The Tastiest Burgers in Chicago

Del Toro

★★★★☆ 4 (483) • $$

"Yum! I came here after a work event with some colleagues and we were seated right away despite not having a reservation, which is always a pleasant surprise! The patio is large and super spacious, so it made a great option for a place to come with a big group. The drinks are everything of a margarita lovers dream. There are SO many margarita options, and even some traditional Mexican beverage options too like sangria, horchata, jalisco old fashion. I went with the jalapeño margarita and I loved it, but buckle up; she's spicy! It comes with half a jalapeño atop it, if you want to make it even spicer. We shared some chips, salsa and guac to start and loved all three. The guac was so fresh! I ordered the carne asada and pollo adobado tacos. Both were flavorful, but the carne asada was my favorite! The tacos are decently sized, but I would probably get one more. Overall great time here and I would absolutely come back to hang on the patio and try some more drinks!"

Pizano's Pizza & Pasta

★★★★☆ 3.7 (935) • $$

"We always get deep dish when we're in Chicago. But we have Lou Malnati's and Giordano's back home. Pizano's is a great, different choice in that vein. The deep dish was fantastic and service was great. The dining area is filled with hockey memorabilia of you're into that."

Mr D's Shish Kabobs

★★★★★ 4.7 (249) • $

"Today I really had a taste for some meat. I haven't been here for a couple years, but had a craving for a steak sandwich as wanted to finally leave a review.Mr D's is situated on a busy street, with no parking, so you're better off finding parking on a side street just be careful for resident parking only. Be aware that it's cash only, no cards, so you will have to hit up an atm prior. It's a tiny place with only four 4-person tables. I typically order for carry out and eat at home.This is a family run place with a very simple menu. You will see the same people working there every time. The wife is the one taking orders and she's a sweetheart. They have the process down to a Tee, and you will get your food quickly.It's nothing fancy but it's damn good, what they do, they do well. Everything is char grilled, by far my favorites are the steak sandwich and the cheeseburger or the double cheeseburger. The shish kabob sandwich is pretty good too, just be aware it's pork even though it tastes more like beef but again I have a hard time steering away from the steak sandwich.What is a steak sandwich? A thin cut of steak that's been marinated beautifully and char grilled. It comes topped with only tomatoes and onions and wrapped by French bread. It's also covered by thick cut fries. All sandwiches come with fries by default which is cool. The fries are a bit greasy, but in a good way. Mr.D is a great place to pick up food if you need a quick bite and have a taste for some char grilled meats. Give it a try, the pricing is also very reasonable, the steak sandwich is under $12 with taxes. Probably why they only take cash, to keep the prices down."

Patio Beef

★★★★☆ 4.2 (170) • $

"I've been going to Patio for over 20 years, so I guess it's time for a review. This is, indeed, a family run business since 1984. The owners are still there most days, but their daughters are running the show now. The quality of the food hasn't changed in all the years I've been going. Consistency is difficult in the restaurant business, but these folks have it down. The burgers, in particular, are the best in town, grilled to perfection every time. The Italian Beef combo is divine... not too salty, just goodness on a roll. If you want duck fat fries and Bleu cheese on a hot dog, go elsewhere. It's a great neighborhood dog and burger joint, and it's a treasure of Edgewater."

Heffer BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.3 (13)

"Heffer BBQ is a pop-up bbq spot, located inside the Whiner Beer Company.Their menu offers items such as brisket tacos, fries & smoked chicken wings, smoked brisket burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, smoked esquites, deviled egg potato salad, etc.Finding the spot was easy, as you go upstairs and it's to the back in your right.We ordered:+the smoked brisket burger +the smoked & fried chicken wings - you can choose between coffee bbq or mustard bbq sauce - we opted for the latter +the deviled egg potato salad +the bbq beans +the smoked esquitesEverything was tasty and presented well! Staff were friendly and welcoming.The place is nicely set up and cheerful, with plenty of comfortable seating.Plenty of parking in the area.+smoked brisket burger+friendly service+plenty of parking"

Charlie Beinlich's Food & Tap

★★★★☆ 3.9 (358)

"My husband grew up going here. He was excited to take me there. It was nice to share his memories. At the end of the day it is crowded. Tables very close to each other. It is just a good burger. Yes, I will go back with him."

