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Categories: Bars, American (Traditional), Burgers
Neighborhood: Lincoln ParkTues: $3Domestics $4Jameson,Wed: $3Corona $5Patron $.50Wings,Thurs: $3Imports $4Bombs,Fri/Sat: $5Bombs,Sun: $5U Call It $3Domestics $4SoCo
Tue-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
February 20 @ 8pm
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This place gives me wood (somebody had to say it).
Peppercorn burger, good drink list, and generally a great bar to meet up with friends. It's like the Spanish Steps of Clark Street, but with alcohol.
Good before Toro, during Toro, or after Toro. I don't know how during would work, but I assume you'd be having a bad date, excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, and come here ... although I can never justify leaving Toro, so when I think of a better plan, I'll update this review.
Certainly a rarity along clark street. A super cool vibe inside with all wood walls. A great break from the more every-day bar scene in LP. Not only is the place itself pretty cool, but the music selection is varied, often straying from the pop hits on the radio. Muse, Keane, Phoenix, Deathcab, Rilo Kiley....all a part of the rotation.
The menu is pretty straightforward, but by far the mac and cheese was the best. Loved the idea of a mini slider sampler, which I had and enjoyed. I wish the beer list was a bit more creative.
Bartender/waitstaff were incredibly attentive and service was very quick. They seemed genuinely glad we chose to stop by their place.
I will certainly be back when I want an atypical bar experience that is close to home and bound to be a good experience.
A group of 5 of us wandered over to Duke's after dinner across the street last Friday night. I was surprised at how much of an urban hunting lodge this place is!
Booths are comfortable. There's a fireplace. Almost everything in sight is wooden paneling, but not in that yucky 1970's wood laminate way. This place isn't trying to be ironic - just different.
Our bartender/waiter was a one man show of the highest efficiency! He was quick to approach us as we sat down, gave great drink recommendations (including HUGE martinis and this other orange-flavored drink that was muy muy fuerte), and was really nice to order drinks from for a couple rounds.
Also, short distance from Wiener's Circle FTW! I'll definitely be back!
A cool bar with solid food! It's pretty much just burgers and fries but done well!
Started off with the ground beef mac & cheese - husband said it was tasty.
My husband had the beef burger with truffle paste and Parmesan- he liked it but thought it could have used more Parmesan cheese.
I don't eat beef so I had the turkey burger-one of my favorites in the city! It's not homemade at Dukes-it's frozen-but it is very high quality! I absolutely reccomend it. I had it with cheddar cheese, bacon & egg- YUM : ) (I don't eat beef but I obviously eat everything else!)
We had the onion rings and waffle fries-liked the onion rings better ..waffle fries needed salt.
All in all - we will go back when we are craving burgers!
Enjoy!
Tired of Irish/American pubs with the same neon signs and cheezy decor? Tired of hole-in-the-wall dumps with the same flat beer on tap? Go to Duke's. An original bar with some class, a little flare and bartenders that remember your name no matter how infrequently you visit.
The food is good, but not stellar. Compared to "bar food" it is top notch. This is probably not a place you would go out to dinner, rather a place you'd order dinner if you were already there and hungry.
I would give this place 5 stars if they expanded their beer selection. I would like to see a few more worldly, less common beers. Perhaps even rotating beer availability. They really don't have any beer that I *really* love but they do have several that I enjoy.
I heart you Duke's.
When I want to stay in my 'hood but not patronize a generic sports pub bar that is known more for the team it plugs than their service, I come here. I love the big booths for groups of friends. The fireplace and low lighting make it cozy. Its a place you come to with people you want to talk to. If you don't actually like your friends, go to Mickey's or Tin Lizzy. Service is excellent, always. I have one wish and Duke's you better be listening: GET MORE BEER! Good crafty stuff please. They do have fat tire at least. They have the best ever cocktails. Try the Darth Vader or I'll light saber attack you. Its like a long island for people that don't wear hawaiian shirts. Red bull, orange vodka, jager, some other fabulousness.. delish.
Perfect for a first date or just chilling with friends.
HOMEMADE WING SAUCE - AWESOME.
If you like buffalo flavor with a hint of BBQ, this place has the sauce for you. The wings were spot on and the other food that the rest of the group ordered seemed to get a lot of praise too.
