Where do you burger in Chicago?
by Brian B on Dec 8, 2009 11:23 PM EST
43 comments
If you have all night with nothing else to do, and you're in Chicago, and you like burgers, and you don't mind loud goth metal, go to Kuma's Corner.
Where? Belmont, just west of California.
How much will I pay? For the best gormet burgers in town, you'll be pleased by the $10-15 plates. We got three burgers and a plate of mac and cheese for something like $56.00 (alcohol separate).
Reservations? Not accepted. On Saturday night, our wait was a little over 2 hours. They only seat 36 (looks more like 20) including the bar spaces. Also, you'll be standing, shoulder to shoulder, the entire time. And only the lucky get to wait inside. We were, and the 2 hours FLEW by for us.
The bar? You'll also be pleased by the beer selection, unless you're a Yuengling douchebag. They have PBR and soft drinks for $3.00. A few Three Floyds on tap (Gumballhead and Alpha King) for $5.00, Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, and some other small batch bourbon on TAP. And plenty of other craft bottle beers like the Lagunitas varieties. And a couple $17.00 specialty beers to boot (including 3Floyds Alpha Klaus). I went with the 3Floyds Alpha King and a forgettable other IPA.
The food? Before I mention the burgers, their mac and cheese is apparently world class. I didn't try it, but I saw the giant dishes, and you get your choice of 2 toppings. There were at least 10 choices for toppings. Bacon is the only one I recall. We ordered some to-go for my brother in law and his wife who watched our kid.
Now the burgers.
This is called Eyehategod, the month's special. If the photo is so crappy, here's the description from the menu:
Can you read that? "10 oz burger, topped with Dusseldorf Mustard, pecan crumbles, bacon wrapped blue cheese stuffed dates and fresh rosemary on our famous pretzel roll." I don't have the words to describe how good this was.
I don't remember what was on the other two burgers we ordered (half of each of them went to the sitters), but they were also incredible. Here's half of one:
Oh yeah . . . I woke up in the middle of the night with the meat sweats, passed out in the bathroom, knocked the glass shower door off its track, and bruised my shoulder on the track. Yup. I'm 34. But nevermind that. Go to Kuma's.
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now that
I wanna see a picture of.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
there was a recent review
In the NY Times.
But it is Kuma’s Corner, which Matt Cain opened four years ago on the North Side, that has been attracting the most attention of late. It is notorious for the wait to get in (long; no reservations accepted), the music it plays (heavy metal), the bourbon on tap (um, bourbon on tap) and, most of all, its burgers.
The night I visited, the hostess — tattooed and pierced — was direct and chipper about the 60- to 90-minute wait. (On a Monday night, I should add.) She added my name to her list; my younger brother noticed that next to each name is a description to help her differentiate customers; I was "scruffy, odd." Fair enough.
I DON’T know what I was expecting — guns? outlaw bikers? — but the restaurant, with its high ceilings and a pleasing corner location, didn’t end up all that threatening. Sure, there were drawings of half-naked female vampires on the walls, a scrawl reading "Die Emo Die" above the bar, and the incessant and propulsive fluttering of double-kick bass drums chugging under growled vocals on the sound system all night, but my girlfriend’s parents — not the target demographic, one assumes — described it afterward as "a hoot."
And the burgers are good. Big 10-ounce patties are grilled reliably to temperature and served on soft pretzel buns. The buns aren’t chewy or intrusive, but they are strong enough to keep the burgers, however wildly they are dressed, together, and they add an alkaline tang that complements the beefiness of the burgers.
There are 20 or so options for topping combinations, most named after metal bands, each progressively crazier. The most popular and probably the best is the Kuma Burger: a fried egg, bacon and Cheddar. I am typically averse to such profligate assemblages, but there’s something special about Kuma’s particular combinations — not harmonious, exactly, more like the often cacophonous sounds of the heavy metal that fills the room, channeled into burger form.
All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?
Well written.
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." - Mahatma Gandhi
Matt Cain has a burger joint in Chicago?
Is there anything he can’t do?
by Brian B on Dec 9, 2009 8:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
yeah, sounds like my sort of place
less for half-naked vampires, more for blue cheese stuffed dates.
"And then there was the USAID guy in Kandahar who drove a giant pink Cadillac, which the locals set on fire one day. If you wanted to destroy something symbolic during a riot, you just could not do better than that. Good stuff." - Ghosts of Alexander
i'll have to check it out
thank you brian b.
thank you for being you.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
i was actually a bit drunk at the time.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 9, 2009 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
Any other Chicago burger joints you recommend?
I’ve been here almost two years now but once I found Five Guys I can’t make myself go anywhere else..
"Live every week like it's shark week. And dress everyday like you're gonna get murdered in those clothes." - Tracey Jordan
by RedinWrigleyville on Dec 9, 2009 9:33 AM EST reply actions
Check out the Billy Goat Tavern
The FMM and I have been and although its a tad pricey the chow was yumbo. I seem to remember that they have an interesting and tasty Burger selection. Its on the Mag. Mile.