Butcher & The Burger

★★★★☆ 4 (1153) • $$

"Butcher & The Burger is a custom burger joint. They've got a wide range of ingredients to choose from, so you could probably go a hundred times and never get the same thing. With places like these, I always say if your food isn't good it's probably because you don't know what to throw on the burger or how to get it cooked. Also, the large fries are very large. It's more than enough for two people and could probably be good for 3-4."

Donald's Famous Hot Dogs

★★★★☆ 3.9 (63)

"Came in for lunch after a recent MDW flight and we were very happy with the choices. Gyro was great. Fries were great. The rib tips went down. The hot dogs did the trick. And there's just enough seating in here that we found a booth for the four of us to enjoy our grub.None of it knocked my socks off, but all of it was prepared well. Definitely a place I will hit on the way out after future flights!"

Avondale's Food Pick-Up

★★★☆☆ 3 (8)

"So many options, we are in love with Kiosk Balkan street food, the food is amazing and taste so fresh"

Hub's Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (227) • $

"I can always count on Hub's!This place always warrants at least 1 visit during a Chicago visit - I always get their Gyros Plate, extra well-done, which comes with a big buttered pita bread, fries, sliced tomatoes, extra onions, and their chunky tzatziki sauce. Make sure you don't sleep on their rice pilaf, as this is one of the best that I've tasted - so good, and adds as a yummy side to your entree.Their gyro meat is sliced well, crispy, and tasty!Service is always great, welcoming and friendly!Plenty of tables and booths inside, and there's a private lot to park your vehicle.+Gyros Plate+rice pilaf+friendly service+family-owned+small lot"

Timothy O'Toole's Pub - Chicago

★★★★☆ 3.7 (1291) • $$

"Great local sports bar, plenty of seating, tvs to watch whatever you wish, and plenty of great food options. The burger I ordered with pork belly was delicious...but I wish I brought more of an appetite to eat because it was huge and couldn't finish it. Still hit the spot though. Appetizers were very filling and delicious. The group I was with all enjoyed ourselves."

Hound Dogs Burgers & Teriyaki

★★★★☆ 4 (38)

"Went in for a breakfast sandwich and it did not disappoint. The prices are great, and the service is quick. Plus it seemed like a family owned business and I am down for keeping as many of those around. The sandwich was good, and it seems like it would be perfect for breakfast after imbibing too much the night before. I also had the hash browns, and those were a bit greasy but like I said, the best hair of the dog you can of. I have to say that I am very impressed with the packaging of the food. We ordered to go and everything was individually wrapped. My OCD heart was very happy."

The StopAlong Logan Square

★★★★★ 4.5 (11)

"We had a large group, and fortunately, we were able to get seated immediately (early evening on a Friday). The manager was so accommodating, and the server was never pushy even with the large group. Food was consistent to the original location, except the garlic knots weren't as soft/chewy or garlicky. The Cluck-Stop was being shared, so we appreciated they cut it in half for us. The Mom's Standby was smaller than I recalled. Overall, food is good for what it is, quick, and it's nice to know this location is bigger since they don't take reservations."

