Kuma’s Corner is a heavy metal-themed burger bar at 2900 W Belmont Avenue in Chicago’s Avondale neighbourhood. The original Kuma’s opened in 2005, founded by Mike Cain as a small corner bar serving American bistro food. After a difficult first couple of years, the focus gradually shifted towards burgers, which had become the strongest part of the menu. By the end of the decade, the combination of oversized burgers, craft beer and loud heavy metal had turned Kuma’s into one of Chicago’s best-known rock-oriented restaurants.

Heavy metal is built directly into the menu, with many of the burgers named after bands. The selection has included Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Mastodon, W.A.S.P., Brujeria, Goatsnake, Clutch and Slayer. The Slayer is one of the more excessive creations, served over fries with chilli, andouille sausage, caramelised onions, peppers and cheese, while the Iron Maiden combines avocado, cherry peppers, pepper jack and chipotle mayo. The menu changes over time, and special burgers have frequently been created in honour of touring bands, festivals and other parts of the metal scene.

The original Avondale restaurant is smaller and rougher around the edges than the later Kuma’s locations. Heavy metal plays throughout the room, while album listening parties and other music-related events have been held there over the years. Kuma’s has also actively promoted Chicago bands, with Russian Circles, Jungle Rot, Harm’s Way, The Atlas Moth and Bloodiest among the local acts highlighted by the restaurant.

Craft beer has been part of the concept from the beginning, with a strong emphasis on independent and local breweries. Together with the band-themed menu and heavy soundtrack, it forms one of the central parts of the original Kuma’s identity.

One of the restaurant’s most notorious creations appeared in 2013 with the Ghost burger, named after the Swedish band. It was topped with a red-wine reduction and an unconsecrated communion wafer, matching the religious imagery associated with Ghost. The burger attracted national attention and complaints from Catholic organisations, while Kuma’s maintained that it was intended as a tribute to the band and its visual style.

The success of the Avondale restaurant eventually led to several additional Kuma’s locations, although a number of them have since closed. As of 2026, the original Chicago restaurant remains open alongside branches in Schaumburg and Indianapolis. The Belmont Avenue location remains the original Kuma’s and the place where the combination of metal, burgers and craft beer first developed.

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ADDRESS:
2900 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, USA

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