Ever Heard of a Tommy Burger?

Today I encountered a burger style new to me, which I had to order, because my little brother (now a not-so-little guy over 40) is named Tommy. Now some of you are thinking L.A. and chili burger, right? (OK, so I am not a mind-reader, in spite of my credentials. I did a search.) This Tommy Burger may be a Chicago classic that everyone but me knows about. It's a burger topped with gyros slices. According to the cook, people tend to order it with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Anything else is optional. He didn't offer any tzaziki with it, though, in retrospect, I might have liked that. What's the word, am I once again "the last to know"?

D&D Dogs
825 Noyes St.
Evanston

These are on the menu at Nicky's in Berwyn as gyro burgers. I think they're also available at Mickey's on Harlem in Oak Park.

gleam wrote:These are on the menu at Nicky's in Berwyn as gyro burgers. I think they're also available at Mickey's on Harlem in Oak Park.

Yes, they are available at Mickey's, but he calls them a "Gyros Big Baby."

Hammond

This can also be found at the Nicky's at Archer and Austin.

There is also a joint called the Wilmette Wagon Wheel that makes the same thing only called "the Nicky special".

Josephine wrote:This Tommy Burger may be a Chicago classic that everyone but me knows about. It's a burger topped with gyros slices.

That’s interesting, I never heard a gyros burger called a Tommy Burger before. I wonder if that’s specific to D&D, or maybe it’s an Evanston thing? Gyros burgers are pretty common in Big Baby territory as well as on the South Side in general (as mentioned in this old post) but they’re usually just called gyros burgers. Many of the dozens and dozens of South Side sub and hoagy shops have them on the menu. They do some crazy things with gyros on the South Side, that’s for sure.

David Hammond wrote:Yes, they are available at Mickey's, but he calls them a "Gyros Big Baby."

Yes, indeed. Here’s a picture of one from when I was researching the Big Baby. This was my first and only gyros burger and I have to say I didn’t think it was an inspired combination.

Gyros Big Baby from Mickey’s

JeanneBean wrote:There is also a joint called the Wilmette Wagon Wheel that makes the same thing only called "the Nicky special".

Do you mean Wilmette Chuck Wagon on Central? I’m interested because this sounds like a prime candidate for a northern Big Baby.

Also reminds me of the Beef-O, served by "Dog Walk" at Milwaukee and Palatine (waaaay in the back of Irv's) in Prospect Heights. It's a cheeseburger topped with italian beef. I've yet to order one -- my wife will make me go STRAIGHT to a cardiologist.

Rene G wrote: This was my first and only gyros burger and I have to say I didn’t think it was an inspired combination.

I tend to agree with you, though the lettuce, tomato and onion which I had on the Tommy burger did improve it quite a bit, and made me wish I had asked for the tzaziki. My thought is that maybe this burger originated with someone who couldn't decide what to order. Though, come to think of it, when I worked in a deli that gave free sandwiches to the employees we all became so tired of the regular sandwiches that we were constantly developing unusual combinations just to relieve the monotony. Maybe it all started with some bored but hungry teenager working the burger grill.

Josephine wrote:This Tommy Burger may be a Chicago classic that everyone but me knows about. It's a burger topped with gyros slices.

Josephine,

Never heard of a Chicago Tommy Burger, gyro slices or not, though a few weeks ago I was on the way Costco, realized I hadn't eaten lunch and stopped for an egg sandwich. (One never wants to shop at Costco hungry) I usually get these with bacon, though this time I went with gyro meat. Would have been a great sandwich except for the cheap as hell industrial American style processed cheese product on the sandwich.

I might not be familiar with the Chicago gyro Tommy Burger I am, however, familiar with the Los Angeles Tommy Burger, which I think is one of the better burgers in the known universe.

Tommy's, Beverly/Rampart, Los Angeles, California


Enjoy,
Gary

GWiv-- I once had an opportunity to live and work in L.A., which I rejected on the grounds that there are too few really tall trees there for me to survive. While this still seems like a defensible position, your photo of L. A.'s Tommy Burger makes me realize that I could have survived after all. In any case, I would not have starved.

Josephine wrote:GWiv-- I once had an opportunity to live and work in L.A., which I rejected on the grounds that there are too few really tall trees there for me to survive.

Josephine,

I had no idea you were so...arboreal.

You know, Edgar Rice Burroughs used to live in my neighborhood. If you ever come to Oak Park, I can show you his house.

David "Big Elmo Lincoln Fan" Hammond

People surprise us now and then, don't they David? Keeps life interesting.
I spent the summer after the threatened L. A. move in a pine forest in Connecticut fishing and looking for mushrooms. No lie.

Josephine "You can call me Jane" Hyde

Rene G wrote:That’s interesting, I never heard a gyros burger called a Tommy Burger before. I wonder if that’s specific to D&D, or maybe it’s an Evanston thing?

I pursued the Tommy Burger question when I stopped by D&D Finer Foods today for some nice but cheap flowers. It turns out ReneG's instincts were correct. The owners of D&D Finer Foods (and D&D Dogs) are an older Greek-American couple whose business I've patronized for years. The wife didn't know a thing about it, but I realized ReneG was on the right track when she told me, "You can ask my husband Tom about it. He's in the back." Tom kind of got a sad,sentimental look in his eyes when I asked him if he knew how the name "Tommy Burger" came about. He said his kids used to work there and wanted to name a burger for him about 10 or 15 years ago. It turns out that his kids moved on to own a burger place at Howard and Western called Matt Nevada's, where they also served a Tommy Burger. About 5 years ago they got a good offer on the property and sold out to CVS. Sic transit gloria.

Rene G wrote:

JeanneBean wrote:There is also a joint called the Wilmette Wagon Wheel that makes the same thing only called "the Nicky special".

Do you mean Wilmette Chuck Wagon on Central? I’m interested because this sounds like a prime candidate for a northern Big Baby.

The Chuck Wagon, a veritable Wilmette institution, does indeed offer up a cheeseburger topped w/ gyros meat as the Niki Special. "Inspired" is probably one word for the combination, though I can think of others. Also available is the less intense Waitress Special, gyros meat atop a grilled cheese.

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/40001,0,5935226.venue

Rene G wrote:Gyros burgers are pretty common in Big Baby territory as well as on the South Side in general (as mentioned in this old post) but they’re usually just called gyros burgers. Many of the dozens and dozens of South Side sub and hoagy shops have them on the menu. They do some crazy things with gyros on the South Side, that’s for sure.

I'd imagine there's a South Side connection at the Chuck Wagon as well. The proprietors do happen to be Sox fans in Cub territory, after all.

Josephine wrote:

Rene G wrote:That’s interesting, I never heard a gyros burger called a Tommy Burger before. I wonder if that’s specific to D&D, or maybe it’s an Evanston thing?

[...] a burger place at Howard and Western called Matt Nevada's, where they also served a Tommy Burger. About 5 years ago they got a good offer on the property and sold out to CVS. Sic transit gloria.

So Matt Nevada's was the name of what I recall as the competing hot dog stand across from Bill's? Or was Matt Nevada's after the dog stand?

There was also in the 90's a crazy 24 hour Israeli place on Western just a little bit east, precisely where there now stands a Mcdonalds. What was that place called? I think the owners moved to Lincoln/Addison where Cafe Orchid currently exists.