Bianca’s Burgers

★★★★★ 4.9 (51)

"Visiting a friend in the area she recently moved to and wanted to dine somewhere nearby. Found this place on Yelp and also realized they were BYOB so it was a perfect match. Walked over here and was instantly greeted by the lovely Rafael who was extremely friendly & genuine!We sat at a high top by the front windows near the Christmas tree for some coziness, and that set the mood for our entire catch up. Rafael graciously provided us wine glasses for the wine we had brought, and also had some recommendations and specialities to share with us. We decided on a buffalo wings starter, my friend ordered a BLT + avocado sandwich, and I got a 5 Burger. Everything was pretty good. I really found the wings sauce to be a smokier version of buffalo wing sauce that I'm unfamiliar with, but it was excellent! The ranch was very good too. I think I liked my friends sandwich the best out of the two. They really pack in a lot of bacon, and overall it was very thick! We definitely had leftovers. I was expecting my burger to have a little more kick/spice, but it wasn't resembling much of any spiciness. I don't know if jalapeños were actually added because I didn't see them with each bite. It was still a very good burger, but was just hoping for a bit more on that one. Besides that, everything else was absolutely fantastic and is warranting another return for us. They're a small business and its a brother and sister who own it. The brother was so sweet so it definitely enforces our idea of coming back. Thank you, Rafael!"

The Works Grill

★★★★☆ 4.2 (318) • $

"Great tasting food. Great value. Highly recommend the chicken breast pita. Pork kabobs are great also."

Firefly Burger

★★★★☆ 4 (85) • $$

"The food here was fresh, hot and good quality. Choose this spot as had a discount from restaurants.com. This venue is in the heart of Lincoln Park near the Apollo Theater. For food we grabbed onion rings, curly fries, and two burgers. I grabbed the backfire burger. This burger was really good but maybe too much sauce. My husband stated that menu said that burger come slathered in sauce. When I return, I will ask for less sauce or sauce on the side. It was too much for me. Anyhoo the burger was tender and cooked perfectly. The backfire sauce is spicy...but good. My husband enjoyed his firefly burger and his curly fries. The onion rings were stand out and would definitely order again. All in all a good dinner."

Mr. Falafel

★★★★☆ 4.2 (150)

"How are you Mr Falafel? - I falafel.I'm not normally a fan of falafel, but I enjoyed the falafel that came in my veggie combo at Mr Falafel. No, it did not make me falafel, the falafel were crisp, not dry, and quite plentiful (6). The falafel aroma wafted throughout the kitchen and a coworker called out, "Is that from (insert name of restaurant here)?" "No," I replied, "it's from Mr Falafel."The veggie combo contained hummus, baba ghannouj, salad, tabbouleh, torshi, dolma and falafel. It made for a very colorful and heavy plate. The hummus was ok, the baba ghannouj was fantastic, and I enjoyed the torshi (pickled vegs). I was a little disappointed that pita was not included, although this was quite a substantial plate and the price was not inconsequential- $19.95. The restaurant is very open with tables spaced out. A worker laughed because I thought there was a kiosk to order from and I kept tapping the tablet by the register but there is a person to take your order. I waited about 10 minutes until my food was ready. I think next time I'll dine in so as to confine the falafel aroma to the restaurant."

CM Korean Fried Chicken of Evanston

★★★★☆ 4.2 (24)

"Dined in on a Saturday night. Firstly, the food and ambience were decent and met my expectations - at least in terms of quality, temperature, freshness and taste. No wait (as we were the only customers).However, value and service were both below average. Specifically, counter guy missed one of the items we ordered and did not add it to our order because they misunderstood us asking about the ingredients of one of the entrees as canceling it. We didn't realize it until 10 minutes after our food was brought to the table. I went back and asked about the fried rice dish and they said "Oh, I thought you cancelled it." SMH. Sigh. OK. Never mind.Something annoying you should be aware of: they charge you a 3% "convenience fee" if you pay by credit card. This just screams greedy/shady IMO. The bill was just over $48 for two orders of wings, 1 order of fries and two canned beverages from the refrigerator. Guy tried to charge us for a bottle of Aquafina because my son asked for water. They have a big container of in the form of a self-service water cooler - yet he assumed Aquafina bottled water. No. So you get a teeny little plastic cup (think Dixie Cup) to use with the self serve jug. SMH. But the "convenience" fee? If anything it's more convenient for the restaurant to not have handle cash - yet they punish the customer for paying by credit card. Sorry, but that's wrong. I've not seen this at any other restaurants. IMO, it's nothing more than opportunistic scam. Unfortunately that was the most memorable thing about the visit. I don't envision going back."

