Five new chains, five new signature cheeseburgers. All praise.
Sonic Drive-In
A-
4023 W. 167th St., Country Club Hills; 708-798-4204
(Other Chicagoland locations in Aurora and Algonquin)
“SuperSONIC Cheeseburger”
Price: $3.99
Weight: 11.5 oz.
Price per ounce: 35 cents
Height: 1 3/4 in.
Diameter: 4 15/16 in.
Circumference: 15 1/2 in.
Calories: 1,314
Fat: 68.1 grams
Sodium: 2,072 mg
Construction (top to bottom): Bun / Cheese / Patty / Cheese / Patty / Tomato / Lettuce / Pickles / Mustard-Mayo-Ketchup / Bun
Taste test: A nice sweetness to the buns … the cheese has successfully melted into the patty’s crevices and created an amalgam of beefy wonderfulness … well-balanced and well-flavored on the whole … not as greasy as similar burgers.
Fatburger
C+
15110 S. LaGrange Rd., Orland Park; 708-364-8380
“Fatburger with Cheese”
Price: $5.48
Weight: 9 oz.
Price per ounce: 61 cents
Height: 1 3/4 in.
Diameter: 4 9/16 in.
Circumference: 14 1/3 in.
Calories: 885
Fat: 60 g
Sodium: 1,750 mg
Construction (top to bottom): Bun / Mayo / Lettuce / Tomato / Pickle / Onion / Relish / Mustard / Beef / Cheese / Bun
Taste test: Prominent taste of relish upon first bite … a soft toasted bun though slightly stale around the edges … lacking adequate seasoning … griddled beef had a crispy edge, but mine was overcooked and had a break-apart, mealy quality. This doesn’t speak for Fatburger’s quality; I’ve had fantastic ones in the past … incredibly filling, rich, and this was only the second smallest of five options of burger sizes … throw in the towel, coach.
Meat Heads
B
2555 W. 75th St., Naperville; 630-355-6066
“The Meathead”
Price: $5.25
Weight: 8.5 oz.
Price per ounce: 62 cents
Height: 1 7/8 in.
Diameter: 4 3/8 in.
Circumference: 13 3/4 in.
Calories: 771
Fat: 52.1 g
Sodium: 877.2 mg
Construction (top to bottom): Bun / Ketchup-Mustard-Mayo / Pickles / Cheese / Patty / Cheese / Patty / Grilled Onions / Tomato / Lettuce / Bun
Taste test: Physically resembles a Wendy’s Deluxe Double Stack, tastes a lot better though … the veg looks fresh and vibrant … soft potato bun surprisingly sturdy … loved the griddled double Angus beef patty seared to a nice crisp … fine, upstanding and respectable, can’t say anything bad about it; it’s the Patrick Fitzgerald of cheeseburgers.
Five Guys
B+
2140 N. Clybourn Ave.; 773-327-5953 (and at 1115 W. Lake St., Oak Park; 708-358-0856)
“Cheeseburger”
Price: $5.59
Weight: 13.5 oz.
Price per ounce: 41 cents
Height: 2 7/8 in.
Diameter: 4.5 in.
Circumference: 14 1/7 in.
Calories: 986
Fat: 66 g
Sodium: 1735 mg
Construction (top to bottom): Bun / Mayo / Lettuce / Pickles / Tomatoes / Patty / Cheese / Patty / Onions / Mushrooms / Ketchup-Mustard / Bun
Taste test: The version we ordered is known as an “All The Way” … a challenge to fit first bite of burger into mouth; jaws slightly sore … the double patties were the beefiest of the beefs, yet could be seasoned better … love the sweet, brioche-like bun here … many free toppings to choose from; grilled mushrooms were especially nice.
The Counter
A-
666 W. Diversey Pkwy.; 773-935-1995
“Old School”
Price: $8.25
Weight: 11.5 oz.
Price per ounce: 72 cents
Height: 3 7/16 in.
Diameter: 3 13/16 in.
Circumference: 12 in.
No nutritional facts available
Construction (top to bottom): Bun / Red Relish / Pickles / Cheese / Patty / Red Onions / Tomato / Bun
Taste test: Wow, the only “chain” that cooks the burger medium “unless otherwise requested,” as a result, beef patties resembling something you’d make in your backyard … a hint of pepperiness in the Angus beef … the pickles are fantastic, tangy, sweet and crunchy … the red relish, fancy name for ketchup + relish, brings everything together … the buns boast a firm crust; love that it’s buttered and toasted … more sandwich than burger, more parts than sum, though neatly assembled, aesthetically pleasing.