Now don't get me wrong, this is a simple menu with a high class atmosphere. But with great service and doing what food they do, very well, this is a place you will come back to for "premium" bar food.
Unfortunately, my waistline will not enjoy its proximity to my apartment.
LOVE Duke's!! (don't get it mixed up with Duke's of Perth!!)
This is one of my favorites hang-out place with my friends. Their turkey burgers are awesome! Never overly crowded, friendly service (not to mention cute!! ^^), nice ambiance, great food, strong-perfectly mixed drinks -- what else would you ask for?
I'm giving 4 stars - just because I'm a dessert sucker and they don't have any. One of the guys told us that at one time they had desserts (all homemade good stuff and all) - but none of their patrons ordered dessert (who are these people who don't eat dessert??) - so they took them off the menu. (sigh)
Anway .. I'm still a fan!!
Duke's was awfully good. We had the Hawaiian burger and the one with different cheeses. Both were very tasty. I'd definitely come back and try some of the other varieties.
Another place I end up WAY too much but don't care. I really love this place... its super chill and there is always a good (non-douchey) crowd there. I'm not one for the fruity drinks, but I have had a few of their martinis and they were all great and pretty strong. The owner of this place is very nice and is always walking around, talking to people. I would deduct half a star for no beer tap, but that's never stopped me from drunkenly hitting on the bartenders here. Alas...
Their food is great, too and I think the kitchen stay open pretty much until they close. Anyplace I can grab lunch line style tots with a Guinness at 12:30 AM is a place I want to be.
MMMMM
There is nothing bad at Duke's. It is my favorite place in Chicago for a casual evening with friends or a date.
My favorites are the mac and cheese, any of the turkey burgers and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds cocktail.
"Never judge a book by its cover"
That being said, I had always passed this bar, but never thought much of it. On St. Patty's day, this bar was the only non-loud, non-super crowded bar south of Diversey. It was still full, we couldn't get a table, but we popped a squat on the bar and had ourselves some dinner and beer.
They have a pretty great selection of burgers--pretty much any way you want them or don't want them!
The prices are ok, but the ambience is really nice, a lot of wood panneling, dim lights, cream colors sofas, etc.
The bartenders were super nice and laid back and our greek salads were HUGE and amazing. They also seem to have lobster bisque that is always an option on the menu--I like that!!
They have drink deals every day of the week I'm pretty sure, too.
I will def. come back here again and try a burger!
Bartenders here are super nice and they have really cheap nightly specials for beer. I have come here quite a few times...but only for drinks. However, one of my friend raves about the turkey burger and the food is supposed to be pretty good.
The place is nice inside...quite big and I've never been there when it's been too crowded-even on the weekend. Of course they have plasmas if you want to catch the game and what not..as you will find die-hard sport fans yelliing at the tv on occasion.
Overall, nice place! Good for cheap drinks and customer service is excellent :)
After hearing how great the burgers here are, I decided to bring my BFF who is in town visiting here tonight for dinner.
We walked in, and just the vibe of this place warmed us up right away from the bitter cold outside. We were immediately greeted and sat in a booth. Duke's is not very big - maybe 5 or 6 booths, and then a big seating area towards the back in addition to seats at the bar. But the walls are this knotted wood, and with the lighting it just feels very warm in here... and a little sexy. Like you want to crawl under a blanket with your dinner date and share a burger. Sounds good to me.
So, they have waffle fries. How awesome is that? When the server listed this as one of the options (in addition to tater tots!), my friend and I both looked at each other with our eyes lit up. Unfortunately we both wimped out and stuck with normal fries.
They don't carry Stoli. Sigh. They actually don't have a great selection of vodka, and this saddens me. So I went with Grey Goose, and I will say that my drink was poured very generously. Yay for that.
The food came out fairly quickly, and when I cut my burger in half I realized the server never asked us how we wanted them cooked. Mine was a little more pink than I like, but it was still good. And HUGE. The fries were eh. Very greasy. They *looked* good, but kind of fell short. And there were a TON of them. Seriously - Duke's gives you a lot of food.
Service was fine. There only appeared to be two guys working the front, and they were on top of everything.
The bill was super cheap - for the two of us eating burgers and my cocktail, the bill was only $27. Not bad at all.
Overall, I was pleased with my experience here and would come back, but I would make sure I told them how I wanted my burger cooked. And perhaps next time I'll have to give those waffle fries a try...
