Burke's Public House

For the past couple years I have been walking by the site of Burke's Public House at the corner of Broadway and Balmoral nearly every day with the doggies, and have noted the slow progress. It finally opened yesterday and Mrs. Trpt and I went tonight. We had a thoroughly delightful time.

It was bustling at 7:00; we were seated quickly and orders taken for drinks. I had to help the bartender construct a B-52 for Mrs. Trpt while I was content with a beer. Food service was a tad slow but I chalked it up to opening jitters. Service was terrific. I talked to the owners, Kevin and Brendan Costello, who described the long process to open. Broadway along that stretch had been a dry corridor and they first had to get the zoning changed. Then construction took a while, it was a total gut rehab. The space is dark wood modern, inviting. I told them that if they were even halfway decent they'd clean up because there are no bars on Broadway or Sheridan in that neck of the woods, you have to go all the way to Clark.

First up were the black and tan onion rings, which were quite possibly the best onion rings I've ever had, light, crispy, non-greasy, with a wonderful dipping sauce. Soup was a corn chowder that was rich and creamy. I had the club sandwich upon being assured that the turkey was real, carved to order, and the Mrs. had the Italian beef with sweet peppers. Simple bar fare but done really well, with an attention to detail. The club was cut in half, not quarters, with smoky bacon, freah turkey breast and a mild (monterey jack?) cheese, lettuce, tomato and a spicy mayo that really set it off. Italian beef scored, bun could have been a little chewier, but the peppers were terrific. The only minus was the seasoned waffle fries, I prefer fries that just taste like potatoes.

Fifty odd bucks for four drinks, two apps and two entrees. I enjoyed it a lot and it should be a neighborhood smash. It's pretty big with a second room behind the main bar/dining room. We're leaving in three weeks so I am disappointed on that score, we haven't had as good a neighborhood place since Bransfield's in Lincoln Square back in the nineties. Highly recommended for the Edgewater/Andersonville crowd.

Burke's Public House
5401 N. Broadway
773-944-1109
www.burkespublichouse.com

Thanks for the report! I live a block from there too and I was hoping that Burke's would be a worthy place to visit, not just a go-there-because-I'm-too-lazy-to-cook kinda spot.

trpt2345 wrote: I told them that if they were even halfway decent they'd clean up because there are no bars on Broadway or Sheridan in that neck of the woods, you have to go all the way to Clark.

Not on Broadway or Sheridan, but we find ourselves perched at Ollie's probably more often than we should. No food, but usually a fresh bowl of pretzels or peanuts is offered.

I'm psyched about Burke's. It will be nice to have an option closer than Clark (and more substantial than Ollie's. )

Ollie's
1064 W Berwyn Ave, Chicago
(773) 784-5712

The GP wrote:

trpt2345 wrote: I told them that if they were even halfway decent they'd clean up because there are no bars on Broadway or Sheridan in that neck of the woods, you have to go all the way to Clark.

Not on Broadway or Sheridan, but we find ourselves perched at Ollie's probably more often than we should. No food, but usually a fresh bowl of pretzels or peanuts is offered.

I'm psyched about Burke's. It will be nice to have an option closer than Clark (and more substantial than Ollie's. )

Ollie's
1064 W Berwyn Ave, Chicago
(773) 784-5712

Ah, yes, Ollie,s we've gone by it many times but never stopped in based on the somewhat, uh, murky vibe.

trpt2345 wrote:Ah, yes, Ollie,s we've gone by it many times but never stopped in based on the somewhat, uh, murky vibe.

Ah, but you're missing a fine, neighborhood bar! Miss Ollie is a legend and one of the nicest people I've met. We had only been a few times last year when we went in for a nightcap on Mr. X's birthday. Miss Ollie brought out a bottle of sparkling wine, gratis, for us. The same thing happened this year for my birthday. Nice gesture!

But enough about Ollie's....when we make it Burke's, I'll be sure to post.

At the risk of further derailing an already slightly off-topic discussion, allow me to offer my two cents that Miss Ollie is indeed a treasure.

