food: it was fine, filling but not a ton of flavor imo. definitely need to order again and add cheese service: na got delivery ambiance: na read more

Al's Beef - Regular Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent. Better than a beef I had elsewhere. I ordered this one wet. I wish I had ordered hot peppers rather than sweet. Clean, bright location. Staff was friendly. read more

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No other purveyor of a 'beef' is more ubiquitous than Al's. Yet no other purveyor of a "beef" will disappoint you more than Al's. It's not so much that the stewed meat inside your sandwich is overcooked and resembling sawdust; nor is it the fact that the giardiniere costs extra and is more bland than public radio; nor is it even the pictures of long forgotten food celebs on the wall gaslighting you as to the gloriousness of an Al's beef; but it is all these things, the gestalt of awfulness that makes you wish you had just said no. Of course the judicious among us will not judge the Chicago Italian beef by the subpar version served at Al's. But what about those diners out there, with little in their pockets and less in their brains, who have heard tell of the Italian beef and figure - "hey, this place Al's has a butt-load of locations, that must mean they know what they're doing. Let's give it a try." So the plebes will be let down. They will slander the name of the Italian beef. And they wouldn't have; if Al's was better read more

Being a first timer in Chicago, trying the Italian beef here is a no brainer. I ordered the regular beef one with everything on it. I got the meat dipped but not the whole sandwich. The result was a pretty wet food, so I was glad I didn't get the whole thing dipped. One thing I didn't like was that they didn't inform that the toppings they as was going to cost more. Not a problem for me but would've been great for people that are mindful at spending. The beef was really juicy with the pepper complimenting it pretty well. It did have a kick to it, but it was fine to me. We got a side order of fries and I thought it was big and crispy! Overall, it was a great introduction food to Chicago and definitely woke me up after that long flight. read more

Delicious beef. Different from Buona Beef. Their French fries were spectacular. It was pretty busy when I was there too. That beef... perfection in my mind. Had a different flavor and was so good i could not "believe I ate the whole thing" as the old commercial went. I ate the fries on the way home. Those things were so good, there were none left by the time I actually got home! Can't wait to return! Yummy! read more

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We were visiting Chicago and I wanted to have Al's. Ive had it once when they had a shop in Dallas but its been a long time. We took the train from the lop and walked about 3-4 minutes to this location in River North. I ordered a big beef with hot pepers and it was good. Pretty spicy actually. I enjoyed my sandwich but to be honest I prefer portillos beefs. read more

Al's Beef - Outside - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We just HAD to try the famous Al's beef, as it was recommended to us from our friends! We got them 'dipped', or you can have them 'dry'. The dipped version was flavorful and a lot of fun to eat, but very messy! The cheese fries were hot a gooey. This is a great stop for lunch or dinner if you're in Chi-Town! read more

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Came here to try some of Chicago's iconic foods! Big Beef - my first beef sandwich and WOW! I'm not a fan of sandwiches, but I couldn't put this down. I wasn't expecting it to be so rich and full of flavor. Bonus points for the bread soaking up the soupy sauce! Be warned this will be a messier eating experience. Chicago Dog - my first Chicago dog! To be honest, to me it tasted like a hamburger except sub the bread for a hotdog bun, sub the patty for a hotdog, and don't add ketchup. So glad I tried this, though! Super friendly staff and plenty of seating! Diner vibes in there. read more

Al's Beef - Big Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm a tourist and I haven't tried Mr. Beef, so take my review with a grain of salt. I came here because I had to have an italian beef in Chi-town and Mr. Beef closes at 4:30 on weekdays. For those of you from out of town, Italian beef is a Chicago staple. It's like their version of a french-dip. They take roasted beef in a bollilo and they'll either pour gravy over your sandwich or dunk it. I was told that the traditional way is to dunk it, so that's what I did. It's not a pretty sandwich, but the sandwich is pretty tasty. It's messy, so you'll need a bunch of napkins, but the au jus gives an undeniable juiciness. I got it with sweet peppers and spicy giardinera and I'd recommend that you do the same. I feel that this is something that you absolutely have to have if you come to Chicago. I'm told that Mr. Beef is awesome, but Al's Italian beef is also really good! read more

