If you've never had an Italian beef sandwich, I highly recommend getting one from here. Just ignore any place that isn't Aman Al's. After trying one the other day (from the restaurant that will not be mentioned in this review), this one is 10 times better. The other restaurant sandwich was a dry flavorless mistake - here it was a hot, juicy, delicious meal. See the photo of my Italian beef spicy wet sandwich. This small shop was really clean, everyone was friendly and the owner/Mgr stopped by and chatted for a bit. read more

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really yummy beef and super yummy fries definitely recommend, good price too will be back !! read more

A staple lunch spot. Had to get my Italian beef fix, and they serve it up just the way you like it. I always recommend getting both types of peppers added, I mean why choose. What really surprised me was their hot dog. Grilled perfectly. I don't think I've ever ordered a hot dog from Al's. A big mistake on my part that I won't make again. read more

$15 for a 6 inch beef really isn't worth the 5 bites. The quality and quantity is not worth the price.

Well-- I should have known! This is the second time getting Al's beef and really had pretty low expectations because I didn't enjoy the first time. But I really was craving Italian beef and didn't want to go all the way to Portillo's. That said, it couldn't be that bad, could it?! Well...the beef was good and hot but the bun wasn't cut right so all of the meat fell out and it was a huge mess. I can't explain how the Bun was ripped or cut wrong but I had to use a fork. Now the giardenara was terrible. Mostly celery pieces and red pepper flakes. Like where are the peppers and carrots?! Really not traditional but it was spicy. Now the cheese fries were pretty solid and in a pinch I would come back to eat those again. Our friend got the grilled chicken sandwich and also was disappointed having already set the bar pretty low. Service was fast and team members were kind. Handful of seat outside which also was nice. Bathroom though was lack luster, and it was odd that the hand dryer was positioned above the electrical outlet where it was plugged in. So when you dried your hands, the water blew into the socket. Made me quite nervous! If Al's is your jam, go for it, but I won't be back unless it's for cheese fries. I need a good bun and giardenara that makes the sandwich. read more

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

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Had to get at least one Chicago dog on this trip and the one here is pretty much what you expect. It's nice that it automatically comes with fries. read more

Excellent beef! Love the soft bread and portion size! Homemade and delicious! When in Chicago a beef sandwich is a must! Don't miss Al's

Classic beef sandwich. The fries are good also! Nothing more to say. Just go, eat, and enjoy!

The food was great! I decided to opt for the Regular Beef & Sausage with Small Fries and Drink Combo! So, what I didn't realize is there was an option for "Wet" or "Dipped" so I thought my sandwich. And out soggy but that's the purpose of the sandwich. I requested the Cheddar Cheese Sauce to add on the sausage and beef and it was pretty tasty...I was just a little disappointed about the bread being soggy but next time I'll request the bread to be dry. There aren't any complaints, the service was pretty good and the ambiance is a little different at this location. There wasn't any music..the vibe took on more of a neighborhood feel. read more

Al's Beef - Pictures of Al's Beef Restaurant - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One thing I kept hearing to try was Chicago Beef Sandwiches, so a quick Google search and this was the most reviewed spot! We had a few stops on our last food excursion so we shared a Big Beef sandwich. They asked if we wanted it "wet" which meant dipping the entire sandwich in gravy. And obviously we said yes and added cheese and hot peppers on there as well. Lemme tell you this sandwich came thru drrriiiipppinnn. Like I tried to eat it gracefully but even standing outside it got alllll over clothes. The beef was juicy and tender and the bread was soft. I just felt that the flavors were very one dimensional. Maybe it would have been better with sweet peppers or something that added more flavor. I could have used some more cheese on there too. However the staff were all very sweet in helping us figure out our order and wrapping it the best they could for take out. read more

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

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Decided to try some beef after a Cubs win. Split the jumbo between three of us. Got it dry with hot giardiniera. Beef was already wet enough but had good taste. Bread stayed in tact with the sheer amount of meat which was nice. While this was good, I don't ever see myself craving one just based on my preferences, however, I do see why people rave about Italian beef sandwiches. read more

