Best Burger in Chicago – 15 Mouthwatering Choices

Seeking out the best burger in Chicago can be an overwhelming task. You can scrounge through Yelp, ask your neighborhood shop keeper or start with these recommendations and see if you learn of anywhere else on your travels. The neighborhoods of Chicago that have the word West or Square in them really seem to have a knack for grilling up quality burgers, but there are a few that are definitely worth going out of your way for.

These 15 are some of our favorites, as well as the ones that have been recommended to us the most by random people that really like to suggest to other people where to eat– those people are our favorite.

15 Options for the Best Burger in Chicago :

[alphabetical order]

Au Cheval
800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 929-4580
Near West Side

Au Cheval is easily one of the most popular in the city. It has become a go-to for quality burgers. Their burger patties taste of freshness and cooked perfect to order. If you want to go all out, add a yolk egg and some of their thick-cut bacon to your cheeseburger.

The Bad Apple
4300 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 360-8406
North Center

I’m going to just throw this out right away– their beer list is phenomenal. They have 25 on tap, 147 bottles and 33 cans. Their burger list is very inventive (goat chili, short rib garnish, beer infused) and extends to 15 options. Even their vegetarian burger is on point. On Wednesday you can snag a 45 day dry-aged prime rib Wagyu beef burger– you don’t understand what this means until you bite into it. Best burger in Chicago status? I’ll let your tastebuds answer that.

Chop Shop
2033 North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 537-4440
West Town

The Chop Shop serves up a pretty standard burger, as far as toppings go, but I wouldn’t want them to do it any other way. Their burger isn’t about wowing you with unique toppings, it is about providing you with the best tasting meat and toppings possible. Along with being a restaurant and bar, they are also a butcher shop– which means that they do all of their own cuts of meat. Quality control at its finest.

DMK Burger Bar
2954 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 360-8686
Lakeview

DMK is expanding to even more locations around Chicagoland– and it’s easy to see why. Their burger list is packed full of inventive mixes, with options for veggie, turkey, portobello, bison or lamb substitutes to any burger. They pride themselves in serving up only grass-fed beef and having a very respectable offering of beers.

Flub A Dub Chubs
3021 North Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 857-6500
Lakeview

This place has the Ma & Pa feel and taste to it– it also has the Ma & Pa prices (bonus points). All of their burgers are 1/2 pound Angus beef patties that can be cooked any way that you like it. Their pretzel buns alone may be the best in the city. They have even created a Loyalty program that gives you $10 off for every 10 visits– it won’t take long to reach that.

Frontier
1072 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 772-4322
Noble Square

Frontier offers up compelling burger options that will be hard to stray away from. Their standard burger comes from one of the best butcher shops in Chicago– Butcher & Larder. The aged cheddar is complemented by their smoked tomato ketchup in a phenomenal way. If you are looking to try something a little different, then definitely go for their wild boar or ostrich burger! Seriously, they are crazy good. Brunch is the time to go for burgers. For dinner they serve their standard beef burger and alligator burger sliders.

Grange Hall Burger Bar
844 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 491-0844
Near West Side

Grange Hall is the place for all burger lovers to unite. They serve only grass-fed beef, house ground free range turkey, Panko breaded wild rice and vegetable or vegan spinach and chickpea patties. Their toppings make it so hard to choose one burger– applewood bacon and Muenster cheese or berry compote and Brie cheese? Just go with a group and share.

Kuma’s Corner
2900 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 604-8769
Avondale

Kuma’s Corner is perhaps one of the most metal restaurants in the city– and I’m not talking about their interior design. They serve up a variety of 16 burgers, all named after classic metal groups. They have everything from decently standard burgers, to others that are packed with so much flavor that it has the potential to melt your face off. Not feeling beef? Fine. Substitute it for buffalo, chicken breast, chicken tenders or veggie patty. Momma always said that nothing is more hardcore than substituting items to try to confuse the cooks. Kuma’s Corner seems to always come up in the conversation when discussing the best burger in Chicago– you don’t have to have 20/20 vision to see why.

Lockdown
1024 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 451-5625
Ukranian Village

This is the bar that gives Kuma’s a running for most metal and best burger in Chicago. Televisions fill the room and display some of the best recorded concerts to ever grace this earth. Lockdown’s beer selection is enough to bring your through the door, the burgers will make it so you have to crawl out holding your stomach from satisfaction. With 15 farm to table beef burger choices and a build your burger option, plus the opportunity to substitute any burger patty for chicken breast, house-made sausage, turkey, or veggie patties– your options expand exponentially. Hopefully the burger names don’t offend you. Oh yeah, 1/2 Price Burgers on Tuesdays.

Owen & Engine
2700 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 235-2930
Logan Square

Owen & Engine takes the most simple approach– less it more. When you have quality ingredients cooked to perfection, you don’t need any unique additions to stand out. If you are looking for a classic, no frills, full flavor burger that will do nothing but satisfy– then this may be the quintessential burger for you. Tuesdays they have a special called Burger Beer Bourbon. You’re going to want to get on that.

Parts and Labor
2700 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 360-7840
Logan Square

I feel like Parts and Labor knows how good their burgers are, but they charge you like its a buddy discount. The Classic Double Burger is a mere $6 and that is loaded with a double patty, 2 slices of American cheese, onion, lettuce, pickles, mayo. Add another patty for only $2 and bacon for $1– vegetarian and vegan patties are also available. Big on taste, small on the wallet. Parts and Labor has the right frame of mind.

Top-Notch Beefburgers Inc
2116 W 95th St, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 445-7218
Beverly / Oak Lawn

Since 1942 Top Notch Beef Burgers has been at it– serving Chicago’s South Side some of the best burgers in the land. Thin patties, crispy buns. They don’t serve up the gourmet, artisan style burgers like the majority on the list. They serve up fast food style burgers, but they are essentially one of the original fast food burger shoppes in Chicago. Not much has changed there since 1942.

Tuman’s Tap & Grill
2159 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 782-1400
West Town

Tuman’s has taken 3 great cuts of meat and mixed them into one patty. Sirloin, short rib and chuck are blended together for ultimate taste perfection. You could order just a burger patty plain and your mouth would still be loaded with flavor– of course, the toppings always make it better. They also have a gorgonzola burger and a plethora of add-ons and sides to accent. They are enough of a reason to head to West Town.

Twisted Spoke
501 N Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 666-1500
Near West Side

Twisted Spoke is known for its Fatboy– a heavenly 1/2 pound patty that is everything that you’d expect from a biker bar, now multiply it tenfold. You can either opt for their standard Fatboy or make it a Double Fatty and add bacon, chili, fried egg, avocado, blue cheese and/or chorizo. Also, for somewhat of a Rueben style– grilled rye bread, swiss cheese & grilled onions. Twisted Spoke is unique, delicious and worth showing your face there.

Unite Urban Grill
1450 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 455-8900
West Town

I will begin by saying that the Unite Urban Grill has one of the best veggie burgers in Chicagoland. The spicy aioli on brioche bun is enough to escalate it above the rest. With that being said, their beef burger is equally as enticing. Huge, juicy, perfectly cooked and the perfect amount of flavor. Unite Urban Grill caters to both sides of the burger craze– veggie burgers and the classic burger done up in fashion that will always keep you coming back.