Still great tradition in Chicago. New location on Wells but same great dipped Italian Beef, good fresh cut fries. For those that don't get the beef (what are they thinking), the Chicago Vienna Beef dogs and sausages are great, too. read more

When I was in Chicago, the only 2 things I wanted to try was the deep dish pizza and eating a Italian beef sandwich. The only place that came to mind was Al's because everyone love him plus the chain been on T.V forever. After we finish having our deep dish pizza, we want straight to Al's. I only order a small because I was stuff plus i didn;t want to take a chance about not eatine one. The sandwich came out fast and the store remind me of the subway chain restaurant. I took my first bite and it was ok. It was juicy but nothing like when you watch it on t.v Overall I like it but it but it feel more like a chain then something special. I need to found a REAL local because I am sure they would know where they sell the best beef sandwich in town. read more

Placed an order with Grubhub.. I ordered loaded fries and buffalo chicken wrap. The fries were cold and the sour cream was missing in the bag. The buffalo chicken wrap was warm but had very little buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing. I also ordered 2 lemonades to drink but received 2 cans of 7up instead. ?? read more

The dipped beef was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Wow. Hot peppers as well. WOW

Holy crap is this beef good!! And.. and.. wait for it.. THEY DELIVER! There really is not much I can say about this beef other than it is all the goodness that is Chicago food rolled into a sandwich and then dipped in the greatest juice you have ever tasted. Don't make the mistake I did and order just one. Get two right off the bat. Have a heart defibrillator standing by just in case you eat too fast. Love, LOVE this beef! read more

5 stars, easy. Best Italian beef and fries in town. On top of that, you get your food super fast, and they're open late! It does get a bit crowded and the lack of seating can make it difficult to eat, but that's to be expected. read more

Open late weekends. I like Al's just not this one. The beef was wack, and for whatever reason my whole freaking bag was covered in cheese and it got all over my hands! read more

I figured I'd use my 15%-off GrubHub coupon before it expired, so why not on Italian beef? Unfortunately, I'll be exploring other options or perhaps just sticking to Portillo's after this experience. I did like the moist and well-seasoned beef better than Portillo's, and the interestingly spiced gravy was just fine. But something about the bread turned me off ... I think I prefer something a little heartier. The house giardiniera needed way more flavor and heat. The fries, though freshly cut, were saturated in oil, likely due to only a singular frying. And the Caesar dressing seemed to be of the cheap, bottled variety. Boo. read more

Keep in mind, this was my first Italian Beef experience so take this review as you will. I shared an italian beef and chili with the BF and totally regret not getting my own sandwich. While the chili was decent, the main star here was the dipped italian beef with everything on it! Yes it is messy, yes you might need a knife and fork to eat it but it is so worth it. Came here with a group of 5 and a few of us agreed that it almost tasted like a pho-sandwich. We LOVE PHO so this was a compliment. The meat and sauce flavors were very similar to pho. I love finding delicious, cheap eats while on vacation! This location is small-ish so I recommend going during odd times because if there are 5 parties there then you may not be able to find a seat. read more

I went here today for the first time. I ordered a Italian beef and sausage combo sandwich that was dry and meat tasted old. The guy asked what kind of peppers we wanted on it and than charged me for them without letting me know they were extra. My meal was an extra dollar more than what the posted amount said. Overall I am not happy and will not come back ever again. read more

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

Just ordered on Grubhub with very specific instructions- regular sized Italian beef with provolone and sweet peppers (I have giardiniera peppers at home) and a Chicago-style Polish sausage. I listed on Grubhub to call when at the gate so I could come down. I also asked for my Italian beef to be swimming in juice, and I think my exact wording was something like "Please dip in juice to the point of it being soaked. I don't care if it falls apart in my hands, I just want it beyond juicy and soggy." They totally followed everything down to the wire and were at my place in 30 minutes, with so much provolone cheese that, true to my request, I couldn't tell the different from the bread and the cheese because the bread was falling apart from the juice- SO GOOD. Yum. Thanks Al's Beef! read more

