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Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"I find Mirabell to be quite the great place to dine and get sloshed at the same time... while having good conversation with friends or a…" read more »
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Since my first review I've moved next door to Kuma's to make my visits here more pleasant (waiting at home is a lot more fun than waiting at an overcrowded bar). And while I don't visit more than I did before--I mean, I can only handle one of these burgers per month, and I'd love to hang out at the bar, but it gets too crazy--I still love it.
I've had about all but three burgers--and the last few have never sounded great to me (my favorites are, in order: Plague Bringer, Iron Maiden, Mastodon) I tried one near the bottom of my list: the Dark Throne (goat cheese, pico, and poblano I believe). And it was good! I never got it because it was sauceless and sounded a little boring, but the goat cheese made its own sauce and it was spicy enough to make me happy.
Also, I had my favorite waitress. I can't remember her name, but I always get her, and she is always great.
I still want the old fries back, and my vegetarian friends hate the frozen veggie patty, but whatever. This place rules.
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There have been some changes that I don't like--things seem a little less spicy (ketchup included),… Read more »
I have a big problem with this place.
They need better customer service. I went here on a wenesday night and I finally found the hostess and...
"Hi, can I put my name down for a party of two?"
"Um, sure, fine. How many?"
"2"
"Yeah, it's gonna be 2-2.5 hours"
And then she walks away. Didn't take my name or hardly look at me, or write anything down, or go back to a hostess station to write anything down.
That's rude, and it felt like the norm at kuma's corner.
I don't care how good your food is, a 2.5 hour wait on a wenesday with bad service is a no go for me!
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THEY HAVE WHISKEY ON TAP!!
I was sold when I saw this. Badass, hardcore amazingness. Yes there is usually a two hour long wait, and yes its usually super crowded. The plus side is that the bar i has 3 different types of whiskey on tap, and a huge assortment of beers on tap and in the bottle. They also have other alcohol, but these are the highlights of their bar.
The atmosphere is an interesting one. Of course they have heavy metal music blaring, but if you are coming to Kuma's then that is to be expected. The art work on the walls is pretty rad as well.
The food. The burgers are hands down amazing. Not only do they taste great, but they have awesome names like, "Goblin Cock" (who wouldn't want a Goblin cock?!?) and they have unique burgers combining things you've never imagined! When I went, a heavy metal band (i don't remember their name : \) had a cd releasing. That night they had a ridiculous special that I could not turn down. It had a burger topped with a waffle, a piece of fried chicken, collard greens, bacon, and maple syrup. I know this might sound disgusting to some and epic to others. It was amazing. When I'm in the area I will gladly wait two hours for one of the best burgers of my life.
I was in town last October to see All & Buig Drill Car, and some friends wanted to meet here. I was more interested in tracking down Chicago Style Pizzas and dogs but people aseem to have rave reviews about this place. The beef quality was amazing! The beer selection was pretty good. I liked that they had Lagunitas Copper Ale on tap, I mean I live 400 miles south of that brewery and yet I never see it on tap, but I cross country and there it is. They have all these burgers named after metal bands. It's awesome . Out here in L.A. I contend that there is a gastropub called "Fathers Office" that makes the best burger on the planet.. and I still beleive that, but this place comes close to being just as good, if not downright surpassing. I think I remember having a sarcastic waitress who quit that day. But I am not holding that against Kumas. 5 stars all the way!
Is it worth waiting 1.5 hours on a Sunday night? Sure, why not.
We were a group of four and were able to snag one seat at the bar where we ordered drinks and shared two appetizers. Given the huge Midwestern portions, one appetizer probably would have been sufficient. The Fried Calamari was good, with a light tempura-like batter, but the BBQ Pork (waffle) Fries were better.
Once seated, I ordered the Clutch (cheddar, swiss, jack and smoked gouda) because I wanted a standard cheese burger (best way, I figured, to gauge the quality of their product). Medium rare was not as pink as I had expected, but the pretzel bun was a nice change of pace. A juicy, flavorful burger too big to finish in one sitting. I could have lived without the inclusion of smoked gouda, a cheese that I do happen like. Side of chips was fantastic: thinly cut, light and crispy with an onion flavor. They practically melt in your mouth.
Good selection of beers that were a little overpriced. Friendly, polite and responsive staff. The metal soundtrack fades into the background after about 30 minutes of standing around and does permit for intelligible, un-shouted conversation.
OK, I came around on Kuma's. I've been a couple times when I didn't have to stand in line (right when they open), and the burgers really are fantastic. They go to a lot of trouble to come up with interesting combinations to put on a burger that aren't just a list of gourmet ingredients, so everything they make is great. I had the special burger that was served with seared scallops and lardons. It was easily the best burger I've ever had. No burger is worth a 2 hour wait, but if one were, it'd be Kuma's. You can tell from the menu if this place is for you, and I can comfortably say now, this place is for me.
There's a lot to like about Kuma's. They have a fascinating burger menu, filled with fun options to… Read more »
outfreakingstanding! Yeah, the wait sucks. But it is so worth it. My husband and I finally made it to Kuma's Corner today at 12:30pm. The wait was an hour plus. We staked out a spot at the bar after 30 minutes, as did at least four other couples in the time we were there. It can be done, so don't let the long lines sway you from the ridiculous burger goodness.
