Italian Beef

The Elmwood Park beef stand many Chicagoans call the best Italian beef anywhere. No-frills, usually a line, and famous lemon ice for after.

The original Little Italy stand of the family that claims to have invented the Italian beef. Order it dipped, with hot giardiniera.

Old-school Italian grocery and deli on the Galewood/Elmwood Park border making generous beefs with standout house giardiniera. Also sells beef and gravy by the pound for parties. Closed Sunday and Monday.

The Berwyn-born family chain behind one of the area's most popular beefs: very thin, pepper-flecked slices that hold up even fully dipped. Open until midnight Thursday to Saturday.

Family-run stand near O'Hare, open since 1991, with well-seasoned beef, a flavorful jus and its own house giardiniera. A big local following.

Walk-up drive-in open since 1959 with no indoor seating, where the founding family still roasts the beef in-house. Get it hot with shoestring fries.

Small family stand in Lemont with a solid traditional beef, but best known for its crispy beef: beef and peppers wrapped and deep-fried until crunchy.

Oak Park hot dog and beef stand running since 1980, right across from the Turano bakery that supplies the rolls under its thin-sliced beef.

Family-run Harlem Avenue import shop making subs to order from its cured-meat case on D'Amato's bread, plus a beef roasted in-house every morning. Big, well-priced sandwiches that sell out early.

Family-owned stand running for about 50 years, with paper-thin beef dipped as wet as you like and its own Italian ice.

Take-a-number Italian deli in the southwest suburbs. Beef sliced to order and piled on D'Amato's bread, plus one of the area's most-praised breaded steaks.

Flagship of the chain that started as a hot dog trailer in 1963. The dipped beef and char-grilled Maxwell Street Polish are both staples, and it's open until 1 a.m.