Al's Beef - Jumbo Beef hot and dry - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This Al's holds up strong. First of all, if you are coming here for any sort of ambiance, you are sorely mistaken. This is a food first establishment. There are plenty of other places to get pictures in the area for your socials. On to the food. There are no misses on the menu. The sausage and the beef are great. Frequenter tip: get your Beef with hot and sweet peppers, provolone, and have it dipped. Or, if you prefer, gravy on the side and dip yourself. Also, a huge pointer - the burgers here are lights out. This burger should be showing up on several best of Chicago lists, but since it's a Beef place, I believe this is why they are sorely overlooked. The brioche they use suits the burgers perfectly. My only complaint here is regarding the hot dogs. $8+ is ballpark prices, and while they are of course much better and the real deal, I'm not so sure that dollar amount is attachable. Which is a shame too, because if I was a tourist, I would decry and not recommend to any potential friend visitors. Like I said, it's legit - and very good, but a bit of a shame since it's a Chicago must try. However, beef, burgers, sausage, tamales, fries - all at the very top tier and earns the 5 stars easily. read more

Delicious chili and Chicago dog, highly recommend. Fries are well seasoned and staff was super nice.

A Chicago classic!! Did not know but if you want it wet, you have to ask for it dipped! And trust me...you want it wet!!! read more

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

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We had an out of town visitor in and she wanted to try classic Chicago foods. So after a Cubs game we went to Al's . The inside was so warm, there was no air-conditioning on a hot, summer day. We were able to grab a table outside. The place does need an updating and refresh. We has dipped Italian beef with cheese and some had peppers. We also had an order of cheese fries. The beef was tender, and packed with flavor. The food was very good, we started eating right away, so no time for pictures :). The ambience was not there. read more

Came here with friends for a late night snack. The manager, Jay took our order. He was really nice and patient. We all ordered Italian Beefs with fries. I always get a side of melted cheese to dip my beef in. Everything was delicious and a great portion of beef. I wish I had gotten two. read more

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

I just love this place! The meat is so flavorful, portions are HUGE, price is great especially for Chicago. Everytime we go to a Cubs game we stop there, grab a few sandwiches, bring them in the stadium and enjoy them for a fraction of the price of what is offered inside the park, and sooooo much better. Service is great! I could eat those Italian Beefs everyday! read more

WATCH YOUR RECEIPT!! Scummy addons to price. They hope you won't notice the extra charges. Literally fraud because the menu says something and they charge extra for it. "Sandwich" is small to.....Any place that's tried to commit fraud and charge you more than advertised is 1 star. It's a shame because the food wasn't bad but so small and ripoff. Ruining it for themselves read more

Basic Italian beef, it's not moving above the competition anytime soon. Simply a regular beef

This is my second time here and I was served a seriously understuffed Hot Beef sandwich. My advice: go to Portillos or the Chicago Dogs shop just down the road. This was NOT worth the money. read more

Definitely enjoyable. First time trying the Chicago specialty Italian beef. At Al's you can get it dry, wet, or dipped and also with either sweet or spicy peppers. After trying some of the combinations above, my next order would be wet with spicy peppers. Juicy enough without the bread being too soggy and a little bit of a kick. Cheese, juicy beef with a distinct spicy blend, on bread. Simple, but delicious. Regular was definitely large enough for most regular people. Maybe there are better Italian beef places out there, but I can't say Al's was bad. Tasty is tasty. read more

Food is average. Terrible service, their security guard was the rudest person ever. Would never go back, eat a hot dog anywhere else

I'm not sure about the hype with Al's Beef or maybe it's just this location?! It's an old hole in the wall place where the beef and bread are soft but oddly tasting and definitely nothing I can rave about. I would actually be embarrassed to share this place for Italian beef's as I think anyone who knows me would think I went mad. The service was okay but it felt like they were doing me a favor in allowing me to order. Let's just agree to disagree if you like this Italian beef as I will pass. read more

I'm finding Al's beef the best Italian/Beef Sausage Combo sandwich since Johnnie's in Elmwood Park. I do like it wet & soft. Al's will do it right. Delicious! Especially Al's Sweet Peppers. My only complaint is Grubhub. Since I'm stuck at home I've noticed Grubhub adds many crazy charges and pressures me to complete the order. Tonight I attempted to add a custom tip of $5.00 and kept getting "add a valid amount." from Grubhub. Look it was more than 20%! Meanwhile Grubhub did not give me enough time too be sure I bought extra sauce. Does anyone know of a better delivery method in Chicago? read more

