Chicago has plenty of upscale restaurants, but let’s face it, the Windy City is best known for its greasy comfort foods: Italian beefs, hot dogs, burgers, gyros, etc. Grease Freak is a website full of photographs of Chicago-style food—“edible and not”—rated on their taste, presentation, and restaurant ambience.
Start stocking up on napkins now.
Photo credit: GreaseFreak.com
http://www.greasefreak.com/
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Do I sound like a broken record yet? From one of my earlier articles:
The Chicago-style hot dog has seven essential toppings: a boiled or steamed all-beef dog on a poppy-seed bun with (1) mustard, (2) relish, (3) chopped onions, (4) tomato wedges, (5) a pickle spear, (6) sport peppers, and (7) celery salt. I’ve seen a few varieties on this (including lettuce, sliced pickles, cucumbers, and/or green peppers) but the “lucky seven” mentioned above are the components of a classic Chicago-style dog. And yes, the exclusion of ketchup is just as important as the ingredients that are included. Why? …read more
It’s that time of year again. The Taste of Chicago is an annual food festival, where dozens of restaurants from across the city gather along Columbus Drive. Millions of locals and tourists sample hundreds of dishes from every cuisine imaginable, from hot dogs to ravioli to veggie gyros to pad thai to empanadas to omelets… Everything and anything edible can be found at the Taste, along with cooking demonstrations, live music, a wine garden, and kids’ activities. New additions this year include a sports pavilion and an international entertainment pavilion.
Admission is free, but the food and drinks aren’t. Tickets come …read more
The Italian Beef is a simple sandwich that is unique to Chicago, and there are several places in the city to find this great dish. Of course, just as is the case with pizza and hot dogs, Chicagoans can debate for hours on who has the best. I’ve tried to be as fair as possible with this ranking order, but I’m sure there will still be contention. Be sure to leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail, and let me know what you think!
8. Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage. For decades, generations of loyal customers have been enjoying this …read more
Jay Leno, host of The Tonight Show, often hits up Mr. Beef on Orleans Street whenever he’s in town. And the folks at Mr. Beef won’t let you forget it either, as there are over a dozen pictures of him on the wall. If you’re not one to take stock in celebrity endorsements, Leno isn’t the only one who comes back to this establishment time and time again. Locals and tourists alike sing the praises of the Italian beef here, declaring it among the best served anywhere.
If you didn’t gather from the name, this place is not veggie-friendly. The menu …read more
Chicagoans are just as opinionated about their Italian beef as they are about their pizza and hot dogs. So when a restaurant claims to have the best beef in town, they’d better prepare themselves for plenty of heat. And that’s exactly what Al’s #1 Italian Beef has got.
Since 1938, Al’s has been offering some of the best Italian beef in town… depending on who you ask. There are just as many people who drive away from this place as there are people who flock to this place. But among the many customers salivating over Al’s dishes are several celebrities, as …read more
As I’ve said before, I’m not usually one to write up chain restaurants or businesses. They seem to do well enough of their own advertising. But some places, like Buona Beef, are located only in the Chicago area and draw in plenty of locals and visitors.
Buona Beef is a hit with many Chicago suburbanites. Each of the chain’s 11 locations offer an almost-daunting long list of dishes to choose from, including paninis, sandwiches, salads, soups, and pizza. However, one of my rules when it comes to dining is this: If there’s a food in the name above the door, order …read more
Search the Internet for keywords like “Italian beef” and “Chicago,” and you will find dozens of ongoing debates about where to find the best jus and peppers in town. About a block or two east of La Peña, one contender whose name comes up often is Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage.
Roma’s definitely has a nostalgia factor attached to it. Talk to the regulars, and most will tell you tales of how their parents were regulars, too. For decades, customers have enjoyed the Chicago flavors that are cooked up here, including great Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beefs with sweet peppers. …read more
It’s lunchtime at the downtown office. Greg wants something greasy. Tracy’s on her new vegetarian diet. And your pressing deadline has given you a stress headache that only the most comforting batch of French fries will cure. It’s time to go to Luke’s Italian Beef.
Luke’s is simple and straight up, which is what makes it so good. This little Italian place, spotted with red-and-white checked tables, serves up Chicago cuisine like no one else. The long lines that accumulate daily during lunchtime attest to that. Luke’s offers something for everybody, including sandwiches, chili, chicken, personal pizzas, soups, hot dogs, burgers, …read more
The namesake reigns supreme at the small but popular Tony’s Italian Beef. Since 1975, this quick stop has been serving huge portions of food for cheap. Long lines can be found virtually any time of day, as customers come for the breakfast subs in the morning to the burgers and hot dogs in the afternoons and evenings. Indecisive types may want to go straight for the Italian beef; otherwise, they may find themselves overwhelmed by the massive menu of available dishes, including breaded steak sandwiches and “Chickalinis” (breaded chicken breast deep-fried and smothered with tomato sauce and cheese). Whatever you …read more
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