Pop’s Beef is celebrating its customers with a presale to their favorite holiday unlike any other with Pop’s National Italian Beef Day on Wednesday, May 23. Beef sandwiches will be available for $3 at all locations during operating hours.

The fun doesn’t stop there – Pop’s Beef will also be celebrating National Italian Beef Day, Sunday, May 27 with $5 beef sandwich and fry.

WHERE: All Pop’s Italian Beef and Sausage

Locations

https://patch.com/illinois/orlandpark/c ... calendar=1

Artie wrote:

Pop’s Beef is celebrating its customers with a presale to their favorite holiday unlike any other with Pop’s National Italian Beef Day on Wednesday, May 23. Beef sandwiches will be available for $3 at all locations during operating hours.

The fun doesn’t stop there – Pop’s Beef will also be celebrating National Italian Beef Day, Sunday, May 27 with $5 beef sandwich and fry.

WHERE: All Pop’s Italian Beef and Sausage

Locations

https://patch.com/illinois/orlandpark/c ... calendar=1

Besides Pop’s...

Portillo’s has been celebrating all this week (5-21 to 5-27). 2 beefs for $10.

Multiple locations
https://www.portillos.com/rhymetime/

Buona (rumor has it that they started this celebration) will have $3 beefs on Saturday (5-26) all day, no limit. That’s a great deal! Expect lines.

Multiple locations
https://buona.com/

stevez wrote:I'd skip it and go to Jay's on Naragannset instead. You'll be much happier.

Not the case for me. A friend picked up beeves for a bingewatching session, and I found their combo to be dry -- both beef and sausage, even though soaked with jus; flavorless, missing the expected strong flavors of herbs and garlic; and the giardinera was solely sliced heat-free jalapenos.

JoelF wrote:

stevez wrote:I'd skip it and go to Jay's on Naragannset instead. You'll be much happier.

Not the case for me. A friend picked up beeves for a bingewatching session, and I found their combo to be dry -- both beef and sausage, even though soaked with jus; flavorless, missing the expected strong flavors of herbs and garlic; and the giardinera was solely sliced heat-free jalapenos.

I can now say that I've been to Jay's twice . . . and both of my experiences mirror that of JoelF.

BR wrote:

JoelF wrote:

stevez wrote:I'd skip it and go to Jay's on Naragannset instead. You'll be much happier.

Not the case for me. A friend picked up beeves for a bingewatching session, and I found their combo to be dry -- both beef and sausage, even though soaked with jus; flavorless, missing the expected strong flavors of herbs and garlic; and the giardinera was solely sliced heat-free jalapenos.

I can now say that I've been to Jay's twice . . . and both of my experiences mirror that of JoelF.

Sorry to hear that, gentlemen. I must admit that it's been quite some time since my last Jay's visit. I guess things must have changed.

I've been in Detroit all summer and I sure could go for a beef! It's one thing to be on a trip where you want to eat the local food. It's another when you are living elsewhere and then you miss Chicago food. One more week to go.

In Chicago proper, the Italian beef is a dying delicacy, at least on the North Side. Younger residents (e.g. hipsters and people from outside Chicago) don't appear to be into Italian beef; they are much more passionate about craft beer, burgers (in a big way), Mediterranean food and tacos.


http://fooditor.com/is-chicagos-classic ... d-species/

No pictures but I had a tasty combo from old school Italian deli Nottoli after an early afternoon visit to the dentist. Tender beef, flavorful sausage with hint of fennel and heat, crunchy punchy giardiniera, lightly dipped as it was traveling. Also bought a link of hot sopressata and a few cannoli. My dentist is on Harlem and the bride, who is having a few neighbors over tonight, requested the cannoli, she's a fan of Nottoli cannoli.

Dry goods, sandwiches, Italian deli meats, cheese, prepared food, large parking lot and friendly old school service.

Nottoli, Count me a Fan!

Nottoli Italian Foods
5025 N Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 60656
773-631-0662
http://www.nottoliitalianfoods.com

ld111134 wrote:In Chicago proper, the Italian beef is a dying delicacy, at least on the North Side. Younger residents (e.g. hipsters and people from outside Chicago) don't appear to be into Italian beef; they are much more passionate about craft beer, burgers (in a big way), Mediterranean food and tacos.

You can get a pretty good beef at Portillo’s. Harwood Heights and on Ontario, Mr Beef on Orleans, Al’s Beef on N Western and Clark.

Even though they are chains...

Hard to believe a hotdog stand worth their salt not having beef on the menu?

Maybe not every couple of blocks like it was 40 years ago...

... and the burgers have been awesome lately!

I blame their clueless parents for not raising them on the good stuff, so of course it could be considered a dying delicacy. The truth is, like any other food, there are the great places and way too many mediocre places. Most people I know have had Italian beef at Portillo's or a few local hot dog joints and that's it. They have never had any of the legendary beef joints I've been to which are a bit out of the way. As long as I can get great beef sandwiches for the rest of my life, I don't care what happens after that. And I will say it - Portillo's does do a great beef sandwich when compared to most hot dog joints that don't make their own. And since they are the closest to my area for a beef, it will scratch the itch.

Ram4 wrote:I blame their clueless parents for not raising them on the good stuff, so of course it could be considered a dying delicacy. The truth is, like any other food, there are the great places and way too many mediocre places. Most people I know have had Italian beef at Portillo's or a few local hot dog joints and that's it. They have never had any of the legendary beef joints I've been to which are a bit out of the way. As long as I can get great beef sandwiches for the rest of my life, I don't care what happens after that. And I will say it - Portillo's does do a great beef sandwich when compared to most hot dog joints that don't make their own. And since they are the closest to my area for a beef, it will scratch the itch.

