The Mango Lassie

It’s usually a good sign when a burger joint offers toppings like wasabi or curry mayo, whole grain mustard aioli and chipotle ketchup. Crispy, home-cut fries and fluffy cornmeal-dusted buns are further pluses. But when that burger joint calls itself Über Bürger, the burgers had better be the stars of the show. I went to this retro, flower-power-inspired Evanston diner with Empanada Boy, Sushi Sister, Croque Monsieur, Slim McDinner, Sous Chef, the Reading Corn Dog and Avocado Boy to see whether it would live up to its name.

I ordered the “Big Bürger,” which comes with one patty (as opposed to the “Bigger Bürger” and “Über Bürger”, with two and three patties, respectively). I couldn’t help wondering whether the umlaut on burger would make it BOO-guhr, but I pushed the thought aside so it wouldn’t cloud my vision of the food. The mustard aioli was my topping of choice. The burger arrived on that distinctive, cornmeal-topped roll with a not-so-distinctive clump of iceberg lettuce, a tomato slice and a pickle spear. The bread and sauce were points in its favor, and the meat was of far better quality than most cheap places, but the patty was over-cooked. This is the ultimate sin in burger preparation; good meat should be left slightly pink and juicy, not cooked to the point of being almost indistinguishable from its fast-food brethren. This was a decent burger, but I wouldn’t call it “über” in any way. The fries I shared with EB, Sushi Sister and Reading Corn Dog were nicely browned and tasty. They tasted even better dipped in Sous Chef’s curry mayo. I’ll order that sauce the next time I come.

Burgers aren’t the only option at Über Burger. The menu also includes mac and cheese, grilled cheese and chili. I tried all of these, thanks to Avocado Boy, Reading Corn Dog and Croque Monsieur. None was very memorable. True to his contrarian nature and spirit of adventure, Empanada Boy decided to try the chicken po’boy picture here. It came on a fittingly dry and crackly bun with another tasty mayonnaise, but the breaded chicken breast was fairly mediocre. I’m not even sure the meat was prepared in the restaurant. Über Burger’s true specialty might have been its ice cream and frozen yogurt. Empanada Boy and I would have liked to finish things off that way, but we had to drive Sushi Sister and Croque Monsieur to the airport for their flight back to Portland.

The next time I’m looking for a quick, cheap burger in Evanston, I may give Über Burger another try. I still don’t think it will be able to live up to its name. I’m more likely to stop in for an ice cream cone. That’s one dish that’s almost never disappointing.

Über Burger
618 Church St.
Evanston, IL 60201
847.866.5200