Etno is not good and it's way overpriced. Â If you pay $12 dollars for a burger it should be amazing, not disappointing and slow to get.
I live right by there and every day I walk past hoping that it goes out of business and something new takes it place. Â If you don't eat there one day that may come true!
Delayed review, we went here a few months ago after we got a groupon deal. The place was pretty busy and we had to stand around kind of lurking for a table (not too much seating). The burgers take a while (no biggie) so people tend to sit for a while. And families like to take up immense amounts of space with their strollers, high chairs, and various other over-sized items for a 7 pound infant. Or 6 chairs their children can jump all over. This isn't set up as a family place, but for some reason there were quite a few there.
Staff was nice. But the 2-stars is for the food. It wasn't bad, but it just seemed uninspired. The ingredients sounded so exciting, the execution looked good, but the taste was so lacking, in both the patty itself and the toppings. I had the beef and hubby had the veggie. We left kind of full from the food, but not satisfied. I feel bad giving 2 stars as nothing was wrong per se, but I rarely leave a burger place so unhappy with my meal.
Great Chicken Gyros! Â It takes a while, even when they're not crowded because they cook it right. Â Took it down the street to Lilly's to watch the Cowboy Choir. Â Everybody in the bar was asking about the sandwich. Even one of the singers asked what smelled so great in her patter in between country songs. Â
My wife loved the Balkan salad, lots of olives.
Looks like it should be a fast food place, but it's a lot better than that.
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Incredible, food, great service, but stay away from this place during the  weekend around lunchtime.  Last time we were here the place was crazy with Lincoln Park parents and their  kids.  That being said, the cvap is heavenly, and worth dealing with the crowds, as seating is at a minimum.
Review Source:We walked in and ordered to go, a large Etno burger and a small custom with a side of parmesan fries. Â Got home to realize the Etno wasn't cooked medium rare as we asked or with the pretzel bun we 'upgraded' for, bummer. Burger and fries were good not great. Prices are on the higher side but its due to the rather generous patty portions.
Review Source:Went here for a quick bite and was seriously craving a hamburger. This place did not disappoint! You go in and order off the menu, and they have a bunch of unique special items, or you can build your own. They also have a burger of the week, which is what I ordered (this week's was guac, feta cheese, tomato, onion...and was awesome). The burgers were juicy and the bread was great, and of course the toppings were too.
The place wasn't crowded so our burgers took about 7 minutes. The service was friendly and there's not much to say about the atmosphere other than that this is a small place with a few tables for 2-4 people, though they might have outdoor in the summer. Don't expect a typical sit down and be waited on restaurant.
Overall a great experience for a quality 8 dollar burger. I'm sure I'll be back again!
Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 8/10
super interesting little place! Came here post a Yelp event, since we needed to dig into burgers to complete the evening. We were not really sure what to order, so asked the counter girl and she was really helpful. We tried the Etno Burger and the Vampire Hunter, at her recommendation, and we were not disappointed.
The burgers are cooked medium, but have a good amount of juice in them, and are slightly pink in the middle. They make a good mouthful, with a good mix of ingredients. I was surprised that the fries come separately, but they are good, thick cut and well fried. I think I did like the Vampire hunter more, thanks to the spice in it, which really helped to boost and bring out the flavors.
the place itself is a small diner, with a couple of ramshackle tables and chairs outside, as well as indoor seating. It definitely has character for a diner and the service was relatively quick. All in all, a good place to grab a burger.
Small place but the food is pretty damn tasty. I've been here twice so far and have gotten burgers both times. The burger patty was pretty damn tasty and big and the ingredients and toppers are fresh, unique and tasty. If you are looking for something a little different on your burger without getting too ridiculous this is a good place for you. The fries are okay, but ask for a side of ajvar to dip them in to make them awesome. The service is friendly and efficient as well.
Review Source:Not your typical burger spot! Its way better! Comes with fresh ingredients; from meats to veggies and homemade sauce that you cant really find anywhere else. But all this greatness comes with a high price tag and longer than usual wait.
If you have a good 30+ mins to wait, this place is definately a spot to add to your burger list. Although I did wait longer than I wanted, I was provided with free refreshments. Plus the place was packed so cant really complain, especially since my food was still hot..