There is an overriding misconception that Clutch is an overriding misconception.
I like the Billy Goat Tavern.
It’s on Lower Wacker (I believe) underneath the main Magnificent Mile. It’s not necessarily known for its food so much as the atmosphere. The employees are pushy (not to a fault) and engage in good-natured teasing. Don’t ever order a pepsi there.
The burgers themselves are far from gourmet, but are the type of greasy, cheesy burgers that you can get a county fairs. They’re pretty damn good with a beer.
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Dec 9, 2009 10:51 AM EST up reply actions
Isn't that the place that inspired this:
I believe so, yes.
They have pictures on the walls there with famous folks. The only one I really remember was one with President Bush, the elder, during his presidency.
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Dec 9, 2009 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
The original is under the Wrigley building
just past the Michigan St bridge. I ate there three times in three days, each time getting the special of the day. The final day my eldest son plowed through two triple cheeseborgers. I was proud. I drank an Old Style to mark the occasion. then i photographed scantily clad women downtown CHI and texted the pics to tHan. made his day. good times all around.
"Nate Silver is a genius" .... BK
i feel that
i have one which is a 5 minute walk at my apartment.
I have been told Hamburger Mary’s is quite good, I haven’t been there it is a gay bar known for its burgers, I never really thought of hamburger’s as a part of gay culture.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 9, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
It is if you eat the burger off of a man's scrotum.
Wear something sexy to my funeral.
by Pops Daniels on Dec 9, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
the Teaburger?
"Nate Silver is a genius" .... BK
by obc2 on Dec 9, 2009 9:04 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Try The Counter
It’s supposedly on Diversy between Clark and Broadway. But since those three streets intersect there, I don’t know where it is. I read about it on Groupon.
by Brian B on Dec 9, 2009 3:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I've actually had the Counter before
its on Diversey west of Clark/Broadway intersection. A great variety of ingredients and meat, but nothing spectacular about the burger. Of course, that could be cuz its a make-your-own burger kind of place, and I tend to order go over board and order ridiculous and clashing toppings when forced to create my own burger…
"Live every week like it's shark week. And dress everyday like you're gonna get murdered in those clothes." - Tracey Jordan
by RedinWrigleyville on Dec 9, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
Where is five guys in chicago?
I know, boystown. but seriously, where is Five Guys?
by Brian B on Dec 11, 2009 9:13 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Rogers Park right across the straight from Loyola University
on Sheridan. It is a block south from the Loyola stop on the Red Line.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 11, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions
*street
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 11, 2009 1:18 PM EST up reply actions
You should try
The Rock and Roll McDonalds. It’s like a regular McDonalds but with like, corny rock and roll shit all over it.
Wear something sexy to my funeral.
So it's a Hard Rock Cafe?
"Santa Claus doesn't use Craigslist." -- 'tHan
by jch24 on Dec 9, 2009 11:27 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Murphy's also has pretty good burgers for a decent price.
I used to frequent that a lot when I lived off of Waveland.
Calmer than you are.
by 3 Fast 3 Furious on Dec 9, 2009 10:54 AM EST reply actions
Murphys is my favorite place when the Cubs are out of town
And the last place I wanna be when there’s a home game..
"Live every week like it's shark week. And dress everyday like you're gonna get murdered in those clothes." - Tracey Jordan
by RedinWrigleyville on Dec 9, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
I used to stop at Mrs. Murphy's on Lincoln few times a week when I lived down there.
Classy joint and great bar atmosphere. Food is okay and definitely different; a bit pricey. But it’s owned by the Murphys. Not sure really what to say about it other tjan check it out. If you down like it, just go to Brownstone.
by Brian B on Dec 9, 2009 7:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I always thought
Eyehategod was a sludge metal band from NOLA. looks like a badass burger, though
by Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds on Dec 10, 2009 12:12 AM EST reply actions
Apparently they name their burgers after metal bands
by Brendanukkah on Dec 10, 2009 12:25 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I'm gonna have to check this place out.
"We, as for me all seasons you are affected peculiarly in the edge of my seat and are happy concerning the fact that the Adam Dunn fan has been mixed up exactly." - Reynard-san
I'll definitely have to check this out if I'm in Chicago
And you better believe I’m wearing my Reds or Bengals gear.
by Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds on Dec 10, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
if you're trying to offend
you would need to wear Cardinals or Green Bay gear.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 10, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions
Or glasses, a Cubs hat, and headphones
"We, as for me all seasons you are affected peculiarly in the edge of my seat and are happy concerning the fact that the Adam Dunn fan has been mixed up exactly." - Reynard-san
by BK on Dec 10, 2009 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
what?
oh yeah:
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
by justin007000 on Dec 10, 2009 2:00 PM EST up reply actions
Justin didn't hear cause he had on his headphones...
There is an overriding misconception that Clutch is an overriding misconception.
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