Bob O's

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
a chibbqking production

Hello folks, I know I'm sounding like a broken record but my apologies on the updates. I have many 'beef with hots' to score on the board here and share for all to see but I've just been busy. Well anywoo we stay in the city today and head to the Northwest Side to check out a place at the western edge of Irving Park road within Chicago city limits. It's called Bob O's Hot Dogs and as you can guess they're famous for their dogs but later on became well known for their beef. I suspect many people that have never been nor heard of Bob O's just did so recently when it was featured, for their beef, on the Hungry Hound segment on ABC7 News.


a longtime favorite on Irving Park Road

I had heard of Bob O's but never been until it came rec'd by a fellow beef eater. One whom I know has got love for beef, he cant ever stay away, always getting into it etc... the true beefers know how it goes. When I had heard how Bob O's makes their own I knew I would have to go and was glad when I did. They decided to start pushing homemade beef after perfecting their recipe of boneless roasts which are doused in dried onion and garlic and roasted until ready and then kept overnight and sliced the next morning. I thought the homemade taste was very recognizable and made the beef taste great. Nearby neighbors are lucky to have a top beef option around them. Read more about Bob O's HERE.


Beef with hot from Bob O's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 4
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 4

Score: 16/20

Bob O's Hot Dogs
8258 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 625-9840

The Dog Joint

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
a chibbqking production

Hello again my goods friends, Da Beef here. I apologize I haven't gotten around to getting another beef scored up on here at "Beef With Hot" I've been busy with chibbqking and just haven't had the time. But like I said last time I have many spots waiting to go up and will get to many more this winter. So today we head to a hot dog stand in Lincoln Park called The Dog Joint. They've been over on Armitage for a couple years now and will eventually get reviewed as a whole on S'C'&C With Da King. But today were sticking to the Italian beef. Check over at S'C'&C you can see some of their other offerings soon.


The Dog Joint in Lincoln Park

Before this place was the Dog joint I believe it was another hot dog stand maybe Rock Star Dogs? I never went there but when the Dog Joint opened up the homemade Italian beef is what caught my eye and eventually prompted me to go in. I have been there a handful of times now and the Italian beef was ordered on every visit but one. The best part this beef sandwich has going for it is the actual beef. It's a homemade roast that is sliced fresh to order when they arent too busy and it goes on a pretty good roll and the hot peppers and gravy are both good as well. It's actually one of the better beef's I have had from a hot dog stand. I also like how they have late nite hours on the weekends as well. One of the better beefs in an area lacking them.


beef with hot from the Dog Joint

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 3
gravy: 3
hot peppers: 3

Score: 13/20

The Dog Joint
350 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 687-9573

Portillo's

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
a chibbqking production

The next stop on the beef bus is to a place known to many. I'm not one to hate on Portillo's despite their fast food status. The truth of the matter is that Portillo's is a fine example of the American dream and a result of what can happen if one works hard. Odds are if you've visited Chicago then you heard of or stopped into Portillo's downtown for one of their famous hot dogs and or many other menu items including beef. What originally started off as a shack on North ave in Villa Park, IL is now a monster in the food game with almost 50 locations in Chicagoland. Its a spot I loved as a kid and whenever I was running around downtown with friends we would eat at the location on Clark street to eat. My order back then was always a dog with everything and a beef with hot. Not much has changed these days except I don't get there as much as I used to and now I always get a chili cheese dog and an Italian beef to go with it. I also always get these in the drive thru nowadays too.


The best drive thru beef in the city


Portillo's Menu

One reason I have always had a great deal of respect for Portillo's other than just their quality despite being a fast food place was also their consistency. Over the years I have had beefs from different locations and they always seem to be the exact same as the others. I also respect a place that can go thru so much beef like they do and continue to put out an acceptable product. If anyone is telling you Portillo's has the best either or well then they just haven't been around or simply aren't from here. However if someone, such as myself, tells you that they have good examples of each (dogs and beef) and its better than some spots and not as good as others, well that's the truth of it. I find that everything from the bread to the beef and the gravy and peppers to be better than average but not great. When put together as a whole its a well made Italian beef sandwich and easily one of the best in the downtown area. Its nice that they are also throughout Chicagoland and are always a good option for a quick drive thru meal. Much better than BK, Wendy's, Subway, Taco Bell, McD's etc...Just another reason Chicago is fast food king.


beef with hot from Portillo's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 4
gravy: 3
hot peppers: 4

Score: 15/20

Portillo's
100 W Ontario
Chicago, IL
(312) 587-8910
Website
locations throughout Chicagoland

