Mickey-Lu-Bar-B-Q
- Price Range: $
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
4 Reviews for Mickey-Lu-Bar-B-Q
When I was a wee little one, my dad used to go here for lunch a lot since it was near his office, and sometimes I'd get to meet him here. Awesome flame grilled hamburgers in a greasy spoon diner. Malts that will bring you religion. This place is a dive, but I wouldn't change a thing. Unfussy. Please don't change.
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Mickey-Lu's is a gem. Its a charming burger joint that takes you back in time. The burgers are flame grilled, served on a perfect bun with the works and their famous pad of butter. To complete the experience, order a malt and a bag of chips. All of this for about $5.00. One of my favorite places and always a positive experience.
The charm of Mickey-Lu's is that the room has apparently been unaltered since the restaurant was established in 1942. The Formica counter, the stools, the jukebox, the tables -- everything looks original. There's a news clipping on the wall about a couple who spent their first date at Mickey-Lu's returning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
The hamburgers are flame broiled in a charcoal oven right behind the counter, and "served on warm Zemal hard rolls with your choice of catsup, onion, pickles, and our pat of butter."
Having never heard of a "Zemal" roll before, I asked what that meant and was told it was a type of hard roll. Running a Google search later didn't help much either. Our waitress explained that toasting the hard rolls on the grill surrounding the meat softened them, which seems counterintuitive, but the rolls were soft and warm inside, slightly toasted outside.
The paper-wrapped burger (no plate, no basket, no nothing) is served cut into halves, and the remainder of the pat of butter on mine plopped out when I lifted the first half to my mouth. Adding gobs of butter to meat is a classic Wisconsin preparation, but to me it's cheating. The beef should stand on its own.
My cheeseburger was pretty darned good, but a little too small for perfection. Mickey-Lu-Bar-B-Q was very much worth a visit. It's ridiculously inexpensive and absolutely authentic -- but if I'm going somewhere based on their burgers alone, I'm still going to Charlie Beinlich's in Northbrook, Illinois.
Finally, here's a link to the ultimate Web shrine to Mickey-Lu's: http://www.jldr.com/mi...
The best burgers in the whole world... better than Culvers butter burgers. As you open the heavy green door, you can smell the cooking burgers and the oldies music takes over as you walk to the counter... as you sit down, you notice the space in front of you on the counter is worn and there is no pattern left... this means you have come to a great Bar-b-q. Enjoy the oldies music and memorabilia as you bite into a burger from heaven.
