Paradise Pup

In doing burger research I found many positive reviews on Paradise Pup. So when I found myself within a 15 minute drive one Saturday afternoon I decided I would not be this north and west again anytime soon so I better check it out. Not to say I should have kept driving, but it should have been better for as hungry as I was. I did accept that the burger is not the specialty food at this establishment, but was assured in my readings that it was something special.

I arrived at about 4:30 and they close at 5 or so they say. Here is what the line looked at 5:30 after I got my food.

Yes I said after.

There were about 10-15 more people in line when I arrived. I thought this line is going to move quickly and it will be worth the wait. Wrong and wrong. After about 5 minutes in line I called Jeff. He and I talked for 45min, until I reached the doorway. I was starving and thirsty by then.

Having had more than enough time to study the menu, I decided on the Char Bacon Cheese Burger. I was having issues deciding between that and the Char Cheddar because I did not want to miss out on Merkts (the best cheese spread in the world http://www.merkts.com/). But ask and you shall receive. I was given a choice of slice or soft cheese. Soft of course. I thought I had discovered a secret to this burger. If people don't know to ask, then they may be stuck with regular cheese.

After a few minutes I got my bag and went to my car. Yes there are tables outside. But when dining alone I did not want to take up a whole one.

Cajun fries are the fry of choice up here.Let it be said that they are good but not great. Cooked well but what else can you say about the standard non-curly Cajun fry?

On to the burger.

This is an attractive burger and challah (thank you Nat & Adam) bun.

Good amount of grilled onion and bacon. Not enough cheese though. It's just a thin layer of the good stuff.

Nice patty that they grill in front of you. Looks frozen but was not.

They even left some pink in it. Note: Thin cheese.

So here we have another burger that on paper is perfect but just did not live up to the billing. Maybe it was the long wait, but that should have made me more appreciative. It just was not seasoned all that well. And the toppings did not pick up there the burger left off. If you remember (or need to read) the Rick's post, the cheese is dripping all over. That would have helped. The onion was a bit too plentiful and also overcooked. The flavor was not overwhelming, but the texture was. Bacon got lost on the big bun. And bottom bun was not great.

Just plain sloppy in my opinion. And not wonderful juiciness.

My fellow bloggers bottom line this one as "wet". Very true. They also note how a return trip is not necessary. I tend to agree (but only for the burger).

If I found myself in the area again I would go and try the Char Pup before I got another burger. And if the line was more than 3 people out the door, I may not do that. I am glad I went and had one for myself though. The 3 way fries may be worth the price of admission another time. It also may be worth asking for extra cheese on the side if you give the burger a try. That will not make the meat better though. They did give me a free refill on my diet coke. Which was nice.

This place will always be packed at certain times of the day. It is very popular. I've seen that it was on Food Network. Curiosity got me in. It will get others as well. I wonder if it used to be better and has changed over time. This is such an icon that you have to go for yourself. Just don't be shocked if it is not spectacular.

Paradise Pup

1724 S River Rd

Des Plaines, IL 60018-2253

Phone: (847) 699-8590