Really South Side of Chicago!

Chicago Hamburger Company

3749 East Indian School Road

Phoenix, AZ 85018

Phoenix is the Chicago of the southwest. Tons of former Windy city residents have set up residence in the warm Arizona sunshine. When I have watched Cubs/Diamondbacks games on TV it is hard to tell that the game is being played at Bank One Ballpark, because there are so many cheers for the Cubs. So it is natural that there would be a restaurant in Phoenix called Chicago Hamburger Company.

Chicago is a great food city. Deep dish pizza, hot dogs, and beef dip sandwiches come to mind when I think of the grub I have had there. While I am sure that Chicago has its fair share of great hamburgers, the burger is not one of the foods that come to mind when I think of Chi-Town. so I was very intrigued to be eating here.

Chicago Hamburger Co. is a little divey. Not the cleanest restaurant we have been to, but the place had charm. Of course, there are tons of Chicago memorabilia all over the place. Pennants, pictures, and Windy City references are everywhere you glance. The sign above is actually posted right next to the menu. Of course, it has been over 103 years and counting since the Cubs have won the World Series, but miracles could happen. Free sliders might make me a fan of this place, but great food would make me love it. Let's see how it all turned out for us here.

Chili Fries started us off. Not really into chili with beans especially on fries, but these were actually pretty good. The fries were average, but the good amount of chili made up for this. Wish I would have gotten some cheese on these to round them out a little.

Katie was a little wiped out from our busy day around Phoenix, so she just had this One-Third Pound Cheddar Burger. This burger was very juicy, and the bun was very good. The hamburger here is made out of the chuck and then broiled. Makes for a pretty good burger.

Apparently, sliders are very popular in Chicago and the Midwest. I guess you can make a case for that just based on the success of White Castle. These Windy City Sliders come with ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions. I could have eaten a whole bunch of these. Not really sure why a slider fast food restaurant would not work in OC. Wish we had one.

This Hot Dog looked and tasted just like the one I had in the shadow of Wrigley Field. The hot dogs in Chicago all resemble a salad bar on a bun. They are dressed in tomato, onions, pickle spear, mustard, and the greenest relish you have laid your eyes on. This neon green relish is the key. Also important, they use Vienna beef hot dogs. Good meaty dog, with a decent snap to it. The poppy seed bun is also key. Soft, but still able to support the contents of the hot dog.

After leaving Chicago Hamburger Company I was a little disappointed. I was disappointed that I did not try some of their other interesting items on their menu. Frito Pie, Italian Beef Dip Sandwich, and the Italian Sausage sound fantastic. I froze when I was ordering, and even writing this review I am still kicking myself for not going big here and getting more food.

The atmosphere at Chicago Hamburger Company was that of a local burger joint. Do not come here expecting cloth napkins, or waiter service. Ordering is done at the counter. The menu is large. We watched customer after customer come in and just stare at the menu for a good amount of time before ordering. It is a little overwhelming. Prices are very good here. Sliders start at 99 cents, full-sized burgers are reasonable at $5, and the hot dogs were $4.65.  Glad we made the trip here and wish we lived closer to try more of their menu. They could save us on the airfare to Chicago.

Out of five shoulders, (because Chicago is sometimes called, "the City of Big Shoulders"), five being best to zero being worst, Chicago Hamburger Company gets 3 solid shoulders.

For more information on Chicago Hamburger Company, click here: http://chicagohamburger.com/