Butcher & The Burger

As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, burger opinions are like a-​holes, everyone has got one. I’d not really heard anything about this place, but ended up here while trying to kill time on a holiday. Fortunately it didn’t disappoint, but it didn’t get me super jazzed either.
Things to love about this place
— CHOICES. OMG, so many choices. It’s a build your burger dream — great choices for meats (type and size), cheese, buns and so many amazing topping options. In fact, I found the amount of choice overwhelming and intimidating so I ended up with a very basic burger. My classic response to enormous choice is to be paralyzed with fear of screwing it up and then I end up with something pretty straightforward as a result.
— Amazing french fries. SO CRISPY!!!
— Great cole slaw
Things I didn’t love so much — seating. Not a ton of it and on a day with super freezing temps, it was very chilly inside. Come here when it’s above 20 degrees, unless you run super hot.

Love the atmosphere and the burger options! I thought the seasoning add ons were interesting. They make you want to come back to try another burger. The shrimp «burger» was amazing! The fries are great but a little on the salty side. I will definitely be back!

This place is Over price. For $ 11.00 for just a simple burger. Anything else is $Extra$ the size of the burger is *small*
Most likely I would never come back.

I’ve been waiting to come here for months because of how many people recommend it to me and today I finally got all of my friends together and we came during the night time. The food was as expected amazing and I will definitely recommend the place forward. However, I thought it was very inappropriate and uncultured the fact that one of your cooks, (Sam as I found out) was using the word faggot among his peers, even the two other guys noticed what he had just say was wrong and stopped laughing, as they saw I was witnessing the whole thing while I was getting water. I’d highly encourage the owner or manager to reeducate his employees on what exactly is and is not appropriate.

First time here. Had good time building my own burger!
Food — Choose you meat, buns, spices and and any additional premium toppings. Mine was grass fed burger, while wheat bun, Chicago steakhouse spice, mayo and sunny side egg. If give it a ⁴⁄₅ stars! Excellent taste though the price is a bit stiff for the both the burger and fries. Fries were great too. I also had the goat cheese and honey milkshake! It tasted a lot like vanilla milkshake with soft tastes of the cheese. It was delicious.
Service — Great service! Though we went during peak hours, we had to wait in line and fight for seats as the place is packed. That’s a heads up.

The concept of picking out every single detail of the burger is exciting and yet scary. I was lucky enough to have picked all the right ingredient down to the right spice blend for the meat patty. I got the House patty with the unami spice blend. added fried egg, caramelized onions, and the bbq pork belly. The pork belly was 3 thick slices that I had to eat it separately and it wasn’t a bad thing. It got really messy but in the end, it was finger lickin’ good. Ladies, it’s not a first date type place; you can’t eat like a princess here ;)

I absolutely loved Butcher and The Burger! I’m not even a big burger fan (I rarely eat them) but decided to come here with a friend. The man working the counter was OUTSTANDING! We loved how helpful, friendly, and funny he was. The food came fast, the burger was juicy, fresh, and the flavors were fantastic. The fries were great too. We brought champagne (BYOB!) and they offered us glasses and ice. Overall, great service, food, and great atmosphere!

Has this place closed down? I went last Wednesday around 5:30 and the sign said open. So I paid my parking and went and it was closed. The website is down too.
Called and no answer :(Waste of parking fees and walking out in the cold. I am so bummed, this place was good.

Today was the second time I’ve dined in, and it was yet another great experience. I was greeted by a friendly man who was cleaning behind the cashier stand. He gave me a few recommendations, and based off those, I ordered a kids size grass fed beef burger with bleu cheese and sriracha mayo. Fla-​vor hea-​ven.
I also nabbed the fries because DUH (some of the best I’ve had in Chicago.)
Great food, great atmosphere (loved all the Café Du Monde goods). The only issue is time, as I came in on my lunch break. However all good things take time so I have no complaints! Will be stopping in more frequently in the future.

This place was really good. I got a regular burger well done and it was. Probably should have gotten it medium well. My date got a salmon burger and it was great. I should of gotten that the fries were great. I really can’t respect anyone who loves burgers but not fries. The place was small so I wouldn’t bring a large group.

