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Make sure to enjoy those crispy, griddled bits of perfection
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Chicago is a burger town through and through, from its historic stockyards to the many juicy, meaty renditions at all price points throughout the city. Smash burgers in particular have flourished due to the genre’s Midwestern roots in St. Louis, Indiana, and Kansas City, winning adherents with razor-thin caramelized edges, a rich and deep char, and thoughtful toppings that bring out the beefy best in each bite. Longtime destinations and newer entrants all bring their own spin to the affair, so there’s a smash burger for nearly everyone.
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Owner Eddie Lakin has made this suburban Evanston spot a destination for burger fans all over town with his habit-forming smashed, griddled patties.
While this submission isn’t officially labeled a smash burger, the team at J.T.’s delivers each Darn Good Burger (lettuce, onion, pickle, American cheese, dijonaise) and J.T.’s Special Burger (caramelized onions, cheddar, Granny Smith apple, bacon, dijonaise) with a delightfully griddled texture that satisfies all those smash burger cravings.
Bitter Pops. one of Chicago’s best beer shops, relocated to a new and larger home in 2021 — one that also included a restaurant portion left behind by the previous tenant. That created an opportunity to feature a robust retail selection of craft brews alongside a food menu that includes Pop’s Double Smashburger (Courage Lager caramelized onions, American cheese, dijonaise) and Patti’s Single Smashburger. Patrons can also swing by for a rotating monthly regional burger such as the Mississippi Slug Burger — a smashed patty of beef mixed with pretzel crumbs — from Cornith, Mississippi.
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This casual counter-service spot pays tribute to the passionate smash burger culture of northwest Indiana with super-squashed patties complete with the lacy, caramelized edges that exemplify the genre. They may not win any beauty contests, but burgers — all served with the restaurant’s signature mayo-based sauce — have rightly earned a dedicated following.
The epitome of a Chicago institution, Redhot Ranch started out with a focus on fries-laden Depression Dogs. But thanks to a jolt of inspiration at an In-N-Out in 2013, co-owners Barry Nemerow and Jeff Greenfield added a perfectly smashed-and-seared burger that’s widely regarded as one of the best and most wallet-friendly around. There’s debate among aficionados regarding the particular strengths of the Lakeview location versus the outpost in Bucktown, but both welcome a steady stream of regulars. 35th Street Dogs, near Sox Park, also offers the same burger.
Brothers JC and Edgar Castañeda’s Chicago-meets-Mexico City mashup in Logan Square takes an unusual approach with the torta-style Pamburgesa, a guajillo-stained telera bun stuffed with a Slagel Farms smash burger, white onion, American cheese, “salsa especial,” and pickles.
Neighborhood staple Longman & Eagle has numerous claims to fame, including a smash burger that neatly encapsulates the restaurant and bar’s casually curated approach. The Slagel Farm double smash burger is gilded with white American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and dijonnaise, and makes for a satisfying accompaniment to Longman’s strong whiskey cocktails.
Behind Big Kids’ irreverent ‘90s stylings lies a culinary approach that is at once fun and thoughtful. One of its biggest hits and longest-standing menu items is the Original Shiddy Burger, a smashed patty topped with American cheese, “shiddy sauce,” and shredded lettuce.
Tucked on a quiet Bucktown street, this tavern and three-room inn has rolled out a smash burger submission that has become a real contender among fans in the city. The L St. Smash comes with an expertly flattened chuck Angus beef patty, American cheese, caramelized pickles, and signature sauce.
A massive hit among patrons of all ages, this restaurant is primarily a pizzeria. But numerous Chicagoans in the know will tell smash burger seekers to look no further than StopAlong’s double cheeseburger with smashed patties, American cheese, and a tangy sauce over caramelized onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes. The burger is so popular that the team has fostered a rivalry with well-known Chicago burger slinger Small Cheval (check out the digital billboard just south of the restaurant on Milwaukee).
Among the more recent entries in Chicago’s smash burger scene is SALT Burgers + Fries, a halal-certified outpost for smash burgers (beef and Impossible), onion rings, fries, and lemonade. Conveniently located beside owner Hassan Jaffrani’s franchise location of Beard Papa, the Japanese cream puff brand, diners can make their own sweet-and-savory pairing.
Burger hankerings are powerful, and fortunately for locals, Fatso’s has the antidote: a char-grilled and smashed Super Ooey Gooey burger stuffed with Merkts cheddar, bacon, and giardiniera, and dressed with sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, and onion. There’s a second location in Lincoln Park.
There’s a lot to look at in this charming cafe and bottle shop in Ukrainian Village, and after a few glass pours of New and Old World wines, the effect might even become dizzying. But patrons can steady themselves with All Together Now’s solid rendition of a Slagel Farms smash burger with fried onions, malt vinegar mayo, aged cheddar, pickles, all on grilled shokupan (Japanese milk bread).
Chicagoans and visitors can devour smash burgers in style at RPM Steak, the sleek and beautiful steakhouse from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises that’s served presidents and numerous celebrities over the years. Hidden among the menu listings of massive cuts of meat is a Wagyu smash burger with yuzu kosho aioli.
