The 11 best nachos in Chicago

I can’t resist nachos. Land a platter anywhere near me, and I won’t politely ask for a sample, I’ll just dig in. I crave the crunch of tortilla chips, the creaminess of gooey cheese and the singeing heat and assertive acidity of pickled jalapenos. For expressing this belief, I’ve been subjected to ridicule and social media protests.

“How many other friends are joining you?” asked the chipper server after I placed my order at Federales. “Just me,” I said. As my words landed, her smirk straightened, and she shot me a look combining astonishment and revulsion. That’s when she realized I had ordered the towering platter of nachos, complete with an actual gravy boat full of queso on the side, for myself.

She was not the only server who thought me insane. “Here’s 2,000 calories just for you,” laughed the server at Benny’s Chop House, as he landed a platter of nachos topped with fat nuggets of bacon in front of me. He wasn’t wrong.

But no one could stop me from looking for the best nachos in Chicago. I knew that there had to be chefs who cared about this dish as much as I did. Finding them turned out to be a lot harder than I imagined.

I figured many people would have strong opinions on what makes a good platter of nachos, but some questioned whether truly great nachos even exist. Someone even created a Twitter hashtag campaign (#SaveNickK) to persuade me to jettison the feature. Thanks for the concern.

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But as I quickly found, a lot of people aren’t ashamed of nachos. Last January, sisters Megan and Kelly Podkova launched NachoAvgChiGirls on Instagram, where the two post pictures of their latest cheesy finds. Now they have a devoted following and restaurants regularly invite the two to try their version. “It started as a joke, and now it’s a reason to eat nachos every night,” says Megan Podkova. They often bring along friends to join in. “Everyone can share in the enjoyment,” she says. “We rarely come across people who don’t like nachos.”

Perhaps the haters were once scarred by a bad version? There are a lot of offenders out there, but if you’re looking for a prime example, try the duck nachos at Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center). Notice the assortment of mostly broken chips and the variable cheese coverage. Instead of thinly sliced pickled jalapenos, spot the few fat chunks of fresh ones, which means that you’ll either have no heat or way too much. Have I mentioned the flavorless ground duck? What about the inexcusable addition of pesto? Oh, and you’ll pay an absurd $20 for the experience.

Fortunately, that’s the bottom of the nacho abyss, at least in Chicago. Most nachos exist in the middle ground — satisfying and cheesy, especially with a cold beverage in hand. But occasionally, if a chef cares deeply enough, nachos can achieve a wild, irresistible state, where crunch, spice and creaminess collide to create my favorite snack food.

You do need to know where to look. Usually, when I’m researching a dish that was invented in Mexico, I spend my time eating the dish in neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village, where lots of Mexican immigrants live. But although nachos originated in Mexico — Piedras Negras to be exact — the versions I encountered in those neighborhoods seemed unloved, like the owners were kind of embarrassed to even have it on the menu.

Turns out nachos were embraced more passionately on this side of the border, and the dish seems most at home at irreverent establishments where the booze flows freely.

Few people are as passionate about nachos as Bryant Anderson, the chef at Broken Barrel Bar in Lakeview. “Nachos still have a stigma, kind of like chicken wings used to,” says Anderson over the phone. “It used to be that you’d only find chicken wings at chain restaurants, and they were frozen chicken wings. Now you get these expensive restaurants downtown serving elevated versions.”

At Broken Barrel Bar, all the chips are made using tortillas from El Milagro that are specifically formulated for frying (they are thinner and drier than standard tortillas, so they fry quickly in oil). Instead of shredded cheese, he creates a smoked jalapeno-cheddar sauce. He also believes, like me, in the importance of pickled components. “Pickled red onion adds sweetness and pickled jalapenos add heat,” says Anderson. “When I take a perfect nacho bite, it has to hit all the flavor receptors.”

In the end, I tried about 40 versions, which was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Unlike burgers or fried chicken sandwiches, it’s really hard to stop eating nachos, especially when most come in such enormous portions. To be sure, the best nachos in town are not bashful. They go for maximum impact. But they must also know the difference between being generous and so excessive the toppings overload the chips. Here are my favorites, in alphabetical order.

Roasted sprouted nachos at Broken Barrel Bar — $13

Brussels sprouts on nachos? I’m happy to report it works, at least at Broken Barrel Bar. Chef Bryant Anderson cares about these nachos, and it shows. All the components are spread evenly across the thin, freshly fried chips. The smoked jalapeno-cheddar sauce is creamy, spicy and slightly smoky, and it’s cut by the addition of sweet pickled onions and spicy pickled jalapenos. Fresh radishes add a bitter crunch, while sliced scallions lend an assertive onion bite. Know that you can also get any smoked meat on top for $5. 2548 N. Southport Ave., 773-327-4900, brokenbarrelbar.com

BBQ brisket nachos at Bub City — $15.95

Barbecue nachos are a very popular genre, but most fail to cut the sweetness of the barbecue sauce with anything spicy. Fortunately, Bub City makes sure there is a healthy number of pickled jalapenos scattered about, adding heat and acidity. Spice also comes from the creamy cheese sauce dubbed atomic cheese. And you can’t have barbecue nachos without some smoked meat, and here you’ll get a generous portion of extra tender brisket. 435 N. Clark St., 312-610-4200, bub-city.com/chicago

