The Drop In

After walking past this place almost every day on my way to work I finally dropped in. The smash burger wasn’t fully smashed and wasn’t overly flavorful. I also couldn’t taste the jalapeños at all. The burger as a whole just tasted like a typical smash burger (meat, cheese, sauce, and pickles) with nothing sticking out. On the side, the fries were battered which gave them a good crisp, however, they weren’t hot or tasty.

Came here for the burger and the burger delivered. We were able to walk in and get a table for 2 right away on a Saturday during lunch. The vibes are excellent and the service was fast and hospitable. Would definitely come back again. I also liked the touch of the menu being on a VHS case.

Probably one of the best smash burgers I've ever had. Incredibly flavorful, just the right size, and served up quick. Fries were very good as well, superbly seasoned. And that's it, that's the menu, apart from the drinks. And it's everything you need at a bar. Good cocktail list with solid beers on tap. Just enough attitude in the menu to list a "dealers choice" and note that its just a big pour of malört. Its a bit off the beaten west loop path, and absolutely worth your time.

Impressive operation they got here at the Drop In. Came for a top-notch burger and these guys delivered. This burger was packed with flavor and the quality of ingredients is noticeable. It’s in a small, dark neighborhood bar with an inviting atmosphere. Service was awesome, quick and personable. Really transparent about the 20% service charge which goes to the staff. Happy hour deal is a great value, essentially when you consider the quality of the food.

Specialty: smash burger. If you are a smash burger fan, come here. You will enjoy this burger. Updated on July 2024: Burger is ok. I still think it is too expensive. If you are visiting chicago and would like to try a good burger, there are better places. The loaded fries are delicious. Also, the space is too small for a big group. Don’t go if you are more than 4.

Nice small neighborhood bar with a small simple menu, but hits all the right notes with the bar food style burgers and fries. They also have a really good, seems in house made Ketchup/ bbq Sauce on the tables. It was so good I put it on my burger and fries. Cocktails are made very well, and customer service was friendly and welcoming. Would recommend for a Drop In.

Revising the below review based on my second visit. My first visit, the burger was excellent, but my recent June 10 ‘23 was not what I remember it to be. The burger was just ok. Too many jalapeños and not exploding with flavor like last time. Tough part of having a restaurant is consistency. Maybe if I went again it could be better but just want to update those reading to keep your expectations down. Staff is excellent as always, very friendly and attentive. One of the best damn burgers in town. Small cozy bar with friendly staff. This is not only a delicious burger for a bar but this is up there with Au Cheval. The burger is pretty damn heavy so beware but gat damn it’s delicious. Very juicy and flavorful with all the toppings. Also had the beast mode fries which comes with all the toppings of their cheeseburger. As delicious as they were, I was so full from the burger, the extra toppings on the fries were a bit much for me but on their own they’re like a 7.5. Fries were nice n crispy just how I like’em. Next time I’ll get the burger and plain fries. Bartenders were so hospitable and talkative. Will most definitely return. Highly recommended.

The Drop In is the quintessential dive bar of burger joints. They specialize in one thing and do it extremely well.