Thanks to @waldocent for the guest post. Check out his website here.

The last time I was in Chicago, about three years ago, the only thing on my mind was pizza, pizza, and more pizza. However, on my most recent visit it was all about the beef. Burgers, of course.

I arrived in Chicago from Los Angeles at 7 in the morning after no sleep, because this wasn’t some ordinary red-eye. You see, I had a four hour layover in Las Vegas, where I left the airport, watched the fountain show at the Bellagio, placed $20 on black and WON while slurping down a few cocktails before returning to the airport, only to realize that I forgot to do one of the most essential things: EAT. So upon my arrival to Chicago, I declared to the only person listening – my cousin Jesica – that this wasn’t just a trip for me, but also my taste-buds and, to that, Jesica and many others directed me to a burger joint called DMK Burger Bar.

Located west of the ‘L’ at Wellington and near R. Kelly’s infamous Chicago bungalow you’ll find DMK Burger Bar, which is named after chef Michael Kornick and business partner David Morton. Upon entering DMK, my cousin and I quickly felt welcomed into the neighborhood atmosphere along with a menu containing an array of burgers to choose from. From their New York pastrami and French gruyere burger to their classic aged cheddar and smoked bacon burger, anyone could find what they wanted here. But I wanted something more than that, which I found in their acclaimed roasted hatch green chile, fried farm egg, Sonoma jack, and smoked bacon burger. Also, my cousin had been to DMK before, but had never tried their baked macaroni and cheese with gruyere, smoked bacon, and charred balsamic red onion (I allowed this to appease my cousin), which was raved about by many so we felt inclined to order that as well.

We ordered our burgers and a plate of mac and cheese while we drank a Goose Island beer from their plethora of local beers. Once the food arrived, we wasted no time in digging in. The burgers were served on fresh baked buns and were all made from grass-fed beef, which you could taste. Despite being shaped slightly flatter than I preferred – which allowed the meat to be slightly overcooked – the quality of the burger and mixture of fresh egg and green chile was incredible cohesive. I would have been fine stopping there, but sitting across the table was a plate of macaroni and cheese calling to be devoured. And with one smooth bite I was in love. This deliriously delicious side dish was big enough and exceptional enough to be the centerpiece of any meal. Obviously, much thought had gone into concocting such a dish with finely aged cheese and crispy bacon.

Afterwards, Jesica and I sat there and wondered where to go next. However, we knew that wherever that maybe it would fall a little short in comparison to DMK. So if you ever find yourself in Chicago getting off the ‘L’ at Wellington or even at a party at R. Kelly’s house, I high recommend DMK Burger Bar for all your fresh burger and mac and cheese fixations.

When striving to live the high life, there is nothing better than a good, honest unvegan meal at a tasty price. In Chicago, and I imagine in all other major metropolitan areas, knowledge of the specials around town allows us to fulfill our unvegan needs without crippling the budget, especially on weeknights.

On Wednesdays, Rocks, a bar with very good burgers and locations in Lincoln Park and Lakeview, has a special of $5.00 burgers and $5.00 24 oz. beers. The latter is a distinction in which I differ a little bit from some other unvegans. When I am eating, my first choice for accompanying beverage is cola and my second choice is water. As I tend to eat really fast, I really don’t like consuming alcohol with my food.

Glancing at the burger menu, I was treated to a bevy of unvegan options. Eventually, I settled on the 2X4 burger which consists of two 4oz burger patties stuffed with pepperjack cheese and bacon. This was not all; the unvegan delight also is topped with jalapeno mayo, bacon bits, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. I of course would not let the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions compromise such a wonderful unvegan creation and made sure to order my burger without those unwanted garnishes.

Further, seeing that the “Rocks Burger” came with a pretzel bun–and I have in the past argued for the superiority of pretzel buns over the norm–I asked the waiter if I could make the substitution and my request was happily obliged. The burger also came with a choice of side and I chose curly fries. I cannot recall a time in my life where I have ever been dissatisfied with my decision to order curly fries.

About a half hour later, the burger came and it looked DELIGHTFUL except for one glaring flaw. Pickles. These were not listed anywhere on the menu and came as an unwelcome surprise. If I ordered my burger without dastardly lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, why in the world would I want pickles? Thankfully, they were off to the side and did not infect any of my flavor with dreaded pickle juice. Crisis averted.

Overall, the burger was spectacular. The cacophony of ingredients complemented each other perfectly; bacon in between the patties and bacon bits on top were an especially welcome combination of unvegan bliss. The burger was spicy enough to be flavorful but not so spicy that it compromised the integrity of the meal. The ground beef was fresh and succulent and the pretzel bun was a cherry on top. Once again, curly fries failed to let me down.

If I was in the neighborhood on a normal night and in the mood for a burger (read: a normal night), Rocks would always be a viable option. The burgers are uniquely tasty enough to warrant their $10-11 price tags. With their Wednesday specials factored in, Rocks is a no-brainer and even a destination location. Just make sure to order without the pickles.

@RGSpiegel blogs at http://keepthefiresburning.wordpress.com