I love 5 guys, fresh ingredients and the best fires out there ( gotta get the seasoned fries)
There are a lot of choices in the toppings, and they are all fresh.
There is a problem with the parking but, Â you just have to park a little bit away, or just a little farther down the block.
The burgers are well worth it.
Also they have the coke freestyle machines and you can make hundreds o f selections for your drink, Â and free refills.
My last visit was horrible. Idc about their burgers anyways. But no seasoned fries. Really!?!?! I came home and opened a bag, nooooooo!!!!! Just salted fries!!!!! Disaster!!! And I know their toppings are free but I asked freaking pickles on mine. And that was missing too. That burger and fries ended up in a trash. money so not well spent at this time!
Review Source:Way, way overrated. Â This is just mediocre food in a (loud, plastic, fluorescent) Â fast food atmosphere at sit-down restaurant prices.
Remember Checkers? (Apparently they still exist on the South side.) Think of Five Guys as Checkers, only with food that's not as flavorful and (easily) twice as expensive.
It makes sense that people would rave about Five Guys food when comparing Five Guys to McDonalds. Â But how lucky we are that Five Guys and McDonalds aren't the only options.
The cajun fries are the only thing that justifies coming to this otherwise overpriced establishment. Yeah, the burgers are OK but hardly worth $6.50 a pop. At least the meat is fresh not frozen like McDonalds, which is a bit of a plus, I suppose. You know how else you can have a freshly made burger? Go to Dominicks, buy a pound of ground beef and make it yourself in the comfort of your home. Not sure I'll be back anytime soon except for the fries.
Review Source:First, I LOVE Five Guys. I used to eat and enjoy it all the time when I lived in Detroit. However, this particular location is lagging in so many ways.
I've eaten here three times. Each time, I get a sloppy burger which is also relatively tasteless. McDonald's does a better job of keeping their burgers looking more presentable. I understand the patty's are hand-molded, but come on, for a burger that costs $6+ I expect more.
Do better, guys.
I was somewhat disappointed with my burger. I never thought that could ever happen with five guys since I'm in love with them. Not sure, maybe it was an off day. My brother loved his so not sure what was wrong. It was still tasty, just not as tasty as I've had at other locations. Fries though were amazing!
Guys are all nice though and they have the cool soda dispenser with tons of coke products, even vanilla coke if that's your thing.
Parking is awesome, it's Loyola area but there is un-metered street parking around the corner.
Five Guys makes no bones about their business. They make burgers, fries and hot dogs piled high with whatever toppings you want. Their portions of french fries, which are fried in peanut oil (YUM!) and large enough for a big person and easily shared between 2 or 3 people. I often just get an order of regular fries and eat the free peanuts that they leave out for their customers.
My standard order is a regular fry and a hot dog with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup and mustard. Go with the hot dog over the burger.
Best thing here are the free peanuts!
Burgers are a bit over rated plus way too many condiments offered for a sloppy mess of a sandwich with the works.
And they should get out of the hog dog business. When I asked for it done Chicago style, the militant lady rolled her eyes and pointed to the menu board for condiments served. Then when I got my dog, I saw green peppers as in bell peppers, not sport peppers and the dog was sliced lengthwise and griddle fried. Bun was not steamed  and sandwich fell apart for sloppy mess #2.
Thank you 5 Guys for the free peanuts!
I'm mainly writing this review to mention the new space-age ultra high-tech coke machines this location has. Â There are two of these bad boys on premises. Basically, there is no longer 6 or so of your standard coke/diet/sprite/root beer/iced tea/lemonade choices, instead you get a touch-screen menu with what seems like an infinite number of selections of all types of carbonated flavored beverages that have ever been invented (and sold by Coca Cola Co.), including all the flavors of Fanta that you didn't even know existed (peach?). Â The only downside - you have to make up your mind quickly while going through a couple levels of menu selections with a line of increasingly impatient patrons starting to grow out of your back.
And free peanuts to go with the fancy soda!
