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Categories: Restaurants, Bars
Neighborhood: North CenterMon-Fri. 4:30 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I was craving a good burger. We passed by Kumas and the wait was outside at 6pm on a Monday.
We rode all the way to the new DMK burger bar only for a fucking piece of cardboard taped to the window with "closed mondays until 2010" scrawled in black sharpie.
Downtrodden, we went to our #3 option, Bad Apple.
AND HOLY CRAP, SHOULD HAVE JUST WENT STRAIGHT HERE!
Sat down immediately in the near empty dining area (thank god no red lights back here). Got an amazing christmas ale from Great Lakes brewery for $4 and WHAT, 7.5% ALCOHOL?! FOR $4! Merry Christmas to ME!
I wanted a burger so I got the Dracula's Revenge that comes topped with roasted red pepper, roasted garlic, feta and olives.
I asked for it medium.
It came out just this side of medium rare and OH. MY. GOD.
This burger was so intensely good.
The fries were so crispy and delicious.
But back to the burger.
Nice and pink and just DRIPPING with juices (there's a that's what she said joke in here somewhere.)
seriously, I may have become a medium-rare girl, that's how good this damned burger was.
And unlike Kuma's I ate the whole thing and didn't feel like dying afterwards.
That burger alone gives this 5 stars.
Add to the fact that the waitress didn't put my boy's 2nd beer on the bill and bam, she got a nice tip as well.
I hope they experiment with different burger toppings but all I know is Dracula's Revenge is my new go-to.
So I had a friend in from Milwaukee who really wanted to go to Kuma's.
But when she heard about the…
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The Bad Apple is actually pretty good in my book! I think they have a great beer and food menu and am looking forward to going back and trying something else.
I had a hard time deciding which sandwich to order but finally went for something different: the duck confit sandwich. It was very tasty and I liked how it was not the typical burger or chicken sandwich. It came with fries, too, which were tasty... definitely better than most places. The portions are huge and the price is reasonable. Also, it is a pretty big space in there and would be a good place to have a large gathering or you can probably even rent out a private room. I can't wait to go back!
This place is fantastic - great food, great beers, good service, laid back atmosphere.
Came here on a Thursday evening. When we got there, we were pretty much the only patrons (it was early - a little after 6 maybe). By the time we left around 8:30, the place had filled up nicely.
Our server was friendly and knowledgeable about both the beer list and the menu. The burgers were delicious, and the fries (just 75 cents extra to get truffle! or old bay! or... three other choices that i'm not remembering right now) really stood out. Prices were reasonable, all burgers under $10, beers were neither cheap nor expensive - my only complaint there was that there were no "cheap" beers for those of us who actually like them.
I'm not sure this is a true "destination" place but it's a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and a fun place to hang out, have a good beer and enjoy a burger. Though next time I'm trying the poutine!
GREAT FRIES!
Let me just start by saying that I think that these are some of the very best fries I've ever had.
The hubby and I were here just last week.
I had a small arugula Salad with walnuts and dried cranberries (or maybe they were cherries) and balsamic dressing ($5). Although the salad had a little too much dressing for my taste, I thought that the flavor profile was terrific. They gave plenty of the little candied walnuts and fruit were perfection. I really appreciated that they gave the option for a small and a large. I never eat a lot in one sitting, and liked that I didn't have to pay for something I didn't want.
The hubby ordered a burger ($9) with cramalized onions and mushrroms, and got it on a regular bun rather than the english muffin it was meant to come with. We ordered it medium rare, and guess what? It came out medium rare! It was juicy and delicious, but the real star were the fries. I ordered a side of gravy (.75) to go along with them, and Iw as in heaven. Hand cut and seasoned perfectly.
I also had a milk stout beer ($5) which was delicious, and the hubby had a beer that I can't remember the name of. He found it to be too floral, but drank it anyway (ofcourse).
Although the menu is limited, I would definitely come back here to eat. I'm not sure I'd hang out here as a bar goes. It was a little too quiet for me in that regard, but the food was upstanding. I only wish they had a curry gravy for my fries. YUM!
There's a lot of fence sitters with the Bad Apple. Lot's of people saying they're ripping off Kumas and not quite living up to it. Well, in my opinion, Kumas is an entity in and of itself. I like metal, but I am pretty sure a fair amount of their patrons don't. That being said, if you want to listen to loud music you probably don't like, in an overcrowded space while you wait 2+ hours to have a unique burger experience, go to Belmont and Fransisco. If you want to walk in and sit down right away, not have to fight for a drink, get a really good burger with a good beer selection, go to Lincoln and Cullom. Sure they both do gourmet burgers, but the similarities stop there.
The Bad Apple has a comfortable and cozy atmosphere with dark lighting, fun board games, original Pac Man, a shuffleboard game, three rooms to choose from (plenty of space!), and I've never seen it super crowded. Their burgers are smokey, delicious, and filling. I thought the fries were really good - similar to Five Guys but less greasy. Addicting, basically.
Their cocktail menu was created by one of their bartenders, and has some creative concoctions. They do have a ton of beers and a couple of ciders to choose from.
