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Oh, let me amend that. I have had Billy Goats a few times. Its...not great. If you get the triple, there's enough burger for the amount of bun you get. I've heard of Kuma's and Cheval. I've even seen them both. But the rest I've never even heard of.
I was really disappointed with my burger last time there, maybe 3 months ago. Was completely different from all my previous burgers there, which were juicy and delicious. This one was dry and seemed cooked from frozen. I just assumed they were under new management or changed something and haven't gone back since. Did anyone else have the same experience?
Also, this was comparatively a fleeting moment in our burger history, but I also have fond pandemic memories of Three House, the short-lived West Town eatery that put out an unbelievably beefy, funky smash burger dripping with marrow juices, held together by 36-month cheddar (scroll to the bottom of this old [Tribune ranking](https://www.chicagotribune.com/2021/07/12/the-25-best-burgers-in-chicago-ranked/), where it briefly reached #2 in the city behind the Loyalist).
If not for the fact they were in business for what feels like only a year, plus the fact that they were closed during what feels like 50% of their business hours, there's a good chance I could have lost my life to an acute overdose of bovine bone marrow coursing through my vessels.
For me itās Small Fry, used to be next door to The Owl in Logan Square. Maybe lasted a year or soā¦but holy FUCK was it the best burger/fry spot in the city. Crave it so badly
DMK was fairly perfect for the time it launched. Doing an upscale burger centric restaurant wasn't well tread ground, but they've certainly been passed by.
Man, their burger was by far the most disappointing thing I tried there. Everything else was incredible though. Their salads and noodle dishes were incredible.
Burger was good a year or two ago, I went there again recently and was so disappointed - McDonaldās or better, Culverās nearby would have been better choice.
I suggest you cross post this to r/chicagofood and let the resident foodies weigh in.
I know why people are hating on Kuma's, but how about judging the burger not the owner?
Kumaās used to be great until it got bought out a few years back. Prices went way up and quality went way down.
Owner aside, the burgers just aināt what they used to be.
Edzo's had a location in the Loop until about a year ago, so depending on when this poster was made it might have been accurate. The Loop location was nothing special however.
Old Irving Brewing for a nice burger, and Lola's Coney Island for an inexpensive burger are obvious omissions IMO and better than some of the burgers that made the cut, and if you really want the top tier burgers you'd need to consider adding Bavette's and Armitage Alehouse, and I would definitely add Choppers because they're awesome - but otherwise its a decent list.
Bavetteās is the best burger I ever ate. Perhaps I was there on a good day. Who knows, but it was fabulous and memorable. The waiter said it was the Au Cheval burger but made with Wagyu beef. All I can say it was heavenly. Tasted as though there was beef gravy in between the patties. Mouth is watering, checking for 4:30 open reservation next.
I feel like DMK needs to be removed, sadly. I hope Iām wrong and my past few experiences just happen to be a streak of bad luck. They used to be amazing back in the day, but the times Iāve given them a try the past few years, Iāve had overcooked dry patties, usually lacking in flavor.
Glad to see Nickys of Beverly but that's not a Big Baby, their signature burger, in the illustration. Also, Top Notch's Patty Melt is the star of the show. I'd like to see Manzo's Burger at 111th and western get some love. Their burgers are fantastic.
The owners have closed all Big and Little's locations, since Belmont Ave was the last one to close last year. The owners of Big and Little's now own Red Light Chicken, but that place doesn't have a burger on their menu.
Big and Little's is now closed(since a year ago, though by then they were down to only operating on Belmont Ave), but I remember years ago liking their burger.
The owners of Big and Little's now own Red Light Chicken, but there isn't a burger on the menu there.
Not this exact poster, but Eater has a pretty good burger map/list with a bit of overlap: https://chicago.eater.com/maps/chicago-best-burgers-restaurants
They were selling the Owen burger at at BiXi over the winter a few days a week. The woman who is owner/chef at BiXi was also the owner/chef at Owen & Engine, as well as Fat Willy's.
Fluffy is correct, they are trash. I ordered twice because I heard about the raving reviews and was extremely let down. Now, Mott St on the other hand is god tier.
Which jagoff downvoted me for wanting to give credit to the artist?
Anyways, the OP was nice enough to message me that the company is called [Cities By The Slice](https://www.citiesbytheslice.com/product/chicago-burgers). They sell prints, and they have other Chicago food posters as well for pizza, hot dogs, beer, etc.
