Salt bomb! I could not even continue, after 2 bites my tongue was burning! Sorry really wanted to love.... and per Joe S I agree NO hot peppers it was just hot pepper flakes! So sad given the history of the sandwich read more

Hands down one of the best Italian beefs I've ever had. The meat is cooked and seasoned to perfection! Piled high with sweet and hot peppers it's a great proportioned. I added provolone cheese, which was worth it entirely. Priced right for fast casual and food came out super quick. I love this place. read more

Al's beef is really good. You have to stop in. The diet beef isn't the same as the beef on the bun. Get the bun. Worth it. read more

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

The beef sandwiches here were great we ordered them with fries and everything was delicious our food came out quickly and the service was excellent we will come back again because this place was highly recommended from a close friend. read more

Thought it would be better. Maybe it's because grubhub didn't text me when they dropped it off at the front desk. It wasn't until I called them that I found out it was delivered already. read more

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

When in the city I must! It was a little tricky because the GPS took me to their old location, but the newer location is on the same block across from the Irish Pub. I knew I wanted the Italian Sausage, but didn't know which peppers and onions. I went with the recommendation: sweet and savory peppers. He put the sausages right on the grill and served them in a hoagie. The spice was spot on, but not too much for my 8 year old kid. Delicious!!! I ordered a side of cheese fries and they came out pippin' hot. I was full and still couldn't stop eating. *** I did notice they locked the door before closing time so I recommend getting there an hour before closing. read more

This is a Chicago institution that you must try if you are in town. I had the Italian Beef with Cheese Fries and there was plenty of food. I prefer my sandwich wet, although you can certain have it dipped in the au jus if you prefer. If you are staying Downtown, it is easy enough to walk to, although it is a nice walk if you are on the other end of Michigan Avenue or the Theatre District. read more

Al's Beef - Regular Combo and Cheddar Cheese Fries. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My hotel is across the street from this spot and I am glad that it is! This was the best italian beef sandwich that Ive ever had and the fries were perfectly salted, hot, fresh and plentiful. We didnt dine inside to get a feel for the ambiance inside but there is a walk up window that you can order from and menu is located on the wall next to it. You get plenty of food for your money. The service was impeccable! The staff took my order quickly and within a few minutes ny food was up. If in Chicago, definitely swing by Al's beef! read more

Very solid roast beef with gravy that is halfway between a cheesesteak and a roast beef sandwich - get it topped with provolone and gravy. Their chili is decent as well. Worth a try for an area classic. read more

Just a Chicago institution with one of the coolest Chicago stories. Beefs, dogs, and cheese fries... everything is good. It's a cozy no frills spot to get warm and well fed during winter. The service is quick and friendly. Don't sleep on the beef fries they're awesome, but could be a full meal. read more

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Ordered 1 week ago & a month prior unfortunately the quality of the Italian beef and taste has gone down & fries so much so that we took them off our go to list. from the Lakeview location. read more

Great did a quick, classic Chicago lunch. Regular beef and Chicago dog were fantastic. read more

Al's Beef - Chicago Dog fully loaded, Regular Beef sandwich, both were great - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Another legend in the beef sandwich game. I gave this spot a shot and it didn't disappoint. Very good read more

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

Excellent. A must have any time Im in town now. Place is super clean. Got the regular beef with giardiniera and sweet pepper dipped. Perfect but need the proper leaning stance!! read more

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

Top notch Italian beef sandwich Classic Chicago dog served quick and tasty. Great fries. An institution in Chicago read more

Chicagooooooo!!!!! In town for work and was told I had to try it from a native Chicagoian and understandable why it was delicious

A Chicago institution, you must try. The staff is awesome and this is a one of a kind sandwich for anyone tasting the Chicago dishes. Adorable too! read more

In a word, this place sucks. I ordered an Italian Beef with hot peppers. There are zero '0' hot peppers on the sandwich. I thought to me self, this must be a mistake. So I went to the crew and asked for some hot peppers. The gave me a itty bitty tiny 1/2 oz plastic cup of thinly sliced cucumbers. Not a single hot pepper to be found. This place sucks. How do you claim to be an Italian beef shop with no hot peppers. read more

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

I'm loving the amount of meat available in Chicago. And, Al's has some of the juiciest I've tasted. You will dig the combo sandwich if you enjoy a hot plate of beef and sausage. Only $10 if you're looking for the single size, and $15 if you're a little hungrier. read more

I went here for lunch while in Chicago. Quick service and good food. I got a hotdog Chicago style and a dipped all beef with gardenia. The hotdog was nothing to write home about, but the beef sandwich dipped was awesome. Spicy , moist, A+. Don't eat it in a white shirt if you get it dipped, a little messy but worth it. read more

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

My first Italian beef was my first meal in Chicago. Helpful crew, I decided on an original with fries. Order the spicy giardiniera, you won't be disappointed. Cute inside with seating but I took it to ho as I was headed to my hotel. No pics on this one, but worth trying! read more