I do really hate their logo, and it doesn't match the classiness of the inside with rich walls with trees painted on them, and glowing orbs of light with the tables set pretty far apart for more intimacy.
For me, this is not the most amazing place in the world, but I really like the hamburgers and fries, and I like not being stressed out with crowds or having to wait for a decent bite. It's a nice change of pace! If you haven't tried The Bad Apple due to some naysayers, I say, do try!
Good burger, crispy fries (apparently they read the reviews). Great beer collection. Got in without much of a
wait. Really friendly waiter. Don't know of I'd make a special trip there or go back, as there are a number of other places that have great burgers and beer. Would stop in if I were in the area, but wouldn't make it a destination, if you know what I mean.
This place would be more aptly named "The Mediocre Apple."
Burgers were OK. The Bad Apple is clearly a wannabe-Kuma's, only it doesn't come close to Kuma's quality or variety in toppings. There isn't much else on the menu, so non-burger eaters beware. The fries were awful. I don't care if they are hand-cut. If they are burned, they will taste like shit.
Beer list is long, which is impressive to someone like myself who doesn't really drink a lot of beer. But where are the ciders? You would think a place named The Bad Apple would have a decent cider selection. Boo.
We probably won't be back. The Grafton serves up a better burger on a better pretzel roll for the price (and has a good selection of ciders).
NOM!
On a whim we headed to Bad Apple the other night after hearing tons of things about it. We must've picked the perfect time because we were the only table sitting in back & there were about 4 people in the bar area. I'm reading other people complaining about service, food, whatever. We had none of those issues. Our burgers were perfectly cooked, fries weren't burned, undercooked, or drab.
Their "poutine" was amazingly small & overpriced, but other than that I've got no complaints about any of our meal. Waitress was totally on point, knew the menu & was able to answer all our questions, our water & drinks were never empty.
Maybe Bad Apple is a bit overpriced, but all in all I enjoyed our experience. After skimming through other reviews I'd be wary of going at popular times, but apparently it's a different place on off hours. Maybe they need a bigger staff so everyone could have an experience like we did?
I certainly appreciated our good natured server as well as the impressive beer list. The interior was slightly odd and I wasnt entirely sure what was permanent and what was just a Halloween decoration. I had an O'Fallon Pumpkin Ale which was fantastic! But the dinner was a little disappointing. Andy M definitely won out with his Ham & Cheese sandwich, so maybe I just selected the wrong things.
I thought the cheese curds were quite awful - why are they so fluffy and airy? They reminded me way too much of that Circus Peanut candy and that is never a good thing.
My sandwich, the beer can chicken, came on a bun that was too soft and tasteless, almost like it had been underbaked. Plus there were all these other ingredients but none of them had any taste. All you got was yeasty bread and chicken. Shame. Then I ordered the truffle fries and those were way too oily. Like the whole batch had been dunked into a vat of oil before coming out of the kitchen. So oily that I couldnt even focus on the truffle flavour which was not distinct at all.
So basically I am on the fence with Bad Apple. I would come for the atmosphere and beer, but until they work out whatever kinks they have with their menu, no more food for me!
I must be frank that I'm not into the whole "bar scene" but the Bad Apple is definitely one bar that I can handle (minus the most horrific and ridiculous Bad Apple logo--a kid could draw a better mascot!). Don't come to the Bad Apple unless you have an appetite. To begin my gastronomical experience, I was happy to come across their Pear Cider which is not just refreshing but also Gluten-free. My partner had the Pumpkin Spice beer which was quite fitting for the Fall evening.
The Hangover burger was killer delicious, and no joke since it's a true artery clogger. What more could I find to add to the 3 bacon strips, slice of ham, tomato slice, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon mustard and the best for last, an over-easy egg, all on a soft homemade pretzel bun. The burger couldn't be more perfectly accompanied with anything but Bad Apple's FLAVORED HOMECUT FRENCH FRIES. As an appetizer, or for just .75 cents more to your burger/sandwich, you can choose from my personal favorite Truffle oil, garlic butter, BBQ and more to add to your french fries...all sound appetizing.
Although I didn't get to take advantage of them, I liked that Bad Apple had a quieter back room with Shuffle Board, Foosball table and board games available to their patrons. With the great music playing, Bad Apple a chill place to pig out and socialize with friends.
the good:
what's that?! i can have a beer i actually like under $5? ...and you have more than one beer i like under $5? half acre, great lakes, dark horse, dogfish head...my head is spinning a little
the bad:
luckily we are sitting at the bar, sitting at the bar means we will have better service, right bar..ten......der? where did she go? hello?! anyone? *tick tock tick tock* she's completely disappeared! *tick tock tick tock* oh finally another bartender has noticed that look in our eyes means we will skip out on the check if someone doesn't help us soon. amazing! right when he said, "do you want another?" our bartender appeared suddenly behind him
the ugly:
yum this turkey pesto sandwich is delicious! and these fries look delicious! blech! but they are drowning in salt...why would they do that to these poor little fries...not even ketchup can hide the fact a whole shaker was dumped on them. poor little fries. the sandwich was devoured and there they sit all alone on the plate.
