Came here at noon on a Monday and I was pleasantly surprised to find a table in this large place…read more They are well set up to handle large numbers of people. Chicago dog: 4/5. Solid dog and I really enjoyed the poppy bun. Cake shake: 4.5/5. Tastes just like you would expect if you blended a slice of chocolate cake into a shake. But don't bother with a straw, cuz this sucker is thick. Well done.

This Portillos was huge it had two levels. It was easy to order by using one of the kiosks or the…read moreapp from your phone. My friend and I were waiting for them to call our order number but it was taking a while so I went to the counter and the order had been ready sitting there they just weren't calling out the orders. I'm glad I went up otherwise my food would have gotten cold! I'm not sure if their sound systems were down to call out the order numbers for pick up or if they just don't do that. I came here with my friend as I had never tried the beef sandwich and she highly recommended the cheese fries. I also heard great things about the chocolate cake slice. I added peppers to the beef sandwich to give it some spice but besides that it was bland! I was disappointed but I thought the Chicago dog would make up for it but the bun was soggy. The best part of my order were the cheese fries and I got a free slice of chocolate cake since it was my birthday month! The chocolate cake was the best chocolate cake I've ever had that wasn't homemade. Very moist and lots of frosting! I would come back for the fries and the cake, but I wouldn't order the beef sandwich or Chicago dog again.

My friend was visiting from San Francisco and she wanted to try a Chicago dog so I took her to…read moreDevil Dawgs. Devil Dawgs makes the best Chicago dog I've ever had! So fresh and flavorful. She is pescatarian so it was awesome that she was able to get a veggie dog Chicago style. She also had the Icelandic Dawg which she said was very good as well. My Chicago dog came out very fast but her veggie dog took about 10 minutes. I love how the location is close to magnificent mile so it was easy to grab the dogs then go back to shopping. If you need to take someone to get a Chicago dog I highly recommend Devil Dawgs!

I ordered the 5-piece chicken strips with fries, a side of cheese sauce, and the devil sauce -- and…read morewow, this hit exactly how I needed it to. The chicken strips were perfectly crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. You can tell they're made fresh -- not dry at all, just tender and flavorful with that golden crunch in every bite. The fries were just as good -- hot, crispy, and the perfect base for that cheese sauce. Speaking of the cheese... so smooth and rich, it honestly made the whole meal even better. And the devil sauce?? SO good. It has that perfect balance of heat and flavor -- not overwhelming, but definitely gives a little kick that keeps you going back for more. Everything together was just one of those simple but so satisfying meals. Perfect portions, great flavor, and exactly what you want when you're craving comfort food. Definitely would order this again -- no question.

First time in Chicago so I had to try the national sandwich of Chicago! Al's beef has been serving…read moreup Italian Beef sandwiches since 1938. They have won several awards for their sandwiches and are said to have the best Italian Beef in Chicago. With all this being said, this was certainly a must eat on my trip! Their menu consists of their famous Italian beef, along with Chicago dogs, burgers, sausage sandwiches, chicken, and fries. There is definitely something for everyone here. The inside is casual and reminiscent of a fast food eatery. Really liked the yellow accents throughout the restaurant. I will also note that it was extremely clean inside, which is always appreciated. Ordering is simple and they will call your ticket number when your food is ready. All the food is served made to order and very fresh and doesn't take too long to come out! I ordered the Regular Beef, wet, with both hot and spicy peppers per the workers suggestion. Ordering the sandwich wet simply means the bread is dunked in the gravy/aus jus. If you want the real deal, this is how you order it. The peppers are optional as well, but complete the sandwich. The sandwich consists of their famous Italian beef roasted and sliced, served on freshly baked French bread. I can see why this sandwich is so highly regarded. The Italian beef that is made in house each day is tender, flavorful, and just perfect! It isn't chewy or tough either. The sweet and spicy peppers paired nicely with the savory beef. And the fresh French bread covered in the gravy--phenomenal! The gravy adds a lot of flavor to the sandwich. You do have to eat it quickly, otherwise the bread will fall apart, oh but it is so worth it. I got fries with a side of cheese sauce to go with the sandwich. By far some of the best fries I've had. Not super crispy, but not soggy either, the texture was just right. They were salted perfectly and dipping them in their velvety cheese sauce was a treat! A regular sub is roughly 6 inches and quite filling. The sandwiches are stuffed with ample amounts of beef. The price is also excellent considering how much you get. Overall, I would say Al's Beef lived up to all its praise. My sandwich was very memorable and was like nothing I'd had before. Everything is so fresh, between their beef, bread, and fries, it is all made in house. This isn't just some fast food spot, it is an institution. I was impressed with everything I ordered, especially the fries. They take a lot of pride in what they serve. This is evident in their customer service. If you are visiting Chicago, don't think, just go--you won't regret it!

