I was searching online for a phone number to see if Oak Park opened yet. Yes, please check it out!

Ram4 wrote:I was searching online for a phone number to see if Oak Park opened yet. Yes, please check it out!

I can't find the number on their website ( no listing for Illinois?) or Google.

Stopped by today...



Exterior

Took a look behind the blue tarp and...



Store Front

Phone number is (571) 209-7784
I called and the Oak Park location is scheduled to open on Monday, November 17th



Interior

Looks almost ready to go!

Yay!

I hit the Five Guys in Delafield, WI last week. Everything reminded me of In'N'Out (burgers made when you order, fries made fresh, very small menu). The burger was wonderful, fresh, tasty, dense, great quality. The fries were excellent too - and they give you a TON of them!

I happened to hit this very same Five Guys in Delafield last week - was driving on the I-94, and decided to pull off and get it (its literally a minute off the highway, very convenient). A very good burger IMHO, freshly made as mentioned above, with a variety of topping options (I dont usually put too much on my burgers anyway, so that wasnt a huge plus for me). I went with the small cheeseburger with grilled onions and mushrooms, and it was pretty solidly good, better than any chain-buger place IMHO.

Must add a word about the fries, however - almost spectacularly good, quite excellent. Also freshly prepared, and I had been warned (by friends in the DC area) that you never need to order more than a "regular" (rather than the large)... and theyre right,for a regular (2 bucks IIRC) they take a brown bag, put in a cup of fries, and then throw in a whole mess more on top (about another cup's worth). Hot, freshly fried, crispy outside and creamy inside, by far the best fast-food fries Ive ever had in my life, and comparable to the best non-chain places too (only a few better overall, actually - probably Weiner and Still Champion in Evanston and Top Notch Beefburger in Beverly have as good or better fries, but I cant think of anyone else in Chicagoland who would, offhand. No "fast food chain" even compares IMHO).

This place is amazing and they should do well in Chicago. This place is better than Fatburger too. Right up there with In'N'Out and Steak N Shake for me in the fast food style restaurants, although all four of these are not technically fast food like McDonald's or Wendy's which get you your food in a minute.

I agree, I think they should do very well in Chicago (I'll certainly go, probably every time Iam in the Lincoln Park area). Already, on one visit, Id say its the best cheeseburger-and-fries chain Ive ever been to - Ive been to Schoops in Indiana a couple times (unlike most here, I wasnt wowed by it, thought it was overrated actually, thought Five Guys was much better), and I wouldnt personally put Culvers and Steak-n-shake (both of which Ive been to a few dozen times each) on anywhere near the same level (my biggest reason for going to Culvers is actually their frozen custard, and that will remain; Steak-n-shake, IMHO, gets blown away by a place like Five Guys).

c8w

Good snooping Panther! Ironically I work on Lake St (but in Addison), so it's still a good 20 minutes or so on the 290 to get there.

c8w - I agree, I was impressed by both my Five Guys visits (you got a little burger? SHAME!), but I still love my Steak N Shake double or triple. The rest of the menu is garbage (and when you factor in the fries, I guess Five Guys wins!), but there's something heavenly about a SNS burger to me. But you have to eat it at the restaurant. It just doesn't seem as good to go. The fries suck. Bring on our new Five Guys locations!

Ram4 wrote:c8w - I agree, I was impressed by both my Five Guys visits (you got a little burger? SHAME!), but I still love my Steak N Shake double or triple.
But you have to eat it at the restaurant. It just doesn't seem as good to go. The fries suck. Bring on our new Five Guys locations!

Ive usually eaten-in at SNS - but it just hasnt done it for me that much. Decent, but not great to me. YMMV.

