Chef Burger

Glad that Chef Burger is a local place and not a chain in the P&L district. Burgers and hot dogs are really pretty good and high quality ingredients. that being said, my favorite sandwich is the tuna burger. Sides are unique but all fried — love the garlic fries. A bit bummed that there is no desert except a $ 5 shake that is tasty but way too small for $ 5.
There are a number of upscale burger joints here in town now and this is one of them. The nice difference between this and Blanc is you don’t have to spend $ 50 for two burgers, sides and beers.
* Menu
1. burgers and dogs
* Wine List
1. beer
* Cleanliness
1. yes
* Décor
1. New and modern. I like it.
* Atmosphere
1. Busy at lunch with business people
* Other Patrons
1. All professional
* Kitchen Staff
1. Very happy — never seen unhappy people here
* Host
1. NA
* Location
1. Power & Light — Kansas City
* Parking
1. Crappy downtown parking
* Restrooms
1. ??? I am sure they are there
* Cuisine
1. Comfort food — burgers, dogs, shakes
* Presentation
1. Upscale cafeteria. Tin trays, etc.
* Creativity
1. Very for a burger.

I was once an avid fan of Chef Burger, but sadly, it has gone downhill since I first tried them.
Last week, I had my (used-​to-​be) favorite burger, The Hawaiian, with a pineapple slice and Sriracha cole slaw. The burger was cooked medium rare as I had ordered, but the meat itself lacked any flavor — and I loves me some meat-​taste. What makes this burger unique is the Sriracha cole slaw, but it failed to woo me this time. The slaw was watery and lacked any Sriracha flavor.
The sweet potato fries were also uninspiring. Someone had asked one time on Unilocal Talk where to get good sweet potato fries and I’ll have to say that this is not where you would find them.
As for the price… it can be a deal since a combo is only an additional $ 2 for fries and a drink, but the prices of the burgers themselves, I feel, are a little high, so you’re just adding $ 2 to something already considered overpriced. The sweet potato fries were an additional $ 1.
They are in a prime location with a great concept, so I hope things improve to what it once was. It’s feels as if the excitement and passion for creating delicious fast burgers have gone and what we’re left with is just rote cooking.

I’m a carnivore but Chef Burger’s black bean burger is to die for. It was oh so tasty and juicy. I have not tried there waffle fries or shakes but I would like to go back and give them a whirl.
The décor is pretty industrial looking and I like how the grill and food stations are visible so you can see them prepare your food.
The only qualms I have with the place are the prices. My black bean burger by itself with no fries or drink was $ 8.99 without tax. I would definitely go back to try some of there non vegetarian burgers.

Chef burger is the third restaurant in Kansas City, where I hang up my vegetarian hat at the door. They have a blackbean burger, but it’s not the best. Which is why I don’t opt for this.
The burgers are really good. You can get them cooked how you want them, and whatever toppings you can add, for .55 a topping. they also have hotdogs, and chicken burgers.
But, it’s the spiked shakes that has me coming back. I order the banana spiked shake, (before concerts at the Sprint Center), and don’t need to order beer for the events there. Granted, on regular days where there’s no event at the Sprint Center, I don’t or even can’t order a spiked shake, so I order a regular shake. They are really good, but spiked, they are a bit better.
It’s not a large place, so they don’t typically handle crowds very well. But I still enjoy eating there, even if I have to wait for a table.
The one gripe I have with Chef Burgers, is, the hours. I had my son, and my son’s girlfriend with me, and it was just after 9:00 at night. Nothing in the Power and Light District is open to under age kids after 9:00. And that’s too bad, cause my son and his girlfriend missed an opportunity for a good burger, and a non spiked shake.
Another, I guess, is parking. You have to pay to park downtown, which doesn’t draw extra business to these locations, as if, there would be unpaid parking. The Power and Light District isn’t an area you’d want to go to just one restaurant, and that’s all you’d do.

The burgers here are pretty good (the Widowmaker earns its moniker) and the sweet potato fries are delicious. Top it off with a spiked shake — I like the B52 with Kahlua, Bailey’s and Grand Marnier — and it’s better than fast food. Not much, but they get points for freshness and uniqueness.
I would give it one more star but the service is bad. The folks at the counter seem like they don’t want to be there, won’t really answer questions and make me feel rushed every time I’m there.
As much as I like the sweet potato fries, though, they’re way too expensive for fries. I like to get the chili/​cheese dog and it’s only $ 5.99 but I tack on sweet potato fries and that’s another $ 3.99. How is that possible?
The location is what it has going for it. On a night when there’s an event at Sprint Center the line will be out the door. It used to be like that all the time when it first opened, but now I can usually just walk in and right up to the cashier with no wait.