If you're hungry for a big burger and you have some extra money to spare, this is the place to check out in Lincoln Park!
Food was very fresh, which was nice, but took forever to make (contrary to their claim that it's fast.)
I had the chicken gyro + fries, which tasted pretty good while I was eating it, but then I was burping up garlic for the next 3 hours... it was really disgusting. Needless to say, I won't be ordering that again.
Had a bite of boyfriend's burger - 'the classic' which was really good, so that's probably what I'll do next time.
This place claims to be a gourmet burger joint, that is a joke! When I ordered the Americano burger I expect it to be an American burger with American toppings. My burger looked great, but the 5 free toppings they offer don't go on any American burger. I want roman lettuce not salad lettuce on my American burger. When I did finally eat the burger it was RAW RAW RAW - PINK MEAT PINK MEAT, I asked for it to be cooked more and was told this is how the burger is suppose to be. The meat is very very dry, wish they would use a little seasoning like a real gourmet burger joint would. I like the concept of grass feed meat, but do not like that concept when meat is pink after cooking.
I left that place in a hurry after they would not cook it longer. This place is so EXPENSIVE! We had 2 burgers, 2 fries & 2 cokes, which cost $30.17.
Not returning!
It all started when I bit into the gorgonzola cheese sandwich.
The tables started moving, and I then I started moving, and then
the waiter arrived and said it was nothing, and that I should just
keep eating my food, but not so fast, if I didn't want a stomachache.
Before you knew it, I was on a plane to Madagascar, a Sofia Pork
Loin sandwich in each hand, and inspiration on my mind. But then
the strangest thing happened. And I couldn't figging believe it; I
was not in an airplane at all, but standing outside the restaurant
... bewildered and exhausted.
And life was never the same thereafter.
A burger bar with an upscale feel minus the pretentiousness. Â Although the pricing is right up there with the rest of 'em. Â Cool & approachable staff.
Peeked in for the first time during Halloween weekend. Â We were starving since we both worked and were on the way to meet friends for the night. Â At about 8 pm on a Saturday night the dinner rush was on their way out opening up a ton of free space for us to chill. Â BYOB was written in the window so I headed across the street for a pint of Captain Morgan and Jameson's. Â The corner liquor store was walking distance and the cost was $21 dollars and some change. (The remainder of those bottles we would be carrying onto a Halloween bar crawl trolley some time later. Â We aren't drunks:)
We were both newbies to Etno so we went with the Classic burger which is composed of cheddar, bacon, tomato, onion and house made kosher dills. Â You have the option of a 1/3 pound or 1/2 pound of meat. Â Greg said do the 1/2 which is $9.95 each, I should've gone with my gut and gotten the smaller but, didn't. Â I added on some Parmesan fries and two fountain drinks. Â Whoa.. it was a big meal. Â So big, I couldn't finish my burger. Â Had it not been an event filled evening, I would have taken the leftover to go and loved it at 6 am. Â Oh well, there's always next time. Â On another note a peculiar menu offering is cevapcici, is that random? or are the owners Croations maybe? No matter, food was good. Â
Food was served in about twenty minutes or so and the total for two burgers with one parm fries and two drinks, just over thirty dollars. Â Filling!
Details about the beef, the patties were probably hand formed and I couldn't detect much seasoning of the meat. Â For our burgers, the veggies and cheese added a level of flavor to the burger overall. Â Even if I didn't dip my burger in ketchup and mustard which is a love of mine, it had a good flavor.
A nice, quiet little 'burger' joint.
These are not your typical burgers - let's get that out of the way right now. These are custom made, made to order 'burgers' on big slabs of bread filled with and topped by interesting condiments and additions. If placed in front of an unsuspecting passerby the meat sandwich would hardly be recognized as the classic burger - though that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The place is on the corner of Lincoln Ave, Wrightwood, and Sheffield which can make parking a little awkward. Luckily, they have free parking in the back of the store, with a lot that can comfortably park ~4 cars at a time, assuming all drivers involved are sane. There are no parking spots, so just park wherever there is room, keeping in mind to be respectful of the other patrons around you. Finding this place shouldn't be too difficult - if you miss the sign on the building saying it's name just look for the cow on top facing the door.
Once inside you'll see that the place is relatively small, quiet (at least when I was there) and all around homely and comfortable. The prices for the burgers and sandwiches aren't bad, ranging from $7 for your typical burgers to ~$10 for the specialty burgers. Don't let the price scare you, however, these are not small sandwiches and the cost includes a nice selection of spreads and toppings. For $2.45 more you can get a side of fries with your choice of spread. Refills on the drinks are free.
I opted to order a specialty burger, the Spicy Balkan which had a Pleska patty, and was stuffed with asiago cheese, bacon and onions, on a whole grain bun. I topped it with spicy ajvar spread, red onions, letter and banana peppers. The sandwich itself was very good, and was actually more than I could eat in one sitting, so I took part of it home. The spreads and toppings you choose here can most definitely make or break the sandwich, so be sure to choose spreads and toppings that you enjoy and that go well with your meat choice. The default spread seems to be the Etno spread - if in doubt go with it. The burger was well made, the kitchen staff clearly know what they're doing, and the staff that had to deal with my clueless self were polite and patient.
With all the 'spicy' in the name however, I was disappointed in the kick of the burger - it was just enough that you could tell there were peppers on/in it but not enough to even raise my heart rate. While this is understandable considering most of the population doesn't seem to enjoy hurting while they eat, it is disappointing for those of us who do enjoy truly spicy foods. Overall, still a good meal.
The place is clean and the service speed was reasonable considering the burgers are made to order. Just be aware that this is not a McDonald's - it takes time to properly cook a burger.
On the way out, be careful as you're pulling out of the parking lot - it can be difficult to see if the street is clear and you're on the intersection of 3 busy roads.
Stopped by this little cute place due to a friend's recommendation and what a good surprise. The burger I ordered was the best burger i've tried hands down. My friend had a chevap and that was great also. The combination of peppers, vegetables, and spices made this burger melt. This place claims that their burgers are from cows that are grass-fed, and I don't doubt it. The patties were packaged individually in their own plastic packet. Never seen that before in a fast food establishment. This is far from fast food though. :)
Will definitely return here again!
Cool & casual sandwich spot.
Great sandwiches and spreads to chose from. We got the Figgy Chicken Breast and the Sofia Pork Loin. I've never tasted anything like them anywhere else.
The spreads are what really makes a difference in the sandwich so make sure you chose one that compliments the meat and veggies in your sub.
I was super excited to go here.
I love cevapcici!
I ordered the cevap sampler plate which comes with 3 beef/pork cevaps and 2 chicken cevaps. I was excited to try a chicken since I have never had one before, they were out of chicken. So they fixed this problem with giving me 6 beef/pork cevaps. The cashier was then instructed not to sell anymore meals with the chicken cevaps. Boo.
I also opted for fries.
After a pretty long wait, the place was not busy, I received the dish to my table. Looked great! The cevaps were cold. I brought my plate back up, which I hate doing, to be re-heated. Maybe the cevaps are frozen up until the time that they are cooked on the grill, that can make it hard to gage the temp.
I was promptly attended to, my food was not re-heated, I was made an entirely new meal. It was nice that there was not any hesitation to remedy the problem.
Staff working were having fun and looked like they really enjoyed working there.
The food was good, not great. Maybe I am used to more season cevaps, different parts of that area make their cevaps differently. I just was not that impressed.
The fries were REALLY good.
My friend got a small burger, smalls are 1/3# and larges are 1/2#. It is kind of cool that they have different sizes. It was pretty tasty.
A unisex bathroom is toward the back of the restaurant.
Bike parking on street.
The make to order burgers are delicious here, Â but it is quite a pain to wait for them. I know I know, I should have known when a joint says "Made to order" that it's gonna take awhile, but I guess I wasn't prepared.
This place does well, you can place an order AHEAD of time, and they have outdoor seating so you can at least enjoy the weather while you wait.
I really enjoyed it, but I think they need a semi-better system.
I want so bad for this place to be great
But to be honest, the burgers don't pull their weight
They raised their prices and altered the size
But I will give them credit for tasty French Fries
They close before the time they post on door
A pet peeve of mine that really makes me sore
Oh Etno I wish you were more
But those high prices keep me from entering your door
The most important information I can convey to you is that Etno salts their french fries like true champions.