As for choosing the "little burger"... I did have a good-enough excuse to not have to forfeit my LTH-credentials.. I was only about an hour or so away from stopping in at Todd's Grill in Oconomowoc. Where I expected to have (and ended up having) the Grill-Burger, which in my half-dozen experiences has consistently been about the best burger *anywhere*! Managed to make Todd's twice this trip, and both times it remained fantastic - a half-pounder (fresh, never-frozen beef) with sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions, local Wisconsin bacon, local Wisconsin cheese etc. Comes with fries (or home-made chips).

Delafield (and so Five Guys) was the first burger of the trip... managed to kill about a couple hours before the second burger (and best of the trip) at Todd's. The Chicago version of Five Guys will obviously see me go with the "big" burger, of course, if only so I can remain a card-carrying member of LTHforum

c8w

the sun times says the five guys in oak park is opening today.

I'm essentially an optimist when it comes to new foods and new restaurants. But when it comes to out-of-town burger chains breaking ground outside of their home region, I'm skeptical. With good reason, I think. Fatburger just hasn't expanded well past my beloved Vermont/Sunset location by the Kaiser Permanente in LA. At least in my mind. Certainly, the Fatburgers in malls in Florida blow. In n Out, though I love the one hard by Hollywood High, between Highland and Hollywood in LA, has done a much better job of remaining true and consistent. Thus, I hope, we shall never see one East of Vegas. Culvers has done an OK job of expanding, though it's not consistent enough. And even the micro-regional chain Schoop's must not have consistency down pat, because c8w just dissed it -- which baffles me because the Mickey is one of the finest fast food burgers I've eaten.

I like 5 guys, and have said I'd rather see 5 Guys here than other burger chains. However, now I'm here to say 5 Guys is no lock to be great in Chicago. The bad expansion knock could well be true. I've recently tried a couple of 5 Guys outside their native DC-area habitat, in Tampa and in Midtown Manhattan, and I found them wanting.

I just returned from about a month in Manhattan. The other day, I walked over to a ramen shop that caters to the Japanese financial and diplomatic expats who make Midtown's otherwise culinarily-vapid side streets* a treasure hunt of obscure (to me) Nipponica.

(The ramen shop, Menchanko Tei, is at 43 W. 55th St between 5th & 6th Avenues. It specializes in a slightly more thick house-made noodle, used in soups cooked in a cast iron bowl -- as opposed to the more a la minute composed ramen one usually sees. Menchanko Tei has a tight little menu focused on things made from dough. I really liked the low-key, sort of dumpy vibe. Those in the know rave about the gyoza, which were good. I also enjoyed my spicy chigae miso immensely, and it was the perfect hangover antidote. Very interesting to see all the Japanese takes on Korean food and the Korean takes on Japanese food and both cultures' takes on Chinese food, as some have discussed here before. I'll say a little about Menchanko Tei in an Outside Chicago thread.)

Anyway, just next-door to the ramen shop is the Midtown 5 Guys. I tried it for scientific purposes only. The place was quite dirty, the tile floors sticky with grease. That was unlike my experience at other 5 Guys. The fries were what they were -- fresh cut Idahoes cooked in peanut oil. (By the way, people, it seems clear to me that the dry erase board identifying the provenance, the terroir as it were, of the spuds is done tongue in cheek. This isn't Gunthorp Farms yardbird or Tallgrass beef.) Great for fast food chain fries, no big deal and not nearly so good as the twice fried beauties at places such as Al's, Hot Doug's, Weiner's Circle, Gold Coast Dogs and any number of other beef stands. The burger ( I got a little one) was mediocre and sloppily made. Let's hope 5 Guys translates better here. Oak Park teens might do a better job than the crew at the Midtown outpost.


*NB, compared to the Loop, not to mention Wall Street, Midtown is a culinary wonderland. My point is not to knock on NY. It's an observation about the relative culinary merits of a "neighborhood" centered around commerce and tourism. Food is better where people live. Because of work, I was relatively constrained to an area defined by the park, Broadway and 42d.

abolt wrote:the sun times says the five guys in oak park is opening today.

Wow!

Article

Too late to head over tonight! Maybe tomorrow?

