CHIReview
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Gretel
Included In
When a restaurant has a burger, oysters rockefeller, ramen, hummus, fried chicken, and a dozen other things on a menu that feels like it was created by a food court CEO, we get suspicious. Are we at a Vegas buffet? A dinner party on at an unhinged billionaire’s private island? Stumbled into the terrifying table scene from Pan’s Labyrinth? Maybe -in fact, hopefully - we’re actually at Gretel in Logan Square.
Did we mention the spaghetti, nachos, salad nicoise, and hot dog? No? Well, those are on there too. And the truly remarkable part about the random menu is that no dish feels like an afterthought, because Gretel pays attention to details.
The burger here is incredible, mostly because of their choice to use a perfectly griddled everything bun. The creamy hummus is dusted with sumac, topped with a poached egg, and served with pickled onions that cut through the richness. Chicken liver mousse comes with thick slices of fresh sourdough. And normally when we’re at a Chicago bar and someone announces they’re “going to get the lobster roll” we consider alerting the authorities. But here, the lobster is tender and buttery, with a toasted bun that would fully fit in on an Ocean City boardwalk.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Also, Gretel (which is from the team behind Little Bad Wolf) is the kind of small Chicago spot we just enjoy being at. It’s cozy and dark (seriously - the walls are painted black) and has a wall of liquor bottles with a rolling ladder that the bartender gleefully uses like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. It’s busy, and while they don’t take reservations, we’ve always been able to get a seat at a table, the bar, or even the chef’s counter without too long of a wait.
But as much as we like that we can walk right into Gretel and order a whole branzino, is that going to be our first choice? Probably not. That honor will go to the stellar burger or the pork belly nachos. But hey, we like options, and appreciate that this place can work for a lot of different situations. Drinks with a friend? Great, get some oysters. Catching up with coworkers? Order the cheese plate and charcuterie. On a date? Share a salad, pasta, and be thankful for the lighting that makes everyone look 75% more attractive.
But if you are actually in the terrifying table scene from Pan’s Labyrinth? Run.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Gretel Griddle Burger
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Chicken Liver Mousse
Lobster Roll
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Hummus
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Oysters Rockefeller
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Pork Belly Nachos
photo credit: Kim Kovacik