This place is a hot dog joint. Â They have regular hot dog, polish, chili, and so on. Â Good food. Â Especially considering the price, this is one of the best deals you can get in the area. Â I admit this is not the cleanest restaurant, but until I see something apparent, I will go to this place once in a while.
Review Source:Went here for lunch with a friend. Â It was just okay. Â They have your typical Chicago staples, hot dogs, polishes, Italian beef and sausage. Â I had the Italian sausage with sweet peppers. Â The sausage itself had a nice bite and tasted pretty good. Â Also got some fries. Â I thought they were pretty sub-par. Â They were flimsy and not crispy at all. Â Good potato flavor, but there was more to be desired with the texture.
Review Source:Reasons NOT to eat at the Patio.
1. The ketchup fries. If you say yes to ketchup, they will serve you a side of wet fries soaked in tangy tomato paste. Gross, gross, gross. Who would possibly think this is ok. I wish I had a picture of this nonsense.
2. Cash only, no cards. Ill walk down to Al's beef if i want to pay cash for trash.
3. No alcohol, yet not BYOB like EVERY OTHER restaurant adjacent. Stupid, silly, dumb idea. They laughed at me when I asked, assholes.
4. Staff seems to always be bitching at each other. I think it is a family and they clearly do not like each other or working that hot dirty dingy fry grease kitchen all night.
5. Dirty Dirty Dirty. There is grease dripping from every crevice of this dark dirty cave, including off the employees foreheads, vomit.
6. The beef sandwich is soggy and salty, (really your go to item stinks?)
7. The hot dogs are small, soggy, and always covered in the effing ketchup fry slurry. WTF, you cant even get the dogs right?
Useless, utter waste of space. A four-alarm grease fire is the only hope for this cesspool of disgust.
This place holds the trophy for my least favorite place to eat in Chicago, congrats on really sucking Patio.
What can I say. Fast food at it's finest. Patio is staple on Taylor St. I grew up on this food. In it's hey day the lines would be out the door. The food hardly has changed. If you are hungry and driving down Taylor between Ashland and Laflin it wouldn't be the worst thing to do to stop here. The owners is in everyday to check up on things. I asked him once how much would you sell me the Patio for, he said $1mm, that's how much he loves this place. Get a sausage sandwich with fries. Have them spoon beef gravy on the bread w/sweet peppers, put some fries on top of the sausage sandwich, so delicious.
Review Source:Could possibly be the best Italian Beef I've ever eaten!. Cooked with just the right seasonings, try it slightly dipped with sweet peppers. I'm not a big fan of steak fries (prefer mine thin and crispy), but everybody else seems to enjoy them here. Can't beat the price, but be prepared to take everything to go...
Review Source:I've been a customer since 1984 and today, as it was 27yrs ago (wow! can't believe it's been that long), it is the best fast food for the best price that I know of in Chicago. These days, I take my two little boys here for double dogs (for them) and polish (for the wife & me) or sometimes a tasty Italian beef.
The old man who is sometimes there... is the same one from 27yrs ago.
You can't go to McD's and feed 4 people for $17, but you can at the patio! (2 double dogs, 3 polish, fries & drinks all around?! Who can beat that price?)
Growing up on the west coast, The Italian beef and Chicago style hot dog are new to me, but since moving to Chicago, I have fallen in love with both. I have to say, The Patio is one of my favorite places to go for both. I strongly base my reviews on what you get for what you pay, and I have to say, this place beats all. A Chicago dog and fries for $2? It's not the best dog in the world, but well worth the money. All in all, this is my new go to place for a good, cheap meal.
Review Source:Mmmmm.... The Patio,
I grew up on The Patio and recently converted my "west side mild sauce eating" fiancee' to this glory of glories "vienna hot dog-like" restaurant. My personal favorites include italian beef which includes the well done roast beef simmering in delicious flavored seasoned broth I get mine's dipped cuz it's only right with spicy and crunchy giardinera with mozzarella cheese. My hot dog and fries must have ever thing and the buns are soft with poppy seed on it my fries must be salted with tons of ketchup because when I get those fries alone... in my home... well they dont survive...
The pizza puffs are rectangular shaped and deep fried to a crisp that leaves it to be ultimately desired.
I please go to the patio and love it
if not for me... do it for America!
Excellent and cheap beef sandwich! The fries are perfect 98% of the time (say no to ketchup for the fries) they put it all over them. Easy parking on Taylor street. I believe it's cash only. I've never had anything other than the Beef with fries. I would imagine all of the fattening greasy food is good here if that's the mood you're in! There are some spots in here to eat...But trust me you want to bring this home.
Review Source:This place has wonderful EVERYTHING.
I usually get their beef (as dry as humanly possible to avoid having it fall apart in my hands-- with sweet peppers) , hot dog (either regular, or a double on italian.. with everything -- which excludes ketchup. they actually use tomatoes instead), or the pizza puffs. All three are fabulously wonderful.
One of my favorite items from this place are their fries. They use large steak fries and douse them in ketchup.
If you're craving an unhealthy snack... this place is aaaammmmmaaaaaaaaazing!
Cash only.
Even though you *can* eat in the restaurant... you would be sitting on a twisty-stool facing a wall... so I think it's better to brown bag and take home.
whoever says al's has the best beef in town has it aaaaaaall wrong. ive been going there for yeeeeeaars since i was a child. my parents grew up in this neighborhood even worked there as teenagers and it hasnt changed one bit. i love it. and they got hot dogs with poppy seeds, true chicago style NO KETCHUP lol.
