Review: Urban Burger Bar

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 1, 2010 7:00PM

Burgers are timeless meals that are best made simple. Kuma's corner gets all the hype and corresponding long lines, but my favorite burgers tend to be the non-stacker types of Top Notch Beefburger and Edzo's. Moreover, the recent burger trend seems to be dictated by the "keep it simple, stupid" theory.

John McLean of the formerly named Urban Burger Bar (they've since dropped the "Urban") is going the Kuma's route, with large half-pound patties topped with other meats and garnishes. McLean — a former corporate chef for Levy restaurants — and his team leave no local restaurant cliche unturned: a chalkboard near the kitchen announces the local farms where the food is sourced and the bar boasts several dozen draft and bottled beers.

Unfortunately, what I sampled was just sort of 'meh." The unseasoned grass-fed beef can be forgiven to an extent, as the patties really serve as a canvas for the toppings. The problem is that a lot of the toppings are just as bland. I expected more from The Golden Ox (an homage to Burger Bar's former glory) made from Thuringer sausage, Bavarian sauerkraut and Wisconsin Swiss cheese. from the specials menu on one of my visits, a boar burger with arugula and served with ginger and wasabi mayo should have elements of game and bright spice. What I was left with was the burger equivalent of talking loud and saying nothing.

I fared better with Burger Bar's fried pickles, a perfect mélange of crispness and seasoned batter. Unfortunately the dipping sauce, which my bartender said was "ketchup, mustard and mayo mixed together," didn't match well with those pickles. Ranch dressing, folks.

Burger Bar. 1578 N. Clybourn, 312-255-0055