Been wanting to come here since moving to Chicago, but haven't had the opportunity until recently…read morewhen friends were in town. We were already in the area to check out Frank Lloyd Wright's studio and then came here for lunch afterwards. We were lucky that it was a Monday at lunch time and not a more traditional peak time to be there because we got a parking space fairly quickly and even though we saw the line out the door, it moved very fast. It's very much a cash-only and no-frills type of place. Don't come here expecting them to be super friendly to you. You go up there knowing what you want to order and they are quick and on it. When you're paying, they're already getting the other customer's (behind you) order. We went for an Italian beef sandwich to split as well as a side of fries and an Italian ice. Everything was excellent. Definitely the best Italian beef I've ever had and one of my friends said it was one of the best foods he had on his week trip here. Will definitely need to return!

Ambiance of Johnnies is a quick come-in, order, and head-out kind of spot, quick kind of service,…read morewith a few tables outside if you want to eat there. I tried the Italian beef and sausage combo with sweet and spicy peppers. Tasty, but a mouthful--I'd get the sausage on its own next time and peppers on the side. The lemon Italian ice is a must, especially on a hot summer day!

fast service even with a line. sandwiches made to order…read more and salads and sides are always fresh. lots of other shelf items and frozen to take home also. try their italian subs.....delish!!!!

Alpine has been around since the 1950"s and is still family run. It is a…read more classic Italian deli. It is a small store with a 4-5 tables. The minute you walk in you smell the Italian meats. and fresh bread. The is long deli case showcasing all the meats, cheeses and salads. We were immediately greeted and a gentleman waited on. We shared this was our first time and he guided us through the ordering process without any pressure. I had the Original Alpine Sub. It is described as their flagship sandwich, and often called one of the best Italian subs in the Chicago area. It comes piled with salami, capicola, mortadella, provolone, lettuce, onion, seasoning, and their signature secret oil dressing. The bread was classic turano bread, so fresh. The sandwich was incredible, The meats were fresh and piled high, making it impossible to eat it in one sitting. My husband had a Corned Beef Sandwich. The corned beef was thinly slices and served with provolone and a variety of toppings. We also had a homemade cannoli. The food was excellent and service waqs outstanding. It is easy to see why they have been in business for 70 years.

The food at Massa is wonderful. Everything you order is tasty and I often struggle to pick just one…read moreitem to enjoy. My girls love the food but stay for the gelato! It truly is the best. Don't miss this gem! Your taste buds will thank you!

I had the vodka chicken sandwich and it was delicious highly recommend bringing back more for my…read morefamily

This Italian deli is Chicago old school from the delicious food to the friendly staff to the…read moreincredible variety of eat-in and take-out options. There's a two-sided counter in the middle with freezer and refrigerator cases full of deliciousness on one side and the sandwich and cold case items, like macaroni salad, eggplant rolls, marinated olives, etc. on the other. I had the Italian sub, and our group also ordered an Italian Beef and a Meatball sub, plus some macaroni salad to share. All were made to order and were delicious. We didn't have a cooler with us of we'd have picked up the lasagna as recommended by a man picking up dinner for guests and his wife, or some of the fresh sausages or meatballs. Highly recommend eating here in general and definitely before going to nearby Rolling Stones or HIP!

Im SO happy to have finally checked this one off the bucket list ! Very cute, small and quaint shop…read morelocated right off of Belmont. They have an array of variations and several different assortments of Italian seasonings, sides, desserts, sauces, frozen pizza, cans of goodies for all of your main dishes and not to mention fresh bread! Service was friendly and efficient! We got there right before noon on a weekday afternoon and it started getting packed quickly! Their 12 inch sandwiches are HUGE. We really enjoyed their arranchini ! It's the best one I've ever had and the second best one my husband has ever had next to the ones he tried in actual Italy! Loved their chewy texture and offering it warmed up with sauce. Delectable and simply devine! Would love to come back to try their breaded steak sandwich ! You can't go wrong with whatever you order. Their homemade spicy sausage is also amazing! Decently affordable for the quality that you're getting. They take both cash and card. Really enjoyed the old school Italian Chicago neighborhood vibes!

