I came by when my friend and sister were in town and dead set on trying some Italian Beef. You walk in and you can just see and smell how awesomely unhealthy your meal is going to be. I got the spicy while they got the original and we were soon in messy meat heaven. I definitely recommend the grease-soaked fries, the make the meal and the experience. While I won't be coming to Al's too often since it is quite an unhealthy indulgence, it really did live up to the hype so I will be back again soon.
Review Source:Italian beef... something that is not available at all on the west cost! I actually saw italian beef al's beef on man vs food... I think and I had to try it. My friend and I were vacationing in chicago and we had to stop off and try it! I got the big al with sweet and hot peppers and it was the best sandwich I had ever had! The way it was soaked in the juices gave it the perfect touch! I would definitely come back! YUM
Review Source:No trip to Chicago would be complete without a trip to Al's Beef, the italian beef is amazing. The bread can be dipped in the juice which just adds to the flavor. I also wouldnt be doing to a favor if I didnt suggest trying some of the unique fry combos, if you are with a group everyone should get their own and sample each others. Highly recommend visiting Al's.
Review Source:Was told that in addition to Chicago style hot dogs I had to try Italian beef while in Chicago. Loved it. The beef was tender, dipped the whole sandwich in au jus and devoured it. The bleu cheese fries were very tasty and super messy and a tip--do NOT order a large for yourself! They came in a huge styrofoam container. Another plus was Al's 10% student discount.
Review Source:This was my first and last visit to Al's Beef. I stopped in at around 1:30pm, so I missed the lunch rush. As I entered, I found the layout to be awkward. I had to pass through the area where people were getting their condiments and picking up orders and after I ordered, I had to cross back through the line to the pickup area. The food itself was meh. The staff weren't particularly friendly. I noticed that one of my toppings had been left off the sandwich (you pay extra for toppings) and when I took my sandwich back up to give them the required proof that there weren't peppers on my sandwich, I got a nasty look and my sandwich was tossed rather aggressively into the trash. Geesh, you could've just given me some peppers! I kind of wish they would have been on the side because they weren't that good and my new sandwich went to waste.
Review Source:While discussing with my friend all the places I wanted to try in Chicago, he said what about that Italian sandwich place that dips the bread in the meat juice. Â So I looked up Als and there was one around the corner from my hotel. I went in the morning and got a 8" dipped with provolone and hot peppers.
When they handed me the bag I thought to myself this doesn't see this heavy. As I unwrapped the 4 sheets that were holding this sandwich I thought now that's a lot of beef. The sandwich was amazing.
So heed my advice eaters of the world buy this sandwich because why not it is amazing
After spending a good amount of my day at the Art Institute, we took the short trek over for some sandwiches before hitting the airport. Got a combo with sausage, a dog, Â and had them pack them up for the flight. Ingenious that they have containers for the gravy just small enough for the TSA to not think you're trying to blow shit up. The guy making our food had a good laugh with us about how we were sneaking all that shit on the plane. Gotta bring back a souvenir right?
Review Source:Ridiculously good! Truly worth all the hype and praise. On a recent trip to Chicago, we ate at Al's two days in a row! With all the amazing food options in Chicago, you know something that makes me try it twice is definitely worth the 5 star review. The meat, the hot & sweet peppers and the dip is so perfect that it should probably just be called the holy trinity. No joke. Its the perfect combination. Its so messy good, I am drooling while writing this review. Finger licking good. First stop next time I come to Chicago will definitely be Al's. Seriously, Al's did not disappoint.
Review Source:So in Philly it would be sacrilege to visit witout having a cheesesteak. The same could be said about Chicago and not eating and Italian beef sandwich. Like any good tourist we followed suit paid Al's a visit.
We ordered 2 sandwiches one with sweet pepper and one with hot peppers; both it them dipped of course.
Wow! Why has no one else ever thought of dunking an entire sandwich in Au jus before? I'm sure that I would get some dirty looks from Quiznos or Arby's is I asked them to do it.
Anyhow, both sandwiches were so juicy (wonder why) that there was no real need for mustard or any other condiments. They were so nom nom that we didn't even break for fries. However the fries were nom nom in their own right!
You may ask why if it's so nom mom why on 4 stars?!?
The staff was mediocre at best. I dont expect a 4 diamond wait staff at a fast food joint but a simple hi and thank you go a long way. Another issue was we could not find a clean table or counter to eat at. once again I don't expect the world just a clean tabletop to put my meal on. And for that -1*
Those things a side, I still recommend coming here if you are visiting the windy city. This location is pretty close to south Michigan any many other sights in the city.
