The food is ok. Nothing to write home about.
So you might be asking yourself... why the two stars? Well, let me tell you. The prices are higher than average. but worst of all, the staff are a bunch of self righteous dbags who act like they're doing you a favor selling you their average food.
No thanks.
I went and had a few hot dogs. Â Pretty good. Â Next time I'll try the Gyros. Â The woman at the counter who took my order was nice and friendly.
Some guy behind the counter asked me if I was ready to order within five seconds of entering the building. Â That's about as annoying as when the waitress at a restaurant comes by after you just took your first bite and asks if everything is okay.
Give me some time!
Wally's is classic. Some of the best gyros around. I've eaten here countless times and their gyros always come out perfect. Always have the right flavor and are piled high. My go-to order was always a gyro platter with an extra pita, extra sauce, and cheese for the fries. That's 2 full gyros and cheese fries for under $10. My mouth is watering with memories of going to Wally's after school and munching out on delicious spitfire cooked meat. I need to get back there asap.
Review Source:Not sure what all the bad reviews for their service are, they have been always nice and polite to us. They offer both eat in and takeout.
As far as their food, this is THE place that we go to for ribs. you can get the half rack dinner (ribs,fries, extra sauce and garlic bread) for about $10... it is ALOT of food. I can't speak to the quality of their other food, but you cannot go wrong with the ribs.
Worth a try if you are in the neighborhood.
I used to go to this place in the nineties, usually with a crew of guys when we were working in that area. I remember the food being pretty good for a hot dog stand, though a bit pricey. What really stood out for us though was how rude the owners were. Occasionally instead of one of the hired help cashiers, I would have one of the sons of the owner waiting on me. His attitude was always flat out hostile, and in one transaction he tossed my change back to me rather than handing it to me. And when he wasn't manning the front counter, he was yelling loudly at the employees about this and that. Sure sign of a bad boss, has to yell all the time.
I went back there recently, thinking it might be under new ownership, but no, sure enough it was cranky, bad perm man running the show. Only now, the food was no longer good like it had been. Maybe someday soon something else will open up on this corner, God willing......
On a recent trip to PR, I stopped for the first time. Very friendly service and had great aromas of fast food.
Was a little dispointed with our choices, strange french  like and oily bun, well done sauage, under cooked peppers.
The place was packed, maybe should have just gotten a Gyros and left it at that.
We stopped going to Wallys about two years ago after we were served rotten salads twice in a row. Tonight, my wife wanted something quick so, with hesitation, I called Wally's again and asked for the Perch Dinner with some side salads. All I have to say is, WOW. Something really changed over there for the better! Instead of rotten ice burg lettuce along side other wilted veggies, we received an amazing salad with spring mix greens, fresh purple cabbage, fresh tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, fresh green peppers, razor thin purple onion (my favorite), and topped with some dry spices. A very tasty "house" dressing was also included.
Well, Wally's, you've got my business back.
As usual, the staff is super friendly and the place is kept very clean.
Keep up the great work, guys.
-d
I went to High School at Maine East In Park Ridge 77- 81 and dated a boy from Maine South who lived close to here and this was always a great alternative for fast food if you were not in the mood for McDonalds. In college some of us would grab a bite here when we were home on winter or spring break or over the summer and the gyros was always very good, they were a close tie back then with The Works in Glenview. Sometimes we would have burgers or ribs. I moved out of Niles in 1996 and live in the Fox Valley Area so there is never any reason for me to ever drive to Park Ridge for a Gyros when there are great ones out this way.
Due to my insurance I am currently stuck going for specialized physical therapy just up the road from here. Today after therapy I needed some protein as I was starting to get hypoglycemic and that helps me. I decided to go to Wally's and get a gyros to eat there.
This was the most bizzaro gyros sandwich I have ever had. This was not the standard full size pita that you are supposed to get wrapped around the meat with grilled onions, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce. What they gave me was a baby size pita which was not warmed or toasted, it was cold, dried out, crumbly and tasted stale. It reminded me of the kangaro brand baby ones from the grocery store. The meat did not taste like I remembered, it tasted like it was over-processed, greasy and not seasoned correctly, it came with raw onions which I could not eat and horrible tomatoes. The only good thing was the sauce. The price of $5.79 seems high for just a sandwich, as I did not order a combo.
The service was not great, the people running it or just rude and speak in some foreign language.
After my meal I needed to use the women's bathroom and it was not usable. I came out and told them and I had to complain to several people to clean the restroom. When I go back next week for therapy I will not stop here for lunch before my appointment with a specialist at LGH. I will go somewhere over there. I will never stop here again!
