Why Goldyburger's Forest Park Is One of the Best Burger Joints

When you walk up to Goldyburgers, you see the Old Style sign shift in the breeze and the word “Goldy’s” painted in green on the front door. Inside you hear the hiss of the grill, a soft onion sizzle, and the low clink of a long bar that has seen every kind of day. This is not a theme bar but a place that has the essence of a Chicago dive bar in the best sense of the word.

Goldyburgers sits in Forest Park, just due west of Chicago, and it’s one of those places that feels like a home base. There is a patio out back that screams summer. You’re here for a seared patty that tastes like Saturday hangouts and a room that lets you exhale after a long workday.

And we’re here to make the case that this is one of the best burger joints in the Chicagoland area.

Why We Love Goldyburgers in Forest Park, Illinois

The Feel

It may be different in other cities, but residents of Chicago (and its neighbors) use “dive” as a compliment. It means the room kept the decor, the regulars, and the price points that span generations. It means no judgment, only a crowd that slides the ketchup down the bar without asking. In a city that loves the next new thing, the dive is the place that stayed, steady through snow days and summer nights. And Goldyburgers is no different.

Find a seat and take in the room. You’ll see dark paneled wood with a soft shine. A long bar with glass blocks along the base tossing little squares of light across the floor. Over in the dining room mini Tiffany lamps glow over green-checkered tablecloths, and the booths feel spoken for by the neighborhood.

Here, staff move with that easy rhythm you get only at a spot that’s been doing this for years. After a few visits the bartender knows your usual and the server remembers if you asked for extra pickles.

Look closer and you’ll see the working parts of the room. Paper plates are stacked ready for burgers you can carry to the patio without thinking, and the salad bowls are the kind you grew up with, tugging a memory you can’t quite place. Today’s specials are chalked on a board behind the bar, and an ATM waits in the corner because the place runs cash only.

Goldyburgers reads like an American restaurant that knows what matters. Barstools for solo nights, tables for families and late lunches, and the bar rail for neighbors catching up after work. It’s simple but done well.

The Burgers

Start with the cheeseburger. It’s a classic for a reason and simplicity at its best. A flat-top sear that snaps when you bite and cheese that melts to the edge. This is why people whisper about the best burgers in Forest Park. Order it simple and let the griddle do the talking, or dress it up with grilled onions, pickles, and a slice of tomato.

If you want a name, go with the Royal Blue Burger: blue cheese that leans salty and creamy, a little bite that makes the patty sing. If you prefer classic comfort, ask for cheddar cheese and make it a double. Some nights you’ll see a Big Daddy stack. Add bacon if that’s your move, or swap in jalapeños if you like heat. Ask for BBQ sauce on the side and drag your fries through it when no one is looking.

The burger portions are spot on. A single fills you up without knocking you out, while a double asks for a second napkin. The plates usually come paper-lined, and if you’re outside, they keep things easy for patio seating and the beer-garden mood.

Even takeout holds up. The burgers travel well, keeping their sear intact, and the fries make it home if you don’t finish them off in the car. If it’s your first time here, we say go classic. Start with the cheeseburger and fries. But if it’s your second time, try the Royal Blue or a Big Daddy double with onion rings. After that, you’ll start building your own order.

The Rest of the Food

This menu reads like a greatest-hits list with a Midwest accent. Appetizers arrive at the table fast. Cheese balls stretch into strings, onion rings crunch, and fries hold their own next to an entrée… or on their own, period. Fries are a meal, and we stand by that.

On nights when you’re not in the mood for a burger, you can lean into comfort foods. Chicken cordon bleu arrives crisp outside and melty inside, and the bratwurst comes topped with perfectly sauteed onions. If you’re going classic, the GoldyDog scratches the hot dog itch. If you’re looking for something a little fresher and simple, go BLT with thick-cut bacon, tomato, and toast that holds up. If you want really light, you might be in the wrong place, though the side salad comes in a large size, so you’re not out of luck. Fried is a lane they do well, like the fried armadillo eggs. You’ll see baskets of them moving to every table, and for good reason. If you skip the potato pancakes, that’s on you.

Some nights you won’t know what you’re in the mood for, so watch the board for specials and take your cue from the regulars.

The Drinks and the Specials

This is a bar that keeps it straightforward, where the bartender wipes a glass, asks “Bottle or tap?” and you already know your answer. Old Style glows in the window, High Life waits cold in the cooler, and a couple of local taps rotate throughout the seasons.

Cocktails keep to the classics. Maybe a whiskey with soda, or a vodka lemonade in summer. But don’t expect an over-the-top concoction that you can post on Insta. If you’re chasing a 10-ingredient cocktail, save it for downtown. Drinks here are built to carry a conversation.

Look for the rotating drink (and food!) specials too: things like wing night or a burger-and-beer combo. When the game’s on, pitchers land steady and the room leans toward the TV, and you’ll most likely find a reason to order another round.

Family Roots, National Spotlight

Goldyburgers has always been more than a neighborhood tavern. It’s a family business. Brothers Mike and Terry Sullivan bought the place back in 1981, and for decades, their kids grew up with Circle Avenue as a second home. Regulars became friends, birthdays were celebrated around the bar, and everyone in town knew the Sullivans by name.

That next generation is carrying the story forward. Mick Sullivan now runs the day-to-day at Goldy’s, keeping the griddle hot and the beer garden full. And his sister, Bailey, has stepped onto a much bigger stage. She trained in Chicago kitchens, earned her stripes at Michelin-starred restaurants, and this year, landed on national TV as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef.

Bailey often points back to Goldy’s as the start of it all. Watching her dad connect with regulars and seeing how food built community shaped her path. That mix of family, food, and Forest Park roots is what she carries with her now as executive chef at Monteverde in Chicago.

The Sullivans have always kept it close to home. From paper-lined plates to big TV moments, the thread is the same. It’s all about hard work, hospitality, and pride in where you come from.

Bonus: Patio Season!

When the weather turns kind in Forest Park, Goldyburgers opens the back gate and becomes one of the best patios in town. You’ll find a row of picnic tables under umbrellas and string lights that click on just as the sun drops. Burgers find their home on paper plates, and the outdoor condiment cart shuffles from table to table.

This is the beer garden regulars talk about. Outdoor seating faces Circle Avenue so you can people watch through the holes in the fence, with that slow Madison Street breeze rolling through. Throughout the summer you might even find a special event or an impromptu neighborhood party that just seemed to stumble together.

If you make a yearly list of patios to frequent, this should definitely be on your list.

Meet Us at Goldy’s

Goldyburgers doesn’t care about trends. It’s run by people holding on to the things that matter, including family, community, and a menu that does the basics better than anyone else. From the classic flat-top cheeseburger to perfectly fried onion rings and a cold beer, it’s a place that delivers exactly what you came for.

Step onto the patio in summer or slide into a booth in winter and you’ll see why Forest Park regulars keep calling it home. And with the next Sullivan generation carrying the torch, the story isn’t slowing down. Goldy’s is still Goldy’s. It’s part restaurant, part living room, and still one of the best burgers you’ll find anywhere.