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I came here for lunch and was really pleased with my combo sandwich which had both Italian sausage and shaved beef. It was really filling! I shared fries with my family. The soda selection was limited with Pepsi products so I tried the Pepsi zero which was actually decent, as I normally am surrounded by Coke products. Price was affordable and fed the family of four for $60. We used the kiosk to order as there was no line for the kiosk. I like how they have a hand sanitizer by the drink dispensers as the wet sandwiches can get messy. My daughter says that her Italian sausage with cheese sandwich was not warm even though the taste was excellent, so she thought that was strange. Husband liked his regular Italian beef (wet). Son did not like the wet so it would have been better to get him a container with a dipping sauce for his regular Italian beef sandwich which I saw some ladies had for their sandwich. It was $60 for four people which I found reasonable for such a filling meal with an incredible about of protein. read more

we had to wait about 20 minutes in line on this Saturday afternoon and ordered our beef sandwiches to go. they absolutely delicious! i got provolone and it was just so good. the bread was soft and fresh and the side of gravy was so delicious and tangy and delectable. also the service was really great- the employee who handed me my sandwich was warm and friendly. excited to get my italian beef sandwich craving fix here moving forward also i was pleasantly surprised as the price was very reasonable as well. it was $10 for a decent sized sandwich, very filling and fresh and delicious. read more

First time on having chicago italian beef. Al's Beef had made my experience amazing with their clean environment, excellent beef, and outstanding customer service. Highly recommend Al's for anyone, this is a place I would visit more read more

Al's Beef - Regular Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was kind of underwhelmed by this place. My wife and I stopped by before leaving Chicago and we had such a great Chicago dog at Portillo's down the street that we wanted to try another place! I felt adventurous and opted for the italian beef with sweet pepper but definitely regretted it. She got the Chicago-style hot dog, which tasted alright but I think we both preferred Portillo's to Al's. My beef sandwich was pretty dry. I now see why they recommend the dip because at times it felt like I was eating paper :/. I really wanted to enjoy this place but felt let down based on the reviews and recommendations online. The fries were also stale when we got them so overall just not the best food here but it wasn't the worst either! read more

If you're a fan of beef, this is the place to go! Let's get into it.. Ambiance - Al's Beef is located on a corner and has ample seating inside. This location can accommodate both small or larger groups. The decor was okay, but looked clean and had a good beefy vibe. Service - Al's Beef is deli style, so you order your food at the counter and then return when your order was called. Being a Beef novice, I found the staff's recommendations helpful and they led me to a great experience. Food - I got the regular Beef and while I was wondering if I went too small, I can safely say it was quite filling! I got my Beef dipped with peppers and hot giadineria (sp) and the flavor was outstanding. I grabbed four napkins thinking that'd be enough, but that lasted me maybe half of my sandwich. It's a messy, but glorious, sandwich. Overall, my first foray into Chicago cuisine was a home run and I'm excited to try other local favorites. I would definitely return for another! read more

Al's Beef - Dipped beef with hot giadineria and peppers. Fantastic! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was right across from our hotel . We were hungry but not in the mood for "sandwiches". After much debate we walked away over and these were not sandwiches! I never had Italian Beef and have no compare but the food was so good! Service was efficient, friendly and fast and the dine in area was clean, bright and cheerful. I would 100% go again read more

The BEST meal we had in Chicago! Al's beef is a classic Italian beef spot and it's always packed! But if you order online and then walk in to pick up, it's sooo much faster than waiting in line to order. For my meal I had an Italian beef dipped and with a sweet pepper. It was the perfect amount of flavor and tenderness and I absolutely devoured it. I also had a bite of their hot dog and fries. I think the hot dogs at other places in Chicago are a bit better but I loved how seasoned the fries were! Overall will definitely be recommending this spot to all of my friends. read more

This place is a must in Chicago. I shared a big beef and chili cheese fries with my fiancé and that's all we needed. You order then seat yourself, it can be a little hard to get a table but people seem to come and go fairly quickly. It gets busy and I understand why. Another place I want to return next time I'm in Chicago! read more

