I ordered the chili cheese, Polish sausage and the chili cheese fries. The presentation is as good as it can be for this type of food and they did a nice job with keeping the menu basic and simple. The taste of the Polish dog was good. the bun was soft. It was portioned correctly. It just was very bland compared to what else you can get in Grand Rapids. The chili cheese fries also were not horrible but I wanna say they were great. It is just gas station cheese and chili from a can. Again, not horrible just nothing special. Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this place but I also want to steer someone away either especially if you are drunk and at the bar across the street. I'm sure it tastes much better. That being said, I think it's a perfect restaurant for its location. There is not a ton of competition directly next-door or across the street. And technically, the Bar across the street has food of a similar quality however it is a nice alternative It's up to you. There's much better places in town for hotdog however, I would give the spot another shot to try the Italian beef. I have heard it is not excellent, but I have not had it Personally. read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

How has it taken me this long to get here?! Seriously, it's been on my radar basically since it opened, and I keep hearing about it, but just finally made a plan to try it out. My cousin and I sat at the bar, and you can get full service at the bar. She ordered a hot dog and I had a pizza. The hot dog came with that weird neon relish, in typical Chicago fashion, and was on a poppyseed bun. The fries are crinkle cut, and I don't know what seasoning they use, but it was so good! A little sweetness mixed in with the spices. The pizza was good; thin crust and cut square style like they do in Chicago, which I forgot about and kind of hate. I should've asked for silverware, but didn't. Next time I'd ask for it pie cut instead. The flavor was really good though. It was a bit pricey for what it was - it was a 12" pizza, and each topping an additional $3. $21 just seems high to me for a thin crust pepperoni mushroom pizza. I had draft beer and my cousin had a mixed drink. She had no complaints about hers, and mine was quite good! So many places draft beer tastes a little soapy, whether it's the way the clean their lines or how they wash their glasses, but I didn't taste any of that here. There aren't many choices on draft but was a good variety. They also have a full bar and lots of canned beverage choices. They don't have the healthiest menu, but that's not surprising since they're known for Chicago hot dogs, Italian beef, and pizza. If you know what you're going for it's perfect! The vibe is good. The space is pretty open, gets a decent amount of light, is clean, and there is parking! The restrooms are tiny, but clean, and I appreciate that after you wash your hands the door opens out so you don't have to touch a handle. We went on a Monday after work, which does turn into karaoke night, but we had time for a couple drinks and food before that really got going. It also wasn't crazy in there and we could still carry on a conversation at the bar without having to yell. I'm glad I finally made it in, and fully appreciate having them in the North Monroe area. I will definitely plan to have more happy hours here! read more

See all

This was our first time at Chicago Beef and we were shocked how nice it was inside! There were tables and booths, and bar seating. (It looked like they had a patio/outdoor seating too- but it was snowing when we were there so this wasn't open). We stuck with the classics and split a Classic Italian Beef combo (comes with a basket of seasoned fries and a pop), which our server was so kind as to split for us, and then we each got a Chicago dog, and a side of onion rings. The Italian beef was the real deal- you could've told me it was straight from Chicago. The Chicago dogs were equally good! We'll definitely be back to try their pizza! read more

See all

Meh. The chili cheese fries were nothing more than a Gordon Foods "out of the can" experience. My Chicago style sandwich cost the same as the one I had at the DFW airport, but didn't taste nearly as good. Not going back. read more

No, just no. Had a beef sandwich and fries. Fries were served room temp and way too much seasoning. Beef was hot but tasted like it came out of the freezer instead of being made onsite. Beef tasted like something anyone can buy at the grocery and heat up. Don't waste your money and time. I'm from Chicago and can tell you no place serves anything like this. read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Beef and fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

8-10 person bar, good sound system lots of tables in and out. Tavern pizza, Chicago beef sandwiches and dogs are excellent. Not your normal beef stand with this cool of an interior groove. Had the hotdog and Italian beef. Poppyseed bun on dog was soft as a Twinkie and the dog was the real deal. The beef sandwich was excellent. Put it on the list! read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Menu Cover Page - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Decided to try something new. I'm a huge fan of Chicago dogs and this place had great ones. The black bean chili was excellent and to top it off they had live entertainment. Full bar available although how do u have anything other than a beer with a Chicago dog. We will definitely be back. read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Black bean chili and fries. - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

