Chicago's Best Fast Food 2008

Chaotic late-night favorite serves up one of the city’s best hot dogs, along with a generous side of sass.

Reviews:

• “Best Dog and Fries in the City”
• “probably more fun when your drunk at 4am”
• “THIS IS THEE “FAMOUS” WEINER’S CIRCLE??? WHAT A DUMP!!!"
• “AVOID Wiener Circle”
• “The Employees are Rascist Price Gougers”

Tips: The Wiener’s Circle has no restrooms—and thus no place to wash your hands—so grab a lot of napkins.

The Wiener’s Circle

A comfortable, family-friendly setting with Chicago-style dogs and juicy Italian beef.

Reviews:

• “Best food of my life!!!”
• “The best fast food in the country. Best Italian beef in Illinois”
• “Better Than Wiener’s Circle”
• “Portillo’s They are everywhere.”
• “portillos”

Tips: Craving something a little more healthy? Barnelli’s Pasta Bowl shares the same space and offers salads, wraps and more.

Portillo’s Hot Dogs

Finger lickin’ good barbecue and friendly folk make this famous rib joint a must-stop pit stop.

Reviews:

• “Is it the sauce? (Or is it the lack of cleanliness)”
• “delicious!”
• “The worst I’ve had”
• “Horrible”
• “I grew up in Evanston…”

Tips: Hecky’s offers catering services.

Hecky’s Chicago or email Hecky’s Chicago

Chase away the winter chill at this casual soup emporium.

Reviews:

• “Best cheap meal hands down”
• “Overrated Soup”
• “Simple Concept – Excellent Food!”
• “I miss this place!”
• “Good Soup!!”

Tips: For $2, the Soupbox delivers to neighborhood homes and businesses (two-soup minimum order).

Soupbox

Popular lunch spot mixes old-timey atmosphere with baked sandwiches and milk shakes.

Reviews:

• “Did not live up to expectations”
• “OK food, for a chain.”
• “Not bad…”
• “NOSTALGIC”
• “Delicious”

Potbelly Sandwich Works

Serving cheap dogs and Polish sausages from a shack on Western Avenue since the ’70s.

Reviews:

• “BEST Hotdogs on this PLANET !!!”
• “There are none better”
• “Worth the Trip!!”
• “Better than all of ’em”

Tips: Fat Johnnie’s takes pride in staying open all year despite the winter cold. It does close early, though, due to the sketchy nature of the neighborhood.

Fat Johnnie’s Famous Red Hots

A celebrity favorite, the Italian beef sandwich at this no-nonsense joint is out of this world.

Reviews:

• “Best Italian Beef Sandwich in the US”
• “and the turkey sandwich is good too!”
• “Look to the Right at all the Best of Citysearches”
• “Best Beef Sandwich, Best Rib-Eye Steak Sandwich, and Best Burger…All at one place?”
• “Fantastic”

Tips: Escape the heat from the grill by eating in the long, narrow, “elegant dining room.” Decorated with movie posters, this is where suits, blue-collars and families rub elbows at two communal picnic tables.

Mr. Beef

Authentic, meat-heavy plate lunches transport diners to the Hawaiian islands at this casual Lincoln Park restaurant.

Reviews:

• “No Mauna Pua”
• “Love the bbq chicken!”

Tips: Mini versions of the plate lunch include one scoop of rice as opposed to two, and are a few dollars cheaper than the full plate lunches.

Aloha Eats

Bucktown takeout favorite serves up charbroiled chicken to a bustling lunch and dinner crowd.

Reviews:

• “their garbage smells like pure death”
• “Best Hot dogs and Gyros in town anytime”
• “Good charbroiled chicken.”
• “Kleiman Evangelista Ripoff Scam”
• “Delcious Home-style BBQ Chicken and Sides!!!”

Tips: The few stools and high tables fill up at lunchtime, but during the evenings, there’s generally room, as most people do takeout.

Nick’s Pit Stop or email Nick’s Pit Stop

For irresistible retro kitsch, there’s no surpassing this far northwest side “dawg” house.