Chefburger is a 5 star spot trapped in the body of a 3 star spot. Really. A couple small changes could make this place a local legend and phenomenon.
the positives:
Garlic/​parsley fries = Delicious.
Original chefburger = YUM.
Interior = Awesome… such a comfortable and well-​done take on a modern diner.
negatives:
Weird pricing. it’s not that they’re too high, but the $ 5 burger + $ 3 – 4 fries is a little much together. Why not a combo meal? And why are the sweet potato fries so much more than regular potatoes? I did spend over $ 8 at a McDonald’s the other day so it’s hard to say Chefburger should lower its prices, but some work needs to be done there to add value to the customer experience.
Service. Just not good. Girl at the counter tapping her finger anxiously as I decided and there’s no one in line. Umm… OK?! People behind the counter just wearing street clothes. None of it matches the high concept type vibe you get from the food and interior (same problem that Yummo has). I guess I just expect Chipotle type service at a place like this– not what I’d get at Kmart.
Chefburger is basically an upscale, nice version of McDonald’s or even Steak N Shake without table service. I think that’s a great concept. I was expecting the overplayed gourmet concept like Blanc or the Burger Stand at Dempsey’s…and I like the traditional, no nonsense approach much better.

Fast Food that takes 10 minutes. That’s how I summarize Chef Burger. I had the Chef Burger with Fries and a Bud Light. Yea, I suppose it’s sorta cool that you can buy a beer at a fast food restaurant. Yes, Chef Burger is nothing more than fast food.
The more I think about it, I would have rather spent my 13 dollars at Red Robin with snotty-​nosed timmy sitting next to me rather than Fred from Ottawa who was in town looking for antiques. Not sure if I shoulda told Fred he might be looking in the wrong part of town for antiques, but I didn’t.
At first I gave Chef Burger a 3star, but as I typed I went to 2* ‘Meh, I’ve experienced better’. Chef Burger is benefiting from its’ location within P&L Plaza, quick bite to eat before a night of boozing — wish I would have went with Chipotle. Yes I said it, Chipotle.

It was a burger, seasoned fries and a chocolate malt. And nothing was really wrong with it.
Until I realized that I was sweating as I ate at one of the tables inside. And not because the fry seasoning had a kick.
There was an excessive heat warning, and ChefBurger decided to accommodate by opening up its doors and letting a breeze in.
Ain’t gonna cut it people. Especially when I’m paying almost $ 20 for my pseudo-​fast food meal.
I will most likely be back for a shake or malt. Mine was deliciously creamy and hit the spot on a hot day. But if I’m looking for a burger meal, I’ll head elsewhere.

I’m always down for a good burger, especially if the logo of the restaurant is a cute little animated hamburger guy. Chef Burger brought just that, along with a pretty extensive menu filled with fresh takes on traditional burger toppings and sides. I had the Chef Burger version of a patty melt with a side of sweet potato fries (my FAVORITE). The meat was tasty and had a great fresh flavor that was even better with the sauteed mushrooms and added sauerkraut. I also managed to steal a few bites of the Widow Maker burger that had home made chili and a fried egg piled on top. My heart stopped for a moment after the bites were inhaled, but after regaining a pulse, I decided that the chili was too healthy tasting for my liking. Luckily, my friends had sides of fried green beans and tater tots to bring the meal back to life.
Chef Burger is unlike your local BK or Mickey D’s and that’s what makes it fantastic. A fresh, local place that focuses on doing food right is the place for me.

This place is JUST OKAY… It’s like one of those movies that got a lot of hype — and when you finally see it, you feel so let down!
I took a date here before the Eagles concert. She took me to the Eagles, and I took her to Chef Burger??? If the burgers were as good as some folks on here claimed, I would say it was an attempt at a fair deal — tickets for a burger…
But let’s be honest. This place is NOT that great. The shakes are made from soft serve ice cream. The burger patties are pre-​formed and frozen (at least they seemed that way). The ONLY thing I would say is ingenius about this place are the sweet potato fries…
Here are some truly great KC Burgers: Five Guys (in Olathe), Westport Flea Market, and Granite City (also in Olathe). At Five Guys, you can see them hand-​forming the patties while they cook them up. At Granite City, order the waffle fries and special dipping sauce (they’ll know what you are talking about).
Wish I could get sweet potato fries at Five Guys — or even McDonalds! They are better for you, and they taste good, too!

FAST FOOD. That’s what it tastes like. I saw the reviews and expected better.
I had the chef burger with the fries. Yes, it’s pretty fast and VERY empty for Friday at lunch. They put a chef sauce on that is mayo-​like. The burger’s alright. The fries were waffle-​like. I wasn’t impressed, but it’s a step above MCD or BK.
They do have a lot of other choices there like AHI tuna burger, etc.
Two soda fountains, so lots of choices there. They also sell beer.
What IS nice, is that it’s in the center of the Power and Light district and you can sit outside if you wish.
You order, and they call your name when the food is ready. They appear to make everything to order (burgers anyway).

