BR wrote:I really wanted to like Flub a Dub - it seems like a long-run family business, run by really nice people. I'm guessing Mrs. FaD helped us and she could not have been more friendly. But ultimately my burger was a real letdown. I ordered the one with bacon, cheese and a fried egg. It was served on a fresh pretzel bun (not my favorite, but no prob). On the plus side, the burger was served medium rare as ordered. But it really had no juice, no dripping goodness, and just not a strong beefy flavor. I'm not sure what kind of beef they're using but I'm guessing it's a lot leaner than I typically prefer (85-90% maybe). Also, the egg was served over hard with none of that dripping yolk that I hoped for. Finally, overcooked and ultimately flavorless bacon that added nothing. As for the fries, they may be frozen but they weren't bad at all. Nicely cooked - crisp exterior, soft interior - and well seasoned.

I recognize others whose opinions I respect have had far more positive experiences here, so I'm willing to accept that today's visit might be very out of character for Flub a Dub, but the burger I had today really missed the mark.

I ate basically that same burger there about two months ago and had a very similar experience. Not a bad burger certainly but definitely not one i would ever need to return for.

I've found the Chubs burgers to be nothing more than typical hot dog stand burgers, albeit with fancy buns and pricey toppings. Thing is, what is the reasonable upper price limit for a fast food burger, in 2012? I am saying: $4, $5 if you are throwing in the fries. $6, tops, if you are throwing in the drink.

So, no, I do not want to pay $8 for a burger with pepperjack cheese, and still have to pay another $2 for a drink. Not $10+ for a burger combo at a hot dog stand. You can celebrate the *concept* of the fancy fast food burger, but I am not paying a 40% surcharge for the *appearance* of fanciness. Edzo's, you get a beef upgrade for your $3 surcharge, Wiener and Still Champion you get the whole burger combo for $7 including tax--and the best fries in the region. And bottom line Edzo's and Wiener and Still Champion serve a vastly better and vastly less pricey product.

Just because there are people in Lakeview who will whip out their debit card and buy anything without considering if it is worth it, does not make something worth it. And I kind of wish we'd go back to the days when people were afraid to eat a lot of burgers, when they were considered bad for you, even dangerous. That kept the price down for us decadents!

Not everyone who likes Flub a Dubs is a Lakeview resident willing to throw down their debit card for anything. I happen to like their burgers, a lot. Are the burgers at Edzo's better? Yes. However:

1. I can't walk there from my house when I want to grab a quick bite.
2. I can't go there for dinner.

Amazingly enough, different restaurants can serve different purposes for people.

They put out subpar burgers sometimes. I eat there probably every other week and I'd say 80% of the burgers I've had have been very good. It's a great neighborhood spot, and I'm happy to have it.

Marco wrote:Just because there are people in Lakeview who will whip out their debit card and buy anything without considering if it is worth it, does not make something worth it.

OMG, that's, like, totally why I love Flub A Dub Chub's! They take debit card, the tables are big enough for my MacBook Air AND my Dolce & Gabbana shades, it's totally divey (which is SOOOO hot right now) but not, like, scary divey, and best of all, I live a block away, so I can walk there in 2 minutes...but I usually just drive my Cayenne Turbo there and leave it in the alley right next to it, put the hazards on, and totally chill out.

Or maybe I go there because I always get a tasty, cooked-to-order burger (apparently I'm on a lucky streak), and end up having a nice chat with neighbors & the friendly staff while I enjoy a pleasant lunch. I actually do live a block away, and am happy to have a place like this so close to home. No Porsche though, unfortunately.

Count me amongst those are fans of the atmosphere and burgers from here. I agree about them being more towards the pricey side than cheap, this is true but they're made with more care than your typical Chicago style fast food stand. They make for a big meal that will leave you full for the day. The Roe Burger (bacon, avocado and cheddar cheese) is the way to go. The pretzel buns make for an even bigger sized portion and that's the one part of it I dont like. Other than that, if they used the same buns as Paradise Pup I dont think there would be a big difference from here and there except fries come with your burger at flub a dubs. Paradise Pup isn't my favorite but I do enjoy their burgers. For me though, Broadway and Berry is alot closer than River Road and Oakton. Sometimes you just dont have an hour to roll elsewhere.


The Roe: a very nice option to have if you're in the neighborhood or near

Flub A Dub Chubs
3021 North Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 857-6500

Hey, I am not saying it isn't a nice place, or they arent very nice people working there. When I lived in lakeview I'd go there and order the footlong, since that's a fairly rare item to come across in Chicago. i was seriously asking only about the burger: is it worth the money? I tried it a few times and concluded, for myself, it is not. If I wanted a burger in the hood, I thought Wieners Circle was better, and Aloha Grill comparatively an incredible deal.

I was seriously asking if price/value actually do matter at a certain point. And what would be that point with regard to a fast food burger? If a Chubburger was $17.99, are you still getting it? What's your inherent limit? Or: if Flub a Dub Chubs sat on that corner on Montrose where Suzie's and the Beef Stand are, which one are you going to?

Lakeview and Lincoln Park are full of places that IMO push the limit of price credibility. I'm not paying $4 for a single taco, nor $6 for a pizza slice, nor $8 for a gyros, either. One very nice thing about Hot Doug's is that he always kept the basic hot dog very reasonably priced. And Edzo's is coming to Lincoln Park and going to be a huge bargain relative to the rest of the area. And if Flub's wants my burger business, they can come down $1.50 on the burger prices and toss in that all-important drink cup gratis.