I had yet to visit a Five Guys joint. I walk by this one every time I jump on the Red Line to get downtown. But not today. I decided to stop in and get a burger to go, largely because I needed a little TLC - and also because I hadn't eaten there before.
The place was not busy. Only a couple of people at a few tables and no one in line ahead of me. It took a while to process the simple order of a mini cheeseburger and fries. But this is a good thing, when it comes to fast food. So no complaints here. If you want custom-made fast food, it ain't gonna be that fast. For that, go down the street to Mickey D's - if you please. But you'll be missing a great dining experience if you do.
The price was more than I should be paying these days for such fare, but as I said, I needed a little TLC, so I was treating myself. Had time to visit the bathroom, which was messy. I just don't understand why people don't bother to flush. But that's not Five Guys' fault.
When I got my food, the bag had so much grease on it, I was grateful to have an extra large baggie on hand to put around it. I threw it in my bag and went on to my next destination - the El across the street. Greeted by a few policeman who barred the doors, it was clear I would not be taking the Red Line at this moment. Apparently, there was a "problem" at the Wilson stop. Something told me it wasn't a mechanical problem, either -- given what I've come to learn about that stop.
I quickly had to decide, as I watched a 147 whiz by, whether I would wait for another one to get downtown. Or I could catch the 155 that was coming and just go back home. Not remembering what the stop would be for my destination off the 147, I found myself focusing instead, on the wonderful smelling burger and fries that were just beckoning me.
So I jumped on the 155 - greeted by the same bus driver who had just dropped me off 15 minutes before in the other direction. I know this, because he said "Back again?" Whereupon I told him that the Red Line was not running due to some kind of hostage situation at the Wilson stop. I also decided it wasn't worth it to wait for another 147 going downtown. Besides, I'd have to think about which stop to get off at.
I was happy that my burger and fries were still warm through all of this chaos. My first action, after tearing into my burger and fries - was to fire up the 'ol laptop to do a review, before I forget.
Overall, I am very pleased with this burger and fries. The mini is more than enough for one person to eat. And the fries runneth over, such that I will put the remainder in the freezer for a snack at another time. This burger reminds me of Fatburger in L.A. -- they were known for some of the most juicy and freshly made burgers in town, garnering awards, much like this joint.
I probably won't be back again for some time, until budget permits. Paying nearly $7 for a miniburger and fries is pricey for my budget. This holiday season has brought a few more challenges than I was expecting. But isn't that always the way? Less than good financial news is often brought at the end of the year, just in time to spoil people's plans and lives. So thank God Five Guys Burger and Fries is around as comfort food. Expensive -- but well worth it. In fact, I'd skip a few meals for one like this.
So that's my story, in the Windy City, this Monday, December 5th  - pitch black outside - at only 6pm. Well fed and ready for bed. But too early for that. Besides, I have work to catch up on. You know, for that client who doesn't really deserve it. But, a girl's gotta eat, right?
So walking in I could see why the inevitable comparisons to In-N-Out happen. The decor is very close red and white tiles every where. The people behind the counter wearing the same type of paper cap. The menu board in the same style, both have hand formed burgers from fresh not frozen meat.
Aaron S. and I ordered up our burgers with everything and sides of fries and sat down waiting for a short time. I notice all the signs that say how good the burgers are, and I have to say seeing all that boasting made me a little skeptical. There is no need to have that signage all over the place if your product is really that fantastic.
Burgers and fries arrive. The burger was a decent size. You can tell that the patties are hand formed by looking at it. I gotta say though, while I found the meat to be juicy and fresh and of decent flavor, I found it to be way under seasoned. Does it compare to IN-N-Out? No not really. Does it live up to all the hype on the walls? Not exactly. It was good don't get me wrong, but for me the lack of seasoning made it not live up to it's potential.
