I'd have to say Hot Doug's and Kuma's. They are good. That's all. You can get good a lot of other places without the wait. That was the original definition of sheeple spot right?

mrefjl wrote:I'd have to say Hot Doug's and Kuma's. They are good. That's all. You can get good a lot of other places without the wait. That was the original definition of sheeple spot right?

Kuma's I'd tend to agree with you. Doug's... I can wait in line at Doug's for an hour, or I can spend 30 minutes driving each way to Glenview to go to Fredhot's. I'd rather wait in line.

aschie30 wrote:

G Wiv wrote:

ryanwc wrote:brunch spot between Chicago Ave. (Flo)

What I don't understand is why in the name of sweet Carol Channing's ghost do people go, much less wait, to Flo when Cafe Central is right across the street.

Cafe Central
1437 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
312-243-6776

Or Habana Libre is next door.

Or on Sunday's Green Zebra's seasonal offerings & delightful house-made pepper thyme soda.

Katie wrote:

While you're correct that it's baffling that you have to wait in line for eggs and bacon, the reason people do so isn't the reputation of a place (whether deserved or undeserved). People wait because there are only so many places to go to brunch in most neighborhoods, and there's a wait at almost all of them.

For nothing more difficult or unusual than eggs and bacon, there's always home, no lines, no waiting.

Everyone can't cook. My husband isn't big on home entertaining so we meet friends out for brunch.

jesteinf wrote:Cheesecake Factory = large portions + large menu full of an insanely wide variety of food that's been extensively tested and formulated to appeal to as many people as possible.

You always have to remember, most people don't like to eat like LTH'ers.

Josh you nailed it.

Almost 2 years ago I was at a conference in Hawaii. A group of us wanted to grab lunch but not in the hotel. Some of us are definitely pizza/steak/potato only kind of food eaters. I cringed as we landed at Cheesecake Factory. The food was good & no one got the cheesecake. I would not have chosen it but many have no interest in eating/trying local plates, sushi, or any name they don't recognize.

Lattitude and Fiddlehead Cafe in Lincoln square get my vote.

When I was a kid making a big Sunday breakfast with the whole family was a treat, something that we did generally only on vacation. And I never had to participate in the cleanup I am not sure we ever went out for breakfast. Cooking a big breakfast at home makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

My husband loves to go out for breakfast. He doesn't want to have to clean up dishes, he wants to relax for the morning. When we go out we don't wait in line, but we go pretty early and probably don't go to the most popular places.

What you don't have if you cook at home is everyone sitting down all at once to whatever they want, and someone coming around to refill your coffee. Plus you have to clean up. I can't make 3 different egg dishes, waffles, pancakes and french toast, plus granola/yogurt/fruit parfaits without a lot of planning.

Boston Blackies.

G Wiv wrote:What I don't understand is why in the name of sweet Carol Channing's ghost do people go, much less wait, to Flo when Cafe Central is right across the street.

The owner of Flo is is son of the founder/brother of the current owner of The Shed in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The peppers they use in the red and green chile at Flo are grown by the folks at The Shed and shipped to Chicago overnight where they are turned into the respective chile using the recipe from The Shed. In my humble opinion, and lots of others (like the Beard Foundation), The Shed has one of the best chiles, red or green, in New Mexico.

Anyway the enchiladas and huevos with Red or Green Chile are why I wait to eat at Flo.

Downers Grove specific....

Omega
Cheeseburgers in Paradise.

pnking wrote:Cheeseburgers in Paradise.

What's not to like?



Just kidding. It's pretty awful, but it's news to me that it's popular. This is from the one time I went to one, in Bloomington, IN. Burgers were ehh, on the order of TGIF or something like that. This gigantic drink cost $10, combined all of their frozen concoctions into one, and I wasn't even buzzed after consuming it. I e-mailed corporate to get nutrition information and they straight-up refused.

ndgbucktown wrote:

pnking wrote:Cheeseburgers in Paradise.

What's not to like?