(Kari's Rating 6.5/10)…read more Finally made my way out here and it was alright. My go to is normally Portillo's Italian beef, but I wanted to change it up. It's a little stop in place and they have a pretty small seating area, but I went on a day where it wasn't super crowded. Beef was pretty typical, I think I enjoyed the gravy seasoning more on this one over Portillo's, but I did like Portillo's spicy and sweet peppers a little bit better. I don't like my bread, saggy, so I was able to get the dipping gravy on the side. Service is pretty quick as it's just a small sit down place. It wasn't too loud, so you could have a conversation with the person next to you, but I imagine it would be much louder if you went on a Friday or Saturday night. I probably wouldn't stop in again but it's a nice place to go to. If you have people from out of town they don't wanna go to Portillo's.

I've eaten a lot of Polish Sausage in my day and I just assumed it was the kind of thing that…read morecouldn't really be improved upon. I was so wrong. The Polish Sausage they're serving up at Jim's is so much better than any I've had before that it's almost an entirely different thing. It's just so flavorful and delicious. The spicing is phenomenal and the sausage itself is extremely above average. And it's taken over the top by the fresh bun and superb sautéed onions. I joked that we should start every day with one of these sausages, and while we didn't actually do that, I feel like that would've only enhanced our trip.

Yelpers what's good. Today I felt like having some Chicago Nostalgia food. So I stopped by Jim's…read moreoriginal for a good ole Maxwell St. Polish! It's an outdoor only eatery usually long fast moving lines. The smell of the grilled onions hit your nose immediately! I got a polish with onions and mustard and I also got a bone in pork chop sandwich with onions and mustard. And an added bonus FREE FRIES with every order! The polish is still one of my best around nice and juicy (pause) with a nice snap to them. The onions provide a slight sweetness with the tangy bite of the mustard just hits so great!! 8.9/10! The fries were hot, nice crisp on the outside and pillowy inside! 7/10 The Bone in pork chop sandwich was decent nothing special just a Chicago nostalgic sandwich. 6.8/10 Everyone from Chicago has been here and everyone from Chicago will tell you to go here for a real Chicago quick cheap eats experience. Right off the expressway so you can be in and out. And you may want to be in and out especially if you're from out of town. definitely worth stopping by! Remember ALL reviews are subjective

Passing by i got my lunch here A hot dog whit fries yummy…read morePretty good, all fresh ingredients and lots of onions

Superdawg has been a long time favorite of mine. This visit…read moreI had a superdawg and a chocolate malt. I shared the super veggies with my mom. The service is prompt and the food is made to order. They have a couple small tables inside or tables outside. They also have drive in car service where they bring the food to your car

Gene & Jude's -- Chicago's No-Nonsense Classic…read more (5/5) Some places you plan to visit... and then there are places you stumble into that feel like you've just unlocked a piece of the city's soul. This was one of those moments. Walking up to Gene & Jude's, you already know--this isn't about aesthetics, it's about legacy. No drive-thru. No indoor seating. No fluff. Just a line (usually wrapped around the building) and a reputation that's been earned one hot dog at a time. But today? Timing was on my side. That sweet spot between lunch rush and dinner madness... where the energy is still there, but you don't have to fight for it. Let's talk about the dog. This is not your average Chicago-style situation. This is their own lane. A Vienna beef dog, dressed simply--but then they hit you with the move: a pile of fresh-cut fries inside the bun. Yes... inside. And somehow, it just works. The bun? Soft doesn't even begin to describe it. It practically melts the second it hits your mouth. Everything blends together in a way that feels nostalgic, familiar, and completely addictive. No distractions. No overthinking. Just flavor. And here's your insider rule-- Don't ask for ketchup. Not unless you're ready to get side-eyed into another zip code. You grab your order, head back to your car, and that becomes your dining room. And honestly? That's part of the experience. It forces you to slow down and just be in it. By the time I thought about taking a picture... it was gone. Completely devoured. No regrets. How did we get here? Somewhere between tradition and simplicity--and realizing that sometimes, the most iconic experiences don't try to impress you... they just are.

Obviously we had to come to Gene's & Jude's…read more Long before we planned our Chicago trip, I can remember seeing a feature about the place on TV. It was a no-brainer. The place is kind of out of the way, but hey, we had a car and some free time, so why not? I, of course, got the Hot Dog w/ Fries ("mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers") and yep it's a superior dog. I'm not sure if the copious fries really added anything to it, but the snap of the wiener and the tasty condiments added up to an extremely enjoyable experience. I can see why Gene's & Jude's is so highly regarded. It's a cool place (and super affordable, too).