It is one of the best Italian beef sandwiches in GR. They made it exactly the way I requested. The hot giardiniera peppers were perfect, the bread soaked up the delicious juice, and the beef was tender. The service is top-notch. The atmosphere is clean and not cluttered or too noisy. I highly recommend it. read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

CBJGR makes the best all beef hot dogs in town. I can't get enough of them. Chicken sandwich is tasty. Service is friendly and quick. read more

See all

As a former Chicagoan, I was as excited to hear of Chicago Beef Joint's opening as I was a as a six year old on Christmas Eve. In fact our freezer at home is stocked with Chicago pizza and hot dogs. The restaurant is roomy with a nice outdoor patio. I believe our visit was on their first day past the soft opening. You seat yourselves and can view the menu via QR code on your phone. There were a few paper menus for those who wanted them. I ordered an Italian Beef as I was craving one since my last visit to Chicago. I love the sauce or juice the meat sits in so I always order mine dipped. Taste was great. Only comment was I felt the portion size of the sandwich was small especially when compared to the price. My wife had a Chicago dog. Flavor was great but bun was hard and stale. Actually, in Chicago, buns are usually put in a steamer so they come out nice and soft. Fries were good. Service was excellent but here's the problem. At the vast majority of Chicago hot dog, beef places, you order at the counter. Here you are waited on which inflates pricing at least another 20% due to leaving a tip. (I don't count the couple of bucks you stuff into the tip jar at most fast food restaurants) The beef here was $13.99. Average Italian beef sandwich prices in Chicago are $7.50-9.95 with a larger portion size. My value meter was on overload despite the beef being quite good. As I mentioned the service was excellent. One server had a handle on the entire restaurant and I don't think anyone suffered. There is a real nice bar here and I believe there will be bands from time to time. So-as a bar that serves food-pretty good. As a fast food place that also has a bar-quite expensive. In fairness, I want to come back when they've been open for a while and reassess. Hopefully no stale buns! read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Italian Beef w/o peppers - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

Came in today April 18th around 5:17. Now being from Chicago i had high expectations and was let down immensely. Tall brunette waitress in the Detroit Tigers gear was beyond ignorant. $17 for a beef sausage combo with barely any beef on it. Pizza was cold and bland. Maybe for Michigan this is good service and quality but I'd rather spend the time and gas to drive home for Chicago food from here on out. How are u going to work at this location and throw shade at someone wearing bears gear. the Grey haired guy was decent and polite but this is the furthest thing from Chicago anything I've had. Spend the gas money and go to Al's #1 Italian or Johnnies. Very disappointed. read more

The Italian beef sandwich was good, I could use more seasoning but they did use quality beef and bread. They served it wet as requested so it was very juicy. I took it to go but would like to hang out in back and grab a cold beer. Fries were solid, I like mine crispy. I completely forgot to say the cannoli are fresh made, the cheese was super fresh so it was extremely delicate and delicious with chocolate dip! Cool place to check out for sure. read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Fresh canolli with chocolate dip. - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

A decent Italian sandwich, the interior is quite unique. Stop in for lunch or something. read more

We loved our visit to Chicago Beef Joint. It truly felt like we were in the Windy City itself. We arrived on a blustery cold afternoon just before the evening rush started. We took seats at the bar and were warmly greeted by the bartender. She got our drinks quickly and I was delighted to see Old Style on draft. (Sometimes you just want a classic beer) we looked over the menu before deciding on a classic beef hot and dipped, fries and a Chicago dog. Everything came out hot and fresh. I'm not usually a fan of crinkle cut fries but these made me a believer. The spicy beef was full of flavor and was huge! We met the owner and was impressed with his dedication to service and authenticity. The live music events look fun and we'll definitely be back for more read more