What was the real star here though? Those fries. Hand cut, fried to perfection. Nicely salted, and in a huge portion. A small comes in about a sixteen ounce cup plus they fill up your bag with enough fries to refill the cup. They were probably the best fries I've ever had, and I would come back here on those grounds alone. Hand cut fries are fairly simple but not so simple to get perfect, and that is what they do here. I was debating giving them only three stars but I those fries are what the fourth star is for.
There seem to be a lot of fancy schmancy, foodie-type burger and hot dog places popping up these days. They spend a lot of time over-thinking how to reinvent the wheel. The results are usually just okay and rarely merit all the praise.
Five Guys does not fit this mold. They have honest to goodness awesome food. It tastes fresh and is incredibly satisfying. You don't have to be some five-star chef to make a great burger. Oh, and if you order the large fries, plan on sharing them with someone. Huge portion!
The only bad thing about five guys is the wait. It takes a lot longer than one would expect for a burger and fries. Of course, I might just be a little too impatient too.
Highly recommend this burger stand!
Ever since I moved out from Cali, I've been trying to find a burger joint in replacement of my old flame: In and Out Burger. Â I 'discovered' Five Guys Burgers summer last year when they opened up a joint in Lincoln Park -- then my search was over. Â
Since I moved up North, this one nearby Loyola gets my regular visit.
Yeah - so they don't have animal style fries like In & Out does, but their burgers are awesome! Â Free toppings and the option of bacon burger can probably replace my aching for animal style fries and In & Out's signature 'mayo'. Â They both have the same concept of fresh cut-never frozen fries (you can choose from regular or cajun style -or, if you're not sure, just ask to have the cajun seasoning on the side). Â The free peanuts to munch on as you wait for your order is just an added bonus (beat that, In & Out! :P).
Oh - for those with small space in their tummy, don't forget to order the "Little Burger" = one patty. Â I'd always go with the (regular) Burger with 2 patties when I'm in a piggy mood.
I ride my bike past it almost everyday, and of course notice the "We are frikkin awesome!!!!!" signs they have plastered on all the windows. Â I heard from a few people how much they like their burger as well. Â So I decided to give it a go. Â It ended up tasting nothing more than a slightly better / fresher version of Wendy's. Â Yes... a "Slightly" better version of a Fast food restaurant... That is it. Â I felt kinda lied to eating my burger... not saying it was a bad burger... just a typical fast food burger. Â
If you want a good burger, there are so many other places (like Kuma's) in Chicago to pick from. Â If, however, you want a quick fast food burger and are near Five Guys (don't go out of your way (not worth it)), then go for it under those pretenses.
Two cheeseburgers, one large fries and one coke we paid $20.37.
Large fries are really large, but soggy. I would rather have smaller portion of crispy fries. Cheeseburger is double patty with cheese (cheese was not melted) and buns are small for two patties, tomatoes etc.. Â I don't think I will be returning to Five Guys Burgers and Fries anytime soon.
So my bf and I held a burger challenge this weekend between Epic Burger and Five Guys and Five Guys is definitely the winner! Â
We each got the bacon double cheeseburger and split the combo - he got his burger with only tomato, lettuce and onions but I was too indecisive to pick out which toppings I wanted from their massive list so I just got mine with the works (mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms and probably like five other ingredients!) Â Â
As we waited for our order, we snacked on the free peanuts and watched a guy roll a joint at the next table without any regard for who might be watching. Â The restaurant is by the Loyola campus so maybe this happens all the time?? Â LOL
Our burgers came out labeled with numbers so we could tell whose was whose without having to dig through the burger (so considerate!) Â The fries were overflowing and after tasting that first fry, I couldnt stop. Â I must have ate half of the bag before I even touched my burger they were THAT good. Â Do I care that a large order of fries will cost me 1400 calories? Â NOPE!
The burgers were also pretty tasty. Â I like how they don't charge you extra for bacon, cheese, etc like they do at Epic Burger. Â I was kind of worried that my burger would be soggy but with the exception of a few drips my burger stayed put together til the very last bite.
I LOVE Five Guys and will most definitely be back again and again and again!
