Any Chicago advice for downtown dogs and beef?

ewokpelts

The vast majority of hot dog stands(either carts or brick and mortar stores) sell these bad boys:
http://www.viennabeef.com/

And you can find palces that sell them here:
http://www.viennabeef.com/dogfinder/

They are currently booked on all tours until 2014, but you can stop by the factory store(not super far from wrigley) and get pretty much anything they sell to eat in their cafe:
http://www.viennabeef.com/cafemenu/

pjfan021

For hot dogs my top three are gene's and Jude's, portillos, and superdawg. Can't go wrong with any of them and they're all different from each other. Hot Doug's is good but more gourmet than a standard place.

Burgers- bad apple is a really great place, great beer variety, smaller burger selection but great. Kumas Corner or their second location closer to wrigley opening next week,kumas too. Best burger in Chicago and great beer selection.

Johnnies beef in Elmwood park is probably my favorite in the city followed closely by portillos.

austin.macrae

Man, both of mine have already been mentioned, but it can't be said enough: Portillos. Kumas. And a second nod to the new Kumas (Kumas Too) opening a block from me!!! If you find someplace with a pork chop sandwich, those are good, too.

81

Post deleted by Admin.

Indifference71

pjfan021 wrote:

For hot dogs my top three are gene's and Jude's, portillos, and superdawg. Can't go wrong with any of them and they're all different from each other. Hot Doug's is good but more gourmet than a standard place.

Burgers- bad apple is a really great place, great beer variety, smaller burger selection but great. Kumas Corner or their second location closer to wrigley opening next week,kumas too. Best burger in Chicago and great beer selection.

Johnnies beef in Elmwood park is probably my favorite in the city followed closely by portillos.

Superdawg is the best. Gene & Jude's is damn good too....love the fries wrapped up with the dog. We had Gene & Jude's as the late night food at my wedding in October...it was a huge hit.

Bad Apple is great. Great burgers and I love their poutine. And of course Kuma's is awesome. Happy they are opening up a second location...hopefully it will be easier to get a seat now.

ewokpelts

austin.macrae wrote:

Man, both of mine have already been mentioned, but it can't be said enough: Portillos. Kumas. And a second nod to the new Kumas (Kumas Too) opening a block from me!!! If you find someplace with a pork chop sandwich, those are good, too.

maxwell street has TWO places with pork chop sandwhiches

Wma31394

Check with character...SPEEDY MCCREADY....excellent south side spots!!!

austin.macrae

ewokpelts wrote:

austin.macrae wrote:

Man, both of mine have already been mentioned, but it can't be said enough: Portillos. Kumas. And a second nod to the new Kumas (Kumas Too) opening a block from me!!! If you find someplace with a pork chop sandwich, those are good, too.

maxwell street has TWO places with pork chop sandwhiches

It sure does. Classy joints too

SPEEDY MCCREADY

cmarch007 wrote:

iwasatpj20 wrote:

Portillo's

+1

Portillo's is solid at any location... Dipped is the way to go. Al's is good too. But my personal favorite is "Johnnie's Beef" in Elmwood Park (near O'hare airport).

Johnnie's Beef gets a callout!!!!
WOOO HOOO!!!!

Best beef on the planet!!!!

I live 5 minutes from this joint.

ewokpelts

austin.macrae wrote:

ewokpelts wrote:

austin.macrae wrote:

Man, both of mine have already been mentioned, but it can't be said enough: Portillos. Kumas. And a second nod to the new Kumas (Kumas Too) opening a block from me!!! If you find someplace with a pork chop sandwich, those are good, too.

maxwell street has TWO places with pork chop sandwhiches

It sure does. Classy joints too

i work at night not too far from these places, so I may be one of the few that go there sober at night. as as greektown

rearviewross

Great suggestions everyone, thank you. Reading this thread makes my mouth water.

GoinHungry94

I was gonna flip a lid if I didn't see someone post Portillo's.
ATTENTION PEOPLE GOING TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR GOOD EATS
Go to Portillo's, hot dogs, polish dogs, italian beefs, pastas, salads, delicious kringle fries, chocolate cake, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate cakeshake (a piece of their delicious cake mixed in a chocolate shake )
They do combinations of beef and sausages on a croisant

rearviewross

GoinHungry94 wrote:

I was gonna flip a lid if I didn't see someone post Portillo's.
ATTENTION PEOPLE GOING TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR GOOD EATS
Go to Portillo's, hot dogs, polish dogs, italian beefs, pastas, salads, delicious kringle fries, chocolate cake, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate cakeshake (a piece of their delicious cake mixed in a chocolate shake )
They do combinations of beef and sausages on a croisant

Seems like Portillos is universally liked. Would you say their beef is better than Al's?

ewokpelts

rearviewross wrote:

GoinHungry94 wrote:

I was gonna flip a lid if I didn't see someone post Portillo's.
ATTENTION PEOPLE GOING TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR GOOD EATS
Go to Portillo's, hot dogs, polish dogs, italian beefs, pastas, salads, delicious kringle fries, chocolate cake, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate cakeshake (a piece of their delicious cake mixed in a chocolate shake )
They do combinations of beef and sausages on a croisant

Seems like Portillos is universally liked. Would you say their beef is better than Al's?

portillo's is a chain.

rearviewross

ewokpelts wrote:

rearviewross wrote:

GoinHungry94 wrote:

I was gonna flip a lid if I didn't see someone post Portillo's.
ATTENTION PEOPLE GOING TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR GOOD EATS
Go to Portillo's, hot dogs, polish dogs, italian beefs, pastas, salads, delicious kringle fries, chocolate cake, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate cakeshake (a piece of their delicious cake mixed in a chocolate shake )
They do combinations of beef and sausages on a croisant

Seems like Portillos is universally liked. Would you say their beef is better than Al's?

portillo's is a chain.

????? Does that mean it is no good? You dont like it?

ewokpelts

]It's solid. Good food for sure. But it may not be as "authentic" as you want....

pjfan021

I'd rank them as
Johnnies
Portillos
AL's
...portillos is a chain but it's one of the few that I've gone to where the food is just as good from one location to the next. My only complaint is the price is a little high but worth it

I'm a Truck

ewokpelts wrote:

Pretty much any place

So anywhere but Portillos? I would also recommend Wendy's for a good steak! :fp:

81

Post deleted by Admin. See the Posting Guidelines

I'm a Truck

Great. Now I want Wendy's. :fp:

rearviewross

I'm a Truck wrote:

Great. Now I want Wendy's. :fp:

Mmmm... finger chili.

peacefrompaul

ewokpelts wrote:

i'm not the one who called you a cheesehead.

I never quoted you as saying that...

Eddieshometown

Winky Dinky Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msbo6TiwA5A

and don't forget your Winky Dinky Ho Cake. Ho's got to eat too

Mamasan23

Oh man now we have to see these in AET? Oy vey

peacefrompaul

Hot dog sounds good. hook me up

GoinHungry94

To sum up portillo's, Delicious food that I wish was much cheaper. But seriously, if you're going to Chicago to see Pearl Jam at Wrigley, add to the experience by going to Portillo's. It's vienna beef dogs but I highly recommend getting an itallian beef with moz. cheese and giardinera with a lemonade and fries. That will be the cherry on top of what will be PJWrigley :corn:

GoinHungry94

Is it better? Ummm, it's defintely a close call man. It's really preference but I'd say I like Portillo's better

rearviewross wrote:

GoinHungry94 wrote:

I was gonna flip a lid if I didn't see someone post Portillo's.
ATTENTION PEOPLE GOING TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR GOOD EATS
Go to Portillo's, hot dogs, polish dogs, italian beefs, pastas, salads, delicious kringle fries, chocolate cake, milkshakes, smoothies, chocolate cakeshake (a piece of their delicious cake mixed in a chocolate shake )
They do combinations of beef and sausages on a croisant

Seems like Portillos is universally liked. Would you say their beef is better than Al's?

rearviewross

GoinHungry94 wrote:

To sum up portillo's, Delicious food that I wish was much cheaper. But seriously, if you're going to Chicago to see Pearl Jam at Wrigley, add to the experience by going to Portillo's. It's vienna beef dogs but I highly recommend getting an itallian beef with moz. cheese and giardinera with a lemonade and fries. That will be the cherry on top of what will be PJWrigley :corn:

I think I will just do that, thanks. Maybe Ill try Als too, just so I can compare for myself, you know for the sake of this thread.

VespertineSun

peacefrompaul wrote:

ewokpelts wrote:

i'm not the one who called you a cheesehead.

I never quoted you as saying that...

Can' t we all just be friends? I was kidding ... love me some Wisconsin and especially my Spotted Cow.

GoinHungry94

rearviewross wrote:

GoinHungry94 wrote:

To sum up portillo's, Delicious food that I wish was much cheaper. But seriously, if you're going to Chicago to see Pearl Jam at Wrigley, add to the experience by going to Portillo's. It's vienna beef dogs but I highly recommend getting an itallian beef with moz. cheese and giardinera with a lemonade and fries. That will be the cherry on top of what will be PJWrigley :corn:

I think I will just do that, thanks. Maybe Ill try Als too, just so I can compare for myself, you know for the sake of this thread.

Good call! I really like the atmosphere in the restaurants themselves I kinda grew up with a Portillo's, I never have been in the original hut, but I've been going to the first 2 ever made since I can remember. It's delicious food and good classic atmosphere.