Bottom line, come here to drink and avoid the food and you won't be disappointed.
Bad Apple's selection of craft beer rocks and they also have a good amount on tap as well. As far as the food goes, well it sounds amazing on the menu. The group i was with ordered several of the 12 burgers they have on the menu but when I asked to substitute the texas toast for the pretzel bun, I was denied. Come on if you have it in the back let me put it on my burger. That should of been a sign right there that it was going to disappoint. The pulled pork on the burger was flavorless and dry, the burger alone was ok but it wasn't anything better then I could of cooked on the BBQ at home. I couldn't even eat the entire thing I ended up passing it to a friend to finish off.
I saw on yelp a few people talking about a game room. Well the game room is a sad room behind the bar, I wouldn't call it a game room but rather a room with a game in it. One Foosball table doesn't equal a game room! Although maybe they've improved that since I was there about two months ago. Service and prices were ok nothing good and nothing bad. In the end if you're looking for a place to drink then this is great but move on if you're looking for food.
Apples are good for you. They keep the doctor - and the pounds! - away!! Their great crunch cleans your teeth after lunch when you forgot your brush. Green, red, golden - different tastes, colors, textures; same benefits.
Apples are bad for you. They trick you with their healthy look into over-indulging in pies, crumbles, crisps and cakes. They create discord between Greek goddesses and the fall of Troy, and I am not even talking about poor Eve...
These guys on Lincoln chose the bad side of the fruit.
No wonder why.
The spinach salad is probably the only healthy option on the menu.
Think cheese, fries, juicy meat, duck confit, pretzel rolls and ciabatta bread. Burgers, sandwiches, curds, fondue....
AND BEER.
You would think of ciders - and they have a couple - but this bad-ass, mean-looking apple is actually the prince of beers. 15 on tap, and an impressively long two-page menu.
I was in the mood for something different - and couldn't resist the appeal of the Left Hand Milk Stout and its NITRO KEG. Toasted nut, malt and coffee flavors enhanced by this perfect technique.
::::::::::: throat clearing and putting scientific-looking glasses on::::::::::::::
Nitrogen is used under high pressure when dispensing dry stouts (such as Guinness) and other creamy beers because it displaces CO2 to (artificially) form a rich tight head and a less carbonated taste. This makes the beer feel smooth on the palate and gives a foamy appearance.
:::::::::::::::::: end of nerd-time::::::::::::::::::
Well.....that makes for a mighty tasty drink, peeps! It was so smooth and yummy that it almost tasted like milk shake.
INSANE.
The Ommegang I had next - though interesting (burgundian and very fizzy brew with plum, cinnamon, caramel and licorice undertones) couldn't compete.
Neither could the food. We stayed away from the tempting poutine and just indulged in burgers. Nothing to write home about...even though the Earthly sandwich (grilled portabello, turffled goat cheese, onions) was quite yummy.
I will come back for beer and cheese curds.
And leave the apples at home.
Ummmmmmm.
Alert: PBJ on the menu! yessssssssssssssssssssssss!
Yes, I'm an undercover 4-year old foodie. I would eat PBJ every single day, multiple times if I could....so I don't really buy the correct ingredients all at the same time, because seriously...I'd never leave the house or try anything new. Seriously.
Smooth peanut butter, framboise jam (!?!?!), toasted multi-grain bread. Be still my juvenile, simple pleasures heart. It's like dessert you don't need to feel bad about, and that you can order for dinner!
Plus, I'm old enough now to drink BEER with it! (Alagash White, yo). Bad Apple's beer list is local, extensive, and quite frankly...excellent. Founders, Goose's more select varieties, Half Acre (located across the street, can't beat that), etc. If you are a beer snob and hate waiting in line at Hopleaf, Bad Apple's gotta seat for ya, fellas and fellettes.
My only objection is that the PBJ comes with fries, an unlikely date for this type of sweetness. Don't get me wrong, the fries are gooooooood, but with PBJ? Methinks no. Maybe milkshake? Or, apple slices? Hell, just give it to me in a lunchbox, tie my shoes for me, and send me off to kindergarten...whatever, I'll still like it. I just think a more creative, fun, quirky plate-filler is necessary here. However, I will still order it.
Interior is great (I'd never been to the former Feed the Beast), but it's clean and stylish while keeping a low air of pretension, despite that killer beer list. And duck grilled cheese!? And pretty damn decent burgers, and cheese curds!? OMG, must go back.
Reasonably priced, too: PBJ for $5. Burgers around $11. Sandwiches under $10. Beers on par with elsewhere. Def won't break the bank.
Really though this review only needs 3 letters: PBJ.
Word.
Checked out The Bad Apple soon after it opened. It was earlyish on a weeknight so keep that in mind.
- Nice beer list (but where's the Metropolitan? No reason a bar that wants to be a "beer bar" shouldn't have all the local selections).