Al's Beef - Big Beef and Chili Cheese Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

sorry this not the #1 beef in Chicago. there was no taste to the meat and the aujus was red!! not the ordinary. I would say Portillos beef is 100 times better... read more

Mediocre at best. Polish meat was extremely dry. Fries were soggy. Italian beef was nothing special. Ordering process on a kiosk sucks. Go somewhere else. read more

Al's Beef - The Original Depression Polish - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Italian beef is probably one of my favorite things to get in Chicago, and Al's is the gold standard. Definitely get both the sweet peppers and the giardiniera! read more

Al's Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When we came to Al's Beef for lunch, the line was out the door, and that's when you know the food is going to be delicious! There's a kiosk in the back right corner of the restaurant that not many people seemed to know about. Even after ordering, it was still a decent wait, which was understandable considering how crowded it was. There was some seating inside, but it was super crowded when we went. We just did takeout and ended up eating it somewhere else. We got the Italian beef sandwich, loaded fries with bacon cheese and green onion, and a hot dog Chicago style. All the food was delicious, but my favorite was probably the fries. read more

Al's Beef - Chicago hot dog - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'd like to preface that I'm not the biggest carnivore, so if you are I think you'd like this place a lot more. I ordered the diet beef and added the peppers and celery. A peeve of mine is that none of the beef sandwich options come with any sort of vegetable so when you add them on the price just gets quite high; otherwise you just have a not well rounded sandwich in my opinion. The beef with the vegetables was pretty tasty and filling for the time being, but I'm not sure I understand the hype. Some of my friends also mentioned their beef sandwiches being really soggy which may just be the vibe of the sandwich, but it seemed to make it less enjoyable to eat. Service was quick though which was helpful as we were on a bit of a time crunch read more

A Dipped Big Beef with Provolone and Sweet Peppers was as delicious as always. But I only received one Green Pepper in the entire sandwich, which was thoroughly drenched with Meat Gravy. Homemade Cheddar Cheese Fries and Regular Fries were very good but arrived barely warm. Diane observed that her Cheese Dog had a noticeable snap to the Dog. The Cheddar Cheese Dogs were smothered in cheese. Our order was called within five minutes of ordering, but the Fries were clearly not made to order. Nevertheless, they added to the enjoyment of our lunch. read more

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Al's is mostly known for their Italian beef sandwiches but there are other things you could try out. I only had their Italian beef but it was so good, I had to get it twice in my trip. I'd recommend ordering an Italian beef, dipped and adding hot and sweet peppers. Their sandwiches are very filling, so go when you're hungry. read more

Al's Beef - Italian beef, dipped, hot and sweet - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I.Love.This.Place. This is our first stop when visiting from out of town. The food is amazing and the service is efficient. The place is always packed. The Italian beef is sooooooooo good. read more

The service is excellent. The person taking our order friendly. We placed our order quickly. We got our food in less than five minutes. The food was hot and fresh. My Italian beef with provolone cheese and fries were very tasty. The meal was filling. The place is clean and though busy, wasn't too loud. I'd continue to come Al's anytime I come to Chicago! read more

Al's Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I stopped in here for lunch on our first day in Chicago bc we wanted to try a hot beef sandwich. While we had high hopes, neither of us loved the sandwich bc it had cinnamon in the dip and we are neither one a fan of cinnamon in savory dishes. I will say that the fresh cut fries were delicious though. read more

Al's Beef - Hot beef sandwich and fresh cut fries. This is the large 9" sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got my beef sweet hot and dipped with cheese. The bread is great and is probably the standout. The sweet peppers are really good and I enjoyed them. The hot peppers are also great, not as much of a kick as I would like but still fine. Dipped was a good idea since I wasn't eating in the restaurant. Not sure how you'd eat this wet since it gets SO sloppy. Goes everywhere. The biggest disappointment was the lack of flavor in the meat. It was cooked fine, it's just a ton of shredded beef. I really didn't feel like it had much flavor. When you dip it it tastes better but to be honest it kinda felt like plain beef going into plain beef broth. Just not that interesting. To be honest I just don't get the hype. Good sandwich, but not a great one. read more

first time having a Italian beef was very good but can be messy. The gentleman behind the counter helped with my order. read more