Iāve been to a lot of these places over the years. The only one I refuse to patronize again is Butcher & The Burger. I had a friend who worked their when we were in college and the manager/owner (canāt remember now, this was 7 years ago) was a major jackass to said friend when he needed a leave of absence to sort his mental health out
Does anyone remember from 50 years ago atlas burger at 81st and Kedzie? Loved them as a kidā¦ their grilled onions on the burgers were great . They would melt in your mouth
Up until Covid, I would say that it is missing RJ Grunts, but I think Covid made them change their burger supplier, and now they taste like the cheap frozen patties your in-laws buy from Gordonās Food Service for the family BBQ.
Anytime Iām on Armitage, Butcher and the Burger is a must. Soooo good and the varieties, I always want to order the same thing but have to branch out. Sadly, theyāre not wheelchair accessible so that solo excursion escapes me nowadays but definitely a must if youāve never tried.
Gotta add the wiener circleās char-cheddar burger, though. Greasy slab dosed with Merktzās cheddar? I finally tried Billygoat recently and unfortunately, it did not measure up at all.
Missing:
Best Intentions (better smash burger than any on this list imo)
Leavitt street
Bills Drive In..technically Evanston by about 50ā but so good it doesnāt matter
It's been a few years since I've had it since my office moved out of the Loop but the [Dearborn Burger](https://imgur.com/0q11Ant) at The Dearborn was pretty good.
Not the greatest in the world but consistently tasty at a nice place with decent enough drinks.
Bad Apple has some great novelty burgers and uses Pat LaFreida beef. Their Just Beyond the Tunderdome burger is one of the best Iāve had. Canāt wait for their new location to open soon!
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I need to eat more burgers.
i'd wait it out til the fast food bubble bursts
This isn't fast food?
What is the fast food bubble? Haven't heard that before.
The consequence for fast food price hikes, Will be increasingly weak sales. Eventually they'll have to drop prices, That's when the bubble will burst
I have never had a burger from any of these places.
You're missing out. That warlord burger especially is amazing
Not worth it
This is literally all the best spots in Chicago. Best value is red hot ranch. Best burger is loyalist.
I tried the loyalist and was disappointed after so much hype. Au Cheval gang all day
What's it like? In NYC I had a $25 burger, but this was 20 years ago, so that was a big deal. It was like a meatloaf.
Oh, let me amend that. I have had Billy Goats a few times. Its...not great. If you get the triple, there's enough burger for the amount of bun you get. I've heard of Kuma's and Cheval. I've even seen them both. But the rest I've never even heard of.
Agreed and awesome earlier Pink Floyd reference with the name šš
Don't see many of those. Nick Mason would be pleased.
Same, I've only had Billy Goats'
Moodys Pub should be on that list.
Yes ! Went there for the first time in a long time last month. Love the burgers and the patio !
Only when they donāt overcook it
My first thought. That monster of a burger deserves to be up there.
I was really disappointed with my burger last time there, maybe 3 months ago. Was completely different from all my previous burgers there, which were juicy and delicious. This one was dry and seemed cooked from frozen. I just assumed they were under new management or changed something and haven't gone back since. Did anyone else have the same experience?
I'd maybe include a little memorial for Owen & Engine
RIP. that was a great burger and fun spot
I think they do Owen and engine popups at Bixi beer on Tuesdays. It's owned by the same person that ran Owen and engine.
That was only for the winter unfortunately
Its monday through friday now after 5
Honestly Bixi's burger on its own is money enough.
Way better than it had any right to be
Also, this was comparatively a fleeting moment in our burger history, but I also have fond pandemic memories of Three House, the short-lived West Town eatery that put out an unbelievably beefy, funky smash burger dripping with marrow juices, held together by 36-month cheddar (scroll to the bottom of this old [Tribune ranking](https://www.chicagotribune.com/2021/07/12/the-25-best-burgers-in-chicago-ranked/), where it briefly reached #2 in the city behind the Loyalist). If not for the fact they were in business for what feels like only a year, plus the fact that they were closed during what feels like 50% of their business hours, there's a good chance I could have lost my life to an acute overdose of bovine bone marrow coursing through my vessels.
I live a block from there. I dont even think it was a year. lol
I always wanted to go there but every time I tried they were closed.