If you know you're in the mood for a burger, but feel the need to be presented with about six thousand permutations, combinations, variations, iterations, or incarnations of burgerdom, Duke's is absolutely your best bet. If burger choice is more dilemma than godsend, you probably should stay away before your inevitable freak-out upon having opened the menu.
Beef? Burger. Turkey? Burger. Veggie? Burger. Pick a burger, any burger. It's hard to go wrong in this department.
I think this is by far my favorite bar in the city...the WHOLE city!
First off, I love the decor. In the middle of Lincoln Park is this small bar that is done up like a modern day log cabin. It's very cozy. The music is audible, but not so loud you can't hold a conversation.
The have a long list of martinis. I've tried several of them, and they are all good. The Key Lime martini tastes like a slice of key lime pie, crust included. The drinks are big, strong, and very reasonably priced. I've only eaten here once. They have a long list of hamburgers, and the one I had was excellent.
I have never experienced anything but impeccable service here. I've been several times with friends, the service has always been great. I recently gathered a large group of friends there for my birthday, and everything from initially calling to reserve the spot until leaving after having two too-many Lucy In the Sky's was amazing! Jason, the manager, was very accommodating and made sure we were well taken care of the whole evening. I really can't say enough good things about this place. Definitely worth giving a try!
This is a great little bar to sit back and have a couple drinks. Inside it looks like a place you'd… Read more »
I really like this place. I haven't been in awhile, but I feel like I need to do something about that. They changed the menu at some point, and I've only been once with the new menu, so some of my information could be a little outdated. What I am sure hasn't changed is the fact that this place serves up a good burger. I generally like the fries here, but at least one of my friends doesn't and sometimes they can be soggy. I think now you have other options for the sides though. Every time I have been the same guy has been my waiter and he is really nice and friendly and gets all the orders right.
They have really good meat, which is important to a good burger. And they have really great choices of toppings, which is important to me. The fries are not made with peanut oil, which was really important to my old roommate who was allergice to peanuts.
Overall, I dig this place. And when I get a craving for a burger, this is my first stop.
Oh my God, I think I found a little bit of Heaven...in a burger.
On a rainy Saturday evening, a group of us decided we were all quite hungry. After debating what cuisine we were craving we decided we wanted some good ol' fashioned bar food-greasy, but oh so satisfying. We decided to go to this little place called "Duke's" after hearing much about their burgers.
I myself am not much of a burger girl, but thought "What the hell. I'll just get some buffalo wings or something". After seeing the extensive options of toppings and meat I knew I had to get a burger. I got the baja turkey burger (at the suggestion of our way too excited waiter) & it was absolutely delicious. The turkey patty was seasoned & cooked to perfection, while the bacon & avocado were the perfect, complimentary toppings. By the way, I got half an avocado on top of the burger which only made me love Duke's that much more. Also, the waffle fries were so tasty! They had parsley sprinkled on top with just the right amount salt & the perfect crispy-ness.
There are so many different options here that I think I could go here numerous times & never get bored. They had burgers ranging from the "Cheese Lover" with all sorts of cheeses on top to the "Popeye", which was sauteed spinach & feta to the "Garbage", which had almost everything on it including the yummy waffle fries. Nothing I ate was an after thought & I finished almost everything on my plate.
If you want to see a small girl devour a big burger meet me at Duke's & don't forget to wear your stretchy pants :)
Already reviewed a number of times, I had to try the place on my first night of going out to dinner in LP, and it is already on my list to go back.
I had a salad that could have been a dinner by itself, and asked if the Turkey Burger was worth a try. Many places dont even offer this choice, and those who do are lacking in effort when it comes to making good Turkey Burgers, but when you have the craving for 1, this is a great place to try.
Not only do they offer a number different cuts to make your Burger, they then can make it in multiple styles, so my choice was to stick with the lean and healthy approach and I made it "California" style- Avacado and all. I love a good Angus burger, but when craving something a little healthier, this is a new favorite.
All that with O-Rings and I walked out under $20 for food alone, that makes this place all the more worth while to re-visit. While the bar was slow, but I had no issues with the service just the same.
I've probably passed by this place a hundred times on my way into LP from LV, and I finally went there this past Sunday after being invited by some friends. The decor is definitely swank, if a little dim for my tastes. The menu was admittedly impressive, if a little expensive.