I had the Famous Kuma Burger and we might get divorced if I don't stop talking about it. Our conversations go like this "What's on your schedule for this week?" "HOLY LORD THAT BURGER WAS SO AMAZING, OMFG!" I'm hoping to get past it after I recover from the food coma induced nap I'm about to take. But seriously, the way the egg yolk drizzled down my perfectly cooked medium rare burger with crisp bacon onto the amazingly soft pretzel roll is almost unfair to other burger posers.
My husband had the Pig Destroyer. I can't believe how good the bbq was. I was skeptical of bbq on a pretzel roll and boy, was I wrong.
Great beer selection, homemade chips, crisp waffle fries and delightful staff make Kuma's a must eat.
Yeah, the music was loud, but it wasn't that bad. We did have a couple "Eh? what did you say?" moments complete with leaning over the table with hand held up behind the ear gestures. if we had an ear horn (like in the old cartoons, we would have used it)
I loved Kuma's. I was really concerned about the potential wait times but when we arrived (750pm Tuesday night) we were told about an hour/hour and a half. Not too bad. So we headed to Square for some drinks. Sent hubsbie back to Kuma's at about 850 and he was told that they passed us up. So you're telling me, we could have been seated in less than an hour? WOW. No problem, we're pretty laid back. We finished our drinks and stood outside for about 10 min and then the hostess called us in.
Between the 3 of us, we tried the Black Sabbath, Metallica and Motorhead. They were all so good! I would say that I liked Motorhead the best--we did scrape off some of the goat cheese (there was so much!) but it was still really good. I think I liked Motorhead the best too because hubsbie had it cooked Medium. I always order medium-well for my burgers but he had it right. I order medium for steaks, I really should opt for that for burgers now.
The build-your-own Mac N Cheese was really good. (Bacon and Roasted red peppers). It wasn't as hot (temperature) as I'd like my food cooked, but it tasted fantastic. Word to the folks with sensitive stomachs--it is REALLY rich.
I'll definitely be back, maybe to try the Kuma burger (medium of course) and the Jack on tap.
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I thought I was going to be all cool and sneak in here for the 1000th review. Juuust like I've mistakenly thought that I was going to sneak down to Kuma's on a rainy Tuesday night and have the whole place to myself. Dee-nied!
Is there anything original I can possibly add to the 4-figure reviews here? Probably not and I'm not going to read all of 'em to find out. Rather than attempt to reinvent the wheel, I'll just add my two cents to the pile of what's good:
1. Starting off: Jack Daniels ON TAP is the single greatest thing ever. Corn allergies be damned, it's game on!
2. 'Make Your Own' mac-n-cheese is the best I've found in the city (carmelized onion and bacon is a personal fave!)
3. I also wholeheartedly endorse the "no macrobrews" policy. Miss your Miller? Grow a pair and try some Gumballhead or Great Lakes.
4. And the waffle fries? *swoooon*
5. Fave burgers (so far): Yob, Neurosis, Lair of the Minotaur. Only burger I've had there that I didn't love: the Kuma. It was kinda a letdown for the namesake.
Got a problem with the wait/ staff/ attitude? Go somewhere else. Kumas and I will toast in your absence.
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For me, Kuma's Corner is like... wandering into an awesome relationship, hitting rough waters, going to couples' therapy, and ultimately accepting that you have no choice but to break up.
I gave Kuma rave reviews, but now have to say that I will never go back. I sent them a letter after I found hair in my food and, two weeks later, still no response. I don't care what restaurant theme you've chosen - a business is a business and you should always get back to your customers. My letter to Kuma's Corner (sent 10/6/09) is below. I wish we didn't have to part ways. Ah well....
--
Hi Kuma's Corner,
What's up. Howdy. So your web-site says to keep advice to yourself, but I've got to share something with you. I had an awesome experience the two times that I've been to your joint and I rave about your restaurant to everyone I know. Last night, I took my boyfriend and my dad (who was visiting from Seattle) to your restaurant and we had a fantastic time. Fast forward to tonight, where I heat the leftover half of my burger (I couldn't finish it - my stomach is small!), am settling down on the couch, burger in one hand, watching a movie. And what do I see sticking out of the all beef patty?
A hair.
It's about 3 inches long and it's dark.
I am somewhat grossed out. What is POSSIBLY more disturbing is that, after I pull the hair OUT of my burger, I actually contemplate finishing it. Your burgers are that good. I debate the issue and try to rationalize finishing the burger (hair, big deal, it's probably not that dirty, I'd probably continue eating if it was my hair, there could be worse things, etc etc).
Ultimately, the gross factor wins out. Dinner ruined. Movie is paused. I rummage for something else to eat.
Kuma's Corner... I don't know if your guys wear hair nets when they make those patties or what the process is, but could you please do something to ensure that NO HAIR gets into the food? That is not too much to ask. I would really like to come back again but now I'm skeeved out. I'm sorry, maybe I'm a wuss, but hair in my food... gives me the willies. For that reason, I'll never buy ice cream from a vending machine or eat anything from Taco Bell again (true stories, both).
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Yvonne
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The burgers are delicious. The mac 'n' cheese was OFF THE HOOK!!! The wait, though, is a little… Read more »
I'm going to say it now to get it out of the way. Here's what to you expect: Long waits, slow service, loud music and bad lighting. Fantastic burgers. I expected with all the hype that the food would become anticlamactic and overrated. I was wrong.
