Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is adding to his restaurant kingdom with the opening of his first Chicago eatery.
Gordon Ramsay Burger opened last week in River North (2 E. Ontario), in the 5,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Wahlburgers. The restaurant joins the 35 eateries currently owned/operated by the Michelin-starred and colorfully opinionated host of hit TV series including “Hell’s Kitchen,” “MasterChef” and “Kitchen Nightmares.”
The full-service restaurant follows in the footsteps of its Las Vegas and London counterparts, with a minimalist menu serving up Ramsay’s signature butter-basted burgers (including the famed Hell’s Kitchen Burger, priced at $17 and topped with Asadero cheese, roasted jalapenos, avocado, roasted tomatoes and jalapeno aioli), fries, hand-spun milkshakes, salads and a nod to vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options including a vegan burger (plant-based patty, vegan bun, bibb lettuce, avocado and eggless garlic mayo for $19).
The menu also boasts three “Hot Dawgs,” and in a bold move that will surely cause debate among Chicago diners, each comes with ketchup. The Standard Dawg ($13) is served with onion, mustard, house ketchup and house pickles. The Chipotle Dawg ($14) boasts cheddar, avocado, chipotle ketchup, Fresno chiles and jalapeno pepper.
“The Windy City is getting my butter-based burgers that so many of you have come to enjoy in Las Vegas ... and one of the most beautifully designed burger restaurants anywhere in the U.S.,” Ramsay proclaimed in an Instagram post earlier this year announcing his plans for a Chicago venue.