disagree wrote:It was so incredibly greasy that it made me want to throw up.

Well, there's no accounting for taste.

=R=

pretty sure Im not a vegan or vegetarian -

the burger I had at O & E tasted like the cook had drowned the meat in L & P Worcestershire. tasted terrible. Might have just been a bad night in the kitchen - yet I have never been back - especially since I can get a much better burger for alot less than $14 elsewhere.

An old post by me, but it's what I like & it's near the house:

"Resurrecting an old thread, and an old favorite...

Jake Moran's ain't much to look at, and the menu isn't expansive in the least. But it's clean, and they serve a great burger in my eyes. It has been our default for many years, and it's especially welcome after a round of golf. Post-griddling, the high-end ground beef (maybe ground chuck, certainly NOT ground round) weighs probably between a third to just under a half pound, fitting perfectly between a toasted, glaze-top soft bun. With the typical toppings and condiments, and crinkle-cut fries slightly less thick than Superdawg's but just as tasty, it's darn near perfectly-proportioned. Yes, umami...

Can't vouch for other items because I never vary in my order. Bar drinks are cheap and good.

Jake Moran's probably isn't GNR-worthy other than the fact that they concentrate on that one thing (like Jack Palance in 'City Slickers'), and that one thing is very, very good."


Jake Moran's
57 S Lake St
Mundelein, IL 60060-2711
847-566-5152

jimswside wrote:pretty sure Im not a vegan or vegetarian -

the burger I had at O & E tasted like the cook had drowned the meat in L & P Worcestershire. tasted terrible. Might have just been a bad night in the kitchen - yet I have never been back - especially since I can get a much better burger for alot less than $14 elsewhere.

I don't even think they put worcestershire on their burgers, so yeah probably a genuine fubar moment. As you know, they happen.

=R=

disagree wrote:It was so incredibly greasy that it made me want to throw up.

It looks like you dined there on a Tuesday night which is their burger special night ($15 for a burger, fries, draft beer of the day and shot of bourbon - generally it is $14 for just the burger and fries). From what I have seen they tend to be rather busy Tuesday evenings and most people are ordering burgers. I have had the O&E burger three times in recent months and the one time I ordered it on a Tuesday, while I still enjoyed it, I did notice that it was considerably greasier than the other occasions (in fact the bun became quite soggy by the last couple of bites). I still thought it tasted great, but it was not up there with my other O&E burgers. I wonder if sometimes on Tuesdays the high volume of burgers that are ordered tend to sometimes negatively impact the quality.

They weren't that busy. I was there early. Maybe their Tuesday cook sucks.

disagree wrote:Maybe their Tuesday cook sucks.

A couple other possibilities come to mind, as well.

=R=

Let's not overlook Paradise Pup. I had a Merkt Cheddar burger on black bread the other day and it was spot on perfect...


Paradise Pup
1724 S. River Rd
Des Plaines
847-699-8590

jimswside wrote:pretty sure Im not a vegan or vegetarian -

the burger I had at O & E tasted like the cook had drowned the meat in L & P Worcestershire. tasted terrible. Might have just been a bad night in the kitchen - yet I have never been back - especially since I can get a much better burger for alot less than $14 elsewhere.

Are you sure you were at O&E? There is no worcestershire on their burger, just a great blend of different cuts of freshly ground beef. I really can't see how they could have, on a bad night, mistakenly added it. In my experience, everything at O&E is done with intension and care.

Pursuit wrote:

jimswside wrote:pretty sure Im not a vegan or vegetarian -

the burger I had at O & E tasted like the cook had drowned the meat in L & P Worcestershire. tasted terrible. Might have just been a bad night in the kitchen - yet I have never been back - especially since I can get a much better burger for alot less than $14 elsewhere.

Are you sure you were at O&E? There is no worcestershire on their burger, just a great blend of different cuts of freshly ground beef. I really can't see how they could have, on a bad night, mistakenly added it. In my experience, everything at O&E is done with intension and care.

yep, 100% sure(Longman and Eagle was unfortunately packed that sunday after the bears game), it was about 2 years ago. guessing from others comments it obviously wasnt supposed to be on there - a case of the "b" team in the kitchen perhaps.

My 2 cents: I've also had bad burgers at O&E, also during the Tuesday night special, so it isn't necessarily a fluke. At times they can be total salt bombs. But I've also had burgers that I've felt are worthy of all the best-of lists.

While the sometimes-inconsistent burgers (on an admittedly high-volume night) alone weren't enough to cause me to stop going to O&E, some recurring glaring service issues have. There are too many great places in the city where I can satisfy my burger and beer jones without having to negotiate a bad service experience. Case in point: this entire thread.

Burgers are not something I really get excited about ordering out because I'm pretty picky about how I like them and they're so easy to make at home. I like em with a thin, crispy patty, almost slider-style, with plenty of fried onions and dill pickle. The buns gotta be placed on top of the beef/onion pile so the whole thing steams together in the pan before assembly.