Bunny Hutch

★★★★☆ 3.9 (131) • $

"Found this gem and it saved me and my besties lives this day. The chili cheese dog gave us hope and will to live. will be returning for more and also to blow off steam at the batting cages. great idea, genius, no notes."

Sunsub & Philly's

★★★★☆ 4.1 (12)

"Tried the gym shoe sandwich today! OMG - blown away. Worth the drive out if one does not live in the area."

Hermosa

★★★★★ 4.6 (78) • $

"It's nowhere near my house, and took careful coordination and a nontrivial drive through rush hour traffic in freezing rain, but I just had to find out why people were so obsessed with the cambodian fried chicken coming out of this joint. So one Friday I combined a trip to the auto shop with a pickup of their family meal of roasted and fried cambodian chicken.It was the most interesting delicious food I have had in a long time. The fried chicken was delicious, and the roasted chicken might have been even better. The crudites dips were weird and rich and savory. The salad was awesome, though the dressing was so intense that you may want a light hand. The fried bananas were compelling too. I was just blown away by how much was going on here, and reminded by how much I've missed out on this kind of dining in the past 21 months.To be sure, the meal had to survive a long drive back to my house so some of the fried things (bananas and chicken) would have been even better if I could have had them fresh. And some things were just pushing the envelope too much even for me. But that is exactly what I want in this kind of place. I want delicious food, flavor that punches me in the face, and maybe a little too hard.Some day, I'll be back in the dining room."

Kuma's Corner - West Loop

★★★★☆ 3.9 (441) • $$

"I had been to the original Kuma's Corner on Belmont previously, but recently on a rainy Sunday afternoon we wound up at the Kuma's Corner in the West Loop on Fulton Market. We originally were headed to a nearby establishment but were stunned to find it closed that day. Our Plan B turned out to be a big thumbs up for our rain-soaked party of five. We were seated right away, and the service throughout our mealtime was on the mark for us with a pitcher of ice water, and an efficiency of ordering and serving of food and drink. My love and I selected brews from Forbidden Root and Three Floyds to go along with the heavy metal decor and tunes. The burgers are served on pretzel buns and include a side of fries. The three young men of our group each ordered the Famous Kuma, and why not? This burger has bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and of course the fried egg. I do believe the young men all liked the Famous Kuma. My love and I split the Mastodon, which was topped with bacon, cheddar, fried onion and BBQ sauce. Based on our appetites that afternoon, the savory Mastodon and generous side of fries hit the spot perfectly for the two of us."

Fiesta Burger Heaven

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (23)

"This is an off shoot of Kevins! Great burgers...get there! They also have breakfast just like Kevins truck stop!"

The Marq

★★★★☆ 4.1 (703) • $$

"We made reservations at this restaurant for about 30 people. It was awesome because we were able to enjoy a great meal, each other's company, and had no problems splitting the bill. They were able to split the bill between us all and processed all of our credit cards individually (Google wallet tap and apple pay too). The appetizers alone were amazing and we ate every bite. We were so full by the time the main entree came that I had to take most of it home. Here's what we got and my thoughts on them. Appetizers:*Carnitas nachos - the chips were amazing. I think they were made in house they were crispy and delicious with the most delicious nacho cheese. *Hummus - the bread alone was so delicious and you add that hummus and it was *chef kiss. * babaganoush - it was better than I thought it would be. I actually ate some. Not my favorite appetizer but I still thought it was pretty good.Entrees:*Marq burger - didn't get to try but my friend enjoyed it.* fish N chips - didn't get to try but half our group got it and they seemed to enjoy it.* carnitas tacos - I didn't enjoy it as much as the nachos because it had no cheese, but it was pretty good. It came with pickled red onions and jalapenos. *southwest salad with pulled chicken - delicious. My friend gave me some and I ate it all. Refreshing and has these little chips in there. Desert: *Cannoli - wasn't my thing. It wasn't sweet and it had pistachios on it.* chocolate mousse shooters - it was pretty good. Soft and gooey when you use the spoon it came with but not soft enough to use a straw with (yes, we tried). If you like chocolate you will like this. We found out the best way to eat it is to mix and then down it like a real shot.Overall, the place was cozy with nice servers and good food. Would definitely come back. Thanks!"

