National Burger Month

STK: If it’s a daintier burger you’re after, you won’t do any better than the famous “lil’ BRGs” at STK. One of the most renowned items on the menu at this national chain of sexy, sociable steakhouses, the slider burgers are fan favorites for good reason. They may be tiny, but they pack a sizable punch of flavor, thanks to the use of Wagyu beef, “special” sauce, and pillowy, buttery sesame seed buns. For additional cost, you can add truffles and/or foie gras.

Tavern on Rush: Utilizing the same cuts of meat on-hand for steak preparations, Tavern on Rush offers a handful of different burger options, all of them exceptional. These things are big and juicy, but no so much that you need to unhinge your jaw to chew it, which is always nice. The prime steak burger features a blend of short rib, brisket, and chuck, while the rib-eye version comes with caramelized onions, mushroom, fontina, and chipotle mayo. There’s also an Angus burger, along with a vegan option and a housemade turkey burger, which isn’t bad either. Tavern has also been known to add seasonal burger specials to the menu, like bison burgers with Cabernet onions and black cherry jam.

Grange Hall Burger Bar: Looking to start your way with the breakfast of champions. Get thee to Grange Hall Burger Bar for their breakfast burger, a burger that does much more than merely slap a couple strips of bacon atop some beef and call it a day. This place does it right. The laudable burger is actually served open-faced atop a bed of syrup-soaked, spiced French toast, providing the perfect marriage of sweet and savory in one nifty breakfast plate. It’s of course served with a sunnyside-up egg and bacon, plus some sharp cheddar. The novel, risky combo pays off, making for a memorable meal in the a.m.

Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse: The aptly named “steakhouse burgers” at Harry Caray’s are what you need when your next burger craving hits. The sheer inventive variety is enough to appease a burger fanatic, let alone the incomparable flavor and unique combination of ingredients. The signature “Holy Cow!” burger contains a 10-oz. sirloin patty outfitted with candied bacon, five-year Gouda, lettuce, Harry’s steak sauce, and a brioche bun. Or you can go exotic with the Spicy Thai burger, featuring a grass-fed patty along with pickled carrots, radishes, fresh jalapeno, cilantro, Sriracha mayo, and a brioche bun. The Wagyu burger is great too, since it sort of resembles and tastes like