That's Good Stuff

Oh, Good Stuff Eatery...how I love thee. Your food is consistent, your milkshakes should be a sin and, really, it never hurts to see Chef Spike behind the counter flipping the burgers.

Good Stuff opened in July of 2008 and, believe me, I have been a loyal patron since then. I have been a fan of Spike’s since he won over people’s hearts (and brought back the old fashioned fedora) on Top Chef’s fourth season, which took place in Chicago. So I was pleasantly surprised when he chose to open an affordable restaurant instead one with stuffy, white tablecloths.

The food here measures up to any burger in the city, and I would venture to say is better than 99% of them. And – the best part? – the burgers and food there are actually affordable. If you go between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., you can get a farmhouse cheeseburger, fries and a fountain drink for a mere $10. Not bad at all. And, if you want to get a cheeseburger that is on an entirely different plane, you should go for Spike’s 5 Napkin (formerly known as the Sunnyside). It combines a Sunnyside up egg, apple wood smoked bacon and cheese on top of a perfectly cooked burger and sandwiched between a brioche bun. Although I’m partial to the 5 Napkin, my boyfriend eats the Good Stuff Melt religiously.

When you are at Good Stuff, you should also be sure to get their fries and dip them in one of the homemade sauces. My favorite is the mango mayo, which is perfectly creamy and a tiny bit sweet. The flavor combination goes perfectly with the fries. My roommate is partial to the Sriacha mayo, and another friend loves the Old Bay mayo. I guess that means that - no matter your tastes - you can’t go wrong.

Finally... if you go to Good Stuff you cannot, must not leave without trying one of their amazing milkshakes. I don’t know how to describe just how wonderful they are, so I guess you will just have to try them yourself. My personal favorite is the toasted marshmallow milkshake, which takes me back to my years at summer camp. It tastes just like it came off the campfire. The old fashioned chocolate is exactly what I imagine a milkshake from the 1950s would taste like, as if I had ordered it straight out of Lou's Diner from "Back to the Future." Also, keep your eyes peeled for seasonal flavors that Chef Spike tends to announce on Twitter.

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