Stopped by The Wiener's Circle and had a fun Chicago experience. I had the Chicago style hot dog,…read moreand it was exactly what you'd want, classic toppings, plenty of flavor, and a solid dog overall. What really makes this place stand out is the personality. The staff is famously surly, and that's clearly part of the experience, so if you know that going in it adds to the fun. It's more playful than serious and definitely gives the place its own character. I also thought it was cool how they give out free dogs after Bears wins. That kind of generosity and local spirit makes it feel like a true neighborhood staple. Definitely a memorable stop and one of those places that feels uniquely Chicago.

1 Star - Absolute Dump, Do NOT Go…read more Went to this so-called "hot dog joint" last night and what a complete waste of time and money. The fries were super saggy and limp, like they been sitting in old grease for hours. Tasted like cardboard soaked in week-old oil. The hot dogs? Forget it. Way over-salted, tasted like they dumped the entire salt shaker on them. The buns were spongy and smashed all over the place, looked like someone sat on them before serving. Everything was just sloppy and gross. Service was terrible too. The guy at the counter acted like I was annoying him by ordering food, no smile, no "thank you," just threw my bag at me. Whole place feels like a dump. Save your money and go somewhere else. Never going back. On top of that they all have TDS

Front desk at our hotel recommended this place and it was closer to try this than Portillo's…read more Small space with ordering at the counter in the back or a kiosk for self order. Only a few 4 foot person tables and some high top for 2. No bathroom. Closest one is Pete's around the corner at the end of the next block. 5/5 bucket of fries w/cheese. The fries were soft and super flavorful. Not crispy if that's your kind of thing. The nacho cheese was on the side and warm and tasty. They gave us 2 containers for one order which i appreciated. 5/5 it's not a corn dawg with cotija cheese and corn. My fave one. Very flavorful. The hot dog itself was also delicious. 4/5 Chicago dawg - got the small size which was perfect since we sampled so much. 4/5 hot chile cheddar dawg - super cheesy and added onions. My second fav. 4.5/5 Italian beef - wet with hot jardiane (sp). The peppers were spicy but really good. It's a pretty large serving. 5/5 caramel salty pretzel shake - the pretzel bits were a perfect salty mix. Pricing was very reasonable! I'd come back again for the not your corn dawg and shake!

Checked out Devil Dawgs and had a really good experience overall. I had the Chicago-style hot dog…read morewith tater tots and tried their signature sauces on the side. Everything hit the spot. The hot dog was a great first taste of an authentic Chicago dog fresh toppings, a lot of flavor, and exactly what I was hoping for. The Vienna Beef dog itself was really good and gave it that classic Chicago dog taste. The tater tots were crispy and paired really well with the sauces, which added a fun extra touch to the meal. The place had a cool casual vibe, and service was quick and easy. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

"Double Fatso Burger with Cheese" was definitely one of the BEST burgers I've had…read more Juicy, perfectly cooked, and loaded with flavor--Fatso's Last Stand absolutely delivers. Chicago classic for a reason.

Fatso's Last Stand delivers exactly what its name promises: unapologetically indulgent, old-school…read morecomfort food done right. The burgers are the shining stars -- juicy, generously sized, and cooked to perfection with toppings that strike the perfect balance of classic and creative. Whether you go for a stacked cheeseburger, bacon-loaded option, or a specialty creation, the patties are flavorful and satisfyingly beefy, with a great char and use of quality ingredients that keeps diners coming back. Beyond burgers, the menu also features hearty eats like crispy fries, loaded sandwiches, and thick milkshakes, all served with a no-frills attitude that lets the food speak for itself. Service at Fatso's Last Stand matches the laid-back but attentive vibe of the restaurant -- staff are friendly, efficient, and know regulars by name, creating a welcoming, neighborhood-favorite energy. While the pace can get lively during peak hours, especially on weekends, the team handles the rush with good humor and keeps orders moving. The ambiance is casual and retro in all the right ways, with diner-style seating and a comfortable, unpretentious environment that makes it perfect for relaxed lunches, casual dinners with friends, or late-night burger runs. It's not fancy, but when your focus is on big, delicious burgers and familiar comfort food, Fatso's delivers exactly what you're craving.

Yummy i get the deal hot dog ,soda and fries pretty good for a quick lunch…read moreI like the art on the walls , and remember chicago dog no ketchep !!! See you soon again

The food was really great! The cheese fries tasted amazing! I tried the apple brandy duck sausage…read moreand asked the guy if it was good. He was very friendly and told me it was one of their most popular items, I can tell why! It had a great flavor and a great snap to it! I think this is the only Chicago dog house that serves the apple brandy duck sausage, but the other locations are also good as well, they just don't have the duck sausage. If you're near this location I'd recommend it!