Kuma's Corner

osusullins

Illinois

5/5  rDev +14.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I live right up the road from Kuma's and visit this place religiously. It is a heavy metal bar that has a kick ass beer selection... and oh yeah, they happen to serve the best burgers in the world.

There menu is awesome. The burgers are all named after metal bands, and they are all freakishly good. I eat the Mastadon which is a huge patty with cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce, Alpha King battered onion strings (yeah, that's right) on a pretzel bun. It is the greatest burger I have ever had anywhere. They also do a create your own Mac-n-cheese that also is devine.

The beer list is good with all craft beer. They have a lot of Floyds, Lagunitas and Left Hand. Pretty decent bottle selection too.

The bartenders and waitstaff are very cool, however some of the management come across as pretentious. They are just too cool for school, if you get what I'm saying. That said, I would recommend this place to any and everybody.

The only drawback is that the place isn't very big and the dining room can fill up quickly. Usually long waits for tables, however if you go to the bar you can usually get right in. I love it.

10-31-2011 01:00:29 | More by osusullins

ScreamBloodyGore

5/5  rDev +14.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I have been here at least 30 times and it is by far my favorite place to eat. I have never had better burgers/food in my life. I have tried about 10 burgers about from their and wasn't disappointed with a single one. And considering its heavy metal themed, so all the burgers are names after metal bands and they play metal, thats amazing for me since I'm a huge metalhead. Don't let that sound like bias though, like i am reviewing the place/food good just because they play metal. Not the case, its just a huge plus. Ive recommended this place many people who hate metal and all they talk about is going back ASAP. As far as beers go, they have like 5 or 6 on tap which sometimes change, been the same ones for a little while now though and a large amount of bottled craft beer (never counted but it would take a while to try them all). Ive had to wait for a seat from anywhere between 1 second and 2 hours, just got to know when to get there. 2pm on multiple occasions has seemed to be a no wait time, also very late like 10pm or so will usually get you seated quick. Despite how crowded this place gets I have always had great service and the waitresses have always been able to make good beer recommendations for me.

10-11-2012 18:49:30 | More by ScreamBloodyGore

Claytonbrewsby

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +12.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I've been to Kumas Corner twice now. Great metal bar with an awesome selection of brews and the best burgers I've ever tasted! If you're ever in Chicago, this is the place to go. Great atmosphere and great service. Convenient and free parking on the street behind Kumas. I recommend the High On Fire burger!!!

05-09-2013 21:13:49 | More by Claytonbrewsby

IchabodcraneIpa

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +11.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

To start things off I must say due to the high demand for these burgers this place can get pretty packed and force you to wait for up to 2 hours for a table. If you go there earlier in the day though it is noticeably easier to get a table and way shorter of a wait. The burger menu has something for everyone, boasting some of the most incredible mouth watering burgers I have ever thrown down my gullet. There is definitely a burger for everyone here, whether you like the sizzling hot and spicy, the amazing flavorful chili topped burger, or the fruity bourbon soaked pear goodness of one of the other burgers. The ingredients are some of the most diverse and amazing I have ever heard to be put on any burger and after waiting here for an hour once, I immediately understood that my wait was not for nothing and that These burgers really are a gift from heaven. The burgers will blow your mind and they are all cooked to your ordered perfection. They are massive burgers and you need to pound them down in size to even fit them in your mouth. They are also served with waffle fries and home made kuma ketchup. The atmosphere is different in a good way with heavy metal decor and pictures of pin up girls and bands along the wall. In the summer a back patio is open to enhance the space problem because this place sure is very small. There is heavy metal music playing constantly but it is not too loud or overbearing, and they play slasher movies and other action flicks on the tv. They also have a fantastic craft beer menu featuring many different microbrews and pretty much no mainstream beer.

This place is the best restaurant I have been to so far and the burgers here are phenomenal, if not world class. I have never tasted a creation so fantastic.

