I've had friends in the Chicago area tell me one of the best burgers in town comes from Boston Blackies which has 8 locations throughout the Chicagoland region. When I was in Chicago before my recent hip surgeries I sought out the Boston Blackies up in Deerfield (see map) for a late burger one evening.
Boston Blackies is named after the fictional character Boston Blackie, who was part of a somewhat famous series of radio programs, movies and television shows in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Actually, Boston Blackie dates back to the 19-teens when he first appeared in novels written by Jack Doyle. In the novels, Boston Blackie was a jewel thief. When he made the transition to film and radio, he was a detective.
The Boston Blackies restaurants are owned by the same family that owns the Carson's restaurants in the Chicago region, probably the most famous of all Chicagoland barbecue houses. I've been to Carson's before (click on the Carson's link above to see my post) and while I thought it was OK, I didn't think it was anything special. I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed in Boston Blackies as sometimes I hear about places and expect great food, but am utterly disappointed by the end of the meal because of the hype.
It was a little after 9 p.m. when I finished with my last account of the day and decided to grab something to eat before I went back to the hotel. I walked into the Boston Blackies location on Lake Cook Road and asked if I could sit at the bar. The restaurant's dining area was spacious, but because it was late in the evening, there wasn't a lot of people in the place. I was given a menu by the hostess and I ordered up a beer from the bartender.
I found during my research on Boston Blackies that each location doesn't have the same menu. For example, the Boston Blackies at the corner of Monroe and Canal in the Chicago Financial District as well as the location up in Skokie features breakfast. While there were 14 different burgers featured on the menu at the Deerfield location, the River East location in downtown Chicago only featured six burgers on their menu. But all Boston Blackies featured both carry-out and kid's menus making the restaurants both work and family friendly.
As I said, the Deerfield location featured 14 different types of burgers on the menu. Some of them were sort of interesting - the Greek Boy which was topped with feta cheese and a raw onion; the Cowboy with fresh guacamole and pico de gallo with pepper jack cheese, and the Fire Alarm with chili, cheddar and hot giardiniera on top. I ended up going with a safe bet for my first Boston Blackies, however - the Swiss Connection. It consisted of a 1/2 pound burger topped with Swiss cheese and mushrooms. All Boston Blackies burgers are cooked to order and I got mine medium. And you get a choice of either having a sesame seed bun, a Kaiser roll, or either rye or dark rye bread. A fresh beefsteak tomato, lettuce and your choice of either cooked or raw onions comes with the burger, along with a side of Carson's cole slaw.
If you're not in the mood for burgers, Boston Blackies also offers a number of different variations of chicken breast sandwiches, salads, steaks, pork chops and a slew of appetizers. Some of the locations also offer Carson's ribs on the menu. You can also find barbecue beef or pork sandwiches featuring Carson's barbecue sauce at nearly all of the Boston Blackies locations.
About 15 minutes after I ordered my burger, it came out to me, served open face with a toasted sesame seed bun. From the first bite I could tell I wouldn't be disappointed. It was cooked a perfect medium, juicy and warm in the middle. The Swiss cheese and mushrooms helped complement rather than detract from the taste. I was happy the hype I'd heard about Boston Blackies was more correct than overblown.
With a couple beers and a tip, my bill came to a little over $20 bucks. Not exactly a cheap burger joint, but Boston Blackies is a nice place to eat. Even if it's just for a burger.
OK, I found another good burger place in Chicago. I'm hoping the other Boston Blackies locations are as good and consistent with their burgers as the one in Deerfield. I guess I'll find out sooner or later as I look for a good burger in my travels around Chicago.
(Update - The owners of Boston Blackie's were arrested in March of 2010 for their part in a check kiting sceme that scammed two Chicago area banks for nearly $2 million dollars. Since then, the Boston Blackie's locations were shut down soon thereafter.)
I enjoyed your review of Boston Blackies! As the new and current owner, I am fascinated by the chronicled history of my restaurant. If you are in the Chicago area soon, please stop in and see the changes I have made since purchasing the restaurants in early 2011. I would appreciate your comments.
Sincerely,
Adam
Posted by: Adam Bozich | April 28, 2013 at 12:13 PM