After seeing this place on every other food TV show, it had been on my list of spots to hit in Chicago for a while. Glad I did... it did not disappoint.
Me and the lady split a large Italian Beef sandwich... for $8, it is one large sandwich. They are not shy with the meat here. The beef was tender and just a little fatty, and the flavor was spot on.
Wish they had one in NYC... awesome place, and for once, a place that lived up to the hype.
this place is known for its beef, but i made the mistake of getting the Chicago Dog...
dog was tiny, only 2 spot peppers - and the onions and relish were the minced up kind you would get out of a tube...
The ONLY saving grace was they included fries so I was able to get a meal for $5, but I would STAY AWAY from the chicago dog, a real disappointment.
Their pictures looked nothing like the real thing.
Had to try the italian beef while on a trip in chicago. Stopped into Al's with my friend and we ordered one italian beef and one italian sausage both spicy, with all the toppings, and dipped.
First, its messy. Very messy. Getting it dipped means you need to eat it right there and then do to a hospital to clear your arteries. I think the dip is into a vat of delicious fatty jus from cooking the beef. Whatever it is, its tasty. All the toppings made for a tasty and messy sandwich. I liked the beef over the sausage but both were good. Portion size is huge and they are stuffed with meat.
Service was quick and there was plenty of room inside to eat. Everything was kept clean which is surprising considering how messy the food was. This is definitely a sometimes food and It aint healthy but it is delicious and filling.
I knew a long long time ago that Italian Beef was my favorite food, but it took me 31 years to decide that Al's Beef makes my favorite. I'm not going to say its the best because whatever that's up to you, but for me a dipped beef with hot peppers from Al's is the top 5 meals of my life.
Its not hard to make Italian Beef, but in Chicago it's almost impossible to make one seem special. I don't know what this seasoning is on the beef, cinnamon, nutmeg, or blackened spice but it really does make the sandwich. Cut that with some hot giardiniera and you have definitely elevated the Italian Beef sandwich.
I could care less bout the fries. They are fresh cut but always undercooked. I guess they are fine if you drown them in one of the sauces they offer (buffalo cheese fries, cheese fries, etc) but they are unnecessary when you order a beef. As far as the place goes, its kind of a dump but you get to stand at a counter and eat your sandwich so it doesn't get all over you. For someone who has to go back to the office after I finish my sandwich I appreciate the high counters.
So there you go, I love Al's Beef. Deal with it, America!
Was in town with a friend for Lollapalooza weekend and this place was just a couple blocks from the hotel... and the Italian Beef sandwiches are so good we came here twice over the weekend. During my first visit I got the classic beef sandwich topped with Homemade "Hot" Giardiniera (spicy relish) and dipped in the delicious au jus. The first bite sent this sandwich soaring into the Top 5 best sandwiches I've ever had. I got an order of the fresh cut fries to accompany the sandwich. They were seasoned well, but weren't the best. They were a bit mushy and lacked the crispiness that you normally expect from fries.
On my second visit I stepped it up a notch and ordered the Italian Beef & Sausage Combo sandwich. Just when I thought the sandwiches couldn't get any better, it absolutely does in this case. A perfect marriage of Italian Sausage and Beef in a sandwich, dipped in the au jus (of course) and topped with Hot Giardiniera. Delicious doesn't even begin to describe this awesome sandwich.
Aside from the beef sandwiches, their menu has everything -- chicken sandwiches, burgers, and even tamales. I didn't get a chance to try any of those so I'm unable to comment. Overall, the beef sammies alone are reason enough to come here and the service is friendly... I'd pass on the fries though because they weren't anything special.
I had my doubts walking into this place. Seemed like a lot of hype for a simple cheesesteak place. Damn, it was good though. I got the Italian beef, wet with provolone and hot peppers . . . two days in a row! I'm a big fan of cheesesteaks, but I find a lot of places suck. Al's was great: delicious beef, great spicy peppers, just the right amount of provolone (although some people may want more), dipped in au jus. The fries were very good too . . . but I didn't get them the second visit.
Just thought I'd weigh in on the price: I'm a big guy and I usually order large. I was on a budget, though, so I got the small. It was plenty. $4.50. Filling without dragging me down the rest of the afternoon.
Went here with high expectations after seeing the Taylor St. location always on TV shows for italian beef. Â However, I was a bit disappointed by the food.
Beef was flavorful, but very dry despite being dipped. Â It doesn't stand up to other places like Johnnie's Beef or even Portillo's in this case. Â I might have caught them on an off day or this location might not be as good as the one on Taylor St., but I don't think I'll be coming back. Â It wasn't really worth the high price in my opinion.