I can't believe they have been around for 4 years and this is my first time there…read more When we walked in I was concerned that no one was in the restaurant. In their defense it was 4:00 and the evening rush hadn't began. We were greeted by a lovely young lady (Nicki) We decided on 3 sandwiches so we could try a little of everything (or so we thought) 1. Brisket sandwich Amazing! Perfectly cooked, 6 options for BBQ sauces. Just a great sandwich. 2. Pastrami sandwich Spectacular! My personal favorite. If you're looking for a NY style Pastrami, then go to NY. This sandwich was a thick cut Chicago sandwich. Also, not a traditional mustard but a mustard dressing...fine by me because the Pastrami is all that matters. So juicy so flavorful, a fat man's (me) dream 3. Italian beef. I was almost full and picked at the beef...really good too...but I have to say their giardiniera is amazing. My only gripe with the beef was it didn't come out hot, it came out warm...I prefer hot WAIT THERE'S MORE!!! Halfway through our meal Nicki came by to check on us and DROPPED A COUPLE OF PIECES OF SKIRT STEAK on the table for us to try...no seasoning at all not even salt...its was sooooo good that I'm going to get the steak sandwich next time. Great food, great atmosphere, and great people It's a must have

Top Butcher is the best restaurant. Not only in Elmwood Park nor Chicago, probably in the whole…read moreworld. Everything I've ever had from here in the past three years has been incredible and I think about it a lot. It's one of the last places where you get that community feeling even when you step through the door; wether you're greeted when you walk in or having someone check on you while you eat, the ambiance is unmatched.This is a restaurant that I recommend to people I like because you don't just go to Top Butcher once it becomes part of your routine. The Scorza family is always inside talking to everyone and working like maniacs. Top Butcher is on my death row meal... I love this place!

Carnivore in Oak Park…read more This is a butcher shop and fish market that also sells sandwiches I can't really decide if the old time decor is by design or if the place is really needing an upgrade. I actually think it's the latter. It's a lot smaller than I imagined with very limited seating. We went here for the grilled salmon sandwich. We had seen many online reviews saying it is amazing. They make the sandwiches right in front of you, so you know that they are fresh. We took our sandwiches to go and by the time we got them home , they were cold. The fries traveled well, but again they were also cold bu the time we got home. The grilled salmon sandwiches were very good, but not great , and I really would have loved to have eaten it warm. Prices are on the high side for the butcher meats. But I guess you should expect that since they are an artisanal butcher. I did not like the look of some of the meats in the cases. Would we go back? Maybe to try the Bacon Burger. But we would definitely recommend eating your food in the butcher shop and not taking it to go. I have just found out that that are moving into Carnival Grocery in Oak Park.

I needed something very specific for a recipe, it's so hard to find guanciale to make carbonara!…read more Carnivore was about the 10th place I called and they right away let me know they had plenty! As soon as I walked in, I saw so many goodies I knew I was taking home. They had a very well curated selection of fancy condiments from small makers, rare ingredients, and the highest quality version of many every day foods! Everyone behind the counter was so friendly and knowledgeable. I had to try one of their sandwiches and got the salmon po boy at their recommendation. It was really well seasoned and super fresh with a very generous slice of fish on it. Definitely coming back for another one next time I'm in the area! Thank you so much for great service and products!

I'm absolutely over the moon with this place! The restaurant is AMAZING, the service was great, and…read morethe food... WOW.... I ordered a soup and a pasta, and both were DELICIOUS. What really makes this place stand out for me is the variety. Sometimes when looking for vegan food, the options can feel pretty limited to fried foods, burgers, wings, etc, but here, you can find more prepared meals, pastas, soups, salads, plus the desserts are a DREAM. Absolutely outstanding! GOTTA BE BACK SOON!