Smash burger options grow scarce south of the Loop, so Spoke & Bird’s 18th Street outpost is an especially important location for those with cravings. It comes with two smashed beef patties, cheddar, pickles, raw onion, dijonaise, and greens on a bakehouse bun.
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Owner Eddie Lakin has made this suburban Evanston spot a destination for burger fans all over town with his habit-forming smashed, griddled patties.
While this submission isn’t officially labeled a smash burger, the team at J.T.’s delivers each Darn Good Burger (lettuce, onion, pickle, American cheese, dijonaise) and J.T.’s Special Burger (caramelized onions, cheddar, Granny Smith apple, bacon, dijonaise) with a delightfully griddled texture that satisfies all those smash burger cravings.
Bitter Pops. one of Chicago’s best beer shops, relocated to a new and larger home in 2021 — one that also included a restaurant portion left behind by the previous tenant. That created an opportunity to feature a robust retail selection of craft brews alongside a food menu that includes Pop’s Double Smashburger (Courage Lager caramelized onions, American cheese, dijonaise) and Patti’s Single Smashburger. Patrons can also swing by for a rotating monthly regional burger such as the Mississippi Slug Burger — a smashed patty of beef mixed with pretzel crumbs — from Cornith, Mississippi.
This casual counter-service spot pays tribute to the passionate smash burger culture of northwest Indiana with super-squashed patties complete with the lacy, caramelized edges that exemplify the genre. They may not win any beauty contests, but burgers — all served with the restaurant’s signature mayo-based sauce — have rightly earned a dedicated following.
The epitome of a Chicago institution, Redhot Ranch started out with a focus on fries-laden Depression Dogs. But thanks to a jolt of inspiration at an In-N-Out in 2013, co-owners Barry Nemerow and Jeff Greenfield added a perfectly smashed-and-seared burger that’s widely regarded as one of the best and most wallet-friendly around. There’s debate among aficionados regarding the particular strengths of the Lakeview location versus the outpost in Bucktown, but both welcome a steady stream of regulars. 35th Street Dogs, near Sox Park, also offers the same burger.
Brothers JC and Edgar Castañeda’s Chicago-meets-Mexico City mashup in Logan Square takes an unusual approach with the torta-style Pamburgesa, a guajillo-stained telera bun stuffed with a Slagel Farms smash burger, white onion, American cheese, “salsa especial,” and pickles.
Neighborhood staple Longman & Eagle has numerous claims to fame, including a smash burger that neatly encapsulates the restaurant and bar’s casually curated approach. The Slagel Farm double smash burger is gilded with white American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and dijonnaise, and makes for a satisfying accompaniment to Longman’s strong whiskey cocktails.
Behind Big Kids’ irreverent ‘90s stylings lies a culinary approach that is at once fun and thoughtful. One of its biggest hits and longest-standing menu items is the Original Shiddy Burger, a smashed patty topped with American cheese, “shiddy sauce,” and shredded lettuce.
Tucked on a quiet Bucktown street, this tavern and three-room inn has rolled out a smash burger submission that has become a real contender among fans in the city. The L St. Smash comes with an expertly flattened chuck Angus beef patty, American cheese, caramelized pickles, and signature sauce.
A massive hit among patrons of all ages, this restaurant is primarily a pizzeria. But numerous Chicagoans in the know will tell smash burger seekers to look no further than StopAlong’s double cheeseburger with smashed patties, American cheese, and a tangy sauce over caramelized onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes. The burger is so popular that the team has fostered a rivalry with well-known Chicago burger slinger Small Cheval (check out the digital billboard just south of the restaurant on Milwaukee).
Among the more recent entries in Chicago’s smash burger scene is SALT Burgers + Fries, a halal-certified outpost for smash burgers (beef and Impossible), onion rings, fries, and lemonade. Conveniently located beside owner Hassan Jaffrani’s franchise location of Beard Papa, the Japanese cream puff brand, diners can make their own sweet-and-savory pairing.
Burger hankerings are powerful, and fortunately for locals, Fatso’s has the antidote: a char-grilled and smashed Super Ooey Gooey burger stuffed with Merkts cheddar, bacon, and giardiniera, and dressed with sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, and onion. There’s a second location in Lincoln Park.
There’s a lot to look at in this charming cafe and bottle shop in Ukrainian Village, and after a few glass pours of New and Old World wines, the effect might even become dizzying. But patrons can steady themselves with All Together Now’s solid rendition of a Slagel Farms smash burger with fried onions, malt vinegar mayo, aged cheddar, pickles, all on grilled shokupan (Japanese milk bread).
Chicagoans and visitors can devour smash burgers in style at RPM Steak, the sleek and beautiful steakhouse from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises that’s served presidents and numerous celebrities over the years. Hidden among the menu listings of massive cuts of meat is a Wagyu smash burger with yuzu kosho aioli.
Smash burger options grow scarce south of the Loop, so Spoke & Bird’s 18th Street outpost is an especially important location for those with cravings. It comes with two smashed beef patties, cheddar, pickles, raw onion, dijonaise, and greens on a bakehouse bun.