I came here for lunch, as I had a craving for an italian beef, after reading my fellow yelper's reviews. While I admit that the italian beef was seasoned well, it was just meh for me. And, to me, wasn't worth the $8 price tag that came along with it.
Had the customer service been a bit more courteous, Â I might be tempted to return for a different menu item. But add the subpar customer service, to the location being a bit out of the way, and the mediocre beef, I will not be returning
My entire family raves so much about Jay's Beef I had to try it myself. Â It cost me airfare to Chicago, $34.00 round trip cab fare from our downtown hotel and the price of two sandwiches, fries and drinks was a whopping $16.00 (I'm being facetious, of course). Â All I can say is that the trip was worth it! Â
I walked into the restaurant and the smell of seasoned beef was incredible. Â The sandwiches were freshly made to order and very delicious indeed! Â The employees were friendly and generous and made us feel at home.
I was delighted when my order was ready. Â The fresh bread was FILLED with tasty, perfectly seasoned delectable beef and giardianiera peppers and then dipped in a delicious au jus. Â The different flavors made a perfect combination of deliciousness!
I will return to Jay's some day and I will make sure to try some of the other menu items but I will not forget to order the wonderful Italian Beef Sandwich!
I like to think I'm an Italian beef connoisseur. I've tried just about every go-to place (Portillos, Al's...) in city for beef and decided to try some smaller-scale beef places.
Heard a good recommendation about Jay's beefs and I was definitely pleased when I got my food.
Ordered a heavy dipped, hot pepper beef. The beef was tender and the bread was moist. Could've been dipped heavier, but it was still really good.
The hot peppers (jalapenos) didn't seem to be pickled, more like fresh, chunky slices, but they didn't have an overwhelming kick, so who knows. The jalapenos and celery pieces were really nice on the beef. The slices were large and complimented the beef quite well.
The fries were standard. Good. Had to add my own salt.
The customer service was fantastic. The two guys working were really nice and friendly. I would return. Oh yeah, and they deliver! YES.
Awesome beef spot! They do it up huge over here and the beef is just as good as a portillos beef (my personal fav). In addition, Tony is a Jedi on the deep fryer. He plays that thing like an angel plays a harp!
This place has been in the neighborhood for a long time and rightfully so. First time I came here was over five years ago and I will be coming back for many more to come!
Al's what? Â Portilla-who? Â I drove around on my own personal "Beef-Quest" to find a close spot for a beef grinder in the city. Â I distinctly remember passing this place up with my friend Jay and saying, "Jay check it, it's your beef, perhaps you gotta eat it." Â Well considering that was that, "Jay's Beef" stuck in my mind. Â For 2 weeks I rode up and down Armitage, Fullerton, and North avenue, well simply because I could not remember for the life of me where this place was. Â
So come today... Â I had a wicked case of the Mondays. Â Learned news of a friend had died, and I had to deal with some live-in girlfriend drama via text all day. Â Work was cool, but damn I was just not hungry all day. Â After gassing the scooter up, I drove around yet again to find a place as I just HAD to eat. Â I wanted nothing more comforting than to hit my face with a beef sandwich. Â While I could go to my old haunts, I wanted something new. Â I had a yearning to find that "diamond in the rough", "DA PLACE", somewhere with some culinary passion for their craft. Â
After hauling down Western (for why the hell I could figure out why) BAM! Â It hits me, JAY'S Â BEEF on North ave. Â
I go on in and first thing I notice that the place is immaculate, and clean, than it hit me.... That smell of beeeeeeeeeeeef. Â Roast beef.... that golden beefy smell you get from your mom's kitchen. Â
Ordered 2 sandwiches, had em with cheese/dipped, and threw in some fries, cheese sticks, and chicken fingers. Â I just went crazy as I usually do.
After realizing they sell beef by the pound, F-IT! Â I dropped the dough on it. Â Hell they threw in rolls as well with the order. Â Cool! Â All the time, we talked about places to eat beefs. Â Real cool guys. Â
After they helped me strategically pack my messenger bag with all this food, I was on my way. Â I get home without screwing everything up and life was good. Â Fired up the TV, watched Pawn Stars, and hit my face with the beef, like DOVE right in. Â Every bite was pure pleasure. Â The bread never fell apart the entire time considering it was drenched. Â The BEEF... OH GOD THE BEEF! Â It was not cut way too thin, not too thick, just perfect. Â Even there were those specific chunks in there that required some jaw work, but GODDAMN it was good. Â Oh and I forgot the best part, THE BEEF WAS PLENTIFUL. Â It was not like one of those places that just give you measured amounts... Corner to corner, the bun was packed to capacity. Â Almost to the point where it was near spilling over. Â NOW THAT IS A BEEF SANDWICH.
