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If I'm in Chicago the only place I'm tryna get Italian Beef is Johnnie's in Elmwood Park. If I'm outside of Chicago I know the great Chicago export of Portillo's will offer a perfectly adequate beef. I probably won't go out of my way for this Portillo's again, but the decor inside was classic Chicago mob-themed and you can't beat their iconic red stripes and wiener dog mascot. My main critique of the quality of the sandwich is sometimes their meat is a bit tough, and even though I ask for the beef "extra juicy" there are some really dry moments. Overall, solid intro to Italian Beef and their chopped salad is bomb!
7/10 Yum
9/10 Chicago-ness
10/10 Service
8/10 Vibes (slightly lower cuz their patio was lacking in vibe but inside was great)
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OK so it's not an Italian Beef per se because of the bread, but mighty tasty with spicy giardiniera (notably imported from Chicago, noted the menu), crinkle-cut fries (by far my favorite fry shape but not so common in LA), and a side of jus (that was not on the menu but when I asked if they served it "dipped" or "juicy" they very graciously brought a side of it) that overall made one heck of a sammich!
8/10 Yum
6/10 Chicago-ness
10/10 Service
10/10 Vibes
Jan 21, 2024
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(outside the city but worth it) they have the best italian beef hands down!!! Otherwise any mom and pop lookin beef place is the best, better than the big ones like Portillos or Al’s
May 4, 2024
This is a pretty solid/recent list with map included. The top places are in the burbs and some of the more popular downtown spots are kind of meh, my recommendation is Bari on W Grand, get the hot giardiniera, very consistent and you can ask for au jus on the side. (I had one fully "dipped" from Johnnie's in Bridgeport once and it was like a straight up heart attack)
Jul 18, 2024
Top Recs from @natk
I love hot water bottle not only to have under the covers by my feet in the winter when I fall asleep (like an old timey bed warmer), but also to hold when you’re sad of lonely. Its giving the safety & security of weighted blanket without being suffocating. And there’s so many options for covers! Stuffed animal, wool, a little cable knit hot water bottle sweater, or even knit your own 🫶
Oct 21, 2024
Inka is an instant coffee-like drink made of roasted barley, rye, chicory, and sugar beets that a Polish friend’s family introduced to me. Inka has no caffeine so you can drink it whenever, and with a little milk, the roasted grains really carry the same warmth as a cup of coffee.
Oct 7, 2024
His style is loose and playful and he captures whatever he draws so beautifully. Korey draws a lot of quotidian scenes which make me excited just to take a walk around the neighborhood 🫶
@_koreymartin on insta
Sep 29, 2024