Al's Beef - italian beef Regular Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a nice place. Good crew working here. The Chicago dog, which was OK. It was pretty good, not perfect. The fries were a nice surprise and quite tasty. I was told the beef was the best in town by a friend who has lived here for 31 years. I found it to be good but not great. I've had a few that were better, but it was very pleasant and my dining companion and I enjoyed our time here. read more

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What a unique flavor, never had anything like it. Definitely a must try while in Chicago! Service was AMAZING! The owner of that location a was super nice and helpful to us newbies of the Italian beef sandwich! read more

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Was recommended to try this spot for the iconic Italian Beef sandwich - it is a small spot with a line/steady stream of patrons, so you know it is good! We tried two varieties - the dipped and wet. I personally preferred the dipped for the full flavor profile. We also had a side of their topped fries with cheese that were divine. read more

Ordered a few things to try. Amazing Italian beef sandwich; the meat was amazing, but the gravy was cold, unfortunately. Chicago Hot Dog was very good and maybe the best sports I have ever had. The cheese fries left a lot to be desired. I will definitely recommend this spot! read more

I had to try Al's Beef since I was in Chicago and it says to be #1 for Italian Beef. I got the Italian Beef and a Chicago Dog. Both were good but I can't say it was anything special. The Italian Beef was bit more on the salty side but besides that it wasn't too bad. The Chicago dog wasn't bad either but more of the pickle, relish, onions, and tomatoes to fill the bun instead of the hot dog. read more

Al's Beef - Chicago Dog - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I got a regular Italian beef sandwich with both sweet and spicy peppers and the person at the cashier recommended to have it dipped so I did. I wasn't a fan of the dip sandwich if I ordered it again I would have it dry and just dip my sandwich as I eat because the sandwich got soggy very fast and by the end of it it just evaporated from my fingers. Overall, the meat was very good. I don't know if this is a crime, but I wish it had cheese on it. But I respect it and it's glory. I don't think I would order it again, but it would be something that I take a bite of if my friend ordered it. The gravy sauce was absolutely delicious again. The sandwich would probably be way better if I just got it dry and dipped it myself. read more

Al's Beef - Big Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An amazing Italian beef and Chicago dog! The beef was juicy and we added sweet peppers to the sandwich. Plenty of seating and friendly staff. read more

When in Chicago YOU HAVE to go to Al's Beef. Its a staple to stop by here and try out the Italian beef sandwiches. You can either order online or in person but they work hard and fast. When we got here line wasn't too bad probably only a 5 min wait or so. Only trouble was getting a table to sit. We got two beef sandwiches. One dipped and one without with everything on it. The first bite was like a taste of heaven it was so delicious. read more

Fantastic.....simply fantastic. Have not been here in 20+ years, and my how it has changed.....they actually have chairs now! The beef was exactly what was expected - juicy, tasty, messy, and freaking wonderful! The surprise of this trip was the french fries.....hands down fantastic. If you want a true taste of Chicago, this is a must-stop dining experience. read more

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I came during lunch and there was a decent amount of seating. I got the italian beef and sausage combo and added sweet peppers. The sandwich was dry and not moist at all. I felt like I needed to drink water to wash it down. Service was nice and quick. read more

Al's Beef - Regular Combo - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was in Chicago for two weeks with no idea about how I was going to fill my days. The first meal I had after getting off of the plane was at this Al's location. Italian Beef, wet, with cheddar and hot peppers. This. This is what I would spend my week doing. I went on a quest to find the very best Beef in the city. Devil Dawgz, Luke's, Portillo's, Mr. Beef... I tried as many as I could get my hands on. All were good, none were as good as Al's. I confirmed this by returning to Al's on my final day in town. There's just something about the quality of the ingredients and the way they're balanced that made it stand head and shoulders above the competition. I can't dock them a star for being located in Chicago instead of NYC where I live. I wish I could, but it wouldn't be fair. read more