That said, the thin burger at Edzo's is easily my favorite in the city. When I walked in and saw the cook smashing meatballs into the griddle with a big steel plate, I knew I was in the right place. Fresh toppings too, and the fries are in my top 5 in Chicago. It's the best thin-crispy diner-style burger I've ever had.

All these posts just got me committed to "burger night" at my place tomorrow odds are ill be making some animal sauce too...

Teresa wrote:While the sometimes-inconsistent burgers (on an admittedly high-volume night) alone weren't enough to cause me to stop going to O&E, some recurring glaring service issues have.

I'm curious what the glaring service issues were. It happens that O&E's burger is the best I've ever had (guess I've never been there on a Tuesday), and if the service were better, I'd probably return more often for it. But all three times I was there, two of my biggest restaurant pet peeves occurred: 1) Inordinately long time for waiter to come to table, once we were seated, just to acknowledge that he knew we were there; 2) Inordinately long time between placing drink order and drinks showing up. When I know with certainty that I'm going to be perturbed by a restaurant, even the best burger in the world isn't enough to make me want to go there. I can deal with the second-best burger in the world.

I revisited Burger Boss in Elmwood Park. They also have a Chicago location.

As some may call a commercial type of burger they are pretty good. Had the classic on brioche with onions, mustard, ketchup and lettuce, tomato.

It was quite tasty. The patty was not too thick nor too thin.

I really liked it.

Also went yesterday to 5 Guys Hamburgers in Melrose Park. They were ok. I think I like Burger Boss better.

eating while walking wrote:Burgers are not something I really get excited about ordering out because I'm pretty picky about how I like them and they're so easy to make at home. I like em with a thin, crispy patty, almost slider-style, with plenty of fried onions and dill pickle. The buns gotta be placed on top of the beef/onion pile so the whole thing steams together in the pan before assembly.

That said, the thin burger at Edzo's is easily my favorite in the city. When I walked in and saw the cook smashing meatballs into the griddle with a big steel plate, I knew I was in the right place. Fresh toppings too, and the fries are in my top 5 in Chicago. It's the best thin-crispy diner-style burger I've ever had.

I love Edzo's burgers. I love both styles offered at the Evanston location - the thinner ones that are flattened onto the griddle, and the thick plump ones that are flame grilled. (The Lincoln Park location only offers the flattened griddle style.)

However, since you like your patty thin and crispy, you should also try the ones at Schoop's. They're even thinner and crispier than the griddled burgers at Edzo's. Check out the photos in the Schoop's discussion.

When I ate Edzo's the first time, the overwhelming feeling I got was...happy. I was just super content to sit at the counter and eat my burger and forget about everything else. I loved it.

Not to hijack (mods feel free to move), but a lot of mentions of brioche buns here has me wanting to recommend the brioche buns I got at Whole Foods. They are labeled Euro Classic Imports. Website (not a very good one) here: http://euroclassicimports.com/brioche.html. I made a burger with them at home, and thought the bun was perfect. Never will I buy another bun when there is a Whole Foods nearby.

nsxtasy wrote:

eating while walking wrote:Burgers are not something I really get excited about ordering out because I'm pretty picky about how I like them and they're so easy to make at home. I like em with a thin, crispy patty, almost slider-style, with plenty of fried onions and dill pickle. The buns gotta be placed on top of the beef/onion pile so the whole thing steams together in the pan before assembly.

That said, the thin burger at Edzo's is easily my favorite in the city. When I walked in and saw the cook smashing meatballs into the griddle with a big steel plate, I knew I was in the right place. Fresh toppings too, and the fries are in my top 5 in Chicago. It's the best thin-crispy diner-style burger I've ever had.

I love Edzo's burgers. I love both styles offered at the Evanston location - the thinner ones that are flattened onto the griddle, and the thick plump ones that are flame grilled. (The Lincoln Park location only offers the flattened griddle style.)

However, since you like your patty thin and crispy, you should also try the ones at Schoop's. They're even thinner and crispier than the griddled burgers at Edzo's. Check out the photos in the Schoop's discussion.

I love Edzo's. For that thinner style of burger in Evanston, I like Bill's, though it's just a couple blocks from me.

For a big, juicy, delicious burger in the north suburbs, I like Happ Inn, though I was there just once. But it was one of the best I've ever had.

I've been to Au Cheval, Kuma's, and Bad Apple and enjoyed them all. Although I do not care for many crazy toppings. I tried the burger at Dryhop for the first time last weekend, that was quite good.

Inspired by this thread and finding myself hungry in the city I stopped by Red Hot Ranch on Ashland last night and good lord, that is a tasty burger. Had the special double cheese, and wow, it has taken a lot of will power not to head back down the city to get another today. The fries and the shrimp we're spot on, too, and bonus points for Diet Mountain Dew on the fountain. I can't wait to visit again.

Btw, Bad Apple was just on Check Please (along with Libertad).

No White Castle ?????

