Burger Jones
Consider the lowly hamburger. It's just two pieces of bread, a handful of ground beef, and maybe a pickle—nothing more, right? That might be just the thing to satisfy your hunger, but there's a growing trend in eateries that shoots for something a little fancier than your basic fast-food or barroom-grill staple. The newest entry into the meat-and-bun field is Uptown's Burger Jones, a short-order, limited-menu pattie palace from Parasole, the hospitality group behind local mainstays like Figlio, Chino Latino, Manny's, Salut, and Muffuletta. Decider runs through the basics.
The look: Spiffing up the site of the former Applebee's that once occupied this prime real estate in Calhoun Village, Burger Jones' designers have gone all modern, creating a clean, contempo, even upscale look. There's terrace seating, too. But the place can't resist a dining pun or two: Burgers are delivered on a cookie tray and fries in an old-time bread tin.
Order up: The basic burger, hand-pattied from a custom blend of hangar steak, Kobe, and chuck beef, is—sacrilege!—not slid gently, but in a manly show of force, pressed down onto the hot griddle. It comes with a huge (but untoasted, for shame) house-made sesame bun along with lettuce and tomato. Trade up to a bacon-cheeseburger, with a choice of cheese ranging from "free: government issue" to three bucks for the likes of gruyere and Amablu.
Add on: Fries are extra, but only a fool would pass them up. Best option: the Tri-Tasting Trio of hand-cut russets, maple-bacon sweet potato, and Parmesan-coated waffle fries, $10 with choice of three dipping sauces, including a suave béarnaise, frisky chipotle-aioli, and creamy, pungent blue cheese.
Hydrate: The list of alcoholic options is long and easy on the pocketbook, including microbrews on draft, shakes laced with the likes of Maker's Mark and Stoli, and a habit-forming gin martini spiked with cucumber vodka, served with its shaker. There's wine too, if you must, and refreshing, booze-free sippers like the bracing spiced-ginger brew.
Demographics: Cadres of baby-boomers stood fuming on the sidewalk over the 90-minute wait (no reservations) on a recent weekend, while young couples simply headed to nearby Barnes & Noble to while away the time. There were lots of all-girl and all-guy parties, too, and the atmosphere encompasses everything from date night to an evening with the grandparents or hanging out post-bowling league.
Expense account: Burgers run from $7 to $10, with choice of add-ons from $1 to $3; starters, huge enough to substitute for loaves and fishes, run from $3 to $9. Beers are $4 to $6. There are also happy-hour specials, natch.
Stats: Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. Calhoun Village, 3200 W. Lake St., 612-746-0800, burgerjones.com. (No reservations.)
