When I came here there are lot of customers inside. Then I went to the counter and wait for my turn since they have a long line in the counter. I ordered some food for takeout. It's nice that they have quick service. When I opened it, it was messy. The sauce went to packaging and in the bun. Also the beef gets messy. When I tasted it, the beef was tasteless. You can't taste any salt on it. I thought they had great food since many of them went to their store. But I'm thinking that maybe some of their food on their menu was very delicious. Maybe some other time I will try their other food and I hope I will be satisfied with their food. Can't wait to come here again. read more

I was really hoping for a flavorful, delicious sandwich. I got a sandwich "wet" with an additional side of au jus which they call "gravy". Frankly, I was disappointed. The meat was dry and bland even with a bunch of au jus poured on it. The bread was soggy on the first bite. This is to be expected near the end, but Al's doesn't toast their rolls so they get soggy instantly. Service was very friendly. Overall, this was okay. Not what I had hoped for in Chicago beef. I will continue my search! read more

Ditka. Jordan. Al. A true Chicago legend, Al's Beef is known by all...even a transplant like myself who knows having it dipped is mandatory. This location is solid, dine in or delivery (GrubHub) they always get it right. My advice: try the cheese fries! read more

Not only is the food sub par but last night I'm not sure if the guy wearing a pistol on his chest was security since his ass cheeks were literally hanging out. If he was security I'm not sure what his purpose was as this place was since there was no one enforcing social distancing. Establishment not even close to pandemic capacity but the two females behind me who kept making physical contact by bumping into me have no business being in public at a time like this. read more

Had heard about Al's and was excited to try it bc I live for Italian beef. That's right, live for it. But, I was very disappointed. Substandard quality beef that was more beef bits that cuts of beef. Just OK taste. read more

Great food set a talion beef sandwich dead juicy love it definitely have to try this out if you are from a different state this is the best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago I think, but the service is the worst I've ever had bad attitude read more

This Al's beef at this location has the best customer service. It also has the best presentation of the food. Best quality of food. And a relatively fast delivery time. read more

Very Dry, even tho ordered extra sauce and paid for and one slice of green pepper although ordered and paid for extra peppers. I know a great beef sandwich. This wasn't it. If I order here, pick it up here and check your order before leaving. Or go elsewhere. read more

Ordered through Gruhub for delivery, but delivered by the restaurant drivers. Food came quick, but the beef sucked. Arrived slightly warmish, skimpy, and lacking flavor. It was so bad I had to put salt on the beef! The fries arrived limp and slightly warmish as well. I called Grubhub for some sort of redress. Grubhub had to call the restaurant. Restaurant refused to give a refund or even any sort of credit. This place isn't worth my time again. I got a beef for them! 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

We popped into Al's on the way over to Wrigley on a whim. Generally I am a Portillo's loyalist, but I've certainly heard a lot about Al's, so we thought we'd give it a go. Plus, honestly, probably better and cheaper than what you could get in the ballpark. Overall, it was pretty solid. The beef was flavorful and was shaved really thinly. It kind of reminded me of the shave on cheesesteaks back home. The bun was fresh and dipped perfectly. Expert dipping. Sweet peppers were good too. The sandwich was messy, but in the very best way. The fries were also good, nice and crispy. The restaurant was clean and had some entertaining signs and stuff on the walls. I guess it's just a personal preference thing, but I still prefer Portillo's. But in a pinch I'd definitely take Al's. It was a very solid beef. read more

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What is a visit to Chicago without a Chicago Dog, some Italian Beef and some deep dish pizza. We were touring Wrigley Field and had some time to kill, so I pulled up my Yelp app and found this franchised location of the Taylor Street icon - Al's Beef - that opened back in 2011 in an older building that could almost pass as the original location on its own.. This spot is just a few blocks south of Wrigley on Clark Street so it is convenient to baseball fans before or after the game. Luckily, it was slow when we arrived early in the day and we were able to grab one the tables outside to enjoy our meal. My service was surprisingly friendly and the counterperson even brought my tray out to me when it was ready. We ordered a Chicago Dog, a Little Beef dipped, and a chopped salad. Both the dog and the beef were amazing - although the beef was not quite as spicy as some of the other Italian beef I have had around the city. However, the chopped salad was more like a garden salad than a chopped salad - still delicious, but not what I expected. Don't be afraid to give this spot a try if you are in Wrigleyville - it will make you forget its not the original location. read more

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

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It's famous for a reason... very tasty. Service was friendly and fast. Maybe too fast... Paid for peppers and received a single slice of pepper in each sandwich. Other than that, a real good experience. read more

Beef sandwiches like we ate in the 60's. Service was great. The place takes you back to a better life time.Roast Beef Sandwiches are the best! read more

Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Review, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. --------------------- 1. When the kind worker asked, "what would you like?" he willed the entire life of customers into happiness. 2. This word can be understood as satisfaction with one's meal and service. 3. Without guilt, I ordered my regular dish: Italian Beef w/cheese, sweet peppers, and dipped because I am a devout Chicagoan. 4. Let it be known, throughout the kingdom, that a dipped Italian beef is akin to taking communion. 5. While hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ in despair and fear, and the undipped Italian beef is served in hell and purgatory. 6. Dipping is not an unjust extravagance, it is an indulgence of the soul. 7. Dipping makes the Italian beef the holy grail of sandwiches. 8. The holy grail goes well with a side of buffalo blue fries. 9-95. Delicious. I shall return. read more

Went here and got the classic beef sandwich dipped. The meat is very tender and has decent flavor, but it was nothing that I would necessarily go out of my way for. Some of the plus side--everything is pretty darn cheap and the food comes out in no time. Some of the bad side--not a lot of room to eat and there was no working bathroom when we went so could not wash up afterward. read more

Best fries in Chicago! Reminds me of fries made at home in Idaho. Came in for a Chicago mainstay, but loved the home cooked potato's.

The ambiance are nice! But the drinks are absolutely soft, taste like a tea. It's not alcohol, it's juicy and expensive

Al, man what has happened to the Giardiniera? It's only celery now. Are carrots and peppers getting too expensive? Yeesh.

Didn't have the beef sandwich but the Chicago dog and the grilled onion sandwich and fries were unremarkable. Hot dog was over-priced and maybe an 8 to a pounder, at best. Poppyseed bun was stale and the small order of fries that I ordered was not provided in a separate container but simply added to the paper dish the hot dog was in. Fries tasted like they had been refried, not fresh. Chicken sandwich was OK but lettuce and tomato were an up charge. Fellow taking the order looked he wished he were somewhere else! read more

A friend of mine recommended Al's during my 2-week visit to Chicago. From my friend's recommendation and the "Chicago's #1 Italian Beef" claim on their bags, I had high hopes. But I was left with disappointment. I ordered the "Regular Beef" (since that's what they were famous for, I thought it couldn't go wrong,) but I probably should've gone with the small. Their portions are quite large and service was fast (granted, I went in the middle of the night.) By the second or third bite in, I didn't want to finish. The bun was so soggy and ruined the texture. Eventually, as much as I didn't want to waste food, I gave up and threw away the bun. The beef was nothing special and very messy, I ended up feeding it to the dog who liked it a lot more than I did. Maybe I should've ordered something else. Or opted for cheese. read more

Best beef sandwich I've had in years! A taste of Chicago. Make this a part of your next Cubs game trip!

Italian beef was terrible. Beef was literally comparable to cat food. Would save your money and go to Portillo.

Take out and eat at home or for a easy party main dish. Plenty of delicious beef and gravy for a self serve meal entree. Also a loaf of Italian bread and choice of hot or sweet peppers. Yummmm read more

Saw this a Chicago's top 10 list and finally tried it. Well worth it. The staff was frequently and gave great guidance! Food was delicious! Thanks team! read more

I went to Al's Beef for lunch after leaving Wrigley Field. I watched Al's Beef on Man vs. Food. A lot of people told me to try an Italian sandwich while visiting Chicago. The restaurant wasn't hectic during lunch on a weekday. I ordered an Italian sandwich (added cheese and hot/sweet peppers) and cheese fries. Customers has the option of dipping their sandwich (wet) or not. I fully dipped my sandwich in Al's signature gravy. The sandwich was good but not great IMO. All of the ingredients blended well together. Watching Al's on television made expectation very high. I expected greatness but it's still a d#mn good sandwich. If you're visiting Chicago for the first time, add Al's Beef to your bucket list. Al's cheese fries were delicious! The guy working inside was very polite and attentive. This location is within walking distance of Wrigley Field. I give Al's Beef a 3.5 rating. read more

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

You should not advertise "beanless" chili when there are, in fact, beans in the chili. I ordered this chili because I am allergic to beans. This is ridiculous. Also, your beef tastes like soap. Although, that may be due to the allergic reaction I am currently experiencing. read more

Awesome! Visiting Chicago from Cali and wanted Italian beef sandwiches. These were excellent!