I ripped on people for waiting three hours to get in. I think I still wouldn't do that, but on a Tuesday night it's a shorter wait. For a place where I was expecting to be sitting outside for three hours it was an hour and a half wait. The seating is meager, which accounts for the long waits during peak times. The metal is loud, but it wasn't obnoxious. The only problem i had with the atmosphere was the lighting. I couldn't read the menu. I had to use my cell phone as a flashlight. The service was slow, but the waitress was nice so I give that one a pass.
Now the food, the reason we came here to begin with, is the reason for the four star review. It's almost like they took random ingredients from the refrigerator and threw it on a burger and dubbed it a heavy metal name. But the grilled burgers are excellent. I ordered the Black Sabbath a burger with pepper jack, chili, blackening spices, red onion. I sampled two other burgers ordered by my sister and brother-in-law. The Metallica (bacon, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese) was good. The Motorhead was also good, but the goat cheese was overwhelming. We had to take some out, but once it was toned down, I think it was the best of the three.
Now the mac and cheese, which everyone raves about, was all that I had hoped. It had that home made style to it. We had it "built" with bacon and red peppers. It's made with real cheese and it's topped with bread crumbs and green onions. I wanted to eat the whole thing, but it was just an appetizer and I feared I wouldn't be able to eat my burger if I did.
People thought this was:
On Chicago Yelp, this place kept on popping up as one of the best burger places in Chicago and it is definitely one of the best burgers I ever had.
I came in 20 minutes after the place opened and even on Tuesday, it was jam packed. I found a seat at the bar and got myself a Lagunitas IPA to enjoy. For lunch, I decided to get the YOB, which had smoked gouda, bacon, roasted red peppers, and roasted garlic mayo on a pretzel roll along with criss-cut fries. A lot of the burgers are named after rock/heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Led Zeppelin. The first bite I took of the YOB burger was mouth watering delicious. It was pretty big too, so I cut into four pieces so I can enjoy the burger without making a big mess. It was a near perfect burger.
The service was great and while you eat, you can listen to rock music. If you come with a big group, try to come here when it opens or you will be stuck in waiting for an hour.
I'm coming here again!
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The burgers are phenomenal, truly the best non-high grade beef burgers, and the best damn fries, and the best portion-sized meal for the money I've ever had, so why the two stars? The wait. The wait (in our case, three hours on a Wednesday night 7 p.m., no lie) ruins everything good about this place. I blame it on two things: poor management and poor hostess practices.
The hostess wasn't any help in alleviating the wait. Metal-place, schmetal place, you still run a business and it's the hostess's job to smooth over long waits. Even if your hostess is covered in tattoos and piercings (as I am), there's just no reason for the attitude and you should train such a hostess in such a tight-space establishment to be on it, both in temperament management and seating.
Offer water for the long, hot wait, fer chrissakes. Have her checking on folks who seem to be standing around for a long time every now and then, not just standing there looking half pissed and half bemused by the frustrated response. Have her greet people as if she genuinely gives a crap that they're giving her money--that sort of thing.
And after a three-hour wait, she should surely be saying, "Thank you for waiting so patiently, I know it's crazy." If she's not, then get rid of her, because she's not making the wait staff higher tips and she's not making you money, period.
Kuma's, I implore you, get a hostess who actually likes people and understands that the goal is to avoid money walking out the door, because your food is awesome, your wait staff is unbelievably helpful and on it (I'm assuming they tip the hostess out, a pity), and even though you have crouch-exposing, leather-clad, blood-covered women on your wall, your place rocks. But just like having a bad drummer can ruin a great band, your hostess sucks and should be replaced.
Every time someone walks out that door from the long wait, you're losing business. On my three-hour wait, I watched as 12 tables walked out, which is-what- $500 to $1200 profit? I can't help but think that this is just another sign of not-so-great planning on management's part.
And while I'm on the management-should-really-pay-attention train, you're in Avondale. Property can't be that expensive and your burgers are $10-$13 a pop with a packed house every night, all day.
You've got to be raking in the dough, so either expand on the place you got or move to a bigger place. There's just no justification as to why you can't and it's ridiculous not to do so. I bet you could get a great deal on property right now, while creating much-needed jobs for the tattoed and pierced among us.
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Minotaur right through that burger!
For years I've heard of this place called Kuma's Corner. Somehow the name made me think of Nintendo villian prostitutes. That aside, I've come to consider Kuma's to be the most talked about hamburger spot in the whole city of Chicago. So why did it take me so long to finally dine there? Was it pure stupidity? My innate inability to read the map of a city built like a grid? Fear? Whatever the reason was, it was an unfortunate self denial. Today, I remedied this with the help of a good gal pal, Lisa.
One of the things I've heard about visiting Kuma's Corner is the insanely long wait. They warn you about this on their website and I'm telling you about this here, so don't even try to be upset about it once you're there. The kitchen is only 16'x16' after all and they are CONSTANTLY busy. Here's what you can do to handle the wait:
1. Get there at store open (11:30a most days) and don't wait at all.
2. Put in your name, find out the wait time, go down the street and get a cocktail, come back 20ish min before your estimated seating time.