Review Source:I don't know about this place. Â I ordered a combo sandwich (beef and sausage), peppers, dip, the works. Â I'm pretty new to this whole italian beef thing, so maybe it's just not my thing (but I doubt it).
The sausage was tough. Â Tasty and all, but tough (like, got out a knife to cut pieces). Â Sure, maybe that's the style here. Â The beef was tender and juicy, but strangely low on flavor. Â The peppers tasted like all of their flavor was left in the container they had been cooking in. Â That's just not right. Â I'm also not sure about the dip, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt on that one.
I was also surprised by getting the ketchup (which I asked for) on the fries in the bag. Â No points against them for that, just a surprise.
I'll try it again (it's really close to home) and add an update if I like it better next time.
Perhaps it's the low prices of all their menu items (dogs and frieds for $2, a beef for $5).
Perhaps it's the tastiness of the food (well made proper Chicago style hot dog, juicy tasty beefs on good buns).
Perhaps it's the friendly staff who calls everyone honey while they're ordering.
Perhaps it's the old memories of eating here at least once a week as stress relief from medical school studying.
I don't know what it is, but this is likely my favorite Italian beef in the city of Chicago. Â
Their fries aren't always perfectly crisp (though often are), the giardinera is not always made quite right (had one bad experience), but the main food has consistently been good and affordable... and even now with a job that pays for more than when I was a student, I cannot help but crave the beef here at Patios.
Verdict: Â Go forth. Â Pay little. Â And eat. Â And tell me if I'm wrong.
This place is solid as gold. Â I go for the combo no peppers no dip. Â Ketchup on the fries. Â Also what is clean is the $2.15 dogs on a poppyseed bun with mustard, onions, and sport peppers. Â I usually pair that up with about 6 cans of Bud and there is your Sunday afternoon. Â If you go in there when it is busy the cook, Felipe, is usually getting bitched at so that is dinner and a show. Â One time this lady asked for a doubled dipped beef. Â She took one bite and that sandwich fell the fuck apart. Â Then she was asking the owner for a new sandwich and he told her to not let the door knob hit her where the good lord split her.
Review Source:If there was a medication I could take that would make my body immune to sodium, fat, and cholesterol, I would eat a dipped combo with hot peppers at Patio every day of my life. And maybe throw in a double dog for desert. Even the shrimp basket was good, and its probably the only fast food place in the area that offers it; however, when you're craving deep fried popcorn shrimp I suppose it would be good anywhere.
The biggest draw for this place has to be the fact that their prices are extremely reasonable considering just how good their food is, and the preferred alternative to going to Al's and paying extra for peppers. How the hell can someone eat a beef sandwich without peppers... Al's is really screwing us over here people and we should not stand for it. Remember to bring cash though, not taking credit is probably one way they're keeping the prices so decent.
Also, does anyone know if that jukebox in there actually works?
This is my first taste of a Chicago style hot dog and all I have to say is Wow!!! I don't think I can look at a hot dog the same way. For one thing the meat was much juicier and filling. Of course this probably means it's more fattening but who cares?Best part is my entire meal of hot dog and fries was under $5, perfect if you're on a budget. Side note: Space is small so be prepared to eat by the booths or take it to go.
Review Source:my favorite place to get a beef in chicago. i definitely think it's better than Al's.
i'd give it 5 stars, but i have an issue with their ketchup policy. they won't give you a bottle of ketchup if you're eating there...rather, they squeeze it all over your fries themselves. i find it very strange.
We stopped here after the Taylor St. festival, and I was truly blown away by the goodness of their Italian beef sandwich ($4). I actually think it is better than Al's--there is something about the spices that make it delectable. Definitely worth a try. The other items look like garden variety take out stuff. But that beef was yummy! Also, beware, the "Potato Sandwich" is only bread loaded with French Fries. Or Freedom Fries. Or whatever they are calling them now.
Review Source:The place is probably a neighborhood staple of some sort, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it unless I was broke.
I had an Italian beef, dipped and sweet... As far as beefs go, I've had a lot in Chicago that were much better. Â But the plus side of theirs was the price--$3.75 or so. Â Other places are up to $6. Â So it's hard to argue with cheap food being "just OK" ... Â The fries were very crisp and good; she asked if I wanted ketchup and when I said "yes" she doused them over with ketchup--could've done without that since it was "to go." ...
"All of their sandwiches come with fries" ... this isn't true. Â I think only the hot dogs and polishes may. Â The beef and combos do not.
Then they overcharged me $3 and I had to look at my receipt to realize it and tell them. Â But all in all, the place is OK I guess. Â Didn't try the polish or hot dogs, but I can't imagine they're anything too unusual.
Best Beef in the city (Chicago). Wonderful people, best value for hot dogs and fries. Always get the lemonade with whatever you order. Â Parking can be a problem, so bring a friend who can jump out and get the order while you circle the block. Get the beef dipped and the sausage dry with peppers.
Review Source:Man oh man.
Perfectly dressed polish chicago style(relish, mustard, sports & diced onions), wrapped in a sack-o-fries. Â
Perfectly plump and snapped to bite into it. Â Yummy greazy fries. Â Cheap cheap cheap.
Exactly what I wanted when a coworkers said "Anyone want a polish?" today.
For lunch tomorrow, maybe we'll have polish maxwell style!
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
