Chicago Burger Company looks like a fast-food joint in an alternate universe where fast-food joints look sort of cool. It shares certain traits with other establishments in that category, namely hamburgers and the speed with which they're prepared. Located in the very depths of the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, the Company serves a variety of burgers—angus beef, turkey, salmon and veggie—all of them tasty and all of them for $9.

Oh, that's right—the one thing this small, tucked away restaurant definitely does not have in common with other fast-food restaurants is the price. It seems that anything remotely related to hotels, even small burger spots in the basement, becomes more expensive as a result, and Chicago Burger Company is no exception. The chicken caesar salad, for instance, basically a pile of unkempt romaine mixed with vague amounts of dressing and a microwaved chicken breast, is no more worth $11 than the $3 equivalent one could make at home. Still, the atmosphere here is bright and fun, and the burgers are more than a few steps above their McDonald's brothers. Then there are the desserts, such as the soft-serve ice cream, the shakes, the malts and a jumbo cookie of your choosing to top it all off. Some might call these sweets typical of such an eatery, maybe even boring, but we just call them necessary. Frankly, the Chicago Burger Company needs them to distract you from the prices.

Centerstage Reviewer: Benjamin Andrew Moore