My son likes to think that being born in Chicago at Prentice Hospital for Women makes him a city boy. Never mind that he spent fewer than 24 hours outside of my womb in said hospital. He thinks he’s a city boy and really shines the closer he gets to concrete and smog. So, yesterday we escaped our tract house on the prairie and went into Chicago for lunch. Along for the ride were my nephew, visiting from New York, and a friend of my son’s.

We’re a burger eating bunch and, all pizza aside, Chicago is a great town for a burger. I took a peek at the Chicago Burger Bible website and selected The Lock Down Bar and Grill in Ukrainian Village for our Summer Burger Adventure. I’d never been to Ukrainian Village, though my niece recently moved there. The Lock Down reports showing a different live rock concert video every day and the Burger Bible puts their burgers among the top 10 in the city. It’s a pretty freaking big city, so it’s gotta be a pretty freaking good burger, I thought.

I was right. The burgers are good and they are big! This is not a restaurant review so I didn’t pay much attention to the names of things. I did take pictures before we decimated our meals. Everyone liked their food, but only one of us finished: the quiet, shy guy from the ‘burbs. It was fun to watch my son and nephew, both guitar players, try to name the music playing inside the bar.

The weather was great—beautiful blue sky and not too hot with a cool (lake?) breeze. The location was perfect—far enough off a busy street to be able to chat but not so far we lost the urban vibe. The company was stellar—people I love who I rarely get to just sit and hang with.

My idea of a perfect summer moment. What’s yours?