- Burger selection looked delish. But I went with the portobello sandwich and enjoyed it thoroughly!
- Service was great.
I'd go again if I was in the neighborhood.
I'm split on this place. I give their Bar 5 Stars! I love their beer selection and this is what keeps me coming back.
The food can be really good if they cook it right, but in the 3 times I've been I've see differing results. Nothing is more off putting than a raw hamburger. But they are new and I'm willing to give them time to sort their kitchen issues out. That said, when they do make their dishes correctly they are AWESOME. I'm"m crossing my fingers that the owner get the kinks worked out and this place succeeds.
I am digging the Bad Apple! I came here for lunch this weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. I love the feeling of this place. Walls painted gray with huge trees painted on with an apple here and there. Clever. Bright red accent walls warm up the gray walls. Big red orbs that resemble bad apples perhaps?
I had the turkey tom.. to was LOADED with turkey, bacon, Swiss, pesto and of course tomatoes. I could only eat half, it was way huge. You could easily split this with someone. Their hand cut fries are amazing. The husband had a spicy burger with pickled hot peppers. He really liked it but he wished it was on a pretzel bun.
Great beer selection! They have one of my favorite beers on tap, Lindemans Framboise. You do not see that too often so I was happy! My husband tried the Goose Island Sophie beer and it was $16! Granted it was huge and I had to help him finish it. Great service and very friendly wait staff. I will be back!
I've eaten and drank here several times and have never had a bad experience. First off, fried cheese curds as an appetizer. Deep fried cheese served w/ranch dressing. How can anyone not order these? If I recall correctly, it's actually a misdemeanor in Wisconsin to not order deep fried cheese when made available to you. For the slightly more cholesterol conscious consumer, there's the mini ham sandwiches appetizer that his the spot with just the right amount of food for two people seeking some pre-meal pork provisions. They also have a goat cheese fondue appetizer that looks amazing and is currently on my "to-do" list.
The menu is very heavily focused on burgers. Another reviewer (and the menu) mentions the burger meat is from Pat La Frieda in NYC, a company that has been in the business over 90 years. Hardly "flavorless" or worse than McDonald's as others on here have commented. The various combinations of toppings are enough to add extra flavor to the burger, but not enough to overpower the taste of the meat itself. It's a delicate balance that they have achieved. Please don't put ketchup on these! It'd be like putting A1 on a filet. I've heard good things about the house made veggie burger, but with so much meat on the menu, I can't justify ordering one. If I do, I'll be sure to request bacon on top.
I've only strayed from the burger menu a few times but have not been disappointed. The stand out for me is the ham sandwich, but then again I'm partial to the pig. This is not some bush league, lazy ham sandwich that consists of sodium-laden deli ham slices. No, fellow pork aficionados, this is real deal ham off the bone and plenty of it. It is topped w/cheese and house pickled onions (and peppers, I think).
The fries are just as nature intended. Hand-cut and crispy. If you want your fried spuds to have some company, don't grab the ketchup, but instead order any of the variety of seasoned fries. I like the garlic, curry and truffle oil. These are definitely in my top 5 favorite fries of Chicago.
As for the drinks, allow me to summarize: The beer menu is physically larger than the food menu. If that isn't a sign from the heavens above, I don't know what is. The beer menu is expertly laid out by country of origin and brewery. Those less familiar with some of the more exotic beers will be happy to discover descriptions of the beers noted below each one. There's an ever-rotating list of draft beers that you will generally not find at the average Chicago bar. No Miller Lite drafts here. There's also a Lindeman's lambic tap if you dig the lambics. Lastly, there's also specialty drink list, though they are more female focused as those lists generally are. My lady friends have raved about the Persnickety Lemon. If all else fails, order yourself a bloody mary. One of the best in the cosmos. Love is the secret ingredient.
Service is always excellent whether you sit at front in the bar area, or in the back at the grown up tables. The staff are very knowledgeable in both the food and drink selection. If you're confused by the beer list, don't be afraid to ask for a suggestion. I've found the food and especially drink prices to be very fair considering this is Chicago. If you're unable to spend $9 for a burger, I'd suggest visiting a dollar menu from any number of fast food establishments.
Overall, this is one of my favorite new bars/restaurants. The food is unique and prepared with quality ingredients while the drink menu clearly had a lot of thought put into its creation. Give it a try and I'm sure you'll feel the same way I do. Only hopefully less hungover.
One menu for all their beers and another for food. = Bad ass.
Me and Oogie stopped in for a bite late night, lucky for us the kitchen closes at 1am. In some ways Bad apple reminded us of Feed the beast. Knocking back a few Matilda's and Pranqster Belgian whites, we noshed on the ham and Swiss sliders which were effing excellent. The wait for our burgers was a little longer than expected but worth the wait. All of their burger options are half pounders topped with a plethora of different toppings. I had the Texas toast burger with pulled pork topping. YUM! Almost too much food and the accompanying seasoned fries were fried just right in new oil. I hate it when fries are fried in used oil, there is a taste difference you see. Burgers for two, sliders and four beers = Fifty bucks with tip.