Reviews:

• “Out of this world!”
• “Good service, average food”
• “Eh – It’s okay”
• “I recommend going to say you have been there. "
• “a Chicago classic”

Tips: Most customers eat in their cars. On warm, sunny days, the breezy outdoor tables are the most popular seats.

Superdawg Drive-In

This fast-food joint fights a winning battle against the more formal sit-down restaurants in Greektown.

Reviews:

• “What’s not to love?”
• “Quick service, great food, friendly staff”
• “Great value”

Tips: Souvlaki takes a couple extra minutes, since it’s real chunks of pork and can’t be rushed.

Mr. Greek Gyros

Taylor Street staple serves Italian beefs mounded with sauteed green peppers or tongue-tingling giardiniera.

Reviews:

• “The best beef you can find”
• “The Best.”
• “Is it suposed to taste like that?”
• “Ehhh……”
• “Best Italian Beef Ever!”

Al’s # 1 Italian Beef

Local favorite serves up top-quality, Chicago-style “char” dogs next to the Des Plaines River.

Reviews:

• “Have patience folks – you won’t be sorry!”
• “Bad customer relations”
• “solid burger, def top 10 quality”
• “Out of the way, but darn good dogs…”
• “worth the wait”

Tips: Paradise Pup makes for a great lunch if you’re on the way to a matinee show at nearby Allstate Arena.

Paradise Pup

Still-sizzling fried chicken lines ’em up at this casual Chicago classic.

Reviews:

• “Harold’s chicken is amazing!”
• “Wings!”

Tips: Call ahead, and they’ll have your order ready when you arrive. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait while your bird’s in the fryer.

Harold’s Chicken Shack

A prime after-hours destination draws night owls with tongue tacos and killer veggie burritos.

Reviews:

• “Fatty Burritos”
• “The Best Tacos in CHICAGO … Try them & you will never go back to your old taco joint. "
• “THE ABSOLUTE BEST… What a burrito is supposed to taste like!”
• “Below Avg. Steak Tacos & Burritos. Steak Tacos were chewey, not tasty or well-seasoned, and oily.”
• “The BEST dam burrito’s in the history of the world! Period! If you do one thing before you die, eat here! Then you can die!”

Tips: Be sure to eat in, as the chips and salsa are extraordinary. You’ll get bowls of salsa verde and smoky black salsa, which you’ll want to daub on everything.

La Pasadita Restaurant

Colorful northside sandwich shop serves up toasted sandwiches to a faithful neighborhood crowd.

Reviews:

• “amazing!!”
• “Forget Subway or Potbellys—this is a better deal!”
• “Amazing sandwiches, Monster cookie a must!”
• “Wonderful~!!”

Tips: In the warmer months, the sidewalk patio is the place to be. In the winter, grab one of the tables by the windows and keep an eye on the Sheffield action.

Panes Bread Cafe

This bar/lunch counter was immortalized on “SNL” for its “cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger.”

Reviews:

• “Smelly, Surly, S**t Hole.”
• “Cheeseborger Cheeseborger Cheeseborger”
• “Best greasy dive in the city”
• “interesting place below the street…”
• “JAYZUSSSS!!! It’s Billy Goat’s !!!!!!!”

Tips: No credit cards are accepted here, so unless you want to wash dishes with the guys in back, bring the green stuff.

Billy Goat Tavern

Reviews:

• “Great Burgers n Cheese Fries and Chili too!”
• “best burger and fries up north”
• “Great Cheeseburgers!”
• “The ONE on Lincoln DAMN IT!”
• “Terrific”

Muskie’s Hamburgers

On-the-go singles stop in to pick up grilled chicken dinners.

Reviews:

• ""
• “It is what it is”

Tips: Metered spots are available on Belmont.

Chicken Hut

Spanish- and English-speaking locals gather at this casual Lincoln Square hangout for cheap Mexican food and margaritas.

Reviews:

• “yummy, yummy,yummy”
• “Alicia the bartender should be FIRED!!!”
• “Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant “Bad Experiences from LUZ waitress/cashier”
• “Best mexican in Lincoln Square”
• “One of the best Burritos in town!”

Tips: It’s tough on this stretch of Lincoln, but a couple of lots are located one block south. The meters operate 24 hours a day.

Garcia’s Restaurant

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