Ok, so I like when places take notice. I went with a friend yesterday to als again and it was much much better not great but nowhere as terrible as it was the first two times. Sandwich was much larger a little salty but tasty. Ill try it again and maybe it will get another star so I tried it a second time and my thoughts are the same as my first trip. Not horrible but way over priced and over rated. No where the beef as Johnnies, Jays, Mr Beef on Franklin or the un related Mr Beef on Harlem (a fav of mine). Scalas beef is better not as greasy and from what I see a better value. I won't lower their star rating because its not bad its just bordering on rip off and that is the bummer I have to say that not all Al's franchises hold the standard. I never like the one on ontario and after looking forward to this one which I pass frequently during construction. I had high hopes. Man was I let down. I live by Johnnies so its hard to compare. 6 bucks for a 6 inch beef with maybe 3.5 oz of beef is a little steep. I understand it cost to put out a good product but I felt gouged. I know they will be busy on games but they need to please the people that can support them locally. More then a few places have gone out on that strip recently and I would hate to see a good beef stand needed in the area fail. Hopefully its birthing pains and they will sort it out. Remember there is a lot more days without cubs games then with them and that is who will support you read more

Best Al's in Chicago, I stay in the west loop but come here because my order is always consistent. I believe that's why the west loop on Adams closed. The little Indian guy I think is the owner. Always pleasant and staff are courteous. This is much as I can write for fast food. Consistency is important that's why I don't mess with portillos anymore. They fell off after the Latinos stopped working at restaurants out of Trump fears read more

WOW! I moved away a few years ago and was back in Chicago visiting family. SURE Al's is BUSY because it's SOOOOO good! KNOW what you want before you step up to order people!!! There was a line of course and people are waiting but STILL don't know what they want when they get to the front!!! ANYWAY, guy taking orders was fast, took my order and our food was out in a reasonable amount of time, even though them were PACKED. BEEF was huge, juicy, flavorful and I could BARELY finish but I savored every bite! My brother's sausage & beef combo was also HUGE and he had no problem eating it all...YUM! Will ALWAYS stop in when in town!!! read more

Pretty much the real deal as far as Chicago Italian Beef aspires to...actually chose this restaurant for my birthday dinner tonight which says something about something; not sure what. Had a tamale on the side, which was prepackaged and nuked, I guess. Not bad! Great fries! This was near Wrigley, after the cubbies game. Pretty much the perfect day in Chicagoland. Food came super fast, too. read more

I'm not sure why but when I say "Al's Beef" I want to have the inflections and tone in speech similar to a wise-guys. This small little gem is located perfectly next to bars and a bustling neighborhood. It's small with seating outside, but it's also convenient for to-go orders. The menu lists most of the local eats like Italian Beef to Dogs. Hands down this place has a great classic Chicago dog, nothing fancy - no flare. Space is small but well used, staff is nice and efficient. read more

Great to see Al's Beef in Wrigleyville and good use of a weird shaped building. Unfortunately, the weird shape doesn't translate well for seating. There are only a handful of tables, some standing area, and nothing outside. I'm not sure if they do a lot of carry out business, but Al's sandwiches aren't exactly something you can eat while walking. Anyway, the beef sandwich was good. Not really on the spicy side, even with hot peppers, but good. Solid. I guess if I was looking for a beef sandwich fix, I'd consider Al's Beef. The fries were good as well. Not my favorite, but good. read more

The beef was pretty average, and I didn't care for their giardiniera. Something tasted off. I love giardiniera. Usually I love to eat the excess giardiniera that falls off the sandwich. Not at Al's. I was more than content to just leave it on the paper. That's sad. Their hot dog is pretty small and wimpy, but their fries are good. Decades ago, I'm sure Al's was wonderful. Now with franchises popping up all over, the quality is clearly lacking. There is also a touristy vibe that turned me off. Al's seems like the kinda place people from Iowa go to when they're in town. There is much better Italian beef in the city of Chicago (like Jay's on North Ave). Just remember, any place that advertises as "the best" or "#1" is never the best or #1. Al's is just further proof. read more

Boy am I glad they opened up an Al's in Wrigleyville. I went to a Cubs game with a buddy the September before they opened and we had an Al's craving afterward that we couldn't satisfy unless we traveled all the way downtown. Our prayers have been answered. I haven't had Mr. Beef, but Al's is at least better than Portillos in my book. A lot more seasoning to the beef and the hot peppers/giardiniera are out of this world good if you love spicy. Whenever I've got a cold or am just having a bad sinus day I grab Al's so that I can at least enjoy 30 minutes of uninterrupted breathing -- the stuff is that powerful. I also love their assortment of different styles of fries, like the buffalo bleu, for example. Also, be sure to get your beef sandwich dipped (dunked in the au jus) for optimum flavor. Makes a huge difference. The restaurant itself could be better as there's limited seating, but I've never seen a crowd in there, not even on game day, and few things strike me as a better option to avoid eating overpriced ballpark food than Al's. Not enough people living in Wrigley appreciate having Al's, apparently, so I'm crossing my fingers they're doing a good enough business. The service here is super quick and I've never had an issue. I've taken it to go, but I live about 5-10 minutes away. Wouldn't dare try and eat it in a position other than stationary. Al's, so good to have you nearby. The bottom line is you can't find a good beef anywhere else within any kind of proximity to Wrigleyville. read more

I prefer Al's to Portillo's, which I'm sure it sacrilege to many Chicago natives. I'm not from Chicago, and just visit a handful of times a year. I love the beef/sausage combo at Al's. Their fries are fantastic, too. That's usually all I order. I usually only go to this location if I'm going to a game. For a 1:20 game, I usually try to get to Al's before 11:30 for lunch, when it starts getting really busy. Seating inside is very cramped. Outside seating is great if it's a pleasant day out. The service is pretty quick, but it can be really hard to find a place to sit on game days. I imagine it gets pretty crazy after games, like most establishments in the area when Wrigley empties out. Every time I've been to this location, the staff has been very friendly and accommodating, as is the case with most Al's locations. The only thing that would keep me away from this one is the game day crowd. Go early and get you some beef. read more

Al's Beef? More like GAL's Beef! the beef is soaking wet! been a 'cago (what me and my bro's call it) resident for a while and just went here. im telling you, I just wrung the juice out of the sandwich like water out a towel, chugged it and let it drip down my face because YOLO. read more

Al's Beef - 69 - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really don't like giving negative reviews, and wanted to give this two stars for the fries but considering my gastric distress after eating at Al's after helping my parents move all day, the only star IS for the fries and not for the mystery meat sandwich that i'm sure is responsible for the grease that's made its way through my system already. I'm sick of going to the bathroom, and what's really sad is that I had a warning about this place by a guy who came here desperate for an italian beef (he lives and works in LA but is a native Chicagoan) and HE got sick from the food. That dude has an iron stomach and frankly, so do I. I wish I'd listened to my intuition and insisted that we eat at Pick Me Up Cafe - anywhere other than that rotten place. Other upsides is that it's clean, and the workers are friendly. I'd say if you're going to get anything go for the hot dog or the burger - the fries are really good. But avoid the HELL out of those Italian Beefs, which should be called shitalian beef. Go to Renaldi's instead and get the real deal. On Garlic Bread. Dipped, with provolone and sweet peppers. There, you have to eat it with a steak knife and a fork because their bread holds its shape. Their gravy is righteous. I wonder if they call it the Al's Regular because it keeps you regular? Ugh. read more

Great location and great staff, but the food itself didn't live up to hype. Got a regular Italian beef, wet(extra gravy) with sweet peppers and cheese, and spent the meal hoping that the bite is where all of the flavor would hidden. This location is open late, so I'm sure it makes great post-bar food, but it didn't hit the mark during this visit. read more

You're open late, salty and hot! Just what I need right now. Be right there.

Italian beef sandwich was delicious. Service was fast and price point was excellent. A great sandwich place that prepares what it sells with precision and care. Consistency is key and they don't disappoint read more

My mother taught me that familiar expression, "if you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all." Good advice but this is a restaurant review isn't it? In a word, AWFUL is how I would describe our beef sandwiches. Italian beef should be thinly sliced NOT put through a blender or food processor. Hot giardiniera received similar treatment and neither looked nor tasted like what EVERY other good Italian beef place offers. Do an online image search and you'll see what it's supposed to look like! Taste was completely lacking in our sandwiches. Do yourself a favor, find a Portillo's or Buona beef instead of this place. We love both and thought we'd give Al's a try since it was close by. NEVER again! read more

Crap. A gimmick....a tourist attraction. To even have this on my places to try while in Chicago makes my mouth taste bitter. I went here and had the #8 and I swear, I've had far better italian beef sandwiches on hoagies elsewhere. There wasn't any edge they had here. The beef was dry with sad attempts to rehydrate it with the inclusion of au jus, and the bread was sogged up eventually from that and nothing special. The filling wasn't all that flavorful or memorable as it was just pickled peppers and such. Philly steak sandwiches are best in my eyes. read more

It had been a few years since I had enjoyed Al's. I used to eat it all the time when I was working down the block from one. So, when I'm drunkenly walking down Clark late on a Friday and see it, I yell "Chili Cheese Fries!!! F' yeah!!" Al's always had my most favourite Chili cheese fries ever! I was ecstatic! Meh. This Al's seemed a little dumpy. I was amazed at how quickly the people behind us got their food but it took at least five minutes for some fries. Really? Ugh. The actual CCF were a disappointment. They added beans to the basic Chili. The lack of beans was one of my favourite things about it! (Who likes having to scrape half of the toppings off her Chili cheese dog to avoid them? Not this gal!) I'm not giving up on Al's. It just won't be a must eat when I am conveniently near one. read more

Al's Beef, the Italian Beef specifically, may best be compared to a wet dream. A very wet dream. Like the greatest french dip sandwich, only drowning in a sauce that is far superior to any au jus, an Italian Beef is a great and messy thing to behold and consume. Do your sandwich a flavor favor and get one of the pepper add-ons or both. Worth it. Al's is the best chain restaurant beef, with a gazillion locations that pop up out of nowhere, so you're always within walking distance of juicy goodness. read more

The Polish dog was really great but I wasn't a big fan of the Italian Beef sandwich (it drips everywhere! ). read more

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

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I won't pretend to know what the hell an "authentic" Italian beef consists of, because I don't. But I do know what I like and what tastes good - and that's Al's. Badabing. I ordered / inhaled one of Al's famous Italian beef sandwiches, with both sweet and hot peppers - and of course I had to get it dipped. The roll was soft and coated in the beef au jus. The beef was tender and juicy, and the peppers added a touch of spice and flavor. I must have blacked out because next thing I know my sandwich is gone and all that remained was a crumpled pile of dirty napkins. Damn. My only regret is not ordering another to-go. And I've gotta hand it to them, at that price their Chicago dogs aren't a bad option either. Probably not the best Chicago dog you'll find in the city (Doug's), but I've got no complaints. No, this isn't the original Al's beef location, and yes, this is a franchise, but that shouldn't sway your decision one way or the other. The fact is: Al's food is damn good. That's Al's I got. Overall Grade: A- read more

I would recommend a Regular Al's with Gravy on the side and a Maxwell as an appetizer! If you want Great Beef sandwiches, Polishes, and Fries give Al's Beef a try. This location also offers Hamburgers and delivers to Uptown!!!! Yeah!!!!! If you dine here, make sure to eat at the counter by the window and practice "the Lean" so you don't drip any gravy onto your shirt!!! Al's also offers huge salads for those watching their carb intake. Kinda funny right, if you were watching your weight.....you probably wouldn't be dining here!! read more

Adam Richman voted this place's beef sandwich as the best in the midwest and I have to agree! The outside is totally not impressive, in fact it kindof makes you want to run for the hills. I wasnt expecting a white tablecloth restaurant, but at least table service. But, hey, some of the best places I've eaten at were holes in the wall! I opted for the Reg Al with spicy peppers and provolone cheese. At first glance of my sandwich, I was nervous I should have ordered the Big Al, this was not going to fill me up. Alas, this beast of a sandwich proved me wrong. The tasty beef meshed perfectly with the spicy peppers and melted cheese. I was also apprehensive towards the dipped bun (Im not a soggy bread kindof a girl) but the bread dipping with Au Jus sauce was the cherry on top! Definitely recommend after a day/night at Wrigley on the way to/from the bars. read more

Great Italian beef hamburgers hot dogs and great hand cut French fries I will visit again next I am in Chicago friendly staff and fast service read more

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

Had the Italian Beef sandwich, told them to make it the way it's supposed to be served, which means with sweet and hot peppers and dipped in au jus. Wow. Throw in the fresh cut fries, not good for the waistline but super tasty! read more

Al's Beef - Italian beef, sweet and hot peppers, dipped, with natural cut fries! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Oh my Jesus. I was not expecting this to be the most amazing meal my entire trip but I honestly can't stop thinking about it since I've gotten home. Never mind the looks and messiness of this god sent sandwich..... The explosion of flavor in yo mouth with change yo life! I got the regular Italian beef DIPPED. Don't forget to get it DIPPED! If the grease isn't dripping from the bag then you're doing it wrong. The flavor is amazing with hot peppers and the roast beef is mouthwatering. read more

Al's Beef - Dipped Italian beef sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I drove 6 hours from Southwestern Ohio for this beef. It was well worth it! A messy, soggy disaster of a sandwich that I will cherish forever. The fries are great too, but who cares about fries when you have a pile of delicious Italian beef and hot giardiniera?! I will forever love you, Al's. read more

Nothing more Chicago than a dipped beef from Al's served piping hot. This place is glorious. The fries are fresh and flavorful. The beef, no matter how you order it (I prefer dipped and sans peppers) is a Chicago original that you're not going to find anywhere else. Even more impressive is the fact that the bread they use can withstand the abuse of being dunked in the juicy Italian beef goodness. Located a couple of blocks down Clark Street from Wrigley. Restaurant itself is very, VERY clean and the service is both efficient and friendly. I'm a fan and I will most certainly be back. read more

For 10.57 i got a good tasting beef ,w /sweet peppers and cheese. Drink and fries .i think for that price the beef could have had more in it .it was the 6 inch and i left still hungry .i can get one in several other places for 650 for a combo that will fill you up well. Would go again but may just have a beef and water .the staff was very nice though. read more

This more a 3.5 star review, but they get 4 because its one of the very few legit Italian beefs on the north side, or at least north shore. With so many great restaurants from the Gold Coast to Rodgers Park, good Italian beef spots are hard to come by between these areas. Most of the good ones seem to be south and west of downtown. That being said, Al's still offers a good beef. Having it dipped and with sweet or hot peppers is the classic Chicago way of eating a beef sandwich. But hey this America, so if you don't like it dipped or would like it with cheese, you can go that route too and it's still pretty good. The key to a good beef is having every piece of meat very thinly sliced, and Al's never disappoints in that regard in all the years I've had their sandwiches. It's amazing how many beef joints fail in this aspect. Also if you have your sandwich dipped you need to eat it right away. The longer you wait the more messy and less delicious it will be. A little over priced, but still pretty good. read more