Strat's Hamburgers, Villa Park

Himself's been bitten by the geocaching bug, so we've been visiting a few unfamiliar places this summer.

On one such trip, we passed the neon-lit Strat's in Villa Park. Its parking lot was crammed with classic cars -- a car show takes place every Tuesday and Friday. Unfortunately, they were closing as we arrived and I only just tried a lemon ice, which was in a class with Johnnie's.

But we went back on a second occasion to sample the menu, and I really recommend it. The place has a kitschy 1950s decor, but the burgers are excellent. My double cheeseburger had a pair of thick, charcoal-broiled Black Angus patties, lots of melty cheese and great grilled onions.

Himself had the Italian beef combo. While the sausage didn't reach the fennel-studded heights of Al's, the house-made beef was juicy, tender and very flavorful, ranking near Johnnie's, and topped with a terrific chunky giardiniera. It's certainly worth a stop on the next beef-a-thon.

There's a long menu, also featuring Vienna dogs; a variety of sandwiches; salads; chili; fried shrimp; fried chicken; ribs; fresh-squeezed lemonade; hand-scooped, fresh-fruit strawberry shakes; beer and much more. They have a drive-thru.

Strat's Hamburgers
630/832-0435
231 E. North Ave., Villa Park
Also: 847/455-3040, 2906 N. Mannheim Road, Franklin Park

We were back at Strat's last night, and this time we had the camera along. The cheeseburger and onion rings were top-notch. The combo was very good. I've come to the conclusion, though, that what really makes the beef at Strat's transcendent isn't the beef itself so much as the combination of the beef and giardiniera -- the flavorful oil from the peppers really elevates the sandwich.

The lemonade here comes from lemons, not powder, and the strawberry malt features hand-scooped ice-cream, real strawberries, fresh milk and heaping spoonfuls of malt powder, all whipped up in an old-fashioned fountain blender. The difference between Himself's malt and my strawberry shake was discernible.

The decor's amusing. The train pictured above circles the restaurant on a track below the ceiling -- if you ask, they'll turn it on. I didn't get a photo, but a vintage sign, from a long-gone eatery called Skip's, lists Italian beef and other Chicago treats at astonishing prices.

Angus Beef cheeseburger

Beef and sausage combo with onion rings

I'll take the hot carhop with her hand down her skirt!

grant wrote:I'll take the hot carhop with her hand down her skirt!

If you look closer at the picture, you will see that she actually has no hands at all. Perhaps they were cut off by a religous authority for doing exactly as you suggest.

Having grown up in Elmhurst, I have stopped at Strat's a few times (though more frequently at the Brer Rabbit down the road ).

If any one does make the trip from Chicago out to Villa Park, it's worth going a little further west to Hausermann's, a local mecca for orchid enthusiasts. Supreme Seafood is also nearby (discount coupons available on their site).

Hammond

David Hammond wrote: (though more frequently at the Brer Rabbit down the road ).

DH,

Was the nose lit?

Flip

stevez wrote:

grant wrote:I'll take the hot carhop with her hand down her skirt!

If you look closer at the picture, you will see that she actually has no hands at all. Perhaps they were cut off by a religous authority for doing exactly as you suggest.

LOL!!! I guess my mind was just in the gutter!

the train reminded me of Snackville Junction on the South Side where a train runs along the counter and bings your food out of the kitchen on a flat car.

Loved it as a kid

Snackville Junction
9144 S Kedzie Ave, Evergreen Park, IL 60805
Phone: (708) 423-1313

can someone do an ornate, flowery comparison of cheeseburgers at Strats vs. Paradise Pup? Afterall, they are (almost) neighbors.

i was a bit underwhelmed by Strats, it just wasn't nearly as good as Mazo's, my favorite in the 3 states. Actually, i had an epiphany at Strats: i don't like charboiled burger patties*





* at least not the stuff served at fast food joints.

TonyC wrote:can someone do an ornate, flowery comparison of cheeseburgers at Strats vs. Paradise Pup? Afterall, they are (almost) neighbors.

i was a bit underwhelmed by Strats, it just wasn't nearly as good as Mazo's, my favorite in the 3 states. Actually, i had an epiphany at Strats: i don't like charboiled burger patties*





* at least not the stuff served at fast food joints.

They are completely different styles, where PP's are handcrafted and served on a bakery type bun, Strat's are pre-made paties served on standard issue buns. I'm not saying that Strat's doesn't put out a good burger (I regularly went to the Franklin Park location over a period of 15 years when my office was located up the road), it's just a different style than Paradise Pup.

Tried Strat's yesterday. I don't know if they changed owners or not, but our experience was not very good.

First the Italian beef didn't look like anything in the above picture, and it was tough on top it. The Italian ice had a gummy consistency and a flavor like it had been sitting in a cardboard container for weeks (we tossed both the beef and the ice).

We shot down to Johnnie's right afterwards for the real stuff. No contest.

My son's burger was at best average. The only thing that was were the crinkle-cut fries, but Portillo's does those just as well.

Also had an average chocolate malt- It was served in a cardboard cup, not in the tin like the above picture.

I know that the people on this thread know what they are talking about. I'm betting that something has changed within the last 8 months or so.

saps wrote:I know that the people on this thread know what they are talking about. I'm betting that something has changed within the last 8 months or so.

I'm sad to hear that. I haven't been back that way in months, but somebody was just praising the place to me the other day. I didn't ask how recently he'd been there, though.

Looks like the Strats in Franklin Park is closing down or is already closed.

gp60004 wrote:Looks like the Strats in Franklin Park is closing down or is already closed.

How sad. Not that strats was anything earth shakingly good, but it was a landmark of sorts for me. My office was in the neighborhood for nearly 15 years and I would eat lunch there often. I once spotted Alice Cooper in line ordering a burger.

Steve

What's your feeling about Tommy's Red Hots in Melrose Park?

They are also closing. Ate there once. Food was inexpensive but not good.

gp60004 wrote:Steve

What's your feeling about Tommy's Red Hots in Melrose Park?

They are also closing. Ate there once. Food was inexpensive but not good.

I never ate there. My usual fast food spot when I was out in Schiller Park was Paradise Pup or Strat's if I was in a hurry. Once in a while, I would take a ride south on Mannheim and eat a beef or meatball sandwich at the very good Mickey's near Hillside.