I've tipped a few Old Styles at her bar and despite the somewhat murky exterior, the inside is no worse than any other dive bar I've been to. If you've been to the L&L or the Two Way, you'll be fine at Ollie's.

If she opened a joint at Lincoln and Diversey instead of Winthrop and Berywn way back when, she'd be legend (and probably significantly richer).

Okay, now back to Burke's.

We went again tonight. A little grazing, the onion rings again, wings and tonight's soup which was a terrific chicken tortilla. It was busy again, and we talked to Vince, cousin to Brendan and Kevin and we got to talk with the cook, Mary. Everything is really fresh, and Mary emphasized that was her aim. The wings had a touch of sweetness to the subtle heat: thai peppers and balsamic vinagrette marinade, plus a traditional buffalo sauce. The onion rings again were sublime. Mary said once things get solid in the kitchen she wants to start daily specials that will feature whatever she can get fresh. I am so sad we're leaving soon, until then we've found a home away from home.

trpt2345 wrote:We went again tonight. A little grazing, the onion rings again, wings and tonight's soup which was a terrific chicken tortilla. It was busy again, and we talked to Vince, cousin to Brendan and Kevin and we got to talk with the cook, Mary. Everything is really fresh, and Mary emphasized that was her aim. The wings had a touch of sweetness to the subtle heat: thai peppers and balsamic vinagrette marinade, plus a traditional buffalo sauce. The onion rings again were sublime. Mary said once things get solid in the kitchen she wants to start daily specials that will feature whatever she can get fresh. I am so sad we're leaving soon, until then we've found a home away from home.

What?! Hopefully, just leaving the neighborhood and not leaving town entirely.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

trpt2345 wrote:We went again tonight. A little grazing, the onion rings again, wings and tonight's soup which was a terrific chicken tortilla. It was busy again, and we talked to Vince, cousin to Brendan and Kevin and we got to talk with the cook, Mary. Everything is really fresh, and Mary emphasized that was her aim. The wings had a touch of sweetness to the subtle heat: thai peppers and balsamic vinagrette marinade, plus a traditional buffalo sauce. The onion rings again were sublime. Mary said once things get solid in the kitchen she wants to start daily specials that will feature whatever she can get fresh. I am so sad we're leaving soon, until then we've found a home away from home.

What?! Hopefully, just leaving the neighborhood and not leaving town entirely.

=R=

Alas, as noted in the Michoacán: Morelia and beyond thread:

trpt2345 wrote:It has come to pass, we are moving to Morelia on July 22, probably get there by the 27th. I'll miss the diversity of Chicago, but I'll be able to report more intensively on all things Mexican.

The GP wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

trpt2345 wrote:We went again tonight. A little grazing, the onion rings again, wings and tonight's soup which was a terrific chicken tortilla. It was busy again, and we talked to Vince, cousin to Brendan and Kevin and we got to talk with the cook, Mary. Everything is really fresh, and Mary emphasized that was her aim. The wings had a touch of sweetness to the subtle heat: thai peppers and balsamic vinagrette marinade, plus a traditional buffalo sauce. The onion rings again were sublime. Mary said once things get solid in the kitchen she wants to start daily specials that will feature whatever she can get fresh. I am so sad we're leaving soon, until then we've found a home away from home.

What?! Hopefully, just leaving the neighborhood and not leaving town entirely.

=R=

Alas, as noted in the Michoacán: Morelia and beyond thread:

trpt2345 wrote:It has come to pass, we are moving to Morelia on July 22, probably get there by the 27th. I'll miss the diversity of Chicago, but I'll be able to report more intensively on all things Mexican.

It'll be our loss but I'll look forward to your reports from your new home.

=R=

I stopped by yesterday to check the place out since it's only a couple blocks away. As others can attest to, despite being a solid area for food, a decent beer and a burger kind of bar is lacking, so Burke's is filling a tried and true niche.

Ordered a burger with bacon med rare. Was served a well done burger that was probably over worked and underseasoned, it just didn't pack a nice beef punch. I'm sure I'll try again but it wasn't the best first impression. Waffle fries are fine, but but it sounds like I should have gone for the onion rings.