3. Go home and make a sandwich.
We chose option 1.
Once inside, you can sit at a table (which is where the real waiting list comes in) or you can grab a spot at the bar which is first come first serve.
We arrived at about 12:15p and just as we put our names on the list for a table, two fellows vacated their seats at the bar directly next to us so we darted for it and BLAMMO! Burger time! Our lady bartender was very attentive and, notably, very attractive. Thank GAWD because we were going to be watching her run back and forth down the bar for the next hour and... no no, i joke. She was awesome though and quite lovely.
Please just take a moment to look over the menu: http://www.kumascorner...
I know, my mouth started watering too. BBQ pork fries and burgers topped with things like pancetta and frizzled onions? What in Heaven's name is a frizzled onion? Well, I still don't know, but i finally do know what a real burger tastes like! The quality of the beef is outstanding and savory in itself. I'd eat the burger plain if it wasn't for the profusion of toppings available. With each burger being named after a metal band, the menu is already fun. Start mixing in toppings like goat cheese and pico de gallo and this meat patty adventure has become a party! Needless to say, choosing my band of choice was not an easy task, but as we all know, a girl's gotta eat!
I chose to try the "Lair of the Minotaur". 10oz of ground beef cooked medium rare, topped with glazed onions, pancetta, brie and bourbon soaked pears.
I can't say enough good things about this combination. In short, it was an impeccable combination of sweet and savory and the meat was grilled perfectly. Each topping in itself would have been a delight, but their combination was realized by my taste buds with intense satisfaction. Oh! and don't worry everybody, your burger doesn't have to be ground beef. Other options are boneless chicken breast, garden and chicken tenders.
I was only able to manage half of my meal, including one of my favorite sides (waffle fries) but this was great because it meant I could save the other half for dinner and enjoy this treat twice in one day. Yes, fries too. Did i actually try to reheat the fries, you ask? I did, and I did so successfully by using my toaster oven. DO NOT MICROWAVE. Gross. Point being, if you can't finish your meal, you can enjoy it fully later so don't leave it behind!
Kuma's Corner has finally been discovered by this burger fiend and I look forward to rediscovering it over and over again. Won't you please join me?
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Burgerquest, son!
Kuma's description: *Choice of 10oz. burger, Boneless Chicken Breast, Garden Burger, or Chicken Tenders*
*Served with Fries or Chips. Substitute House Salad or Caesar for $2.00*
*All Burgers Served On A Pretzel Roll*
"OUR FAMOUS KUMA BURGER"
Bacon, Cheddar, Fried Egg - $10
Cooking Style/Temp: Medium. At 10oz, this thing was a beast, and it came a little undercooked, but that's better than overcooked. Flame Grilled.
Additions/Subtractions: got it as listed on the menu, with waffle fries
Burger: 4.5
This burger was the Godzilla of burger patties, 10oz of freshly ground and hand formed beef. I'm not a "giant burger" fan, but the char-grilling added good flavor and the meat was light and juicy. It was a little undercooked, better that than overcooked and dried out, however. The more well-done parts of the burger had more flavor than the the less cooked parts. Next time I'll ask for medium+.
Bun: 4.5
I was apprehensive about the pretzel bun. I don't care for them on sandwiches, I find them too chewy and the pretzel coating can overwhelm. Not in this case. I can't think of any other kind of bun that can handle the tractor trailers that are Kuma's Burgers. It was just soft enough, but sturdy enough to handle any toppings you pile onto that viking shield of beef.
Toppings: 5
With all the variations available I was tempted to go off the deep and and get the craziest and most delicious sounding concoction they had, but to get a good feel for the place I wanted to go with the ol' #1. I'd also been meaning to get a burger with egg on it, so this presented the perfect opportunity.
Egg, over easy, bacon, cheddar, I also added lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup and mayo. All fresh, all so tasty. The bacon was perfectly cooked, the egg was over easy that went to a more viscous medium as it rested on the hot burger, perfect. I could pick out each element in every bite (except for the cheddar, which i don't like on burgers too much because it loses it's flavor when you melt it) but at the same time the flavors melded together so well. I credit the egg yolk. So good.
Accoutrements: 5
Delicious waffle fries, Homemade kettle chips, options for salads, all made fresh. Good beers, a couple that I'd never had but were delicious, on tap, plus PBRs, and appetizers. I'd try it all if I could.
Atmosphere: 5
A small bar with a tiny 16x16 kitchen, about 10 tables, blasting face-melting heavy metal, cool as shit staff and a clientele who were there for the best burgers for hundreds of miles in any direction? I'll take it! The wait can be long, but we went there at 11:30 at night and it wasn't too bad. and yeah, the place was full of people eating burgers that late. Some "regular" people might not be able to deal with the atmosphere, but chances are, if you aren't decked out in performance fleece and khakis, you should be just fine.
Overall: 4.8
A near perfect score. If I were a bigger fan of pretzel buns and giant burgers, we probably would be talking all 5's. There are a few things that, to me make awesome burgers, and Kuma's ticks most of the boxes. Two of biggest ones (besides taste obviously), Kuma's has in spades. One is that when I'm eating it, my hands get messy and juicy and I need a napkin to clean up, the other is if I can still taste it, days later. As I type this, I can still remember the flavors, textures, everything. Unbelievable. This was the second best burger I've ever had. Do yourself a favor and drive to Chicago right now and get one. You'll be glad you did.