This place just made me happy. Sandwich definitely lives up the hype -- and there's a lot of hype. This establishment is featured on numerous food shows, and for good reason. Got a jumbo sandwich dipped in gravy with sweet peppers and the gardeneira. Being the glutton that I am, I also ordered a Chicago Polish that I split with my fiancé. The beef sandwich is the star of the show. Spices give the gravy a real deep flavor but the real taste that rings through your tastebuds is BEEF. Bread is perfect, portion is amazing, overall experience was incredible. One of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. read more

Amazing beef sandwich. I had to walk a little bit from downtown area but it was worth it and I was able to have the fries, which were the best I've ever had in Chicago. I don't eat meat often so this is a splurge that is a very special treat. read more

Al's Beef - Beef sandwich with fries - so so so good!!!! - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you come to Chicago to try the classic Chicago fare, check off hot dog and deep dish from your list and get to Al's for Italian Beef. This place is Chicago's #1 beef since 1938. You can't go wrong here. The best part is how customizable the sandwhich can be to your taste. You can choose the size: regular, large, jumbo. And you can choose how juicy, or "wet" you want your sandwhich. And finally, you get 5 different cheese choice to melt on top, and you can add sweet or spicy peppers to seal the deal. They also offer plenty of specialty fries as sides. We got the loaded fries and Buffalo and blue cheese fries. This is one of the best places you can get your fix of Italian Beef in Chi-town! read more

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

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I hate writing this review, seeing I don't have many 2 star reviews in the histogram of reviews I've written. I've only eaten at, and reviewed, Al's Beef that was on Wabash in the Loop and is now closed. I had given it 3 stars. So, here I was, on a 4 hour layover on low-cost Southwest, with a connection at Midway Airport. It was a 30 minute train ride into town. The Ventra day pass was on special for $ 5 instead of $ 10. Plus, since this location, marked as their #1 (was it the first?), is in River North, I'd get to see the "Corn Cobs" at night, thus all lit up. I boarded the Orange Line CTA train and left MDW for the city center. This Al's Beef location is in a nice area, as was the one on Wabash. Correspondingly, the location itself lent itself to staying inside and eating because it was also a nice, clean store. Then, the employees were very helpful. Hence, it troubles me to give this Al's Beef 2 stars, which means things could have been better. I ordered the conventional Italian beef sandwich, which I had to upsize, though not all the way to jumbo, to make for a decently sized dinner. Everything is extra, including the cheese. I also ordered their hand cut fries. The dipped Italian beef, which I thought would be somewhat awash in flavor and aroma because of it being dipped, was bland, as another reviewer or two have pointed out. I kept taking additional bites waiting for a revelation, or at least improvement. This wasn't the case. The hand cut fries were also disappointing. Almost all of the fries in my carton were so small that you couldn't hold them and dip them in ketchup. Needless to say, I was disappointed, especially compared to how I remember the Wabash location. I can almost say I've fared better with nationwide chain sandwich stores which sell their product at lower price points. Maybe it was a one-off event. However, I did get to walk by the "Corn Cobs." I also happened into a downtown dweller in front of the store who had a very likable Australian Shepherd - Australian Cattle Dog mix rescue. (They certainly can read who likes them and who doesn't.) So, yes, I got the protein and carbs I needed. But I think that the best part - for me - was leaving the airport and seeing the "Corn Cobs" and running into this beautiful dog. Al's has enjoyed a great reputation for such a long time. I think they just need a small tune-up of sorts. read more

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This place was right down from my hotel, so I decided to stop by for a quick bite. I got it the sandwich "dipped" at the cashier's recommendation and I'm glad I did! The sandwich was understandably a little messy but very good. It was also pretty peppery, certainly more so than I was expected although I liked it. I would say 4.5 for this place just because the fries were nothing to write home about read more

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

The Italian meat is very flavorful. They do give you plenty peppers too. Also the ambiance of it gives you a grab and go feel it's a little small to sit in. The tables are using pack. What time you go? The service is good. It's quick, fast and friendly read more

Good, simple hot dog at an affordable price! Food was fast and tasty. Not too much else to be said. Next time I'll have to get a beef sandwich like everyone else goes there for. read more

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

The service here is very nice and the place is super clean. I would give it a 3.5 if I could because I had a good experience, however, I was not a fan of the Regular beef. Keep in mind that I don't have a point of comparison because this was my first trying it. However, this is still a good item to try from their menu, and if you're a fan then you'll probably like it. read more

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

Was told to use a kiosk to order by an employee at the register...all downhill from there. Sandwich wasn't dipped and didn't include peppers. Can't get a water cup, must pay for bottles. Quality was poor, and it became obvious why the place was empty on a Saturday evening. You're much better off waiting longer at Portillos. read more

