Italian Beef Sandwich (Chicago, Elmwood Park, Villa Park: appointed, neighborhoods, garden)

[emathias]

Originally Posted by dccover1

I was in Chicago for the first time last year and may be heading back. My first afternoon there I had the pleasure of trying Portillo's Italian Beef. It's what I ate for 5 of my meals while I was there. What other places should I try when I'm there?

Specifically for Italian beef, or for other foods? If you liked Italian beef, you should also try the "Combo", which is an Italian beef sandwich that also includes an Italian sausage. Big, messy, delicious.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Great thread, love "the stance" in the Man vs. Food video.
Last time I was in town I went to Al's and it was good, but man was it messy!

Yeah, especially if it's dipped, it's not something you eat on the go.

[ToriaT]

Yes get a combo. Very big but super good. Also try a Polish with everything. That I love. Love the Italian lemonade at Johnnies. Too much sugar for a regular thing is super lemony. Maybe artificial but tasty.

[eating while walking]

Dccover, if you had the Portillo's Italian beef at the River North location, it's my option you already had the best one in Chicago. I first encountered this sandwich sitting in the Walgreens parking lot across the street, and the first bite was so good I started uncontrollably cursing and pounding on my steering wheel.

I have a slightly unhealthy (OK majorly unhealthy) obsession with the Italian beef. In fact I have a ranked list on my computer that I constantly update as I try beefs from new places. Right now the list stands at about 30 places.

Believe me this is embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing that out of all the places I've tried, the super-touristy Portillo's is #1. I would love to claim that the best I've had was at some gritty ramshackle mom-and-pop stand under the L tracks, with a secret family recipe from Sicily or wherever, but the sad fact is that many places which fit that description kind of suck.

Every new beef I try is now an attempt to dethrone Portillo's as Italian beef king. I am not giving up on this delicious struggle but I don't expect it to happen.

[Chris_H_2]

My only "beef" with Mr. Beef (see what I did there?) is that the giardiniera has absolutely no taste whatsoever. Otherwise, it's top notch.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

Dccover, if you had the Portillo's Italian beef at the River North location, it's my option you already had the best one in Chicago. I first encountered this sandwich sitting in the Walgreens parking lot across the street, and the first bite was so good I started uncontrollably cursing and pounding on my steering wheel.

I have a slightly unhealthy (OK majorly unhealthy) obsession with the Italian beef. In fact I have a ranked list on my computer that I constantly update as I try beefs from new places. Right now the list stands at about 30 places.

Believe me this is embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing that out of all the places I've tried, the super-touristy Portillo's is #1. I would love to claim that the best I've had was at some gritty ramshackle mom-and-pop stand under the L tracks, with a secret family recipe from Sicily or wherever, but the sad fact is that many places which fit that description kind of suck.

Every new beef I try is now an attempt to dethrone Portillo's as Italian beef king. I am not giving up on this delicious struggle but I don't expect it to happen.

I admire you!

What do you think about Johnnie's?

Portillo's really does do a good job... they just seem to use great ingredients, is what I would guess, which obviously a big key to quality. They keep things simple, authentic and with great ingredients, so are hard to beat.

I haven't had their beef in a while but I'll try it again.

I love Johnnie's... other places mentioned, not so much.

[eating while walking]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

I admire you!

What do you think about Johnnie's?

Portillo's really does do a good job... they just seem to use great ingredients, is what I would guess, which obviously a big key to quality. They keep things simple, authentic and with great ingredients, so are hard to beat.

I haven't had their beef in a while but I'll try it again.

I love Johnnie's... other places mentioned, not so much.

Jonnynonos, Johnnie's is high on the list. I think they are a match for Portillo's or even slightly better when they are on their game, but that's not always the case. Four times out of five Johnnie's will deliver a great sandwich, and then the fifth time they'll put out a mediocre one. Johnnie's char-grilled sausage though, is probably the best in town.

I think part of the Portillos wizardry is their high turnover. The meat isn't sitting in the gravy for hours getting overcooked because people just keep ordering it. Also, they bake their rolls before dipping which gives them a crusty exterior which no other stand seems to do.

[jonnynonos]

Nice. Have you been to Bari on Grand?

Amazing Italian subs. They don't do a beef, I don't think. They're known for their sausages, meatballs and Italian subs. D'Amato's is next door, so they get fresh bread every day.

That place is incredible!

[eating while walking]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Nice. Have you been to Bari on Grand?

Amazing Italian subs. They don't do a beef, I don't think. They're known for their sausages, meatballs and Italian subs. D'Amato's is next door, so they get fresh bread every day.

That place is incredible!

Hi, Bari is on my short list. For Italian subs I like JP Graziano's on Randolph, but my Chicago sub knowledge is not on the same level as my beef knowledge. I'll check out Bari this weekend, thanks.

[Irishtom29]

Portillo's isn't touristy. It's a suburban chain, originally Villa Park, but Hell, there are more Italians in the burbs than the city anyway.