very well indeed.

I was not a big Port O'Call fan. I found the burgers too thick to get cooked well. I do not think of New Orleans as a great burger town, although an occasional Bud's Broiler hit the spot. Wait, what am I talking about! Camilia Grill's burgers are as good if not better than ANY burger in the diner catagory. What a great, fresh tasting thing!

Rob

I have found that Fatburger varies considerably.

I like the Hollywood store, where I once ate a double king burger with egg and chili, I swear. Upon exiting, I helped myself to a sweet day glow boxing poster featuring Hector "Macho" Camacho, who was to appear at the restaurant shortly thereafter. The fact that a washed-up flamboyant boxer was a draw says a lot about what kind of place Fatburger was 10 years ago before it was cleaned up and corporatized, Krispy Kreme style, then franchized nationwide. The Magic Johnson run FatBurgers I've tried didn't seem up to the originals (one is near LAX). And I've heard bad things about the one in Tampa. I'm hoping for the best, though.

Erik M. wrote:My favourite way to get a Fatburger is with an egg on top.

a HUGE ditto here! reminds me of Blimpy Burger in Ann Arbor... re: varying FB goodness - and I'm sure I'm wrong on this but it seems the older/grundgier the FB shop, the better the burger. I've always enjoy the one in West LA (Venice/Sawtelle) quite a lot...

I was born and raised in Southern California, and I can testify to the goodness of a classic 1/2 lb Kingburger and Chili-smothered Onion Rings. Fatburger is what Jimmy John's is to subs - a good product with a dollop of attitude.

This burger chain allows you to "Have It Your Way" more than Burger King does; you can add an egg, chili, or extra patties onto your fatburger or kingburger, to create wonderful, gut-busting combinations like a "double-king with egg & chili, chili rings, and a diet coke".

The chili, if memory serves me right, is all meat, no beans, and sits well on top of their delectable onion rings, which are made from whole sliced onions (not that onion puree mess like Burger King) and fried moderately hard. The shakes are also rich and thick, just as they should be at any good burger joint. As for the fries, I always ordered the onion rings, and on my next visit, I will, once again, order the onion rings. With Chili. And chunks of grated cheddar.

Fatburger puts a good deal of effort into trying to do what In-N-Out Burger, California's finest, does best - providing old-fashioned, artery-clogging fast food as it was meant to be. And while it's still my third favorite California burger chain (behind In-N-Out & Carl's Jr., respectively), Fatburger deserves its place in the hearts (pun intended) and on the tables of burger lovers.

In the ongoing saga of the ex-Burger Kings turned Burger Delights:

You may have noticed that the signage is down from all of them, including the new Burger Delight vinyl signs.

I walked by my nearest one to see if they were even open-- they were, but with this wrinkle: no beef. Only chicken and fish sandwiches.

Which, it must be said, makes it tough to be Burger Delight.

Hard to know what the reason is, but the fact of a chain that 1) stopped being a fee-paying franchisee and 2) stopped receiving meat deliveries suggests its own possibilities.

Last weekend, I drove by the location on Broadway just south of Foster, and the sign was changed to "Chicken Delights." Perhaps that signage will be seen at the other locations soon?

Another chapter in the ongoing Burger Delight saga:

The one by my house, last seen serving only chicken, now has standard-issue Vienna Beef hotdog and Kronos Gyros posters in the windows.

I can hardly wait to see what business they're in next week.

An explanation was recently in one of the Red papers. The ex-franchisee's noncompete supposedly prohibits engaging in any burger related activity for some period, forcing the owner to change the name to Chicken Delights and to offer only non-hamburger delights.

Pizza Puff Delights?

Docorneliusjuan wrote: And while it's still my third favorite California burger chain (behind In-N-Out & Carl's Jr., respectively), Fatburger deserves its place in the hearts (pun intended) and on the tables of burger lovers.

I'm always up for a new chain with maybe a little something extra to offer, but in a town as rich in meat options as Chicago, the arrival of the 3rd best fast food burger from CA doesn't quite set my pulse racing.

In addition to which I perfer a slice of tom. on a burger, or mustard, and will do ketchup in a pinch - but find mayo on a burger revolting. Sounds like no Fatburger for me. I'll stick with the various pub/bar burger options.