To sum all this up let me tell you ALL. Â I am a beef aficionado. Â I've had beefs all over this country, and I'm not afraid to put this beef right on the top shelf of great beefs in my lifetime. Â As stated, I've been on a "Beef Quest" for nearly my entire life. Â This place is tops of tops and does Chicago Beefs proud. Â Thank you Jay's Beef. Â Your broad-shouldered Chicago proud artisan crafted beef made it right past my stomach and right to the center of my heart. Â Expect me back and one of these days I'm gonna clean you out!
This Italian beef is quite a sandwich: a mound of fresh, sliced roast beef that's been soaking in its own hot juices, thrown into a soft, fresh roll, topped with a mix of spicy (or sweet... I asked for both) peppers mixed with spices and celery pieces. It's quite rich, but its modest size makes it reasonable.
Pretty simple, just like some of the best things in life.
I hope I don't offend Chicagoans by calling it Chicago's answer to Los Angeles' eternal French dip sandwich war.
First thing that came to mind when I walked in 'MAN it smells good in here!". Â Absolutely Loved the beef!! Tried it once and went back for more. I even ordered some for my New Years Eve party and it was a hit, I just ordered it the day before and when I picked it up staff was friendly and made sure I had everything I needed. Can't wait to go and try other things from the menu. :) Â ... PLUS i hear they deliver!!!
Review Source:Jay's Italian beef is not as good as Al's (better juice, seasoning and more tender), but it's damn tasty and I can walk to it. Â The food is greasy and heavy but not as bad as a fast food chain burger. Â I really like their hot pepper mix - seemed really crispy and fresh and not as vinegary as I've seen elsewhere. Â Jay's also serves an array of appetizers/sides, including fried pickles and jalapeno poppers at super-affordable prices.
Review Source:Pretty good beef. Very good sausage. Â Really nice guys who work in there. Food always comes out quickly. The beef isn't up to the standards of the best around, but it's close enough for a neighborhood joint. The hot peppers (so much celery!) are a little odd. Overall, though, a good spot.
Review Source:Italian Beef Crawl Stop #5: Jay's Beef
If you know Jay's you know that it's about the beef. We stopped at their North Avenue shop to pick up the beef and get to the next beef landing. Here several people got stranded and we lost about a dozen people as the bus left without them!
When you open up a Jay's there two main things to note: 1) this sandwich is stacked high with meat 2) there are jalapeno peppers on the beef. With meat stacked to the brim, this bread won't disintegrate into shreds despite all of the juice and meat packed in the sandwich. Jalapeno hot peppers are the way to go, the spice will not knock you out but reinvigorate you for the rounds to come.
As someone who knows a thing or two about Italian Beef, Jay's Beef is juicy, soaked with beef juice and will leave your mouth ready to breathe flames. If beef were an art then Jay's surely would be the Rembrandt hanging in the museum. Luckily we can all eat this Chicago classical art!!!!
I'm a frequent flyer here. The beef is seasoned to perfection!!! I swear you won't want to put it down until it's gone. You get tons of food for your money and the staff is always so friendly. Try a Wunder Bar if you have a sweet tooth. This is the only place i know that carries them! YUM
Review Source:Before Jay's Beef opened, there were no good options for food around my last apartment. Â I probably ate there twice their first week, and I still make a habit of coming in and getting a bacon cheeseburger or chicken sandwich every hangover Tuesday afternoon. Â Italian beef is solid. Â They give you huge portions of french fries. Â Onion rings are noteworthy too.
 But the main reason I keep going back is because the employees kick ass.  They are easy-going dudes that keep up to date with what's going on in the sports world.  I can bitch about Oregon's too-low BCS rankings and they listen to my complaints. They joke around, they are real- non pretentious guys.
Phenomenal beef with some of the freshest peppers around. It doesn't get much better than this.
The combo is awesome too, and even their Pepper & Egg sandwich is excellent.
I don't think you can find a better beef in the city.
Although, I agree 100% with Dan D. who said Al's has better fries, but Jay's has the better beef. I usually don't get fries with my beef anyway, so this isn't a big deal, but it is true. They still get 5 stars though. Yes, the beef is that good.
I just visited the Chicago area for the first time last week. I also had my first Jay's Beef sandwich at the beginning of the trip. It was so good I had to make sure I went back a second time before I left the city.
I had the original Jay's Beef sandwich with sweet and hot peppers... BOTH visits! It's that good...
I also tried the Pizza Puff, which was amazing... I've never had anything like it before. Kids would love it!