I always thought this place had to be overrated. I mean I found some solid go to burgers in this town. And nothing beats a good In-N-Out burger time to time when I'm visiting the West Coast.
Kuma's passes the tests. The beef patties are huge, which usually can deter me. Hoever, the juicey tender medium rare patty holds up. So far I've had the Slayer and the YOB. Both I enjoyed for completely seperate reasons. I took the slayer home and and made it the next day w/ spanish rice. It's like a better version of hamburger helper.
I'm impressed and sold. I live a short walk down Belmont. However, the wait gets to me like the rest of you. So I take PTO and go. You heard me. I actually took a day off work to hang out at Kuma's. No regrets. I mean I get to spend the afternoon w/ my unemployed friends, drinking bourbon from a tap (this is fantastic, wish more places had it), and enjoying what I love about Chicago (the uniqueness that can't be copied).
So Kuma's, I've taken you on and you've won me over. The next burger on my list is the Lair of the Minataur by the way. Accompanied by Woodford Reserve on tap. Burgers and Bourbon kids...go and enjoy!
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You want to know why America has an obesity problem? Go to Kuma's Corner and you will find out. The burgers are just plain ridiculous. There are some interesting combinations on the menu, and the names are very clever, but the Kuma's Coma you experience afterwards is not worth it. I might have a different view on this place had I not brought half of my meal home to see the oil oozing out of the mac and cheese the next day, it was just plain gross.
The best way I can describe this place is Man Paradise: loud music, erotic drawings on the walls and gut busting burgers.
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You know, it is a good burger. The ingredients are fresh and the burger actually arrived medium-rare which I think is difficult to receive most of the time...
HOWEVER
for everything you have to put up with... 90+ min waits for a table, plus more time to wait for your order to be taken and eventually for it to be delivered... all accompanied by loud heavy metal music pounding throughout the overcrowded joint so that you can't really talk to your friends anyway... for me it's just not worth it.
If I lived in the area I would do take out in a heartbeat. Since I don't, I'd track down a Five Guys instead.
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Chalk up another mediocre hamburger journey. It is becoming a trend in Chicago for culinary artists to devise a plethora of delightful ingredients to trickle over the mountain of beef (well, it reads delightfully off the menu). Unfortunately, just as any other hamburger palace, the beef is morbidly disappointing. I figured the Mid-West to harbor some fine quality grass grazing cows, but it seems the overall "juicy" factor and grade of the beef is sub-par. At the very least, I enjoyed the pretzel bun covering burger because of the myriad of toppings available. But, the toppings alone cannot salvage my overall experience at Kuma's Corner.
The atmosphere is fantastic and the service is top-notch. Kuma's Corner is excellent to visit with friends or to just hang out at a cool place. Outside of that, i'll settle on a Burger joint with the same quality meat and somewhere I do not have to sit in traffic for 30-40 minutes to get to.
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What has taken me so long to write a review? I guess I thought I already raved about this place on yelp before!
My favorite burgers by far. I have been here 4 times, with 4 different burgers, over the past 1 or 2 years. ALL LIP SMACKING DELICIOUS! Mac'n'cheese is super-duper too! The only reason I don't go more often is the INSANE wait for a table. But, if you are lucky and don't have a group, try to sit at the bar. Loud music loses 1/2 star, but it is still fun :) Rock on. Long-ass waits loses 1/2 star - it is pretty ridiculous.
Burgers I've tried - and in order from most enjoyed at the top.
Plague Bringer - garlic and flavor heaven. (not recommended for first dates)
Kuma Burger - Brinner time. I make burgers with eggs/bacon/cheese now at home. Kuma's is still better though...
Led Zepplin - a burger and pulled pork on the same bun.... bonus!
YOB - gouda and red peppers - good, but kinda plain compared to others.
First of all, IT IS POSSIBLE. On Friday at 5pm, the wait was 35 minutes and we jumped on a couple bar seats after 10 minutes.
I was ready to be disappointed -- this place had been hyped up to me for years, there was rush hour traffic all the way there, and it was cloudy (grew up in LA, full-fledged seasonal affective disorder).
Well, it didn't disappoint. The bartender was extremely friendly. I will admit that I was post-Alpha King and a few Gumballheads by the time I got to my Kuma's Burger, but no amount of alcohol-induced stupor could cloud the awesomeness that was my burger. The burger was promptly inhaled Nathan's-hot-dog-style. Quality ingredients, well-seasoned burger, cooked perfectly. The pretzel roll was what really set this burger apart from other top burger joints. Loved the waffle fries. Also had some of the Black Sabbath, solid.
We also made it through most of a mac and cheese. By that time I was eating too fast to really taste anything (I get crazy when I get really hungry), but I vaguely remember seeing my girlfriend raving about it in my peripheral vision.
Seriously, the ridiculous hype might be deserved. And the wait isn't always that bad. Kuma's might leave you paralyzed for the rest of the evening, but it's worth it.
