The Hampton Social

River North's Smashburger Entry
A focused look at the featured smash.

The Hampton Social opened its original River North location at 353 W Hubbard Street on July 28, 2015, founded by Brad Parker (Parker Hospitality) to bring the coastal, summery feel of the Hamptons to Chicago. The 7,000-square-foot flagship became a signature River North social destination known for its nautical décor, rosé cocktail program, and weekend brunch scene. The HS Double Wagyu Smashburger is the premium bar food centerpiece - wagyu beef in smash format at a venue better known for lobster rolls and seafood towers.

The HS Double Wagyu Smashburger uses wagyu beef where most Chicago smash burgers use a standard chuck or short rib blend - two smashed patties with cheddar, pickles, and mustard aioli on a bun, served with house chips instead of fries. At $25, it's the most premium price point in the Chicago smash market, and the wagyu blend delivers a noticeably richer fat content than commodity beef. The tradeoff: this is a coastal cuisine restaurant first, and the smash burger competes for the kitchen's attention with the lobster roll and raw bar.