This place is BYOB, which is wonderful cause you’re gonna need the booze while you wait.
I had to say this was one of the best places I ate at while in Chicago. I love the idea of building my own burger from the type of meat down to the spices. They have a lot of different unique toppings for you to choose from. Besides the toppings even the different meats you can pick really leaves this process up to your imagination. The line was a decent length when I went but it actually worked out in my favor while I was concocting my burger.
Which leads me to the wait. Apparently we were lucky as it wasn’t as busy as it normally is. Finding a table can be tricky since it’s usually packed, you could be sitting with strangers. And from what I’ve seen don’t be a noob and grab an empty table if you haven’t placed your order yet. It’s not fair to others who wait to order then look for a spot to sit.
The service is fairly fast that night. Burger came out cooked perfectly to a nice medium. The burger was fantastic nice and juicy, full of flavor. Place is definitely a hit. Like I said the wait can suck and finding a table can be harder since its not that big of a place, I took a star for that.

It’s street parking but very easy to find a spot.
The service was excellent! The cashier helped us with all of our questions, brought our food to us, and took everything away. The food was kind of expensive but well worth it. I would highly recommend the Chicago steakhouse seasoning blend! I also tried the ghost pepper seasoning which was good (but not as flavorful as the other seasoning blend). Definitely get the pretzel bun too! It made the burger so much better. My friend and I got the kid sized patty which was plenty (just a heads up).
We tried the fries and beignets too. While I thought the fries were a bit salty, my friend loved them. As for the beignets, we agreed that the powdered sugar was better than the cinnamon sugar but both were delicious.

This place went under the radar for me over the past few years, incredibly happy I finally stopped in for lunch!
First off BYOB, wish I knew that before coming in on Sunday!
Its a small burger joint where you pick absolutely everything: type of meat, seasonings, bun and toppings. So if you don’t think its good, then its probably your own fault.
I chose a beef burger with blue cheese, mushrooms, caramelized onions and bacon… all on a pretzel roll. Really great combo with a perfectly cooked burger. Although you get a pretty solid sized burger, there’s something about the meat that doesn’t make you regret having it shortly after. It seemed like the meat felt lighter than any burger I’ve had in the past.
Really great food spot, I’ll be back very soon.

Sometimes it’s nice not to have to choose what to do for lunch — I do the cooking and meal planning at home. So I was super happy that Osi V made the decision that we go to Butcher & the Burger for lunch and since it was BYOB, decided that we should walk to Binny’s to get some adult beverages to have with our meal. She led, I followed and things turned out great.
At first glance, the menu at B&B is overwhelming. because you call the shots and the possibilities are endless. It starts with the patty, then what spices you want, then what bun you want, then what toppings you want. wow.
I opted for a grass-​fed beef patty (medium), Chicago Steakhouse Spice, lettuce wrap for bun, American Cheese, pickles, tomatoes, caramelized onions and sriracha mayo. Side of fries with the truffle aioli. And joined by a To Hell or High Watermelon Beer and lunch was freakin’ delicious.
Although this is a solid meal and staff was wonderful, I thought the price was pretty steep for the serving size. I did like the space and would like to come back, but at least I’d be less shocked when the total is announced.

Burger lovers, your dreams have come true, and it’s called Butcher & the Burger. Each burger is made fresh to order, and is truly your own creation. For those of you who love a good turkey burger, this is the place to be. No unseasoned slabs of meat here; in fact you’ll find a series of seasoning blends that you can choose from. You can then choose your toppings, and then you MUST choose to order the fresh cut fries; they’re delicious. Unless you’re really hungry or are sharing among 3 or more people, order the small fry.
Beware: the restaurant is small and runs out of seating quickly. Seating is first come first serve, and this is not the place to take a large group. There is patio seating during the warm months; however, that’s limited as well. The pricing is very reasonable, and they give you plenty for your money. I could only finish half of my burger, and half the small order of fries. I will definitely be back!
Tip: if you’re not up for eating a whole burger, try the kid size. I tried one on my second visit, finished the whole thing, and was perfectly full!

GLUTEN FREE PEOPLE — lettuce buns suck… BUT their burger was actually so good it didn’t even matter! So many times I’ve gotten a burger and was disappointed after realizing that the beloved pretzel bun was making the burger and not the patty itself. This burger was perfectly cooked and I got the Chicago style seasoning and it was just fantastic!
All the classic toppings are free, I hate being charged extra for wanting onion, pickles, tomato, mustard and whatever other classic toppings should just come with a burger, so this place made me happy. Yes they have eggs and coleslaw and other special toppings that sound quite good but they do charge for these, but this makes sense to me. I also really liked they you can get a small fry or a large one to share– perfect :)
So why not 5 stars? So hard to enjoy sitting in the place while eating and trying to enjoy a friend’s company. Very small inside so maybe Friday night wasn’t the smartest but we made it work. Also, they didn’t just give us water, we had to ask and the waiter brought just one water… Uhhh there are two of us sir, and I felt bad having the guy climb through the crowd to get another water but COME ON.