Tap/bottle selection was middle of the road, a few nice offerings amongst the more typical. Prices were a little steep, a draft beer and burger came to 19.50 or so before tip.

We hit them up again tonight. started with wings and a order of onion rings which were so good we ordered a second. A cup of soup (southwest turkey, as good as the other two we had) and a grilled chicken sandwich. With three drinks $42 before tip. The pries are not low and the portions aren't huge but to me there's good value, a cut above your average bar food. And I'm telling you the onion rings are the platonic ideal of onion rings. I am not necessarily a big onion ring fan but these are so good I have become one.

My Friday evening happy hour group descended upon Burke's last week. Overall, our group was positive about the food. I started with the hummus that came with vegetables and fried pita quarters. The pita was the best part of the plate. I also ordered onion rings for the table. They were everything trpt2345 said. Delicious, although I wish there was a couple more on the plate. Reports from my group said the salads (turkey cobb and Burke's chopped) were quite good, but the chicken ceasar was just okay. The burger was reported to be also just okay -- cooked more medium than the medium-rare requested. Mr. X had the buffalo chicken wrap, which we both thought was excellent. I had the turkey burger, which was moist and flavorful. (I know there were sun-dried tomatoes mixed in. I don't remember what else.)

As noted, the beer list is moderately interesting. I stayed local with a couple Half Acre Gossamers. I agree that prices on beer and food seemed a touch higher than many places. I want to say 312 was $6/pint, which is about $1 more than I'd expect.

Service was not the highlight of the night. Granted, we were a large table (8) but to deliver the wrong drinks to the wrong people multiple times isn't right. The server also didn't know much about the menu. I'll give him a pass on that -- the place hasn't been open long. We did meet Brendan, one of the owners, who was very friendly and waved to us as we walked by a few nights later.

We look forward to enjoying Burke's again, especially after they get past the newly-opened kinks.

We made what was probably our final visit to Burke's tonight, we leave Friday. So good. The turkey corn chowder was excellent, my wife said no, no turkey so I ordered a cup and she wound up eating almost the whole thing. (After so many years, one has intuitions). Onion rings of course, a couple order of wings that were truly unique, kind of a chipotle spicy barbecue but decidedly in a good way. And we took a flier on the quesadillas, which were certainly not Mexican (flour tortillas, thin, with american cheese) but crispy and delicious nonetheless. I'm sorry we won't be in the 'hood to see their growth.

Dropped by Sunday about 2pm for a late lunch. Only two other tables in the house, one of which was finishing up as we were seated. We ordered light: a burger and a turkey cobb. The salad was large and the Lovely Dining Companion pronounced it very good. The burger was good but not exceptional. We both very much enjoyed the waffle-cut spicy fries (not particularly hot but flavorful). Some day someone can explain to me why some places skimp so egregiously on the slaw: three mid-size forkfuls and it was gone. Is this a big ticket item? Has the price of cabbage gone through the roof? The burger was a 1/2 pound and the fries were a generous portion. I understand the need to, uh, economize, but such a tiny portion of slaw is nothing short of pathetic. The owner/manager (?) dropped by to ask how things were just as I took a large bite of burger (don't you love that?). Before I could even finish chewing, he was out of the room. I got the distinct sense he didn't really want to wait for an answer--just going through the motions.

Our server seemed new. I felt like a hard cider and found one (I thought) on the beer list. Since I'd never heard of it, I just wanted to confirm that it was, in fact, a hard cider. (It was listed under beers and, being a simple-minded fellow, the placement threw me.) The server was completely baffled by the question, left to check, and returned to reassure me--as if everyone in the world except me knew--OF COURSE it's a hard cider!

Our biggest gripe: how could our order take a full half hour to prepare and deliver? With essentially no one there. What happens when the kitchen gets slammed? The LDC asked later that day if I would return. I dunno: food was okay without being exceptional. But the delay really bothered me--and we were pretty much ignored most of the time. The manager's pro forma inquiry didn't impress me favorably either.

