Made infamous by the movie, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, I was unsure of what to expect when entering the White Castle food chain in Chicago, Illinois. Although the movie glorifies White Castle as a haven for burger lovers and late-night food junkies, I figured the script had probably hyped up the quality and allure of the food. However, I certainly couldn’t pass by my first spotting of a White Castle without at least trying it!

Looking over the menu is slightly daunting; rather than having meal deals with a cheeseburger, fries, and drink, the smallest White Castle meal you can order includes four miniature “Slyders”. These little guys are about one-third the size of a regular burger, and are offered as a hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger. The meal sizes go up to over 20 burgers in one order – which is would actually only equal about four or five regular-sized ones! White Castle also offers sandwiches in other flavor varieties, such as Jalapeno Cheeseburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Chicken and Fish. All of these are also baby-sized, adorable, and can be eaten in literally three bites (depending how hungry you are J). Side items include the basic French fries, onion rings, cheese sticks and chicken rings.

The service was exceptional – I have a feeling these guys are used to tourists coming in, getting really excited for the tiny burgers, and asking lots of questions related to the movie Harold and Kumar. They were easy-going and played along with our teasing, matching our excitement level and keeping us entertained despite the fact this is a fast food restaurant which obviously doesn’t include table service.

Once our food was ready, I opened up one of my miniature burgers and took a miniature bite. DELICIOUS! Onions are cooked right into the patty, exuding an irresistible, tantalizing, and unique taste. I gobbled up the four burgers without hesitation and still had plenty of rooms for some warm, crispy onion rings. Considering White Castle is a fast food joint, the burgers were scrumptious and very satisfying!

Fun fact: Right across the street from the Chicago location is a recreation of the very first McDonalds, which is now a museum open to the public. You don’t have to pay to enter, and they have it set up as it presumably was back in the fifties. The menus advertise burgers for five cents, and you can even go into the back rooms where they have the original machinery. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area! (an actual McDonalds, open for business, is less than a block away)