It was around the time of Burger Fest, and I didn’t want to venture out into the heat and crowd, so I decided to FINALLY check out this place that my friend had been raving about.
We went around 7:30pm and this place was packed! While waiting in line, I overheard a lot of frustrated customers who were waiting for their burger for over 25 mins, and I started getting worried, but luckily I wasn’t that hungry. We ordered the burger featured in the James Beard’s Better Burger Project and a large order of fries around 7:45pm. After hearing about the commotion earlier, I asked how long the wait would be and was told around 15 mins, so we decided to go for a walk around Lincoln Park. Once 15 mins elapsed so we headed back, but had to wait another 10 – 15 mins for our burger. FINALLY they called my name and it was time to eat.
When I went to cut the burger to share with my friend, the burger was not medium rare. It was raw! So raw that the table next to us said that it looked purple! I hardly ever send anything back to the kitchen, but this burger was barely edible. While waiting on the burger to be properly cooked, we munched on the fries, but it was beyond salty. I tasted more salt than potato and was pretty disappointing. After 5 or so mins, our burger returned to us but now it was not even medium rare, but cooked all the way through. Even though I didn’t like how my burger was cooked, it did have a lot of flavor and depth to it. Not a fan of the fries at all though only because it was too thick for my taste and way too salty for any person to consume.
Overall, I think everyone there had the same mentality as me which was to hit up a burger place instead of the Burger Fest, so it was bad timing for me to check out this place. As a result, the kitchen couldn’t keep up with the demand as their menu allows a lot of customization which gets time consuming. Don’t get be wrong, the flavors were on point, but quality control in terms of cooking the meat to order is a big deal. Mine came out raw and then came out way too cooked for my taste. In the end, the atmosphere is chill. A good place to grab dinner with friends or with your family. The décor of the spice rack was neat and made the place homey.

Rosa J. usually makes herself at home with the «older» folks in the city. Blue-​collar diners and working-​class hotdog/​burger joints are some of her best «foodie on foot» companions. However, Rosa J. was doing her P.Y.T and ending up in «Butcher & The Burger» in Lincoln Park, less than one (1)-block west from CTA Armitage Brown/​Purple Line station.
We weren’t familiar with how the menu worked, but the enthusiastic young man at the register explained the menu and gave us his recommendation (Chicago steakhouse spice). By the way, if you’re a vegetarian or even a vegan, you won’t feel left out and jealous of other chic carnivores consuming these juicy burger patties. Hubby ordered the lentil-​brown rice burger, with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and grilled mushrooms. He also went with the wheat bun. He said it was one of the best veggie burgers he has had so far.
I also had one (1) bite of that lentil-​brown rice burger. It didn’t taste like a «secondary substitution» or a «compromise» because one chose not to have meat in his or her diet. In other words, I would be very happy to order this burger without a doubt!
On the other hand, I went with the grass-​fed beef burger, with avocados, a fried egg, onions, pickles, and Dijon mustard. Although I forgot to request my fried egg to be made over-​easy, it actually turned out just the way I liked it, for the «split bun» wouldn’t be able to handle the runny egg as well as a «pretzel bun» would. The pattie was thick, so I believe that consuming one (1) hearty burger was enough for an average individual’s appetite.
That Dijon mustard had a very strong kick. I personally didn’t mind it and thought that was a nice touch. Nevertheless, if you often skip the wasabi at a sushi restaurant, I suggest that you stick with the regular mustard.
Their fries were also spot-​on crunchy and deliciously salty. To be honest, some people might have minor complaints on the pricing because they were quite expensive ($ 32 and some change for our meal, including a Filbert’s cream soda hubby added on). After we finished everything, hubby and I concluded that money we spent on our dinner this evening was worth every penny. I guess we just have to splurge a little on quality hand-​crafted finger food every once in awhile!