It's right by my house and I've always heard that it's "the place to be" by it's too greasy for my taste and I also think they should remodel their building, it's at a great location but looks run down and really dirty and disgusting to eat at. Maybe if they take that into account I'll visit them again or maybe even recommend them once or twice.
Review Source:This place delivers so I'm always ordering online. Its usually busy so eating here or having it delivered takes a while but its well worth the wait. My favorite is their breaded chicken sandwich Swiss.
The only bummer was when I ordered online from them I had my dad pick it up. When my dad picked it up they still charged him for it and he paid cash. I called Wallys all upset and they told me to pick up the cash [They couldn't reverse the charges for some reason]. I was upset, so they delivered the cash. All in all, we worked things out and it just shows that they have GREAT customer service and they actually care about their customers. That's what has me always going back.
If it weren't for them being so busy/online ordering situation I would definitely give these guys 5 stars!
Definitely must try if your in Park Ridge!
I've been eating here on and off for a decade. Wally's has a consistent, good quality to their food that has only gotten better over the years. A great (and off-menu) item is the Turkey Club. It's enough for two people or one hungry fatty (like me). Of course the gyros are good too.
One gripe: very mediocre fries. Wally, if you're reading this, it's time for a changeup.....
While a few items on the menu are a little overpriced, the majority of them are a deal, like the gyro plate that can feed 2 people for multiple nights, the burgers and the ribs. Â Everything we've had from here has been really good. Â
Good, prompt service every time we walk in or call. Â Our order's always ready. Â And, as a bonus, we can walk here, which is nice for living in Park Ridge.
I don't know how Wally's hasn't been sued by McDonalds yet. Their sign is the McDonalds "M" upside down. Does that make it the anti-McDonalds? Its especially obvious since it is next door to a McDonalds.
Anyhow, onto the food. I pretty much only use Wally's for their Gyros. The gyros are delicious and come with some good sauce. The fries are pretty tasty and you get a huge pile of food with the Gyro plate. You could probably happily make two sandwiches out of a plate.
Wally's has other stuff too- Burgers, Italian beef, etc. The one issue I have with them is their incredibly overpriced drinks. I mean seriously we're talking almost movie theater levels of price per ounce. Its not like the food is dirt cheap and they're making up the profit margin either. Good thing if you're getting it to go there is a white hen across the street and the McDonalds out back.
Oh and parking is tight. Bring some lube to slide your car in.
With parking tough to find around the Touhy/NW Hwy corridor during lunch, I gave up after a couple of circles around the lot and headed NW on NW Hwy to Wally's. Â It's been about 4 yrs since I ate here last and after stopping here this week, I now know why.
I scanned the menu looking for a kebob of some kind(chix, beef,etc) and found nothing. Â Decided its been too long since I had a gyro and went for it.
The gyro meat was nothing special, but alone about a 3.5 star item. Â The fries were undercooked and lacked lacked flavor. Â The worst part I would say was the pita. Â Believe it or not having a nice delicious toasted pita is an important part of the meal. Â Tear into it, dip some in the tzaziki sauce. YUM!
Well the pita here is horrible, I mean off the chart negative horrible. Â Not sure where they get it, but it tasted like no other pita I have had in my life. Â It was flavorless and hard and with the few bites I took, I could not believe they were serving this cardboard. Â
Sorry, but next time I will drive the other way to Milwaukee and hit Booby's once again.
The first time I saw Wally's I was intrigued by their sign outside. Â Essentially it is a large "W" resembling an inverted McDonald's logo. Â Needless to say McDonald's is right next door which adds to the amusement factor. Â
Jokes aside I believe Wally's delivers great fast food at "Park Ridge" prices. Â Park Ridge is known to be a bit pricier in general in many aspects, so I would say their prices are in line with the neighborhood.
Many years ago I was disappointed when I first tried their gyros, as it comes in a pita pocket (i.e., the pita is split open and the gyros is inside) as opposed to the traditional American style gyros. Â I remember getting it and being unimpressed with the quantity of gyros. Â However that has since changed. Â I recently had their gyros and it was completely stuffed with more meat than you can handle (that's what she said). Â Further the tzatziki sauce was excellent.
I've also become a huge fan of their Wally's fries, though for some reason you get a lot more when you order them to go vs. dining in. Â That seems the trend with a few others places as well for some reason...
A few years ago (5-6+ yrs) Â Wally's offered an online coupon featuring 2 half chickens, 2 orders of french fries, cole slaw, garlic bread, and 2 drinks for about $12-$13. Â Unfortunately that deal is not available anymore, however at the time it was completely unbeatable, given it fed four people. Â I still get their half chicken meal from time to time and it's always filling - definitely a great option if you are very hungry.
Overall Wally's has great fast food, though should consider remodeling as they have not updated their look for as long as I can remember.