Now, I'd like to talk about the burgers for a minute. Specifically, one burger. Duke's has a burger called the Surf and Turf; it's a 6oz lobster tail on top of a 1/2 lb. Angus beef patty. When it was finally time to order, one of the other guys I was with remarked that he was thinking of getting one, just so he could say he could. What makes this funny is that myself and one of the other guys I was with were thinking the same thing. I didn't get it, but the mere idea of that burger still haunts me to this day. It is in the running for a possible birthday meal.
Anyway, I got the Bacon Cheddar burger. The first time I go to a place, I always like to do something simple, because there's statistically less chance of them fucking it up, and if they can't get the simple stuff right, then they sure as hell can't get the other stuff right either. To make a long story short, my burger was delicious. It was big, tasty, and perfectly cooked.
The side deserves a mention of it's own. There's an option inbetween fries, onion rings, and crisps. The onion rings were delicious, and the fries were awesome as well. I think next time I'll try the crisps. And there will be a next time.
So, why only four stars instead of five? Honestly, it's still a burger joint, and it's just a little too expensive, even for great burgers. But that's my opinion, and I'd still go here again, even if it's a little expensive.
Update: Went again, got the Bacon Cheddar Burger, and crisps. That's some good shit. At some point, I'd like to get their mini burgers and try a bunch of different ones to see how good they are.
Eating healthy ain't easy when you live a block away from Duke's! Now they do offer healthier options, salads, turkey burgers, wahoo burgers, but I can't resist ordering a the stockyard angus burger. In my opinion the best in the city. The wings are great and the blue cheese sauce that comes with the waffle fries in delightful. The price is right too. I dig it!
I love this place, it is my standby whenever someone says, "let's meet for drinks, you pick the place". The best part about it is the friendly staff. The bartenders always remember me and remarkably seem to remember the last time I was there as well...even after several months. Impressive.
The decor is fresh and modern and they always seem to have my favorite game on the flat screen. The drink list is extensive and everything is good. Another great part about it is, if they don't have your favorite drink, they will get it for you by the next time you come in. Awesome! Can't wait to go back!
I love burgers. I love french fries. I love Duke's.
Duke's is consistent. Their food is always yummy. The burgers are done just right. The fries are always perfect.
But that's not all. Duke's actually gives you options for what type of meat you want - from buffalo, to Hawaiian white fish, to just good 'ol beef. There are more options for meat as well.
Still not done. Then you get to choose what type of burger you want. Do you want it wrapped in lettuce for a low carb option? How about Greek style? Or Cajun? Would you like a California burger? Or if you're a purest just a plain burger with veggies. Mmm...
Oh, we're not done yet.. Then you can choose your side. French fries, tater tots, onion rings or a salad for those who want to bypass that coronary bypass.
There are a few really outrageous options for burger style and can cost up to $25 for a burger meal but the burgers are typically anywhere between $8 and $10.
If you've never had a buffalo burger - now you can try one. Duke's has it. Buffalo is starting to become more popular now that people know it's lower in calories, fat and cholesterol than beef and some chicken even. And in my opinion - tastes just like beef. The texture is like a 97/3 beef (3% fat - extremely low fat beef) burger. Duke's prepares the buffalo burger just right. I highly recommend it.
I minus one star because their drink specials aren't really that special or reasonable. $3 Coronas? Really guys? That's your Wednesday special?
Otherwise this place has a great atmosphere. Lofty kind of and a sort of modern hunter's cabin. It's nice, really. The service is always great too.
Ultimately, if you're looking for a really good burger but want options and a relaxed and comfy atmosphere - go to Duke's.
Duke's is a great burger joint for Lincoln Park. The "Chippers," which are chips that taste like french fries, are pretty addictive. The service is friendly. As for drinking, Duke's is a nice break from the typical Lincoln Park bar scene. It's a bar with a little bit of a lounge feel to it. I don't think its the type of bar to visit every weekend, but whenever i'm in the mood for a burger or a low-key night out (I live four blocks from Duke's), Duke's is a good choice.
The only thing i don't like is their hours. I get cravings for a Duke's burger often on sat/sun afternoons; i'll swing by and then remember that Duke's doesn't open until 5 PM. Why can't this place be open for lunch??
I'll give it a full five stars. I went there on a Friday night with two friends and was royally impressed. I first loved the decor with the wood plank walls, metal tile celing, yet very clean and contemporary look overall. I liked how Duke's showed you can have a fun, inexpensive bar, and not have it be some dirty rathole.
