G Wiv--Thanks for the invite, but regrettably I can not make it.

I usually order the "Continental" which consists of the burger with choice of cheese, topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions. ( When I have an extra 60 cents burning a hole in my pocket, I splurge for the bacon add-on)

You might want to go for a simpler burger--The taste and quality of the beef would be more evident.( Less masked )

P.S. If you really love the place, don't rave about it. Parking around there can be a real pain

Hi all, been reading for a long while and just had to comment on this one!

It's not exactly the city, but when I am in the area I love stopping in at Granpa's Place in Glenview across from the train station (1868 Prairie St., Glenview).

It's a bar, for sure, but they make a terrific burger in it's own right that only gets better when they top it with a healthy dollop of Merkts cheese spread. Mmm, can't be beat!

I go there with a friend of mine who works around the corner for a burger and a brew every once in a while. To me it's worth the drive!

Any other places in the city that use Merkts on their burgers? I have gotten to taking my own tub to friendly BBQs and such, but have yet to work up the courage to bring some in to a restaurant...

Kowgod,

Welcome, probably you already saw and maybe not, on the Cheese Fries thread they mention some places using Merkts. If they have it for their fries, it is not a big stretch (probably just some extra coin) to get it on the burger.

As for the places you hesitate to bring your Merkt's, just do it! Maybe they'll love your idea and make a convert.

Good luck

P.S. Eating in Chicagoland refers to the Chicago Metropolitan area which stretches to the Wisconsin Border out to the DuPage County and gosh who knows how far south. Glenview is definitely within bounds.

FYI, both Wiener's Circle and Poochies use Merkts on their cheddar burgers.

Ilk wrote:I'm partial to the Bacon Cheddar burger at Illinois Bar and Grill on Taylor Street.

Don't forget the original location (20 years old) of Illinois Bar & Grill on 47th at Kedvale, close to Midway Airport. They serve food until 1 am which can be good to know if you have a late flight. A pleasant, friendly neighborhood bar and a decent, gigantic burger. I believe there's another branch inside the terminal at Midway but I don't know how it compares.

Illinois Bar & Grill
4135 W 47th St
Chicago
773-847-2525

Reading this thread puts me in Hamburger Heaven! This may be more appropriate for the late, lamented restaurant thread: I use to get the olive burger at the Oak Tree on Rush Street (which later was incorporated into the Bloomingdale shopping mall). There use to be a fantastic pizza burger at Flo's on Randolph. And, five years ago, when I was working in the Lawndale area, I use to get the juiciest, tastiest burgers from Five Sisters on Ogden near Pulaski (about 4 blocks from 26th street). I had to give my order thru a plastic shield and insert my money thru a plastic carousel. The only contact came when they had to open the door to hand me my order. I really appreciate reading about places that serve an excellent burger.

Since Poochie's on Dempster was mentioned, I must endorse their char-cheddar burger which I love, but never knew was made with Merkt's cheddar spread.

Jesper wrote:What I like most about Blackie's is that you can order a burger with cheddar cheese and olives. It seems the olive burger in Chicago has gone the way of the dinosaur.

That's one of the things I like about Blackie's, too. You can also order an olive burger at Jury's, and while I've rather grown to like a Jury's burger, the olive topping was a bit too salty. Upon further reflection, however, it might have been the blue cheese and olive combo that really put the salt quotient over the top.

Cheers,

Aaron

I have to add my 2 cents into the hamburger ring.......
I do love Blackies and pete millers but I have to admit my favorite hamburger in chgo is at the slc club south loop club. get the slc burger
comes with the crispy onion strings and cheddar on the burger....delicious.
is on state and Balboa...
tell me what you think
A

I just have to say it: Illinois Bar and Grill just doesn't do it for me. Back when I was researching places for the Midway food court, I visited almost every place that submitted a proposal. IB&G was chosen despite my protests. I found their meat to be largely flavorless (way underseasoned) and not so much juicy as just wet. Like sweaty. And grey. Maybe that's why so many here have mentioned it in terms of a bacon burger. The bacon would lend some salt and smoke to it.