On the bright side, the fries were delicious. Â Hand cut and crispy, they were pretty much the highlight of the meal.
I wanted to try Chicago's best Italian beef sandwiches. I heard a lot about Al's and saw them featured on some food shows as well, so I decided to give them a try. The place is pretty much a fast food-like joint with high counters to stand and eat. This location had seating upstairs.
I ordered a regular Italian beef with hot and sweet peppers fully dipped and an order of cheesy fries. The fries were drenched in cheese...maybe a bit too much for my taste. Onto the sandwich. I opened up the wrapper and the sandwich and meat were still steaming hot. The entire sandwich was dipped in sauce, that's for sure. It made for a messy meal. The meat was tender and the peppers gave the right amount of sweet and spicy. I could probably have done with the smaller size, and, like I said earlier, it was a huge mess to eat. I liked it, but it's not something I could regularly eat as I'm sure it doesn't help anyone's waistlines.
This gets five stars for the food. Â
The two star rating is for the fact that I ordered online a; Regular beef with cheddar cheese and a LARGE fry. Â I arrived at the location and paid for my Large fry and sandwich. Â My food was ready so I grabbed the bag and headed back to my office. Â Only to find out I was charged for the correct food and given instead a small fry. Â Not a big deal but with the price difference and then getting a different product from what I ordered and paid for left a bad taste in my mouth.
All in all still quality food but make sure you actually get what you order. Â I wouldn't have mentioned this but it is the third time it's happened at the same location.
Got the regular Al's italian beef here with their spicy giardiniera, which was tasty and packed with meat. A couple of gripes though: 1) The price they charged was higher than what was written on the menu. Sure, it's only 50 cents but c'mon, it's not that hard to put the right price on the wall! 2) The cashier didn't really listen to my answers after she'd asked me a question. Yeah, sure the dipped sandwich was good but I'm actually not the biggest fan of soggy bread. In this case it worked but still.
Service was fast and in the end, I'd eat an italian beef again but probably not at Al's Beef.
I've heard a lot about Al's, so my expectations were pretty high. But after my first visit I wasn't impressed. Â
I had a 4" beef, sweet peppers, dipped with fries and drink. The beef was OK, almost blend though for a beef sandwich. Â I didn't see any spice flakes on the beef at all. Â The fries were the stars of this of this meal that night. Â
To counter, my friend (Chicago native) really enjoyed his sandwich. But we both agreed that there's better Italian Beefs out there. I must say, I've had better beef at several other places in the Loop that I like a lot better.
Don't believe the hype. Â The locations for this place were always too far away to go, but this one is very close to where I work so I finally got to try it. Â They have these metal rails to weave through to get to the counter, and only then can you see the menu on the wall. Â I got there about 12:15 and it wasn't crowded at all. Â The combo meals are almost nonexistent. Â How can you have an Italian beef place that doesn't offer a meal deal for its beef? Â I ordered a combo Italian beef and sausage, plus a small fry, and was hit for ten bucks. Â "This better be as good as I've heard", I thought.
The sausage was overly charred to the point that it was the main flavor of the sandwich. Â The sausage itself didn't seem to have much seasoning or flavor of its own. Â With about a third of the sandwich left, I slid the sausage out (stop giggling!). Â The beef was very juicy and tender, but likewise didn't have a lot of flavor. Â The sweet peppers I asked for were plentiful and good, and I'm impressed that the roll didn't fall apart despite heavy contents and a good portion of juice. Â If I knew who supplies the rolls I'd definitely seek them out. Â The fries are steak fry style, but for some reason they're very short, with a lot of those sharp overly singed ones, so I ended up throwing about half of them away.
There is a product in the frozen section of grocery stores called Papa Charlie's Italian Beef. Â It comes in a tub and all you have to do is thaw it in the fridge, then heat and eat. Â It is ten times better than Al's and costs much less. Â There's a lot of seasoning, the juice is perfect, and it's as convenient as it gets. Â For a few dollars more than this lunch cost you can get a five pound tub at Costco.
When the best thing I can say is the roll didn't fall apart, that's pretty sad. Â This place has some of the best marketing I've ever seen. Â I finished eating about 30 minutes ago, and I'm about to reach for a mint to make that charred taste go away. Â The south loop continues to suffer a lack of quality lunch destinations.
I have heard so much hype about Al's Beef and decided to try it. I did not care for Al's Beef; I did not like the hot peppers, the beef was too thin and not overflowing with meat, and I did not like the french fries. I think Portillos is still the best beef sandwich that I have tried so far
Review Source:The Legend of Al's Beef house, I had heard great things and decided I had to stop in and taste for my self.