Ribs, ribs, ribs, ribs, ribs and ribs. Â They also do unbelievable, fall-off-the-bone, finger-licking, lip-smacking, gut-busting, eat-em-until-you-can't eat-no-more...ribs.
For legal clarification, they have a menu with a lot of other things on it. Â And that's nice, I suppose. Â I am led to believe, for about a nano-second, that I might want to consider ordering a gyro or a souvlaki or a sausage or a burger or a chicken-this or chicken-that, but I slap myself for wasting precious nano-time and simply order the rack o' ribs with a loaded baked potato and creamy cole slaw and, ridiculously, two pieces of instantly discardable bread. (If you throw the flat pieces of oblong bread into the wind with a side-armed, bent knee toss similar to stone-skipping-on-water, the bread will achieve a kind of aerodynamic that will mystify you even as it boomerangs back to hit you in the head.) The slaw deludes me into thinking there's something healthy in the mix. Â The day will come when I am found laying prostrate in Wally's parking lot with one hand to my just-stopped heart and a styrofoam carry-out container of stripped rib bones and naked potato skins in the other and passersby will think nothing of it and simply step over my cooling torso to get their own ribs and thereby willingly challenge their hearts to keep beating until fully sated.
If you are already on your deathbed, Wally's delivers.
Wallys is a great place, my family has been ordering from them ever since I can remember. Usally on weekends. They have really good 1/2 baked chicken dinners, and resonably priced too! There close, and convienent! I always order ahead and within 10 minutes they have the food ready when you come pick it up (they also have carryout as well) They also have good hotdogs and good sandwiches. They have a new meatball sub sandwich on the menu, thinking of trying it...
Overall, great place with lots of different menu choices!
We just got back from Wally's Gyros and boy are we stuffed from some fantastic gyros plates. Â The gyros meat was PILED on and the french fries were perfect - salted and hot and delicious. Â Even the tzkai (spelling?) sauce was so tasty.
We have never come into Wally's and left with a complaint. Â Their food is always spectacular!
The very first thing I ever had from Wally's was the Chicken Florentine. Â My friend, Jeannie, invited me over for dinner and I fell in love with it. Â What struck me most was that it was so uniquely fregrant -combination of chicken, spinach, mushrooms and rice pilaf. Â I've had their hotdog and burger there as well--pretty good, but nothing stands out, like the effect the Chicken Florentine had on me. Â Wally's has all the favorite unhealthy fast food that we love, reasonably priced, but not really worth going out of your way for. Â On the other hand, for a healthy alternative and good meal order the Chicken Florentine. Â It is one item on their menu well worth going out of your way for--I don't think you can get that anywhere else.
When you get there, I don't know why CF is listed under burgers on their menu. Â When I went there on my own I went crazy trying to find it on the menu.
Great soups too. Â You know I love that lentil.
I was a carefree fan back in the late 90s for Wally's. Â But today, it is rather disappointing to go in for a quick takeout. Â So much so, I have scratched it from the phone list and discarded the menu.
Visit in the late 90s: Â Burgers were great. Â Full slab of ribs were moderately priced and good to have even as a big lunch. Â Fries were crisp and onion rings seemed borderline homemade. Â Shakes tasted great, so did the half ribs half chicken dinner combo.
Visit in Spring 2009: Â Burger and fries were soggy, despite being made a few minutes ago. Â Onion rings were not only soggy, had no taste except for huge amounts of salt. Â The hot dog itself was pretty hard to find in the mess of condiments it seemed to be drowning in. Â Service was really poor this time. Â Button down shirt dude, kitchen field marshal, or owner, whatever his title is, was yelling at some of the staff during an off hour of 2:30pm, when things were relatively slow. Â My two guests and I, were the only consumers in the restaurant at that time and delivery did not start until 4pm. Â One has to wonder if Chef Ramsey dropped by in cognito, but its unlikely considering the intolerant menu items they have been cramming out of the kitchen. Â Not to mention, two of the three orders were wrong. Â No rush, no line, no hurry, and still couldn't get it right.
I don't believe the surroundings inside have changed in ten years. Â Broken and chipped laminate tables and booths, pictures of the Bulls first 3-Peat, and some action shots of Sammy Sosa at the plate. Â That's not nostalgia, that's just too lazy to go to Great America or Niles Fun Fair and shoot some hoops for a cheap current 18x24 poster in a thin brass frame of Rose or Thome. Â I guess this is an upscale neighborhood's attempt at a slum down city version of local char/hot dog/gyro joint. Â I'll be sure to pack a lunch next time I'm working in the area.
