Charly's Burgers: The Ultimate Burger Experience in Chicago

Charly's Burgers has been on my list for a while now. Today we got it checked off! The storefront restaurant is on Cicero just south of Fullerton.  There is metered street parking but that is about it. We arrived just after they opened on a Saturday morning and had no issues with parking. Charly's was not opened for more the 10 minutes, and they already had 8 to go orders being cooked when we were at the counter. The menu is very basic; 5 burgers, a Polish Sausage,  and a Chicago Style hot dog. You can upgrade your burger by adding an additional patty, bacon, an egg - cooked to order, or cheese sauce. You can make it a meal with hand cut fries and a drink. All drinks are cans or bottles so no refills at $3. You can upgrade your fries by adding Cajun seasoning or cheese sauce. The also have something call Charly Fries (loaded fries with a hamburger patty) at $14. I went with the Charly Burger: two six-ounces beef with bacon (90/10) patties, cheese, grilled onions, and a pickle. Apparently, all their burgers meals are served in a Styrofoam containers, even if you are eating there. As it turns out that was a good thing as there was no way I could eat this whole thing. $15 burger and you have a second or even third meal for home. We were there for around an hour and all their other customers were to go orders. There are two tables for four people and a row of stools along the window (you can look at all the lemmings at McDonald's right across the street while you enjoy your substantial juicy burger).  The Cajun seasoning was a tasty upgrade, next time I will try the Cajun seasoning WITH the cheese sauce. The atmosphere was rustic and basic. The staff were nice and genuinely happy to see us eating in the restaurant. Absolutely coming back.

We recently grabbed takeout from Charly’s, and every bite proved why this spot has such a devoted following. The Juicy Burger lived up to its name—rich, cheesy, and beautifully layered with their signature garlic sauce. The real star, though, was the pickles. Their sharp, bright crunch cut through all that richness and tied the whole burger together perfectly. The Charly Burger stayed true to the restaurant’s vibe: bold, indulgent, and packed with flavor. If you’re someone who loves a deeply savory, full-bodied burger, this one delivers in spades. For something more unexpected, La Piña was the standout. The roasted pineapple introduced a unique sweet heat that paired surprisingly well with the savory elements of the burger. It felt inventive without being gimmicky. We also tried the Maxwell Polish, which was a delicious, hearty mouthful. The caramelized onions absolutely smothered it—in the best way—and added that perfect touch of sweetness. And finally, the fries? Straight-up dope. Thank you Carlos and team for your great service!

Amazing Value ($). Amazing Flavor. Enormous portion. Juicy patty and ingredients! I am extremely thrifty, but this place gave a huge delicious bang for my buck. They really care about serving you a quality meal. Don’t rush them! Quality takes time. You won’t be disappointed. First time here. Honestly loved it. Keep doing the right thing, Charley’s Burgers. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

I was looking for a good burger and Charly's popped up. So yesterday I decided to check them out. Glad I did. I ordered the Charly burger. It was delicious. And the fries were good also. I had regular fries. Definitely will be returning.

Delicious hamburgers, great flavor, the fries very well done (for me) Very recommend this place Absolutely delicious

This is definitely one of the top tier burger spots in Chicago. We had the Charley burger and added an egg and bacon. Was amazing! The fries are the real ones and taste so good as well. If you like burgers I would highly suggest coming here. Will be returning.

First time at Charly's and I can say that I'll be back. There are different burgers but I opted for the Charly's Burger. I'll work my way down the menu on return trips. The burger was tasty, fresh, lean and still juicy, the flavor was delicious, seasoned well. The bun was soft and excellent quality. I'm a sucker for grilled onions and these were done to perfection. The Charly sauce was a nice addition, complimented the flavors well without being overpowering. Hand cut fries were spectacular. The best about being here in the day after Valentine's Day was being able to sample the chocolate covered bacon strips dipped with pistachio bits. These. Were. Heavenly. The only drawback is that there is one counter to dine in and it was taken so I had to drive home. I think the fries would have been even better if I didn't have to drive home to eat - they got steamy in the take out container. Service was excellent and like I said, I'll be back.

Pretty solid burger. Not bad fries either. Little bit of a wait, but good. The quiet winner was the bun. Covered in sesame seeds and I have a feeling it is made in house? I didn’t ask but it was good.