Food is alright.....BUT hire grown adults ...service was like pathetic cowards Then the owners dad defended the action saying he's just a kid when he's 21 years old. When I was 20 I worked on a 30 million dollar aircraft in the military and was responsible for it. This guy can't be a cashier and do it with some bravado? read more

Al's beef, in my mind, is iconic. I love it. But I wish I had never ordered a hot dog from there. It's Al's beef, not Al's red hots. Anyway, that's one star gone, and let me elaborate - the dog was: 1. Not straight beef. Go ahead, taste it. 2. Not grilled. Sorry, chi dogs are best charred. 3. Hardly loaded. Couple dabs of mustard, three small peppers, a little tomato. I mean come on, have some standards. I'm taking another star off for the actual beef. It was good, but not as good as I'm used to. Maybe it's just the location, and judging by the state of my hotdog, either the staff is slacking, or the management doesn't care. The best way I can describe the beef in comparison with those of their other locations is - watered down. I don't know if that makes sense but it fits. read more

If you are not from Chicago and looking for Chicago beef. Look no further! Al's is a tried and true Chicago treasure. If you are from Chicago, I think Al's is fine, but you can do better. I personally like Portillos better. Al's may have been a first comer to the scene and is good, but there are better options. read more

I don't know what else to say besides that this is the worst Italian Beef I could have even imagined. Al's Beef claims to be a staple among Italians beefs, but I think the Wrigley Field goers may be too boozed up to realize the slop they're eating. If you want an ITALIAN BEEF, don't go here, you're gonna have a bad time. read more

Visited Chicago and wanted to get a taste of a Chicago style hot dog since I didn't make it to Portillos for a dog. It was a little different but I enjoyed the hot dog. The French fries were really good too. read more

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

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Over priced since last visit, maybe their rent went up. Watch for ordering off the "value meal" offers on the wall. When you get the bill each item is listed Ala carte with a "value choice " deduction but still does not come anywhere near to the price offered on the wall menu....slick double talking counter dude too. Never going back read more

As my followers and friends can attest, I hate giving bad reviews and I am an incredibly positive person. I have been wanting to go to Al's for years and was ecstatic about hitting this on Saturday, even though my best friends in Chicago insist its a dump of a sando compared to Johnny's in Elmwood Park or Portillo's. Coming out of Wrigley on Saturday, i decided i had to try it. After all between Adam Richmond, Yelp, this place has to be great right? Wrong.From the absolute bottom of my heart.....Kiss my pasty ass Al's Beef. I haven't been so disappointed since the Notre Dame collapse against Michigan last September. To try and get my point across I am going with a simple letter: Dear Al's Beef, As a taxpaying citizen I am begging you to close your doors. You are a goddamn embarrassment to the city of Chicago. The over-hyping here is second only to Mike Ditka and the '85 Bears. Guys when you serve a sandwich, please stop using shredded Michelin tires as substitutes for seasoned beef. When using a giardinera, please to not go to the toilet finger swipe the rim. I've had more flavor at Applebees than at this shithole. Run people. Sprint away as fast as you can. Don't even cross the street nearby. DISCLAIMER - I have had a few conversations with solid Italians over the past 3 days who insist Al's #1 on Taylor is the real thing. In fact, on Monday I was walking down Taylor st after visiting the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and laughed as I saw it on the corner. I kid you not, My Uncle Richie pops and and screams at me.....drags me in and starts razzing me about my negative facebook post from Al's. It was hilarious. He purposely came here from Naperville Monday from lunch, just to send me the picture and mess with me about going to satellite locations. read more

After a fun night of salsa dancing with friends, we were hungry. My husband raves about his Italian beef experiences here. I'm always jealous because I've never experienced the traditional Italian beef. Yep, in nearly a decade in Chicago, I hadn't had an Italian beef sandwich. With the help of my friends, I got a regular beef sandwich with sweet peppers. My sandwich was juicy, beefy, and delicious. I devoured it pretty quickly like the rest of our friends. My husband ordered cheese fries which were a tasty addition to my inaugural Italian beef sandwich. For my next time, I'll be trying it dipped for extra juicy deliciousness and maybe some hot peppers for a kick. For a first time Italian beef, it was pretty good, enough to make me want to have it again. read more

Italian beef & cheddar! Yum! I finally tried this chicago tradition. it was just as amazing as anticipated. You can order their meat by the pound and maybe I will! : read more

Best beef in Chicago hands down. Always try to grab a bite at one of the locations while I'm in town. The beefs are always juicy and overflowing with meat. The spices are prefect and blend great together. Sucks that I could only get a beef once while I was in town!!!! read more

Impressively rude. Wouldn't let paying customers use restroom, then proceeded to insult a phone customer in front of us.... All the while trying to shoo us out the door to close early. The food was fine, but it's hard to be ok being treated rudely. read more

It's Al's Beef. What am I NOT going to get a Big Beef Combo? No, I'm getting that Big Beef and I'm loving it. The chili cheese dogs come with fries fyi. It's really good beef, probably used to truly be #1, but it's a little commercialized/chainy now. I still go here. read more