I'm a wee bit of a burger fiend. I've eaten burgers from over 200 places across the country...and when asked my favorite burger, the answer, without hesitation, is the pepper burger from O'Reilly's Pub in Clintonville.
From the outside, the joint is easily overlooked as a local watering hole that may not even have a kitchen. Upon entering, the bar is definitely front and center, but there are cozy booths around the perimeter and an enclosed patio for warm weather burger outings.
As for the burger, I cannot properly produce the poetry and prose to do it justice, but here goes...It's a half pound patty rolled in cracked black peppercorns, thrown on the grill and topped with cheese and bacon. It always comes from the kitchen cooked just right. The standard bacon cheeseburger experience is elevated by the slight sting of the peppercorns. Pair it with either the sweet potato fries or the onion rings and you are set for a stomach full of burger nirvana.
The dive bar has added some upgrades in the last year with local beers - 4 String and North High on Tap. However, I go here for the food, in particular three things: wings - which are the best in the city, The Pepper Burger which is among the best hamburgers in the city and the sweet potato fries with the special in house "crack sauce".
Hidden gem. Best burgers in town!
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