I am a definite fan of the 5 Guys! In my opinion what makes this place awesome is their fries. Not only are they cut fresh daily you can even find out where they came from. Just look on the wall and it will say something like "DuBois, ID". My suggestion to you is this:
Dump your fries into the brown paper bag your food came in along with some of their Cajun seasoning then shake
...it's pure bliss for me....
I also like how their menu is so simple. Unlike most other fast burger Vienna Beef type places there isn't 40 things choose from like. Here they simplified it to probably 10 items....Their burgers a delicious and definitely leave you full. For the price isn't too bad...expect to throw down $7-$8 a FULL meal.
If you haven't been there yet then you better do so....your missing out!
Did you notice that they actually printed out all the reviews from newspapers and magazines and put them on the walls and windows? One of them claimed they have the best burgers. The other says "Brits chips meets American fries." And TimeOut Chicago even chose their fries as 100 best eats of 2009.
Are you freaking kidding me? This is probably one of the most OVERRATED place I've been to. Don't get me wrong, their burgers don't suck but they are not that great either. Certainly not the best. Love the toppings but the meat is not seasoned. And I've had better fries. Theirs are a little soft. The regular fries are enough to share between two people though.
Their burgers are at best, a step above from what you get from some diners. Thick double patties with enough topping to spare. But I'll go for Wendy's anytime over Five Guys. Now if only Wendy's have grilled onions and mushrooms, it would make it even better.
So, I thought that I would get into yelping again... What a better place to start then giving one of my first two stars to a place like Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Â
Upon first look at the restaurant, you see loads of propaganda telling you how wonderful the place is to eat. Â I beg to differ. Â If a place has to tell you how wonderful it is, even in the bathroom, then you know something is wrong. Â
Then, they boast about how wonderful their fries are, but I personally think McDonald's fries are better. Â Heck, I can cut a potato and deep fry it. Â The Cajun season fries were just okay.
Next, the burger, which wasn't bad minus the tomatoes on it when I specifically asked for no tomatoes. Â I have to give them kudos on offering free toppings and they have a great selection of toppings. Â But, for goodness sake, there were only four people in the place ordering food. Â How can you mess a sandwich up with a low volume of customers? It didn't taste like the burger was seasoned at all and the cheese wasn't melted. Â That is not a good sign to me. Â Maybe 5 years working at McDonald's did actually increase my standards for a good burger.
Five Guys is very much like In-n-Out. Â It's absolutely fantastic if you know what you're doing, but if you don't, you can very easily make any number of mistakes that will have you going away wondering what the big deal is.
Firstly, unless you live within a block, don't bother with carryout, and even that's pushing it. Â Your food will be a soggy mess by the time you take your first bite. Â Secondly, 5 guys gives you a LOT of food. Â There's no shame in ordering a little burger and splitting an order of fries with someone.
The menu is not the largest. Â 5G has gone for quality over quantity, and only serve burgers, hot dogs, and fries (and grilled cheese!). Â If you're a vegetarian, lactose intolerant, only eat organic free-range cows that were fellated before slaughter, etc. Â odds are you will completely let down with what you can eat. Â Â That said, if you want a delicious, super-unhealthy burger with so many toppings it's almost impossible to fit in your mouth, and a small mountain of cajun fries, it'd be tough to do better.
This particular location is well placed, and easy to get to the el from (Because unless you'll not be walking much on the way home). Â Â The burgers take a while to make (no heat lamps here, folks) and eat, so give yourself some time.
I really had next to no interest in this chain; in fact, I actively object to anything trendy. Â But after one opened up within walking distance of my house, I knew that sooner or later I would have to go investigate the hype. Â Now I finally have, and I may as well have not bothered. Â If it took five guys to come up with this place, at least three of them should go back to business school or Uncle Sal's Cantina or wherever the hell they came from. Â
This mid-range burger thing is being done to death. Â I honestly don't know who arrived first or latest, but I have seen it executed better both locally (e.g. Epic Burger and Meatheads) and elsewhere (e.g. Better Burger in Manhattan and The Counter in Salt Lake City). Â Based on the copious signage on every single surface in the place, this outfit really likes to toot its own horn: Â review quotes, magazine articles, etc etc ad infinitum. Â According to their website, they intend to open 200 more stores in 2010, so apparently there's no stopping them. Â Nice to see the five guys giving up whatever credibility they may have had for a bloated, compromised, mass corporate aesthetic. Â
It shows in the experience: Â flat, indifferent service; shitty pop music; Diet Coke. Â And the hallmark equation of corporate greed--inflated prices for mediocre food. Â I paid $11.24 for a B+ burger and D- fries, plus the soda. Â The hamburger was good, but the cheese they use is crap, and the bun needs to be sturdier and slightly bigger to handle the double patty. Â The fries were a disaster. Â They were strangely rigid, like a stick, not to mention both oddly textured and nearly flavorless. Â They had a strange consistency sort of halfway between firm styrafoam and cardboard, and didn't taste anything like a potato. Â But boy do they ever load on the "Cajun spices," none of which were perceptible beneath the mountains of salt. Â Yuck across the board.
And sometimes it's the little things too. Â For example, I ordered my meal "for here" but received it in a paper sack. Â I peered into the bag and saw nothing but fries, jumbled in the bag as if they were just dumped in there with no container. Â Later I found a cup but maybe 20% of the fries were in the actual cup. Â My foil-wrapped burger lay beneath the fries...how am I supposed to get it out? Â I have no tray. Â I either have to tear apart the bag and lay it out as a makeshift eating surface, or dump out the fries onto a pile of napkins and then extract the sandwich. Â Shit like this really infuriates me. Â Doesn't anybody THINK when they design a process? Â Mindless hackery.
And another thing--they should sell milkshakes in this joint. Â After the brutal assault of sodium chloride, a person's mouth craves something cold and sweet, and fountain soda just doesn't cut it.
The burger itself was fairly decent, but I don't crave one very often and would put a lot of places much higher on my order of preference. Â Those five guys don't need my money anyway.
VEGETARIANS BEWARE!
I do not know what I was thinking when I insisted that my partner take me to Five Guys. Â He and his friends LOVE the place, and go there all of the time without me. Â So I suppose that I was feeling left out, and wanted to experience Five Guys for myself.
BAD IDEA!!!
FIVE GUYS IS HELL FOR VEGETARIANS. Â I ordered the vegetarian/grilled cheese sandwich, and cajun fries. Â The sandwich was basically one of their burgers with all of the condiments/vegetables but without the meat patty. Â I would say that I enjoyed the sandwich, but it really was nothing that great. Â The cajun fries were yummy... but this reveiw is less about the taste of the food, and more about WHAT IT DID TO MY BODY!
Less than 30 minutes after eating at five guys, I started to get this sharp pain in my side, and began burping more than usual. Â Next thing I know, my stomach rounded out, obviously full of gas... so i was burping and farting every minute for the next hour. Â All the while, my stomach twisted into knots... and I felt like I was going to vomit. Â The only thing that made me feel better was laying down. Â I spent that whole night tossing in bed with this horrible stomach ache, and still felt terrible in the morning. Â Five Guys was not worth all of this pain.
I am not sure exactly why this food had this effect on me. Â I have two theories: Â 1. Â Perhaps my body is just not used to the high grease and fat content that Five Guys is known for. Â 2. Â Having been a vegetarian for almost 10 years, any trace amount of meat sends my body into rejection mode. Â So perhaps my sandwich was cooked on the same griddle os the burgers, and I ingested all of the meat-fat. Â
NOT PLEASANT. Â I hope that I didn't gross anyone out with my explicit detail.