My buddy wanted some beef, so he found this place called Al's Chicago Beef on N Weels st. The place is like a factory with so many people coming in. They have to produce alot of sandwiches for the amount of people on line. When we walked in, there were no tables. We spotted the window order place. Zee was taking orders from the overflow of customers. She was extremely nice and very patient. We changed our order a couple times and she did not even flinch in hesitation nor agitation. She precisely explained what we are getting and this place also allows for customization of your order. We both got the beef and sausage sandwiches with fries, and a Chicago hot dog, with everything on it. The flavor is really good. The beef is really good quality as well. Zee is a busy bee. You can tell she works hard as is constantly cleaning, helping with the orders and she is focused. She really stands out for her activities. Definitely a good place for lunch ir late snacks. read more

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My friend went to get to-go food from here. There wasn't condiments on our food though. It's pretty plain. Not sure if our friend forgot to get them or what. The beef sandwich was better than the Italian sausage. But the beef sandwich was really soggy. read more

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

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It was a fantastic Italian Beef sandwich and the staff was really helpful explaining the menu to us as first timers. We walked away very satisfied. Restaurant was very clean too. read more

Place made a solid sandwich. Added cheese and peppers and the wife and split whatever the middle size was for a quick snack while walking around. Not very busy around lunch time on a Saturday. Place was clean people were polite. read more

We got to Al's just as the lunchtime rush began. The service was friendly, and ordering was easy. My wife and I decided to split a jumbo Italian beef (with spicy giardiniera) and small fries, with two fountain drinks. The sammies were meaty, juicy, savory, messy, and amazing! Great fries as well! We almost went to the original location on Taylor Street, however, I noted their ratings were not as good (perhaps too many turistas = ultra high volume = dilution of quality/service). This location on Wells was convenient, spacious, and clean. Anyone visiting Chicago should make Al's part of your culinary experience! read more

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

Got the regular and the dipper beef sandwich. Partly my fault for not getting both cheese and peppers on them so it tasted a bit dry even with the dipped sandwich. On the regular one, it was still a bit wet which was good and the peppers help cut the beefiness and kept it multi-flavor. read more

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My husband and I walked here on a Friday, late-afternoon (~5:30PM). It was pretty empty when we came in so we were able to order at the counter fairly quickly. We sat down and waited for maybe a few minutes before our order came out. We ordered a Chicago-style Polish Dog with fries, Chili Cheese Fries, and one of their original beef sandwiches (wet) to share. Instead of eating at the restaurant, we took it back to our Air BnB and decided to enjoy it there instead. Without heating it up, we dug into our food and boy, was it delicious! We were both surprised at the hog dog coming out GREEN, and realized soon after that that was the Chicago-style and simply a lot of bright green relish (yum!!). I hesitated seeing the different toppings on there (sport peppers, relish, tomatoes, pickle) as I usually just do a plain hot dog with ketchup back in California, but took a bite of everything together and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted SO good together! A little bit of spice, a little bit of sweet and savory - I need this back home! Of course, we know that this place is supposed to be known for their Italian beef sandwiches, so we tried that next. It was delicious, and definitely very beefy, so I had my husband finish that as I'm not a huge fan of the beefy taste. The sauce being absorbed into the sandwich beforehand made it so tasty though, and I only wish I could have enjoyed it with some pastrami meat instead! The meat was very tender and juicy, and I can see why everyone raves about this sandwich! Lastly, we tried their hand cut fries (original) and their Chili Cheese Fries. Both were good in their respectively ways. I LOVE potatoes and fries, so I was thrilled to finally get some fries on my trip. I also heard that most places in Chicago make their fries fresh rather than frozen, so I was curious to know what it would taste like here. I thought their fries were seasoned well (I don't like bland fries), and it was cut to the perfect size (I don't like super thick fries). Their Chili Cheese Fries were the same fries, but just in a box and topped with a bunch of chili cheese. We ate this one with a fork and it was SOOOO yummy! Definitely filling, but such a delightful snack in addition to an already-delicious hot dog and sandwich. Between the two of us, we finished all of the food and were pretty happy for allotting time to try this place out. Definitely recommend trying their sandwich at the minimum, hot dog if you're craving it and don't care for sandwiches, and any order of fries you can get your hands on because fries are so good!! read more

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

Service is so friendly !! Got the dip Italian beef. Loved it. The chicago dogs are also super tasty, very well balanced. It is a place that's comfortable to sit down in too. read more

Al's Beef - Chicago Dog Large Hand Cut Fries Regular Beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was disappointing. The location and ambiance were great and the service was very friendly and helpful but the food was comparatively subpar compared to the other places we've eastern serving menus. The hot dog was pretty good but the Italian Beef was very dry. It was far superior at Buona'a and Portillo's and even my hometown spot in Las Vegas. This place is consistently highly rated in rankings of Chicago food spots and it was a letdown. We won't be back read more

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

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Easy, convenient, quick, affordable and delicious. We had the regular beef, with peppers -!: cheddar cheese sauce and dipped! So good. Also the fries were spot on. read more

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