I like this place. They have more than one veggie option which is awesome. I had the black bean burger and it was one of the only veggie burgers i’ve ever had that reminded me of eating a meat burger. Maybe it was the size and toppings but it was pretty cool. I am excited to go back and try the falafel burger and one of their spiked milkshakes.

This place reminded me of Taylor’s Refreshers –a gourmet burger place with a retro 50’s feel but with modern kitchen cool. Sleek metal counters, clean long counters, and simple décor make Chef Burger an urban eating hot spot.
They had every type of burger you could crave, including turkey, chicken and veggie alternatives. My only beef (haha, bad pun) was all the frickin bacon! Almost everything had bacon in it (which I know you can request without, but it seemed like a lot). Even my buffalo chicken burger had bacon on it – which I overlooked or they just put it in out of habit. It was SO good though! Nice and spicy, good fresh toppings and a slightly grilled bun. My onion rings were better than average too. I think they use a buttermilk coating – and they broke evenly when you bit into them, no stringy onions here.
I did want to try their milkshakes, but had to save room for yummo next door. They offer adult milkshakes too with liquor which just sound divine. It took a bit longer than I expected, considering I was the only one there, but totally worth the wait. I just assumed they were making it especially good for me because they had the time to be…(sweeping music here)…Chef Burger!

I stopped in here while in Kansas City for the 2008 Skills USA Championships to have lunch and it was just plain delicious!
They have on their menu every type of burger you can imagine, and some that you can’t! Variety is a great thing and Chef Burger really has perfected it!
The workers were very nice and personable, it was a pleasure to be served by them! We were dressed rather formally for our competition and they took interest in it and struck up a conversation with us.
All in all a great place to stop and sit for a quick meal!

Mmmmm ChefBurger. Pure Amazingness. From the super fun pop art décor to the amazing burgers, I love this place. When you enter, you pick up a menu and decide what you want while you wait in line. There are tons of different kinds of burgers, but you can also make your own. They have a Hawaiian burger, a basic cheeseburger, or anything else you could possibly want. They also offer chicken and wedge salads if you don’t want a burger, but, it IS called ChefBurger would assume you would want a burger. The burgers are GIGANTIC. This is great if you are a guy, but a little overwhelming if you get full fast, like I do. One day during lunch I could barely eat half of my burger, because I got waffle fries with it. The sweet potato fries are also really good (but then again, when aren’t sweet potato fries good?).
Once you place your order, they prepare it in sort of a human conveyor belt fashion. The staff is always really organized and super fast, especially when it is busy (like at lunch on a weekday). It does seem like they move slower when it’s not as busy, which I guess is ironic in a way, but I don’t usually mind waiting a couple minutes longer for my burger. When it’s ready, they call out your name Panera-​style and you can get your own pop. (This is good for when you need refills)
Another sweet and unique thing about ChefBurger is the fact that they have alcoholic drinks. Entering the restaurant, you wouldn’t really expect it to have alcohol, but they make milkshakes that have alcohol in them. Ice cream + liquor = yum! The grasshopper (mint ice cream, chocolate, crème de menthe) is SOOO good, it tastes like a thin mint girl scout cookie. Of course you can get the milkshakes without alcohol as well. So after a concert, or before partying at Power and Light, try out ChefBurger. You won’t be disappointed!

I have been to LA and NYC and Chicago several times, and when you go out in a bigger, better city, whether it be to eat, drink or whatever, you pay more, it is just the way it is.
Kansas City Power and Light area establishments are pricier as compared to other areas of town, but this is just part of becoming a hip metropolitan area. That being said I did not think Chef burger was over priced. I thought the interior was fun – lots of stainless steel, PAC-​man-​esque hamburger décor, and an overall hip appeal.
I was sold with the sweet potato fries, I was elated when the line for the men’s bathroom was longer than the women’s:) (this was during a sporting event, but still I relish the memory).
The option of getting different types of patties; bison, turkey, beef etc is cool and my burger both times I have gone has been super-​yummy.
The best thing of Chef burger is not cheap – I think mine was $ 8 – but spiked shakes turn a regular old burger joint up a notch. I ordered a Oreo shake that had vanilla stoli and Godiva white chocolate in it…
It was blissful! Supporting the new P&L district may be a little pricier than other areas, but it is essential to make KC’s urban revitalization successful and on par with bigger metros.
***After receiving valid feedback about this review, I want to cotend that I love KC and I do not think the bigger metros are better (although that is apples and oranges). I just believe in progress and revitalization:)