So, I guess we'll have to wait and see. At the risk of repeating a line that prompted dismay in another thread: one thumb blandly sideways.

I have not been to Burke's even though it is blocks from my home, but I just want to comment about the last post. I am not making excuses at all because one would hope that a kitchen would be firing on all pistons at all time, but having worked in restaurants for many years, 2 pm is the full-blown witching hour. It is the time between shifts for staff often both in front and back. It's when everyone often catches up on prep, whether that's rolling silverware into napkins or prepping cole slaw. Again, haven't been and being underwhelmed means being underwhelmed, but going to a new-ish spot at 2 pm might not be the optimal time.

bjt

Having worked nearly 10 hours today, the last thing I wanted to do was work for/cook my dinner as well. I was quite pleased, therefore, to see a sign outside Burke's on my walk home that said "1/2 price appetizers today." Thus began my maiden voyage.

I was promptly and warmly greeted by the host, whom I informed that I would like to sit at the bar. His response: "Would you like a menu?" A bizarre question, it seems to me, given that they are a new establishment and, well, I've just arrived. But he was happy to bring me one.

As noted above, the beer selection is modestly sized but has a decent enough selection of usual suspects (Smithwicks, Guinness, Miller Lite, Stella, etc) and smaller/more interesting brews (Half Acre, Victory, Flying Dog). I wasn't sure whether I wanted beer or a cocktail, but when I inquired as to their whiskey and bourbon selections I was given a half-hearted "We have Maker's Mark and Knob Creek." I could see additional bottles up there, but with the taps between me and the shelf it was difficult to make out labels/shapes and I didn't pursue this line of questioning. I could very clearly see 12 or so different flavored vodkas - interpret as you see fit. I ordered a Flying Dog pale ale.

I opted to try two of the starters: Caprese Flatbread Pizza and Black & Tan Onion Rings.

The onion rings were, indeed, delightful. Crispy, flavorful, not so greasy that I felt I had to stop reading my book in order to eat them. The dipping sauce - meh. It tasted like ranch dressing to me. I would absolutely order these again, but perhaps inquire as to whether I could have some BBQ sauce with them - my preferred condiment for onion rings.

The flatbread was flat and bready, but not at all what I think of when I think of flatbread/pizza. It had a soft, pita-like bottom (I can't even bring myself to call it a crust, as it was not in the least firm/crispy. It was warm pita. Toppings were mozzarella, basil, tomato, arugula. None of which would adhere to the doughy surface upon which it had been placed. On the plus side, it was a healthy serving of arugula, which I like very much, and there was a pleasant basil aroma in the air around me as soon as the plate was delivered.

One more note: one of the other patrons at the bar ordered "a pint of the Great Lakes beer." The bartender replied, "which one?" Patron: "Dortmunder Gold - it's the only one I saw on the menu." Bartender: "Oh, we have the Gossamer too, but it's in a can." I didn't want to embarass the guy in front of his customer, but I do know that Gossamer is a Half Acre product, not Great Lakes. Makes me question the knowledge base of the staff.

At the end of the day, I didn't have to cook, I got to finish the book I was reading in a relatively quiet (even for being fairly full in the front room) space, and I have a new go-to spot for onion rings. Given that it was half-price app night, I can't complain too much. Since I live three blocks away, I'm sure I'll be back. But based on this initial visit, if forced at gunpoint to choose an Irish Pub in the neighborhood for a drink and bite to eat, I'm choosing Lady Gregory's.

Made it back here a few days ago. The burger didn't fare much better, still too dense, overcooked and under seasoned. Had the good sense to try the onion rings this time, an excellent version. I'm sure I'll be back, but next time I'll just stick with beer and some onion rings if I need a snack.

AlekH wrote:Made it back here a few days ago. The burger didn't fare much better, still too dense, overcooked and under seasoned. Had the good sense to try the onion rings this time, an excellent version. I'm sure I'll be back, but next time I'll just stick with beer and some onion rings if I need a snack.

