Chicago Restaurant Review -Little Bad Wolf

I went to Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville for lunch today because I’ve heard so many people say it’s one of the best burger spots in Chicago. The space is dark and cozy with kind of an industrial feel. It feels more like a place to grab drinks at night than a spot for a mid-day meal, but the staff was friendly and the atmosphere was chill.

I ordered the bao buns, the mac and cheese, and of course the Wolf Burger. The bao were disappointing. The tops were hard and dry while the bottoms were soggy and falling apart. The filling had decent flavor, but the texture completely threw it off. The mac and cheese came out cold, which was surprising since it’s served in a cast iron dish. It had a creamy texture but not much depth of flavor, and definitely would’ve been better hot.

The Wolf Burger is the big thing everyone talks about, so I was curious to see what the hype was about. It’s stacked high with three patties, bacon, cheese, fried onions, and a red onion mayo. It looked impressive, but it didn’t really come together. The flavors were unbalanced and heavy, and every bite felt a little different in a way that wasn’t intentional. It wasn’t bad, just kind of messy and overwhelming.

By the end of lunch I felt like Little Bad Wolf was a place that might’ve been great at some point, but now it’s coasting on reputation. The vibe is good, the portions are big, and I can see how it could be a fun spot for dinner and drinks. But the food I had today didn’t feel worth the price. My meal came out to just under fifty dollars, and for that, I expected something that felt more dialed in.

I’d maybe come back at night to see if the experience feels different, but as a lunch spot it didn’t really hit.

Rating: 3 out of 5. Cool space, solid concept, but the food didn’t live up to the hype.