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Thanks largely to the ubiquity of the Food Network, everyone dabbles a bit in gourmet these days. Even bars that one would think should only cater in standard pub grub are going out of their way and dressing up their burgers with buns and sides our grandparents wouldn't dream of when they were our age. We're not knocking it, mind you. We're just saying that sometimes we just want a burger to just be a burger.
So, while biking around Beverly and Morgan Park yesterday looking for things for cover for the site, we stopped at Top Notch Beefburger (2116 W. 95th Street; 773-445-7218, open 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday) before we headed home for a refuel. If you have never been to Top Notch, you don't know what you're missing. The burgers here, hand formed from fresh beef ground daily, take you back to a time when GIs walked the streets with pockets full of money, ready to cut themselves a slice of good time. Which makes sense, since the place dates all the way back to 1942. After sixty-five years, you'd think they could do this in their sleep.
We ordered the half-pound deluxe beefburger with cheese ($7.45), served to us with home-cut fries, trimmings and a toasted sesame seed bun. You get your choices of cheese here, so be sure to take a look at the menu and let the waitresses know, otherwise you'll get American (we ordered Monterey Jack). We added a small strawberry milkshake ($2.50) that maintained its rich, thick consistency throughout the meal. Top Notch also has a wide array of diner fare, from breakfast entrées to other sandwiches. But visiting this place and not ordering a beefburger is blasphemy. Top Notch draws a diverse crowd of locals, burger enthusiasts, and fans of the city like Chicago Tribune Columnist/WGN Radio host Rick Kogan. The place was even featured once on "Check, Please." It's an institution that folks throughout the city should take pride in.
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"... while biking around Beverly and Morgan Park yesterday looking for things for cover for the site..." Heh. Hilarious image, given the stream of comments coming Chicagoist's way recently.
It would sure help if you corrected the spelling of "Beefbuger" in the second paragraph.
It's refreshing to see the far South Side get some attention on Chicagoist. Beverly is an interesting place, where an African-American community coexists with a fairly stable, generations-long white population.
A visit to Top-Notch or to Border's, both on 95th Street shows the diversity of the neighborhood. There are some crime issues that have come with African-Americans moving into the neighborhood, but not so much as to create bitterness. Let's hope the next 20 years see both communities flourish together. One can hope.
That's exactly the kind of comment that makes Beverly look racist, Ward Up. The crime issues aren't at the hands of the people moving into the neighborhood, but those that pass through looking for easy prey.
One thing you missed Mr. Sudo is the assortment of open face sandwiches that Top Notch has. They are more than good for the money, but not so good for you. I'm not a shake drinker either, but Top Notch delivers on that front as well.
Good to see Chicagoist giving the South Side its due.
"Beverly is an interesting place, where an African-American community coexists with a fairly stable, generations-long white population."
i'm sorry, i almost choked on my beefburger. you can't be serious.
and yes, props for posting about the southside.
my gf and I go on architectual visits all over the city and it's about time we went into some of the southside neighbs restaurants.
"...That's exactly the kind of comment that makes Beverly look racist, Ward Up. The crime issues aren't at the hands of the people moving into the neighborhood, but those that pass through looking for easy prey..."
I knew it wouldn't take long to get a response like that. Politically correct readers are always ready to put on their halos and cry 'racism.' That makes them feel better about themselves.
By the way, don't blame anyone in Beverly for my comments. I don't live in Beverly, though I work there two days per week. My cousin does live there. He was beaten and robbed there after the eastern part of the neighborhood changed. He might disagree with your comments about crime. So would my friend whose house has been burglarized twice in the past three years.
You know what? They still have no intention of moving. Their kids play with the African American kids just fine. Meanwhile, the threat of crime is real. For you to cry "racism" on my part is just plain silly.
I grew up in Beverly, Ward Up. My family still lives there, as do 99% of my friends. I still visit a couple of times per week. The neighborhood has had blacks for 35 years. The problem isn't that blacks moved into the neighborhood. It's that the business strips have deteriorated and it is surrounded by the ghetto on 10 of 12 sides. That's where the crime is from. Outsiders.