Try the chicken wrap and see if that fares better than the burger with your tastebuds. We loved it.

Late dinner at Burke's last night. Chipotle chicken wrap with a side salad for me; Burke's chopped salad for Mr. X. Both were quite good. The side salad was huge. I ate half of it and half a wrap. The rest will be lunch today. Mr. X enjoyed the chopped salad a lot. A couple of $4 Half Acre drafts and I was happy.

Gonna give this place another shot for tonight friday night fish fry, cubs baseball and a half dozen Lites

AlekH wrote:Gonna give this place another shot for tonight friday night fish fry, cubs baseball and a half dozen Lites

And how was it?

Burke's is a somewhat regular stop for us as it's stumbling distance to home. Nothing earth-shattering, but decent bar food. Since Pearl's has opened though, we find ourselves there more frequently than Burke's.

I actually went on Friday since my crew wanted to avoid the overcrowding in Lakeview. Great Lakes Octoberfest just sold out, but they had a $5 special on Stella, which is an okay compromise. Fish and Chips were solid. Not one or two pieces if fish, more like small cutlets fried up. How can you tell if waffle fries are fresh made vs frozen? They weren't anything to speak highly of.

The GP wrote:

AlekH wrote:Gonna give this place another shot for tonight friday night fish fry, cubs baseball and a half dozen Lites

And how was it?

Burke's is a somewhat regular stop for us as it's stumbling distance to home. Nothing earth-shattering, but decent bar food. Since Pearl's has opened though, we find ourselves there more frequently than Burke's.

I thought it was a perfectly good version of a pub classic and despite being a likely food service product, I kind of like the waffle fries since they seem to be consistently well salted and crisp.

I actually made it over to Pearl's for G2

AlekH wrote:

The GP wrote:

AlekH wrote:Gonna give this place another shot for tonight friday night fish fry, cubs baseball and a half dozen Lites

And how was it?

Burke's is a somewhat regular stop for us as it's stumbling distance to home. Nothing earth-shattering, but decent bar food. Since Pearl's has opened though, we find ourselves there more frequently than Burke's.

I thought it was a perfectly good version of a pub classic and despite being a likely food service product, I kind of like the waffle fries since they seem to be consistently well salted and crisp.

I actually made it over to Pearl's for G2

We were at Pearl's for G2 as well! We'll have to figure out the secret handshake for next time.

Thanks for the feedback on Burke's. Your assessment is pretty much on target with mine -- perfectly good version.

whiskeybent wrote:At the risk of further derailing an already slightly off-topic discussion, allow me to offer my two cents that Miss Ollie is indeed a treasure.

I've tipped a few Old Styles at her bar and despite the somewhat murky exterior, the inside is no worse than any other dive bar I've been to. If you've been to the L&L or the Two Way, you'll be fine at Ollie's.

If she opened a joint at Lincoln and Diversey instead of Winthrop and Berywn way back when, she'd be legend (and probably significantly richer).

Okay, now back to Burke's.

Derailing this thread again...

Sad news for the Edgewater neighborhood as Miss Ollie has passed away from cancer. Details here.

Burke's is still going strong. We haven't been in recently -- need to remedy that soon.

Was about to do the same, very sad.

From the Burke's website page:

We would like to thank our loyal customers and friends for supporting us over the last several months. Unfortunately we will be closing for the winter but look forward to welcoming you back in the spring.

We wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and please, please, please stay healthy!

Warmest Regards,

Brendan and Kevin Costello & The Entire Burke's Staff

We have been going to Burke's more during the pandemic. They expanded their outdoor area and their COVID protocol was very good. Although not a foodie destination, they are a neighborhood spot worth having. We're looking forward to seeing them on the other side. Their last day is November 21.

I did not know we had a thread for Burke's Public House.
Back in January, after visiting Pearl's Southern Comfort, I went on to Burke's and had beers there.
Here are the photographs I took.

Edgewater’s Burke’s Public House and Broadway Cellars Close For Winter, Hoping To Ride Out Coronavirus
https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/12/03 ... ronavirus/