Soooo good!! We walked over from Wrigley Field and service was quick. We ordered the obvious, beef sandwiches with hot giardiniera and I want more!!! The fries were tasty too! I'm coming back when I'm back in Chi-town!!!! read more

Ordered from Al's for years. Not anymore. Along with a service fee and delivery fee that total almost $8, then a tip on top of that, this was the first time that everything was smaller. I got 2 regular Italian beefs, they were like mini's, and the bigger fry was like the small size. It takes a lot for me to complain, in fact, I opened this Yelp account tonight to leave this review. But I'm tired of being taken for granted and not appreciated as a customer by these businesses that continue to show that they don't care about their consumers. Especially in a time where everything is more expensive, but prices are going up only because everyone else is doing it. The only way this stops is if we stop allowing it. read more

Sometimes there is just a time for a hot beef sandwich fully dipped with hot peppers. And Al's is the type of place that won't disappoint on that front! Their peppers bring the heat and they aren't shy in giving you plenty. The sandwich itself is messy (when dipped) but exactly what you want it to be! The fries were almost inedible though. Soggy, and tasted like the cardboard they're served in - maybe pick another side if you have a choice or just skip altogether. read more

First time in Chicago and we knew what we had to try but not where. Luckily are Uber driver recommend Al's beef. Read a couple comments on Yelp saying the regular was big but boy the small was big. It was very delicious and spicy I believe I got combo one the fries were also good. Fast service also. read more

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

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Fantastic beef with the perfect amount of juice! Even with a party of 12, they were able to get our order in a decent amount of time. Thanks for a great memory for our visiting friends and family! read more

Divey quick food and drinks with later hours than many, about a mile or so from Wrigley as I recall. Can get crowded even while trying to order. Decent option. read more

Beef was ok whats up with the cinnamon aftertaste?? Fries were mid... hey good price and u will not be left hungry

Love your sandwiches, I said dry and it's a wet mess. Pay attention soggy bread is not my jam. Attention to detail is key read more

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

The beef sandwich with cheddar was amazinggggg. I live in Los Angeles but if there was an ALS there, I'd go weekly.

Food was cold and bad service enviroment!! mosquitos and unpleasant smell!!! dirty business,

Curry? On an Italian Beef? I thought the taste was off a bit. I couldn't identify the unusual flavor for sure myself but several people in our group thought they tasted curry! read more

I'm not a local, I'm from Texas. I guess I was expecting it to taste Italian- it didn't. Tastes like the meat from pho in a sandwich with nothing else. Was alright. read more

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

Best Italian beef in Chicago! Deliveries are quadruple wrapped and arrive hot! I've not. Dined in but it is pleasant and clean. read more

The food is exactly what you'd expect given the simple, no-nonsense decor: satisfying beef sandwiches loaded with juicy meat. A couple pieces of roasted peppers are added for a touch of green, and the meat-to-veggie ratio is definitely notable for a significant amount of meat. I got a small which was sufficient for my appetite, and the bf found the medium more than filling. His was more flavorful than mine after being dipped in juice. The service was efficient and friendly, and they were very busy with takeout orders during dinner time. read more

Been a fan of Als beef for years and decided to order for delivery. regular beef and large fries. The food arrived 10 minutes after the expected delivery time. Fries arrived cold sandwich was still a bit warm. I called the store and spoke with a manager. Roberto, the manager, sounded very irritated that I expected warm fries. He repeatedly stressed how they have fresh cut fries and they are made to order. But that leaves me wondering how they go from hot to cold in 15 minutes? The sandwich was still warm so why not the fries? He even went as far as to say their delivery drivers have a warm bag they keep the food inside while food is in the car. But my fries were cold. He insulted me by saying no one with common sense would expect warm fries with delivery. He said this to me 2-3 times. Will not be ordering or visiting this location again. The manager was unprofessional, disrespectful and while he apologized for the inconvenience was clearly irritated and did nothing to rectify the situation. Instead he insulted my intelligence. Please Als Beef, get a real hot bag to keep your delivery food in. And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE train your managers to be professional and respectful. Roberto was terrible. read more

Very straight up BEEF flavor. I know I have a CA pallet, so I blame it on that. The sandwich wS large and worth the price. Just tasted like dead meat! It was nostalgic, but we didn't realize we needed to stand up in the back and do the "stance". Don't forget about that, it completes the visit! read more

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