I loved the food. I had the Hawaiian burger and my friends respectively had burgers as well. I liked for the fact their menu is mostly burgers, they give you a lot of choice for your money. You can select from a variety of flavors as well as what kind of meat you want and how you want your potatoes or if you want a side salad. You can have angus steak, turkey, veggie, portabello mushroom, tuna, etc Served with fries, onion rings, "chippers" (imagine flat fries like potato chips), tater tots, waffle cut fries, or even a side salad. It's like a Subway of burgers. The meat was cooked perfectly and the buns they use are high quality. Totally worth the $9-$10 per plate.
Drinks were also moderately priced. I paid $6 for a Bacardi and Diet Coke while my buddy enjoyed the Friday special of $5 bombs. With dinner and two rounds of drinks, my part of the bill plus tip came up to around $23. Not a bad deal compared to some downtown club or bar.
Clientele was also a big plus. No douchebags or attention whores, just more laid back people, and a LOT of attractive women. I'm talking professional sophisticated fashionable women who hit the gym and look great.
The staff were very friendly and service was top notch. I'll definitely be back to Duke's.
In the thick of douchebagland, there lies a swanky little bar that may be a bit too sophisticated for the natives. With its slightly upscale feel and loungy décor, Duke's caters to a more mature clientele. DBs are most likely turned off by the ability to actually hold a conversation amongst the background noise (no T-Pain blaring through the speakers). In addition, the food appears appetizing, unlike those grade d meat specials in the surrounding area. With menu options priced over a dollar, DBs may have difficulty allocating their funds away from their Keystone Light addictions.
Duke's: A peaceful retreat from savage DBs.
It's been far too long since I've been to Duke's, but I have to give credit where credit is due. I visited the place on a weekly basis back when I lived in LP, which was right when they first opened. Granted, at first they did not have beer on tap (annoying but I learned to deal) but this problem has since been remedied.
Like most everyone else has mentioned, their burgers are awesome. And they give you enough fries on your place to sustain Idaho's economy for the long haul. I have had the California, Garbage, Hawaiian and Truffle burgers and all were amazing!
Aside from the food, Duke's houses quite possibly the most friendly bartenders I have ever come across in this city. Always a surprise in this neighborhood.
Duke's has a great ambiance, delicious food and delightful service. Well done!
I was craving cow pretty bad the other day, and yelp advised me to try the nearby "Duke's." The dcor was really impressive- swanky and clean, yet rustic. There were a few dressed up trixies, but we were casual and fit right in.
It wasn't crazy crowded on a Wednesday evening, but only one guy (the friendly Jason) was serving all the tables and tending the bar all alone. He did an amazing job!
The burger menu was creative and interesting, but I went with the old classic bacon and cheddar. My boy got the breakfast burger with buffalo meat and a fried egg- oh MAN, both were terrific! You can order any burger with your choice of patty: turkey, veggie, buffalo, chicken, etc. The fries and HUGE onion rings were pretty crave-worthy too.
I had a great time, and have to say that yep... this is my favorite burger spot so far in the city! MMMMmmmmmMMMmm, bout time!
Last night, on my third visit to Duke's for a hamburger, I had a pretty darn good one. Better than the one I had last year, which was good but not great. Not quite as good as the one I had two years ago, which was absolutely the BEST BURGER OF MY LIFE. On that occasion, there were three other people at my table, and they all said the same thing about their burgers. Sadly, Duke's appears to have stopped putting crack in their burgers, but they still know how to cook 'em. They do something with the patty involving peppercorns... I don't know. They're really good...
They have something like twenty burgers on the menu and nothing else for main courses, but they do have a bunch of starters-- the mac and cheese is quite tasty. You can get any of their burgers with a variety of patties if you're not into beef, like portabella, turkey, veggie... and a bunch of others that I've never ordered. Also, the fries here are outstanding... they're the thin, part-skin kind.
I don't know why Duke's is always so dead on the weekdays. The bartender (who's an attentive server and may or may not also be the owner) claimed that they really fill up on weekends, but I'll have to take his word for it.
The burgers are still so good... I'm just sad about the removal of crack. Not sad enough to deduct a star though. I'm sure I could probably score some at Wiener Circle next door the next time I go to Duke's, and just sprinkle it on myself.