I guess I'll give a reluctant 4th star, since I liked the taste of the burger more than I did the last time I ordered a Five Guys burger(and at Clybourn). Ordered both A-1 sauce and mayo on the cheeseburger, mmmm! Didn't get as weirded out by the cajun fries this time(in fact, I interestingly enjoyed them this time around), and I think I'm starting to conclude that they're an acquired taste.
However, the grilled cheese didn't impress me much. Ah well, I think I'll stick to what works best for enjoying Five Guys: making it a once in a good while thing, and sticking to the burgers, dogs, and fries, and ALWAYS taking advantage of the fact you can customize the burger and dogs however you want.
Their cheeseburgers are YUM. Take it from a guy who knows cheeseburgers. Five Guys Burgers and Fries' double cheeseburger is a tower of meaty goodness. You know how some places load up on filler and totally skimp on the hamburger meat (billy goat! *cough*) ... this place is the complete opposite. There's tons of meat to go around at Five Guys.
The toppings selection is a little much, but as long as you know what you like, you'll be able to manage. The fries are medium-cut, crispy and soft, and from REAL potatoes. Love, love, love their fries ... they also give you like ... a trillion french fries.
The only complaint that I have is that the prices are little high. The quality is great, though. Fresh beef, fresh potatoes -- so it's pretty worth it.
After hearing so much about it, the boss and I finally went. It was a really good burger, and the staff was very friendly and enthusiastic! I like that all the toppings are free. The fries were plentiful and of the fresh cut variety, which are my favorite.
Overall, it was a good experience. The place was clean, prices were acceptable, and my belly is full.
Yesterday, I was exhausted. It was all I could do to keep from falling asleep at my desk. I even debated going home early just to catch up on some sleep. So when I finally got to leave and I got on the train it was probably seconds before I was blissfully asleep.
I'm a really good bus/train sleeper. I'm just awake enough to hear them call the stop before mine and I've never missed my stop. That is, until yesterday. I awoke to them saying the name of my station, and then I heard "doors closing" and I knew I would be going a stop or two out of my way.
I debated getting off at Morse and picking up some veggies the Morse Fresh market but I decided that I would try the Five Guys by Loyola instead. After all, my dinner is more important the the bunny's dinner.
Since I knew nothing about this place other than they were supposed to have good burgers I was interested to see what I'd find. I liked that they had peanuts for people to eat, and I liked even more that there were signs on the door warning people with allergies about this fact. A death on their property would not be good for business.
I also learned that when you order a cheese burger you get 2 patties. Now, anyone who's met me knows I won't complain about this, but I thought it a bit strange that 2 was standard here. I guess that's also how they can justify charging me over $6 for just a cheeseburger.
Because my arteries are probably clogged enough, I decided to walk home before partaking in my two patty cheeseburger. While this was a good choice for my health it was not a good choice for the burger. Or, more specifically, for the bun around the burger. When I got home the bun was pretty much mush on the bottom. As for the burger itself, it was pretty good. I liked that sauteed mushrooms were an option (and free!) and that the lettuce was actually a leaf of lettuce instead of the crappy shredded stuff most fast food places use.
So overall this place has a decent burger. Not my favorite in the city, but still pretty good. It's a little pricey but it's also freshly cooked and I got sauteed mushrooms which was a bonus. I'd go back, but maybe not until I fall asleep for too long again on the train.
I was looking for a good go-to place...i heard about this place from a few people and also passed it up while driving around. Â I didn't have a lot of high or low expectations so i guess that is a good thing, but when i went in the first thing i could smell were the fries which was a good start.
So i ordered a classic cheese burger  which took a little bit longer than expected with like 5 guys behind the counter (no pun intended).  Anywho when i finally got my burger and got it home the taste was great and not too messy and the cajun fries were extra good and spicy
the only downgrade was the price...but i don't eat out often especially anti healthy diet food often so it is not that costly.
One word describes it all: Deadly. Â I'm just lucky they don't serve milkshakes!
Burgers, dogs and fries--all fresh cooked and as many toppings as you want! Â Not the cheapest burger joint...unless you like a lot of different toppings on your burger. Â You'll save a bundle on the toppings.
