Now that’s a tasty burger: 10 places to chow down on National Burger Day
Is any food more popular than the hamburger? (It’s rhetorical. Just go with me on this.)
There are roughly 347 million people in America, and those 347 million people eat nearly 50 billion burgers a year.
Accounting for infants and others who aren’t pulling their weight, that’s more or less 150 burgers per year per person. Three a week for you. And three for me. That’s a lot of burgers.
Wednesday, May 28, is National Burger Day. You’ll probably get a pretty good head start eating your share coming off the Memorial Day holiday Monday, but here are 10 spots spread throughout the suburbs where you can get a good burger.
The list is by no means exhaustive, and it’s not laden with superlatives like “best” or “biggest” or “most unique.”
It’s a geographically diverse roster of restaurants with no more than a few local locations. Some are inexpensive, some aren’t, some smash their burgers, some don’t. All have solid reputations in the burger game. And it’s alphabetical, just because.
Babcock’s Grove House
Located in downtown Lombard in a limestone brick building that dates back to 1858, Babcock’s Grove House, 101 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, griddle-cooks its hand-formed patties and uses fresh, frequently locally sourced ingredients to top them. Try the Brunch Burger, topped with a soft fried egg, avocado, thick applewood-smoked bacon, American cheese, tomato and hot sauce aioli. Come for the burgers, but make sure to stay for the pies, which are made fresh daily.
Brandt’s of Palatine
We couldn’t do a list of suburban hamburger spots without including Brandt’s of Palatine, 807 W. Northwest Hwy., Palatine. The restaurant, located in a more than 130-year-old farmhouse that has been a restaurant since the ’50s, has been a frequent winner of our Reader’s Choice Best of the Best Awards. The half-pound burgers are made from a fresh-ground combo of short rib and deep chuck, then served on a choice of six buns or breads. Build your own or choose from a half dozen of Brandt’s creations.
The Burger Local
Located not far from the Metra station in downtown Geneva, The Burger Local, 577 S. Third St., Suite 102, offers a dizzying array of burgers, including the Quesabirria Burger served in a quesadilla with consommé, the Pastrami Burger with a pastrami-crusted beef patty, and the 4 Pepper Burger with jalapeño bacon, ghost pepper jack, habanero, dusted fried onions and chipotle aioli. Don’t want meat? Among several options is the Falafal Burger, topped with arugula, tomato, feta, tzatziki sauce and pickled red onions.
The Claim Company
Last year I asked readers to name their favorite hamburger. and about two-thirds of those who emailed me swore by the Motherlode burger at The Claim Company, 776 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook. The signature burger is a build-your-own creation with choices of meat, bread, cheese, toppings and sauce. The possibilities aren’t infinite, but they’re vast.
Elgin Public House
Located at 219 E. Chicago St. in downtown Elgin, Elgin Public House (or EPH as it’s known locally) delivers tasty, half-pound Angus patties served on a pretzel roll that holds up no matter the bounty of toppings. And to be sure, the Mac Attack burger puts that bun to the test with crispy pork belly, mac and cheese and fried jalapeños.
Hamburger Heaven
All you really need to know about Hamburger Heaven is that, in a world with countless burger restaurant options, they’ve been serving the “Original Double Decker” in Elmhurst since 1948. The old-school, walk-up diner at 281 N. York Road is a neighborhood favorite that takes you back in time. Make sure to order a Richardson’s draft root beer to wash it down.
Kuma’s Corner
The vibe/volume at Kuma’s Corner at 1570 E. Golf Road in Schaumburg may not be for everyone, but the burgers are outstanding. The heavy metal-themed restaurant located across from Woodfield Mall features handcrafted burgers named after bands and piled high with flavor. Guy Fieri called “The Black Sabbath,” a 10-ounce beef burger coated with blackening spices and topped with chili, pepper jack cheese and raw red onion, one of the top five burgers he’d ever eaten on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Paradise Pup
Another favorite from “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” Paradise Pup at 1724 S. River Road in Des Plaines is well-loved for its char burgers served on bakery-fresh buns, which they’ve been serving up since 1983. The signature Bacon Merkt’s Cheddar burger is a favorite.
Rep’s Place
Rep’s Place, a family-friendly sports-style restaurant and bar at 3200 Kirchoff Road in Rolling Meadows, has developed a reputation as a prime place for burgers. The Peanut Butter Bacon burger brings two great tastes together, while the huge Big Stuffed burger is a one-pound monster with creamy beer cheese and thick-cut bacon stuffed between two eight-ounce patties on a brioche bun and a side of seasoned fries.
Tracks Bar & Grill
A frequent winner of best burger in McHenry County, Tracks Bar & Grill at 108 W. Main St. in Cary came in at #67 on Yelp’s Top 100 Burger Spots in the country. The menu offers more than two dozen burgers, from The Pino Burger, an elevated classic with bacon, mushrooms, cheddar, grilled onions and fresh jalapeños, to outside-the-box offerings like the bulgogi-seasoned Korean burger with kimchi and gochujang aioli or Grandpa’s Favorite with green olives, bacon, pepper jack cheese and Sriracha mayo.