I have to be honest, when my friend recommended this place, I really didn't have big expectations. I expected this place to be no different than every other chain sandwich shop. My expectations rose a little when I went inside the shop and saw all the signs saying "#1 Italian beef", but not by much. I got the Italian beef with hot peppers which was five dollars. WOW, I have never had any kind of beef sandwich that tasted like this one. The meat was so lean and so thin, probably the thinnest I have ever seen beef sliced. The only other thing on the sandwich was the hot peppers, but the sandwich didn't need anything else. Essentially the Italian beef sandwich at this place is the Chicago version of a Philly cheesesteak and although I have never had one straight from Philly, I would be willing to be money that it's not as good as this sandwich... and all for $5. read more

This place is an absolute shit hole. I was so excited to try an Italian Beef at Al's Beef and compare it to Portillos as this was my first time in Chicago, however the two places aren't even on the same level. I've heard about this place on the food channel and from others who have visited the city, but the quality is absolute shit compared to Portillos. My wife and I stopped here after having many drinks in the area and we couldn't have been more disappointed in the quality of the food. Think about it though: when you're drunk EVERYTHING tastes great. You could eat a gas station pizza and think it's the best thing on earth if you've had enough to drink. Even with the strong buzz we had going, it was hard to finish our sandwiches because that's how terrible they were. Absolutely no flavor whatsoever. Would not recommend. Will never return. read more

Did it live up to all that Man vs Food hype? Sorta. Let me tell you why: I really can't stand soggy bread...it's personal preference. So while each sandwich is delivered piping hot piled high with the thinly sliced an jus soaked beef then topped with a fair amount of giardiniera, it just bothered me so much that the bread pretty much "melted" all over my hand. But flavor profile-wise, this sandwich was spot on. It was sweet, spicy, and meaty. Yum. But if I could redo my Al's Beef experience, I would request the sandwich to be dry with an jus on the side. Why? I want the full flavor experience without the mushy factor. My brother, on the other hand, loved the drippy juices all over his hands. He relished in his Italian beef scented hands for a good while post lunch - yeah. And just to add some variety, we also ordered a Chicago hot dog. I totally dug the fresh cut fries and the toasted bun. But it was hardly the best Chicago dog I had during my trip. read more

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

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Came in for lunch and was kinda disappointed. I ordered the Chicago hot dog and the hubby got the chili fries and a tamales. The hot dog didn't taste all that great, it didn't have that flavor, I've had better Chicago hot dogs. The chili that came on the fries was nasty, that's just asking for diarrhea. The tamales was not what we were expecting, very dried and bland, we threw that in the trash. read more

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Doesn't get much better than Al's. One of the best experiences for Italian beef in the city. Make it juicy!

Gave me food poisoning right before my friend's wedding. If I'm just rating the Italian beef... it wasn't bad. Maybe a bit above average Italian beef but nothing special. read more

This is the third Al's Beef I've been to since I discovered the awesomeness that is Italian beef four years ago. Not wanting to leave Chicago without enjoying America's best sandwich yesterday, I took the Red Line from my cousin's apartment in Edgewater to the Addison stop and made the short walk to this Al's. Because it was in the middle of the afternoon, I was the only customer there. Told the guy manning the register at the time I wanted a beef dipped, sweet, and hot plus a Dr Pepper to wash it down. I wasn't disappointed. The beef and the peppers brought it in a way that started me on the path to addiction. That said, the sandwich was filling by itself. No fries necessary. Wrigley Field is a block or so away. I could only imagine what this establishment is like before, during, and after games. read more

I stopped by for lunch on a Sunday and it was mostly empty. Ordered right away and the food came out pretty quick. I got the dipped Italian beef sandwich with hot and sweet peppers. I enjoyed it. I do prefer the one at Portillo's more but I'm really glad I got to try Al's. My husband got the Italian sausage and it was so good! A bit too spicy for me but it was excellent. read more

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

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Good stuff. I live in SoCal so my only opportunity is a local Portillo's. Al's was not my wife's first choice but her reaction was "this is actually good"! Nice zing to the dip, and a good amount of well prepared beef. read more

I have ordered from this location numerous time, including having food catered. Last 3 times I have ordered food it has been incorrect (hot peppers on side, came on the sandwich, bread ordered dry came dipped - little annoyances but still annoying). Today i called with questions and got hung up on 4x. Twice they did not even answer phone only disconnected me without any greeting. I will never order from here again. I am gald they are too busy to take an order or answer questions, I guess they no longer need my business. read more

