Kuma's Corner [GNR nomination]

My nomination for the GNR program is Kuma's Corner, a Logan Square restaurant that just opened up on West Belmont this summer. It is a different kind of restaurant than you might be used to, since everyone who works there is either pierced, tattooed, or both. You might think that since this place is run by a bunch of punks, that the service would be indifferent at best but that could not be further from the truth. The wait staff are very attentive, whether bringing you another beer from their extensive beer list or recommending a hot sauce from their 30 or so bottles of hot sauce behind the bar. Last time I was there, I wanted a good, smoky hot sauce. The chef heard my request and gave me a small bowl of chipotle puree!

Kuma's is not a big place, probably around 15 tables or so, with a huge bar along one side of the restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner, with almost all of the entrees in the $10-$15 range. They also have a nice Weekend brunch menu and brunch buffet.

Basically, Kuma's is a great neighborhood restaurant and bar because it isn't trying to be trendy to lure the Trixies and Chads from further east on Belmont. Rather, the owners just wanted to open a restaurant that served great food that they would feel comfortable in, and I commend them on that decision.

A review of Kuma's
Praise for Kuma's on Metromix

Kuma's Corner
2900 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago, Il 60618
773.604.8769
http://www.kumascorner.com/
Open 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Saturday 10:00 a.m.-3 a.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

I've been to Kuma's for dinner once (as seen in the thread linked above). The food was passable, if a bit uneven. I find their menu a bit predictable and wholly un-interesting. I have not rushed back for another visit. I have Kuma's in my "reasonable-corner-pub-with-food" category.

The place is friendly enough and I am glad it's in the neighborhood.
Respectfully, I don't think its track record (with me personally or here on LTHForum) comes close to GNR recognition.

Best,
Michael

Well, guess I better go try Kuma's!

It will be interesting to see if some of these nominations produce new reports, which I think a few of these places will need to reach the level of consensus on the board to get a GNR (or not). But that's a good thing. Places to try! Motivation to try them!

(Just a note: there's nothing wrong with linking to reviews on other sites for informational purposes, but the main thing we'll judge about a place when deciding if it's a GNR is the track record HERE-- that the place has been talked about, by a reasonable variety of posters, here, and seems to be well liked by a lot of folks. I might think a place is fantastic but if I'm the only one who's ever written about it, I'm not going to nominate it for a community-wide award. So it's to your advantage to find as many of those posts as you can and link to them. And if they don't exist yet, to try and get the discussion going yourself.)

I'm going to second the nomination for Kuma's.

It is one of the friendliest places around.

The Kuma burger, which I just had this week, is the best burger I've had in a long, long time (outside of my own home). I never thought I would like an egg on a burger, but wow....no ketchup needed! It's a special for $6 on Tues., at least for now.

The menu has recently changed. So, if it's been awhile, the menu is really, really different. The website has not been changed to reflect the menu changes. They are offering many more entrees with a more upscale twist.

Go and try the burger, really! It was perfection: perfectly medium rare, tender bacon, oozing cheese, a perfectly fried egg that dripped ever so slightly down the meat (never hit the plate) and a deliciously chewy, yet soft, pretzel bun.

It is a pretty place in decoration, though quite small.

The women's bathroom walls are covered with old-fashioned pin-up girls, huzza-huzza (unexpected, the men's bathroom--tattoos).

The music, too, not soothing, but more my middle-aged speed (Police, etc).

I think some of their growing pains are over--
I've never been there when it is empty, weekday or weekend.

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t= ... ight=kumas

I did try Kuma's (as I should have before as it's basically in my hood though, being across the river, somewhat difficult to get to) but can't say I was wowed by anything (except maybe the tattoo art in the men's room). I tried to make slightly off kilter choices and maybe just hit spots that are beyond its areas of goodness. A tortilla soup was watery and one-dimensionally serrano-chile tasting. A pork loin dish was kind of dry and not sauced particularly flavorfully, with some decent if salty spinach and a sort of potato-turnip croquette thing that was overpowered with sage. I ordered that partly because it was vaguely similar to my recent Thyme Cafe meal but Thyme easily won, richer flavors, cooked more precisely and tenderly, etc.

The atmosphere was pretty nice, less crowded and noisy than some places around me; service was friendly and efficient, glad to see that despite the heavy piercedness of the staff there was absolutely no tude in evidence. I think I will try to go back soon and try less ambitious (yet still out of the ordinary) things like the burger and see if I like those better, I'm sure if you lived near Kuma's you'd be glad it was there, but sorry to say on my single visit I wasn't won over yet.

P.S. Not that I'm exactly going to be on his favorite customers list now,:? but the new chef at Kuma's posted a message which was moved here.

I tried Kuma's tonight. I heeded other's advice and stuck to the basics and was not dissapointed. I endorse this nomination fully.

Monday 12/12 is appreciation night. If you order two entrées, you get a free appetizer and (this is the really nice part) all sales for the entire day go to the staff. This is really a nice way for the owner to show his appreciation for the very friendly. personable staff that work there. If you haven't had a chance to go to Kuma's, that might be a really good day to check it out.