Mini Meal, Big Deal
Restaurant review in The DePaulia
What do the United Center and the trendy Armitage shopping district have in common? Classy and delicious minnieburgers. Minnies Restaurant on 1969 North Halsted St. near Armitage Avenue has served the United Center since 2003. The place is no run of the mill burger joint. In fact, Minnies Restaurant leaves fast food places like White Castle in the dust. In addition to their trademark minnieburgers, Minnies offers a variety of miniature gourmet sandwiches on brioche buns and baguettes, superb salads and soups, and even miniature bottles of beer and wine.
Maybe you have noticed the restaurant in passing. It is hard to miss the restaurant's chic puppy water bowl and miniature dog treats in the Summer time, the hungry crowds at the 24-hour take out window, or the baby stroller valet service. Minnies definitely belongs in the post Armitage area.
When you walk in, you are overcome by 1950s ambience and the aroma of an all-American diner. The floors are even tiled black and white. Miniature bar seating flanks one side and retro red counter seating sits on the other. Further back down the counter-lined hallway is the main room. One of the walls in this room is a vintage mural of three old women relaxing and having a wonderful time while the other walls are a vibrant red. There is also a television or two in the back room and there is usually a big game on. It is not hard to believe that Chicago Scene deemed Minnies a great place to relax.
As college students, you are probably asking how a tiny burger or sandwich is enough to make a meal. Do not worry. At Minnies, you will get bang for your buck. Minnies sandwiches are actually sold in groups of three, which is equivalent to the size of a standard burger or sandwich. Each group of three is $7.00, or groups of six are only $13.00. For those craving variety, the sandwiches can be mixed and matched from a selection of 19 unique sandwiches. It is a hard choice, because all the sandwiches sound absolutely mouth-watering. The most popular sandwich option is the Minnie Cheeseburger, but Minnies also offers a Turkey Cheeseburger and a Skinny Minnieburger for the carb conscious guest. The menu offers traditional sandwiches such as the Grilled Cheese and many novelties like the Thanksgiving Delight which includes roast turkey, cranberries, and wild rice gravy. My personal favorites are the Cucumber Dill High Tea Minnie and the Pesto Chicken complete with mozzarella. There are six excellent sandwich options for vegetarians. Meals are ordered a la carte. To complement the main dish, Minnies offers delicious frites (French fries), salads, soups and chili. My favorite salads are the Minnie Signature Salad and the Thai Beef Salad which is an excellent composition of seared marinated beef, noodles, veggies and sweet chili sauce. Salads are served either in half ($4.00 - $5.00) or full ($8.00 - $9.00) portions. Beverages range from skinny sodas to Minnie beers, cocktails, and bottles of wine. Finally you must properly top off your meal with a timeless Minnie dessert ($2.00 - $4.00).
Minnies Restaurant is, in fact, small in size. If you have a group larger than five, plan on a short wait. Last time I dined there, a server offered those waiting a generous portion of Minnies infamous thin-cut fries. The service is impeccable. If you would rather eat the miniatures in the comfort of your dorm room or apartment, Minnies has just begun to deliver.
Make sure to check Minnies out sometime. Afternoon tea time is Tuesdays from two to five p.m. It is a very unique restaurant with 1950s flair and it will not put a hole in your wallet.