Just kidding. It's pretty awful, but it's news to me that it's popular. This is from the one time I went to one, in Bloomington, IN. Burgers were ehh, on the order of TGIF or something like that. This gigantic drink cost $10, combined all of their frozen concoctions into one, and I wasn't even buzzed after consuming it. I e-mailed corporate to get nutrition information and they straight-up refused.

Thanks, ndg. And please tell me that's NAV MAN on your right in the picture.

A comment on the burgerblog: it's been much more useful to me than the original TOC list. Keep fighting the good fight at your own pace.

I'm merely an admirer of NAV MAN; we've yet to run across each other. Thanks for the kind words.

ndgbucktown wrote:

pnking wrote:Cheeseburgers in Paradise.

This gigantic drink cost $10, combined all of their frozen concoctions into one, and I wasn't even buzzed after consuming it.

The unpeeled banana stuck right in the middle of it is a particularly nice touch.

Any frozen yogurt place. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I mean $8 for a frozen yogurt with a few pieces of fruit on top? If I pay $8 for a cup of anything, it better have some bacon in it!

Hillery's in Kenosha.

I was standing in line waiting for an order to try them out, talking to a regular there.

Him: These are the best ribs in the area!!
Myself: I dont know...I've been to Memphis...
Him:...these are good...(mumble, mumble)

I will just say...thanks the heavens for Big Ed's BBQ in nearby north chicago. I dont mind a trek for Ed's.

I mean $8 for a frozen yogurt with a few pieces of fruit on top?

Even Red Mango and Pinkberry aren't $8 for a serving, more like $4-$5. And I don't begrudge someone trying to get a light treat to walk around with on a warm summer night. I personally don't like it but many people do. As for whether something is "worth" what you pay for it - it's pretty subjective. There's a Rice to Riches a couple doors down from Pinkberry in NY. You couldn't drag me back to Pinkberry but I'm more than willing to pay the going rate for RtR's rice pudding selections. Very expensive and very much worth it.

-Chicago Pizza Grinder....plop...

-Flat Top......ugh...

DirtyDuckInn wrote:Hillery's in Kenosha.

is there a Hillery's BBQ in North Chicago? I remember getting tips from there once. BBQ sauce extra heavy on the chili powder. these two places connected?

-Flat Top......ugh...

Haven't been in years, but it was the perfect solution for dining out with kids when they were about 10-12.

mrefjl wrote:I'd have to say Hot Doug's and Kuma's. They are good. That's all. You can get good a lot of other places without the wait. That was the original definition of sheeple spot right?

You can get good Three-Chili Wild Boar Sausage with Chipotle Dijonnaise and Smoked Gouda Cheese elsewhere? Or good Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris elsewhere?

I'd love to know where, it would make my day

I'd have to say Hot Doug's and Kuma's. They are good. That's all. You can get good a lot of other places without the wait. That was the original definition of sheeple spot right?

The original definition included "for no discernible reason" so if there was an hour-long wait at Five Guys or Superdawg you'd have to wonder why - other than some mass hypnosis or collective delusion - people would endure a long wait for food that was just "okay" under the most charitable standards.

Kuma's and Doug's have a solid amount of hype buttressed by some good food. And, to some extent, the wait is part of the experience.

spinynorman99 wrote:The original definition included "for no discernible reason" so if there was an hour-long wait at Five Guys or Superdawg you'd have to wonder why - other than some mass hypnosis or collective delusion - people would endure a long wait for food that was just "okay" under the most charitable standards.

Kuma's and Doug's have a solid amount of hype buttressed by some good food. And, to some extent, the wait is part of the experience.

If somebody could have the opinion, "The food is great, no question about it, but not so great as to justify these crowds, so most people here must be seduced by the hype," then I think a place could qualify for a Sheeple's Choice (in that person's view).

This is not to be confused with me making an argument that Kuma's and Doug's aren't worth it, because I'm not.

riddlemay wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:"The food is great, no question about it, but not so great as to justify these crowds, so most people here must be seduced by the hype," then I think a place could qualify for a Sheeple's Choice (in that person's view).

