i only went there once and id admit it was good the beef was juicy and they put mozz on it amen the cheese fries are great and if ur inside get the refills on soda it can get busy at times so be patient and enjoy

Al's serves the best beef I have ever had and probably will have. Great service, great food, and good prices make for one of the best dining experiences. Not full of memorabilia, and not a lot of ambiance, but still a must do if in Chicago.

No doubt about it, the beef and the giardiniera at the Taylor Street location are unlike anything else, and you will probably either love it or hate it. Get the sandwich dipped. It's spicy and wonderful. The italian sausage is charcoal grilled and tender. The fries are natural cut and the best I've ever had. Service is generally fast.

On the minus side, the place is a dive, and you might well wonder about cleanliness. No seats save for some newly added outdoor picnic benches. Not the cheapest in town, and portion control can be a problem, so sometimes the sandwich can be skimpy, but order the regular size combo with fries, and you won't go away hungry.

Step up and order like this: "Regular combo, hot, dipped, with fries and a diet coke", then snag a spot on the counter. You're in for a real Chicago tradition...

I've been a regular since 1979. Mr Beef and the others are all good, but there's nothing distinctive about them. Even the other Al's location aren't the same... which must have something to do with the years of accumulated "ambiance" at the original. Go to Taylor Street and get the real thing.

Is it cinnamon? someone said chilly. I don't know but when I had it I had to ask. "Is it supposed to taste like that?" Now, I know people who like this place. And those who do must not have had a beef anywhere else since Al's is the only beef to them. Well, to me I will take a generic beef (A generic beef is one that has the same basic ingredients that you will find at any pizza/beef shop that chooses to drop some beef in ajue. Giardiniera is store bought. And the bread is the same.)
over theirs any day.

It's above average, I'll give it that. Most hot dog and burger places that offer Italian beef don't do the beef justice. They make it taste packaged and bland. I'll give Al's credit in that they actually do something with their sandwiches. But I'm not sure chili powder in the gravy is the best way to go. Not to mention the portions are indeed small for the cost. For my tastes in the same area, I'd rather get Carm's on Polk St. Freddie's in Bridgeport is good, too. The two best I've had, though, were the Carm's on Wolf Rd. in Hillside (right by the cemetery) and Mr. Beef on 666 N. Orleans. I don't know which one is better, but I've yet to have any that beat either of those places' beef sandwiches.