02-16-2011 02:09:22 | More by IchabodcraneIpa

Rockatansky

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

As soon as I stepped foot into Kuma's, I felt like I had found my Mecca. After hearing numerous things about them through various friends, both beer bretheren and metalheads alike, I decided that this would be the number one place I NEEDED to visit during my brief stay in Chicago. I arrived a little after 12:30, and was met with the aroma of beef being grilled and the sounds of The Four Horsemen from Metallica. The wait was 45 minutes, but the Gumballhead on tap made that a lot more easy to deal with.

The service has been derided on here quite a bit, but my experience could not have been any better. Our bartender was prompt and well-informed, and our server could not have been nicer. She was fun and easy going and made me and my friend feel welcome.

The decor was awesome! S&M drawings on one wall, limited edition tee shirts on the other, with lithographs and drawings of bears throughout (KUma is Japanese for bear, evidently). I was excited not only because of the theme, but the aromas and sights of what was coming out of the kitchen, as well.

The menu was great, with the aforementioned metal named burgers being the centerpiece. I was torn between the Pantera, Iron Maiden and Slayer. I chose the Slayer and was informed by my server it was a great choice. Boy was she ever right! It ruled. Making the experience even better, Fucking Hostile by Pantera came on literally as my food was placed on my table. If ever there were a song to motivate you to tackle a five pound plate of meat and anger, that song is it! I only got about 3/4 of the monster on my plate eaten and my server was good naturedly ribbing me for it. It paired wonderfully with the Gumballhead to counteract the heat from the peppers and andoiulle sausage. By far one of my culinary highlights of the past year.

The tap list was limited, but stocked with great selections from Three Floyds, Stone, Dogfish and Victory. They also had a bottle list, but I must admit that I didn't really take too much of a look at it. For how small this place is, they do a great job at the selection of beer. They also have a few whiskeys on tap if that is your thing.

Overall, Kuma's is my new number one in terms of places to grab a burger, listen to some harmonic aggression and soak in some scenery. I wish I lived in Chicago just so I could hang out here more often. Love this place!!!

04-16-2010 19:24:58 | More by Rockatansky

Northsider

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

This place has gained a LOT of attention over the past few years. Hands down, I have to say these are the BEST, and most UNIQUE, burgers I've ever tasted anywhere (and I travel for a living!). If you've never been to Kumas, regardless of anything else, you have to try the burgers.

Yes, the music is loud. It's a heavy metal bar, what do you expect? The art on the walls, the art on the staff, the music, they all contribute to the GREAT atmosphere here. Lots of people criticize the loud music and 'alternative' staff, but seriously those yups need to realize where they are.

Beer selection is pretty good, I can't say anything bad about it. Service is pretty good, though I'm biased since I know the manager there and get treated well.

Be prepared to wait. LONG. No reservations, not even for people like me with connections. Honestly, the burgers are worth the inevitable 2+ hour wait. Go during a "low" time of day. Friday-Sunday at any time is out of the question. Go on a weekday at like 4 or 5pm if possible. After your first time, tolerating an hour+ wait seems less and less worth it. For first timers though, WAIT!

Not much else to say than what has already been said. GREAT GREAT place, not to miss.

06-09-2011 01:14:26 | More by Northsider

RayYanks23

Connecticut

4.72/5  rDev +8.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

What a cool place!! Very good beer selection tap or bottle. Being a metal head the music was not an issue for me, but be prepared, haha no Lady GaGa...

The place is small and being a warm day was a little uncomfortable being that our bar seats were near the grill, but the beer trumped the heat for a while.

The wait staff looks a little scary, but were cool once they had a minute to talk...very busy back there.

We didn't think to get a burger (DUH), but they looked Phenominal!!

Will definitely be back for the burger and some beers!

