Review: Chop Shop offers ‘dignified’ burgers and fries

Francis Pellicciaro
Wed, 13 May 2015 16:45:04 +0000
Buckeye Bound, Dining, Features, beer, burgers, Chicago Bulls, featured, lebron james, ohio state, The Chop Shop

The Chop Shop, located at 2159 N. High St., offers burgers, fries and beer.
Credit: Francis Pellicciaro / Asst. Multimedia Editor

What would happen if a burger joint similar in taste to Five Guys Burgers and Fries opened up that also served beer and had televisions tuned to sports?

The opening of The Chop Shop would happen, and it is located next to Buffalo Wild Wings, at the corner of Lane Avenue and North High Street.

The Chop Shop seats roughly 100 people on its first floor and there is a bar on the second floor that seats roughly 40 people.

There is no reason for any of these seats to be empty, as the food is the best of what can ever be called fast food, the service is friendly and television screens can be seen from any corner of the restaurant.

Even if the screens are playing LeBron James beating the Chicago Bulls as they were on Tuesday night, it is hard to turn away from the food and beer options.

The Chop Shop offers a selection of around 64 different beers — including roughly 30 different bottles of imported and craft beers, a selection of 24 beers on tap that is subject to change and includes six local beers, and four beers which are always on tap and are available in the restaurant’s front room as well as at the bar.

There are even more options for burgers. The build-your-own burger menu option contains six types of cheese including Swiss and white cheddar, toppings unavailable at similar restaurants including garlic mayonnaise and spinach and comfort foods such as onion rings and chili.

If one has a case of indecision, the western burger contains bacon and an onion ring, with sweet barbecue sauce that still does not overpower the rest of a burger.

The burger is smaller than one from Five Guys, but with better tasting meat and a much firmer bun.

The Chop Shop serves very dignified burgers, and the western burger was incredible.

Patrons are free to tell the whole world about how dignified these burgers are because the restaurant’s front windows open up accordion-style to bring patrons fresh summer air, while bringing those sitting at the front face-to-face with people walking down the sidewalk.

If this does not appeal to you, don’t worry – the head manager came by to ask patrons if it was too windy for them, and he was as polite and ready to help as all of his employees.

His employees can also make a great shake, and are happy to mix flavors such as banana, strawberry, and red velvet, with toppings such as key lime, peanut butter, and marshmallows.

I would recommend getting a banana and red velvet shake with chocolate syrup – these mix together seamlessly in a sweet flavor of their own.

The freshly cut fries can also come with unique flavors, such as a topping of parmesan cheese and herbs.

The fries were a little bit soft, but the parmesan cheese was a very fresh take on this commonly served food.

The Chop Shop serves uncommonly good onion rings – they are wide and can stand up to a big bite, with onion that is so stuck to the crunchy batter that the rings never fall apart.

My whole meal cost about $17, but if one is not looking to have a ballooning belly as I was, a meal at The Chop Shop can be much cheaper — around $10 — and almost as fattening.