Buona

100

212

172

6 years ago

Pretty good Italian Beef! Stopped in around 9 pm on a Saturday and it was pretty busy. Food came quickly. French fries were super crispy which I love. Tried their pasta salad and potato salad which were both really good too. read more

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Alyssa S.

169

8 years ago

We just moved down the street a week ago and have already eaten here 3x and will definitely be regulars! We have gotten the same thing every time: I ordered the 5" beef dipped with a side of hot peppers, my boyfriend ordered the 7" beef baptized with provolone and we split a Chicago dog. This last time we tried the Parmesan chips which were great as well. The food is seriously so good. Both being somewhat from the Chicago area we have tried Italian beef sandwiches and chicago dogs before and this definitely ranks up there as one of our favorites! Also the reward program is awesome! Highly recommend! It's quick, tasty and an all around great experience. read more

Buona - Parmesan chips and part of the amazing Chicago dog - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - 5" Buona beef with side of giardinara (had already eaten half!) - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Jeff B.

Elite 21

193

365

421

8 years ago

I seriously enjoyed this place. I came across it by accident when staying in downtown Chicago. The food on the menu looked very intrigued, so myself and some friends tried it out. I was very impressed and since I was staying in the general area, I ended up eating there twice more getting different items each time and impressed every time. I liked their pizzas with the BBQ Chicken as a standout for me. Now these are not Chicago style pizza, but more of the oven baked type. I obviously liked it enough to go back to try a sandwich and also another pizza. Always happy with the results. The staff took good care of me and were even doing a great job in training up new staff, without having it cause issues with the patrons in line to order. Overall impressed and would definitely go back if I'm in the area. Check it out if you get the chance. read more

Buona - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - Late dinner - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Barbe Q.

109

6 years ago

Buona employees Oak Lawn location screw up your orders on a fairly regular basis, so check your order before leaving with Carry-Outs. As far as the food goes, the BBQ Ribs were very good, but they dumped them off the menu, and the sandwiches are pretty run of the Mill for fast food chain restaurants, not much meat, and lots of bread. read more

Business owner information

The Buona Companies L.

Hi Barbe,…

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M S.

Elite 21

747

293

1042

8 years ago

Really liked this place! Actually discovered Italian beef at Portillo's the night before and fell in love. I generally don't eat red meat but their beef was so tender and thinly sliced I didn't mind. The gravy is absolutely aromatic and amazing. Staff was super friendly as well. We got the extra melted cheese to dip our sandwich in and also some peppers. Honestly the original with no addition is the tastiest! The cheese wasn't that great of an addition but my boyfriend loves cheese so he liked it more with it. Unless you're super hungry I'd share this with someone - the portions in the Midwest are huge in general! I'd definitely stop by again next time I'm in Chicago. read more

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Mark H.

9 years ago

Orders from this location are plagued with errors. Today, I ordered, among other things, a chili dog with cheese and onions. When I got back to work to eat my dinner, I discovered the chili on this particular chili dog was invisible. This is not the first time I ordered here and discovered something wrong with my order. I called back and complained, and they are giving me a credit, but this lack of attention to simple, basic details is really annoying. read more

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Farheen D.

Elite 21

138

167

7 years ago

End up always getting pizza to go here for my daughter. Mostly have tried the cheese pizza, farmaggio. They have a nice special on Thursday we're most pizzas are $6! read more

Business owner information

The Buona Companies L.

Hi Farheen! We strive on our customer's expectations and experiences…

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Umair H.

194

183

462

9 years ago

Buona has been a staple of the Chicago suburbs but there were no downtown locations until recently - the interior is clean and modern, with ample seating. I visited for a casual dinner during a weeknight and ordered the 10 inch Buona Beef (baptized which is fully dipped) with provolone and sweet and giardiniera peppers in addition to a beef and giardiniera pizza. The quality of the ingredients was good, though I wish the beef was more drenched. The food was served within 5 minutes and the staff was friendly. Happy that I tried out a recent addition to the neighborhood. Overall, a strong addition to the fast casual genre. read more

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Kathy W.

6 years ago

I just love the grilled chicken.. they know how to do it right. Don't ever stop making this please. I always search for good chicken sandwiches but never find it. This is it... read more

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Robyn T.

Elite 16

204

9 years ago

They've gotten my order completely wrong twice. In the SAME 7 day period. Am I cursed? The first time I got the wrong soup. Second time I asked for a chicken sandwich and got a hot dog. I wish I was making this up because this is so frustrating that it happened twice in a row! If you have to come eat here, check your order before You leave the joint. Like actually OPEN up your wrapper. read more

Buona - Wrong soup, no dressing, and then they got it wrong AGAIN 3 days later. I ordered a chicken sandwich, got a bratwurst. - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mysel O.

