Two years ago, I spent the entire year eating and writing about Chicago’s burger scene. Now that my cholesterol levels have normalized, I have learned to appreciate this quintessential American sandwich once more. Here are six cheeseburgers worth your patronage.
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. Nineteen locations in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. $7.49. Closest to downtown Chicago: 1449 Indianapolis Blvd., Whiting, 219-659-7030, schoophamburgers.com
The Burger Philosophy: Andersonville’s newish The Burger Philosophy aims for that Venn diagram intersection of burger fanatics and Rene Descartes name-checkers. The Burger Philosophy’s shtick is a reach, but I can appreciate its elevation of discourse, even if the owners are horribly misquoting Arthur Schopenhauer. (The dining room wall claims he said: “The greatest of follies is to sacrifice the chowing down of a juicy burger for any other kind of happiness.”) Gimmicks aside, it’s a terrific midprice burger for the neighborhood. The Good Morning Chicago ($6.99) is a bacon cheeseburger with fried egg designed not to taste of individual components, but rather a hot, wet, messy, homogeneous orb where every bite from pretzel bun to griddled beef tastes alike. Don’t bother with napkins; bring a chamois cloth. 1541 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., 773-944-0373, theburgerphilosophy.com
Illinois Bar & Grill: The fork and knife that come with this bacon cheeseburger aren’t for elegance; they’re a necessity. Because I defy anyone to pick up this cow-on-bread 1-pounder and bite into it without inflicting jaw damage. You can’t. And for less than $8, it’s one of the best 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. This will feed a small family. 4135 W. 47th St., 773-847-2525; 1131 S. State St., Lemont, 630-257-0666; and inside Midway Airport, 773-838-8989, illinoisbarandgrill
.com
Old Town Social: Jared Van Camp’s Served Our Way burger ($13) is a four-star lesson in cohesion. It begins with grass-fed beef so coarse ground, the cooked-through patty bears the granulated texture of beef tartare. Van Camp uses his house-cured bacon, smoked to a brown sugar sweetness, then adds sweet pickles and creamy garlic aioli. The outstanding Labriola Bakery bun is a half sphere speckled with sesame seeds, every exposed surface toasted. Though the best part is pressing down on the fried egg with bun and watching yolk ooze over, shellacking the burger in liquid gold. Everything works as one. 455 W. North Ave., 312-266-2277, oldtownsocial.com
bopNgrill: The sensational burgers at bopNgrill are Asian/Pacific Island-tinged, no surprise given the chef’s pedigree. Will Song is a former sous-chef at River North’s Sunda, and his Korean-American upbringing is reflected in his workaday menu. The best burger here is the Loco Moco burger ($6), taking the venerable Hawaiian plate of the same name and substituting buns for rice — you’ll still find the beef patty, fried egg, bacon and brown gravy (no powdered stuff, the gravy is made from short rib bones and drippings). The beef is both thick and appealingly crisp along the edges. Similarly terrific is the kimchi burger ($6), a glorious glorp that renders both hands a mess with orange chili oil and clear beef juices, its components falling onto the table at first bite. Song’s mother makes the kimchi, though most of the tingle comes from the gochujang mayo, the sweet fermented soybean-chili paste found in Korean pantries. Its success, though, lies in the buns, a sesame brioche with a gentle crispness surrounding a buttery, airy interior. 1903 Church St., Evanston, 847-733-7102 and 6604 N. Sheridan Road, 773-654-3224, bopngrill
.com
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. That’s confidence, man. The loose grain burger ($13.95) 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., 312-379-5637, joes.net/chicago
kpang@tribune.com; Twitter @kevinthepang