Marco, all of my snarkiness aside, I get what you're saying, and I agree with you: every time I go to Flub A Dub Chub's, I get a mild case of sticker shock.

However, I disagree with your premise that FADC is any more expensive than, say, Wiener and Still Champion. At FADC, the Roe burger (1/2-lb patty, cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado) costs $9 and comes with fries. At WaSC, a 1/3-lb cheeseburger costs $7 if you get it as a combo with fries & a drink. Since the patty is smaller but it comes with a drink, we'll call that a wash. But bacon costs $1 extra, and upgrading from the standard American cheese to cheddar costs $0.50. So now we're at $8.50 (without avocado, since that isn't an option at WaSC). Pretty much the same price.

So really it all comes down to taste - based on one of your previous posts, you prefer WaSC. That's fine, but you're not saving any money by going there.

If we're comparing burger+fries at FADC to burger+fries at WASC, why are you also including a soda at the latter?

A 1/3lb burger with cheddar, bacon, and fries is $7 (tax included) at WASC. A 1/2lb burger with cheddar, bacon, avocado, and fries is $9+tax at FADC. A plain burger, no cheese, is $7.50+tax vs $5.25. A regular, chicago style hot dog with fries is $4.50+tax at FADC and 3.50 at WASC. A chili cheese dog is $5.95+tax vs $4.50

At $9.90 or so after tax, the FADC Roeburger has 50% more beef and is 41% more expensive than at a no-avocado single at WASC. A no-avocado double at WASC has 1/3rd more beef than the roeburger, but the roeburger is still 13% more expensive.

blah blah blah, it's markedly more expensive than wasc.

gleam wrote:
blah blah blah, it's markedly more expensive than wasc.

Yes, all things being equal, FADC is markedly more expensive than WASC. But my original point was, even aside from value: things are not equal. To me, the WASC burgers are much much better. The meat is simply better. Same with Edzo's, same with in fact a lot of places. The FADC hamburger experience has been, for me, like eating an oversized food service burger.

Now of course, that is subjective. But the fries--- WASC fries are simply the best in the entire metropolis. Edzo's are a close second, and that beef stand's fries over on Montrose are, by themselves, a reason to go there. FADC fries are a frozen, unremarkable afterthought. So no, things are not equal. FADC is more expensive for lesser quality.

If I am going to allow myself a hot dog or burger meal these days, fresh cut fries are essentially a requirement. They represent the tipping point in the decision process. The burger has to be either an incredible value or of incredible quality to persuade me otherwise. But I am just not finding the FADC burger selections to be of such incredible quality.

Well there's a reason I didn't compare FADC to Edzo's: I wanted FADC to stand half a chance

The fact remains, most of FADC's menu items fall within a buck or two of similar-genre places, and I like their food. But most importantly, I have better things to do than drive to Evanston when I can walk one block down an alley to satisfy a spur-of-the-moment burger craving or grab a quick lunch while working from home.

My time is worth more than $2 (to me at least, my clients might beg to differ), not to mention CTA fare, cab fare, or gas & parking. If I lived in Evanston rather than Lakeview East, I'm sure I'd have a similar viewpoint as yours.

Out for a walk in Lakeview today when a glimpse of the colorful Flub-a-Dub-Chubs sign out of the corner of my eye jogged some dormant LTH-induced memory. Went in and ordered an Italian beef because I have this problem, where if an Italian beef is on the menu I have to try it at least once.

This is a really excellent beef. Not in the top tier, but perhaps at the top of the second tier along with UB Dogs, Roma’s and Patio. The bread is more like a crisp French baguette than the standard industrial roll, while the beef is thin-sliced and perfectly warmed. The real standout here though, is the giardinera. It’s mainly thin-sliced jalapenos in oil so spice-studded that it has a grainy texture. Much better than the salty blast of the standard thick-cut serrano giard. To my taste it’s the best giardinera in the city.

gleam wrote:If we're comparing burger+fries at FADC to burger+fries at WASC, why are you also including a soda at the latter?

A 1/3lb burger with cheddar, bacon, and fries is $7 (tax included) at WASC. A 1/2lb burger with cheddar, bacon, avocado, and fries is $9+tax at FADC. A plain burger, no cheese, is $7.50+tax vs $5.25. A regular, chicago style hot dog with fries is $4.50+tax at FADC and 3.50 at WASC. A chili cheese dog is $5.95+tax vs $4.50

At $9.90 or so after tax, the FADC Roeburger has 50% more beef and is 41% more expensive than at a no-avocado single at WASC. A no-avocado double at WASC has 1/3rd more beef than the roeburger, but the roeburger is still 13% more expensive.

blah blah blah, it's markedly more expensive than wasc.

The Roe is still $9 two years later - cooked to order, flavorful, seeming more in line with other offerings around. Their giard' is also excellent for burger application; not sure whose they are using bit it is crisp and winningly peppery. I have avoided visiting this place regularly because it makes you smell like a walking deep fryer (and with Crisp nearby), but for the right occasions the food and the fun, quirky staff go a long way.

Had some business in the area today and I had known this place has been there a while but never stopped in.

On the first visit I always keep it basic, hotdogs, fries and a tamale.

Very good classic Chicago hotdog (dragged through the garden)! Fresh toppings and a healthy sprinkle of celery salt.



The dogs came with fries and we rarely eat much and they offered to top a single order with Chili and Cheese. Awesome!



The tamale was microwaved. You could tell.

After finding this thread and reading on how good their burgers are I think a second visit is in order.