Fatburger's QC (rather unlike In n' Out's, which is legendary) varies. But when it's good, it's very good. I love them both, and they are fairly different, with I-n-O being almost like health food in comparison.

Carl's Jr. is to Hardee's as Buick is to Pontiac (related, middling, and largely indistinguishable but for branding). I can't imagine anyone placing it in the company of the other places mentioned. People do, though. Some folks swear by White Castle sliders and Jack in the Box taquitos, too.

JeffB wrote:Carl's Jr. is to Hardee's as Buick is to Pontiac (related, middling, and largely indistinguishable but for branding). I can't imagine anyone placing it in the company of the other places mentioned. People do, though. Some folks swear by White Castle sliders and Jack in the Box taquitos, too.

Several years back, Carl's Jr. bought Hardees (Or was it the other way around?). Rather than rebrand a bunch of established stores, they just sort of melded the two menu's together. Don't ask me how I remember this bit of knowledge, since I rarely eat chain burgers; notable exceptions being In & Out and the occasional Culver's butter burger.

I remember some years ago one of the Paris newspapers ran a piece on driving around the heartland of America-- what would now be called red-state America-- and one of their pieces of advice was, "You will from time to time see hamburger restaurants called Hardee's. Under no circumstances should you ever eat at one."

I found this pretty hilarious because if there is any American burger which the indigenous European hamburger chains like Quick resemble, it's the watery, mayonnaisey creation to be had at Hardee's.

Last weekend, I drove past one of the original Burger Chef restaurants in Mansfield, OH. Most of the NE Ohio operators refused to make the switch to Hardees and held out for a long time. It is a shuttered Hardees.

Burger Chef was my preferred burger. You could get a small burger for 0.50 and go to the fixin's bar and add a couple pounds of toppings.

I did not like the fact that you could not get a burger at Hardees after 1am and you were stuck with their awful biscuit breakfasts. I have not seen one in a while.

jlawrence01 wrote:I did not like the fact that you could not get a burger at Hardees after 1am and you were stuck with their awful biscuit breakfasts. I have not seen one in a while.

Yeah, I tried to get a piece of Hardee's Monster Thickburger on the way back from the Illini game on Monday night, but we couldn't find a place that would stay open past midnight (or 1 A.M.). The one place we found actually closed on us when we got to the drive-thru order window. Beggin' wouldn't make 'em budge, but considering we were the last in a long line of hungry cars, I guess they just wanted to go home "early," too. I'm not sure I've ever eaten at a Hardee's, and at this rate (or at their closing times), I probably never will. Maybe I'll console myself with a Culver's butter burger (another patty I've never tried) someday, but that night, my driving buddy and I settled for a bacon double steakburger from Steak 'n Shake, a branch of which was inexplicably closed early that night as well.

figure i'd toss a pix up in this thread.

Fatburger w/ fried egg, bacon, grilled patty on the left, w/ chili on the right, extra crispy skinny fries in front:

Wow, what a pic!! Anyone heat any new info on the Fatburger in Chicago? I did a taste test in Vegas between Fatburger and In and Out and Fatburger was the winner! A lot more juicer, flavored and cheaper then In and Out.

brschwartz wrote:Wow, what a pic!! Anyone heat any new info on the Fatburger in Chicago? I did a taste test in Vegas between Fatburger and In and Out and Fatburger was the winner! A lot more juicer, flavored and cheaper then In and Out.

And the argument continues ...

I would say that there is not a consensus. I strongly prefer In and Out ... and the locations that I have been too are a lot more reasonable than Fatburger both in SoCal and Nevada ... unless there have been some major price increases in the past 12 months.

after 2 decades of In-N-Out, I'm done with their burger. forget the beach culture and the fancy 'animal style'. Thousand island sauce is so passe. In-N-Out burgers actually evoke my gag reflex now... All I can order there is 2 fries + napolean shake for lunch...

Fatburger otoh... really needs to expand their franchise...

Bump...any new news on a Fatburger in Chicago?

Three days of eating at Burgerville in Portland, OR have made me even more eager for quality quick-service in these parts.

As of August Fatburger was saying "within a few years".

See this Crain's article from September for more.