I'll have to side with the Edzo's griddled burger crowd myself. I haven't found a better burger of this style in the Chicagoland area yet. (Although, actually, now that I think of it, the burger at Au Cheval is a close contender.) I'm not much into the thicker styles myself, so although I've tried a bunch, I can't really comment on them. They've just all been overwhelming and out-of-proportion for my tastes, although my favorite was probably the ones at the now (hopefully temporarily) defunct Burger Antics in Countryside.. My Southwest Side roots also have me addicted to the Big Baby a la Nicky's on Archer & Austin and Jackie's on 54th and Pulaski.

For major fast-food chains, the Culver's butter burger works for me. For cheap $2 and less burgers, I'm addicted to the McDonald's jalapeno Double. And, of course, I enjoy my White Castles for its own unique category of hamburger. Some days, no other burger will do.

nsxtasy wrote:

eating while walking wrote:Burgers are not something I really get excited about ordering out because I'm pretty picky about how I like them and they're so easy to make at home. I like em with a thin, crispy patty, almost slider-style, with plenty of fried onions and dill pickle. The buns gotta be placed on top of the beef/onion pile so the whole thing steams together in the pan before assembly.

That said, the thin burger at Edzo's is easily my favorite in the city. When I walked in and saw the cook smashing meatballs into the griddle with a big steel plate, I knew I was in the right place. Fresh toppings too, and the fries are in my top 5 in Chicago. It's the best thin-crispy diner-style burger I've ever had.

I love Edzo's burgers. I love both styles offered at the Evanston location - the thinner ones that are flattened onto the griddle, and the thick plump ones that are flame grilled. (The Lincoln Park location only offers the flattened griddle style.)

However, since you like your patty thin and crispy, you should also try the ones at Schoop's. They're even thinner and crispier than the griddled burgers at Edzo's. Check out the photos in the Schoop's discussion.

Thanks for the Schoop's req. The picture of the crispy, lacy patty is making me incredibly hungry (something I would have thought impossible after stuffing myself at today's LTH picnic)

I can't pick an order, so here are some of my favorites (I am sure I am missing some). I have not had DMK, That's a Burger, Au Cheval, Prairie Grass Cafe, to name a few. I tend to prefer a (double) griddled burger to a char one, but only slightly.

Edzo's (griddled and char)
Paradise Pup
Abigail's Bistro (Highland Park)
Kuma's Corner
Steak N Shake (chain)
Owen & Engine
Bad Apple
Moody's Pub
Wiener and Still Champion
Di Pescara (Northbrook)
Brandt's (Palatine)
Red Robin (Once in a great while guilty pleasure - the A1 Peppercorn Burger)
Michael's (Highland Park - nostalgia)
Hackney on Lake (nostalgia)

My two nostalgia picks dropped very low over the years for me, but recently, both have impressed once again.

As far as brioche buns go, I love them. I believe they are 400-500 calories as well!

Ram4 wrote:Red Robin (Once in a great while guilty pleasure - the A1 Peppercorn Burger)

I end up at Red Robin more than I care to admit due to it being my stepsons' favorite restaurant (UGH) and always wondered about this burger, since I love A1 sauce (nostalgia!!). Thanks for the recommendation, even if it was made as a guilty pleasure!!

The burgers at Carson's are pretty good, but not great unless you make sure you get more than one piece of CRISP lettuce and order a side of 1000 Island.

After living in the area for over a year I stopped into Blaze-N-Grill for the first time this weekend. While I don't know if it's the best, it's certainly in the running (top 10; maybe top 5-6)and cannot be beaten for value (came cooked as ordered (nice and pink inside) on what I believe is a Rosen's brioche bun, with minimal toppings. Terrific flavor to the burger itself. Great fries, also.

This weekend, I enjoyed both the truffle burger (a thick tavern-style patty with truffle oil and truffle cheese) at Umami Burger in Wicker Park and the thin, flattop grilled double bacon cheeseburger at Parts and Labor in Logan Square (somewhat reminiscent of In-N-Out's burgers).

boudreaulicious wrote:

Ram4 wrote:Red Robin (Once in a great while guilty pleasure - the A1 Peppercorn Burger)

I end up at Red Robin more than I care to admit due to it being my stepsons' favorite restaurant (UGH) and always wondered about this burger, since I love A1 sauce (nostalgia!!). Thanks for the recommendation, even if it was made as a guilty pleasure!!

I'll say one more thing about it - it's a thick peppercorn spread (mayo I guess), it's not A1 Peppercorn sauce. Make sure you get some extra on the side for the fries because it's really good. If the burger is cooked fresh and properly, it's a pretty good burger with bacon and onion strings as well. Once every 6 months is ok.

Finally had Owen & Engine's burger and this is easily the best burger I've had in Chicago. Haven't had em all obviously, but I think I've had most of what's mentioned on here as the top burger (sans Au Cheval). Did start to fall apart on me, but didn't change the deliciousness. Tried some of their chicken dish as well, and wow... I've said this very few times, but "that chicken is excellent."