Best Local Beef Chain? (Chicago, Elgin: promotional, live, restaurant)

[noid_1985]

I know some people like their local mom and pop joints, but which one of these do you like most?

Portillo's
Pop's
Al's
buona beef

[jonnynonos]

I think Johnnie's beef in Elmwood Park is the gold standard, no? Never had it.

Portillo's does a great job with all that old street food.

I should try Al's again but the time or two I went I wasn't blown away, but that was years ago.

[knitgirl]

I prefer Portillos, I'm not close to Buona, but have gone there and liked it, never seen Pop's anywhere. I've had Al's once or twice. I do finally have a good local beef place called One for the Road on 31 in Elgin. HUGE beef, tender, good giadineira and the fries look handcut.

[Jandur]

Als or Portillos. Buona beef never did it for me.

[chet everett]

The best thing about Portillos is CONSISTENCY. They basically train every employee in every location to do stuff the SAME WAY so that the fries are always fired and salted the same way, the ice is always the same (overfilled) amount, the beef is always the SAME temp with the same degree of doneness / wetness, etc. Hard to knock a system that works so well.

I think there are individuals that work for the Buona organization that do put a little more "heart" into delivering a nice looking sandwich (and their deserts are way better than any other fast service restaurant would dare serve), but their overall system also has a little too much variation for me. I have had to send back sandwiches that are way too wet (maybe to compensate for beef that spend a little too long in "stewing" in the au jus) or with so much giardinara (or the oil that the crew at Portillo's tend to complete avoid...) that the whole sandwich is too messy to eat.

The Al's "chain" is run VERY differently. Folks that own / run individual stores seem not to be screened at all by the "franchisor". The store on Taylor is wonderful. They make an awesome sandwich about as consistent as any Portillo PLUS they do THE BEST JOB of grilling sausage over charcoal so their COMBO is superior to any other INCLUDING Johnnies. That said they also have an ABSOLUTELY GROSS location in River North that is too unclean to even consider eating at about 75% of the time I get a hankering for it. (Which is no problem because I then stroll over to Mr. Beef on Orleans, which is not a chain, but makes a damned fine sandwich despite the utterly un-work slacks friendly giant communal picnic tables (and don't make the mistake of asking any skirt wearing ladies in the office to try and step into the bench...).

Pop's is a decent chain mostly in the SW burbs. They tend to be more consistent than the random locals, but not as good as Portillos. Their giardana looks weird but I don't really mind the taste of the celery heavy mix. I think their au jus is little under salted, but maybe they just dont 't it boil down as much as the other guys and with all the salt I like on my fries that probably is not a bad thing...

I tend to agree that any place that serves truly bad beef sandwiches will QUICKLY be shunned and likely close / change hands. There are some places that I swear have a new sign / twist on the menu / crew every 3 months and that is a REALLY big red flag that these guys are doing something WRONG. I have seen interviews from like 30 years ago when Dick Portillo basically laid out how it is almost easier to run a good beef stand / hot dog place than doing any other kind of business SO LONG AS you get everyone to do stuff "one right way". People will pay a decent price for well served lunch / dinner / catering but if any one in the chain screw something up you end up scrambling to get anyone to come back. You ever seen a "promotional coupon" for Portillos? They don't need 'em. Be suspicious of any place in the region that does...

[emathias]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The best thing about Portillos is CONSISTENCY.
...
That said they also have an ABSOLUTELY GROSS location in River North that is too unclean to even consider eating at about 75% of the time I get a hankering for it. (Which is no problem because I then stroll over to Mr. Beef on Orleans, ...

Totally agree about Portillo's - there may be a few better places, but Portillo's does a good job, but what's really best is their absolutely perfect consistency. You can go to Portillo's and know exactly what you'll be getting, and that it will be good, which is great and why I recommend them to all my visitors.

I have to laugh that you would go to Mr. Beef if you think Al's in River North is too unclean ...

[ImaloneJill]

They are building a Portillo's in the Mokena/New Lenox area. The news alone was cause for family celebration.
BTW, for store bought products, I just love the Scala beef and sausage they are now carrying at Dominick's.

[UICJohn]

My cousin in Phoenix called me last night at midnight (Chicago time) just to tell me she just heard they're opening a Portillo's out there. Being a little bitter that it is a Chicago thing and now she can have it more often, I told her it can't possibly be exactly the same (of which I still stand by!)

As far as the chains listed, I don't think I can say anything really badly about any of them. However, if I had to pick one, I'd have to go Portillo's. As was pointed out, they run so well. I have been to several of the locations and never had an order messed up no matter how nuts it is. From the cooks to the people at the register to the woman who yells "Number 89, your order is fine!" it is all so well done. And that isn't even mentioning how awesome the beef is.

Al's is great also but as was pointed out in this thread I haven't enjoyed all of the Al's. I attended my undergrad at UIC and would walk to Al's on Taylor once a week. Delicious! But now with such outposts as the one in Wrigleyville and the one on Western / Diversey they're not all the same or all that great.

Never heard of Pop's either. Buona isn't bad but we only really get it for family parties. There is one not far from my work but never too interested in going there.

Johnnie's on North Avenue used to be great but just doesn't really do it for me anymore.

A good local place is Bob - O's on Irving Park road just east of River Road. Parents live around there and a great beef sandwich when I make the drive to the outskirts of the city.

[jwaiter]

Mr. Beef

[MannheimMadman]

I don't think a Portillos elsewhere would be the same. My family out west says that the Portillos in CA is not consistent with the stuff here.

It's the same thing with In N' Out Burger in CA. They opened a few in AZ that weren't quite the same, IMHO.

Pop's is a suburban thing. I've been to the one in Romeoville and Lockport. It's pretty boring and bland, IMHO.

Originally Posted by UICJohn

My cousin in Phoenix called me last night at midnight (Chicago time) just to tell me she just heard they're opening a Portillo's out there. Being a little bitter that it is a Chicago thing and now she can have it more often, I told her it can't possibly be exactly the same (of which I still stand by!)

As far as the chains listed, I don't think I can say anything really badly about any of them. However, if I had to pick one, I'd have to go Portillo's. As was pointed out, they run so well. I have been to several of the locations and never had an order messed up no matter how nuts it is. From the cooks to the people at the register to the woman who yells "Number 89, your order is fine!" it is all so well done. And that isn't even mentioning how awesome the beef is.

Al's is great also but as was pointed out in this thread I haven't enjoyed all of the Al's. I attended my undergrad at UIC and would walk to Al's on Taylor once a week. Delicious! But now with such outposts as the one in Wrigleyville and the one on Western / Diversey they're not all the same or all that great.

Never heard of Pop's either. Buona isn't bad but we only really get it for family parties. There is one not far from my work but never too interested in going there.

Johnnie's on North Avenue used to be great but just doesn't really do it for me anymore.

A good local place is Bob - O's on Irving Park road just east of River Road. Parents live around there and a great beef sandwich when I make the drive to the outskirts of the city.