A common misconception is that I live at DMK Burger Bar. Or that I live nearby in Lakeview. Slightly afraid to admit to the nice staff that I actually live in Hyde Park, approximately 63 minutes away on CTA.
There's a reason why I keep coming back to dine at this fabulous establishment. Correction, multiple reasons. I have never tried a burger here that I wasn't thrilled with.
I was given the recommendation to come here by a good friend of mine. He joined their softball team at one point because he visited there often enough. (This makes me feel slightly better about how often I'm here...)
This most recent visit, I had the #1. The burger is topped with aged cheddar, smoked bacon, charred balsamic, red onions & Rufus Teague's BBQ sauce. Amazing. I admit, I am particularly fond of good BBQ sauce. The Rufus Teague's variation knocked my socks off. Combining the sweet aspects of the sauce with the savory flavors of the smoked bacon is brilliant. As far as cheddar cheese goes, the aged cheddar was delightfully melted and provided a necessary sharpness to the toppings of the burger. The red onions were sautéed and complimented the rest of the toppings well, although beware, you may end up with a couple in your lap if you aren't careful..
Other burger recommendations include the #11 which features a lamb patty and the #4, a classic combination of fried egg & bacon atop a savory burger. But honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the options. My friend (who was experiencing DMK for the first time) went with the #4 and had difficulty controlling the yolk while eating the burger. (Side note, she is in the need of a cowboy from Texas who can bridle both the fried egg on her burger and her wild, untamed heart)
Now onto even more reasons why I basically live here: the sides. As a friend remarked during lunch on Sunday, the burgers get you in the door but the fries keep you coming back. My friends and I split three different sides on this visit. The sea salt & black pepper fries are great and come with the house ketchup. The sweet potato fries come with a lemon tobasco aioli which is delicious. Combining the bitter citrus taste of lemon with the richness of the sweet potatoes is bizarre but amazing. The fried okra and pickles side is also fantastic and is the perfect addition to a scrumptious burger.
Overall, I love DMK Burger Bar. It's a great, casually-hip restaurant that I always recommend to friends when they are in Chicago. Definitely worth the trip. Proud to say that I am now a member of the DMK Rewards Club.
Mary
#1: Aged cheddar, smoked bacon, charred balsamic, red onions & Rufus Teague's BBQ sauce
Sea salt & black pepper fries with house ketchup, fried okra & pickles and sweet potato fries, lemon tabasco aioli