I'm not sure if they're still open (Sdritz, maybe you know), but a truly great burger could be found at Bob and Clara's bar on Chicago Road in Chicago Heights, about a block north of St. James Hospital. It, too, is of the thick variety (maybe 1/3 lb.) and one of the best I've had. It has been some time since I've been there, so details are fuzzy. Perhaps it's time my memory is refreshed.

I loved Bob & Clara's. You are right, the burgers were fabulous. My husband thinks it's because they never cleaned that grill.

The bar is still there. I heard it changed hands, but they still serve the burgers. Perhaps it's time for a burger run the next time you come out south. . .

Suzy

Way out on Lawrence Avenue off Milwaukee -- Jefferson Pump, bar -- half pound burger grilled over fire on black bread with a thick onion slice, and thick bar chips ... chedder or blue cheese

Haven't been there in years --

It's interesting that nobody has mentioned The Medici on 57th. They were rated by the Tribune as number eight, and they were the only spot in the top 25 that wasn't a steak house. The Med is a quaint little student hang-out that serves up stellar pizza and mouth watering standwitches with equal aplomb. Their tuna steak sandwitch is beyond description, and I really enjoy their barbeque chicken. But their burger is also superb. It is a nice, lean, home ground patty carefully grilled to perfection. Served with hand-cut fires which are always amazing on the potato roll they have baked in house (or next door at the [b]Medici Bakery[/i]) since they started serving. And all that under eight bucks. They don't have a liquor license, so your out of luck if you want a beer with your burger, but they make a wicked iced tea, and their fresh squeezed lemonade is amazing (I especially recomend the Himbershaft, which encoperates some rasberry syrup).

The Medici on 57th
1327 E 57th St
Chicago, IL 60637

Muskies on Lincoln Ave. makes one of the juiciest, and tatiest burgers in the city. Their fresh cut fries compliment their burgers nicely as well.

Generally, when it comes to burgers, I prefer the thin kind. Yeah, the quarter pound has their place, but for me, forty something years of ducking into various and sundry burger joints all over this great metropolis, places the thin cut burger near and dear to me. Doubles or triples with cheese are heaven.

So, therefore, it's ironic that I'm going to talk about a quarter pound variety. I know that Hackney's has been mentioned before, but I spend way too much time at the law school down the street and my far better half has an office in the CBA building, so Hackney's is one of those fall back destinations.

I'm really drawn to places that pay attention to detail. Hackney's take out marries a wonderful hunk of beef with great packaging.

The branded shopping bag has a wonderfully illustrated menu and magnet paper clipped to the outside...


Inside the box, everything is individually wrapped...


Lettuce, onion and tomato are wrapped in foil...


Inside a wax paper bag is mustard and ketchup...


The bacon cheeseburger...


We got them cooked rare...

The burgers at Molly Malone's in Forest Park are great. The bun seems homemade--the meat juicy and full of flavor--a good size--choice of excellent onion rings, fries or chips (my favorite).

Best thing---$4.50 on Mondays (half-price) Good drinks, good beer and ale--nice menu if you'd rather something else and friendly serving people.

Johanna Brocker

delk wrote:We got them cooked rare...

A Hackneyburger not on dark rye??? Good grief!

I really likd the Guiness burger I had at Grace O'Malley's. Their pretzel buns are awesome.

gleam wrote:You know, I had that same burger just last week, and it wasn't bad. Is it really 3/4 lb, though? It felt more like 1/2lb.

Burger is 13-oz at the 47th st Illinois Bar and Grill, I saw the grill woman weighing them out on a scale. I can't speak to taste, I just stopped in for a beer on the way to Zaragoza, but the burgers looked damn good.

Illinois Bar and Grill (47th st)



Illinois Bar & Grill
4135 W 47th St
Chicago
773-847-2525

Birrieria Zaragoza
4852 S Pulaski Rd
Chicago
773-523-3700

G Wiv wrote:

gleam wrote:You know, I had that same burger just last week, and it wasn't bad. Is it really 3/4 lb, though? It felt more like 1/2lb.