07-13-2011 15:35:55 | More by RayYanks23

jegross2

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

It costs upwards of $13 for a hamburger and fries. Their kitchen is the size of my bedroom, and the entire restaurant is not much bigger than my apartment. On the weekends, you are almost guaranteed to wait 2-3 hours for a table. They do not take reservations, and in the summer, you can't even order their food to go. And if you're a vegan...fugetaboutit!

And yet, they are the home of the absolute best hamburger that I have ever eaten in my entire life. Their food is simply that good. Kuma's is easily my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

Kuma's is a metal-theme restaurant/bar, and their food is "heavy metal inspired" -- from the Iron Maiden burger to the Neurosis to even the Mac N' Cheese (which is second only to the Brickhouse BBQ in Madison in terms of Mac N' Cheesiness). Each of their uniquely crafted burgers features a host of interesting flavor combinations. Their barbeque sauce is delicious, their ketchup is home made, and their relish should be put on every burger. My personal favorite dish is the Neurosis burger. The portions are huge and every burger is served as it should be -- on a pretzel bun. I can never finish my entire meal in one sitting and always have left overs.

You can also feel incredibly comfortable ordering your meat medium rare at Kuma's and be confident that they will cook it just right. You do not have to worry about getting undercooked meat when you order your food -- that warning is fluff at Kuma's. The restaurant is so popular, the line to get a table is so long, and the food is just so good because so much love and care and attention is cooked into each burger. Each burger is a handcrafted masterpiece. I've even waited an hour in line at Lollapalooza -- where I shell out $90 a day to listen to nine hours of non-stop music -- just to get a burger because they are so tasty. No matter how long the line, no matter how big the hype, I promise that you won't be disappointed (unless you're a vegan).

Oh, and the beer? Kuma's always features solid every day brews like Gumball Head and a few rotating taps. Those rotating taps tend to feature outstanding brews like Surly Darkness, Zombie Dust, Surly Furious, and Greenbush Anger. So even though you'll inevitably have to wait to eat, at least you'll be doing it with a great brew in hand.

Like I said, the restaurant is a bit pricey, but it is WELL worth what you'll spend. The beer prices are run of the mill for Chicago, and the food is sized large enough that you'll have enough for a small meal tomorrow.

Oh, and did I mention they always play super schlocky movies on the TV? Like Godzilla versus some robot thing. Classic.

The secret to enjoying Kuma's without waiting is to either order carry out or go for a SUPER early dinner.

PROST!

03-02-2012 21:40:01 | More by jegross2

Duffman929

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$$

As others have stated, this is a burger joint that also serves great beverages. I have been here several times and love it. Then again, I love red meat, strong beer, metal music, and chicks with tats--so, I do have some bias.

There are no reservations taken here...so, first come, first serve. And it gets packed....always...but especially when the weather is nice. They do have a patio area that is open, which helps, but expect at least an hour wait.

As I stated, been here several times and expect a meal for 2, with two rounds each to go for around $50 plus tip. It is well worth it for me, as I have always walked out satified.

05-09-2011 15:38:33 | More by Duffman929

Getinthevan

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

What more can be said about this incredible burger joint? Well, not much, but I'll die trying anyway!

As many other reviewers have said, this place has some of the finest burgers to ever grace this earth. I've been twice in my time here (had the Motorhead & Iron Maiden...heaven) as well as a few of their brews from the tap (Lagunitas and others).

The heavy metal here is brutal, skull-crushing, and over the top...and I wouldn't have asked it to be a better setting. Atmosphere owns here, hands down...and they play some great metal.

Service is top notch. The people that work here must know how stressful it is to fill seats in such a tiny restaurant where on any given night, the place is gushing out the door with humans. Either way, the staff keeps their cool and they're great in suggesting burgers and/or brews, albeit with some great snarky sarcasm and a bona fide joking nature.

The only two cons? It can be a bit pricey and the wait sucks, but either way...you'll be able to overcome both.

If you're in Chicago (visiting or living), just ask for Belmont & Francisco. Just go there already, it's worth the wait. Really.

09-24-2010 23:53:42 | More by Getinthevan