Located along the illustrious magnificent mile in downtown Chicago, the Hyatt Regency Hotel is both a delight and a comfort away from home. The Hyatt is more than just a hotel...it is an experience. In fact, given enough money you could live quite well without ever leaving the complex. It includes gift shops, fitness centers, access to a subterranean mall, and of course alcohol and food. Just past the golden doored elevators of the west tower sits the cozy Daddy O's Bar and Grill (Irish) which, as any establishment claiming to be a bar, serves a hefty burger.
The Cheeseburger at Daddy O's was an interesting one. Even now as I write this blog entry I am a bit torn as to whether I really liked it, or whether it was just kind of weird. There were several very good things about the burger. It was thick and juicy, but not over the top greasy and just a slab of meat. I asked for a medium-rare, and I definitely got a perfect medium-rare, which unfortunately is all too rare (ha ha, get it?). The bun was great! Toasted and a little bit crispy on the outside, and beautifully white, supple, and absorbent on the inside. Yet the crispiness of the outside did not succumb juices and held strong!!! This burger included one of those "choose 2 of the following:..." statements, which as you know if you read this blog is not a good thing. I went safe and picked cheddar cheese and grilled onion.
I was pleasantly surprised by thick cheddar and delectably grilled onions. Now comes the confusing part. It came with a side of mayo, which is always GREAT in my book. However, it turns out that this was not your ordinary mayo. In this mayo was a substance that I still can not define. All I got was the smell and a to a lesser extent flavor. I can only describe it as something that was fermenting. Now, this is not an automatic disqualifier. I love sauerkraut on my brats and I love the fermentation of the field. But this was neither beer nor kraut. Perhaps another kind of cabbage, or something altogether different as only the Irish could do. However, after much debate and thought, I still cannot place it in the category of either great or glop. Perhaps, I shall never know what that substance was, and perhaps I don't want to know. For now, though, I must blog on.
Daddy O's Cheeseburger - ****** 6/10
Other perks of Daddy O's: Awesome (and I do mean awesome) spinach artichoke dip appetizer, cool atmosphere, and you don't have to even leave the Hyatt to get it if you are staying there.
To reiterate - REAL cheese (your choice of cheddar, provolone, or pepper-jack). If you want bacon, you will get 'thick, peppered bacon from heaven'. Combine this with brew that is just a little bit slushy because it is so cold, an always friendly (and usually easy on the eyes) wait staff, and a cool atmosphere (including several big screens with your favorite sports). That is a recipe for Nirvana-like delight. The only downside of the Champp's Cheeseburger is that when you are done you won't have room for another! 
I was pleasantly surprised by thick cheddar and delectably grilled onions. Now comes the confusing part. It came with a side of mayo, which is always GREAT in my book. However, it turns out that this was not your ordinary mayo. In this mayo was a substance that I still can not define. All I got was the smell and a to a lesser extent flavor. I can only describe it as something that was fermenting. Now, this is not an automatic disqualifier. I love sauerkraut on my brats and I love the fermentation of the field. But this was neither beer nor kraut. Perhaps another kind of cabbage, or something altogether different as only the Irish could do. However, after much debate and thought, I still cannot place it in the category of either great or glop. Perhaps, I shall never know what that substance was, and perhaps I don't want to know. For now, though, I must blog on.
I ordered cajun seasoning (one of my two options), and I got salt (I am assuming, because I didn't taste any cajun's!). The meat was average at best. A little dry, adequately large, and pretty bland. The kaiser roll was indeed a kaiser roll. However, a burger is only as good as what is between the buns (that's what she said!!). Overall, I have to recommend Beggar's sticks to large chunks of baked cheese (again, it is SOOOOO good) and fermented grapes. 
