A series of new restaurants have opened on the Far Northwest Side of Chicago, bringing a variety of food options including smash burgers, quesabirria tacos, tamales, and Colombian cuisine to local neighborhoods, according to a June 1 report.
Brennan’s Gourmet Burger Shack began operations inside The Emerald Isle at 6686 N. Northwest Highway at the start of May. Owners Conor Brennan and Alyssa Salvato-Brennan said their restaurant uses fresh ingredients to elevate classic American dishes. “I want it to ruin all other burgers for people so that they only crave my burger,” Salvato-Brennan said with a smile. The menu features items such as the Too Gouda Be True burger with gouda cheese and red onion jam, The Royale burger with havarti and aged white cheddar, cheese curds from Wisconsin, fries cooked in beef tallow, and house-made pickles using locally sourced ingredients.
Brennan grew up in Edison Park and started his culinary career at Café Touché before working at several Hogsalt Hospitality restaurants in Chicago. He met Salvato-Brennan while both worked at Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf in River North. After leaving the restaurant industry during the pandemic for corporate jobs, they hosted burger pop-ups under McBrennan’s Smash Burgers before deciding to open their own place in Edison Park. Brennan said it feels “full circle” to return home as a business owner, “I want people from all across the city to know that we’re doing elevated, clean, delicious food here because a lot of people just stay downtown, but we have a lot to offer up here,” Brennan said.
The couple plans to expand their menu over the next few months by adding items like Caesar salad, rotating specials and desserts. They also expressed interest in opening additional locations or other restaurants in downtown Edison Park.
Other recent openings include Quesabirria Jalisco Tacos at 3904 N. Cicero Ave., which held its grand opening on May 5 after operating as a pop-up and food truck; Tamale Mami partnering with Little Lulu’s Italian Ice shop at 5035 W. Montrose Ave., offering traditional and non-traditional tamales; and Tropical Bites Flavor House at 4315 N. Central Ave., serving Colombian dishes such as arepas with cheese and scrambled eggs.
