Famous and busy, though I'm not sure why
Written: Aug 04 '03 (Updated Aug 07 '03)
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Pros: Large portions, famous hamburger, onion rings, good selection of beer
Cons: Lotsa calories and fat for just okay food and uneven service
The Bottom Line: If one is going to throw (dietary) caution to the winds, why not get a great deep dish pizza? Rumor has it that you can find one in Chicago.
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| lazarus629's Full Review: Hackney's - Glenview East Lake Ave |
Hackney's is famous for its large hamburger on dark rye. It's a good to very good burger, large and juicy, if one's definition of good burger is " 'lotsa' meat cooked satisfactorily."
This is not a place one will find a surprise or any interesting additions (e.g., onions grilled in balsamic vinegar, sharp cheddar cheese, etc.) to the burger. It's just a big old burger that usually has enough juice and fatty dripping to soak the dark rye bread on which it is served. It is very high in calories and fat. So to offset that, it comes with fries and a creamy Cole-slaw. Both are good -- and the calories and fat just keep on coming.
Then, there are the onion rings -- or more accurately, the deep-fried-onions-with-random-breading-loaf. They are greasy, exceedingly so, stuck together, unevenly breaded, and unevenly cooked. The "onion loaf" is very large -- about the size of a small deep fry bin. This -- burgers with the onion rings -- is an OK meal for youngsters, most teenagers, and very active young adults. Not so good for the rest of us. The average middle-aged adult who works in an office can easily eat (or exceed) an entire day's calories, and a couple of day's fat, in one meal.
There are other items on the menu, but everything else I've tried, with the exception of the perch in season, has been unsatisfactory, ranging from ordinary to just plain bad. The perch is served (of course) breaded and deep-fried.
The beer selection, both draft and bottled of domestics and imports, is extensive.
This Hackney's is divided into several rooms and a basement. The atmosphere is dark, crowded and loud. Expect a wait to get a table, especially on weekends. They do not accept reservations as far as I know and the wait can be pretty long, up to an hour.
The air is a bit still, the carpets a bit grimy. The tables are wood or Formica that looks like wood and most of the chairs are wooden, many with arm rests. It's comfy if plain -- which is part of the charm, but then charm is in the mind of the customer. Personally, I find it a bit too noisy, too crowded, and too grimy.
The tables are set for efficiency, not elegance. Perhaps the strangest part of the serving dishes is the small glass one gets with their bottled beer -- it holds about half the bottle.
Service is okay, but uneven. Usually, the meal is brought promptly but there are times when, after waiting what can seem like forever for a table, one gets to wait again for the meal. The wait staff is generally pleasant and reasonably attentive, though they are always busy and thus somewhat brusque.
Prices are reasonable.
It is something of a meeting place, serving families, groups, and couples of all ages.
In the interests of full disclosure, I should tell the reader that I've enjoyed some very pleasant meals there, but mostly when I was younger and could afford the calories and fat loading and my palate was not particularly worldly or educated. At the time I had not yet eaten at even a 4-star restaurant or traveled outside the Midwest. The fact that my sons, who were raised in California and attended college in the Midwest and East, were mystified as to why it was such a popular restaurant makes me suspect that more than a little of Hackney's attraction to me is that it is tied inextricably to my youth. My sons found it quite ordinary and have no desire to eat there again -- most significantly they hated the "onion loaf" ("much too greasy") and didn't even like the hamburger ("big but not good").
Truth be told, when I ate there with my sons I too found it less than I had remembered and found the "onion loaf" in particular to be just too much grease. (The Bloomin' Onion at Outback is much better -- with a very interesting dip, while condiments at Hackney's are limited to ketchup and mustard.)
It's an "institution" and, if you're a local, you're going to eat there. Many people LOVE the place, but it's not my first (or second) choice.
That said, if you all you really want is a simple big burger with some fries and maybe deep-fried onions and your favorite beer, Hackney's is not a bad choice. It is better and better-priced than most of the chains (especially TGIF and Chili's).
Recommended:
No
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Stick to the burgers or the perch. Get there before 6 pm to keep the wait down.
Best Suited For: Kids and Families
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Epinions.com ID:
lazarus629
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
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