Coach’s pot roast nachos at Ditka’s — $14.95

Nothing about Mike Ditka’s personality or coaching style would scream nacho expert. So imagine my surprise when this classic Gold Coast steakhouse dished out a hulking plate that was also well proportioned and dynamically flavored. The chips get a generous covering of cheddar and Monterey Jack, along with some much needed pickled jalapenos. But the highlight is without question the huge portion of pot roast heaped on top. Deeply meaty and impressively juicy, each bite begs you to dig in for more. 100 E. Chestnut St., 312-587-8989, ditkasrestaurants.com/location-ditkas-chicago

Nachos at Half Acre Lincoln Tap Room — $11 (half order)

It’s all about the “science cheese,” as Half Acre calls it. While the cheese sauce here looks like Velveeta (which melts well but lacks interest), it’s actually a recipe from “Modernist Cuisine at Home.” To create it, Half Acre adds sodium citrate to grated cheese and a liquid. This makes a sauce that is silky smooth yet also bursting with flavor. Of course, freshly fried chips help, as does the addition of three pickled items (jalapenos, carrots and red onions). Plus, you get to pair this with some of the best beer in Chicago. 4257 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-248-4038, halfacrebeer.com/lincoln-tap-room

Fried chicken nachos at Honey Butter Fried Chicken — $10

Every Thursday, Honey Butter Fried Chicken offers a nacho special that’s not to be missed. The shop makes sure to use freshly fried chips (made from El Milagro tortillas) and then adds a hearty portion of chopped fried chicken. But it all comes together thanks to the pimento cheese sauce, which is extra salty and surprisingly smoky. Also important are the candied jalapenos and the corn pico de gallo, which add a pop of heat and sweetness to every bite. 3361 N. Elston Ave., 773-478-4000, honeybutter.com

Machos nachos at Little Goat Diner — $17

No place understands the importance of structurally sound tortilla chips like Little Goat Diner. According to chef Stephanie Izard, the kitchen makes masa every morning from masa harina, water and salt. “Pressed fresh then straight into the fryer,” writes Izard over email. “It makes them super crunchy!” No joke. They hold their integrity for hours afterward. This allows the kitchen to add loads of toppings without worrying about the chips turning to mush. That includes goat chili, beans, avocado and sour cream. Instead of just melted cheese, the kitchen also adds creamy four-cheese sauce, so each chip has a double whammy of salty, nutty cheesiness. And along with some pickled jalapenos, you’ll find some pickled red onion slices. 820 W. Randolph St., 312-888-3455, littlegoatchicago.com

Truck stop nachos at Lonesome Rose — $10

Not sure which truck stop the restaurant is referring to, because I’ve never had nachos this good while filling up the tank. The chips here are thin and crackly, and they arrive doused with a spicy and creamy queso sauce. While I like the heavily spiced picadillo (made with ground beef), my favorite part, once again, is the abundance of pickled things. The kitchen adds pickled banana peppers, jalapenos and red onion, all but ensuring each bite has a bit of heat and acid. 2101 N. California Ave., 773-770-3414, lonesomerose.com

Nachos at The Moonlighter — $12

The Moonlighter understands the importance of restraint. While there are a lot of components here, each chip only gets a dab of each, so it doesn’t get weighed down and break. I also like the smear of black beans, which adds creaminess without the need for excessive cheese. This platter also proves that a ground beef mixture can work, if it’s heavily spiced and not too greasy. 3204 W. Armitage Ave., 773-360-8896, themoonlighterchicago.com

Holy grail nachos at Tuco and Blondie — $12

Every single chip at Tuco and Blondie is a complete experience. That’s because the kitchen precisely tops each and every chip with a generous portion of refried beans, cheese, jalapenos and seasoned ground beef. There’s no chance of finding a lonely bare chip among the pile. Some of the chips have too much, breaking in half before you can get them to your mouth, so choose wisely. 3358 N. Southport Ave., 773-327-8226, tucoandblondie.com

BBQ nachos at Twisted Spoke — $13

In general, I like my nachos spread out because it’s easier to make sure every chip is adequately topped. But the stacked nachos here are so carefully loaded, there’s nothing to worry about. Each chip is loaded with smoky pulled pork, melted gouda, and a creamy Sriracha aioli. The dish is capped by a huge handful of fried onion strings, which lend crunch and sweetness. 501 N. Ogden Ave., 312-666-1500, twistedspoke.com

Nacho plate at Upton’s Breakroom — $12

Vegan nachos aren’t as sacrilegious as they initially seem. After all, most processed cheese sauces don’t have a lot of flavor, so who cares whether it’s made with cashew, or whatever else, as long as the result is gooey. I tried a few vegan options, but the only ones I’d go out of my way to try again were these at Upton’s Breakroom. Instead of a heavy nut-based sauce, Upton’s fake cheese sauce is creamy but not burdensome. I don’t really care for the chorizo seitan, but otherwise this is a plate of nachos even a meat eater would happily destroy. 2054 W. Grand Ave., 312-666-7838, uptonsnaturals.com/breakroom