Service is very friendly and everything was inexpensive and of great value!
I wish we had a Jay's Beef in Orange County!!!
Never had Italian beef before so I had nothing to compare it to, but it was damn delicious and damn cheap. I went for the sweet peppers, while others went for hot peppers - both are super yummy. Be careful - it's real drippy and miraculously not that greasy. Though I was stuffed afterwards, I didn't feel like a giant tub of lard. Another plus!
The menu is simple-- reminds me of one of those 50-cent hot dog places, and the interior is very bare, but when you're in the area craving italian beef, this is the place to go!
This place is good. Not as good as Al's. Not as good as Portillo's. I have not yet gone to Mr. Beef.
I went on a Saturday afternoon and the place was empty. Not too uncommon for a junk-food type establishment (and I say that fondly); however, I've never been to an empty Al's.
They give you more for your money, that's for sure. And if that's what you're looking for, than this is your place. My personal preference is for Al's since the flavor is so unique (they've got the fennel, those other crazy spices, it blows my mind every time).
Jay's fries are nothing worth even mentioning, except for review purposes. The Chicago hot dog was pretty good--but really--how can you screw that up?
Since I live in the neighborhood, I might come back. But Al's still has my heart. Aaaand I should get around to checking out Mr. Beef one of these days.
I've stumbled across a new addiction...Italian Beef.
I found the cozy atmosphere of Jay's awesome. When you walk in, the first thing you see is a giant flat screen TV. If it's during baseball season, it's a good chance a Cubs game will be featured. They also have a couple of couches and comfy chairs. Italian Beef is messy, but hey, at least you're comfy when you're chowing down!!
The service was very friendly and the menu is very simple. With items ranging from chicken wings to Italian beef.
Lets talk about the sandwich. I ordered an Italian beef with the jalapeño peppers. The peppers were delicious, and not overpowering. Sometimes the peppers can take control of the sandwich. There was a ton of meat on the sandwich, seriously, the best 4.85 ever spent.
I also thought the fries were pretty tasty too. I've heard good things about the Italian ice and shakes, so I'll being going back to Jay's soon!!
Just when I seem to be recovering from my Gyro's addiction, in comes another...Italian Beef. Â I've had a few Italian Beef sandwiches that were made with very fatty beef, which I didn't notice any fat in Jay's. Â Quite lean, actually.
Nice and juicy and I'm sure to be back for more. Â Even Ol' girl liked, too. Â She typically eats veggies with the exception that I push meat in face...figuratively speaking. Â I don't actually push it in her face. Â However, she liked so much that she even ate half of it. Â I didn't care that she ate only half, because I got to finish it for her. Yum. Â Never mind it only took 1 minute to order, make the food and at my table already eating. Â They are quick.
This is kind of a problem. Being a flexitarian, I occasionally allow myself to eat a little meat. I fully expected to take a couple bites of Jay's Italian beef sandwich and hand it over to my man to finish, but I didn't stop at a couple bites. I ate at least half because it was so damn good, and I kind of want to go back for another one. I won't, but I want to. Maybe for my birthday.
Review Source:I went into Jay's after defusing about 200 bombs and all I wanted to do was to throw down an ice cold Pepsi, chomp on a giant Italian beef, and lay down a sweet deuce. Let me tell you something, the beef explosion in my mouth is beyond explanation. For some reason these beefs have a way to make the Pepsi served in their restaurant taste even better! Although I didn't stay to complete the 3rd phase of my plan I'm sure the manager Chris would have let me because he seems like an incredible dude.
My only complaint is that there a few gypsies there dumping mayo on absolutely everything. Even in their Pepsi!
Macgruber says f*ck Al's! Jay's is the place to be!
This place is great! Â Think of Als beef, but cleaner and cheaper. Â The portions are perfect, and the beef is $4.85, with your choice of spicy or sweet. Â The actual interior is very cozy and has a great design and cleanliness for being a beef place. Â The staff is very friendly and never skimps. Â The guy gave me chicken wings on the house, because I told him I wanted to buy something to eat so as to dissolve the spicy taste in my mouth. Â
Overal a great place if you're hungry and want some quality well priced Italian Beef!
You want the BEST italian beef sandwich in Chicity?! Â Trust me, Jay's Beef is hand-down, the best there is available (and yes, I've tried almost everyplace in the city - if you know of one better, Â shoot me a line, Â but I doubt it exists) Â ;-)
What makes Jay's so special? Â Alrighty. Well the beef is super lean and its a rare day you bite into a hunk of fat hanging on the meat (in comparison to other places where fat is the name-sake of the sandwich). Also, Jay's gives you a HECK a lot of beef in each sandwich... no messin' around here. You order a beef sandwich and you GET a big heaping of sandwich. This beef looks great and tastes just as your eyes think it will -- Delicious! Â Order it slightly juicy and they will dip the bread in the sauce for a nice saucy Italian beef. Â Now we are talking! Â So once again, Â this is by far, THE best italian beef sandwich I've been regularly eating in Chicago.