Red Hot Ranch

★★★★☆ 4 (342) • $

"The food was good! Fresh, hot, of good quality. Bookmarked for a few years and searching for a good burger. I decided it was their day. Lol, we went about 8 pm, and it was empty until we ordered, then people started coming up and packing the place. We ordered burgers, polish, and fried shrimp. DELICIOUS EVERYTHING!!!! We ordered well done everything, and it wasn't. We had to take the polish back to have them deep fry them more, but they were cool about it. I'm definitely going back! They lost a star because I saw an employee use the restroom, and the sink didn't have water or soap in it, idk if he washed his hands or not. **SIDE EYE***"

Toons Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (285) • $$

"I lived in Chicago for 20 years, starting in December of 2000. My friend lived nearby, on Clark and Byron which was two blocks away. This was the first bar I went to when I arrived. Neighborhood joint, but also good enough for people to make it a destination spot to visit. The Southport corridor has changed so much over the past two decades...bars and restaurants coming and going, upscale retail buildings replacing old one story strip malls. But Toons has endured and also thrived. I never lived in a big city before, and it was a crazy experience. I first lived near Lake Michigan on Sheridan- but still came up to Lakeview to play pool and for the first time I saw an indoor shuffle puck game in a bar. The freezer where they keep the popular liquors cold for shots is the same. Reminds me of my childhood and now is covered in stickers and decorations where you cannot find one open millimeter. It felt like nothing has changed since that night just under 23 years ago. My friend Sean now has worked here for almost 3 years now, and I disclose that while stating that he didn't when I first visited so that this is a genuine review of this place. Ally was also friendly, professional and easy to chat with. The entire team looked out for me, Tyler asking if I needed any utensils, extra items, refills- I never needed to ask for anything whatsoever. Laney was also super friendly, turns out we have a couple mutual friends. I'm in town visiting as many friends as I can, while helping my good buddy promote his new tequila line by making introductions- and decided to come by here and get something to eat before going back to my hotel for the night. It's 8 PM and the bar is busy but I was told "it's a slow night" I miss Chicago. Tonight on special was Annie's famous Wisconsin beer cheese soup. Sold! Got a bowl and it came piping hot, hearty with veggies and potatoes and a hot roll that I broke up like mini croutons and devoured it. By the time I remembered to take a photo it was almost gone so I am sorry for that photo heh heh.The food coming out of the kitchen is flying out at an incredible pace. I could watch this all evening. I ordered the popcorn shrimp and asked to sub out the fries with tater tots. Look at the photo below! These are not your ordinary popcorn shrimp. These are essentially actual shrimp (tail free!) and comes with Buffalo sauce and homemade Blue cheese dressing and some truly tasty pickle chips for a relief from all the fried items. I'm really happy to take a trip down memory lane and had an amazing meal while catching up with a friend I haven't seen in a while. Also bumped into some folks I knew from when I lived here- just another part of the amazing place and experience that is Toons. Support small owned businesses! Come on by, eat some great food, and have a few drinks and make some lifelong friends. Thanks to the team here at Toons for making a guy who came alone to eat feel like a part of the family/team dynamic. I gotta give my bud Sean a shout out for introducing me to everyone. Now I'm feeling the food coma coming on so I'm off to my hotel for some much needed sleep!"

