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5 best burgers, according to the author of 'Burger Bible'
· Updated
Behold, here are the five Chicago burgers Maggie Hennessy loves eating most.
This guide was originally published on suntimes.com and wbez.org on April 1, 2026.
5 places
Showing 5 of 5 places
Charly's Burger at Charly's Burgers
Charly's Burgers
Hearty burgers, sausages & fries to take out are dished up in this pared-down, compact eatery.
The namesake double cheeseburger ($12 or $15 with fries and a drink) lives in the towering, sloppy-good burger realm, packing two 6-ounce house-ground beef and bacon patties with a satisfying char, melted American cheese, a pile of caramelized onions and shaved pickles, and a generous smear of mayo-based secret sauce. Have I mentioned that the fries — lacy-crisp outside, fluffy within — count among my favorite anywhere in the city? You’ll want a side of cheese sauce for dipping.
Double Cheezborger at Billy Goat Tavern
Billy Goat Tavern (The Original)
Well-known hub specializing in cheeseburgers, plus hot dogs & other fast food in a no-frills venue.
Billy Goat does not make the city’s best burger (a steal at $6.99); rather, it evokes the delicious nostalgia found at backyard Midwestern grillouts and in good old neighborhood taverns. Two thin patties are griddled with cheese before getting slapped on a soft Kaiser roll and slid across the counter on butcher paper as the bell goes ping! “Double cheezborger up!” Top to your ideal specs with thick pickle chips, raw onion, mustard, ketchup and mayo from the condiment bar. The service here is top notch, by the way — fast and kind without fuss. No kid leaves without a paper boat hat. Grab a stool at the silver-flecked Formica bar and a draft Old Style. This is the big-shouldered Chicago of your dreams.
Oklahoma Onion Burger at Ragadan
Ragadan
Creative, casual eatery focusing on burgers and falafels, plus milkshakes.
Ragadan’s onion burger ($11) blends fatty grass-fed beef and a heap of onion shreds, smashed and griddled together so the onions draw in the beef drippings as they sear, lending a savory-sweet quality like French onion soup. Sticky American cheese and herbaceous z’tar mayo up the creaminess. Pro tip: Ask for a side of vinegary chopped fresh green chilies for dabbing.
The OG Cheeseburger at The Loyalist
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The Loyalist
Rustic-chic gastropub with a seasonal patio offering specialty burgers, handcut fries & wine.
Affectionately known as the Dirty Burg, the OG cheeseburger ($28, with fries) starts with a thinish burger patty made from a mixture of short rib, chuck and smoky bacon. It’s topped with gooey American cheese, plenty of house-made pickles and charred onion bangles kept in place with an ingenious smear of onion-infused aioli. The anchor is a Tempur-Pedic Martin’s roll bun, bedazzled within an inch of its life in sesame seeds.
RHR Double Cheeseburger at Redhot Ranch
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Redhot Ranch
No-frills spot offering hot dogs, burgers & fries in a counter-serve space with outdoor seating.
This simple, deliciously greasy cheeseburger is like a fast food sonnet. The buttery toasted bun encases thin but meaty patties edged in crunch, oozing American cheese and a tangy slick of Thousand Island dressing. A ruffle of iceberg, raw onion and tomato add freshness and crunch. At $8.50 all in, including those iconic, mildly beefy fries, this is one of life’s great affordable pleasures. Not that it needs my poetry.