Chicago: Kuma's Korner

Ever since I was in Chicago last summer for the Pitchfork Music Festival I've been wanting to go to this place and I finally made it this weekend. Kuma's Korner is a heavy metal burger place that serves great beer and terrific food and seems to me like the burger equivalent of Hot Doug's. The place is rather small and has a tiny kitchen so the wait on a Friday night can be long, like an hour or so, but you can easily pass the time enjoying a beer and checking out the decor, both on the walls and on the workers and patrons.

I went on a Friday evening with three friends and we were seated in about 45 minutes. The pressure was on. All the burgers are named after heavy metal bands and they all sounded delicious from the Pantera (Roasted Pablano Pepper, Bacon, Cheddar Cheese and Monetary Jack Cheese Ranchero Sauce and Tortilla Strips) to the Lair of the Minotaur (Caramelized Onions, Pancetta, Brie, Bourbon Soaked Pears) and everything in between.

One of my friends has a punch card that he has to fill out by eating a different burger every time he goes. He went with the Yob (Smoked Gouda, Bacon, Roasted Red Peppers, Roasted Garlic Mayo).

Another of my friends ordered the special, the Acid Bath, featuring a 10 oz. burger topped with crawfish, jambalaya and shallot mayo (Acid Bath was a metal band from New Orleans in the early to mid 90's). Unfortunately I do not have a photo of this burger. The gentleman sitting next to me, widely known as a finicky regimented eater, ordered his burger plain with onions and pickles. The lack of mustard packets at Kuma's Korner did not seem to faze him, however.

I spent at least 15 minutes agonizing over my decision, even considering the Goblin Cock (Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, ¼lb. Vienna Hot Dog, Tomatoes, Onion, Neon Green Relish, Sport Peppers, Pickles, Celery Salt Mustard), basically a Chicago-style dog on top of a burger but finally went with a classic, the Led Zeppelin (Pulled Pork, Bacon, Cheddar, Pickles). There's really nothing like topping a huge burger with two pork products. Later this same evening I finally figured out how to get my new camera to take good pics in dim lighting without using a flash but it was too late to really show the Led Zep in all its glory.

You can also get one of these heavy metal delicacies made with a chicken breast, a Garden burger or chicken strips. In any case, they all come served on a delicious pretzel roll. I need to find where I can buy these things. They are GOOD.

If burgers aren't your thing, word has it the steamed mussels are amazing and the mac and cheese sounds terrific as well. The main thing is, don't let the dark interior or artwork on the servers scare you. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the burger was probably the best I've ever had.