Beyond that, let me make this simple. Bring a friend/significant other. One of you should order an Etno Burger and the other should order a Figgy Chicken Breast. Cut each of those sandwiches in half and trade. Split an order of fries, because the sandwiches are huge and debilitating. You're all set.
Plan this trip around a time where you have nothing to do for a few hours. Their food has a way of immobilizing you.
Bonus fact: They used to cook their burgers medium rare by default. That's ballsy, admirable, and it shows you how much they care about flavor. They've since changed the default cooking temperature to medium, but you can still request it if you'd like to. Me? I've been delighted by them enough that I'll take whatever they think is best.
Yesterday the cevapcici monster called. Â Lord knows I tried to dismiss it, but I was hungry, PMSing a bit and totally craving cevaps. Â There is NOWHERE that sells cevaps in my hood, so when I found that Etno Village Grill delivers to Noble Square, I decided to go for it.
I ordered a beef & pork cevap sandwich on the hearty artisan roll with chopped onion, ajvar and Etno spread (some kind of sour cream spread I thought MAY be a substitute for kajmak).
I'm a little spoiled because I spent some time in Croatia last year, where cevaps are tops. Â They are Balkan street food, after all. Â I'm not exaggerating when I say I ate a cevapcici sandwich loaded with diced onion and kajmak almost every day from multiple street vendors, so I feel qualified in knowing what's what on the cevap front. Â
The Ento version of cevapcici lacks that certain something. Â I prefer my sausages to be a bit more spiced and the Etno cevaps were a little on the bland side. Â The other problem is the bread. Â It's WAY too bready. Â My poor little cevaps got lost in there. Â I ended up just taking off half of the bread and eating it like an open-faced sandwich so I could actually taste the cevaps. Â I also wish they had kajmak. Â Or at the very least sour cream.
Finally, a teensy bit on the pricey end. Â When all was said and done, I paid almost $20 for a cevap sandwich to be delivered. Â That's crazy talk.
We've all been there.. that day where you've got way too much to do but damn I have to use this groupon...
This was the case with my 9:00 visit to Etno on the day my groupon expired. Surprisingly... they were not out of food like so many places tend to be and surprisingly their staff was super nice despite the millions of people who were redeeming groupons. Â
Now onto the food, it was also surprisingly really good. Had a burger, they didn't ask how you wanted it cooked but their medium was nice and juicy. Â The fries were a bit lack luster, but I'm sure if I had gotten one of their dips they would of been on point.
Overall this groupon was a win, and I'll be back
Great food and great service. Definitely recommended.
We went there after buying a groupon and we really liked the food that the offer. Apparently too many people showed up into that place on that specific day as the groupon was expiring in a day or two, so the line was big and it was kind of crowded. However, the manager was very friendly and he even offered a drink to us free of charge as we were waiting for our food to be prepared.
I am definitely going back for another burger very-very soon and so should you!
If Graham Elliot decided to do his own take on McDonalds, this is probably what it would look like. Everything feels fresh and local and the open kitchen means you can watch it all being grilled in front of you (always a good sign.
And get the sausages. Lots of sausages. The the parmesan fries. Hell, get it all. It's very cheap for what it is.
I LOVED etno. loved loved loved. With all my burgery-late night heart lovin' soul. And then tonight at 1a.m. after a man named Tom with budlight breath scared us out of Racine Plumbing... Etno... was closed.... A skinny thing with five drinks in me, I wanted nothing more than a big, juicy, meaty, beautiful pink burger from etno and to sit in those stiff, uncomfortable booths until my medium rare sammich was ready but their lights were off, the chairs were up, and the man scrubbing the kitchen down (with the door open) said, uncomprehendingly, it's summer, hours have changed.
All I ask is: who shortens their summer hours?????
Burger fix not satisfied. Heart Breaking.
Another burger spot!?
I've eaten more burgers (or at least, at more burger-centric spots) since I returned to Chicago 3 weeks ago than I have eaten in probably a year.
This tells me a few things:
*I'm back in the Midwest
*Y'all (we'all) still love the red meats.
*Burgers are a lot cheaper than steaks, and travel better.
*"Gourmet" burgs are all the rage.
