The southeast corner of York and Vallette in Elmhurst is the perfect
place for a restaurant. Not a fast food
place, either; no, it has to be a casual dining place. So many businesses have tried their luck at
this location, most recently a greenhouse, but they’ve all met untimely
demises.
Until now. H.B. Jones
has taken up residence, and it looks like they’re making money hand over
fist. Drive by the place at any given
time of the day, and chances are good that the place is packed. Parking is impossible. It’s always lively there.
What’s the big deal?
First of all, it should be noted that the H.B. stands for
Hamburger, and Jones comes from the phrase “jonesing for food.” They advertise their place as a food
adventure, offering all kinds of different culinary excursions for your
enjoyment. They don’t necessarily have a
theme, but there seems to be a kinda-sorta ocean feel, what with the boat
imagery and the hammerhead shark that hangs from the ceiling (complete with a
burger in its mouth). However, there are
plenty of planes in evidence, as well.
It helps that they decided to use the greenhouse that the previous owners
left behind. It gives the illusion of
being outside while the fans keep things from getting too hot. It’s very spacious, offering the chance to
stretch out and maybe move a bit. As far
as ambiance goes, H.B. Jones gets an A+.
But how is their burger?
This thing is huge. Served on
what seems like an old fashioned hubcap, it takes up a lot of space. They use a nice thick hunk of cheese, and
everything is complete with a side of seasoned fries. It looks gorgeous.
It’s too bad that the taste doesn’t live up to the picture
perfect display. Not that it’s a bad
burger. It’s good, just short of
great. Perhaps if they used better meat
or seasoning, they could be a force to be reckoned with. They don’t have much of a feel for
medium-rare, either. They tend to
overcook it a bit too much. It’s
definitely not worth the outrageous $11 they charge for it.
The fries are absolutely wonderful, though. They are perfect. Not only that, but they have a fine selection
of beers and booze. All in all, it’s the
perfect place to hang out and have a few drinks. Give it a try sometime.
H.B. Jones
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