Mr. Beef — Restaurant in Chicago

I love Italian beef sandwiches and ever since I moved to Texas, it's a ritual to get one every time I visit Chicago.

On this Christmas vacation, my dad convinced me to try Mr. Beef instead of Portillos or Al's.

Walking in was a blast from the past. Pictures of famous people at Mr. Beef covered the walls. Jay Leno was all over the place. You would think he worked there!

Parking can be challenging but at least we didn't have to wait in line. A nice guy with a strong Jersey/New York (sorry, I don't know the difference) accent welcomed us. We ordered Italian beef dipped with hot and sweet peppers and fries. While we waited, we browsed around the pictures in the seating area and had some fun. The food was ready pretty quickly and we sat down to eat it.

The Italian beef was one of the best I've had. It was hot, juicy, and packed with LOADS of flavor. The meat was shaved perfectly and surprisingly, it didn't have a bunch of fat pieces. That's a bonus for me. I haven't had celery in an Italian beef sandwich before and I really liked the crunchiness it added. Make sure to get a ton of napkins because it ain't a pretty thing. Juice will get everywhere. It's incredible. I couldn't tell if there was a bathroom, so I just cleaned up as best I could with napkins. You will definitely need to wash your hands though because they will smell like Italian beef. Overall, a 5 star Italian beef sandwich.

The fries were also really freaking good and I am so picky with fries. They have to be served hot, crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside, and nicely salted. Mr. Beef did it right!

I wish I knew the name of the guy who was working because he was so welcoming and made us feel very comfortable.

Maybe the few bad reviews explain why this location was near empty, but all I can say is that we had a really good experience when we went for dinner.

I need another trip to Chicago...

I am a huge fan of "The Bear" on FX. The restaurant Mr. Beef is the inspiration for the show which is now in n its third season.

The location is considered downtown. I was dropped off by Uber, but it appears there is a parking lot beside. You cannot miss the signage with Pepsi logo.

My early week late afternoon visit worked out well as no lines. It's a very unassuming place, just roll with it. The area was clear of debris on my walk up.

Once inside enjoy all the photos from celebrities like Jay Leno and many more. The founder passed away and now his ex Coke Head son now clean runs the joint with a partner who was there.

The menu board is easy to read and offers a variety of sandwiches. If it's your first time they will recommend the Italian Beef which I ordered with fries. I found the staff upbeat and friendly. They were also welcoming to the mention of the show.

The sandwich rolled in paper came out quickly and the fries followed. The staff came back with ketchup. When they give you a stack of napkins don't think it's over kill. My Italian Beef was very drippy to the extent it was on my pants and coat prior to unrolling the paper...YIKES! I moved to the seating area which is adjacent to the counter. It's communal seating, so cozy up and make a new friend. If you're interested in the history of "The Bear" there is an article framed.

The sandwich was hot and loaded with beef. Then smothered with peppers and yes, OIL!!! Very tasty, but likely too much hype. The crispy fries were much better than anticipated. The other guest at the table looked like regulars.

I have suggestion on serving customers eating in. Put the sandwich in a bag, or on a tray. My dry cleaning bill soured my visit, but I...

If you have seen the series "The Bear" you will love this place. Mr. Beef as it is called is the store from where season one of this beautiful series begins.

It was my mission to go to this place and I went there yesterday. It's a small shop and not a place to sit as there are just 3/4 stools available but when you get the chance it's like you are in "The Bear" series hearing the conversation between "the cousin and his coworkers" but keeping in mind who enters the shop.

Still talking but it's like you are soaked to join in but probably you feel it when you have taken your first bite in their Classic Italian beef sandwich, dipped in AusJus, and served on French Bread it was added with some sweet bell pepper. The first bite was so good and I felt like I was "Sydney" trying to get the recipe or feeling like "Nathalie" who wants to make it a better place and do their accounting. And yes my imagination went far and that was all due to this tasteful with simple ingredients but the best beef on this baguette. The beef got good enough gravy so it wasn't dry or tough at all. Instead it was silky and delicious.

Sitting there for almost 25 minutes it's a non-stop of people coming in from regulars or like me who has watched the series. There is a second room for taking a seat but I wanted to see the people who worked there, I inhaled the store and I got the feeling that I earlier mentioned.

I will come back to this authentic place with the best...