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    Poor Boy

    4.0 (65 reviews)
    InexpensiveGreek, American, Fast Food
    Closed 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    POOR BOY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Poor Boy

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    This thing was big and hefty and maybe only needed sweet peppers on top, but better with giardiniera on the side IMO. It's too hot spicy.
    carlo l.

    If I could apply fractions or decimals to a Star review I'd make this a 3.54 Star rating. I can only review the limited selection I had there at Poor Boy and that was the Italian Beef. So it's rated a bit better than okay leaning to good. The good: This was not a skimpy portion, it was pretty loaded with beef, that sandwich had some girth and weight, that's nice. To be fair, my favorite Italian Beef in the Greater Chicagoland area is made for me personally (usually) by Mr. Beef himself, Carl Bonovolanto, hands down the best and a high bar to match. The So-so: I wasn't asked if I wanted my Italian Beef dry, wet, dipped or dunked. To be fair not all places ask that. Even Portillio's did not the last time I went there (it was a test visit). I knew that's because the quite young employee there wouldn't know the first thing about how real Chicagoan's are particular about their Italian Beef and likely wasn't trained to say the words. She was just going through the motions. Same thing here at Poor Boy, I think that's just not the the way to present an authentic Chicago Italian beef. There's a serious tradition to this iconic beef sandwich which for a long time you couldn't find most anywhere but in the Greater Chicagoland (until The Bear TV series became popular). I was asked about peppers, I said sweet peppers. I then said do you have giardiniera and he said yes and I said I also wanted them. But he misunderstood my Chicago accented english, so just put on the hot giardiniera, no sweet peppers. I declined the cheese too, totally not used on the real deal, that's for tourists from Philly. I didn't find out until I seated and opened the sandwich. More So-so: The sandwich was piping hot and filled with beef and topped with copious amounts of very hot giardiniera. BUT.. the Italian flavoring was pretty hard to detect. It was beef alright, but where's the herbs and spices? The beef on the sandwich was way too dry and the little amount of very thin au jus that was there had all fallen to the bottom of the sandwich and totally melted the bun out in places. It was falling apart spilling beef as I began to eat it (inhale it?). So another no-no is you have to use a bun that won't disintegrate with juice. This bun failed that test pretty badly. I'd tell you the bun brand to use that's the absolute best, but then I'd have to flash you with that Men In Black device so you'd never be able to tell anyone. So even if I'd have been offered a dunked or wet Italian beef which I always like, this bun wouldn't have been able to take it anyway. The servers/cooks there looked like they knew their way around a fast food kitchen but they also seemed not to be part of knowing just how important the Italian BEEF tradition is to a natural born and raised Chicagolandian. Since there are places around that do it so well and so authentically, you have to put a strong effort in, IMO. Their menu on the wall behind the counter looked very deep and I bet they have items there that they just knock out of the park. I think the prices are fairly reasonable and you may get a good value for your dollar here. The tables were not a wreck but if it were my place I'd wipe down those tables often so there's absolutely no crumbs, greasy smudges or bits laying on top of them. If I end up in that town again for any reason I may stop in here again to try something else they are supposed to be known for, and maybe will have a better review to add. Okay, that's a lot of words for just one sandwich... 3.54 Stars, Fair/Good tasting and nice pretty hefty Italian Beef Sandwich. I think I could like this joint just fine if going there more often.

    4 half pita breads. How am I supposed to make sandwiches.
    Larry B.

    First I went there at 6:20pm. They are supposed to be open til 10. Doors locked, only drive through open. I hate drive throughs. The speakers suck, you can never understand what they are saying. Poor Boys speaker sucked. Ordered Gyro plate. Supposed to get 2 pita breads. Nope. I got 4 halfs. How am I supposed to make sandwiches. Don't think I'll be going back. The Gyro meat was good.

    Hot corned beef sandwich
    Kara M.

    We had a hard time finding somewhere to eat in this area (that wasn't in a gas station). The restaurant was clean and everyone's food was good. We ordered a hot corned beef, polish, fish sandwich, kids' grilled cheese, fries and cream of chicken soup. It's nice that they let you switch out soup for the fries, we didn't expect that. The only complaint is that the polish was smaller than expected.

    typical fare

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    Photo of B. D.
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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Big bag of fries. The sandwiches are pretty good,and a variety at that. Ribs,fish,pork,beef, whatever you're looking for.

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    9 months ago

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    7 months ago

    The soup was excellent but could have been hot instead of lukewarm. The gyro wasn't good but fries were okay but could have used salt.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food. Great prices and great service! Large selection of different sandwich options. Great soup too!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Been eating here since I was a child love this place could eat almost anything on the menu

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    It was fine. The lobby was closed so we couldn't go in. The food was bland. It wasn't to busy so that was nice.

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

    I stop here when ever I am down there. Foods always hot. They have lots of options. Portions are definatly oversized

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    6 years ago

    If you like gyros dogs and CHARburger's this is a good place service is usually very fast and the product is tasty

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Side road through Kankakee from St. Louis to Grand Rapids, best place to get an outstanding Gyro!!!! Very good at a great price!

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    Page 1 of 2

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    Review Highlights - Poor Boy

    As others have mentioned, if you're in the mood for greasy food, this is the place to be in K3.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Poor Boy - greek - Updated May 2026

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