The restaurant was clean and service was lightning fast for that they get five stars
I ordered a 4 inch Italian beef with peppers dipped in broth. The peppers where just right and the sandwich had great consistency however I really felt it lacked in flavor. I almost never order Italian Beef because of how good my home made beef is mine is zesty bold and spicy. They just had spice and it was due to the peppers.
The food gets a 2 so over all I rounded it out to a 3 forma restaurant Italian beef though it was pretty good as compared to others just not my thing.
It's greasy and you'll probably feel a little dirty after!
I got the Regular Al 6" Italian Beef with provolone cheese and a mix of sweet and hot peppers. They asked if I wanted dipped in gravy, but I opted for it on the side so I could do my own dipping. I probably should have stopped there, but the cheesy fries were calling to me to.
After stripping the first layer of wrapping the second layer had absorbed much of the grease. It was going to be a hands dirty kind of meal definitely. I thoroughly enjoyed whatever marinade or sauce they dipped the beef in. It had a kick to it. I'm not sure how the sandwich would have been if I completed dipped it into the gravy, but doing my own dipping seemed adequate and I liked the watery gravy. The mixture of sweet and hot peppers was spot on. Overall I would have to say I quite liked it in a heart attack kind of way.
The cheesy fries were alright. The fries got really soggy and the cheese was the cheap nacho or cheese whiz kind, which is fine.
All in all my experience was good, but there leaves something to be desired still. It just felt kind of too quick and easy and I wanted more substance. It's hard to explain or put into words because normally I like these dirty greasy type of meals. Maybe I'm getting too old and all those years of bucket fried chicken has finally caught up with me. I would hit it up for a quick meal or lunch.
Having not yet satisfied my desire for a tasty Chicago hot dog, I went over to Al's Beef on my lunch break. Â They have what seemed to be convenient internet ordering but I still had to wait for my food just like the guy who ordered at the register. Â
The dog was served on a steamed poppyseed bun and came with lightly salted fries. Â It had really good flavor but the casing was horribly tough, to the point where I had to squeeze the bun to get a grip; this made all of the condiments ooze out. Â It comes with the usual ones - relish, onions, mustard and sport peppers. Â Tasty enough. Â The fries were clearly fresh and had good flavor, but were kind of soggy by the time I got the food back to my office.
So, I'm stll lookin!
So, this was my first experience with Italian beef..... and it may be my last. The sandwich was good, but there definitely wasn't anything life changing going on. Maybe I just went to the wrong place. I would definitely be willing to hear someone out if they were telling me I NEEDED to have another Italian Beef. But overall though, I definitely prefer a Philly Cheese-steak(although, to be fair, I have never been to Philly).
The beef kinda tasted weird. I did like the fact that the sandwich was dipped, so it was nice and juicy. Like a French dip, without all the work. Well, besides the work of using 87 napkins to clean up afterward. I was wearing a white shirt, luckily I didn't spill anything.
Overall, the food was fine, it tasted good enough, but it didn't make me want to eat an Italian beef on a regular basis.
Wow, I was extremely excited to get an Italian Beef last week. I don't normally do italian beefs for lunch, so I figured, what's better than Al's?
I was happy there was no line, and I ordered a little Al's Beef (4Inch), a large fry, and a fountain drink. Everything was going well, until they told me how much I owed. The entire order came out to $11.51. This is outrageous for what it was.
I am not a cheapo when it comes to food. I am happy to pay for a nice meal, but this meal should cost no more than $7.
I give them 2 stars- 1 for the food itself. The sandwich was good... fries were a little soggy, but no biggie. 1 star goes to the staff- all very friendly.
I probably will not be going back to Al's anytime soon, though, based on the price alone... it's too bad because I work right around the corner.
Sorry Al's, but I'll go to one of your many competitors and get the same meal for half the price.
I'll agree that this place is a little overpriced, but you're going to get that in the loop where they're targeting tourists and business lunches. Â
That being said, I thought the food was great. Â I got the Italian beef (the large one), dipped, with extra beef and hot peppers. Â I like the very thinly sliced meat actually better than the thicker beef at most places (e.g. Lukes). Â Â
I'm a firm believer that you have to get your beef dipped - this is what makes it really stand out from just a regular beef sandwich. Â I want the bread to slip through my fingers when I try to pick it up so I'm left with a handful of Italian beef, beef juices, and giardiniera oil. Â Something about the way the peppers and oil mix together on these sandwiches is pure magic. Â
There are a lot more Italian beef places I need to try in Chicago, but I would come back here in a heartbeat.
