2954 N. Sheffield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
www.dmkburgerbar.com
At the intersection of Sheffield and Wellington in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, there is a powder blue building with a giant fish painted on its side. This place is minimally titled, “Fish Bar.” Next door to Fish Bar is its sister restaurant, DMK Burger Bar. A little less attention grabbing than its brightly colored sibling, DMK is simply adorned with a block lettered red sign and a black on brick exterior. Don’t be fooled by this simplicity. Beyond those glass doors lies a Mecca of meat even the most inventive carnivores couldn’t dream up.
Here is how things work at DMK: All the beef is grass fed. The buns are freshly baked. Even the cheeses are fancily artisanal. On the burger menu there is everything from beef to bison, turkey to salmon- and they’re all $8.00. Your menu is numbered 1-14, each selection a tantalizing combination of things you probably never thought you’d see all on one plate. Even the vegetarians are shown some love with choices like a homemade veggie & grain patty or a crispy Portobello burger.
When the time came I went the route of the number 11- a grass fed lamb burger topped with sheep’s milk feta, olive tapenade, Greek salad and tzatziki, artfully arranged on a flour dusted potato bun that made me want to cry with joy. DMK does a dinner hour deal during the week that offers a free plate of their standard sea salt and black pepper fries, which are served with a cup of homemade house ketchup, and I happily signed up.
But naturally a place that can whip up a phenomenal lamb burger wouldn’t just crank out some simple fries and call it a day, so DMK also offers such delights as Parmesan fries with truffle oil and sweet potato with lemon Tabasco aioli among other curious combinations. Salads, variations of mac n’ cheese and other tasty fried things also accompany the menu, of which I chose to indulge in the friend okra & dill pickles.
DMK Burger Bar also offers a decent tap with the mindset to keep things local, serving beers from Illinois breweries such as Half Acre, Finch’s, Three Floyd’s and Two Brothers. As if the kickass burgers, fun fries and tasty tap list weren’t enough to woo you, DMK is also a Burger Bar of givers. The restaurant has a program they call 365 Days Of Giving, where every month they donate a portion of their burger sales to their chosen charity of the month, with a focus on local organizations and causes. DMK gives Chicago diners the chance to not only satisfy their appetites, but to also satisfy their conscience and do a little bit of good for their community.