This is not to be confused with me making an argument that Kuma's and Doug's aren't worth it, because I'm not.

My point exactly. I enjoy(ed) both of those places, but can't see why people would wait sooo long. I guess, perhaps, I enjoy waiting less than others. As far as Hot Doug's unique sausages - I have found that, to me, they usually all taste somewhat similar.

gp60004 wrote:is there a Hillery's BBQ in North Chicago? I remember getting tips from there once. BBQ sauce extra heavy on the chili powder. these two places connected?

I think there is one on 14th st near sheridan. I think its a chain that is primarly(sp) in the northern burbs.

The reason why I mention the one in kenosha is because I live about 5 blocks away from them.

I can see where you're coming from that Kuma's is kind of one of those "well, I guess I'll just deal with the wait to see what the hype is about" places. It's really great, but often times, not good enough for a 90 minute wait. It's almost as much about the experience as it is the burger itself. I'll go elsewhere for an immediate gratification burger that will be nearly as good. It will, however, not be named after a heavy metal band and won't have the sweet taste of the victory over the battle that is getting a table at Kuma's.

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here, but Tango Sur... totally fine, but not worth waiting hours for. Brunch places and Tango Sur were the first to come to mind as "sheeples".

K.D. wrote:I can see where you're coming from that Kuma's is kind of one of those "well, I guess I'll just deal with the wait to see what the hype is about" places. It's really great, but often times, not good enough for a 90 minute wait. It's almost as much about the experience as it is the burger itself. I'll go elsewhere for an immediate gratification burger that will be nearly as good. It will, however, not be named after a heavy metal band and won't have the sweet taste of the victory over the battle that is getting a table at Kuma's.

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here, but Tango Sur... totally fine, but not worth waiting hours for. Brunch places and Tango Sur were the first to come to mind as "sheeples".

BYO spots in general are going to have long waits on weekend evenings, which I guess must be why you mentioned Tango Sur - I've never waited more than a minute to be seated there, but I also stay away from Fri/Sat prime hours.

This is probably (hopefully) just my circle of friends, but I'm sad to say that I've visited the Olive Garden more times than I care to admit.

I just can't bring myself to go into a sudden outburst of why that place sucks. I'm just not that kind of person. If everyone agrees to go there, I can't help but just shut my mouth. The Bud Light "Too Heavy/ Too Light" ads come to mind.

Moretti's in Lake in the Hills (near Algonquin).

A brand new outpost of this very uninspiring local chain. It seems like it's the place to be for the locals based on the parking lot. I have not been and I am praying no family or other social obligation drags me there.

As a former city dweller, the suburbs do have some gems, but places like this really seem to pack 'em in.

K.D. wrote:I can see where you're coming from that Kuma's is kind of one of those "well, I guess I'll just deal with the wait to see what the hype is about" places. It's really great, but often times, not good enough for a 90 minute wait. It's almost as much about the experience as it is the burger itself. I'll go elsewhere for an immediate gratification burger that will be nearly as good. It will, however, not be named after a heavy metal band and won't have the sweet taste of the victory over the battle that is getting a table at Kuma's.

Not sure if it's been mentioned on here, but Tango Sur... totally fine, but not worth waiting hours for. Brunch places and Tango Sur were the first to come to mind as "sheeples".

Having just been to Kuma's last weekend and waited about an hour, I agree with this assessment. I really can't see calling Kuma's a "sheeple" spot. It's popular, yes, but it's also unique. Same with Hot Doug's. Tango Sur - I'd love to hear a recommendation for a BYOB Argentinian steak place in the city. If there is one, I'll agree with you but the food at Tango Sur is very, very good and reasonably priced at makes an affordable date or night out.

Which I guess brings me to this thought: this "sheeple's choice" concept is a little elitist and vaguely insulting. Hey, if a person has Very Important Things To Do, and can't be bothered to wait in line with good company for good food, that's fine, but implying that those who do are behaving in some unthinking, sheep-like fashion strikes me as snobbery. People like what they like, no need to look down on them for it.