Also, now that I live with my significant other...it is frowned upon if I eat like, an english muffin and peanut butter for dinner. So, because I still do not cook (never have, never will!) I am tasked with finding things for dinner that I can bring home and that are appealing. After running a few errands in this 'hood, I popped in and made my order, sat at a table and read a few books, and awaited transportation back to our abode, burgers in tow.
All went smoothly!
For $31:
-A classic large burger (about $10)
-A small Cason burger (poached pears, cheese, bacon, dijon) for moi. ($9)
-An Etno salad to split (Think Greek salad parts) dijon dressing. ($7)
-Large fountain drink
There is something about adding fries or sald/drink to any sandwich for $2.50, but apparently the cashier didn't feel this combination of goods warranted that. No matter, having the bigger salad was better to split anyway!
All made fresh, and tasted delightful. This place is somewhat of a hybrid between sit down and take away...while there are certainly tables at which to enjoy, it is counter service and feels a bit more "fast foodie" than anything else. Perfect for takeout and they also deliver.
Of note:
*Three different types of buns, see the display near checkout to make your selection
*Literally a ton of toppings: anything you probably could ever want...they have.
*100% grassfed beef used in all burgers.
*No turkey burgers, but they do have a veggie option.
*They have cevaps! Balkan goodies. This sets them apart from the other burger spots.
*fountain soda = excellent. Weird? I don't care, I'm an expert.
I've been to Etno's twice now and I must say the food is delicious. The first time I came here I made my own custom chicken sandwich, which was good but my friends told me that I'm missing out on their signature burgers. So I thought I'd hold off on the review until I tried the burger. I got the Cason burger on my second visit and that meat was so tender! I don't normally associate fruit with my burger but the pear actually complimented it well. Two of my friends ordered the "Vampire Hunter" and I took a bite out of that. Let me just say, one of my friends lovesssss sauce with his food and he did not want/need anything extra with it. That lone bite has me itching to go back there and order it for myself. Try it, you won't be disappointed!
As for the decor, I feel like I'm entering Potbelly's. It's got the whole wooden look inside with the wall, tables, chairs, benches and even the bar/stools. It's a little small inside but luckily I did not have to wait to find a seat. OH, and they do have a parking lot if you're driving there. It does not fit many cars though.
Overall, they have GREAT food and you MUST try the food if you have not already!
I've had the classic burger here and it was pretty big and tasted good. It's kind of a cramped little place so getting a spot to sit down was a little tricky. That wouldn't be so bad in summer as you could just walk across the street to the park and sit and eat.
The burger was $10 and fries were two bucks more. For that price you can get a burger anywhere in the city that will be as good or better - The Bristol has an amazing burger for $11 that comes with amazing duck fat fries AND incredible service. Etno doesn't beat that. If you are in the neighborhood this is fine but it is not on the top of my places to get a burger.
Needing a place to eat and sit down while toting my nephew for the day, we decided to stop into this joint. Â I heard they served some delicious cevapcici here, and after being introduced to it by the summer street festival cevap master, I thought this would be a good time to satiate those winter cravings.
Yo, so check this - I ordered the cevap and got a grilled cheese for the kid off the kid's menu. Â There was way too much sauce in the cevapici, and coupled with the other toppings (mushrooms, among others) added, left little actual cevapici inside. Â Aside from being slightly overcooked, the cevap was pretty tasty, whenever I tasted some of it. Â My nephew took one bite of the grilled cheese and stopped eating it - I tasted it and sure enough it was pretty bland.
This sounds like I'm hating on this place, but it was not bad. The staff was very friendly, attentive, and flexible as to how you want your burger/cevap created. Â I'd like to try a burger next time, but it'll be hard to resist ordering the cevap each time I dine here. Â
note* I'm a big fan of greasepits, but this place is quite an upgrade over Hoagie Hut.
It sounds like I may have made a mistake by not ordering the burger (which I promise to go back and try) but I wasn't floored by Etno by any means, one way or the other. Â
Etno Grill looks like a weirdly shaped, very small shop from the outside. Â Well, spoiler alert, it looks the same on the inside. Â This is not your full-service style restaurant folks: expect to see a smiling cashier at the register ready to take your order after a neck strain of reading and then you have your choice of 4 or 5 tiny tables to choose from. Â The menu is small but that's probably because they specialize in one thing: the burger.