I’m sure the fact that we snagged an outside table on a sunny day has something to do with that 4^th star. Mother nature, please start being nicer to us. It’s the end of May and 50 degrees today. You are such a skank sometimes.
I think Chef Burger is a great addition to downtown. The line got pretty long as we were waiting, but with most patrons on their lunch hour there was a quick turnover of tables. You’d think the place would get chaotic but all of our orders were correct.
One gripe – with our coveted sunshiney seats, we also had to strain to hear our names being called to come pick up our orders. Perhaps a speaker on the patio would help out?
And hey Adam, ya jerk, *I* went here and ordered a vegetarian option! The falafel burger was huge and delicious. However, I ordered it sans-​sriracha coleslaw (two things I don’t like on their own, let alone mixed together)…It fell apart a little in the end but nothing a fork couldn’t help me out with. As a lover of all things potato, the waffle fries looked like a GLORY but I just wasn’t that hungry. The tots are a fun option too. I’m a 5 year old.
Great experience… a spiked milkshake might have to be on the next trip’s agenda!

I had a chance to be the first one to review this place, but alas, too lazy to fill out all the malarky required to even place the restaurant on here.
First of all, who goes to a burger place for a veggie burger? Honestly. I can’t wait to go to Eden’s and order a KC strip. Maybe go to Chik-​Fil-​A for a sausage biscuit. The sky’s the limit!
Anywho, this place has no shortage of weird-​ass burgers, which is a good thing. I love going to places such as Minsky’s and this place, that gives you plenty of options and variety.
I had the Widowmaker burger and garlic fries. The burger was good, though I would have liked it better without the chili as chili as a topping all tastes the same to me. The garlic fries put the garlic in garlic fries. My fault, next time I’ll try the fried green beans or tomatoes. I also had a $ 5 milkshake. Good, not $ 5 good. I felt like Vincent Vega drinking it.
Why four stars? Well, the owner was there making the food, and according to the Pitch he cares about the quality, the burger was tasty if the chili topping was underwhelming (again, not a fan of chili) and the variety and option of spiked milkshakes is welcome.
I will say paying for parking blows, especially if you’ve actually bought something/​ate somewhere. Power & Light, it’s not looking good for you, homey.

I had a wonderful hamburger experience at Chef Burger. I got the Hawaiian burger which had grilled pineapple, red onions, bacon and sriracha cole slaw. I don’t particularly like cole slaw but this cole slaw was good.
The burger was cooked wonderfully even though they don’t ask if you want it medium or well or whatever. It was probably closer to well done but still pretty juicy. If you’re downtown, you’re probably not going to get a better burger, but you can certainly get a cheaper burger.
The fries are the thing keeping me from giving this 5 stars. I should have spent the extra dollar for the sweet potato fries because the $ 1.99 regular fries weren’t anything special. They certainly weren’t bad but, for the type of burgers they’re serving you expect a little more. You may also get fried green tomatoes but I didn’t. I’m worried just using those words will cause me to produce estrogen as it reminds me of the chicky movie by the same name.
Overall, this place is very good and I’m looking forward to going back. Next time I’ll go after work so I can try a spiked milkshake because that sounds fabulous.

This place was originally supposed to be a «build your own burger» restaurant, but I heard that fell by the waste side because the order and filling process took too long. Currently, the menu gives you several gourmet burger options, hot dogs and even some salad and soup choices. The menu also features a great selection of shakes and «mix-in’s». Sides includes items like fried green beans, onion rings, fries and sweet potato fries.
I went on a Tuesday at lunch and waited in a 10 minute line to order. I was there with my cousin and her three young girls, everyone else was on their lunch break.
The restaurant has nice big windows on three sides, which is good for people watching. The tables are a mix of long community high tops and a sprinkling of regular size tables around the perimeter. It is pretty tight getting to tables when everyone is seated.
When you order is ready, they call your name and you pick it up on a tray. I ordered the cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. The burger was flavored perfectly and didn’t need any additional seasoning. Sweet potato fries were thick and nice and crispy on the outside. My cousin’s burger was cooked incorrectly, so she had to take it back to the counter. I tried one of the fried green beans– they were OK, but lacked flavor. I really wanted to try a shake, but I am going to save that for a nice hot summer day.
I am not a fan of Souperman, but I went in here with an open mind. I liked it a lot. One thing I would like to see is mini cheeseburgers. That would be a great option for kids, although I have ordered a few in the past.
This is straight forward food, so what would make you go here as opposed to other burger & fries joints? Well, things that will bring me back are special touches like the sweet potato fries, grilled hamburger buns, build your own shakes and decent alternative options to the hamburger. The restaurant in a KC original. A great location and watching your hamburger grilled on a open flame and it works for me!