I’m not sure if I’ll ever get used to bars and restaurants in strip malls. I guess it’s perfectly fine to younger generations, but the idea of trying to squeeze “ambiance” into a former yogurt shop or dry cleaner just seems a stretch to me.
The Chubby Bullfrog sees itself as a sports bar, with the usual memorabilia perched on the walls, and a couple dozen NHL jerseys hanging from the ceilings. Five TVs ring the bar, and four video poker machines are perched in the corner.
The owner has decided there is no local lunch crowd, so they open at 3 PM most days. With the exception of there being alligator bites and frog legs on the menu, it’s straightforward standard Chicago bar food.
It will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that I had a burger, which are hand-formed patties in your choice of 6, 8, or 10 ounces, on a fresh ‘pretzel-like’ roll, and topped with Spanish onion, tomato, lettuce, accompanied by a kosher spear. I say “pretzel-like” as it has the appearance of a pretzel roll, but not the cloying sweet taste most buns of that ilk possess, which I find unpleasant.
Fries or chips are standard, upgrade to tots, rings or a salad for a buck. About $11 in all for the 8 ounce, with bacon and blue cheese. The bacon was very flavorful, and while the blue cheese was a chunky sauce, is was very “blue,” strong in flavor, which was a delight for me.
At some point in every burger experience, I strip everything away to taste just the beef, and this is a nice grind, very flavorful, natural beef flavor, with a slight char. The deep fried tots were exceptional. Pepsi soda products and a gajillion beers in bottles.
Worth a stop in the Northwest burbs, and they are periodically on restaurant.com with a $10 coupon. (Active as of the date of this post). Want some fantastic blue or goat cheese for your home burgers? Check these out.
Chubby Bullfrog Bar & Grill Review