These six restaurants represent a variety of geography, styles, toppings and presentations of the venerable burger. They’re not the newest or hottest spots, but they are classics, and classics are places I don’t hesitate to return.
Bacon burger at Illinois Bar & Grill
This one-pounder, priced under $8, is simply one of the finest burger deals in town. The 14-ounce patty is thick, luscious, peppery and crispy, griddle-fried, with twines of sauteed onions piled high atop. The burger is as tall as it is wide. Strips of bacon — no smoke or sweetness, just fat pieces of crispy pork — hang over the edge, like four tightrope walkers each holding balance poles. Locations in Lemont, Midway and Archer Heights. illinoisbarandgrill.com
Umami burger at BopNGrill
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Before California chain Umami Burger came to Chicago, the best example of the umami burger was (and is) at Rogers Park’s BopNgrill. The portobello mushroom duxelle, pushed to cliff’s edge of savoriness with truffle oil and anchovy dashi, turns this essentially into a burger version of beef Wellington. Sun-dried tomato confit is reinforced with pork fat and garlic; bacon and Gouda add additional smokiness. 6604 N. Sheridan Rd., 773-654-3224, bngrill.com
Cheeseburger at Au Cheval
Is this Chicago’s perfect burger? Many will argue in its favor. Au Cheval eschews frills and gives us just meat, cheese, dijon mayonnaise, pickles on a toasted bun. The juiciness from the prime-grade beef is dang near slurpable. This is the one Chicago burger I crave after being out of town. Note: A cheeseburger comes with two patties, a double comes with three. Skip the bacon, the sweetness of which ruins the burger. 800 W. Randolph St., 312-929-4580, auchevalchicago.com
Double cheeseburger at Redhot Ranch
In the $5-or-so category, you won’t sample a finer cheeseburger in Chicago. It combines the best traits of In-N-Out (toasted pillow buns, crunchy lettuce, Thousand Island) plus Steak ‘N Shake (so caramelized are the griddle-smashed beef edges, it’s halfway to crunchy). The twice-cooked fries are piled inside the takeout bag and have that nutty, mysterious depth of flavor that points to the presence of beef tallow in the fry oil. But I also dig it because a double cheeseburger with fries is $5.50 out the door. I hate coins and love round numbers. This place might achieve Gene & Jude-level cult status. 3055 N. Ashland Ave., 773-661-9377
Classic cheeseburger at Joe’s Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab
If burgers were rock bands, the version at Joe’s Stone Crab would be The White Stripes: unadorned and pared down to the elements, no fancy effects, packing an unexpected wallop. You get bun, cheese, meat and no more. The loose grain burger is a half-pound patty of prime sirloin and chuck, an 80/20 lean-fat blend. The texture is either unappealing or remarkable (I’m with the latter). Biting down is to bite on air, so light your jaw will get the day off. Just close your mouth and the essence of beef releases from its pores. Cheddar is seductively draped over the beef, and the bun has a challah-like sweetness. 60 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, 312-379-5637, joes.net/chicago
Double bacon cheeseburger from Schoop’s
From the home page of Schoop’s Hamburgers: “Schoop’s hamburgers have been a part of the Calumet Region of Indiana and Illinois since 1948. It’s the area southeast of Chicago where gutsy workers make steel, refine oil and build things big.” That’s also an apt description for their double cheeseburger. Brawny, light on subtlety, rough around the edge in the best sense. The highlight is two-thirds of a pound of well-done beef, flattened and griddle-seared into a crispy beef-chip edge. It’s a Hungry Man version of Steak ‘n Shake, and as such they’ve taken one of my favorite chain burgers and made it even better. 18 locations throughout Illinois and Northwest Indiana. schoophamburgers.com
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