The last Chicago culinary bucket list item I checked off during my visit was an Italian Beef. I had bookmarked Al's Beef on Yelp and had heard it's praises sung in some Chicago media. I was not disappointed. On a Monday afternoon it was not busy at all, although being located just a couple blocks away from Wrigley Field they probably get slammed on game days. I ordered the sandwich like a native..."gimme a big, dipped, hot" This will get you the largest sandwich, totally dunked in aus jus, and topped with spicy giardiniera peppers. I also got provolone on top as well. This sandwich was everything I expected, extremely delicious seasoned thin sliced beef, on the verge of falling apart, yet hanging on by a few molecules! It was a fun, multi-napkin challenge to eat!Accompanying it were nicely crispy seasoned fries and a refillable 22 oz. soft drink cup. This combo, priced with tax at $16.30, was very filling and lasted me throughout the day. Service was quick and friendly, and they do take pride in their sandwich. Just a half-star away from five star as the dining area is kinda "hole in the wall" and could of been a bit cleaner. I would heartily recommend Al's Beef as a place to hit before going to a Cubs game. You'll be full enough to where you won't have to eat ballpark $$$ concessions. Also would be great after a Wrigleyville pub crawl!! read more

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

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Horrible service employees where ok with our food being gone... dont go here integrity had been lost

Damn I love this place. I first stumbled in here on my first visit to Chicago after the Bruce Springsteen show at Wrigley. It had been recommended and we were a lot of beers into the night, and it was amazing. Fast forward 5 years and I was in Chicago for a night two weeks ago and me and a buddy decided to wander over after the Cubs blasted the Reds 15 - 5 to see if we could get some late Monday night grub. I was a lot more sober this time (although not necessarily sober...) so I was curious to see how it stacked up. And it did. I've gone the same route both visits... ALS Regular Beef, sweet AND hot peppers, provolone cheese, dunked in the au jus with a side of Buffalo Bleu Cheese fries. I swear if they had this as a post bar option in Edmonton I would weigh 600 lbs, so probably best it happens every 5 years in Chicago. Fantastic spot... so tasty and messy. I love this place. read more

Al's Beef - F*ck that's delicious - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So sad I ordered big combo for delivery the price I paid I could've got 2 more better

Got a large beef and sausage combo with both sweet and hot peppers, almost $17. Fries sold separately. Each half of the sandwich had ONE medium forkful of beef, and one small slice of sweet pepper. It's a complete joke. Never again. Just go to Portillos, honestly. read more

Went based on a friends recommendations. Not earth shaking, but it was ok. They had our food ready super fast. read more

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I really love this place and have for many years. Their Italian beef and polish dogs are unmatched in the neighborhood. I would recommend you eat the fries on site instead of takeout as they can get soggy but everything here is really tasty and reasonably priced. I'll be back soon to try the burgers and chicken sandwiches, I'm sure they're on par too. read more

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

I love Al's beef! The beefs and hotdogs are amazing!!! Love my beef hot and sweet with wiz aka cheddar cheese. Hot dog always get wit everything chicago style!! The reason this is 4/5 stars is because showed up right around 10pm on a weekday during a cubs game that got out and they slammed the door on me. Did not let me in at all!! read more

***Warning!*** I ordered the Big Al's beef sandwich and it was Horrible!! I requested it to be dipped. The sandwich tasted as if it had been dipped in hot water. No flavor, and plenty of gristle. Called merchant and the cashier Noi was very rude, unprofessional and unwilling to help. Stay away, there are too many choices in Chicago.. read more

Excellent Italian beef! We got the regular beef and the big beef both with sausage, both kinds of peppers, and dipped. Definitely recommend these sandwiches! Oh and we got a large order of fries and they were so good we should have ordered two orders. read more

This place is really generic, regular old sandwich shop. I went to another Als beef that was much better. This one just could not hold light to the candle. If I'm back in Chicago I will not visit either joints, there's much better food to be eaten here. Do yourself a favor skip it read more

Before I came to Chicago, I was searching up places and things that you have to try. Italian beef and Al's Beef was one of the first things that came up. We came here for a pre-midnight snake and it was pretty disappointing. The food certainly came out fast, but the beef was really bland. The peppers definitely packed a punch, but it did not really add anything to the sandwich. You do get a lot of beef in the sandwich, but it makes the bread really soggy and makes the entire sandwich break apart. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with the quality and taste of the food. read more

Consistently the best in town. Sometimes have some issue with delivering such as the long wait times. Drop the Portillo's suburban stuff and get some real Chicago beef read more

A REAL Al's Beef Stand. Great fast service. The food is PURE AL's. Totally Chicago. Avoid the place on Diversey and Western and come to this location. read more

