For our third week of beefery, we took our quest to the source of all the great beef stand staples in the Chicagoland area: The Vienna Beef Factory. Located at 2501 N. Damen, this factory has been home to the Vienna Beef Company since 1972. Nestled between the Damen, Fullerton, and Elston intersection (one of the worst in the city in terms of congestion and accidents) and the north branch of the Chicago River, the factory offers a cafeteria at the front of the building open from 6am til 4pm on the weekdays and 10am til 3pm on Saturday. A small but ample parking lot sits in front of the entrance with a red and yellow sign that reads "The Factory Store." Inside, a variety of meats can be purchased both at a deli counter to be taken home or at a typical beef stand counter to be consumed on the spot. After purchasing my Italian beef with sweet peppers and no mozzarella (the only cheese offered was nacho. weird) I got my helping of ketchup and sat down.
Before enjoying my sandwich, I noticed the setting was not typical. It appeared this was not only a restaurant open to the public, but also a cafeteria for the factory workers complete with lockers and vending machines. Many framed Vienna beef posters adorned the walls as well as signed sports jerseys representing each Chicago sports franchise. But enough about the room and into the sandwich. The beef itself was very fresh and tender with a nice flavor and was warm and consistent throughout. The sweet peppers were tasty and had a soft crunch to them. While I myself did not try the giardiniera, my fellow hot pepper beef eaters had nothing but good things to say. The bread was meant to be dipped and held up well. However, I had sorely forgotten to ask for a dipping at the counter, resulting in a slightly chewy bun not allowing me to maximize my beef experience. The fries accompanying the beef were tasty and plentiful. To wash down our I beefs, we were presented with the rare option between Coke and Pepsi products at two separate soda fountains. Fully satisfied after our meal, we perused the many delicacies available at the deli counter and in glass refrigerators against the wall. I contemplated purchasing that Vienna Beef t-shirt on my way out the door, but then thought it better to pick that up as a memento for when we come back to take the factory tour.
Beef- 6.7
Fries- 6.9
Location/Ambiance- 7.3
2501 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL
(773)278-7800
BeefMan
Wrigleyville Dog
A pop fly from Wrigley Field, a stage dive from the Metro and drunken stumble from the Clark street bars, Wrigleyville Dog is a popular spot for late night munchies. Open till 6am on Fridays and Saturdays, Wrigleyville dog gets crowded with rowdy patrons at the end of the night. When the crowd slows down the service time, entertain yourself with a vintage soccer gumball machine–just don’t eat the gumball.
3737 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL
773-296-1500
Sir Beefs-a-Lot
Although not officially a beef stand, the beef bloggers visited this stand after the season opener of intramural softball. Portions were just right for a group of hungry beef eaters right after a rigorous game, it also helped us forget that we lost.
Beef- 6.4
Fries- 6.5
Location/Ambiance- 6.5
3737 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL
773-296-1500
Sir Beefs-a-Lot
Al's #1 Italian Beef
Trying to decide where to eat in River North is never the easiest decision of my week. Whether you're sitting down at a restaurant or getting something quick, there is always a plethora of choices. If you're trying to decide after finishing up a wine tasting event at a River North art gallery or just got your pump on at one of the numerous techno clubs, one eatery that is always a solid choice is the timeless Al's Beef.
Al's is fitting for all levels of Italian Beef consumers, but an aficionado might find some options limiting. Their tender Vienna Beef is soft to the tongue and ripe with flavor. Their combination of quality beef, a seventy year old recipe of herbs and spices, and the perfect amount of cooking time makes Al's among the best places for the actual beef in the sandwich. They also provide the option of dipped, wet, or dry bread, as well as different sized beefs for different sized appetites.
Our Beef Bloggers found very little wrong with the actual beef. It was other flaws in the sandwich and the experience as a whole that caused Al's to get less than extraordinary ratings. For example, Al's Beef on Ontario did not offer mozzarella cheese on our sandwich and claimed that cheddar would be an ample substitute. Personally, I have no qualms with cheddar cheese. In fact, I insist on consuming it at least once a week on some sort of enormous chili bowl or delicious hamburger. However on my Italian Beef, mozzarella is the cheese of choice. To add to the discontent of a lack of mozzarella, the sweet peppers were soft and fell short of the crispy feel of a fresh vegetable, and the giardenera did not pack much heat, but was filled with flavor.
The French Fries at Al's Beef were more like burnt slices of potato rather than the golden garden variety that we have seen at countless other beef venders. This gave them a very bland flavor, however a rather large portion of them was served. Basically, they offered a large portion of something I did not enjoy–not exactly a plus. One of the Bloggers preferred the taste of plain potatoes, however even he admitted they were queer to the industry standard. To wash it all down, Al's provides a wide assortment of Pepsi products, which didn't appeal too much to our Bloggers but may be the preference of the reader. Also, be weary–there is not much parking for Al's Beef and their lack of a public bathroom might cause select customers some discomfort.
Personally, I've been to Al's Beef at different times of the day, different levels of sobriety, and different levels of hunger, and have never walked away from there unsatisfied. If you could only make one trip to a Beef Stand in River North, Al's probably would not be the perfect choice. But if you have more time in the neighborhood, Al's is a must-try.
Beef – 7.4
Fries – 6.1
Location/Ambiance - 7
169 W. Ontario St.
Chicago, IL
312-943-3222
The Beef King
Al's is fitting for all levels of Italian Beef consumers, but an aficionado might find some options limiting. Their tender Vienna Beef is soft to the tongue and ripe with flavor. Their combination of quality beef, a seventy year old recipe of herbs and spices, and the perfect amount of cooking time makes Al's among the best places for the actual beef in the sandwich. They also provide the option of dipped, wet, or dry bread, as well as different sized beefs for different sized appetites.
Our Beef Bloggers found very little wrong with the actual beef. It was other flaws in the sandwich and the experience as a whole that caused Al's to get less than extraordinary ratings. For example, Al's Beef on Ontario did not offer mozzarella cheese on our sandwich and claimed that cheddar would be an ample substitute. Personally, I have no qualms with cheddar cheese. In fact, I insist on consuming it at least once a week on some sort of enormous chili bowl or delicious hamburger. However on my Italian Beef, mozzarella is the cheese of choice. To add to the discontent of a lack of mozzarella, the sweet peppers were soft and fell short of the crispy feel of a fresh vegetable, and the giardenera did not pack much heat, but was filled with flavor.
The French Fries at Al's Beef were more like burnt slices of potato rather than the golden garden variety that we have seen at countless other beef venders. This gave them a very bland flavor, however a rather large portion of them was served. Basically, they offered a large portion of something I did not enjoy–not exactly a plus. One of the Bloggers preferred the taste of plain potatoes, however even he admitted they were queer to the industry standard. To wash it all down, Al's provides a wide assortment of Pepsi products, which didn't appeal too much to our Bloggers but may be the preference of the reader. Also, be weary–there is not much parking for Al's Beef and their lack of a public bathroom might cause select customers some discomfort.
Personally, I've been to Al's Beef at different times of the day, different levels of sobriety, and different levels of hunger, and have never walked away from there unsatisfied. If you could only make one trip to a Beef Stand in River North, Al's probably would not be the perfect choice. But if you have more time in the neighborhood, Al's is a must-try.
Beef – 7.4
Fries – 6.1
Location/Ambiance - 7
169 W. Ontario St.
Chicago, IL
312-943-3222
The Beef King
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