[Chicago] Kuma's Corner

During our Labour Day long week trip to Chicago, Charles and I spent the majority of our time in The Loop and other surrounding areas close by (e.g., Magnificent Mile, River North). The only time we ventured outside of the downtown core was to go to Kuma’s Corner for their mouthwatering burgers.

There was a drastic contrast between downtown and the area Kuma’s Corner was in. We took the L to Belmont-Blue station and walked along West Belmont Ave to Kuma’s. It was a scary walk! Deserted street with homeless fellows scattered here and there. It did not seem like the best part of the town and were we glad to find the restaurant!

We heard that the wait is ridiculous at Kuma’s so we arrived there shortly after it opened. It certainly paid off and we got seats at the bar without waiting at all. We both got carded when we sat down at the bar. I was elated until a middle-aged lady sat down beside us and also got carded. I should’ve known it was a standard procedure.

I had read about some people’s complaints about the loud heavy metal music and cramped space at Kuma’s, but the music did not really bother us. It was busy but I wouldn’t say it was too crowded.

The service was pretty attentive, even though “The Rules of Kuma’s Corner” sign beside the front door displayed some serious attitude. :p

The menu was prett simple. Aside from their famous burgers, Kuma’s also serve salad, sandwiches, and customizable Mac & Cheese. We both ordered burgers, as they are what Kuma’s known for! All the burgers at Kuma’s are served on a pretzel roll with thick 10 oz. beef patties cook to order. We waited for only 15 minutes before our burgers arrived.

Charles ordered the medium rare Famous Kuma’s Burger with bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg. The beef was succulent and cooked to a perfect medium rare with small red centre. The Kuma’s Burger seemed pretty simple, but the warm gooey smooth egg yolk added a nice creamy flavour to the burger. Charles thought the pretzel buns were a bit too dense but I actually liked the texture.

I went for the Plague Bringer with roasted garlic mayo, tortilla strips, house made hot sauce, fresh garlic, pepper jack, and sliced jalapenos. My Plaque Bringer was absolutely delicious. The sliced japapeno and hot sauce added some heat to the taste while the sweet savoury garlic mayo really balanced out the flavour. The tortilla strips added a good crunch.

Both burgers were sensational! Every bite was full of flavour and the portion size was huge. It was extremely messy to eat these burgers with the dressing and egg yolk oozing out with each bite. However, these were by far the best burgers I have had and they were finger-licking good!

By the time we finished our burgers and were ready to leave, the line already stretched out the front door. We were glad that we got there early and enjoyed our gourmet burgers without any wait time.

Kuma’s Corner definitely serves the best burgers in town and is a must for anone visiting Chicago.

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