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They sent the worst crap to me for $16. The food was soggy and tasteless..wilted everything..gross and they refused to pick it back up and refund me..could not eat it..bad after taste from a bite..worst service with food..needs to be put out of business read more

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

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I've gotten Beefs here multiple times mainly because it's the only quick place around. BUT NEVER AGAIN. The beef here is just god awful and they charge a PREMIUM for it. $12 for a big beef? It SUCKED! The staff also has no pride. Al's always seems like a good idea, but not worth it. At least the beef. read more

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

This is as Chicago as it gets a big Al's Italian Beef Sandwich near Wrigley Field the good thing about it is if your near the stadium you can make it into two or three bars before you get to this place! That's bbq french fries with that massive piece of work nothing made it I ate that whole thing! read more

Al's Beef - Italian Beef Sandwich & BBQ Fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was one of the top ten stops on out list of restaurants to try since it has gotten so much hype. We decided to try the Big Al's dipped Beef Sandwich with the hot peppers of course and it was as good as other yelpers have said. To some people it may seem too messy since after it's dipped it gets a little "soggy" but I like it that way. You can also ask for the au jus on the side and you can dip as you go if that is more your style. The service was very friendly and fast! Would recommend before or after a game if you are in the are. read more

Do you want soggy sandwiches that fall apart? Do you want a ton of toppings to try to distract you from the fact that the meat inside the sandwich is awful? Come to Al's Beef. (This review written while cradling my stomach in agony.) read more

This is a 5-star sandwich (especially when you order it "dipped"), and you no longer have to trek all the way down to Taylor Street to get one! Al's Italian Beef is without equal (though Johnnie's and Carm's also do a fine job IMHO). It's a little pricey, but remains the most flavorful beef in the city. Unfortunately, it seems to get more expensive every time I visit. Twelve bucks for a Big Beef (dipped with hot), fries and a Coke? Ouch! Nevertheless, I gotta give them 5-star props for the beef. It's pleasantly spiced better than anywhere else, the fries are excellent, and the homemade hot giardiniera (as featured in Gourmet magazine) is deliciously different. This Wrigleyville location is brand new and sparkling clean, having just opened on 3/25/11. There's even a large flat-screen TV to give you something to do besides Yelp while you're devouring your world-class beef. There are quality-control issues at some of the franchises (just not the same in my experience), but the sandwiches at this location are a reasonable facsimile of the beef you get at the original stand in Little Italy. Unfortunately, the high prices are the same as the original stand too. Even so, this is one damn tasty sandwich. read more

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

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

4 stars for food BUT 3 stars for customer service FOOD: I love the italian beef, which I get very dry with LOTS of hot oil and gravy on the side. I like to put gravy on once I get home so it's mot so soggy. The fries are soooo good- I get mine cooked a lil crispy with a side of cheese sauce. Mmmmmm... STAFF/SERVICE: They do NOT wear gloves when preparing the food...YUCK!!! If you request them to wear gloves when preparing your food, they will...with a bit of an attitude. I'm just glad I can watch them from start to finish preparing my food from behind the counter so I don't end up with anything "extra" in my food...if you know what I mean. If you're like me you're probably wondering, Why not just wear gloves when preparing ALL orders??? Their answer... "because we are not required to!" Well, alrighty then! Also, check your receipt and your order before leaving! They tend to overcharge if you are not paying attention AND they often forget to include the cheese sauce or other extras you paid for, even though they always remember to charge for it. 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

The best Friday nights are spent bar hoping with friends, singing the occasional karaoke, trying local brews & ending up drunk as the sun rises. Here was my experience... 2am: The bar we were previously at closes, making me a sad girl. I absolutely LOVE local IPA's and find myself drinking more than I probably should. Sorry, I'm not sorry. I'm on vacation. 2:15am: Friend, bf and I realize we haven't eaten anything substantial since about 3pm and find our tummies grumbling, along with our speech slurred & in need of a restroom. 2:30am: Stumble into Al's, use the bathroom, have the servers pick out a Chicago favorite, and wait. 2:40am: Our food arrives! I am now a happy girl. Seriously the way to my heart is through food. I should be about 300 lbs by now. 2:45-3:10am: Devour a killer sandwich! Fresh roast beef [previously dunked into juice], melted cheese, Chicago peppers & awesome seasoning with fries on the side. WOW. Not only is Al's known for their sammies, but their sammies are quite messy, gooey & require a certain stance while eating them. In fact, at the standing bar, you can find painted footprints on the floor [where you need to stand...duh] and elbow outlines for the correct placement. Believe me, this is crucial! Awesome food, great service, close to the bars, and just plain fun :) You're A-OK in my book AL! 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

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

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