Review: The Counter Burger
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Mar 16, 2009 4:45PM
After a less-than satisfying experience with Five Guys, there's been some reluctance to throw a hat into the ring with another chain from out-of-state as the next big thing in burgers. The Counter Burger, a California-based chain whose Lincoln Park location has been doing brisk business since opening late last summer, unfortunately doesn't do the trick, either.
Claiming to have the ingredients to make over 312,000 different combinations of hamburger, the concept of Counter Burger is to build your own. Upon entering the dining room, you're given a clipboard and a form to fill out that makes government standardized health care seem even more possible. Too bad we weren't given the opportunity to cook the burger, because we may have enjoyed it more. Instead, what came to us was a sandwich that weighed in at about the size of a baby, and sat in the stomach for about as long. The bun was dry and thick, the patty (1/3 lb) was overseasoned, and the yolk from the fried egg we added to the mix went flying in bursts when we cut into the sandwich. A bowl of chili had some good seasoning, but had a good layer of grease floating atop.
We're not pooh-poohing the concept of Counter Burger, simply its execution. For this privilege we paid $22, with a pint of beer. That's a steep price for what is essentially gourmet fast food. For that cost, we could have gone to blackbird or Hot Chocolate — Counter Burger's dining room appeared to us as a cross between the two — and had a better, simple burger.
The Counter Burger, 666 W. Diversey Pkwy., 773-935-1995, fax 773-935-1997, email: lincolnpark@thecounterburger.com.