A New Loop Lunch Spot: Patty Burger

By Andrew Jenkins in Food on Oct 25, 2006 4:15PM

Chicagoist braved smoke inhalation from the Dexter Building fire last night to attend a little open house for a new Loop burger joint, Patty Burger. The place is the brainchild of former Jimmy Johns CEO Gregg Majewski, and the Chicago flagship location just recently began serving at 72 E. Adams. Patty, by the way, is the name of the restaurant’s mascot (for lack of a better word) — a nod to the 1940s pinup girl. Patty and her small, burger-focused menu look to be attempting an In-N-Out Burger sorta theme, promising fast, fresh (not frozen) burgers, fries and shakes. The menu also features an egg sandwich for breakfast, and chili and a veggie burger for those so inclined.

We were only made privy to Patty’s burgers on this evening — both the veggie and cow versions. We estimated the beef patties to be about 1/4 pound, and after sampling a few bite-size portions we found the beef to be distinctly over-seasoned, leaving a biting pepper flavor in our mouth. Some fresh veggies and Patty’s secret sauce, which we’re pretty sure is just ketchup and mayo mixed together, rounded out the burger.

The veggie burger, on the other hand, used a slice of sautéed eggplant in place of the beef. A nice thought, but the sautéing of the eggplant left the bottom of our bun a little too greasy, thus negating any good feelings we had about eating eggplant instead of animal fat. Just like its carnivorous counterpart, the veggie burger comes with other vegetables and a variety of optional toppings (cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, avocado slices and bacon).

Though we weren’t thrilled with the samples (it’s no In-N-Out), Patty will probably do bang-up business in her new spot. With burgers ranging from $3.29 to $6.49, depending on the number of patties, Loop lunch-goers could certainly do worse. And despite the eerie portraits of Patty in sassy poses, the place’s clean and trendy design should draw a strong crowd. Expect some late opening hours this week, but starting next week Patty will be open 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Phone: 312-987-0900.

A finishing note: Though Patty Burger will stick to the sodas and shakes during business hours, this event was stocked with beer and wine. As supporters of our local brewhaus, we were a little disappointed that Patty didn’t think to serve something of the Goose Island persuasion to celebrate her Chicago debut. Celebrating the Dutch is all fine and good, but we couldn’t help but think that a nice marketing touch was overlooked.

Patty image via pattyburger.com