Illinois' Best Hole-In-The-Wall Burger Spot Is Guy Fieri Approved

If there's anyone who can recognize a great burger joint, it's the mayor of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri, who has spent most of his career cooking and eating around the vast United States. In 2007, Guy Fieri visited Paradise Pup on a family-owned-themed episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," where he says the establishment is serving "traditional Chicago fast food the way it oughta be." Out of the 14 best cheeseburgers Guy Fieri ate on Triple D, the Char Cheddar Burger from Paradise Pup might be one of the most outstanding. 

Located just outside of Chicago in Des Plaines, Illinois, Paradise Pup has been open since 1983 and is owned by two brothers, George and Tony Manos. The Char Cheddar Burger consists of a third-pound patty of fresh, never-frozen meat that's charred on a ripping hot grill. A soft Merkt's Wisconsin cheddar is spread on a lightly charred bun and topped with all the classic burger fixings of mayo, ketchup, tomato, lettuce, pickle, and onion. 

Once behind the restaurant's grill, Fieri says, "Look how hot that is. That's chargrilled right there, baby. That'll give a nice little crust on it." One of the owners then tells Fieri that the grill is probably running at about 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Upon taking his first bite of the Char Cheddar Burger, Fieri exclaims, "That is juicy!" before jokingly asking the staff if they have a shower for him. 

Guy Fieri refers to the Char Cheddar Burger as "the mac daddy of all burgers," and Fieri is a man who's likely eaten thousands of burgers in his long career both as a chef and as the host of Triple D. He isn't alone in his exaltation of Paradise Pup, as it was our choice for Illinois on our list of the best hole-in-the-wall burger joints in every state. At only 800 square feet, Paradise Pup is cranking out its famous burgers alongside Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches, char sausages, and red hots. Options for side orders include cheddar fries and mozzarella sticks, among other items. Paradise Pup also offers sodas, milkshakes, and malts to really round out the old-school burger joint menu.

There's a lot of love online as well for Paradise Pup. A user in the Chicago food subreddit posted that they "finally checked off Paradise Pup," saying it was "an excellent chargrilled burger" that's "basically a gourmet backyard BBQ burger." Although the patty and fixings are stellar, the Reddit user declares that "the bun might have been my favorite part, almost reminded me of challah bread" and calls the burger "an instant top 10." Another Redditor replied that "it's almost impossible not to stop there anytime you drive by it." The next time you're in the Chicago area, swing by Paradise Pup for a tried-and-true Char Cheddar Burger, and fill out the rest of your trip with visits to more of Guy Fieri's favorite restaurants in Chicago.