Hot dogs are split down the middle and grilled. Â I recommend the cheese dog with fries (fresh cut fries? Â yes indeed!).
This location is clean, well-lit, and right across the street from Loyola. Worth checking out.
Overpriced - Overhyped - Mediocrity.
I give it a star for the cleanliness and another for the peanut oil, which is more of just a novel idea as opposed to being extraordinarily delicious, but other then that, I recommend an alternative place.
For starters, you walk in and all you can see are comments and revues of how "Great" and "Awesome" Five Guys is, but these are mainly false, and are meant to bamboozle the unsuspecting victim. You see, Five Guys believes that by saying something enough then it has to be true, but in reality, their claims of being the "Best Burger," or "Heaven on a Bun," is actually not so. The fact that these revues come from traditionally fish and crab cake eating municipalities should be a tip off of the falsity.
Another major problem, is that this food is extremely over priced. I suppose it would be one thing if for the price there was more offered, like a bigger beef patty or perhaps having the food brought out to you, but having to pay more than $12 for a burger, drink and fries that resemble a meal I can make myself on my stove is not worth it.
In all, there's nothing special about Five Guys, just another wannabe burger joint.
And Oh Yeah, they don't even have sport peppers for their hot dogs.
It's mmm, mmm, MMM good!
Having recently heard about Five Guys from my very enthusiastic employers (insert their various satisfied comments here), I decided to walk down there with my nannying charge in a stroller and pick up some lunch while he napped, praying he wouldn't wake up and start screaming in Five Guys.
Luck was on my side as I lined up to I order a cheeseburger with grilled onions, ketchup, mayo and lettuce and a regular order of fries. The cashier girl was really friendly, and let me know I could pay with my credit card--phew! Everything they serve is made-to-order, so I definitely waited 10 or 15 minutes...even at 1:30pm, they were still hopping with orders for lunch.
But when I got that burger...ooooooweeeee! I think someone had messed up along the line and made mine a double cheeseburger...but uh, I didn't care. The two patties were grilled to perfection, juicy, and really flavorful. The sesame bun was substantial enough to keep it all in tact (thank goodness! No crummy buns allowed here!) and every bite was maybe better than the last. Superb burger.
The fries, on the other hand, are the reason for my four (instead of five) star review. Just not crispy enough--and too thick--for my taste. In fact, not really crispy at all, flimsy as if they were weird, square potato noodles. For the potato purist, I'd think these fries would be right up your alley--but not for me. I'll take the crispy fried goodness over the potato flavor any day.
All in all, I'd be back in here in a snazzy second for another one (or double) of their hamburgers...and as my employer says they can do, when they're not bogged down with patrons, ask for fries a little crispier. Will do!
Holy moses! Â That's a greasy floor! Â I could have sworn I was ice skating on a frozen stick of butter using banana peel skates laced with buttered noodles when I was walking around in there. Â What in god's name is on the floor? Â
This place has excellent burgers. Â I'll concede that point and agree that it is possibly the most important.
It is really loud in here with all the music and shouting and aside from one Doobie Brothers track the music was pretty disagreeable. Â You get shuffled through a queue which is partitioned off by french fry bags which take up entirely too much room, and did I mention that the floor is a little slick?
They were super friendly though. Â I'm sure I'll make it back in for another tasty burger sometime. Â Probably not until the crowd dies down a bit though.
There is nothing wrong with the food here. Mmm, grease... why not? Mr. N and I ordered 2 little cheeseburgers, regular Cajun fries, and 2 drinks. For a total of $16... that's not a bad lunch. The girl at the counter was friendly and polite. So far so good.
The burger was not incredible, like advertising might lead you to believe. It was just a decent burger that you can customize. (Not paying extra for mushrooms = Yay!) The fries were soggy, and at times I'm in the mood for that, but mostly when eating fish and chips out of newspaper. Next time I'd skip the Cajun spice and just douse the regular fries in malt vinegar.