We'll be back for more burgers and interesting beer tripping.
I'll start this party off by saying I did not try their food.
Now that's out of the way, here we go! The beer selection is pretty good... both bottles and on tap. Prices are ok... nothing really amazing, not too expensive either. Nothing to complain about here. On the other hand, the decor seems just a little too... forced.
I'm generally not a fan of places that come off as calculated or themey (not that the Bad Apple is technically themey) but there is a whole lotta red going on in this place and it's a little too overwhelming. The space is very nice overall, it's just a little too bourgeois for my ilk.
Totally average when all is said and done, not really what the neighborhood means. Will Half Acre please open a tap room?
I'm bumping this up to four stars. I had dinner here again and ordered what was basically The Hangover minus the burger and it was far better. I also opted for the truffle fries this time - heads up, kiddos, any of the fry flavoring options offered in appetizer form can be applied to the fries that come with your sandwich at no extra charge. Truffle anything is amazing, but I really loved these.
I managed to wander back and check out the game room. Unfortunately, the game selection is pretty paltry - this place has nothing on Guthrie's, but the room is comfy and has a fireplace. I see this being a frequent winter destination!
My friend recently got a hold of the Chicago magazine featuring the area's best burgers and has… Read more »
Went back last night for the second time. This time, we didn't order any food but sat at the bar for a couple glasses of wine. While the wine list is not expansive, the glasses we ordered got the job done. Besides, who goes to a bar specializing in beer and expects a fancy wine list? I look forward to returning to venture into the quite expansive beer selection.
I am a big fan of the atmosphere here. I love the clean decor, the red lighting, the dark wood. Most of all, I LOVE the music- sounds like it's right off of my iPod.
I will be back. Bowman's better step up their game because Bad Apple has it going on.
Get the poutine. Delicious home-made fries with gravy and cheese curds? Jeez...that's a foodgasm… Read more »
ok, here we go........
awesome lil hammies! solid ham, solid cheese, solid mustard- pretzel roll, enough said.
Fried cheese curds. awesome app, find them in orange cheese, i know its only food color, but it makes a difference. breading awesome, i would still order them.
Burgers- way above average, had the big texas and ole english or something- too many strong beers to remember- but both great!...with exception, had to order them- they were out of pretzel rolls (dont ask how the apps had them- guessing mini-rolls)- seriously, minus 1.5 stars. cant happen in a burger/ sandwhich place. beers great and great price. our server rocked. first person we saw, totally rude - almost ruined it for us.......i will find my way back.
This seems to be yet another one of those places with a great theme that falls a bit flat in execution. I was really excited to try the Ephemere-cured salmon salad, but the fish didn't taste that much different than a mild version of lox. The size of this $7 'salad' was also a bit humiliating (4 small pieces of garlic toast and a handful of arugula?)
The Mixed-Mushroom/Seitan Veggie Burger with Sage Jelly is certainly an interesting concept, but it was almost too crazy with the flavors for any of them to stand out. I can't deny, though, that I love their customized fry flavors (the closest we have to Pommes Frites in this city) -- the truffled fries were quite tasty. Curry fries were pungent, but would've been preferable to see them with curry sauce as opposed to powder.
I was also a bit disappointed that they don't have at least *one* warm beverage offering in honor of the season--such as a spiked cider (theme-appropriate), Irish coffee, or even hot tea.
Bellied up at the bar on a Friday evening. Great beer list. Had the New Holland Dandelion, Founders Centennial IPA, and a too sweet Pumpkin Imperial. Went with a perfectly cooked med rare LaFried burger. Not sure on the name but it had tomatoes, arugula, and blue cheese. Good service and met some friendly patrons at the bar. Are they trying to ride on Kuma's coat tails? A bit. The burger was really good but need a bit more variety in toppings if that's what they are going for. Music was meh at best. But then again, I think Kuma's is the most overrated place in the city as well.
Update: came back 5 days later with sister and my 2 yo. They have a cute little kids menu. And some rockin cheese curds.
I can't even begin to describe how awful my experience was. My friend had a party event set up and I was looking forward to going because I love trying new places. We were there for maybe 20 minutes max and realized that my friend had been cut off from receiving drinks. I was so confused because I knew he only had 2 beers and was completely fine and watching whatever was on the television. He tried to order again and the bartender flat out NO. I was astounded as to how rude she was. Not only was she absolutely out of line but, she started whispering to all the staff telling them not to serve my friend. I had no idea where that came from because all of us were fine and kept to ourselves. Then throughout the night she kept starring and glaring at us as if we were from some out of space nut jobs. I have been to many bars in Chicago, classier than this place, and we have never been treated with such disrespect.
Later that evening my other friend knocked down his drink accidentally, he was playing some board game and got excited, shit happens and she came over and glared at him and said, "watch it or you're done". Seriously, it's a bar get over it, if you didn't want to deal with messes, wrong place to work. We were the only people in the bar too and so considering we were their only customers, you would think they would be at least friendlier. Regardless, worst bar experience by far. Never going there again. Waste of time, wasted energy, wasted staff, especially the snarly, pixie black haired, emo chick bartender who needs proper etiquette training.
