I’ve been on the job with NBC Chicago for seven months, and the most rewarding part is feeling that newsroom camaraderie. I spent 11 years working at a newspaper, and the adrenaline that flows in covering a story with fellow reporters is a thrill I’m lucky to experience again.
What’s exciting is getting to know my colleagues not just as journalists, but as humans and citizens.
After chatting up reporter Jenn Schanz during a summer company outing, I came away from our conversation enthralled, delighted, and slightly humbled. Turns out, Schanz is the newsroom’s authority on where to find a great burger in Chicago.
After attending college at DePaul, Schanz took on TV news jobs in Buffalo and Detroit. A few years ago, she moved back here to join NBC Chicago. And as a way to better know her city, she pushed herself to explore new neighborhoods by foot or bicycle — and finding a delicious burger was the motivating force.
On her phone, Schanz showed me the entry in her notes app chronicling her burger discoveries. What’s inspiring is that it’s not just a list of restaurant names — the burgers here are ranked, and the ranking is based on a rigorous set of criteria including value, texture, flavor, and other intangibles. She has the spirit of a proper food critic, not judging a place from a small sample size, but insisting she try a burger at least three times to be considered.
Her top 10 list fluctuates by the week. New discoveries supplant old favorites. But this week, Schanz did introduce me to three places with burgers I’d never tried before (and I thought I’d sampled all the good ones).
Craft Burger: A takeout window in Pilsen separates you from a substantial, griddled smashed double patty. Somewhat Big Mac-adjacent, but with higher-quality beef and some of the crispiest fresh-cut fries I’ve sampled in the city.
Golden Years: This cocktail lounge in West Town happens to serve a few hot food items—and its double burger is one of the better deals in town at $10.25. Comes with the standard fixings of lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, and Thousand Island sauce. Feels like the type of backyard burger you’d cook for friends, except this comes with a Tom Collins chaser.
Mott St: I’ve always loved this Wicker Park Asian-American mainstay, but its burger would have been the last thing I’d order. Thanks, Jenn, for introducing me to one of the tastiest renditions in the city. Double chuck patty, miso-butter grilled onions, and sweet potato crispies. Hoo boy is this a messy treat.
Though Schanz remains the resident expert at NBC Chicago, here are some of my favorites:
Top Notch Beefburger: Some places ride the coattails of longevity; Top Notch Beefburger in Beverly happens to be around for nearly 90 years and still serves a spectacular burger. The beef tastes beefier (the patties are freshly ground in the kitchen), and the fries are fried in beef tallow, so of course it tastes more magnificent.
Leavitt Street Inn: The apotheosis of the smashed burger. Crispy, lacy edges. Creamy house sauce. Toasted buns that aren’t an afterthought. Like Jenn, my list changes with the season. Leavitt Street has a consistent spot in my top three.
Red Hot Ranch: If you can find me a better-tasting griddled cheeseburger that costs under $7 … and comes with great fries? Let me know. Actually, no need to, because I don’t think such a thing exists.
Got a burger recommendation? Let Jenn know on Instagram and Facebook.
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