Burger festival returns to Roscoe Village for 17th year

CHICAGO — The grills fired up in Roscoe Village this weekend for the neighborhood’s annual burger festival.

The sights, sounds and smells were back in full swing for the festival’s 17th year, with lots of mouth-watering options up for grabs.

“I’ve owned fatso’s now about 9 years. But it started in the 70s as a small little burger joint, milkshakes, fries. It was called ‘Pepe’s,’ but it’s been Fatso’s Last Stand proper now about 14 years,” Fatso’s owner Scott Floersheimer said.

Floersheimer said he is familiar with the taste of victory.

“We won three of the years, our best burger. We did not win last year, but we did win the year before that, then we skipped a year, and then the year before that as well,” Floersheimer said.

Floersheimer is hoping that a new menu item will help them clinch the top spot again.

“This year we just introduced a bacon jam burger that was around 20% of sales yesterday. We are thrilled. And this one, we use a homemade bacon jam and pepper jack cheese,” Floersheimer said.

Burgers aren’t the only thing offered at the annual event. Nightly live music and a kid’s zone offer a bit of extra fun for everyone.

But for some, this year’s event is bittersweet.

“This is our last year,” said Gail Munoz, who owns Select Cut Steak House along North Halstead with her husband Tony.

Tony and Gail were among the original vendors at the event, and they have been running their restaurant for 30 years, but retirement is beckoning.

“We’ve met a lot of amazing people, and you know, got married, had kids, the kids are growing up and we’ve watched all that happen in the restaurant,” Gail said.

They plan to close up in a couple of weeks, but couldn’t resist bringing the family back to Roscoe.

They said if they do return next year, it will only be to eat.

This year’s festival runs through Sunday and there are a few contests taking place.

There are two “Best Burger” contests, as well as a “People’s Choice,” which will be announced at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, and a “Critic’s Choice,” which will happen at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

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