Cajun Chicken Burger
Herm's Palace

Herm's Palace

3406 Dempster St, 60076, Skokie, US, United States

Seafood • American • Hot Dogs • Hamburger


"Not having visited in a while, we 'd forgotten just how great this joint was. Herman, the original owner, sold his business way back in 1974; since then, the Shane family has maintained the name, traditions, and legendary comfort food. The place is nothing fancy but the wide ranging menu extends far beyond standard hot dog burger gyros fare. Herm 's is celebrated for their decadent Cardiac Sandwich (pastrami, fried salami pepper jack cheese). Other options include a breaded veal sandwich, rigatoni, fish tacos, eggplant parmesan, pizza puffs, chicken gyros, etc., etc. There are salads and other vegetarian items, and they serve beer, too. Most sandwiches run under $10 (sides are extra), and menu items currently top out at $14.75. At least for now, Herm 's is a safe harbor from inflation. I decided to be brave and order a turkey club. I 've rarely seen this sandwich on other hot dog joints ' menus, but Herm 's version was a solid fresh tasting hit with generous amounts of thin sliced turkey and crispy bacon. My Missus said her chicken kabob plate was better than the versions served at many Mediterranean restaurants. But what made the experience extra special for us was the guy behind the counter who adeptly juggled order taking, serving, food prep, and running the whole show in general with an abundance of friendliness. Craig must have a photographic memory, as he somehow manages to get multiple orders and special requests exactly right without writing anything down. He makes an effort to get to know his customers, too. Watching him work and interact with his back room staff and clearly enjoying his work was a pure delight."

Phyllis' Giant Burgers

Phyllis' Giant Burgers

1774 Piner Rd, 95403, Santa Rosa, United States

Meat • Salad • Casual • Burgers


"Pretty good food. Stays close to it 's diner roots/inspiration without venturing too much into the unknown ... or the exciting really. I typically just go for the basic burger the first few times I eat somewhere, and here was no exception. It 'd be a lie to say I was disappointed ... I ate the whole meal and felt satisfied, but around here I feel like you need just a little more to get that fifth star experience. So the food wasn 't particularly amazing, the folks and atmosphere was certainly nice, but nothing outstanding, the value for the food wasn 't horrible, but if start ordering anything more than basic food and tack on a milkshake or two, you could be leaving a diner over $30. The real hinge-point for me between the 4 and 5 star mark was the flavor of the meat. I 'll give them credit that it tasted much more juicy and natural than it did greasy and burnt, but in the end of the day it lacked flavor in a big way. I don 't feel that it was even properly seasoned on the salt front, let alone with any additional seasonings; although they did cook a pretty good medium-rare, which if you 've ever been to a burger place without a Michelin star, you know that 's how you get a medium, so that was pleasant. If I 'm ordering a $18 grass-fed, shade grown, fair trade, cruelty free, no antibiotics, the-cows-got-to-play-pacman-6-hours-a-day-and-little-Betty-read-them-bedtime-stories, ground beef patty in a burger filled with very fresh ingredients, I can easily forgive under-seasoning in an effort to highlight the complexity of the freshness of the dish; but although this burger was good, it wasn 't that good, and some simple ground beef seasoning tricks would 've made all the difference. But ... it was still good food, and I 'll still probably be back, it 's just shy of greatness, and in Sonoma County, it 's just too easy to find a better burger."