The Oak Park location is about 20 minutes from my work. I am definitely going there this week. I'm debating whether to go in an hour for lunch or wait until Friday. The problem with today is I have to go to the bank. Tomorrow night I get another treat as I head to Johnnie's Beef in Arlington Heights after work!

My friend drove by there yesterday, and she says it still looked like it was not ready to open yet. Plastic was still all covering the sign. I'm wondering if the ST got the date wrong.

Pioneer Press article states opening day is Monday November 17th

****-ing Sun-Times.

I had my hopes up. After calling they said that they are not opening until next week.

5 Guys is good, but no In n Out. Good, the way I can take quality ground chuck and transform it at home, good the way their fries aren't bad...hold a crunch, taste like potatoes and clean oil. 5 Guys is built for additions and exemptions; welcoming in a world of keyboard-retarded McDonald's. My caveat is that I can do it at home; I can't replicate In n Out. Not a damning criticism by any means. And, at least in the one I've tried, how could you not get take out...I've never been in a place that reeks so much of beef grease...it creates it's own atmosphere. BTW: gotta love the signs warning those with peanut allergies.

Had my bride drive by on the way to pick me up at the EL.

Not open. Workmen as busy as bees inside. Construction horses out front blocking the entrance. Blue tarp has been removed.

No sign as of yet.

Looks like Monday.

Anyone tried to go by today to see if they're really opening today?

I tried to call the posted number (571) 209-7784 but got no answer. Further, my Googling search did not yield a phone number.

Ghazi wrote:Anyone tried to go by today to see if they're really opening today?

I tried to call the posted number (571) 209-7784 but got no answer. Further, my Googling search did not yield a phone number.

Even though I am available I am not heading over until I pick up My Bride from work in River Grove at 4:30. She would murderlize me if I gave it a try without her.

Depending on how my schedule goes I might be able to do a drive by before then...

The Gullett has landed!

Swearing off the diet I pledged after downing 8 pieces of fried (ok, broasted) chicken yesterday, I went to 5 Guys in Oak Park.

The Wait - order took about 15-20 minutes to be called once placed. That was due to the heavy first day rush and it being just past noon. By 12:45 the place was much less frantic.

The fries - excellent potato flavor. Slight crunch to the outside, tender moistness inside. The peanut oil imparts a nice touch of flavor.

The burger - I got the regular cheeseburger, which is a double. I got everything plus jalapenos and raw onion. the patties were obviously fresh and cooked well done (there's a sign saying that is how they make them, i'm not sure whether they will customize), but I was disappointed that I actually had to grab a packet of salt and season the darn things. Maybe when the grill top earns its grease stripes and has more "abuse" to it, it'll impart a more beefy flavor, but I have to admit that i was disappointed in the relative lack of bite to the beef.

The jalapenos where fresh and vibrant, and really complimented the burger perfectly. The other toppings (Lettuce, tomatoes, 'shrooms, onions) were fresh, but perhaps I should've removed a few of them as the entirety of the sandwich (with condiments) was perhaps clouding out the simplicity you want in a burger like this.

Overall impression- i'd give the burger an 8/10, with the right for further review. This was, after all, their first day at this location. I'd place it just underneath an In n Out burger, but that is because of the difference in patty taste. I'd also place it ahead of my regular chain burgers in Chicagoland which currently are Culvers and Portillo's.

OK. I'm gonna hide under my desk and take a nap now.

Well, I managed to dash over for a few pic's.

Yes, They are open and doing good business.


Signs up!


Busy but not crowded at 1:30 pm


Busy and fully manned behind the counter.


Grill was cookin'!


Getting ready for Da Beef.


Sacks of potatoes, jugs of peanut oil and the fore-mentioned peanuts.

I also got a copy of the menu that I will scan and upload later.

Looks great! Can't wait for 5:00!

We got their number now! (708) 358-0856

Might want to call ahead to have it ready and avoid the opening day blues.