202

187

893

9 years ago

This location just opened and so far so good! The customer service is outstanding! So far I've had the Italian beef and the pizza and it's pretty good. $10 for a beef and fries seems a bit pricey. They also have daily specials which is great! I'll definitely be back ! read more

Buona - Menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - 7in beef with mozzarella cheese and fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - Oreo shake and charging my phone - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - Beef & Giardiniera pizza - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - 7 in beef with fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Michelle L.

Elite 18

9 years ago

Really good!! I was surprised but I am grateful this place has opened up because I am soo tired of having the same thing for lunch everyday. Definitely a neighborhood gem. The service was exceptional as well. read more

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Lupe L.

189

9 years ago

I wanted to love this new location. I came in the other day ordered a 10 inch beef. I took my order home and was surprised to discover the beef was not ten inches long. I think i received he wrong size. I complained on twitter but no one from the company responded. Lame. I guess I'll stick with portillos. Bye read more

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Elena D.

6 years ago

I just ordered for the first time. Burger, fries and ice cream. Great food and service on time. I will def come back since I am walking distance. Prices are reasonable too. read more

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L L.

955

4737

8 years ago

They have excellent Italian beef sandwiches. We also ordered their Roasted Beet & Quinoa salad which was overly saturated with dressing and nearly ruined it. They were out of soups except chicken vegetable - it was delicious and low in sodium, but served almost cold. Hence the one star deduction. Service was friendly. read more

Buona - Hot & Sweet beef (Make it Hurt style) - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buona - Cheesy Beef (baptized in juice) - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Kayla M.

236

8 years ago

**2.5 stars** Stopped in here for a quick bite while in the neighborhood. We ordered the breaded chicken sand which and the Quattro formaggi. The sandwich was... interesting. It tasted a lot more like fish sticks than chicken to me and was honestly just a bit above an elementary school hot lunch. The fries were decent... could use some more salt though. The Quattro formaggi tasted more like a plain cheese pizza to us. Not terrible, but reminiscent of something I would find in a cafeteria. Granted we didn't order their Italian beef which is what they are known for. Not the worst meal I've ever had, by far not the best. There isn't much to offer in this specific area so it may be worth a shot . read more

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Shannon K.

196

9 years ago

We have been to Buona 4x since it opened on Friday, Nov. 3rd. The food is very good and it is fairly cheap for being in the Steeterville neighborhood. The staff is very kind and the service is top notch, plus you never have to wait. The pizza's, burgers, bowels, and shakes are AMAZING! There are healthy options and not healthy options, depending on your mood. The location is perfect, we are less than half a block away, hence why we have been there 4x since it opened. They have a great reward system and the rewards are not hard to achieve. The weekly specials, like double points on Tuesdays and half price beer and wine on Wednesdays, are another huge draw. This is our new go to place and highly recommend it to those who live in the area as well as out-of-towners. read more

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Traci W.

4 years ago

Their fried rice balls with the Italian beef filling and mozzarella cheese were shockingly Delicious!! Although it is a very small portion, 3 or 4 I believe. But damn they were good!! The Italian beef was spot on and the au jus had a lot of good flavor, not just bullion and water, like most places! Do it! read more

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Chris V.

623

2412

8 years ago

I grew up eating their beef sandwich so, when I my partner said he never had it, we immediately went to the closest location. He got the baptized hot sandwich and loved it. He wished he it was soaked. Overall, it was better than the others he had. read more

Buona - Baptized hot beef sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Maria F.

7 years ago

It was late in the evening arriving in Streeterville area of Chicago. Around the corner from our wonderful AirBNB was this perfect place to get a meal after a long car trip. The menu spoke to all of us and I decided on the protein bowl. Thought it was going to be as big as a cereal bowl but was pleasantly surprised when it was bigger- full of Italian beef awesomeness ringed with pieces of sausage. My side of coleslaw perfectly balanced the salty sultry- ness of the warm beef. Coupled with a cold drink made perfection! It's a family recipe. Try this place for great comfort food - no guilt. read more

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Shin O.

222

129

8 years ago

Buona was one the nicest- and freshest-tasting Italian beef I had around here. You can choose between three different sizes of Italian beef in addition to so many other items on the menu. I got the 7" with hot peppers and the dressing on the side, because I don't want my sandwich soggy long before I eat it. For 10 dollars, the sandwich, an order of small fries, and a water cup are yours. The feel of the restaurant was fast-food, but the server comes to you with the food. They also send someone to take away the food tray and the rest of the trash. That was really kind of them. In my experience, Italian beef requires a LOT of napkins, and the tables don't have napkin dispensers. So grab as much as need while you get your soda/water at the fountain to avoid multiple trips with your hands all greased up. I personally saw this place as a fair rival to Portillo's. Both have what they uniquely have to offer. Give this place a try. read more

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clark p.