Burger is 13-oz at the 47th st Illinois Bar and Grill, I saw the grill woman weighing them out on a scale. I can't speak to taste, I just stopped in for a beer on the way to Zaragoza, but the burgers looked damn good.

And that they are...they are no doubt big, cant say exactly how much they weigh but I've had half pounders and this is bigger. On top of that you get almost a whole sliced up grilled onion on top. The fresh cut fries are really good too but they give you more than five guys so if dining solo its alot to put down especially of your having a beer too.



47th Street is the only one I go to..went to the Taylor st. once when it was open and it wasn't the same. Havent had the chance to have one at Midway but one of these and a couple brews will knock you out for sure on your flight if you like to sleep through them like I do.

Went to a show @ Old Town School of Music recently and met some friends @ Jury's down the st. I'd never been there and have seen mixed reviews. All four of us had excellent burgers, cooked exactly as ordered and tasting wonderful. I eat maybe 3 burgers a yr. and this was right on the money. They did forget the bacon on mine, but before I could even bust a pout, I was promptly compensated with about 5 pcs for my troubles.

In the book of restaurant (which I subscribe to) it says "always make up an error on the generous side". Very well done. More should read it.

Looks like I need to give the 47th St. location a fair shake some time soon. I'd only ever been to the Taylor spot.

G Wiv wrote:Burger is 13-oz at the 47th st Illinois Bar and Grill, I saw the grill woman weighing them out on a scale. I can't speak to taste, I just stopped in for a beer on the way to Zaragoza, but the burgers looked damn good.

The burgers at Illinois Bar & Grill on 47th are very good.

Had a wonderful burger @ Jury's again pre Old Town School show Sat pm (Alejandro Escovedo). 4 burgers cooked to correct temps, all w/different toppings, all enjoyed very much. With Kuma's suffering from the Yogi Berra insight "no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded" I can't see waiting for hrs there when a burger this good is available. Again, I eat/crave them rarely and this satiates my needs quite well.

i may have said this before.
nick's tavern
home of 1 lbs burger


NICK'S TAVERN
221 main st
lemont,il.
630-257-6564
just alittle northwest of coghill

philw wrote:i may have said this before.
nick's tavern
home of 1 lbs burger


NICK'S TAVERN
221 main st
lemont,il.
630-257-6564
just alittle northwest of coghill

A terrific freshly ground chuck burger, I just wish they would find an appropriate bun to go with it. The ones they use are like the $1.00 bags of hamburger buns you can buy at jewel. I'm always tempted to bring in my own.

David Hammond wrote:

gleam wrote:My method of getting an olive burger as a kid was to order a burger and ask for olives on the side. This only worked at places that had a full bar, though..

I was a major fan of olive burgers when I was growing up in Elmhurst. There was a restaurant there, the Village Lantern (no relation to C2's Highland Park place, as far as I know), and they used to really lay on the olives. I found, though, that when making olive burgers at home, it was best to use the crushed salad-type olives rather than the round ones you might find in the bar -- these mangled and beat up olives would lie flatter on the patty, and seemed to merge with the meat more pleasingly.

Hammond

I grew up in Lombard but my father many years ago used to be a member of the Salt Creek model railroad club in Elmhurst and I ate many of burgers at the Village Lantern and at the old Paradise diner. Grilled patty melts and Black Cows...oh what a great childhood stomach ache!

Don't crucify me, but I swear Five Guys' are some of the best fast food burgers in Chicago. Tasty beef, great toppings, the perfect amount of sloppiness.

I love cheeseburgers with olives. Cheese Oliveburgers I call them. I also like Jury's burgers. I think they are pretty good.

philw wrote:i may have said this before.
nick's tavern
home of 1 lbs burger


NICK'S TAVERN
221 main st
lemont,il.
630-257-6564
just alittle northwest of coghill

Nick's has new owners and are keeping the tradition of the Pounder.

They were going to close! Whew!