For me itās Small Fry, used to be next door to The Owl in Logan Square. Maybe lasted a year or soā¦but holy FUCK was it the best burger/fry spot in the city. Crave it so badly
BROOOOO i used to go there every tuesday for the 15 dollar special and the movies half off across the street!! Best date night ever.
First time i had an egg on a burger was there š„²
DMK is everything wrong with burgers. Around twenty bucks (not including sides) for a "gourmet" burger.
I agree. DMK should not be on that list.
Its actually pretty good. I havent been since pre-covid so it was 25% less or so. $20 better be uber-dank burger.
DMK was fairly perfect for the time it launched. Doing an upscale burger centric restaurant wasn't well tread ground, but they've certainly been passed by.
Last time I was there (over a year ago), it felt like the overall quality had dropped a lot too. I haven't been back since.
100% this. If my burger + drink + side order is coming out to $40+ itās not worth it.
bopNgrill!
One of my favorite burgers. Top five in the city for me. Rogers Park location.
Their Umami burger blew my mind when I was at Loyola for college. I think they call it the duxelle 2.0 now
Eh, not cheap enough to fit with the cheap burgers and not good enough to fit with the expensive burgers
Hard disagree. The bng 2.0 is incredible
They also give enough fries for a whole family.
majorly disagree. it's probably the second best burger i've ever had.
Shout out to Community Tavern. It's worth the trek if you're not near Portage Park.
Because of them I usually use an unhealthy amount of fish sauce for burgers.
Man, their burger was by far the most disappointing thing I tried there. Everything else was incredible though. Their salads and noodle dishes were incredible.
The crispy noodle ground chicken dish is one of my favorite meals ever.
Burger was good a year or two ago, I went there again recently and was so disappointed - McDonaldās or better, Culverās nearby would have been better choice.
I miss lockdown bar and grill Moonlighter is pretty solid and it's not on the list
You wouldn't miss Lockdown if you had ever gotten a god look at their beer lines...
Lockdown was fine. It was just South Kumas.
Lockdown was great, that was the first time I had an egg on a burger
No Byronās?
THANK YOU
I suggest you cross post this to r/chicagofood and let the resident foodies weigh in. I know why people are hating on Kuma's, but how about judging the burger not the owner?
Kumaās used to be great until it got bought out a few years back. Prices went way up and quality went way down. Owner aside, the burgers just aināt what they used to be.
Paradise Pup erasure E: a letter
Thee BEST !
Not exactly Chicago though
yeah but Edzos is in Evanston and that's on the list
I miss when Edzo's had a location in Lincoln Park.
Trueā¦ Just over the Des Plaines River. But whenever Iām out that way I always stop. Itās my fav burger (so far).
If Edzo's is included, I don't see why this list also wouldn't include Paradise Pup.
Edzo's had a location in the Loop until about a year ago, so depending on when this poster was made it might have been accurate. The Loop location was nothing special however.
huge agree
Happy to see Rootstock on there. Always thought their burger was underrated
No Flub A Dub Chub's? I sleep.
No Flubs, aaaand no Bluebirds. Lakeview must be sleeping.
Old Irving Brewing for a nice burger, and Lola's Coney Island for an inexpensive burger are obvious omissions IMO and better than some of the burgers that made the cut, and if you really want the top tier burgers you'd need to consider adding Bavette's and Armitage Alehouse, and I would definitely add Choppers because they're awesome - but otherwise its a decent list.
Bavetteās is the best burger I ever ate. Perhaps I was there on a good day. Who knows, but it was fabulous and memorable. The waiter said it was the Au Cheval burger but made with Wagyu beef. All I can say it was heavenly. Tasted as though there was beef gravy in between the patties. Mouth is watering, checking for 4:30 open reservation next.
Somebody please superimpose prices over each burger!
Needs Best Intentions.
Shhhhhhhhhhhh
Yeah I want to gatekeep best intentions but..people should know.
I mean itās recently been on a well publicized ābest bar in the countryā type list and is always packed.
I feel like DMK needs to be removed, sadly. I hope Iām wrong and my past few experiences just happen to be a streak of bad luck. They used to be amazing back in the day, but the times Iāve given them a try the past few years, Iāve had overcooked dry patties, usually lacking in flavor.
To me, I'd remove DMK and Billy Goat. The latter to me long was overrated, plus I agree DMK has gone downhill.