However, the fries are just "meh." Â The frozen type that isn't anything special or worth craving. Â (If you like fries more than beef sandwich quality, go to Al's Beef for the BEST fries but less good beefs). So I wish they would up their game in the tater category. But hey, they already got my hooked with the beefs. Â :-)
Enjoy my friends!
Short and safe. That's pretty much the menu here. The assortment of burgers and sausages are no better quality than what you'd find at a lower middle class, suburban barbeque. My double cheeseburger was as well done to perfection and topped with your classic American cheese slices. Quality ingredients? Meh. Just more proof that this company started in the 'burbs.
Just for the sake of people who actually care, I kept my eye on the fellow who took my order. He seamlessly toggled between cash handling and food handling. When I asked for some ketchup, rather than being offered a bottle, I was given a fistful of packets. I'm not too fond of intentional wastefulness. I used what I wanted and then left the rest on the counter.
The food is cheap and, with the menu they have, it can only be tasty. Sure, sometimes I'm in the mood for a burger, but I'll likely only hit up Jay's if I'm feeling lazy and I don't want to walk further. I did find it interesting, however, that they sell their beef by the pound. 3 pound minimum. So then, there is something unique about Jay's Beef.
If Bill Swerski's Superfans were to pick any place to eat in my neighborhood, it'd be Jay's Beef. Â That is to say, whenever I get a craving for artery-clogging, grease-tastic deliciousness, it'd be here.
My first time eating here, I ordered the Beef & Sausage Combo with hot peppers and a side of fries. Â I was initially expecting two sandwiches, one full of Italian beef and the other, sausage and hot peppers. Â But no, that's not how Jay rolls--he packs them both into one bursting hoagie. Â
Warning: your gullet won't know what hit it. Â Flavor explosion!
The sheer amount of juicy meat--a small cow's worth--paired with the fact that the only remotely healthy element of the sandwich are the hot peppers--they're a vegetable; that counts, right?--is enough to stop most granola nuts right in their tracks.
But then again, you don't go to Jay's for the health benefits. Â You go there for "Da Beef."
First of all, I apologize for banging drunkenly on your windows on my way home from Estelle's many a night, Jay. But you got me addicted to those fantasy inducing cheese fries and therefore I bear almost no responsibility for the antics resulting from my cravings for a fix.
Seriously. Eat here.
Love,
a member of the cheese fry crew
I freakin' love Jay's Beef! I just moved over here, super close to Jay's Beef. I decided to try it out one day and fell in love! Here are the reasons why I love Jay's Beef:
1. SUPER fast- it can be ready in no time
2. Cheap
3. Large portions
4.Poppers, fries, milkshakes, cheeseburgers  ....mmmmm......deliciousness!
I had to restrict my Jay's Beef to once a week or else I would eat it everyday! Love it! I would give it 5 stars, but sadly the chicken strips were not a five, they were a 4.
Yummy! Â Okay, first I have to say that I'm biased because I used to go to the one in Harwood Heights. Â So I was happy to find one so near my house. Â Thinking it wouldn't be as good as the original, I ordered an Italian beef and fries. Â It was sooooh good! Â Nice size, hot and juicy, with chewy bread. Â The fries were made right then so it was hot but not greasy, thicker style. Â And the guys working there were so nice. Â
Ambiance was okay, nothing to write home about. Â But the beef, oh god, the beef.....
Jay's just opened up 2 weeks ago, so I figured I would give it a try for some greasy food after getting off work on St. Patrick's Day, instead of heading to Best Sub #2 like I was planning on.
The food: Pretty standard Chicago beef stand fare at pretty standard prices. Not bad, not exceptional.
The atmoshpere: From the outside it almost looks classy - the name is written in cursive (whoa!). The inside is nice, but it doesn't carry a consistent theme which left me kind of confused as to what type of place I was eating at. They have a couple of booths that felt like plywood covered in cloth. I think they were.
The service: The couple of guys working were friendly, and even let my drunk friends use their employees-only bathroom after a few references to kidney failure.
For whatever reason, Jay's must be a big cop hangout. Two pairs of partners came in separately and ate while we were there. Overall, I didn't feel strongly either way about Jay's but I wouldn't mind going again.
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