Burger Crew meeting called to order on Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 11am Central (8th stop in our Burger Crew Does Chicago trip).
Members in attendance: Angela, Trevor, Wayne, DK, Innie, and me (Sumana)
Special Guests: Marissa, Chris, Will, and kiddos
- Ordering
- Slagel Farms Beef Burger ($24) with caramelized onions on a house potato bap (aka bun) with chips and a dill pickle [ordered by Angela/Trevor, Innie/Chris, Marissa/DK, Wayne, Will/Sumana]
- Pancakes with maple syrup and house bacon ($16) [ordered by Innie/Chris]
- Seasonal Quiche with a side salad ($16) [ordered by Angela/Trevor]
- House Pork Bangers and Mash with cider onion gravy and roasted garlic ($21) [ordered by Will/Sumana]
- Burgers
- Patty: thick/tall patty; all ordered medium-rare; the patty was not consistent- it would be partially seared, sometimes dry ; most of the crew did not like the beef and thought it was more like a meatloaf
- Bun: the top bun was toasted, but the bottom bun got very soggy
- Toppings: generally people liked the caramelized onions, which were very flavorful; a pickle spear came on the side so it wasn’t something we could easily add to the burger
- Most of the crew thought this burger was a letdown, especially with all the amazing burgers we had on the trip.
- Sides/Non-Burger Foods
- Chips: the fries were good, crispy, hot, and came with an aioli that people liked
- Pancakes: soft and sweet; the side of bacon was thin and crispy
- Quiche: good, but the side salad was a weird mix of ingredients
- Bangers and Mash: hearty and delicious
- Drinks: coke came in a can; drip coffee was good
TIP: Since this place specialized in British pub food, I would recommend ordering those specialties and checking out their beer selection!
- Miscellaneous
- They were able to accommodate our large party at one table/area even though we originally made three separate reservations through their online reservation system that had party size limits.
- High chairs are available.
- There are two restrooms.
- We were one of the few groups in the restaurant, but it took a long time to get the food.
- Since we had some kiddos, we had asked for their food (the pancakes) to come out first, but even though we followed up to ask for the food, it ended up taking a long time and came out with the rest of the food for the whole table.
- Value
$12, $12, $13, $16, $18, and I abstained
Average value = $14.20
- The Verdict
2.2, 3.0, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6, 3.6
Average rating = 3.17
Although the burger was the lowest rated burger of our whole trip, it’s sad to hear that Owen & Engine closed down permanently on Tuesday, August 29, 2023. This marks the end of a 14-year run for their restaurant.
This was our last stop in our Chicago trip! Til’ next time, crew!