student run since 1890
The Burger Social Offers an Innovative Take on the Classic American Burger
The local burger restaurant in downtown Wheaton takes a modern twist on American favorites.
By Anna Rose McCarthy | Columnist
Hamburgers are a staple of classic American summer foods. You can find these delicious sandwiches at almost any sports game, fast-food restaurant or backyard cookout. Burger Social, on N. Hale St. in downtown Wheaton, serves “comfort food with modern twists” by upgrading the burger with interesting flavors like the Spicy Nacho Burger with cheeto dust and queso. The restaurant group, Bourbon Belly Hospitality, who owns Burger Social, also runs a few other restaurants in the West Chicago suburbs area including Barrel+Rye, Burger Local, and Maize+Mash. Burger Social is known for its burgers, but the menu also offers salads, sandwiches, specialty items, sides, and the fan favorite mac and cheese.
Burger Social currently offers in-person dining indoors and on an upstairs outdoor patio overlooking Wheaton. The patio has a quiet atmosphere that’s perfect for a night out with the girls, get togethers or a date! They also offer take-out through their online ordering system. I decided to do the latter to try out some of their top menu items to find out if they were really able to reinvent the burger and create top tier specialty items.
To start off the evening, I ordered the onion rings served with BBQ chipotle ranch dipping sauce. These crunchy starters had the perfect amount of crunch and flavor. The BBQ chipotle ranch really added to the starter to give it some extra flavor and, as my grandfather liked to say, it was a nice way to cut the grease! This starter sells for only $6 and can be split between two to three friends for a snack or eaten solo.
Following that delicious snack, I had the Buffalo Chicken Mac. Perfectly satisfying, flavorful and unique, it was one of the best entrees I had ever had. This delicious mac and cheese is topped with fried (or grilled if desired) chicken, bleu cheese and drizzled with buffalo creme. I loved how this dish had a bit of a spice to it but wasn’t too hot. Each bite included a nice crunch. This plate sells for $13 and is huge. It can easily be split between two people as a meal, or enjoyed as a side for a group of friends.
While the mac and cheese was already astoundingly good, I had to try a burger. The Social Burger has a 10 oz. beef patty, cheese (I chose bleu cheese), lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles atop a potato bun. After trying the Social, I understood why this restaurant was called “Burger” Social as this is not your average Burger King sandwich. This juicy burger had the perfect amount of seasoning, toppings and ratio of bun to burger. If I were rating this burger on a scale from one to 10, this would get a perfect 10.
Each burger comes with your choice of fries, a side salad, or an upgrade to a side of mac and cheese, truffle fries or onion rings for $2. I upgraded to the truffle fries in order to get the full experience. While truffle isn’t my personal favorite flavor, I did enjoy what it added to the fries. They were nicely crisp with a good amount of salt on top. This entree goes for $13.50 (plus $2 if you upgrade your side). It is definitely a hearty portion, and would fill up even the most ravenous football player.
Because of Covid, Burger Social currently offers only one dessert. In the past, they have offered milkshakes, warm cookies, brownies and more, but for now, they are offering only a churro ice cream “Sammich.” Each serving comes with two churro donuts topped with cinnamon sugar, caramel cheesecake ice cream, and an extra side of caramel. I loved how this sweet treat upgraded dessert classics (churros, ice cream and cheesecake) and took a new spin on it. It was the perfect way to end an incredible meal. For only $7, you can enjoy this solo or split it with a friend.
Overall, I genuinely really enjoyed my meal at Burger Social. I loved how creative each menu item was. This is definitely a cool place to visit with friends or solo. There is something for everyone. I will be sure to return soon to try more comfort food classics with a modern twist.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the Wheaton Record or Wheaton College.
Wheaton College, IL