To me, Johnnie’s is more than just a beef stand. It is the reason I have a fine appreciation for the Italian beef sandwich and the motivation for me to be a part of our blog. I have been eating at Johnnie’s for longer than I can remember. If the IB had its own religion, Johnnie’s would be the holy land. Mmmmm, sacrilicious.
Johnnie’s offers a variety of menu options but I can honestly say that I have never heard someone order anything but an Italian beef and/or sausage sandwich. This Chicago favorite keeps customers lined out the door from open until close every day of the week. But don’t let the wait discourage you, the line moves quickly. This is mainly due to the Soup Nazi-esque man operating the cash register. Make sure you are ready when it is your turn to order because he moves fast with little patience.
My mouth instantly began to water when I walked through the door. After getting my sandwich and walking outside to the picnic tables where everyone was sitting, I was so excited I found myself grinning. I went for the full dip, as usual. In my opinion, the more au jus, the better. I’m thinking about trying to market it as a beverage. The beef itself is almost shredded rather than sliced, making it tender and flavorful. The bread held the sandwich together well without being too chewy. The hot peppers offered a good mix of heat and flavor to the sandwich without overwhelming it. Tasters did not agree, however, on the quality of the sweet peppers. Some found them to be too soft with little flavor, but others found them to be a nice complement. I recommend getting both.
The sandwich was smaller than other places we have visited but it costs just over $3 so if you are feeling hungry, we say go for two. One important weakness, no cheese. A good mozzarella or provolone can add serious points to a sandwich’s rating. Overall, the beef was one of the best we have had, earning an average rating of 8.4 sans mozz (this would have been higher, but one blogger was PMS-ing that day). The homemade lemon ice is a great accompaniment to the sandwich on a hot day (order the large).
The French fries were nice and crispy earning a rating of 8 even. You get a good sized portion, but nothing like the massive heap we have found at many other places. Make sure you ask for ketchup when you get your bag of food at the counter. The guy manning the fryers packages it in a folded sheet of wax paper, which for some reason was listed as a con (stupid Sir-Beefs-A-Lot).
The verdict: Johnnie’s is a must for all Italian beef enthusiasts. Skip this one on your beef tour and you might as well give up now.
Beef – 8.4
Fries – 8
L/A – 6
Credit Cards – No
Bathrooms – No
Pop Selection – Pepsi products
7500 W North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
(708) 452-6000
JuicyBeef
Johnnie’s offers a variety of menu options but I can honestly say that I have never heard someone order anything but an Italian beef and/or sausage sandwich. This Chicago favorite keeps customers lined out the door from open until close every day of the week. But don’t let the wait discourage you, the line moves quickly. This is mainly due to the Soup Nazi-esque man operating the cash register. Make sure you are ready when it is your turn to order because he moves fast with little patience.
My mouth instantly began to water when I walked through the door. After getting my sandwich and walking outside to the picnic tables where everyone was sitting, I was so excited I found myself grinning. I went for the full dip, as usual. In my opinion, the more au jus, the better. I’m thinking about trying to market it as a beverage. The beef itself is almost shredded rather than sliced, making it tender and flavorful. The bread held the sandwich together well without being too chewy. The hot peppers offered a good mix of heat and flavor to the sandwich without overwhelming it. Tasters did not agree, however, on the quality of the sweet peppers. Some found them to be too soft with little flavor, but others found them to be a nice complement. I recommend getting both.
The sandwich was smaller than other places we have visited but it costs just over $3 so if you are feeling hungry, we say go for two. One important weakness, no cheese. A good mozzarella or provolone can add serious points to a sandwich’s rating. Overall, the beef was one of the best we have had, earning an average rating of 8.4 sans mozz (this would have been higher, but one blogger was PMS-ing that day). The homemade lemon ice is a great accompaniment to the sandwich on a hot day (order the large).
The French fries were nice and crispy earning a rating of 8 even. You get a good sized portion, but nothing like the massive heap we have found at many other places. Make sure you ask for ketchup when you get your bag of food at the counter. The guy manning the fryers packages it in a folded sheet of wax paper, which for some reason was listed as a con (stupid Sir-Beefs-A-Lot).
The verdict: Johnnie’s is a must for all Italian beef enthusiasts. Skip this one on your beef tour and you might as well give up now.
Beef – 8.4
Fries – 8
L/A – 6
Credit Cards – No
Bathrooms – No
Pop Selection – Pepsi products
7500 W North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
(708) 452-6000
JuicyBeef
2 comments:
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Another location is located south of the intersection of Golf Rd. and Arlington Hts. Rd. in Arlington Hts
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