See all

I've never had a Chicago hot beef sandwich before, but my husband and I came here to listen to the blues on Thursday, and I must say-we were amazed by both! I had never been here before, but it honestly looked like a dressed up warehouse across from the Garage Bar. Even though, it was welcoming and I enjoyed the atmosphere of warmed up industrial (if there is such a thing). There is also a stage at the end of a dance floor where the band would be performing. Amazingly enough, when we sat down we discovered another friend was here to hear the blues as well. The servers were very nice and welcoming and were eager to provide recommendations. They kept us filled with drinks. Speaking of which, they had a nice full bar and were stocked with a nice selection of craft beers. I've been told that this hot beef sandwich is authentic. What I ate was pure magic, and I will definitely be back for more! read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Dipped Italian beef sandwich - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

See all

I order a dipped Italian beef for takeout - and was pleasantly surprised at the proximity to the hockey rink! It felt like a fun hangout place when I walked in, the beef was great and the au jus was tasty. I'll definitely eat there again while I'm in the area for hockey read more

Ordered a beef sandwich with sweet peppers dipped, hot dog with everything,fries and a Diet Pepsi. The beef sandwich was great. They make the au jus in house and the beef comes from Vienna beef. Awesome sandwich! The hot dog had the poppyseed bun, and run thru the garden. Top notch dog! And the fried were seasoned and paired perfectly with the beef and the hot dog. Service was great. The server was upbeat and very attentive to our table. Restaurant area and bathroom where clean. Ambiance has that Chicago vibe since everything is Chicago. Signs of DaBears, Bulls, Blackhawks, White Sox, Cubs are on the wall. Menus have a Chicago City Flag look. They have a full sit down bar with Old Style on tap and if you're up for it a beef bomb... Malort with a beef au jus chaser! Being originally from Chicago, I loved this place... made me feel like I was in the City of Chicago! 100% will be back again! read more

See all

I'll start this by saying I'm not an Italian beef connoisseur or expert, I literally Googled how to order my sandwich. However, I really enjoyed the food and experience at the new Chicago Beef Joint. The dining area inside is spacious and they have outdoor seating as well. Nate and I opted to dine in as I figured the integrity of the dipped beef might be compromised after a drive. The menu includes Italian beef, Chicago dogs and other hot dogs, a few sandwiches, Polish sausage, fries and sides, shakes, and desserts. They also have a full bar. I appreciated that the menu includes information on how to customize your Italian beef - you can get it with sweet peppers or hot or mild giardiniera. Then you specify dry, wet, or dipped depending on how much au jus you want in/on your sandwich. I went with hot and dipped, where they dunk the whole sandwich in the gravy. I was worried it might be super soggy but it wasn't too bad. Nate got half dipped but said he'd go for a full dip next time. The food was quick to come out and I thought the portions were generous, especially when adding fries. The crinkle cut fries were nicely seasoned and perfectly fried. I loved the Italian beef! It was full of juicy meat and the bread actually held up well to the full dip. The hot giardiniera wasn't super spicy and I might ask for extra on the side next time. It adds a nice crunch (it's a mixture of pickled carrots, jalapenos, serranos, celery, and cauliflower) and a bit of a kick. The meat was thinly shaved and flavorful. I think the sandwich would be too dry if ordered that way but it was great dipped. Definitely a multiple napkin situation, luckily they have napkin holders at each table. Nate got an Old Style which you can add a shot of Malort to for 1 cent, bringing the total to $5.01. The decor incorporates plenty of Chicago nostalgia for folks who may have ties to the area. Our server was Stephania and she was super sweet and helpful! I'm already trying to plan my return visit to try a Chicago dog. read more

See all

Great food! Chili was amazing! Service was on point. Atmosphere was inviting...decorated in Chicago sports memorabilia. read more

See all

Went on a Thursday night for Blues , the blues trio was excellent , service was prompt and friendly , prices very reasonable, $5 for an old style draft and when in Chicago what's better than a cold Old Style ? We ordered the Italian beef wet with hot gardianera and a meatball sandwich with fries . Let's talk about the fries , wow no ketchup needed as the seasoning is amazing , the beef juicy and flavorful and the meatball sandwich cheesy and meaty with a marinara with a hint of sweet and garlic , it was very tasty ... we definitely will be back to sample Chicago dogs and other sandwich options !! read more

What a fun place - my son and husband attending school in Chicago so the atmosphere is very nostalgic! The food is SO great!

I have had many friends from Chicago that tell me that these are authentic Chicago beef sandwiches. I also tried their meatball sandwich today. It was excellent. Lots of cheese and homemade meatballs My coworker had the Chicago dogs and He said they were authentic. read more

40% more expensive than a Portillos, about half as good. This place is fine, the food is average, but if you are beef fan, don't come expecting Portillos or Al's. The beef and aujus isn't as flavorful. The fries not as crisp. The portion sizes not quite as large. This place tries so hard to be Portillos that for ages they were literally copying images for their menu from Portillos. Their offerings food-wise are nearly the same too. It may not be fair to compare them to something that is 2 hrs away, but they are trying so hard to be it, we may as well compare them. And it's expensive, a $14 beef here is around $9.70 at Portillos. $5.50 for a Chicago dog, $3.90 at Portillos. $17 for beef and sausage combo, $12 at Portillos. Economies of scale and all that, I get it. But I'd just assume have the real thing, and can't wait for them to come to West Michigan. Service was solid, and the staff was friendly. It's not a bad place to eat, I've just had better. And as the old saying goes, "you come at the king, you best not miss", and this place is off the mark. read more

Quick, tasty and simple. Ordered the classic Chicago beef, wet with mild peppers. Worth a visit. Not worth $14.

This place was an amazing time. Our server was wonderful! The food was super great. I have lived in Chicago and this place compares to the best of them. read more

Nothing like Chicago beef or pizza. Beef was bland and too soft. Chicago Italian beef stands up to bites, not falling apart like this beef. All three pizzas had a frozen, tasteless quality to them. Sausage on the pizzas was oddly shaped like cut from a sausage roll and very spicy. Very poor imitation of what you can find in Chicago. read more

Can't give this place a five star I mean to get three for trying to be like Chicago beef But they're just not there re-frequent Chicago quite a bit that's one of my before we leave to get Chicago beef from Portillos or Al beef it seems like they get a lot of their product from Gordon's food service read more

My first online review, I suppose I did have some expectations having spent some time in Chicago this summer eating a lot of Portillo's and Al's. I didn't bother to get into the menu because it had some pictures on it and I seen what I needed to see... Italian Beef and a good looking piece of chocolate cake. I ordered "an Italian Beef with Sweet and Hot Peppers, Mozzarella Cheese, Dipped. Like super wet wet." I read reviews prior warning me that this place holds out on the gravy and I need it wet. At the time I was the only person in the restaurant so my food came to me super quick with a lil steam rolling so great temp. Chocolate Cake came in a plastic to-go container. My sandwich did not look super wet wet, but to the touch it was pretty wet. I think the illusion that it is not wet may actually be a different in the way the bread soaks it up I think this bread is a little more firm then Portillo's or Al's but the sandwich was wet to the touch and bite. The beef was similar to Portillo's not having the most distinct or seasoned taste like Al's, But wet and good and great cheese melt throughout. Hot peppers were great and the giardinieria had a good amount of carrots in it which I don't see as much in Chicago giardiniera I feel. Sweet peppers were great as well just big and a lil floppy, green peppers are sliced the long way rather than diced and a few tumbled from my sandwich and greased me up. My food nitpicks, * My sandwich was just slightly not beefy enough I feel. * Loose sandwich takes extreme balance and form that I lack, as a result some things fell off my sandwich on my clothing and table. I do prefer the wrap it really compacts everything and prevents that. * Chocolate cake is a no for me and I am a cake junkie. Not soft enough, more of a brownie feel honestly, and the chocolate taste is not rich enough. I took two bites and gave up. They do offer a shake and I was glad I did not cop. I had low expectations for service based on the way they get food out in Chicago, even dining in at Portillo's or Al's you order at the counter and that is as far as service really goes. There was no counter instead I was seated by a worker and appointed a server. I work FOH so when it is a dine in type service I like to be served how I would serve someone. My service nitpicks, * My server did not tell me their name. * I did not receive utensils with my food and had to ask after a while. * My server sat at unoccupied tables, just not a great look. To wrap things up, it is a great Michigan Italian Beef Spot( only real one I know). The vibe is great and everyone there was so nice. The Italian Beef is great and all the elements are great. The chocolate cake is just not quality and it was refrigerated while Portillo's is room temp so just not soft and rich. Parking available and a great lil patio. I will be back often, new regular! read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Italian Beef w/ Sweet and Hot Peppers Dipped Chocolate Cake - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Excellent sandwich. Beef was tender and flavorful. Our waitress was on point. Quick and very nice. Very clean and larger inside than I thought. read more

So good and so friendly. Went there on a Friday night on a work trip and they haven't been playing an open mic every Sunday night. Waitress was so friendly. Everybody was great! It was such an awesome experience. I had mid-level expectations going there but it was just so nice and fun and to relaxed atmosphere. Some people are listening to music. Some people aren't listening to the loud music. Lots of good beers. The fried pizza rolls were awesome and the Chicago shaved beef was my first time ever read more

I LOVE this place. Neat as a pin, with a great bar selection, and a small menu of really tasty bar food. I think it's the best hot dog (all beef) in Grand Rapids, and at the time of this writing, under $4! Something is always happening at the CBJ. Karaoke on Mondays, jam sessions, jazz bands, open mics.... I have had more episodes of side busting laughter at this restaurant/bar than anyplace I can remember. The staff is polite, attentive and downright funny! An evening at CBJ is a great thing. read more

Very chill environment great vibes with Pepsi products ! Orange Crush no MT. Dew but still knocked it out of the park! Service was a little new but they did a great job! Chicago Dog, wet Italian sandwich brought our parents back to living in old time Chicago! Total joy we felt when they reminisced! read more

Chicago Beef Joint - Hot Dogs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This place is perfect - as a former Chicago resident who misses her go-to Italian beef joint dearly, they get it right here. I got the cheese fries, an iced tea, and a Cheese Italian Beef with mild giardiniera and au jus on the side. My husband got the Classic a Italian beef with hot giardiniera and a Pepsi. Our kids were happy with their hot dogs and fries. Service was super friendly - before we could even ask they brought over a high chair for our son. We definitely want to come back! read more

Excellent fresh Chicago style with fries and root beer. Presentation of food was fresh, with wonderful color. Service was excellent and I plan on going back read more

The waitress she wasted no time to serve me. I'm from Chicago & use to home cooked meals, but now I travel for a living so it's hard to go to different restaurants I like. Chicago Beef Joint stuck out to me because of the world Chicago (Allday) & so I decided to try the Italian beef. I didn't stay too long just ordered Italian ordered an Italian soak with nacho cheese and the food came out perfect hot fast and ready. on top of that the waitress waited no time to serve me and was very kind pretty smile. Chicago Beef Joints was like being home away from home. read more

Randomly found this place on Google so decided to stop by for lunch and I'm very happy I did. The Chicago beef was delicious and I am still thinking about their French fries. read more

Great food, love a Chicago beef with half hot and half sweet. Don't worry how you look crushing this sammy. And yes, get the fries!

Place had good service and friendly staff. However the food doesn't seem to cash the check. It's a bit pricey for what you get. BBQ was just okay, lots of Gordon food options. Seems like a great place for hangover food. read more

Awesome place with a lot of Chicago food and nostalgia Definitely a must try if you're missing home.

This was my first time, the wait staff was not very attentive. And after an hour, my friend who has been there a few times was asked to order food or wait thirty minutes before ordering a third beer. The manager was condescending and unfortunately came off as judgmental. We left and went to the garage and ordered yummy food. read more