People thought this was:
definitely a good burger, and the mac and cheese was love, but the wait was simply NOT WORTH IT. It just wasnt. Inside the place is cramped, so, while I'm not looking for fine dining ambiance, I'd like to not have the other patrons elbows in my face, thank you. Service was spotty - hostess was genuinely sweet and considerate of how long our wait was, the waiter was meh, and the tables (we sat outside) were actually really crappy.
The burgers all have hilarious names and they are certainly huge, but overall were just...very good. Not worth a nearly 3 hour wait though. During which time there is no place to sit and nothing to do, so add sitting outside in the hot sun that later turned to chilly drizzle, making my expectations of this manna from the grill that much higher.
Bored, starved, cold/wet, and tired of waiting makes a patron have some damned high hopes for what's about to be served, and it just wasn't great enough to make it worth hanging out here for hours.
I'll try it again sometime, but I can't imagine a time when I am both hungry enough to want a Kuma's burger but not hungry enough to be willing to lurk around outside in the Chicago winter/spring/fall for 3 hours to make it worthwhile.
People thought this was:
These burgers are outstanding but man... the wait was ridiculous. They woulda got 3 stars if the wait wasn't obnoxious. We knew one of the servers there too and were given a comped appetizer but had we not, I would have been furious by the time our burgers actually made it out. Service is good though, these poor servers are always slammed but they do a good job.
The problem with this place is every time it is mentioned, everyone in the room is like, "nah, fuck that... the wait is ridiculous..." or something along those lines.
People thought this was:
What can I say about this place that hasn't already been said? Since I first went here about a year ago, it has been my goal in life to get everyone else I meet to go as well. I have been quoted as saying "I wish I could spend 95% of my being at Kuma's" (maybe I was a little intoxicated)
Easily the best burgers I have ever had, as well as the most unique. There are probably a good 20-30 to choose from, plus they always have a burger of the month.
The beer selection is also pretty great. Its not Map Room or Hopleaf sized, but those places don't have the greatest burgers ever.
The staff is always friendly and fun as well.
Though it would be a 5-star bar even without the heavy metal theme, that is an awesome bonus.
My only complaint is that I want to have some of the past burgers of the month again!! Maybe some sort of vote each year to pick one burger of the month to be a regular menu item?
I don't like burgers. I think they are bland, have too many carbs, and rely on shitty american cheese. But Kuma's has blown my mind. You can tell that Kuma's cooks every ingrediant as it should be cooked, and then puts it together in a way that blends the flavors into a focused and exquisite burger.
I once ordered the potato chips because I didn't want to overeat, and I figured I would have an easy time avoiding the chips. I was wrong. The chips are better than the fries (that's saying a lot)
The best part about Kuma's is the beer selection. Great Lakes, Dark Horse, Jolly Pumpkin, and many other incredible micro-brews from the midwest and beyond. If you like good beer, this place is a must.
People thought this was:
Failed getting into Kuma's 3 times. I would never go on a weekend. That's just me. SUPER SMALL SPACE.
Good thing I went on a Tuesday(around 3-4 PM). Still a good amount of people, but it wasn't crowded at all.. which made me uber happy! You have no idea how happy I was to FINALLY succeed after failing 3 times. Heehee.
I got the Dark Throne(Chipotle Peppers, Goat Cheese, Fresh Pico de Gallo) with the garden burger & waffle fries! OH, they don't have pepsi/cola.. they have RC(THROWBACK! lol). I got the diet RC. Tasted good, if not better. Anyway, waffle fries were pretty okay.. but the burger was most excellent! I am so in like with their pretzel roll buns. So genius( taste wise/hand gripping wise/moistness to hardness ratio wise). My friends got the famous Kuma burgers. They also raved about the pretzel roll buns! One of the guys had their meat medium rare, so it was extra juicy.. but the AMAZING pretzel roll buns soaked up the juice yet didn't get soggy! What the what? Anyway, we were SUPER stuffed. Really good price for the amount of food! The burgers are huge and they're not stingy with the waffle fries. Come hungry :)
People thought this was:
Tuesday afternoon at 2pm, i think I'm being smart and will avoid the crowds I've read about. Boy am i wrong. I arrive to people waiting outside and a full house inside. WTF right? Apparently I'm not as smart as I think. Lo and behold though within two minutes a seat opens at the end of the bar, and as I'm by myself, I'm sitting down and ordering 3 minutes later.
The menu looks great, and I'm sitting by the kitchen so everything sounds good (I'm totally overwhelmed watching them prepare the dishes). I order the Mastodon (BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar, crispy onions on the 10 ounce burger) and a local IPA.
The saliva begins to form in my mouth. My waitress is nice and funny, and I'm digging the heavy metal music, but the wait is killing me. 20 Min's later i have my burger. Its massive, but i know I can take it down. The waffle fries look yummy but turn out to be a bit on the cold side. That's OK as i really just want the burger. I cut it in half and devour it in 11 minutes (that's a long time for me). It is good. Truth be told though, it ain't the best burger in Chicago. I dig the atmosphere, i like the tunes and the burger is tasty, but I am not floored by it and i certainly wouldn't wait an hour for a table if i came with friends which seems to be the norm.
Would I go back again? Probably. Am I raving about it? Nope. It deserves 3.5 stars but as i can't give it that rating I'm going to give it a 3 to bring its rating down to earth.
On to the next claim of best burger in Chicago...