NADC Burger

★★★★☆ 4.1 (45)

"My friend and I really wanted a burger on a Saturday night, and apparently so did the rest of Chicago. After many tries, we landed in the drop in. I walked in and managed to get the only 2 available seats in the whole placeBar is pretty small/narrow. Our seat faced the kitchen so we watched their burger making process. Everything moved pretty quick. I had a pornstar martini, the burger and beast mode fries. They take their burger very serious, no changes are made. It was a delicious burger and. Not over priced."

Blaze-N-Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (308) • $

"Ordered the gyro plate. It was so good. The meat was tender and not dried. The tzatziki sauce was the best I have ever tried. The meat portion is really big. This was one of the best places that I have tried for gyro that was really really good"

Burger Moovment

★★★★☆ 3.7 (277) • $$

"The burgers were good, the fries were good and the service was good. This is a good burger place and yet, it was surprisingly empty. We had bacon cheeseburgers and our only complaint was that the bacon was hard and had no flavor. There's really nothing to set this place apart from any other burger joint. The burger was good."

Maxwell Street Depot

★★★★☆ 4 (190)

"Been wanting to try this place out for a while now. Finally made it in. Service is great. They work quick and efficient. They're also very friendly. Price is very reasonable and the food will fill you up. I ordered a polish and a pork chop sandwich. The pork chop sandwich was very tasty. The pork chop was very tender and flavorful. I wasn't a big fan of their polish dog. It had no snap and tasty a little mushy. I'm glad I finally gave this place a try. I certainly won't be going out of my way to come here, but if I'm ever an the area, I might be down grab me some pork chop sandwiches."

bopNgrill Belmont

★★★★☆ 4.2 (241) • $$

"Bop N Grill was unexpectedly awesome. It seems like one of those corporate places where you order at the counter and get stuff in a bowl. Other than that, it has much better food and better service. Good prices for as much as they give. They have a lot of healthy choices like tofu. A majority of customers get a bowl. It's about the best value you can get. These can get pretty much unlimited amounts of toppings. It's about $9 for a bowl. There's lots of protein choices, including beef, chicken, and tofu. I like the Fire Tofu Bowl. This comes with rice and vegetables. It has a slightly spicy sauce that adds lots of flavor. This isn't too hot but you can add some more hotter sauces. It has a lot in a bowl. These can come with rice or salad. Get healthy. If looking for a fast meal that won't make you fat, come here to get it. This is a wise choice for both carnivores and vegetarians."

Dog Haus

★★★★☆ 3.5 (27)

"I had really high hopes for Dog Haus. I was truly disappointed in the "Too Chi" hot dog and the tater tots. The food was just not good, and the Chicago Hot dog was a miss! The tater tots were over cooked and dry. The service at the Kitchen Mix (where the Dog Haus is located) was wonderful! They called my name as soon as the food was out, no complaints! The food court had a lot of selection, and the decor was very modern!"

Michael Jordan's Steak House - Chicago

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1343) • $$$

"Very classy restaurant, and it's fun to tell people you're eating at Michael Jordan's. The dining is upstairs with a cool walkway over the foyer downstairs. It is located in the Intercontinental Hotel and a good choice if you are within walking or Uber distance. Parking is not plentiful.There is no free bread though, which was disappointing. We got the filet which was just smothered in butter so much it had to be scraped off. The NY Strip comes with pickled red onion which I found unnecessary. Both were tender and juicy.For sides, the roasted baby carrots were really tasty as was the mac and cheese. They were pretty expensive for sides but were big enough for sharing.There weren't a lot of dessert options, so we passed on getting any. The service was good. For a nice occasion, this is a good option."

Martin's Corner

★★★★☆ 4.1 (25) • $

"Cool corner bar. Didn't eat just came in for a couple drinks and catch the Sox/Cubs game. Cash only, but no big deal. Just wish they had better tv's. Only really 1 good one in the bar. Come on, Costco is down the street! haha"

Busy Burger

★★★★☆ 3.7 (328)