Whether you're an avid burger fan, or just want to try something new this weekend, Greencastle boasts a variety of burgers students must try. Surrounding the bookstore lays a variety of restaurants that provides dining options for students off campus.
Our staff decided to visit four of the many restaurants in the square to rate their top burgers in a battle to find out which one was best in terms of price, appearance and taste. We decided to visit Marvin's, Mama Nunz, The Fluttering Duck, and Charlie's Chill and Grill. Our scale ranges from 1-5, with one being not satisfied and five being best burger ever tasted.
MARVIN'S RESTAURANT
Although many could agree that Marvin's is the place to be as a DePauw student, we must put aside our bias for this review of the restaurant. When you walk into Marvin's, you are greeted by a relaxed fast food restaurant where you order your food at a counter and it is delivered to you at your seat. The Marvin's staple is the Garlic Cheeseburger (GCB), which is a burger served on garlic-seasoned bread.
It took around ten minutes to receive the food, which is longer than normal for a fast food restaurant. However, there were around ten other people seated and waiting for their food. If you've ever been to Marvin's, then you know it is all about the atmosphere. The walls are filled with pictures of past DePauw students at places around the world holding up signs that read, "Marvin's Delivers to..." The burger definitely looked delicious when it arrived, but it looked as though a little less care had been put into making it. The GCB was just as good as the last time I had eaten it, the garlic giving it a step above other burgers. However, they did use the dreaded shredded lettuce. If you're looking for a fast food type burger with a fun and laid back atmosphere, Marvin's is the place to go. It's also a plus that the restaurant delivers to you anywhere on campus.
MAMA NUNZ ITALIAN STEAK HOUSE
Walking up to the worn out, white building across from the S & W Feed Center, one would not expect Mama Nunz Italian restaurant to have one of the most delicious and fresh burgers in Greencastle. This family-owned restaurant located at 800 Main St. has been making a variety of food for Greencastle residents and DePauw students for 54 years. Their cheeseburger comes with lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup and mustard. It took a little less than ten minutes to get the food, which is very reasonable for a one-man operated restaurant (there were also three other tables for him to wait on). It looked delicious and was made with care, and, no doubt, your mouth will water. The freshness all blends together so nicely. The lettuce was actual whole, fresh lettuce, not the questionable shredded lettuce. Mama Nunz is not only clean, but also charming. They had several walls lined with DePauw paraphernalia, showing how much the owner, Nunzio, supports DePauw and the students. Nunzio is a very personable guy. He is friendly and eager to talk to his customers.
THE FLUTTERING DUCK
The Fluttering Duck opened in Greencastle in 1870 and has been a community favorite ever since. Though the restaurant has modernized a lot since then (they have a digital jukebox that blasts current tunes for your enjoyment), The Duck still has the original sign at their entrance, located inside the Inn at DePauw.
The menu at The Duck offers an array of soups, salads, pastas and entrees to fit any appetite. Recently, The Duck added diversity to their assortment of burgers to appeal to DePauw students. One burger is called "the 'bolder' boulder run" and claims to add some extra pep for your next boulder run. One of their more popular burgers is The Duck Classic which features a burger cooked to your taste and served on a warm bun with your choice of cheese and toppings. The Classic tastes like a burger that's been perfected for decades, with tips passed along through generations. The meat is juicy where it should be and has the crunch right where it needs to be.
The Duck is a little bit pricier than the other establishments in town, but the quality is worth the extra buck. All burgers cost around $10 and come with a choice of a side. The Duck is a great place to sit down with a group of friends after a long week to have a good time and enjoy the food.
The Duck is located inside The Inn at DePauw on 2 West Seminary St. and is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on the weekends from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
CHARLIE'S CHILL AND GRILL
Walk into Charlie's Chill and Grill and you'll quickly be greeted by the clean and efficient feel of fast food restaurants: the building is freshly painted from its March 2013 opening and a sleek drive-thru screen lines the building. The new establishment is run by a resident of Greencastle and employs developmentally disabled people with the intent of providing employment and work experience for as many people as possible.
The "grill" part of Charlie's menu has a variety of sandwiches, wraps, hamburgers, and hotdogs and even features a value menu. On the "chill" side, the restaurant offers ice creams, slushies, shakes and sundaes--perfect for a hot, late-summer's day. Their most popular burger is known as the Big Chuck, which is similar to a McDonald's Big Mac. The Big Chuck consists of two beef patties wedged between two buns with a flat bun in between. The Big Chuck comes with cheese and your pick of the usual: tomatoes, pickles, onions, etc. What sets this sandwich apart from the rest, though, is their secret "Chuck" sauce. The sauce has a hint of pepper and adds just the right amount of flavor to the burger.
Charlie's offers a lot of food at an affordable price. The Big Chuck is $3.49, around the same price as its Big Mac counterpart. If you're looking for a quick meal on a budget, Charlie's Chill and Grill is definitely the place to go.
Charlie's is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays until 11 p.m. and is located on 424 S. Bloomington St.