People thought this was:
i've gone only once, and the wait has scared me away. but i dream about going back one day.
love the diverse selection of burgers, love the pretzel roll. and boy, do they have delicious mac 'n cheese. possibly the best ever. add bacon & grilled onions to yours. you can thank me later.
I like to start my reviews by stating that I ran against more than 1,200 Managers from many different area hotel chains for the Manager of the Year Award - Regional (Chicago) and State (IL) by the IL Dept. of Hotels and Lodging. I won both of those awards, so believe me when I say I know good service or lack thereof when i see it.
Everyone in my neighborhood said this was the place to get a burger, I always thought the line outside was for bands, it's not, its for thier burgers! However, on my first and only trip I thought the 55 minutes it took our two burgers to arrive after being seated as a little unreasonable. The server was also slow with drinks, they always ran out and stayed empty for 10 minutes before she noticed. It took more than 10 minutes for replacement drinks. I did love the burger, but it was not so spectacular that I would do it again or suffer such long waits at the table.
People thought this was:
I am really torn about this restaurant. If you had asked me a year or two ago, I would have given it 5 stars easily. However, recent developments have left me very disappointed. I will continue to give the burgers high marks, but for the rest of the food, I cannot.
I do not eat beef. I know that it's odd for me to be reviewing a burger restaurant, but still. My husband and our friends absolutely love the burgers, and I thought the veggie burgers were great. Not for the patty itself, which was good, but for the incredible toppings. Veggie burgers tend to be pretty bland, but these were not. They were topped with eggs or red wine soaked pears or poblano peppers.
However, maybe a year ago or so, Kuma's decided to stop serving veggie burgers. They now serve these absolutely disgusting portabella mushroom patties. I've never been a huge fan of mushroom sandwiches, but these are the worst I've ever had. The mushrooms are so tough, it's like trying to eat a shoe. No delicious toppings or warm tasty pretzel bun can make up for that.
I could forgive, and maybe eat the not great macaroni and cheese, but the waitstaff are extremely rude. Sometimes it's cute and kooky, but often I just find it unpleasant. I don't see a reason to wait 2 hours for a table and then get treated like crap.
I would say, though, that if you're a burger fan, you may want to go around 2 pm on a Tuesday and give it a try. You may find the food is worth it.
People thought this was:
High on Fire.
f*cking awesome. 5 stars for that alone.
yeah, there is usually a wait of at least 90-120 minutes. don't want to wait that long? get there when they open. there are only so many tables in the place and lots of people go there. or, here is an idea, go, put your name in, then walk across the street and go to Square Bar, have a few and then go back.
I went here with 20 other Yelpers and it was good, quite good. I got the Melvin, but opted to have… Read more »
Quote of the night (read on the bathroom wall, covering a 50's pin-up with stark black sharpie marker...):
"My mouth tastes like bad choices."
mwaHAha. F'real. Classic.
However, I beg to differ...my mouth tasted like excellent choices, all around on this particular evening.
One glass o' Allagash
BBQ Pork Fries
One bite: Pantera Burger
One sip: Whiskey
By the numbers:
One hour wait quote. (Saturday night, 10pm: not bad)
Two beers at Square Bar (aka: Kuma's Waiting Room)
.5 block walk back to Kuma's
Two seats at the bar.
"Die Emo, Die" is a close second for "qotn", but I feel its a little angsty for my "tastes" this morning...so we'll leave it at that.
Yeah, go Kuma's. What else is new?
People thought this was:
The patio's now hoppin',
The Kuma's cult is poppin',
Burger's gone in a flash,
Washed down with…
Read more »
I'm torn. Yes, the burgers are absolutely delicious and I'm still thinking about my meal, three months later. But the wait time is just insane. My friend and I went on a Monday after work, so we arrived at Kuma's around 6:00. We had to wait about 45 minutes to sit (not only were all of the tables packed, but the bar was as well), and then when we arrived at our table, we were informed it would be another 45 minutes before we would get our food.
Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal for me, but I was already hungry when we'd arrived at Kuma's, and by the time we sat down, I was starving. As a result, I ate so quickly that I felt absolutely sick afterwards. Oops.
I read some reviews that mentioned the bartenders and wait staff were rude, but our server was very nice. I just wish the space were bigger, so the wait times weren't so ridiculous. I probably won't return until the hype dies down a little, but I do think you should give it a shot at least once, because the burgers are that good.
People thought this was:
I heard this place has the best burgers in Chicago and that you should expect a long wait. We got there on a Saturday night around 6:00 PM and were told it would be a 2 hour wait. Almost 3 hours later we still couldn't get a table, so we decided to get our food to go. The employees were all rude and although the burgers were very good, it wasn't worth the wait. I don't care how good your food is, you should treat your customers with at least a little respect. I only give it 2 stars for the food. I'd rather grab a beer and a bite from Square down the street.
Hello, bandwagon, fancy meeting you here...
Yes, everyone has eaten at Kuma's. Everyone is reviewing Kuma's... but after an experience like that, I must review.
The burger was amazing. It is BY FAR the best burger I've ever had. I got the Iron Maiden burger, which had avacado, cherry peppers, chipotle mayo, and pepper jack cheese. The toppings went perfectly with the burger...but stop. We need to discuss the burger itself. You know, that lovely piece of meat that is sandwiched between the bun and toppings?