445

7 years ago

Just ordered an easy on-line order of two pizzas and after a half hour I went in to pick up... it wasn't ready and they made me wait 5 more minutes while noticeably nervous to tell me they 'lost my order' even though they did notice it was sent in and paid for. Only offering to remake it or cancel it!! Honestly people, what are you doing in tHere? It shouldn't be this hard. Hope they can manage to refund my payment but have very little confidence they can even figure that out... terrible... read more

Business owner information

The Buona Companies L.

We'd love to follow up on the issues with your recent visit. Please…

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Brenda R.

7 years ago

Hard pass! They messed up my order: twice! On the 2nd error I just called it quits from fear of retaliation on the clear fact that they didn't want to make my meal. I know what you're thinking, don't complicate the menu options; I didn't!! I ordered a burger off their menu as is. I got my refund and walked to McDonald's just a few steps away. The only reason I'm rating 2 stars is because my husband ordered a personal pizza and he enjoyed it. read more

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Jennifer D.

5 years ago

Our order was delivered to our hotel within 15 minutes of ordering. Our beef sandwiches were delicious! Great delivery service through Grubhub. The guy was very polite and excellent customer service. read more

Business owner information

The Buona Companies L.

Thank you for your review! Glad we can make your tastebuds happy.

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Page 3 of 5

613 N McClurg Ct
Chicago, IL 60611
River East, Near North Side
Directions
(312) 643-0677
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://www.buona.com

Full menu

Hours

What time does Buona open?

Buona opens at 10:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

What time does Buona close?

Buona closes at 11:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.Buona closes at 12:00 AM (Next day) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Mon-Wed, Sun 10:00 AM - 11:00 PMThu-Sat 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM (Next day)

Payment methods

Does Buona take Bitcoin?

No, Buona does not take Bitcoin.

Does Buona take credit cards?

Yes, Buona takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Buona have catering options?

Yes, Buona does have catering options.

Does Buona have a drive thru?

No, Buona does not have a drive thru.

Does Buona serve alcohol?

Yes, Buona serves alcohol. Beer & Wine Only

Indoor Amenities

Does Buona allow dogs?

No, Buona does not allow dogs.

Does Buona have TVs?

Yes, Buona has TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Buona have bike parking?

Yes, Buona has bike parking.

Does Buona have outdoor seating?

Yes, Buona has outdoor seating options.

Does Buona have parking?

Yes, Buona has parking options. Street Parking

Other Amenities

Is Buona wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Buona is wheelchair accessible.

Does Buona have free WiFi?

Yes, Buona has free WiFi.

More Info

Health Score

Buona Reviews in Other Languages

Italian
1 Review

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Small Antipasto Dish, Wonderful, enough for two with leftovers.

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9 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Kitty L.

2 years ago

When my family stepped in, it was playing actually good music (lady Gaga!) and we ordered our food. Chicken tenders, pizza, and two sandwiches. The cost was only $22! the food came around 5 minutes later and the food was fresh, hot, and amazing! the chicken tenders were crispy, the pizza was the perfect size, and the sandwiches weren't overflowed. Check this place out! read more

Jacqueline D.

9 years ago

Not sure why people are so hard on this place. The food is amazing and we have never gotten bad service at this location. Complaining that you waited more than 5 minutes to get your food at a location like this is a bit ridiculous.... This isn't McDonalds, the food isn't premade and sitting forever. Burger and fry for $5 on Wednesday's is one hell of a deal! read more

Mike P.

7 years ago

Ordered some beefs from here today. Was really craving one, no better place to order it from thn here. They always satisfy my craving for a wonderful soaked beef sandwich. The pizza is decent too. read more

Harry Y.

215

8 years ago

Sooooo good Had to go big so went with 10 inch double dipped. Clean, bright, and plenty of TV screens. Great value for $10. I was stuffed but I will return soon. read more

Mark B.

6 years ago

Visited this place recently, nice sandwiches and good combination of homemade sauces. Attentive staff and good customer service. Would recommend read more

Ben M.

7 years ago

Amazing food would come again. I personally love the food and would recommend it to anyone and everyone

Mark F.

8 years ago

Two bathrooms, neither one had soap... where are the employees washing their hands? YUK!!

Jeffery C.

4 years ago

This place is rilly good if your hung over im telling you this is it

Joy W.

103

9 years ago

Great, professional service! And the meatballs are AMAZING!

Buona - sandwiches - Updated November 2026

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