The drinks are strong and AMAZING. I went on my first night literally not too long after my flight landed. I love the beverages and we were there watching the sweet 16 I believe. I love their mac and cheese which is fried and then sits in cheese. Their mini burgers are tasty as well! I had a feta one and also one that was blue cheese. It's fun to have the owner come by and talk with each table and there was such a fun vibe. This isn't a dancing bar, but people were dancing once it got later in the night!
Place is cool man. Fer realz. It's right next to Wiener's Circle's and McDonald's so if you don't want the bar food, you can either get a hot dog and cheez friez and get called "a fat muthafucka" (I am speaking from experience) or you can get a flame broiled ground beef patty with traces of excrement and some non-cheese-covered fries at McDonalds! (I am speaking from experience)
Anyhoo, I'll try to be less annoying for the remainder of this review. I didn't eat anything at Duke's, but it was a quiet Thursday night, so we got our swerve on. The bartender made my slightly-dirty martini perfectly complete with some really good olives that didn't taste like your typical Spanish olives and brought it over to the table despite the lack of waitstaff. Yeah, I probably should have been less douchy and just gone to the bar and ordered there and brought it back to the table, but he was johnny on the spot and approached us before we'd removed our jackets. He also kept an eye on our drinks from afar and returned just when it was time to replenish our hooch. He was even cool with me doing cartwheels and some mild breakdancing.
The interior of this place is surprisingly nice. This is not Raven's or Frank's. The music was good. They have one person bathrooms which are nice for when you have to make doodie at the bar. Oh yeah, and martinis were $9, which is definitely a fair price nowadays.
We moved down the street from this small bar and grill two months ago, and each time we walked by said "we NEED to stop by that place, it smells great and the atmosphere looks lovely". We finally did last night.
We were right about the atmosphere... low lighting, cozy tables, and a few bigger seating areas for parties. And we were DEFINITELY right about the smell. They have an endless list of burger combinations you can order, everything from a "Hawaiian" burger on a Buffalo patty to a "Surf and Turf" burger on pulled pork.
My table collectively had a Breakfast burger with a beef patty, a Naples Turkey burger, and a California Chicken burger. Each came with a heap of fries bigger than your head and no one had a single complaint about the food... delish! Also, one server had called off for the night so the jam- packed bar was served by one guy, Jason, who handled being solely responsible for serving the entire bar much better than I could imagine many others would.
Finally, the drink list is great... the "Goin Ape" (chocolate banana) martini is absolute perfection for dessert. My taste testing associates ordered "Black Cows", made with Jack Daniels, Baileys, Kahlua, and Coke. Also delicious, although I'm sticking with the martini. Watch out for the scary sounding "Darth Vader", though, made with lotsa different flavored vodkas, jager, and Red Bull. None of us dared try it, and I'm not sure I'd want to dine in the same place as someone drinking one; it sounds dangerous...
One star taken away for prices. Not high, but not a place for drink specials or food deals. Be prepared to rack up a pricey drink tab.
This place is awesome. I had walked past Duke's many times without even noticing it, but when I was waiting for my girlfriend last week, I was bored and glanced at the menu in the window. I was immediately taken in by the best martini names ever. How can you not order a drink named Correctomundo?
Then I saw the unique and creative burger selections. They all looked so good. I wanted to try them all. Then, at the bottom of the menu.... mini burger sampler, so I can do just that? Holy crap! I got really excited and convinced my girl that we needed to go in.
We were seated and gazed around at the swanky but not pretentious decor, complete with wooden walls, mirrors, and candles. The server (bartender) was really fun and cool, he kept bringing me these funny named martinis as fast as I could drink them. By the way, these are the only martinis in town that are actually worth $9.
The mini-burgers were excellent, it was like a culinary tour of the world through small beef and bun combos! I really shouldnt have drank so much, but it was way worth it. I can't wait to go back.
I think this place has so much potential! The food menu has over twenty cheeseburgers. They are somewhat pricey, but they are creative and very tasty. You can actually get a surf and turf cheeseburger for about 30 bucks.
I don't think they have many drink specials, which might turn a few people away, because their drinks were not cheap. The layout of the place is very cool and the music is great. If people actually knew this place existed then it would make for a real fun place.
So I have been here a couple times now, so I guess it is time for me to write my review.
