Al's #1 Italian Beef — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

●Unprofessional customer service ●Average beef- sweet tasting(Italian beef SHOULD NOT BE SWEET), not enough meat ●Weird shaped, oily fries ●Cash only ●Expensive, they charge for EVERYTHING ●No bathroom

I was so excited about coming to Al's beef on Taylor because I saw a couple of tv shows showcase this particular location. I immediately told friends and family about going here even though I stay up North and there is an Al's beef on Clark. So I decided tonight would be the day I venture out and enjoy this great tasting beef and awesome customer service I witnessed on those shows. Unfortunately, my experience was nothing like I saw and read about. I walked in and there were 2 employees, male and female. I smiled and the girl asked if I was ready to order. I said hi, and I'm new to Al's beef. So the guy said something in Spanish to her and she laughed and then looked at me and then turned to him and continued her response in Spanish. That made me feel VERY uncomfortable, a bit taken back and quit uneasy. It was already unprofessional to not greet me as I entered the establishment, but now I'm standing here trying to info you I'm new and I'm just looking at the menu, as I an unfamiliar with all the items sold. I didn't appreciate the feeling I got from them. So I said to myself I'm here so just order and don't let their rude customer service ruin the reason why I came here. I ordered 2 regular italian beef and an order of fries. The guy says oh the regular is small and preceded to show the difference in sizes, I said I understand that but again I'm new and I don't know how this sandwich tastes so may I have what I ordered. He again spoke in Spanish to the female and as before she laughed while responding back. On top of that this place is cash only, so now I had to use the atm because the website didn't say they were a cash only location so another inconvenience. I left feeling like this was a total mistake and definitely not the experience I thought I was going to have. The food wasn't that great neither. The beef sandwich tasted sweet, the actual meat itself, the fries were soaked with oil. I didn't finish my meal. So basically I got a terrible experience with unprofessional customer service followed by not so good of a meal, that's time and money wasted. Now I have to tell my family and friends about this, and unfortunately I will not be a repeat customer because of...

If you're grabbing a classic Chicago bite, Al's is a solid choice. Getting in and out is pretty easy; they have their own parking lot, so navigating the city is simple, provided you’re not hitting it during the main lunch rush. Seating is what you’d expect for a local spot—a few counter spots inside by the window, and some picnic tables outside for nicer weather.

The ordering was a little confusing at first because they display these combos everywhere, but everything is really sold a la carte. It’s not a huge hurdle, just manage your expectations before you get to the register.

We tried the staple Jumbo Italian Beef with both sweet and hot peppers, and the Polish hotdog with everything. A critical piece of advice: the Polish comes with its own order of fries and a regular side was good enough for at least 2.5 to have a reasonable portion. Only order one side of fries unless you're feeding a small army.

In terms of quality, the beef is delicious, packed with meat, and already pretty wet without even being dipped. The polish sausage was the real pleasant surprise; it had a great snap to it and was genuinely better than Portillo's.

Now, a couple of notes on the logistics. If you order gravy on the side, you get a ton—enough for maybe two Jumbo Beefs. Also, be prepared to skim it; the gravy we received had about an inch of oil floating on the top. It’s not a dealbreaker, just something to know about the presentation.

Finally, a pro-tip from experience: bring hand sanitizer and wet napkins. This food is authentically messy, and you’ll want them handy. It's a great spot that delivers on...

I was on a cross country roadtrip and part of the experience was to seek out establishments that had a storied history or was credited as the creator of a new food item. I knew Al’s #1 Beef met both criteria. I arrived just after opening and there was no line, in fact I was the only customer, which was awesome. I had my order pre-planned so the ordering process went fairly smoothly. I went with an original beef sandwich (regular sized) combo. It included an order of fries and a soda. I am not an Italian Beef connoisseur so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had ordered my sandwich wet vs. dipped. I’m glad I did because I imagine the dipped version would have been hard to handle, considering how juicy my wet sandwich was. The flavor of the sandwich, while not what I anticipated in my imagination, was amazing. The juice was complex and full of bold, savory seasonings. It permeated the meat as well with the same luxurious flavors. The spicy gardineria peppers were a nice accompaniment to the sandwich. The fries were prepared perfectly. The soda was a nice finish to wash everything down. I sat outside next to the sidewalk on a beautiful and quiet weekend morning. Only a few college students milled about, up and down the sidewalk. I would imagine I was there at a most perfect time. Al’s gave me a taste of true Chicago. I drove away, back towards the interstate with a glowing smile of satisfaction and I wasn’t hungry again for the...