Restaurant Review – Moody’s Pub

This week I visited a true Northside of Chicago institution: Moody’s Pub located at 5910 N. Broadway in Edgewater. If you’ve never been here, do yourself a favor and stop in the next time you have a craving for a burger.

Moody’s Pub has long been my go-to spot for no-nonsense, great-tasting food in an atmosphere that is quite comfortable. Concerning the ambiance at Moody’s, it is dark in here. Resembling a ski lodge with two blazing fireplaces, you would be forgiven for stepping on a foot or two as you make your way to your table as illumination is in low supply here. And that’s quite all right as the food more than makes up for the dim setting, which I happen to thoroughly enjoy.

Moody’s Pub is a real burger joint, devoid of any pretense (not that one would notice thanks to the darkness). Yea, the burgers are served on paper plates, and at times you feel like you’re in someone’s den circa 1978 where they forgot to pay the electric bill, but the food puts any decor issues one might have to rest.

The Moody Burger is a charcoal-broiled half-pound delight that bursts with the flavor one dreams of one when your taste buds demand the ideal hamburger. For $7.75, you get one of the tastiest burgers on the North Side of Chicago. There are no hipster toppings to try and deviate from a lackluster slab of meat, just your basics done correctly, served hot and easy to devour. Add on the delicious onion rings and you have a great meal that demands repeat visits.

The menu offers your typical burger joint fare with grilled chicken breast sandwiches, Sloppy Joe’s, sirloin steak, and a handful of salads. It’s quite clear that Moody’s Pub has no interest in reinventing the wheel because they do the expected so unexpectedly well. Prices are very reasonable, and this is a great spot to grab a bite, whether it’s lunchtime or after having a few drinks in the neighborhood.

Speaking of spirits, Moody’s has Bud Light, Goose Island, and Becks amongst a few others on tap along with a decent wine list and your typical assortment of mixed drinks. Nothing here will be featured in some foodie’s blog, but nothing here will disappoint either. That kind of sums up the mood and food at Moody’s Pub: basics done very right leaving taste buds content without breaking the bank.

Since it’s still winter in Chicago, the spacious and inviting beer garden was not open. Still, it is a standout feature at Moody’s and a no-brainer to visit once the weather warms up soon.

Given the recent closing of dine-in restaurants due to the coronavirus, I felt like Indiana Jones in Temple of Doom escaping from the cave just as the wall comes crashing down. Thus, Moody’s Pub is the last dine-in experience I’ll have for the next two weeks or so, and I couldn’t be happier with the food and atmosphere for this final restaurant trip. And just like Indy grabbing his hat at the very last second before that wall lowers down, I grabbed an extra burger and onion rings to go before bidding farewell to restaurants for the foreseeable future.

Moody’s Pub is open Monday – Friday from 11:30 am to 1 am, Saturday from 11:30 am to 2 am, and Sunday from noon to 1 am.

ERIC KAPLAN AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO