Fantastic Italian beef, with the sausage combo only $2 more. Bread was amazing, both beef and sausage were equally delicious and very different, making a great meal. I didnt want to pay the extra $1 for peppers and regretted it later, but still enjoyed it tremendously! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Beef and Sausage - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I recently stopped by Chef Ciccio Beef Balls Beer at Navy Pier, and it was easily one of the highlights of our visit. Tucked inside the pier, this spot feels like a hidden gem serving up seriously delicious Italian comfort food. The standout for us was their Famous Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich and Chicken Al'Pesto Sandwich with a side their roasted potatoes. Everything was just perfect and delicious!  You can tell there's real tradition behind it, and it makes sense knowing the recipes come from generations of Chicago Italian cooking . The price was pretty affordable and the service was superb. Gus really took good care of us. What I loved most was how everything felt both authentic and approachable. The bread was fresh and sturdy, the portions were satisfying, and the flavors were bold without being overwhelming. It's clear they put care into every detail, from the ingredients to the presentation. The atmosphere is casual and lively--perfect for grabbing a bite while exploring the pier. Despite being in a busy tourist area, the quality really stands out, and it doesn't feel like your typical food court experience. In fact, it's often described as a surprisingly great spot hidden in Navy Pier. Overall, 100% recommended! read more

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Huge delicious beef sandwiches. I got peppers on mine and they were fabulous! Glad I read other reviews and tried this place at Navy Pier. All the way in the back! Keep walking for huge sandwiches full of yummy beef!!! Made to order quickly while you wait. Plenty of tables to sit inside or you can take your food out to the lake. Since it was so hot we ate inside and we're glad we did! We needed to be closer to more napkins since the sandwiches were so juicy! You should try! read more

Best beef sandwich! Bread is a firm but soft roll and the beef served saucy was perfect amount. Come with some seasoned potato wedges. $12 is a great deal on Navy Pier. Saw a customer get frustrated with the self order pad and walked away, was ordering for five people. Just ask the person behind the counter to take your order, the people who walked away missed out. read more

This a good beef and for the price it's pretty good. I can't give this a 5, and don't think this. Better than Mr. Beef or Johnnys. It's different. Kinda salty in general but they add the potatoes to it, and the bun is almost artisian in a way, but frankly it's good additions. The location is in Navy Pier. So everything being everything this is a good sandwich for the buck. I like it. Come here and eat. You won't be disappointed. In health and happiness! Cheers! Danny read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian beef! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chef Ciccio is my favorite spot to eat at Navy Pier, it's super underrated and a little further into the building. The quality of the bread is always really good and the samwiches come with some free potato wedges. The caprese sandwich and chicken al'pesto are my favorites. They butter up the roll with some herb butter so each bite is super flavorful. This would be 5 stars but sometimes the server doesn't toast the bread and the butter is still cold. I know they toast the bread because I've gotten it multiple times and when I get different servers they toast it no problem. But when I asked the worker to toast it he said "this ain't Quiznos." And it's not like there was a huge line or anything, I was the only customer in line. read more

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All I could say was daaaammmnnn. Chef Ciccio's Italian Beef Samwich will transcend you! This was the BEST thing I ate in Chicago, even better than.. do I dare say it? Pizza. And we ate A LOT. Located in the Navy Pier Food Hall, I wasn't even going to stop because I thought it would be tourist trap subpar food. But walking by, the pumping Spanish music, tantalizing smells and seeing a couple's Italian Beef trays had us turning back around. Best decision!! Gus was all smiles taking our order and making our food. He even gave us recommendations on how best to enjoy the food. You can tell he loves his job and his positivity made my day. Italian Beef & Sausage Combo 5/5* but I'd give it 100* if I could This is best eaten immediately since there is au jus all over the sando. The beef is so quality, loaded in there, with a huge, fat, plump sausage that perfectly snaps with each bite. The beef smelled amazingly of spices and was so rich with a depth of beefy flavor as if it was roasted or stewed for hours with whatever magic crack he put into the meat. My eyes were rolling with the first bite and the mouth feel did not disappoint. Perfect texture of slightly toasted bread, soaked and softened by beef au jus, tender slice of beef, snap of the spicy savory sausage oozing with just the right amount of oily fat, and tangy crunch of giardiniera, it was too much for my foodie dreams to handle. This also comes with roasted potatoes, which I'm normally not a fan of because I like thin and crispy. But whyyy.. why were these also so damn good! They were just basic looking soft potatoes, but the flavor was phenomenal. Salty and pungent with rosemary herbs. I never devoured them so fast. Ciccio states they are the best Italian Beef Samich on the Navy Pier, but I don't agree. They might even be the best in the city! Trust those Chicago Times news articles on their wall and the near 5* Yelp rating. I'm salivating writing this review with happy yet sad memories of the most magnificent meal I've had in Chicago. read more

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Really good Italian beef and sausage sandwich. The dipped stock is great and crunchy bread.

oh my gosh this place is a hidden gem. it's a little mom and pop shop who will make any sandwich the way you want it done. I got the pesto chicken sandwich and it was so good. The bread, the sauce, the tomatoes everything was amazing. My coworker got the Italian beef sandwich and also loved it would absolutely recommend if you're looking for a good sandwich in the area.service was also great! read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this stand in Navy Pier - when we first walked in, I felt overwhelmed like we were entering a huge mall. However, the food at Chef Ciccio lived up to its ratings! We got the FAMOUS CHICAGO ITALIAN ROAST BEEF SAMWITCH and SAUSAGE SAMWITCH. I really enjoyed the potato wedges that came on top - they were really well seasoned. For the italian beef, we got the option of "bath' and it was drenched in the sauce - so good but very messy! The sausage was also really good and flavorful, and liked the peppers that came with it. Definitely elevate up and get the Chicago giardiniera! read more

My family and I came here on Labor Day weekend, so it was super packed inside on the Saturday probably because of the fireworks. It was impossible just to get to Navy Pier on the bus, so we ended up walking. There aren't many seats inside the food court area, but we were lucky enough to snag a table. This was probably one of my favorite restaurants during our stay in Chicago. I got the arancini, which was cheese rice fried with spinach. I liked the texture of this, and it was super flavorful. We also tried the Italian beef sandwich and the Italian beef bowl. The beef in both of these were so soft and flavorful. The service here was excellent. Even though it was super packed that night, the worker was handing out free watermelon slices. This is definitely the place to check out when you're at Navy Pier! read more

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Took a while to find a place because Matt had it in the wrong location you were looking it is across from the sea dogs and boats. This place was amazing. My group had Italian beef, chicken, Parm, and chicken pesto, and everyone enjoyed what they were eating. Italian beef was ordered Chicago style. Possibly the best meal I had in Chicago this trip if you around the Navy pier and hungry I highly recommend. Day two I had the o Italian beef again and my son had the Polish sausage. Phenomenal. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian beef Chicago style. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I tried Ciccio Beef while I was indoors at Navy Pier and wanted a quick bite to eat. I ordered the regular Italian beef, wet, with provolone and hot peppers. I haven't had too many Italian beefs since moving to Chicago, as I'm not a huge fan of the sandwich in general, but I can confidently say this is one of the best--if not the best--I've ever tried! What really stood out was the attention to detail. I love cheese on my sandwiches, and the guy behind the counter mentioned he put the provolone at the bottom so it could melt properly. That small touch made such a big difference and elevated the sandwich. The sandwich was perfectly soaked--wet enough to enhance the flavors without making it overly soggy. The bread held everything together, and there weren't any dry spots at all. Take it from someone who isn't a big Italian beef fan: Ciccio is a must-try. It's a hidden gem right in Navy Pier, and I'll definitely be back for more! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Famous Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Literally incredible and life changing. I thought I didn't like Italian Beef sandwiches, I was wrong. This one I love! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian Beef Sammich - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ordered two cannolis and I thought they were pre-made and kept on display because the employee wrapped one up from the display case and then proceeded to hand make another. I bit into mine and immediately tasted mold. I brought it to the employees attention (who looked mortified) and she said it was sitting out for the day. There was so much mold in there, it HAD to have been sitting out for at least 3-4 days at that point. read more

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If you are in Navy Pier and want some delicious food...come get some Beef, Balls or Beer. Hehe well it's in the name but I actually loved the Chicken Parmsean Sandwich. That sando was very flavourful and satisfying. This place also has a wonderful Italian Beef sandwich, where everything is made fresh to include a 12 hour au jus. Definitely get that baby wet (soaked in au jus) if you are going to be eating immediately. The potatoes fingerlings were also seasoned well. All I can say is that the food and service here is superb. Everyone working here is friendly and enjoys serving quality food. The Ciccio restaurant is from the kitchen of Mario Ferraro, who is a second generation Chicagoland restaurantenur. The menu offers something for everyone to include chicken, beef, pork, sautéed veggies. Additional a wide range of beer, cocktails, wine and seltzer. On this occasion I got $5 High Noon. It was just what I needed to wash down my sandwich meander on the pier. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Chicken Parmigiano Sandwich is fire - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service was amazing and the food was also solid! The owner was a s friendly and engaging. He genuinely cared about our opinion. So much that he asked after we ate to return and let him know our honest thoughts. Fortunately, they were all positive, so we were happy to share our feedback as he was to receive it. Go check them out! read more

Heard a few good things about their beef, so I knew once the weather started to cooperate, I would pay Navy Pier a visit to their Chef Ciccios version. The crew here was amazing. Very welcoming, great attitude. You know that same passion carries over when they're making their food. My son and I both ordered a beef. He ordered his wet and I ordered mine dunked. He puts the beef in the container and the pours the gravy on top of the beef as well as inside the container, so your beef is literally swimming in that delicious gravy. The sandwich itself was really good. The beef was perfect seasoned and they also add potatoes to the sandwich. Something I've never had before on a beef but would definitely order it again this way. The only tiny issue I had, was that it was a tad bit salty, but overall a pretty decently made sandwich. Can definitely see myself ordering this again, next time we take the kiddos to Navy Pier. read more

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Excellent Italian beef with provolone and peppers, Giardiniera on the side. Toasted bread, but wet! The best. Thank you chef read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Outstanding Italian Beef - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was looking forward to trying these highly rated italian beef sandwiches. Unfortunately I stood at the counter for 10 minutes and nobody took my order. There was even someone who looked right at me and ignored me. Also this is a food court booth. So don't expect a great environment either. read more

It took a while to find this spot as it is almost towards the very end of the Navy Pier. Once found, we were instantly greeted with a friendly smile and assistance on the menu. The Italian Beef Sandwich was voted one of the best in Chicago and it did not disappoint. Everything was made fresh and the portions are enough to share if you desire. I opted for the Chicken Parmigiana sandwich was delicious and tasty! Overall, a great experience with fast, friendly, delicious food! A must return on our next visit to Chicago. Enjoy! read more

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Highly recommend this delicious Italian Beef Sandwich located all the way down the hallway corridor at Navy Pier! We ordered the classic Italian beef sandwich and it was absolutely delicious! It definitely rivaled the best of the best Italian sandwiches that we've had in Chicago. It is on the pricier side, but that is due to the prime location at Navy Pier. The sandwich itself was $13, but all of the add ons costed extra, for example the onions were + $1 and the peppers were + $1, and so our sandwich ended up being $16-$17 in total at the end. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - a sandwich with meat and pickles - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The guys running this place are so nice and have a really authentic feel. The food is also really, really good. I recommend the meatball sub. The meatballs are amazing!! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Not a great picture but I took a picture of the sticker on the cup to remind myself to write them a review - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was at the MorningStar conference on Navy pier and for lunch they were serving cold cut sandwiches on big hunks of bread so I decided to come down for a Italian beef Chicago style and I'm very happy that I did....., great sandwich, great bread, sweet and spicy peppers were just what it needed... And they happen to serve my very favorite beer hacker pshorr hefe weizen, so that was an added bonus because you don't find that one very often! And the guy running the place was very nice! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian beef and beer - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very friendly service and extremely tasty sandwich. We ordered the Famous Chicago Italian Beef sandwich, one with sausage. They were very tasty and I am glad we got to experience it. It was at the Navy Pier and you order at the counter and find a place to sit. Loved it!! read more

It's tucked away in a corner that's further from the food court, but this is an absolutely delicious Italian Beef sandwich. Juice is flavorful, bread has good texture, and it comes in an aluminum tray so that it can collect the juice. Solid recommend, just wish they gave more peppers. read more

The Best Italian Beef I've Ever Had -- No Contest Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer isn't just a clever name -- it's a full-blown flavor experience. This is hands down the best Italian beef I've ever had. Perfectly thin-sliced, insanely tender, and absolutely drenched in rich, savory jus that soaks into the bread without making it fall apart. The seasoning was spot on -- garlicky, peppery, with just the right hit of rosemary. Do yourself a favor: skip the chain sandwich joints and get over here. This is Italian beef the way it should be. read more

Find this spot and eat here!!! I was excited to meet Chef Ciccio went I went. I couldn't decide what I wanted so he created something special for me. The food was excellent. My favorite was the meatball sub. When can I go again? read more

Thank god Gus was there, made us amazing beef and meatball bowls. Mario was no where to be found. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian beef and Beef & Meatball Marinara Protein Bowl - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best tuna sandwich I've ever had owner is a gem too, next time I'm here I'll definitely be coming back just for the hospitality

I loved talking to the owners ever more than the actual sandwich! And the Caprese sandwich was amazing!! The pesto and olive oil were so fresh and they were so accommodating and caring- gave us samples to try before purchasing. A solid meal option for a night in navy pier! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Caprese sampler - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was visiting Navy Pier when I came across this place and decided to give it a try. I tried their Italian Beef Samwitch and their Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich. The Italian Beef Samwitch was loading with beef and sauce but can get soggy very quickly. I really enjoyed their Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich. Both sandwiches came with two little potato wedges. There can be a bit of a wait especially for the Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich as it does need to be toasted in the oven. Also, this place is card only and they do charge a 3% credit card fee. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Simply tasty! Very good Italian beef sandwich. It melts in your mouth. Very friendly owners. read more

Came by on Sunday and gee whiz Navy Pier was packed. Ordered the Italian beef and it did not disappoint. The bread is so fresh!! Freshest bread I've ever had for an Italian beef. It was like French baguette bread. Fingerling potatoes were on this Italian beef too . Might have been different potato variety. The meat was tender, juicy, delicious. It's in a metal tray so you can re dip the sandwich in juices as you go along or drink the gravy afterwards. read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service is amazing! and the food... cannot express how good it is! price is a bit pricey but for the food it was worth best thing I tried in Chicago! read more

The one on the Pier is a staple!! Best Italian beef in Chicago, wish we could get one in Dallas!!

Most premium Italian beef sandwich I've ever had. The bread is fresh and high quality. When you ask for the sandwich dipped at the big name spots, beef still tastes dry. But Ciccio doesn't leave the beef in the jus all day to dry up and it is so juicy and tender as a result. I will highly recommend this when someone plans to go to Navy Pier! read more

Chef Ciccio Beef-Balls-Beer - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food! We had to try a bit of everything: Italian Beef, Meatballs, Italian Sausage, and Cannoli - all were top notch! I'm not usually one for "juicy" but took their recommendation to do so. Boy am I glad I did! The bread held up well with the juice, which is my normal complaint. It held up so well in fact that I kept dipping it in the excess juice for more. Definitely glad we made the stop. read more

It was okay. Food was not as great as everyone said. Needs more flavor. Anyway, many will still like it. Not bad.

Trust me, this place is the real deal. I didn't get the Italian beef, so I can't speak to it, but the chicken parm was something you'd get from a high end restaurant. You'd never expect it from basically a food court restaurant, but it's unbelievable. I didn't try the Italian beef, but I'd bet you anything that it is seasoned perfectly, and their bread is amazing. I spoke with the owner briefly, he had been retired for 4 years after owning a popular Italian restaurant, and decided to come out of retirement and do this. Cool dude. read more