This place makes fantastic burgers using premium quality ingredients and condiments that satisfy a variety of palates. First off, I love the interior décor that screams artesian and butcher! One can get overwhelmed with the daunting menu, but the staff are very helpful in giving recommendations based on what you are looking for. They also offer several gourmet burgers where you don’t have to create a burger from scratch on your own.
I tried the American medium. It was amazing! Even though I’m not a pickle person, the pickles were delicious. The burger is big, but it was still manageable to hold with both hands without going to pieces. Hubby made his own and tried the Chicago Steakhouse spice which he really liked. We split a small side of fries, which was definitely more than enough for two people. Taking our servers recommendation, we ordered a side of the Black Truffle Aioli with Hubby’s burger which we used as a dipping sauce for the fries (you will not regret it!). The fries were hot, fresh, thick, and crispy, just the way I like them. We both had the split top butter egg buns for our burgers, but next time I’m going to try the pretzel. The freshly squeezed lemonade was refreshing and just on the side of sweet that was perfect for summer.

Best burget EVER! For real!
Increíble! volvería mil veces. Excelente la hamburguesa, sin palabras… Ahumada y super bien condimentada. El pan también es excelente, medio dulzón, buenísimo.
Pedí la clásica con lechuga, tomate, cebolla caramelizada (excelente) y champignones (riquíiiisimos), con Chicago steak sauce. Las papas fritas también buenísimas!
Lo único malo es que no tienen cerveza para acompañar…
Entre 2 gastamos usd37. Parada OBLIGADA para cualquiera que ande por Chicago. El barrio en donde está también es muy lindo para caminarlo.

This place is awesome! You order your burger (and other stuff) at the counter and you get to pick your meat, your spice, your bun, your condiments and other toppings. I got the house beef blend with Cajun seasoning on a pretzel bun along with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, Sriracha mayo and avocado. Also shared an order of fries with my girlfriend. Burger was delicious! Fries were delicious! I really want to come back and try more combinations! They have some preselected options if you’re worried about picking everything yourself. The spices aren’t too strong in the meat so don’t worry about that so much.
The guys working were also super friendly and struck up a nice conversation when they came around to see how you were doing. Great place, highly recommend it!

Y a pas à dire, en matière de burgers, ils savent y faire ces américains!
Je passé devant le lieu dont le nom m’évoque une adresse bien connue de chez moi (Butcher à Lyon, ndlr). Un petit creu, c’est parti je pousse la porte!
(Je précise que, en plein Jet Lag, il devait être environ 15h et que ce n’est absolument pas un problème ou considéré comme anormal de manger à cette heure là…)
Le lieu est très sympa: mur de briques peintes en blanc, bois rouge, objets vintages vraiment cools (balances, radio…).
Une immense ardoise présente la carte: les burgers sont à composer soi-​même ce qui correspond à l’idéal du burger chez moi.
Le nombre de combinaisons possibles est gigantesque!
Pour la base le choix se fait entre: le type de viande (boeuf américain, boeuf nourri à l’herbe, dinde, poulet…), la cuisson bien sûr, le fromage (dont: cheddar, chèvre, bleu,…), un assaisonnement pour la viande (mélanges d’épices qui font tous vraiment envie) et une sauce (là encore beaucoup de choix) enfin le type de pain (classique, bretzel, complet…)
Ensuite, on ajoute des ingrédients à la carte (entre 75 cents et quelques dollars): par exemple: avocat, bacon, oignons caramélisés…
Dans la liste (mais à mon grand j’ai découvert son existance trop tard: de la mayonnaise à la truffe noire !!).
La commande se fait au comptoir que l’on mange sur place ou non.
Mon burger fut composé de pain classique, de bœuf qui a mangé de l’herbe, assaisonnement Chicago style, moutarde, Cheddar, Avocat et Bacon (Avocat + Bacon = burger idéal de mon point de vue). J’ai ajouté à cela une «petite» frites et du thé glacé. Coût total (taxes incluses) = 20 $ et ils les valaient!
Le burger était parfait, de taille parfaite, d’assaisonnement parfait… Les frites pareillement: juste croustillantes comme il faut, de taille comme il faut…
Je pense que ce qui m’a le plus plût vs. tout ce qu’on trouve comme burgers en France de nos jours, outré la composition «à la carte» avec de nombreux choix de combinaisons, c’est l’assaisonnement: une vrai maîtrise, on sent le goût des épices, un petit goût fumé juste comme il faut.
D’où ma question existentielle du jour: pourquoi, malgré leur nombre qui grandit exponentiellement au fil des mois, et leur volonté (semble-​t-​il) de bien faire, les adresses à burgers françaises né parviennent-​elles pas au niveaux de leur cousines américaines?! Vous avez 2 heures…