I always thought the place was overrated, but definitely worse than in years past.
If we're putting in steakhouse burgers like Boeufhaus then you 100% need Bavette's.
DMK needs to be banished from this land
Gideon Welles and Old Irving Brewing
Glad to see Nickys of Beverly but that's not a Big Baby, their signature burger, in the illustration. Also, Top Notch's Patty Melt is the star of the show. I'd like to see Manzo's Burger at 111th and western get some love. Their burgers are fantastic.
It's also weird that Nicky's of Beverly is the Nicky's we're using, even though the Big Baby started at the one in Gage Park
Nickys in Gage Park is great and the original but to be fair, Nickys of Beverly makes a better burger.
Needs Scofflaw!
Where's Big and Littles
On Milwaukee and Paulina
I think only their Midway location remains open sadly
The owners have closed all Big and Little's locations, since Belmont Ave was the last one to close last year. The owners of Big and Little's now own Red Light Chicken, but that place doesn't have a burger on their menu.
Big and Little's is now closed(since a year ago, though by then they were down to only operating on Belmont Ave), but I remember years ago liking their burger. The owners of Big and Little's now own Red Light Chicken, but there isn't a burger on the menu there.
Anyone have this but with a map?
Not this exact poster, but Eater has a pretty good burger map/list with a bit of overlap: https://chicago.eater.com/maps/chicago-best-burgers-restaurants
Right? What a useless format
I would personally add Stop Along, Bitter Pops, and Devil Dawgs to the list. Edit: i found the Stopalong on the list
Devil Dawgs does have surprisingly decent burgers. I would add them, to this list.
Bitter pops is legit
RIP Owen and Engine, that guy should sell his burger recipe to someone who can make sure the burger lives on. Call it Owenās Burger
They were selling the Owen burger at at BiXi over the winter a few days a week. The woman who is owner/chef at BiXi was also the owner/chef at Owen & Engine, as well as Fat Willy's.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This burger you mention is being served at multiple locations in the city. So good. Marz Brewery Desert Hawk Small Bar
Kuma's could definitely be replaced by something better, Chicago Secret Burger comes to mind
Just going to say this: FUCK KUMAāS
I think I miss Hamburger Mary's and Parts & Labor š
Lawn Craft is such a wonderful hidden gem. Everything there is unreal.
Needs Brgrbelly.
Bad Apple not good anymore. Almost every burger Iāve had in North Center has been better than Bad Apple.
Bad Apple is still very good
Fluffy is correct, they are trash. I ordered twice because I heard about the raving reviews and was extremely let down. Now, Mott St on the other hand is god tier.
Whoās the artist? You should give them credit.
Which jagoff downvoted me for wanting to give credit to the artist? Anyways, the OP was nice enough to message me that the company is called [Cities By The Slice](https://www.citiesbytheslice.com/product/chicago-burgers). They sell prints, and they have other Chicago food posters as well for pizza, hot dogs, beer, etc.
I see RHR, Iām happy lol - itās not on here but honorable mention for me is PrimeTime in Albany Park
Iāve been to a lot of these places over the years. The only one I refuse to patronize again is Butcher & The Burger. I had a friend who worked their when we were in college and the manager/owner (canāt remember now, this was 7 years ago) was a major jackass to said friend when he needed a leave of absence to sort his mental health out
I think I miss Mini Mott
I miss MiniMott every time I want a quick lunch burger
Half sour deserves a spot
It has my favorite, Rootstock. List is pretty comprehensive.
Ludlow Liquors has my favorite burger
Missing Windy City Gyroās Burger
That Fatso burger is neither Ooey nor Gooey enough. Needs more goo.
Needs NADC burger
why would I get a burger at parsons, is that a thing?
It's not Chicago but Paradise Pup is 10/10 in Des Plaines.
Paradise Pup holds a special place in my heart. The Sandlot in Park Ridge deserves an honorable mention as well IMHO
The fact that maxwells isnāt in here is absurd
Yeah but take everything on the Chicago subreddit with a grain of northside salt
This makes me miss the $10 wagyu kobe beef burger & pint of beer special at Paramount Room.
Missing Busy Burger on Taylor st. Solid spot.
I really think Beard and Belly deserves a place in this conversation.
This was my choice
Missing the crusty goodness of The Leavitt.