Did I really just fork over $8 for a hamburger on a English muffin!?!
What was I thinking. Al, you know better than this....c'mon.
I came here with friends after work, and were looking to grab a bite to eat on that stretch of Lincoln. We saw The Bad Apple was newer (formerly Feed the Beast) and decided to try it.
The inside is pretty swanky. It reminded me of nightspots found in James Bond films during the Roger Moore era.
Regardless of what period film this restaurant reminds me of, I want to say that the beer list is outstanding.
I wish their menu was. And service.
Our waitress didn't come for at least 15 minutes. I went to use the men's room. Of course, she came while I was in the men's room, and took another 10 minutes for her to return to take my order. Granted, she was training a new server, but there was hardly anyone in there when I arrived.
The appetizers looked good. Cheese curds, fries in gravy with cheese curds, mini burgers, etc. The rest of the menu seemed to be devoted to interestingly new types of hamburgers ala Kuma's (they also had a sandwich section including a pickle, mayo and onion sandwich, or a pb&j sandwich...) I saw a burger on an English muffin with white cheddar, sauteed mushrooms, and onions.
I thought it would be some cool type of English muffin that you find in those stupid mail-order specialty food catalogs your family might get around the holidays.
Nope. It came on an English muffin you might get from the Jewel several thousands yards away. Like it was stated before by other reviewers, my tiny medium-done burger patty was more rare in certain spots.
It's very obvious The Bad Apple is trying to imitate Kuma's in a more intimate setting with softer music and no wait times. I'll give them props for having an attractive interior and an awesome bar area plus liquor list. It's definitely a bar to savor a drink with conversation in. However, if they keep the menu like it is now, they'll continue to have no wait times for all the wrong reasons.
Hamburgers are a true love for me, so off to the bad apple i go.
My dad was in town and knew the bad apple would have the kind of food we'd both like-- sandwiches and burgers, which i must say, keeps ordering less confusing. sometimes there are just too many options when you're hungry.
after reading yelp reviews, i expected heaven on a bun, but it didn't really taste like it. i mean, i did get the standard burger, but it seemed a bit too charred, like i could taste the black griddle build-up from the grill or something. ... of course, i couldn't pass on the truffle fries (my first time eating any sort of truffle anything), but in all honesty, i could hardly tell the diff between regular and truffle, except the 75 cents extra (not that that broke the bank or anything).
Service was pretty good although our waitress seemed nervous or something, like every time she came up to us we were gonna bite her. I did notice some disorganization. however, i know with new places it takes time for everything to settle. I did see a couple walk out though b/c the hostess hadn't come around to the front for the maybe 10 minutes they had been waiting.
I did see a lot of beer floating around though, and i would like to go back to try that out.
Great beer list, weak menu options and omg the worst music ever played through a tin box of a stereo. Oh it hurts!
As a bar sure, but bring earplugs.
If you are 21 you wont care and you will fit in so enjoy.
I had the burger, it tasted of frozen meat.
Decent Beer List
Underwhelming Food
Mixed Decor
Upon walking in, the main bar and dining area are pretty nice and very spacious. The place they sat us in, on the other hand, was a weird, poorly-lit afterthought of a seating area. Still, the rest of the bar would be a great place to grab a beer. However, the main draw was the fact that they had poutine and "special" burgers.
I have to say I was QUITE disappointed with the food. The salad was DRENCHED with dressing. My spicy burger was remarkably unspicy and uninspired. The poutine tasted like they poured a powder packet of mushroom gravy over french fries and cheese curds.
The upside is that service was pretty good. Friendly waitress who seemed knowledgeable about the menu and beer list.
But yeah, unless I lived in the neighborhood, it's not something I'd go out of my way for.
I adore this place.
The restaurant is huge--three separate dining areas plus a large bar. It's dimly lit and makes everyone look fabulous, even the woman doing yoga poses while waiting to use the ladies room, yeah she looked fab, too.
Service was swift and very attentive. Our server was super patient when my friend and I couldn't make up our minds regarding beverage selections. Neither of us were in the mood for beers, and opted for some drinks off their cocktail/martini list. Most were in the $7-8 range, which makes girls HAPPY :) I recommend the violet martini. And the Bad Apple martini--helllllo whiskey.
It's a burger heavy menu, just to warn you. There are other options that were top notch, like my friends Lucky Duck sandwich. DUCK CONFIT between thick Texas toast! I liked my Bad Apple burger. The fries are ::so so so so good!!!::. If you think Hot Doug's fries are the bomb, these kick Doug to the curb. Crisp, salty, not greasy. All the sandwiches are $10 or under.
Curd is the word:
Do not pass on the cheese curds--lightly battered, squeaky, gooey, cheesy goodness served piping hot. If heaven doesn't offer those curds, then I don't want to go.
