American Wildburger - Des Plaines

I had a chance to visit American Wildburger a week ago and wanted to share a brief review.
It was first reported here in the O/C thread last year.

The visual impression simply looking at the Wildburger building and especially after entry is that the place is quite small. There are about a half a dozen seats lined up along the front window with a narrowish stainless counter facing the street. Approaching the register to order can be a little awkward if others are waiting for their food or eating since there really isn't a lot of room. It was fairly quiet for a Friday at 1pm.

For a burgers-only joint, there is a lot to choose from. You select a bread, a protein cooked to order and your (some free, some extra) toppings. They have a page of Signature Burgers as well. I had the Philly Burger, my companion went for build your own and we split an order of fries.

I'm not a burger guy for the record but these are pretty good. The fries are above average. Patties are plenty beefy and festooned with labels like prime, antibiotic/hormone free, vegetarian fed. Portions and value are quite reasonable. The bun, while sweet, was delightfully toasted.

The staff is friendly with a helpful "First time here?" while taking in the menu though there were some service items that could use some polishing. The soda fountain was out of order. Wait time after ordering seemed lengthy. The provolone on my Philly was bright cheddar yellow and probably American. The requested bacon was left off the build your own.

Finally, we witnessed a scene that was so cringeworthy, I was telling everyone at work after I got back to the office. A diner (a regular, perhaps?) had received her food shortly after we arrived and prior to our ordering. Apparently, on taking a bite, egg shot onto her pants. "This is why I ordered the egg Well. Done!" She took it surprisingly well for someone with runny yolk all over her jeans and the kitchen made her a new sandwich. It was probably a one in a million occurrence but I think I'll never forget it.

If the line at Paradise Pup is too long, consider American Wildburger.

1550 East Oakton
Des Plaines, IL 60018
224 / 938-9772
http://www.americanwildburger.com/

EDIT: Just had lunch at American Wildburger. Since my last visit, they've rethought their French Fry packaging and now use a simple brown paper bag ala Al's Beef. This allows the fries to "breathe" better and not get as soggy in transport.

Also, I got the address of their second location, set to open later this month or early December. They are located at 1234 N. Halsted.

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I've held off writing about American Wildburger for a number of reasons. First, it's taken them close to a year to solidly get their act together, to the point where I felt I could sincerely recommend them. Second, I've got a business relationship with them as they're using my "Original Recipe" Roadhouse Bar-B-Que Sauce as one of their optional toppings.

In answer to the first concern, I think they've got things running smoothly and are putting out a product worth standing behind. High grade beef, fresh buns, and top quality toppings are all in play here. When they first opened up, getting a burger cooked medium rare was an issue, but now they've got griddle men who can achieve the right amount of pink surrounded by a nicely seared outside on a regular basis.

The fresh cut fries are indeed above average when hot out of the fryer, but I still think they're shooting themselves in the foot by trying to "class up" the joint; serving them in a paper cup instead of a standard issue paper bag: If you take the fries to go, they end up soggy by the time you get to your final destination. Still, they are fresh cut and better than any Sysco frozen fry you'll get at most fast food places (including Paradise Pup).

As for point number two, I figure, as long as my recommendation is legitimate and based on objective facts, there's no conflict of interest in saying Wildburger's product is worth a try.

They're using our sauce on the "Chicago BBQ" Burger, served on a pretzel bun (the popularity of which, I have yet to figure out), topped with smoked Gouda, Mozzarella, caramelized onions, tomato, and as mentioned above, "Original Recipe" Roadhouse Bar-B-Que Sauce.

My favorite topping combination includes bacon, Bleu cheese, caramelized onions, and the Bar-B-Que Sauce, perched on an egg bun. It's an excellent blend of sweet/smoky/tangy on a top notch hunk of ground beef.

In answer to BrendanR's comment about the wait time, yes, it does take a little more time to get your Burger than in most fast food places, but keep in mind, these are cooked-to-order pub sized patties that don't cook up in a flash. If you were sitting at a bar, sipping a beer while waiting for a similar Burger, you wouldn't think twice if it took 8-10 minutes to arrive. Also, if they missed an ingredient on your Burger, don't be bashful about letting them know. These guys are experienced restaurant people, committed to getting it right and keeping customers happy.

American Wildburger is opening up a second location in the city this month or early December, either in the Bucktown or Wicker Park area. When I have specifics I'll post them here.

Buddy

P.S. Not quite ready to nominate them for a GNR, but if they keep improving at the pace they have so far, they might be on the next ballot.

B.

Buddy,

Their second location is in a Mobil Station/Dunkin Donuts strip mall at 1234 N Halsted. The "Opening Soon" sign had been on the window of a vacant store for quite a while.

CSD