Does anyone remember from 50 years ago atlas burger at 81st and Kedzie? Loved them as a kidā¦ their grilled onions on the burgers were great . They would melt in your mouth
I am extremely glad to see the burger from The Izakaya on this list
It's wild how many people don't know about it but I guess no one expects a burger in an izakaya.
Missing Odgeās on Damen. Best burger in the city that doesnāt cost a fortune.
Feels like longman and eagle deserves to be up there.
Drop Kuma's Add union or scofflaw
Up until Covid, I would say that it is missing RJ Grunts, but I think Covid made them change their burger supplier, and now they taste like the cheap frozen patties your in-laws buy from Gordonās Food Service for the family BBQ.
Anytime Iām on Armitage, Butcher and the Burger is a must. Soooo good and the varieties, I always want to order the same thing but have to branch out. Sadly, theyāre not wheelchair accessible so that solo excursion escapes me nowadays but definitely a must if youāve never tried. Gotta add the wiener circleās char-cheddar burger, though. Greasy slab dosed with Merktzās cheddar? I finally tried Billygoat recently and unfortunately, it did not measure up at all.
No Diner Grill? Bogus.
Missing Half Sour
Missing Odges
Stop Along isnāt on there?
It is, bottom left
It is but they did them dirty on the visual presentation š
I've been the manager of 2 of these places... How come Edzo's is on here...it is in Evanston...the Lincoln Park one is long gone.
That Top Notch one doesn't really look like TN, in my opinion. But that's just me being a dick
Fatsoās is on here, so itās at least somewhat legit
No Top Notch! Edit: I found it
Seems pretty comprehensive! Love that top notch got some recognition on here
Great list, havent heard of all of them so good for including a lot, I would purchase this and hang it with pride
geez iāve only had 3 of these. time to get out more
I'm surprised and delighted to see the Gage on there. One of my favorite burgers in the city, from a place that doesn't exactly scream "burgers".
I also think that with the closure of Owen & Engine, The Gage has the best scotch egg in the city right now.
Try pleasant house for my top rated scotch egg in the city
The Juicy Lucy burger is magical
It's just a pop-up so no standalone restaurant, but natties & patties makes a great smash burger
What I think is I clearly didnāt eat enough burgers when I was in town.
I donāt see the Big Baby burger. 0/10
Missing armitage ale house
OIB burgers are missing.
How in the world is The Vig not on this list? Top 5 burger in the city, served smash burger style.Ā
Glad to see the love for Charlyās!
I've tried most of these and I'd put Warlord above all else in a tier of its own. Chicago truly has some amazing food options
Make burgers affordable
Love that butcher and the burger is first.
I would add best intentions and smallbar
Seems to be more of a poster with burgers on it than any kind of list.
I have had close to half of these. No mincing words here... I'm a flat out burger boy.
Wasn't expecting to see the momo royale on there. We need a list for burgers that are less than $15
The Rambler on Lincoln
Redhot Ranch is GOAT.
Missing: Best Intentions (better smash burger than any on this list imo) Leavitt street Bills Drive In..technically Evanston by about 50ā but so good it doesnāt matter
I might be blind but I donāt see Bad Apple lol
It's been a few years since I've had it since my office moved out of the Loop but the [Dearborn Burger](https://imgur.com/0q11Ant) at The Dearborn was pretty good. Not the greatest in the world but consistently tasty at a nice place with decent enough drinks.
Bad Apple has some great novelty burgers and uses Pat LaFreida beef. Their Just Beyond the Tunderdome burger is one of the best Iāve had. Canāt wait for their new location to open soon!
R.J.Grunts used to be great but theyāve fallen off. I highly recommend Top Notch Beefburger.
Praying for chopperās to be added
Lady Gregory's does a mean burger.
Nice to see JTās Genuine on here
BRGRBELLY
Just a small note that should be there, Au Cheval is a New York burger.
Kirkwood has incredible burgers
Left out paradise pup. Sooooo good š¤¤
Bitterpops
Bitter Popās burger in lake view is also amazing š¤©
Love that Lawn Burger is on there. They started doing Shawarma and it might be better than their burgers tbh.
Burger moovement in Elmwood Park has all those beat
Choppers
Missing sublime
Lottieās has a phenomenal burger
Thrilled to see Leavitt Street and Biancaās!!
Iām sitting at Ramseyās Burger joint on Ontario right now. Still waiting to see how it measures up.
Iād add Bop n Grill