Markedly below average food. Ordered the rainbow rolls, Grace's teriyaki, Burmese noodle salad, and…read morethe green tea cheesecake. Adequate service and totally unremarkable ambiance. The rainbow rolls consisted of plain, uncooked vegetables wrapped in rice paper, accompanied by peanut sauce as well as a vinegar dip. There was absolutely no taste to the rainbow rolls, and the peanut sauce tasted like peanut butter that had been microwaved for twenty seconds. The vinegar dip was the only thing that salvaged the rolls. The teriyaki did not come as advertised. There were chunks of glazed soy in brown rice - no other veggies in the bowl itself. There was a side salad that I dumped into the bowl to add some crunch and texture. The glazed soy was tasty but the rice was remarkably bland and mushy. This regime of blandness continued with the Burmese noodle salad: some of the flavours had potential and the dish might have been tastier if those flavours were accentuated, but instead it was a bowl of noodles and assorted vegetables with no compelling taste or texture. The cheesecake was both too sweet and remarkably bitter at the same time. It was fine texturally but the sweetness was overwhelming. The layer of tea on top of the cheesecake added some bitterness. The two flavours were totally incongruous. I have never wasted dessert before - if I can't finish it I take it home, but this dessert was so inedible that even at nine dollars it was not worth salvaging. Service was fine and the food came out quickly. The location of the restaurant in downtown Oak Park was nice - there was some sort of music festival going on outside that made an otherwise aggressively mediocre meal more bearable. Overall, I do not recommend this establishment.

I've passed by Sandwichón Café countless times driving up and down Harlem, so we finally decided to…read morestop in for lunch--and I'm glad we did. At first, I was a little unsure how it worked since there's a service counter, but staff quickly greeted us and showed us to a table. Table service was a pleasant surprise. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, walking us through an impressively extensive menu. I ordered the Double Medianoche--pulled pork, ham, mustard, Swiss cheese, and sweet pickles, all pressed panini‑style. My friend went with the Pan con Croqueta, a ham and cheese sandwich topped with a ham croquette. For anyone unfamiliar (myself included), croquetas are minced pork that's breaded and deep‑fried. Both sandwiches were solid, but the Medianoche was the clear winner for me--warm, flavorful, and perfectly pressed. With so many options on the menu, there's plenty more I want to try. Friendly staff, good food, and a comfortable dine‑in experience. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. There at least two signs advising they will charge 18% gratuity to tables of three or more and will not split checks for three or more.

Kicking myself for waiting to try this place. Ordered eggs with breakfast sausage. Those sausage…read morepatties are amazing. Had to try the alcapuria, it was amazing. The cheese and jam empanada arrived hot and gooey. The breakfast potatoes just perfectly seasoned. It's great to have a place this good nearby.

Food is bomb loved the pizza. The lemon knot cookie was so good perfectly soft but firm and not…read morehard to chew. Portions were awesome amazing price. Well worth the money. Very clean atmosphere. Micayla was the perfect person to give me some recommendations. Would come again just based on her customer service !

One of the best cannolis I've ever had. They make them to order so they're fresh and amazingly…read moredelicious. I also had the classic Italian, nice fresh bread with a crunch and delicious sandwich all around. Very courteous service when ordering at the deli, I was waiting for a friend to arrive before ordering and two times they check on me to make sure I was good to go while waiting. Nice laid-back, small deli atmosphere, lots of local customers that you can tell have been going there for years. Amazing sandwich, will be back.

I wanted a non corporate Middle Eastern spot and the spots in Oak Park make you pay to park there…read moreso yea..out of principle, that was not going to happen....soo happy I came across this spot!! Free parking..attentive service..very clean and well lighted inside and the food was awesome.. I will definitely recommend this spot over the others and plan on returning even though Im not from the area.

Stopped in right before closing after a long day of moving to the neighborhood. I got the chicken…read moreshawarma bowl and was extremely pleased with how good it was! My husband and I came back a few days later and had the same great experience. Definitely recommend!