I got the Mahalo burger b/c it got recommended as one of the best burgers in town from TimeOut. I also read one yelper's review below that compared it to McDonalds. Hahahaha, oh wow...nah, nah, no way, not even close, this burger was amazing. No ketchup needed for this one, it tasted amazing down to the last bite. Not sure how you compare McD's to this place, that's absurd.
One thing, though, why does everyone complain about the price of their burgers as if $8- $10 is expensive? You know what... you want a cheap burger, stick to the drive-through lanes and stop complaining. I haven't seen a decently cooked burger at a sit down joint/ trendy bar that was ever worth anything for less than $8 since the early 90's. If you think $10 is too much than stop ordering burgers.
Visited The Bad Apple last night for dinner. Our burgers - one regular, one "Dracula's revenge", were very good and the service and ambiance were great. Loved the garlic fries - yum!
Definitely will be back - it's a nice addition to the neighborhood.
So now I'm a bad apple (diet-wise) but it is SO worth it.
Throwing my salad tendencies out the window, on two separate occasions, I went with the Ole Imperial and the Big Texan. Both juicy, flavorful, and on alternate breads--the Ole Imperial being on an English muffin, the Texan on Texas toast--I couldn't have asked or received a more delicious burger...both times! And the fries aren't anything to scoff at, either.
Next on the Bad Apple non-diet menu: the cheese curds!
This place just keeps getting better and better. OH and if you'd like to not wait for a half hour, go on a Wednesday night at 9:15pm and get seated, served, and checked almost immediately. While taking your sweet time, of course!
Not bad, Bad Apple, not bad.
I've been eyeing (spell check pleez) this corner for quite some…
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Great Beer list, and some pretty good food sums up our evening at the Bad Apple.
The decor is pretty much the same as when Feed the Beast was open. But they made the back room into a gaming area. There was a Foosball and a long Shuffleboard table. I have not seen Shuffleboard in a bar since I was a kid.
We started out with the Cheese Curd Appetizer. The curds were fluffy and delicious. They rank right up there with some of the Curds that I have had in Wisconsin.
For my Entree, I tried the Ham and Cheese sandwich. The ham was lean and beautifully honey glazed. It came with Caramelized Onions which complimented the Sandwich well. The fries were awesome. I'm not really a big French Fry person, but the fries served by the Bad Apple were awesome. They were crispy and golden with very little grease.
This could turn out to be a regular hangout for C.R. and I. The food is awesome and the service was fast and courteous. Feed the Beast was decent, but the people who run the Bad Apple have taken it a few notches higher. I'm hoping that they keep up the good work.
I met a few friends at The Bad Apple, reportedly when it was Feed the Beast it was always pretty empty. FtB obviously didn't get the formula right, but The Bad Apple did, at 7:30 on a Friday the place was packed, there was a 30 minute wait for a table and the bartenders were running themselves ragged!
I don't know what FtB used to look like, but The Bad Apple is cute. The bar area is a deep maroon with dark wood chairs and accents and little red ball lights hanging over the tables. The dining area is brighter, but has the same maroon walls. A few accent walls have trees painted on them with one single red apple - very cute.
We settled in at some chairs along the window with the gigantic beer list. I was impressed not only at selection, but how reasonable the prices were. Both of my beers were $4.25 and really good, I tried the Dark Horse Raspberry Ale and the Left Hand Ju Ju Ginger Ale.
It's hard to separate our food from the service. Our server was very inattentive and awkward. When we sat he was going on and on about the drink lists (they reportedly have a nice specialty drink list too) while we looked at him puzzled, it took him a while to figure out those full glasses of beer in front of us were ours and we were set with drinks.
When we ordered it also got awkward. My friend wanted her burger made with a veggie patty, our server stood and pondered the idea before saying it was no problem. When Picky McPickerson (me) asked if the pieces of olive in the tuna salad were large enough for me to pick out, I threw him for a loop; I ordered something else instead.
Our food took forever, we wondered if we should tell him to cancel it or if he had forgotten to submit it. When we asked why 3 burgers were taking an hour he just said the kitchen is doing their thing; no apology for the delay, nothing! We had to ask him to find out when that meant we'd eat. Aside from checking on us for drinks he seemed to be completely out of his element!
To eat I got the Strange Famous - homemade wild mushroom, seitan, chick pea and corn burger, goat cheese, caramelized onion and sage marmalade, and spinach leaves. I got the marmalade on the side unsure of how it would work with the burger, but it surprisingly was good and not very jelly-like. I felt like the goat cheese was either wrong for the burger or there was too much of it, it overpowered the burger. I ended up putting ketchup on it to cut some of the goat cheese flavor. My friends got the Mahalo (sub veggie patty) and the Hangover. They both liked their burgers, but my friend's veggie burger fell apart almost instantly. The Hangover was huge with a fried egg and bacon on it. The hand cut fries served with it were really good, but I would've liked them a little hotter.
There aren't an overwhelming number of veggie choices here, even most salads seem to have meat on them. It's definitely not impossible to eat here, just a little limiting.
Bottom line: 3.5 stars for great beer selection with great prices; good food; cute decor; sloooow service. If service were on point it would easily be 4 stars.