It is THE BEST BEEF PATTY EVER. Usually when I eat a hamburger, I bite, it tastes good, so I chew and swallow, and I am mildly happy. When I bit into a Kuma's burger patty, JOY WAS RELEASED INTO MY MOUTH. I'm not kidding. It's like they put a packet of something in the burger to release when you bite it... and it tastes like.... joy. I have no other words.
We also got the do it your self mac and cheese. Also delicious. But really, nothing can compare to that burger.
We came on a saturday for lunch (at 12:30) and waited about 40 minutes. Not too bad. I plan to come back on a weekday at a random hour for ultimately low waiting times.
Also FYI, do not go there and plan to have a conversation with your dining partner. I couldn't hear a thing over the loud music, and both my friend and I kept nodding at each other as if we heard what was being said. Just eat the burger and be happy.
People thought this was:
Metal + burgers.
I can think of no better marriage.
Not only does Kuma's have the best burgers in Chicago, I would venture to say these are the best burgers IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD.
I highly recommend the Iron Maiden. For obvious reasons, as well as it being fucking delicious. I'm also pretty fond of the staff: they are on it, they're funny, nice, and have great suggestions.
I was going to keep this a secret, but my friends and I loved this place so much that we went twice in 3 days, and were willing to wait 2 hours to be seated each time. That's how good it is. That, and it has sort of inspired me to move back to Chicago. As soon as possible.
I don't know how long I can survive without this shit.
People thought this was:
Went here for a Friday dinner with the lady friends a few weeks ago. Arrived around 6:30pm, got seated around 6:50pm. Well worth the near half-hour wait! I ordered a Neurosis burger (cheddar, swiss, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and horseradish mayo) with chips. Wouldn't recommend the chips, but this burger was awesome.
Consistently good food + fast seating made my experience here good. I realized that you could plan it so that you won't have to wait a while in line to get into this restaurant, and that would be the smartest thing to do. Besides, waiting in line for over an hour when you're already hungry is no fun!
waited nearly 2 hours to get a friggin burger.
thank god it was delicious.
i got the mastodon, which…
Read more »
Holy diver, this place rules. If you know the deal- burgers named after metal bands- then I don't know why you're reading reviews. Come on, you know you want to get in on that action. So just go. Now. DO IT!
If you're desperate for something to read, I'll tell you this: Kuma's lives up to the hype. Living in Boston, Bartley's Burger Cottage has taught me to be wary of hyped up, gimmicky burger places. Kuma's has restored my faith, because they back up the gimmick with quality food. I had the Clutch- a pretty conservative options, all things considered, as it merely has 4 types of cheese on it- and it was awesome. And the roll? Pretzel bread. Genius touch. Absolutely fantastic.
The only downside I can think of is the wait. We got take out, and the wait time for our burgers was well over an hour. Admittedly, that was partly due to the waitress we placed the order with being new, and misplacing our order, but they made up for it. So yeah! The staff is great, doing whatever they can to make sure the customer is taken care of.
You've heard of Kuma's. Now go to Kuma's.
Disclosure: I'm a vegetarian, I don't like metal (anymore) and I'm not crazy about crowds.
Lunch crowd was all I could handle. Had some decent draft beer; they offer some high end draft ($20 a pop?) with no explanation. I'd be tempted if they tempted me. The veggie burger is a Gardenburger brand veggie burger, straight out of the freezer. Yea, it's a beef place, but the veggie burger is the same cost as the meat, and clearly inferior. It was ok, but not worth it.
Service (Katie) was pleasant, attentive, and, if I may say, rather cute. People around me were pretty chatty, which I don't get that often and enjoyed. Metal is not my bag, and though the volume was on the upper end of respectful, it was still there. I left with a headache.
So, if you like metal, meat, crowds and long wait, you go there.
People thought this was:
This place has been on my to do list for a while. Since I'd heard about the ridiculously long wait times for food, I really wanted to decide for myself if this was a burger worth waiting 3-4 hours for. Indeed it was.
The four of us arrived around 7:45PM and were able to snag a seat at the bar. Our bartender was very friendly and despite the large crowd took very good care of us. Sadly they were out of the O'Fallon Pumpkin Ale so I ordered an Allagash on draft instead. We purporsely ate a late lunch to help quell our hunger until late night. It is really hard to watch all the plates come rolling out of the kitchen while you want to knaw your hand off.
We were eventually seated a little after 11 and got our orders in asap. I split the Kaijo with my best friend as well as the make your own mac n' cheese, with carmelized onions and bacon. The burger was as good as it gets. I was worried it wouldn't have as much blue cheese as my former favorite the 'Moody Blue' at Moody's, but the was a generous amount of it at Kuma's. The pretzel bun soaks in all the juices and grease perfectly. The mac and cheese was a good combo of savory and sweet with both the toppings and lots of cheese. There was definitely more than enough to share between the 2 of us, as well as our boyfriends who dug in too. We even brought home two take out tins with mac n' cheese that was just as good reheated on Sunday. Next time I'd like to try the BBQ pork fries as an appetizer, but since the burgers are so huge and delicious I might not ever have the room!
Nightly Specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
$4 x $4 Every Day
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Neighborhood: Beverly
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Fast Food
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Hot Dogs
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Fast Food
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