M Burger/ Rating: 4 Stars

M Burger
161 E Huron St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 254-8500
http://www.mburgerchicago.com

Hidden on Huron, this small fast casual restaurant serves only seven food items. With a single hamburger starting at only $2.49 and the most expensive double M burger at $4.49, you can't beat the prices, especially for the location. They also happen to share their kitchen with Tru (a fine dining restaurant) which I thought was pretty cool. I was introduced to M Burger by my friend and co worker, Michael Morales. We came in for a quick bite and I was shocked to see how small the space was. Immediately upon walking in is the register to your left and two high tops to your right. Luckily, we came during an odd hour and didn't have to wait in line. Mike ordered the M Burger which comes with bacon, cheese and secret sauce and I ordered the chicken sandwich. I know many of you may be thinking "Really? Chicken sandwich at a burger place? boring!" it was anything but! The chicken was flattened and grilled served on a warm buttery bun with mayo, avocado and cheese. Their shoe string fries are fried to a golden crisp and deliciously salted. With such a simple menu at a reasonable price it's the kind of place you could visit more than twice a month, or twice a day ;-) I love M Burger and look forward to bringing friends to check it out, I'm sure they will do great in the summer time with their prime location.

Meli's Cafe & Juice Bar/ Rating: 5 Stars

Meli's Cafe & Juice Bar
540 N Wells St
Chicago, IL 60654


I am thrilled to be announcing that my favorite breakfast spot has opened in my neighborhood. When living in the West Loop I would eat at Meli's two to three times a month. Now that I live in the River North and they are right down the street, don't be surprised if you see me there every weekend! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, having a good breakfast will give you the energy you need to accomplish all your goals...well, that's a little extreme, but you get the idea. Meli's does breakfast right, their decor, friendly staff and delicious food keep me coming back for more. Their flow of service is quick, but never feels rushed. This is so important, especially for your first meal of the day, having that hot cup of coffee and only having to wait a few minutes for your food to arrive, leaves you the rest of the time to enjoy every bite. I am in love with their skillets, diced potatoes, your choice of meats and veggies, topped with two eggs of your choice. Their daily specials are mouthwatering and makes me want to order one of everything. I highly recommend Meli's, it's a great place for anyone who wants to enjoy great food, service and company.

Tango Sur/Rating: 5 Stars

Tango Sur

3763 N Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613

(773) 477-5466

I was in the market for a romantic restaurant that wouldn't break the bank, that wasn't fancy or pretentious but could still deliver the goods. I was recommended Tango Sur by my friend Cara P. Tango Sur is a quaint little restaurant tucked away in the Southport row, with surrounding restaurants and boutique shops. Tango Sur could easily be missed if you aren't looking out for it, however, what will catch your attention are the mass amounts of people waiting in line for up to 2 hours or more to eat at this Argentinean steakhouse. I've heard lots of good things and read other reviews about Tango Sur that were all consistent and positive. This is one of the few restaurants that don't have a corkage fee, therefore allowing patrons to enjoy their bottles of wine, spirits or beer, free of charge...that's almost unheard of. I came here with the intentions of trying their signature items, their steaks. For starters, I ordered two chicken and two beef empanadas. These are deep fried deliciousness served with a side of the BEST chimichurri sauce I've ever had, hands down. Following came the Provoleta which is Argentine provolone cheese, melted on the grill with olive oil and roasted red peppers. I've never seen a dish disappear as fast as this one. For the main course I ordered the filet cooked medium rare with spinach mashed potatoes, this dish came with two filets and were seasoned and cooked to perfection.

I really enjoyed my first experience and look forward to coming back to try more items. The service was friendly and informative but not intrusive. This is definitely a place to take a date as it is dark and candle lit on each table, making it a romantic and intimate experience. If you are looking for something different, delicious, reasonably priced and BYOB with no corkage fee, I would definitely recommend Tango Sur. I can't wait to go back!

Urban Burger Bar/Rating: 4 Stars

Urban Burger Bar
1578 N Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 255-0055

http://www.burgerbarchicago.com/

I'm proud to be sharing the same zip code as Urban Burger Bar. This means two things for me, one I am dangerously close to the point I could crave it daily and two, I need to step up my workout plan just because of it. I've been to the famous Kumas many times as I used to live practically behind it and always smelled the flavorful aromas from my balcony. However, I am not a fan of heavy metal music blasting in my ear just to eat a burger. This is why I am so happy to have found the Burger Bar, the interior decor is inviting with the light wood benches and table tops, the music is a nice mix and never too loud and the burgers are just yaooowza outta this world! Whether you decide to make your own or choose from their picks, you always start with half a pound of meat. I don't even bother eating the bun because I'd rather enjoy the star of the meal, the beef, with mushrooms, crispy onions, cheddar cheese and avocados. OMG I want one now! Since I cut the bun out of the picture, I replaced it with my favorite, truffle fries and the combination of both makes me the happiest little clam in the world. The only reason this is not getting 5 stars is due to the service I received both times. The first time, the service was slow and the food took FOR*EVER and the second time the server was way too energetic to the point I thought he was being sarcastic. If they can find a median between the two, this place would be 5 stars. Oh! and don't forget to try their chocolate malt ball shake, it's life changing but probably 3000 calories per sip, if you feel guilty, just make it your entire meal.

Triple Crown Restaurant//Rating: 1 Star

Triple Crown Seafood Restaurant

211 W 22nd Pl
Chicago, IL 60616

(312) 791-0788

Triple Crown? More like Triple Disaster! I have eaten here more than once ( I don't know why I ever went back) and out of all the times, this was the worst experience yet. I came here with my family for our weekly dinner night and we ordered the fish filet with ginger and scallions, the crispy salted chicken, beef with string beans and clams in a black bean sauce. The fish filet looked like scraps, you couldn't call it "filets", the chicken was way too salty, to the point your mouth starts salivating and the string beans were soggy with flavorless beef. For the most part, we order traditional chinese food and we love these items at other restaurants. However, tonight's food was so bad, I couldn't even force myself to eat. I left with an empty stomach and a watery mouth, not a good combination. When the waiter came by to drop the check we expressed our dissatisfaction about a few dishes and he just said "OKOK" and walked away. Sigh, not helpful, there is no such thing as getting your money back in Chinatown, even though the food is cheap, it doesn't mean the taste should reflect. I will never come back here and this is definitely one of the worst restaurants I've been to in Chicago.