Beef with Hot from Captain Nemo's

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
a chibbqking production

Captain Nemo's has been serving sandwiches and soup to the people of Chicago since 1971. The original location is the Rogers Park store which is still open but I have been visiting the Lakeview location on Ashland since my early youth. It was a frequent stop after basketball and football games and its always been in my rotation for a few visits a year since. I'm not sure much has changed at Nemo's except the prices. Its been the same since the early 90's as far as both the food and the interior go. Each booth has a wooden painting attached to the backrest. Each booth has different Chicago famous people of the time eating a Captain Nemo's Sub. When I was younger I always sat in the booth with the Chicago athletes. I think maybe once or twice I might of ordered an actual sandwich from there because I knew the beef was legit the first time I tried it and that was the first thing I tried. Whats even more amazing is that the taste of the sandwich and ingredients used to make it haven't changed a bit.


familiar sign along Ashland in the Lakeview neighborhood


Hey Ozzie is still in town and so is Capt'n Nemo's

Captain Nemo's is a great beef during the winter months. As soon as you walk in they offer you a free small cup of the days soups before taking your order. Its always been that way and always makes me order a combo which is a sandwich, soup and drink. I would highly recommend the combo, beef for your sandwich with their split pea soup. Its a great deal, one of the best in the city. The Italian beef definitely has a strong roast beef flavor, more so than most other beefs I have had. It's homemade and is also sliced a little thicker than most places so that also makes it very close to a warm sliced roast beef sandwich in gravy. But the gravy is its strongest element and much better than many other places around town. Just like any other beef joint I have had really good beefs from there and on a few occasions just OK ones. But when the beef is fresh and fall apart tender in the peppery spiced gravy its a great beef and one I get a few times each winter. Its a great takeout beef because the bread holds together the sandwich and they know how to wrap one up right. Wrapping beef in aluminum foil is a complete no no.


Nemo's has always had the stickers and wrapped it right


beef with hot from Captain Nemo's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4 (when on)
bread: 3
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 3

Score: 14/20

Captain Nemo's Subs & Soups

3650 N Ashland Ave

Chicago, IL 60613

Get Directions

(773) 929-7687
Website

Joe Boston's Beef

--Got Beef? Italian Beef
a chibbqking production

Lost in the shuffle of Grand ave and Chicago ave and all the vacant buildings and old warehouses and factories is an all time favorite of mine-Boston's Beef. If your asking yourself "I didn't know they had beef in Boston" stop right there because they don't have anything close as good and its Joe Boston's Italian Beef. It sits there on an island and is a favorite of 1000's and 1000's of lifelong Chicagoans and people that lived here and left but will never forget it. While I feel like an original custy (customer) since I've been eating here for 15+ years, I'm really not. There are people that have been eating here for 60+ years. If you were to ask me which beef stand around town is the most stuck in time and hasn't changed a thing, Boston's would jump quick to my mind. Its still family owned and still dishing out one of the best beefs in the city.


a Chicago original

When I say nothing has changed at Boston's that pretty much means everything with the exception of the prices and those are still some of the best around. I think a beef with hot with fries and a drink will set you back $6.75 and its not just the price that makes it a winner. I've always thought that Boston's must be using the same high quality cut of beef from the same butcher and roasting them perfectly in their special seasoning which they haven't changed that makes for a great gravy. In fact if you live in or are from Lincoln Park/Wicker Park/Bucktown or anywhere on the near Northside then this and the best beef joint in the area . Now I know that I am known for saying that a beef sandwich with provolone and sweet peppers isn't an Italian Beef sandwich. However like I also said, I've been going here forever and a beef with hot and orange cheese ooze is better than any cheesesteak from Pat's or Geno's. Sometimes I liked a beef with cheese as a change of pace in my youth. Its still a pretty good sandwich. So if you gotta get a beef with cheese try this one. Its the only one I'll eat.


Chicago Style Cheesesteak & one of my 1st food pics

When a place wants to make itself one of the best at what they do then a good way to do that is to pick something you do good and stick with that. The menu at Bostons is a great example of this way. Other than Italian beef they got Italian sausage, an old school favorite-BBQ beef sandwiches-gravy bread & combos, hot dogs, Polishes, along with fast food Chicago style tamales, fries and of course the old school beef stand standard-the pepper and egg sandwich which is of course on Fridays only. If you haven't figured it out by now Boston's homemade thinly sliced beef with well seasoned gravy is one of the best sandwiches in the business.

I used to spend summers doing some labor type work for my dad and uncle and spent one summer working with my grandpa building gliders at a space they own right down the block on Chicago ave. While the job with my grandpa wasn't bad the labor projects sucked (but it was $$$ which is always needed in H.S) and the best part about them was lunch from Boston's. My dad would run down and get it for us 3 of the 5 days a week. Back in the day I could eat a beef almost everyday and sometimes I did.


beef with hot from Joe Boston's Beef

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 4
bread: 4
gravy: 4
hot peppers: 4

Score: 16/20

Boston's Italian Beef
2932 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622-4307
(773) 486-9536
Menupages Page w/ Menu