A West Side Burger Story: Chandler's Burger Bistro
Posted Sunday, July 31, 2016Chandler's Burger Bistro is a handcrafted burger joint in Delhi. The restaurant was launched in 2015 by business partners Gary Brock and Phil Marston. It's named after Marston's son, Chandler.
Bridgetown Finer Meats supplies the restaurant, which is curious, because Meiners Fine Meats is two doors down from their location. Maybe Meiners' operation isn't large enough to sustain Chandler's volume.
My co-worker and I stopped by for lunch during Cincinnati Burger Week. More than 50 area restaurants had participated in the weeklong event, in which they each offered a special $5 burger. Chandler's was offering what they coined the "All-American Burger," made from fresh ground chuck and topped with American cheese, applewood bacon, lettuce, mayo and pickles. A sturdy Servatii bun held everything in place. The $5 meal came with a choice of either chips or fresh-cut fries.
As we stepped out of the car, we noted that Chandler's is adjacent to a daycare center with the unfortunately unappetizing name of "Droopy Drawers." Such is not the greatest mental image one wants to ponder en route to a restaurant. Clasping our growling stomachs, we persevered.
Chandler's interior is ample, dark, sleek and masculine, with a fresh new sports-bar feel, illuminated by dozens of TV screens anchored in nearly every possible vantage point. For 1pm on a work day, the place was jam-packed, with beer readily flowing from its taps, families happily engaged with their children and an overall energetic, welcoming vibe.
On Chandler's regular menu are a dozen starter items, including smoked wings with a choice of nine different sauces; boneless wings, cheese fries, deep-fried shrimp "wraps" and fried pickles, to name a few. More than a dozen signature burgers are all between $9 and $10, including one veggie and one turkey variant. A few featured unusual toppings like goetta and ghost pepper cheese, but most everything seemed intriguing rather than intimidating. The exception, perhaps, was the outlandish Who-Dey Burger, which is topped with ghost pepper cheese, Cajun-Sriracha mayo, lettuce, applewood smoked bacon and deep-fried Gouda cheese bites.
Those not in the mood for burgers can opt for any one of Chandler's 14 sandwiches, wraps or a Cuban, as well as fish-n-chips, tenders, fried shrimp and eight different salad varieties.
The $5 All-American Burger (Cincinnati Burger Week) Our $5 All American burgers arrived promptly, the toasted top bun removed to showcase the meaty wonders within and two slices of molten cheese and bacon. A heaping pile of piping-hot fries added to the wondrous spectacle. It was a lot of food, and so out of guilt we also ordered a couple rounds of iced tea.
Our burgers were cooked through, juicy and well seasoned, with slight salty garlic notes. The fries were also dusted with a spiced seasoning that lent them an addictive ketchup-dunking profile.
Chandler's hits all the right notes you'd expect from a specialty burger joint. It's simple food, elevated.
6135 Cleves Warsaw Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45233513-941-0823
Rating: 3.0 out of 4
= Outstanding
= Fair
= Poor
The best TACO joint in the city. I go there as a treat to myself every Monday. TEX MEX TACOS are delicious culinary treats that look beautiful and taste great. I'm so impressed with this place that I never explore the other items on the menu. If you don't get your taco fix here, you're losing in life.
posted: Tue., Apr 27th, 2021 @ 2:37 PM
My Wife and myself dined at Ferrari’s on Saturday and the Food and service was great/ I had the Butternut Squash Ravioli with misc nuts and sauce and it was the best meal I’ve had there/ My wife had the Fish and Vegetables and was very happy/ I also got a couple of their pizza and olive loaves of bread/ The bread is always a hit at work.
posted: Mon., Nov 23rd, 2020 @ 1:14 PM
@Rick: Thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to remember to give them a try.
posted: Sat., Nov 21st, 2020 @ 9:06 AM
Try Joe's Pizza located at Airway and Smithville Rd. You might like it...That's one of favorite haunts. I definitely think it beats Cassano's.
posted: Fri., Nov 6th, 2020 @ 4:19 PM
Hands down the best Indian in the area. I have yet to find their yellow Punjabi dish anywhere. It is my favorite, and what keeps me coming back time after time. I think I have been here over 100 times. I love this place.
posted: Thu., May 28th, 2020 @ 12:03 PM
I found a gyro I keep thinking about
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tazikis-mediterranean-cafe-cincinnati
their lamb gyro is about 2-3 bucks higher in cost than a gyro elsewhere - B U T - it is made with whole pieces of lamb meat, not the lamb and beef loaf that all other Gyro joints in Cincinnati seem to do
it is a chain. A minus for me, and I suspect for you as well.
But its good.
really, really good
one caveat: skip the baklava as it is not made in-house
posted: Mon., Dec 9th, 2019 @ 12:43 PM
I'll take your word for it, then.....it is fairly close to work so it'll be an upcoming lunch
I also need to try out this little taco wagon near Quatmans in Norwood
posted: Mon., Sep 9th, 2019 @ 6:21 PM
Hi @TJ - We were pretty impressed with the quality of the items, which I think justifies some of the pricing. I really liked the house-made tortillas and their salsas. Chilero offered some extra little touches that were a pleasant surprise. :)
Just by way of comparison...that same week we'd tried the new Mazunte location downtown...and our experience at Chilero beat them out.
posted: Thu., Aug 29th, 2019 @ 10:18 PM
Great food and fantastic atmosphere
posted: Wed., Aug 28th, 2019 @ 8:29 PM
Seems very pricey for a mostly carryout/counter-service joint
posted: Wed., Aug 28th, 2019 @ 5:51 PM