Al's #1 Italian Beef (Evanston)

First time trying Al's and omg it was so good. Tried the beef sandwich and the beef was so tender and flavorful. They gave a cup with extra gravy to dip....

It's a hotdog stand. Everything is as one would want it when going to a hotdog stand. I recommend it, but no hotdog stand rates more than 3 with me.

Great sandwich! Friendly staff and fast service! Generous portion of beef (I recommend getting it "regular, wet"). Fries were well cooked, although they could have used a little salt (none was available that I saw). Great meal, would come back!

Best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago! Or so I've been told... (I'm from California). It was my first time having one and wow it was amazing! I got a regular Italian beef with hot peppers, dipped. I normally hate soggy sandwiches but not this time! Highly recommend!

The workers we dealt with were super friendly, and this place really hit the spot after spending some time out on the town. The beef was super tender and practically felt like it was melting away. The hot dogs we got were great too. It may not be fancy food, but it's definitely good food.

I used to love their beef sandwiches. However, I was there yesterday and I'm a bit surprised at how spicy they are now. They didn't used to be like that....

Had to compare Al's and Portillos Italian beef sandwiches. My wife is all about Portillos, but we had never tried Al's. The cashier was extremely friendly...

First time in Chicago. Had to do Al's I was told. Glad I did. Went twice. Sis mine doible dipped! It was great. But, still doesn't beat a Roast Beef PO-Boy with Gravy dressed in New Orleans.

As authentic Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches go, Al's has to be the best in the city. This location is a no-frills joint with easy ordering, including a self order kiosk. Everything was made to order fresh. Our fries were steaming, so was the beef. Al's beef has some interesting seasonings to it that taste like cloves. As a Rochester native, the flavor is reminiscent of Rochester-style meat hot sauce, but not quite. The phenomenon that is a dipped beef is incredible. It doesn't fall apart. You can order your beef dry, wet or entirely dipped; with or without peppers or cheese. Al's also offers burgers, chicken sandwiches, tamales and Chicago-style hot dogs.

Whether you're a downtown denizen, work in the area, downtown for fun, or a tourist, this is your absolutely top spot for Italian beef or Italian sausage! Homemade Italian beef, never saw the food, always fresh and juicy. Homemade Italian sausage, always full of flavor, never dry, not salty. French fries... Crispy on the outside stop on the inside, exactly the right amount of salt. If you get your sausage dip, you'll still be able to hold it but there will be enough juice so dumping that bread that you can enjoy the beefy flavor even more. Big Al's makes their own jardinere, and it's excellent. You'll absolutely know the minute you tasted that it's not out of a jar. Customer service here is not to be outdone anywhere. The brothers who own Big Al's are salt of the earth, sincere and genuine and really care about their product and their customers. That's reflected in all of their employees also. The restaurant is always clean, always full of great positive energy. The new location, by the way, is great. These reasons and more are why I've been a customer for decades.