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Curious to try Chicago’s famous Italian beef sandwich but don’t know where to start? You’re in luck. I’ve eaten my way through five different Italian beef shops across Chicago (so far) to help point you in the right direction.
This Chicago staple traces back to the post-World War I era to Italian immigrants (hence the name “Italian beef”) with Al’s often credited as the originator. You could find this budget-friendly meal served at “peanut weddings” or peddled around the streets of Chicago in carts until legit sandwich shops came into existence in the 1930s.
The Italian beef sandwich may seem like a simple meal, but there’s nothing simple about how each shop prepares their thinly-sliced beef – often with a super secret spice blend and beef that soaks in a thin gravy for hours.
If you’re visiting Chicago, the Italian beef sandwich wholeheartedly deserves a spot on your must-try foods list.
How to Order an Italian Beef
People tend to be very particular about how they like their Italian beefs. You can get it topped with a little au jus/gravy, fully dipped (sometimes double dipped), or dry (if you’re boring like that). Peppers round out the sandwich with your choice of sweet or hot giardiniera (or both – recommended).
As the title of this post suggests, we like ours with a bit of everything: an Italian beef sandwich with hot giardiniera, sweet peppers, and fully dipped.
Regardless of how you order an Italian beef, prepare to eat it with two hands and many napkins.
Best Italian Beef in Chicago
My scoring on the best Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago is solely based on the sandwich (in contrast to my deep dish pizza showdown where I took side dishes, service, and ambiance into consideration).
To keep things even, we ordered our sandwich the same way at every shop – with hot & sweet peppers, dipped.
Who do you think nabbed the top spot?
Al’s #1 Italian Beef
Al’s is a pretty solid Italian beef in the city as it should be since they’re credited with being the creators of this hearty sandwich.
This sandwich shop has a colorful history, from serving as the front for a bookie service to growing into a full-fledged, thriving, and legal sandwich business with several locations in Chicago.
- Location Visited: 548 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
- Overall Rating: 7/10
The seasoning at Al’s has a very unique flavor profile that sets their beef apart from the other Italian beefs we had in the city. While their recipe is top secret, my post-visit research suggests it could be cinnamon and clove that gives it that distinct flavor!
Personally, I found the spices at Al’s to be a tad overpowering and the sandwich was a little on the greasy side. I’d still call it a good sandwich but it’s just not the flavor profile I prefer for my Italian beef.
Mr. Beef
I know for many non-Chicagoans like myself, Mr. Beef being featured on The Bear introduced us to the world of Italian beef sandwiches.
Thanks to the childhood friendship of owner Chris Zucchero and The Bear creator Christopher Storer, the chaotic scenes of them stuffing beef and peppers into rolls, slinging them out left and right, captured the essence of a fast, working class Chicagoan meal. I had to have it.
- Location Visited: Pop up shop in Grant Park for the NASCAR Street Race
- Overall Rating: 8/10
Now, to be completely fair to Mr. Beef, this rating is a little skewed because we did not visit their shop on Orleans. Rather, we actually had it in Grant Park at a pop up for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race – so take this with a grain of salt.
- Cons: The bread unfortunately fell short and tasted a little stale. The pricing was also super inflated for the event.
- Pros: The meat and peppers were really good and I actually preferred the flavors over Al’s. I also enjoyed the extra celery in the giardiniera, which added a nice, crunchy textural element.
Now, when we’re back in Chicago, we will absolutely head to the flagship shop on Orleans to get a fresh sandwich and re-evaluate our ranking.
Because it’s TV famous, you can probably expect a line at their shop at peak times.
Chef Ciccio
For an underrated Italian beef sandwich that’s a little more unique than the other beefs on this list, head over to Navy Pier and try Chef Ciccio.
What makes this spot special? The rolls, which are a more rustic-style artisan bread that hold up well against an aus jus/gravy dip.
- Location Visited: there’s only one location – Navy Pier
- Overall Rating: 9/10
For me, the aus jus at Ciccio’s was bursting with flavor. I’d even say it could be the best flavored aus jus or gravy of all the spots we visited in Chicago! It’s rich, dark and pools up at the bottom of your tin – soak up every last bit if you can.
Also different: meat is more loosely packed into the sandwich and the sweet peppers are big and chunky. At first glance, it’s not your average Italian beef but it’s certainly one to be savored.
Chef Ciccio also serves their sandwiches with roasted potatoes on the side and they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. They have no business being served with this sandwich but trust me, you’ll love that non-traditional addition.
And while you’re at Chef Ciccio, be sure to also get a meatball sub. It’s divine.
Portillo’s
A Chicago institution, Portillo’s started out in the 1960s focusing on serving hot dogs and expanded over the years to serving some of Chicago’s best “fast food” delights – like the hearty Italian beef sandwich.
Portillo’s slow roasts their beef for four hours and the drippings from the beef become a delightful gravy.
- Location Visited: Portillo’s & Barnelli’s Chicago, W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60610
- Overall Rating: 9/10 (yep, a tie with Chef Ciccio!)
Portillo’s was actually the very first Italian beef sandwich we had in Chicago, so every other sandwich on this list went up against it as a comparison.
This sandwich had the perfect amount of beef and sweet peppers and the bread held up well against the dip. The giardiniera was also nice and spicy, exactly how we like it!
I’m calling Portillo’s and Chef Ciccio a tie for second place – both equally delicious but Portillo’s in the traditional sense and Chef Ciccio with a little non-traditional flare.
Come to Portillo’s for not only the hot beef, but also their delicious Chicago dogs (get the jumbo size!).
Johnnie’s Beef
In this case of the battle of the best Italian beefs in Chicago, I did, in fact, save the best for last.
Located outside of Chicago proper in Elmwood Park, Johnnie’s is a small trek. However, that trek is 100% worth it. They’ve been churning out classics like polish sausages and Italian beef sandwiches since 1961.
- Location Visited: Elmwood Park (their only location)
- Overall Rating: 10/10
Johnnie’s gives off no frills, old school diner vibes. There are no seats inside here – options are standing counters or taking your beef to go and sitting at one of the picnic benches outside (or making a complete mess in your car).
Things move fast at Johnnie’s, which makes the line of eager patrons seem less daunting. Know what you want before you go and have your cash in hand.
The aromatics of the hot gravy wafted up into my nose as soon as I unwrapped the holy grail of beefs. From the first bite of my ultra-wet sandwich, it was clear Johnnie’s was the winner. Each bite was packed with well-seasoned beef and plenty of peppers and giardiniera.
Don’t dilly dally on eating your sandwich if you get it dipped – the bread starts to melt away about halfway through. Johnnie’s is the best but also the messiest. Prepare to use extra napkins and I might even suggest packing some hand wipes for when you’re done. It’s all part of the experience.
And don’t skip the lemon Italian ice – it is the best companion to this this salty and spicy beast.
Important Note: Johnnie’s is cash only!
Other Italian Beef Spots in Chicago
I’ve made it through five Italian beefs in Chicago so far, but there are many more to be had. Next time we’re in town, I’m eyeing some of these additional spots:
Will you be trying out any of these Italian beefs when visiting Chicago? If you’ve had an Italian beef sandwich in Chicago before, do you agree with my rankings?
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