Burgers
Smash burgers, tavern burgers and thick pub burgers.
The Gage
A gastropub across from Millennium Park whose venison burger, piled with grilled onions, has been a downtown favorite for years.
Butch McGuire's
The Division Street saloon that opened in 1961 and calls itself Chicago's original singles bar. A proper Irish pub with a solid burger and famously over-the-top Christmas decorations.
Au Cheval
The burger that made Chicago a burger city. The wait is long and worth it once.
Red Hot Ranch
A hot dog stand making one of the city's best cheap double cheeseburgers. Locals swear by it.
Little Bad Wolf
Time Out named it the city's best burger in 2026: a messy, over-the-top stack worth the wait.
The Loyalist
A downstairs bar that critics have loved for years. A chef's burger without the chef prices.
Mott St
An Asian-inflected burger on every serious list. Get it for something you can't find anywhere else.
Kuma's Corner
The heavy-metal burger bar that started Chicago's burger craze in 2005. Loud, dark and huge.
Billy Goat Tavern
The SNL 'cheezborger' joint of Cubs-curse fame. The burger is modest; the experience is pure Chicago history.
Top-Notch Beefburgers
A Beverly diner from 1942 that grinds its own beef. A real South Side time capsule.
A burger city
Chicago takes burgers seriously, and the city does every style:
- Stacked, messy "diner" burgers with thin griddled patties and American cheese
- Tavern burgers served at neighborhood bars that have been open for decades
- Chef-driven burgers that people wait in line for
A few of the most famous burgers in the country are in the West Loop, but some of the best value is at hot dog stands and old corner taverns.
Good to know: the most famous spots can have long waits at peak times. Try off-hours, or sit at the bar.
Hungry for more Chicago classics? Try an Italian beef or a Chicago-style hot dog.