For better or worse, the disappearance of decent Italian beef in the city (or, at least, most of the North Side) is attributable to a larger trend. The city has become infinitely more cosmopolitan over the past 20 years or so. The decline of good beef stands in the city proper is akin to the rapid disappearance of the "Chi-CAW-go" accent. I live along the trendy Milwaukee Avenue corridor; the local Al's franchise closed af.er a couple of years and the Old Town Pop's closed in 6 months...similarly, I rarely, if ever, hear a Chicago accent. Both are artifacts of old time, blue collar ideosyncratic Chicago. Whether this trend is good or not depends on your perspective. I'd gladly trade a neighborhood beef stand as good as Johnnie's for amazing burgers ('member when Moody's Pub's cheeseburger was considered the best in town?), a proliferation of pizza styles, superb friend chicken, easily accessible shawarma, etc. Now I realize that others here will have a different opinions but the trend is undeniable.

Ram4 wrote:I blame their clueless parents for not raising them on the good stuff, so of course it could be considered a dying delicacy. The truth is, like any other food, there are the great places and way too many mediocre places. Most people I know have had Italian beef at Portillo's or a few local hot dog joints and that's it. They have never had any of the legendary beef joints I've been to which are a bit out of the way. As long as I can get great beef sandwiches for the rest of my life, I don't care what happens after that. And I will say it - Portillo's does do a great beef sandwich when compared to most hot dog joints that don't make their own. And since they are the closest to my area for a beef, it will scratch the itch.

For better or worse, the disappearance of decent Italian beef in the city (or, at least, most of the North Side) is attributable to a larger trend. The city has become infinitely more cosmopolitan over the past 20 years or so. The decline of good beef stands in the city proper is akin to the rapid disappearance of the "Chi-CAW-go" accent. I live along the trendy Milwaukee Avenue corridor; the local Al's franchise closed after a couple of years and the Old Town Pop's closed in 6 months...similarly, I rarely, if ever, hear a Chicago accent. Both are artifacts of old time, blue collar ideosyncratic Chicago. Whether this trend is good or not depends on your perspective. I'd gladly trade a neighborhood beef stand as good as Johnnie's for amazing burgers ('member when Moody's Pub's cheeseburger was considered the best in town?), a proliferation of pizza styles, superb friend chicken, easily accessible shawarma, good Memphis-style barbecue, etc. Now I realize that others here will have a different opinions but the trend is undeniable. N.B. The failure of Honey 1's Western Avenue location is also symptomatic of this trend.

I have been to Chickie's a few times since they moved to their new location on Roosevelt Road near Emilio's in Hillside. It is a much bigger place and also has a Drive Thru. Last time I was there Chickie's granddaughter was expediting the food. The Beef was as good as ever with their regular variation on the hot. Also had an excellent "Maxwell Street" Polish available deep fried or grilled (I had the grilled) which was wrapped with the fresh cut fries. They also have Char Grilled Italian sausage which I haven't tried yet. On a previous visit I had what I consider a great Double Cheeseburger. Overall I love this new location, they had a steady flow of customers and parking is so much better than the Wolf Road location.
4152 Roosevelt Rd, Hillside, IL 60162

Marshall K wrote:I have been to Chickie's a few times since they moved to their new location on Roosevelt Road near Emilio's in Hillside. It is a much bigger place and also has a Drive Thru. Last time I was there Chickie's granddaughter was expediting the food. The Beef was as good as ever with their regular variation on the hot. Also had an excellent "Maxwell Street" Polish available deep fried or grilled (I had the grilled) which was wrapped with the fresh cut fries. They also have Char Grilled Italian sausage which I haven't tried yet. On a previous visit I had what I consider a great Double Cheeseburger. Overall I love this new location, they had a steady flow of customers and parking is so much better than the Wolf Road location.
4152 Roosevelt Rd, Hillside, IL 60162

Great report, I need to get back to Chickie's. It's been WAY too long and they've always been a top 10 beef for me.

FYI
Al's Beef is offering 80 cent beef sandwiches tomorrow (10/18).
https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/a ... -80-cents/

Second time in two weeks I've been to Wolfy's on Peterson, polish with grilled onions plus a natural casing dog and today Italian beef w/giardiniera.


Wolfy's on Peterson, Count me a Fan!

Wolfy's
2734 W Peterson Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60659

G Wiv wrote:Second time in two weeks I've been to Wolfy's on Peterson, polish with grilled onions plus a natural casing dog and today Italian beef w/giardiniera.

WolfysPeterson1.jpg

Wolfy's on Peterson, Count me a Fan!

Wolfy's
2734 W Peterson Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60659

The "Grumpy" owner of Michael's Beef House in Oak Park told me that he had owned Wolfy's (not sure of time frame). I have never been to Wolfy's but Michael's has a very decent Beef, wonder if it is the same recipe?

Marshall K wrote:

G Wiv wrote:Second time in two weeks I've been to Wolfy's on Peterson, polish with grilled onions plus a natural casing dog and today Italian beef w/giardiniera.

WolfysPeterson1.jpg

Wolfy's on Peterson, Count me a Fan!

Wolfy's
2734 W Peterson Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60659

The "Grumpy" owner of Michael's Beef House in Oak Park told me that he had owned Wolfy's (not sure of time frame). I have never been to Wolfy's but Michael's has a very decent Beef, wonder if it is the same recipe?

I went to high school across the street from Wolfy's and ate there often. Wolfys opened in 1967 and was sold by the Original owner in 1999-2000 or so and I believe still has the same owners.

I like the food at Michaels, the beef and burgers are both very good, the fries are above average and the owner seems to be conscientious about serving a decent product ("grumpy" or not).