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Recent Press



Poag Mahone's becomes
2 Star Certified Green Restaurant
®!

January 2010


In order to achieve this status, Poag's has taken many steps to reduce its environmental footprint:


Waste Reduction

  • We have implemented a full scale recycling program to divert glass, plastic, metal cans, paper and cardboard from landfills
  • All of the used vegetable oil used in our fryers is collected and converted into biodiesel


Water/Energy

  • We installed faucet aerators on all handwashing and kitchen prep sinks
  • We installed low-flow pre-rinse spray valves on dishwashing machine


Energy

  • We use a programmable thermostat to control energy use
  • We use high efficiency XLerator hand dryers in restroom


Chemical Reduction

  • We use H2Orange2, a Green Seal Certified cleaning agent for all surfaces; allowing us to maintain a clean and healthy restaurant as well as a clean and healthy environment


Disposable Products

  • We are committed to limiting the use of virgin resources wherever possible.  Most of our plastic products contain recycled material or are bioplastics, and every paper product used in the restaurant is 100% recycled, contains 20 - 100% Post-Consumer Waste, and is manufactured without chlorine.




"Loop Lunches We Love", $10 lunch: Southwest Loop
(Phil Vettel/Tribune/November 23, 2008)
Poag Mahone's, 333 S. Wells St.; 312-566-9100, poagmahones.com

If you can get past the slightly naughty name (which loosely translates to "kiss my rump" in Gaelic), come on into this laid-back place with good pub food and the best burger in the southwest quadrant (and, some maintain, the best burger anywhere). Said burger is a 9-ounce beauty, cooked to your liking for a mere $7.95. You and Alexander Hamilton can do a lot of damage here: A dozen buffalo wings are $8.95, and almost all the salads and sandwiches are under $10 as well. P.S. Monday nights after 3 p.m., burgers are just $2.50 (dine-in customers only), provided you spend at least $2 more on other stuff.


Citysearch.com / Best of Citysearch 2007

Winner – Best Chicken Wings, Chicago




Chicago Tribune / May 31, 2007
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Buns of beef
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By Phil Vettel
Tribune restaurant critic

May 31, 2007

Man Issue deserves a dining page that focuses on Man Food, and so we take this opportunity to spotlight three brawny burgers. We revisited the restaurant that won our "Best Burger" competition in 2005, took a peek at Oprah Winfrey's favorite burger, and sampled a few burgers -- traditional and not -- at one of the newest burger places in Chicago.

POAG MAHONE'S
333 S. Wells St.; 312-566-9100


This excellent Loop burger was overlooked in our June 2005 roundup, but not in the July 2005 issue of GQ, where writer Alan Richman declared it one of "The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die," an article that gathered additional currency when Oprah Winfrey pal Gayle King visited all 20 places for Oprah's show. Whoever's raving about Poag's burger, they're right. It's a juicy, nine-ounce hunk of prime sirloin, served on a firm, eggy bun that holds up to all that weight and beefy juice. Poag's burgers, even at medium-rare, are thoroughly charred, maybe a bit much for some (but not for me). And the menu includes a "Burger Eater's Bill of Rights" that includes the right to fresh meat, hot fries and a cold pickle spear. Fries are an extra $1.85, but the burger's only $6.30 ($6.80 with cheese); $8.70 for a cheeseburger with fries is a bargain for such top-notch quality. Not bad for a restaurant whose name is actually a vulgar expression in Gaelic.

Click here for full article

Citysearch.com / Best of Citysearch 2006
Winner - Best After-Work Bar, Chicago
Winner - Best Irish Pub, Chicago


Oprah Winfrey Show / February 2006
One of the “Best Burgers in America”

Click here for full article


GQ Magazine / July 2005
One of the “Top Twenty Burgers You Must Eat Before You Die”

Click here for full article


Citysearch.com / Best of Citysearch 2005
Winner – Best Afterwork Bar, Chicago

Click here for full article



ABC7 News Chicago / Hungry Hound
“Lunching in the Loop” hosted by Steve Dolinsky

Click here for full article



Chicago Tribune / September 4, 2005
The July Issue of GQ featured “The 20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die”, so we started working our way up the list and headed over to the lone Chicago entry, Poag Mahone’s, at 175 West Jackon St.

Author Alan Richman, according to GQ, consumed more than 150,000 calories – no doubt inching him closer to his own expiration date – as he traveled 24,000 miles and judged 162 burgers. The one at Poag Mahone’s (Gaelic translation: “Kiss my,” you know) finished at No.18.

So what do you get for your $5.75? A pretty good burger.

It’s 9 ounces of freshly ground sirloin, served on an exceptional toasted bun (manly enough to hold up through the entire meal), with lettuce and tomato. Fries, slaw and the ubiquitous pickle spear are included. Accouterments such as cheese and grilled onions are extra.

It’s flavorful and it’s filling. And they’ll actually grill it rare – truly rare, not that wimpy slightly-pink-in-the-middle rare – if you ask.

It was so good, it’ll make you want to search out the 17 burgers GQ placed ahead of Poag Mahone’s.

---William Hageman