Panther in the Den, I must have missed you by a few minutes.

This place was really busy when I stopped in -- due in part to the fact that there were corporate trainers behind the counter and throughout the store, which is not very large. Still, it's the first day, so such crowding and excitement is to be expected.

My burger:



I was disappointed to see a lack of caramelized crust on the patties, but flipping them over I found that most of the griddling was done on the other side. According to the corporate person who was supervising everything, this was not intended. My guess: the crowds resulted in fast grilling on less-than-optimal surfaces; I expect minor glitches like this to be corrected with time.

Must agree with Ghazi regarding need for salt; could be just me, but I need a little more sodium on my meat. Still, the Five Guys' burger has good flavor and clearly outstrips most local competitors (e.g., Al's, Mickey's and the usual chains), so it will likely be my go-to place when burger lust strikes.

Any word when the Lincoln Park location is opening? So tempted to find an excuse to be in Oak Park some time this week.

My Bride and I did make it over for dinner. Armed with the phone number, their mention of calling ahead and the rumor of 20 minutes wait I gave them a call to place my order.

Was connected with a nice lady who was properly bubbly and after a few fits and starts getting my order across (equipment issues, background noise) I was told 7 to 10 minutes which was about our arrival time.

Arrived and announced my arrival and a shout of my name went out and there was a response from the rear with a gent holding my bag up. Paid, grabbed the bag and a table.

I ordered a cheeseburger (two patties) for myself and a little cheeseburger (one patty) for my wife and a hot dog and large Cajun fries for us to share. Everything on the toppings menu without the asterisk is referred to 'All The Way'.



Cheeseburger 'All The Way'

The cheeseburgers were good! I think the grill is getting seasoned as you can see the caramelized crust on the patties. Maybe because it wasn't too busy? A lot of salad and the bun never stood a chance. Took a piece of the patty on it's own and there was a good beef flavor but it gets hidden by all of the toppings.

If I hadn't been to Schoops a few weeks ago I might of rated this burger near the top. Very good for a thin(ish) burger.


Hot Dog 'All The Way'

Not a 'Chicago Dog' at all, not even in the same neighborhood. Great tasting sausage though! Sliced in half and grilled. The stronger dog flavor was able to overcome the toppings and shine thru.

My Bride sorely missed the traditional toppings especially the raw onions. Last time going 'All The Way' for her.


Fun to know the heritage of your potatoes.

Imagine seasoned fries that actually had a bite to them! A bit too spicy for The Bride but I liked them just fine. Our large order was not only a large styrofoam cup filled but about another cup in the bottom of the bag. Not bad at all room temperature later in the night. By no means our beloved double fried but simple and creamy. Good potatoes!


Keeping it simple.

All in all a good visit. It was a little jarring when a customer would walk in the door and the staff would yell out "THRU THE DOOR" or when you place your order "ONE PATTY" OR "TWO PATTY' (with multiple yelled replies from the back). The place wasn't all that crowded but it was very noisy.

Another thing to remember, as soon as you enter, make a sharp right and into the ordering passage. The staff had to chase every person coming in into the passage. if you make it more than half way to the counter they will let you pass with a gentle reminder.

There are burgers thick and thin. I will be coming here when I am in the mood for thin (unless I am in Indiana and near Schoops ).

Well, it was through a Google search for info on the Five Guys opening in Oak Park that I first found this forum about a week ago, so it's only fitting that I register and make my first post to comment on their new location.

I largely agree with the reviews already posted in this thread. The burger I had this evening was well-flavored, and I found the 2 patty size to be just about perfect for me. My wife and I tried both the Five Guys fries and the cajun fries, and found both to be better than most fries in the area. The cajun were a little bit over-spiced for my taste, but still quite enjoyable, and they were preferred by my wife.

That said, the employees do need to get some more experience in a live environment. I ordered a little bacon burger for the wife with a handful of toppings. They got all of the ordered toppings right, but when unwrapped it turned out to be 2 patties rather than 1, and had cheese that had not been requested. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with bbq sauce, and got A1 sauce instead. Both burgers were still excellent, and I will gladly go back (many times), but it may be worthwhile to give them a few more days to get into the swing of things a bit before stopping by.

Oh, I was in there a few minutes before 9:00pm this evening. There was nobody waiting for food ahead of me, and 1 veggie burger (or their version thereof) ordered just after I placed my order. The food still took about twice as long as I would have expected, so expect the delays to be present regardless of business for a little while also.

Still, I am highly satisfied with tonight's trial. Five Guys will likely become my go-to stop for a burger craving in the area as well, unless I have the time and intensity of craving to head a bit further out to Kuma's or Paradise Pup instead.

Kevin Pang weights in with a first blush review in today's Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ ... 0146.story

David Hammond wrote:Kevin Pang weights in with a first blush review in today's Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ ... 0146.story

What i love about this site is that every one of his major points (taste/texture of fries, burger underseasoned, and In N Out still better) were already covered by the first two reviews in this thread. lol. We must be doin' something right.

I wonder if I can get some of the Cajun seasoning on the burger. While not traditional I think it would be quite good!

Panther in the Den wrote:I wonder if I can get some of the Cajun seasoning on the burger. While not traditional I think it would be quite good!

You can. I didn't order my fries with cajun seasoning, but I decided to ask for some after I got my order and they gave me a cup of it, so I could put it on the fries AND the burger.

Looking forward to stopping in Oak Park soon!

Kevin Pang weights in with a first blush review in today's Tribune

What i love about this site is that every one of his major points (taste/texture of fries, burger underseasoned, and In N Out still better) were already covered by the first two reviews in this thread. lol. We must be doin' something right.

Hello LTH'ers. Kevin Pang from the Tribune here. I don't usually respond in forums, but I have to defend my honor this one time. The commenter above implies that my review was influenced by this thread, or that I'm stealing the talking points and regurgitating as my opinion. Now perhaps the commenter is saying this with a wink in his eye, and there's a good chance I could be simply reading this wrong. But this claim has come up elsewhere in the forum, and it's questioning myself and my colleagues' credibility, so I can't idly stand by.

I had a wonderful dinner at Sun Wah last week with Stevez and Mr./Mrs. Wiv, and one topic brought up was this allusion that we "mainstream media" food writers steal/lift/borrow our material from LTH. Would we occasionally write about a restaurant after it appeared on this board? Of course. We're tipped off by new finds on this site, and others. But we're food lovers too, and there's a finite number of new restaurants in town, and if we hit the same spots, a lot of times it's coincidental. And the idea that I would borrow material from this site, or at least let it influence what I write, is nonsense.

I'll bring up another example: the thread several weeks back about bloggers vs. chefs, where some accused us of misleading readers by selectively pulling out the most salacious comments. Or a commenter conjuring up imagined conversations (I was there in the room) that we had with the chefs, such as:

Reporter: What's your biggest pet peeve about diners?

Kim: Really, nothing I can think of. Diners are what allow me to do what I love every day.

Reporter: OK, but if you had to pick one thing that you wish they wouldn't do, what would you say?

I could go on. I can't speak for all my journalism colleagues, but the majority of those who write about food are upstanding, ethical and not lazy. It's a shame that several high and mighty commenters on this board stand on their pedestal, try to flatter themselves behind the anonymous firewall of the Internet, and draw a line in the sand as if it's you guys vs. us guys.

News alert: we're all on the same team. I share your love and passion for good food. When we find an amazing hole in the wall in the middle of nowhere, and we're able to share it with one another, everyone wins. This board is an incredible asset to the community. So let's keep the discourse civil, and not make false assumptions that make me, my colleagues and this forum look bad.

Much love,
Kevin

kpang [at] tribune [dot] com

I read the comments as being more along the lines of "great minds think alike," not that one party is appropriating ideas from another.