Not knowing this, I chose the Figgy Chicken Breast sandwich and was not quite impressed. Â A little too much bread and a very strange spread. Â Kind of weird tasting and definitely nothing that made me want to dive into my second half of my sandwich. Â The salad was served in a cup, which was a little strange too. Â
Overall, too overpriced for a quick-serve sandwich and nothing to write home about.
I have a thing about numbers and my history with Etno Village Grill is a 3-part story.
ACT I - LOVE AT FIRST BITE:
  Etno reached out to me via Yelp when they came across my "Chevaps In The Chi" list. I placed a to-go order of the Spicy Balkan and the Beef/Pork Cevap, their Balkan Specialties. They have a decent selection of spreads and toppings to finish your sandwiches. The Spicy Ajvar is actually spicy, unlike true "hot" ajvar in the Balkans. I was very impressed with the meal, but not so much the price tag. The two lone lepinja pockets came out to about $18.
ACT II - A COMEDY OF ERRORS:
  I'm nearby for a Skeeball game and decide to keep my throwing arm and pimp hand strong with hearty Balkan food. I stop in 15 minutes before they are supposed to close and am informed they are closing but I can order chicken. Pshaw! In the Balkans, you eat chicken at home. You order red meat when you go out! I decline, saying I don't want to make them work longer. They put me on a list for a free combo next time I come in. I'm a forgiving person and a complete sucker for grilled meats. The story doesn't end here.
ACT III - UNREQUITED LOVE:
   I stop at Etno for dinner. My name's on the list and I order the Cevap Plate: 2 chicken, 2 beef/pork. It comes out to a little over $7. Wasn't that supposed to be a free combo? Well, kinda sorta. I got a free combo upgrade (fries + drink), not a free meal. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but I'm disappointed by the contrast between fries and kebabs. Four small links, some greens, onion and ajvar, and a ton of fries, way more fries than I'd ever want to consume at once. I paid $7 for this? Wait, I would have paid more if I'd paid full price! The numbers just aren't adding up for me.
I think of Etno as the Balkan response to Chipotle: organic customization in a casual setting, but still an imitation of the original for a higher price. Personally, I think you get better value and true village feel at a number of other ethnic restaurants in the area. I was hoping it would be 3rd times the charm. The first meal was good enough that I visited 3 times, but factoring in price and convenience makes it just 3 stars for me. Sorry, 3 strikes and you're out. I probably won't be back.
Update!
I've been back a couple more times since my inaugural visit and a little birdie (thanks Anthony M!) also told me they now deliver. Guess who will be ordering Etno Balkan burgers all winter long? THIS chick.
These are burgers just like they make the in the "old country". A totally different taste from a Kuma's burger, but every bit as excellent.
Give 'em a try; they won't disappoint!
Oh Etno. Â You are SO what I've been longing for in the burger department for this great city of Chicago. Â You just get it. Â
Thank you to the owners of this wonderful establishment for the well thought out concept. Â Environmentally conscience, locally sourced produce and meat without antibiotics and hormones. Not to mention a kids menu with thoughtful additions like whole wheat breading on the chicken strips, organic milk, juice and applesauce. Â Now that's a meal you can feel good about feeding your child.
From start to finish the Etno experience was perfect. Â It's an upscale burger joint complete with burger fries and byob with NO corkage fee! Â Service is super friendly and helpful guiding first timers through the menu options without feeling like an outsider.
I ordered the straight up Etno burger. Â My husband ordered the inspiration grilled pork loin. Â Honestly, they were both on the same level of greatness. The quality and taste of the meat were beyond anything I have ever tasted in a burger and massive in size. Â The roasted red pepper coupled with the cabbage and onion sent my husband's pork sandwich over the top. Â We shared the sandwiches and kept swapping them back and forth across the table. Â The burger was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Â The wonderful fresh soft bun soaked up the spicy etno sauce and all of the condiments were homemade and fresh. Â I can't even begin to explain the love that went into these additions. Â All complimentary btw. Â Whatever strikes your fancy it's free!! Â
The restaurant itself is comfortable and charming due in part to the great shape of the space. Â It's located on a six corner so it's a bit of a triangle shape and makes for a fun feel.
I cannot wait to go back here as I am dreaming of my next visit. Â It's been a while since I've had an amazing burger. Â This place takes the cake!!!