The first thing you notice when driving up to Wally's (as you pass the McDonald's next door) is the inverted  "M" that they stole from McDonald's for their "W".  This exemplifies everything about this place: stolen. If not stolen, then at least reheated. This place is just feels like it has been reheated, reconstituted or microwaved. The mushroom and onion ring appetizers epitomize that perfectly.
So here is the scoop on Wally's:
LIKED (not to be mistaken with loved):
Chicken Kabob Pita - lots of yummy grilled green peppers, onions, and tomatoes to go along with it. But...no seasoning or any thing to give it distinction.
HATED:
-- Appetizers. The frozen section at Jewel has tastier tidbits in boxes labeled "fresh frozen"
--Gyros. Come on! With the incredibly authentic The Works only a few miles away, why would I eat these leather-like meat-product strips?
---Fries. They were anemic and tasteless. They also were weirdly moist. McDonald's next door is a better choice.
ATMOSPHERE:
What atmosphere?
STAFF/SERVICE:
Efficient but not a smile to be found!!!
PARKING:
Weird corner location makes for a weird parking experience.
PORTIONS:
Plentiful. But don't misconstrue a bounty of mediocre food scraps with quality. So they serve more of it. If I go to a comedy club and the crummy comedian does his shtick for 4 hours would that change my perspective on his unfunny act?
OTHER AREA RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you want better food with similar menu items and atmosphere, go to Paradise Pup on River Rd (Warning: they are only open when they want to be open), Portillo's (about 5 minutes away), The Works (for real Greek food cooked by old-school Greeks), or Andrew's Open Pit (5 minutes).
CONCLUSION:
I dunno. Don't get why this place is always busy on my way home from work. I mean, it is not garbage or anything. It's more...just...well a slight tick down from mediocre. Â Yes...that's it. This place is the pure definition of mediocre.
Wally's is a good, Park Ridge staple of a *slightly* higher class hot-dog, burger and gyro joint. The hot-dogs, burgers, italian beef and gyros are pretty good. The fries are good and you get  a lot with an order. I am a fan of the chocolate and vanilla milkshakes. I give this place three stars because the food isn't particularly special, but will definitely satisfy your craving for this sort of food. It also gets three because it's a bit pricey for what it is. Don't expect a super cheap meal when you go here. I'm hoping it's because they use the extra ca$h to not re-use stuff dropped on the floor, wipe things down at the end of the day, etc. I've never gotten sick from the countless times I've eaten here, so that's always good!
Review Source:Typical char food. Â Wally's had great char food years ago. Â Today, it seems faked. Â
Gyros taste store bought, I can have a better tasting meal with a gyros home pack from Jewel. Â Meat looked like it was cut off the spit earlier in the day and just reheated. Â That too they didn't allow the meat to sit on the grill and warm. Â No grill! Â Its a flat iron top like what you would find in a McDonald's. Â
They have a current deal of polish sausage with fries, $2 or something. Â Blah. Â Sausage was gross. Â Bun was weak, like some cheap ass dozen buns for a dollar brand.
Next time, if a next time, just cheese fries and a large coke will do.
When we asked the cashier "whats good here?"
Reply "everything!"
NOT. Â Cashier was cute. Â
A question on our minds... Â is it necessary to wear provocative leg hugging white pants when you work with food at a char house?
I have ordered a few times. Â Surprised no one has mentioned their Italian Beef which I remember being really great. Â Also excellent Gyros also. Â Great burgers and other sandwiches. Â I had never really tried it until I worked in Rosemont and we used to have it delivered. Â Also pretty good catering too. Â Lastly, I have always laughed how the W looks like an upside down McD M and wondered if McD next door ever complained!
Review Source:As I write this I'm also eating a Wally Burger with cheese and bacon along with some french fries and cole slaw. Â That seems to be my order every time and the fact that they deliver makes them a standout lunch choice for me daily. Â Drivers are nice, orders are easy, food is fresh. Â Not a fan of the actual restaurant as it's a throwback and parking isn't easy. Â Stick with burgers, and maybe hot dogs if that's your thing.
Review Source:This is an excellent hot dog/burger/gyro place with an expansive menu for such a small establishment. In addition to the aforementioned staples, they offer just about anything that can be made within a few minutes: beef sandwiches, shish-ka-bobs, pork chops, chili, tacos, ribs, chicken, salads, seafood, deli sandwiches, ice cream, and a whole lot more.
A regular hot dog is $2.05 and a jumbo $2.60. Hot dogs are Vienna Beef. Everything I have tried at Wally's has been great. The hamburgers and fries easily rival those of the McDonald's across the way.
You can dine in, carry out, or get your food delivered. It's amusing to watch the seven or so cooks scurry about the kitchen when they start working on the orders. This place is always busy when I stop in.
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