However, I was by no means blown away, and sort of felt cheated. Sitting in a crowded dining room that was far too loud (please turn the music down), SURROUNDED by posters and article clippings singing praises for the burgers and fries, I just didn't get it. I didn't feel like I was eating fries that were "out of this world" or a "boss" burger. This space (or maybe just the corner I sat in) is beyond pretentious. Had I perhaps taken my order to go, then I probably wouldn't be so salty... but I bought into the hype, came down from Evanston and felt pretty stupid.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a bright diner like place with chairs & tables way too close together. They use their huge bags of spuds as a room divider/design object. Please stop! They take up too much room and aren't particularly attractive.
The meal with a cheeseburger, fries & drink was $11.25-definitely not wallet friendly. It was a double flat patty of meat-kind of reminds me of Steak & Shake burgers. The fresh cut skin-on fries were plentiful & tasty. There are many toppings for the burgers which are all free.
My main complaint was the music was disco loud (though nice stuff-lots of oldies). Also, the staff screamed at each other across the room. MARVIN, MARVIN!!! I got to know a few by name, and not in a good way. So, the noise level was WAY much. It was 3:30 PM on a Monday and there must have been 11+ staff members behind the scenes with only 8 customers to be found. Guess that's why it's expensive.
I doubt I'll be back. Moody's Pub down the street does a MUCH better THICK burger. And it's cheaper (though Moody's doesn't give free refills, so if you're thirsty drink water or order a pitcher of soda/ice tea for the table). Moody's is also quieter & has a MUCH larger outside area.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries will make it based on location, location, location, but I don't think they have a lot more to offer than that.
This Midwesterner had never head of Five Guys before -- that is, until C-SPAN went live for EIGHT AND A HALF minutes from a DC-area location where Barack Obama decided to stop by for an unexpected lunch (FYI, Mr Prez ordered a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, jalapeno peppers, and mustard).
So, when the Loyola El Stop location of Five Guys opened last week, I thought, "Hey, I know that place from TV!" I love a good burger, and decided to check it out ...
PROS: Any fast food place that offers A-1 as a condiment gets a high five from me! A-1! Also, you get two (what I presume are) hand-formed non-frozen patties on yr hamburger -- which automatically puts it into fancy fast-food category. I was a fan of the fries with the Tony Chachere-type of seasoning on them, but liked the "plain" ones better. Not too soft, and not too crispy. Um, free in-the-shell peanuts as you wait. 'Nuf said.
CONS: Not recession-friendly at all -- it was $10 for a burger and fries. A pop would have put me in the $12 range for the meal. Mr President, can we get a hamburger stimulus up in here? If Five Guys was, like, five bux cheaper, it'd be five stars. But 'til then, it's just A-OK.
So its opening day and I work right across the street so I couldn't help myself. I got there 5 minutes after they opened and the place was buzzing with folks already. Â This one is just like the ones I have been to and that's a good thing. Â Free peanuts. Good solid burgers with unlimited toppings and a friendly staff. I was hoping for a opening day special but no luck with that. Â Fries were extra good for some reason... Maybe fresh grease?? Â Mmm grease
Highly recommended for lunch... This neighborhood needed a place like this.
I am a boy of many homes, fortunately not from any broken homes. Â Well at least not metaphorically. Â But I claim Virginia as one of mine and I was pleased to find that 5 guys followed me here... I mean Five Guys Burgers. Â To be honest, I haven't even heard of of these five nameless fellows until I came to Chicago. Â Yet, it was comforting to have a VA based franchise in my part of the hood. Â
So how does the burger stack up? Â I have to admit, it's up there with some of the best $5 burgers I have had. Â Not sure it will replace my sentiment with Paradise Pup, but at least I can now get a decent fast food burger in my hood. Â And not only when I drop friends off at O'hare.
How's the price? Â Let's just say no value meals and certainly no dollar menu here. Â Cheeseburger and fries added to $9.04! Yikes!
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