I ate there exactly, and only, once. It's like Chuck E. Cheese for flamboyant adults, only the food wasn't as good. I'm stunned this place is still around in a neighborhood other than River North. I guess even non-tourists are willing to pay for style (such as it is in this case) over substance now and then.

That, combined with the eviction of Monticello's (best burrito joint on the North Side) and the near impossibility of getting your foot in the door at Hopleaf, has pretty much signaled the end of my Andersonville dining days.

Hamburger Mary's Shut Down For Health Code Violations

The response from the co-owner seems to echo that of another business owner located on the north side.

"Nobody is going to be 100 percent clean all of the time," he said. "It was kind of overreaching to suspend our license."

Read the article for the full rant.

lodasi wrote:Hamburger Mary's Shut Down For Health Code Violations

The response from the co-owner seems to echo that of another business owner located on the north side.

"Nobody is going to be 100 percent clean all of the time," he said. "It was kind of overreaching to suspend our license."

Read the article for the full rant.

It was this quote from the Eater report that reminded me it's not the first time we've heard a restaurant owner duck responsibility for a failed inspection:

"We are extremely disappointed with the overzealousness of the health department here," Ashley Wright wrote. "Of course it didn't help they showed up the day after a record-busy weekend, so things weren't as clean as they should have been."

Edited to add the Eater Link, per LTH Posting Guidelines:

The Hamburger Mary's on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park is scheduled to open soon, FWIW. Drag shows are reportedly in the cards, which should help shake up that otherwise sleepy strip. HM will be across the street from Maya del Sol, owned by Anan Abu-Taleb, Oak Park Village President.

David Hammond wrote:The Hamburger Mary's on Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park is scheduled to open soon, FWIW. Drag shows are reportedly in the cards, which should help shake up that otherwise sleepy strip. HM will be across the street from Maya del Sol, owned by Anan Abu-Taleb, Oak Park Village President.

Sounds like the real-life Hundred-Foot Journey!

While it is true that no restaurant or anyplace else short of an Operating Room is clean 100% of the time, I was extremely put off by the attitude of the owner. The establishment had Health Department issues last Summer as well, and rather than man up and take some responsibility for assuring that his guests are eating and drinking in a healthy environment, he opts instead to go on the attack and somehow suggest that mice droppings behind the bar are okay.

All well and good as there are plenty of places to get bar food on the North Side, and HM will no longer be one of those I stop in.

A popular Andersonville drag-and-burger destination is for sale, according to an online real estate listing. SVN Chicago Commercial’s listing includes Hamburger Mary’s, along with upstairs performance venue Mary’s Attic and neighboring brewpub Andersonville Brewing Co. at 5400-5402 N. Clark Street.

https://chicago.eater.com/2019/8/8/2079 ... s-for-sale

Even a well-trafficked chain is no match for Andersonville's rising CODB.

I can't believe this place stayed open long enough to get chased out by rising rents.