So you walk into the place and you don't really know what the place really is... Duke's suffers from a major identity crisis. It's decorated like a ski lodge. Then in the back, there is a lounge area with trendy little sofas and chairs. There are no beers on tap, couple flat screens, some booths, old fashioned register. Is it a bar? Restaurant? Wine bar? Lounge? I think I read on menu they call it a "Burger Bar and Lounge." I don't really care what it struggles to be, the food is really good. The breakfast burger could possibly be my favorite burger in the city. It's freakin awesome.
I would give it 5 stars but I hate the hours. I am craving Duke's on a hungover Saturday and Sunday afternoon and they are not open. It seems like this place is only open on Tuesdays from 457pm to 531pm. It drives me nuts. Besides that, this place is great.
I'm a little hesitant to list this place, because I kind of want to keep it my little secret. This bar and grill rocks!! I can't praise it enough.
I stopped here when it first opened, and I think it only has gotten better each time I've gone back.
Duke's prides itself on its burgers and martinis, and both are fantastic. The choices alone are overwhelming, and I've already tried the majority of the selections, none of which have been disappointing.
Here are the toppers:
1. They serve the best homemade potato crisps I've ever had (for free!)
2. The martinis will knock you on your ass
3. The bar is quiet enough that you don't have to YELL to talk to your friends (which is maybe why I want to keep this place secret, lest it get crowded and loud)
4. If you're starving for conversation, random movies play on one of the flat screens behind the bar ('Ferris Bueller' had us waxing nostalgic about the 80's)
The food here is awesome. Amazing burgers (although you can substitute the burger for chicken etc)...fries are great as well...great atmosphere and the staff are very laid back.
I have been here several times with some friends and it has never failed. The interior is visually pleasing and reminds me of some sort of ski resort cabin with unfinished wooden walls. There are several booths at the front and a nice long bar with a few plasma TVs on the walls. In the back there is a slightly elevated lounge area for larger groups.
I had high hopes for Duke's. Sadly, my experience did not live up to all of the Yelp hype.
My boyfriend and I tried Duke's on a Friday night around 11pm. There were a few empty tables; we grabbed one maybe 5 feet away from the bar. We sat there (in front of the bartender!) for maybe 10 minutes before we finally got menus. It only took us a few minutes to decide what to order. We sat there with closed menus for maybe another 10 minutes before our order was finally taken.
I ordered a Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, my boyfriend had a Duke, and we shared an order of blue cheese fries and fried macaroni wedges. The drinks were good, and the food was ok. The blue cheese fries were so rich that we couldn't even finish them. The fried macaroni and cheese was suspiciously identical to wedges I've had at another bar. Frozen, maybe?
Our plates were cleared, and we finished our drinks. We sat there with empty glasses for at least 20 minutes. The bartenders were hanging out, talking, and playing with their phones the whole time. Keep in mind, our table was RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BAR. I finally had to go up to them and ask for the check.
Although Duke's is right around the corner and the drinks are good, we probably won't be back. I'd rather go to Cooper's on Belmont and Racine, where the bartenders and servers are friendly AND attentive. The food is better too.
FANTASTIC BURGERS (at a very reasonable price)! what more do you need to hear?
Duke's is a great place to come and relax. The food is much better than most neighborhood bars. Come after work. Have a great burger or the fantastic mac and cheese and have whatever the daily bar special may be.
A guaranteed winner!
My husband and I went here for dinner Saturday night. I was craving an amazing burger and that is exactly what I got at Duke's.
The way it works is you pick what kind of patty you want, be it angus beef, a veggie burger or even pulled pork! Then you can choose from about 20 different varieties of how you want it done: garbage, cesear, cajun, classic american, california, etc. Homemade fries, chippers, onion rings, tater tots or a salad are your side options.
From an interior standpoint, I was thrilled to see leather booths, a gathering space in the back with the same leather couches and benches along with pillows for comfort. The rustic lodge feel was nice compared to Mickey's, where they offer a smoking-allowed outdoor patio and indoor booths with cigarette holes burned into the seats.
Overall, a great place for a burger and fries. You shouldn't simply walk by and look in the windows. I will definitely be returning soon!
Whoppie Week menu at Jury's
Neighborhood: North Center
Daily specials
Neighborhood: Irving Park
Neighborhood: Jefferson Park
Category: Hot Dogs
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Sports Bars
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