Burger/Beer nirvana!
The Bad Apple offers a beautiful atmosphere dimly lit with red gum drops hanging from the cieling. Maybe their apples, but either way, I find a drinking/dining experience to be more enjoyable under red lights.
The bar is beautiful, and stocked with a multitude of beers that you don't typically find at other local restaurants/watering holes. I was beyond excited to see Frambois on tap. (perfect night cap).
The menu consists of a choice of about 8-10 gormet burgers. I had the Bad Apple Burger (provolone, lettuce, tomato, and onion). It was cooked to perfection.. a great char on the outside, and bloody on the inside, just the way I like em'! The fries were fresh cut, crispy, golden brown, and delicious. They offer unique appetizers without overwhelming you with over complicated crap. We had fried cheesecurds... I understand it's pretty hard to destroy deep fried cheese, but these curds... MAN oh MAN! The batter was like tempura, very light and crisp, and the cheese melty and salty. Amazing.
I can't wait to head back for another beer and burger Friday night. I love you bad apple. You had me at hello.
I was legitimately sad when Feed The Beast closed.
It had good food and a lot of potential and a lot of fun beers. But it was always understaffed and I was ALWAYS waiting for my food. Always.
So the fact that the owners of The Bad Apple are committed to keeping things fresh, focused, and awesome is a very very good thing.
Brendan S. and I went here for dinner the other week because a) we were hyped that it was finally open, b) they had Half Acre Daisy Cutter IPA on tap (read: it's brewed across the street and is literally the only IPA I like) and c) I'd read the menu in the window a few days prior and wanted to eat everything I read about.
We sat at the bar and were greeted by Ronnie - one of the managers/owners - who told us about remodeling the place and revamping the menu to keep things as streamlined as possible - such as having one ingredient and using it for many things, which helps cut down on costs and helps keep things fresh.
I grabbed a burger that was "blackened" and covered in blue cheese, and Brendan grabbed a veggie burger composed of chick peas, mushrooms, and corn, while covered with spinach, onions and goat cheese. He RAVED about the taste of the veggie burger, while commenting that its texture reminded him a little of mashed potatoes. And my burger was awesome and juicy to the point where the bottom of my bun was completely saturated (and DELICIOUS).
Anyway, really good food, a seriously amazing beer list (LOTS of Belgians) and management that gives a damn.
If only all bars were like this.
Greats beers and burgers on par with Kuma Korner? These were reviews were too pass on, so the wife and I walked down Lincoln to the Bad Apple on a Friday night. That may of been our first mistake. While the hostess was attentive to sitting people at tables, we didn't want to share meal with strangers at the "community tables". We opted to wait for the bar. We were able to get a seat for about twenty minutes- we found the wait for the bar a bit disorganized- people who had arrived after us were jumping into available seats that were closer to where they had been waiting.
The menu told the rest of the story- amazing beer list! Dortmunder gold on tap? YES. The rest of the beers were also very painstakingly chosen. I had several, and they were all delicious.
The food? Totally underwhelming. The menu was completely uninspiring. I was hoping for toppings that transcended the usual choices of blue cheese and sauteed mushrooms. I forged ahead and relied on the quality of the meat (rumored to be mixed by some fancy-ass butcher). I ordered it as rare as they could possibly serve it, and it came out super well-done. Not to be daunted, I sent it back, to get a second, super-greasy, medium-well burger. Oh well.
Soooo.... Go for a beer, probably on a week night, but if you want amazing burger, you're still gonna have to brave the lines at Kuma... or better yet, cut across the street to Jury's.
Blahh! I was looking forward to a new place in the hood to take my money and feed me so I was very disappointed that this place couldn't keep me interested in anything they offered. On a Friday evening, 3 of us looking for food and beer walked into the front door to this trendy, upscale-ish bar playing horrible clubbing music to a cliental that looked a bit trendy and hip for the usual folks in the neighborhood. We found a table in the very dimly lit backroom which had a completely different ambiance than the other part of the bar. We all agreed that it sort of had someone's parent's basement that they turned into a recreation room in the 80's type feel. It had exposed brick, wood beam ceiling with material draped between, foosball, Pac Man and pinball. The bathroom back there also had a hand painted mural of an orchard of bad apples that seemed it should have belonged in a kindergarten toilet. It was such a decorating mess that we couldn't feel comfortable and instead just kept commenting on how odd it was.
The beer list was very good but not excellent like some have said and the beer is the only thing that may have me come back, if I ever do. The food was not quiet average on the verge of below average. We got 2 of their expensive fancy burgers and were underwhelmed. They sounded really good on the menu but it didn't deliver in reality. For the amount of toppings on a burger, it lacked great, complex flavor. It was like someone already chewed the burger and took out the flavor. The girl from Wisconsin got the cheese nuggets/curds. What a way to upset a Cheesehead! They were vastly expensive for about 6 measly, flavorless curds that resemble nothing that one would get at the state fair. We were all so disappointed from the food that we almost had to go to the Jewel next door and eat a package of Oreos to recalibrate our palates.
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