Burger Time: Villains Bar & Grill

Greetings, fellow burger lovers! How kind of you to join me once again on my quest for the perfect patty.

This month, on the advice of a kind reader, I ventured to Villains Bar & Grill to try the 10-ounce sirloin burgers. The selection was fine indeed: seven burgers—nine if you count the turkey and garden burgers—with clever names that glorify crimes befitting gangsters of yore. Options start basic with The Classic Hit ($8), a standard burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, and work their way up to fully loaded creations such as the Super Villain ($11), with bacon, Swiss cheese, guacamole, caramelized onions, lettuce and tomato.

A hip neighborhood spot, Villains isn’t as rough around the edges as the name might suggest. I did, however, spot signs behind the bar announcing the presence of "Kick-ass food, killer beer." Now, a proper gentleman such as the Great Burgerelli generally demurs from such coarse language, but in this case, it’s simply too fitting to deny.

BURGERELLI BREAKDOWN

The burger: Most delightful! My burger was a lovely medium rare with a juicy center and nicely charred exterior. Best of all, steam was still rising off the patty after several bites. If you’re the sort who doesn’t appreciate a little char on the edges of your burger, take note: Villains may not be for you. The Great Burgerelli, however, is not that sort of fellow.

The bun: At first bite, I found much here to like. But after a few more juicy bites, I noticed that the bottom half of the bun was far too thin. The Great Burgerelli certainly doesn’t mind a bit of burger juice, but this bun was soaked through.

The fixings: I have few quibbles here. Lettuce and tomato were crisp and fresh and cheese was evenly melted. More indulgent toppings were mightily delicious, though not always as advertised—"caramelized onions" were really just grilled onions, and "avocado" turned out to be guacamole.

Everything else: Oh, there is nothing finer than a well-cooked tot! Villains’ tater tots were a most appealing specimen, crisp on the outside and soft and steamy inside. The Great Burgerelli, who’s been known to enjoy a tipple from time to time, also was quite pleased to find the genial chap behind the bar pouring fine ales such as Lagunitas Brown Shugga ($5) and Surly Darkness ($7).

Burgerelli’s bottom line: The burgers at this unassuming little South Loop bar more than passed muster. If this is the life of a true villain, the Great Burgerelli may need to consider a career change.

The Great Burgerelli is a connoisseur of burgers. gburgerelli@tribune.com

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