Being from out of town and looking for iconic Chicago foods, we happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by this apparently newer location. Â The line was a little bit slow, but we got our beef in a reasonable amount of time.
It was okay - a little more greasy than I would have liked, and plenty saucy. Â They had forks, which was a lucky thing. Â We thought the Italian Beef at Portillo's had much better flavor and less grease.
On my way to the BluesFest, I decided to stop at Al's because it was right there and I didn't have to to stand in some line and get tickets first, then stand in another line to get food. Plus, it stand to reason that I could save a few bucks. So I got me a dipped "little beef" which is just the right size for me, stuffed it in my bag and off I went.
I was surprised and delighted to find that it was still hot when I got to the fest. I unwrapped it while listening to a nice blues set, enjoying the beautiful day, with a wonderful Italian beef sandwich and some fries. Over $7 seems like a lot for that, but I guess these days it's a bargain!
I've been to a few Al's locations and I don't notice much of a difference between 'em. They're all great!
I am a huge fan of Al's Beef and when this location opened, I thought this would be the worst thing that could have ever happened to my waistline. Thankfully, this location has enough problems to keep my stomach at bay.
Dear Al's,
1. I'm not eating standing up like some horse at a trough. I know what you are going for, but I'm still not doing it.
2. Your second floor set up is poorly thought out. I have to open two doors to get to the seating area with my left hand holding a beef and my right hand holding a drink. That's stupid.
3. No condiments OR napkins in the second floor seating area? Really? Have you ever eaten an Italian beef? C'mon.
4. Speaking of which, why can't someone throw a napkin in the bag? If Subway can do it, you can do it.
5. Service can be frustratingly slow. When grabbing lunch with a co-worker, it always seems that despite ordering the same sandwiches, one comes 1-2 minutes faster than the other inexplicably.
6. Why do you have Xsport Fitness Center flyers displayed prominently on your counters? Are you trying to piss me off?
There are so few cheap lunch options in the South Loop, that I watched with great anticipation the former Burger King at Jackson and Wabash turned into an Al's Beef.
Well, it turns out it's not all that cheap, but if you like the classic 'wet' Italian Beef, Chicago style, then this is the place. It's about $10 for a regular Al's, fries and a drink. Potbelly across the street is certainly cheaper, but rather bland and yuppie to my taste. Al's Beef understands how to do french fries - they are outstanding.
The menu here is limited, and even so, I've stuck to my favorites - the Beef, wet, and the Italian sausage, also wet, both with sweet peppers.
For me, going here is s splurge, so I only get what I really like.
Here's a tip - the hours are supposed to be from 11 AM till - well, till sometime, but they open earlier most days, often at 10:30. If the neon sign is on, then you either go in or resist temptation.
I love italian beef. Â One of my favorite foods ever. Â And I generally like Al's, but not this location. Â First off, $10 for a regular beef, small fries, and a small drink? Â No, thanks. Â The downstairs dining area sucks, there being no seating (yes, there is seating upstairs). Â The beef-to-bread ratio is off. Â
Max's on Adams is a much better choice if you want some italian beef in the loop.
Hmmm, stick with the classics & you're solid. Plus $3 for a hot dog & fries is a good deal.
But sweet mercy, don't get the chili. I repeat DO NOT get the chili. I love chili, and I'm not that particular about it, but the sight of Al's chili brought back memories of reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (for those not into classic lit, it's about the horrors of the meatpacking industry in the early 1900's). And because I only got the chili for lunch (to go), I averted my eyes and tried it. Right back to The Jungle. Stick to the beef/dogs, skip the chili, and you'll have a fine time.
I have no idea what the obsession is with Italian beef, but I was kinda disappointed. The spicy g was great, the quality of the beef is good, but the amount of grease that was rolling down my elbows made me feel nauseous. Thank goodness I ordered the little Al! The sandwich arrived a little on the soggy side despite ordering it dry, but it was just too greasy for my liking.
The chili had bold flavor but was also grease laden. I'll probably save my final decision once I taste a Mr. Beef, but for now Portillo's reigns supreme in my book.
Ahhhh...Al's Beef...my favorite Italian Beef joint in Chicago. Â A location right by work...what else can I ask for! Â As for the food, their Italian Beef was tasty as usually, flavored with spices, topped with Hot and Sweet Peppers. Â And don't forget the fries, which were good as always.
Overall, good Italian Beef if not the best, OK service (wasn't slow), little higher up to par downtown prices.
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