Today was our first trip. I had been dying to try this place, but either didn't have a car or the time. It was a rainy day and I remembered this spot was on my list of places to try. I cannot wait to go back. Plus DH really enjoyed his sandwich as well.

It was a Saturday afternoon, but there was no parking out front, we headed a quarter of a block west for non-metered parking.

We walked inside and all of the tables were taken save 2. There are not many tables, I think there are 3 four tops, 3 two-tops, and one single. I was not quite certain of the format, but DH snagged a table that needed to be bussed and I walked up to the counter.

What I saw was a whirling dervish kitchen operation of two men and two women literally preparing everything-- they also all seem to work the front of the house. It took a few moments before someone realized I was there, and then I was told they would be right over. I was still a bit uncertain of whether to sit or wait at the counter for service. Once the man approached, he told me to order there and then he would come clear our table.

I went for the specialty vegetarian sandwich. It does sound a bit peculiar, but I remember reading on a thread here that someone else adored it. I figured, I love sweet plantains and black beans, so what's the big deal. I also went for a vanilla milkshake, (yeah, yeah, in addition to being a vegetarian I can be a bit of a purist about flavors, vanilla always beats chocolate or some other such sweet).

The sandwich arrived with a nice pickle spear, a delicious and spicy coleslaw, that next time I am dumping on my sandwich. On lovely lightly toasted white bread, I hate white bread toasted to brown and hard, My sandwich was piled high with gooey melted Swiss cheese, black beans(these were not a patty, but actual individual beans) and thick slices of sweet grilled/fried plantain along with shredded green leaf lettuce and tomato. OMG, I don't even like sandwiches that much, but this was divine! The whole thing tasted like a bit of island summer packed into your hand. I can only imagine how great this would be with a jerked piece of meat(for you carnivores) or tofu or seitan for the rest of us this could be. The seasoning was unbelievably good. I kept looking at it as I ate it and neither DH, nor I talked to each other until we were through eating.

The vanilla shake, was super thick, but not so much that you could not use a straw and delicious, even without any whipped cream. I could taste the vanilla and there were even butter notes, it was so rich. I could even feel the fat/oil on my lips. It is definitely a meal in and of itself. It was also huge.


Oh yeah, DH got the Shrimp BLT with Avocado and 2 lemonades. I had a sip of the lemonade and it was perfect, not too sweet, not too tart.

I want to try the chili and mac and cheese, but I cannot imagine doing so as long as this sandwich is on offer.

The Brown Sack
3706 W Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773-661-0675

Great place- convieniently located between home and work.

My faves:
BLT w/shrimp and avocado
Cajun chicken something something
Chocolate Malt

Thanks for posting, pairs4life, it sounds delicious! I just added it to my list.

(The GNR nomination of The Brown Sack reminded me that I hadn't posted about my one experience there, a little over a month ago. I'm posting here rather than there because I don't want to be perceived as disagreeing with the nomination, especially considering the options in this particular neighborhood, because I'm willing to concede that my experience is not the norm.)

While standing in the usual Saturday afternoon line at Hot Doug's, I got a call from some friends heading to The Brown Sack, and I made the call to ditch wait and meet up with them, based largely on what I'd read about the place in this thread.

The food was fine, but I was kind of surprised that this place gets so much love. The reuben was OK, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the quality of any of the ingredients (perfectly fine, but nothing I couldn't source at the grocery store, and the onions weren't doing it for me). None of the other sandwiches were memorable. I guess $6 or so is fair, but it's not a bargain. No problems with the malts, but I'm no longer giving points to a place for properly executing any recipe with three ingredients (in almost infinitely adjustable proportions).

The real problem is that it took about 50 minutes for our sandwiches to come out, and I'm not exaggerating. Maybe I noticed this to a greater extent because tables were turning over so infrequently that our party of four had to sit outside, rotating seats to share the meager shade. 50 minutes! For four sandwiches! When I inquired around minute 40, the guy behind the counter (I guess this is co-owner Adam?) gave me a lackadaisical sorry-man-we-get-slammed-on-Saturdays bit, which just irritated me more, because I was paying attention, and they really weren't getting slammed---and that's not really my problem. I gave up HOT DOUG'S for this, and you're telling me that you're slammed?!

If dude had been a little more sympathetic and less "whatever" about my business, I probably wouldn't have bothered writing this, but it struck a nerve. I didn't find this place to be friendly or, frankly, competent on this visit. I'm sure they deserve another shot, but I don't really see any reason for me to bother with it. I hope other people continue to enjoy their visits there.

ndgbucktown wrote:No problems with the malts, but I'm no longer giving points to a place for properly executing any recipe with three ingredients (in almost infinitely adjustable proportions).

I can appreciate that you're a bit turned off to The Brown Sack because of a service issue, but this statement seems like a bit of a cheap shot.

The entire culinary universe is comprised of preparations and recipes that only require a few ingredients, like, for example, a hamburger.

Maybe it doesn't take a culinary degree to hand-dip a malt or shake, but in a time when you can count on one hand the number of Chicago eateries that do it from scratch, it's worth of note in my book.

Best,
Michael

The one and only time I've been to the Brown Sack, they couldn't have been more in line with the GNR ideal. We stopped in during one of the recent storms. They put on kids music (we had our kids), asked unsolicited whether they should keep the paprika off the mac and cheese (again, for the sake of the kids) and last (yeah, for the kids) told us that the book written by the bassist from Phish my daughter was perusing was harmless. Now, I can't think of a single restaurant, anywhere, which would have likely done any of these three things, let alone all three. That's what I call service. And our chocolate/peanut butter shake was the best either of us had ever had.

I can understand the frustration with wait times, but from my five or so experiences there, Adam & Malaika have been nothing less that gracious hosts. The first time, I'll admit, I was slightly put off by the wait, but when you realize that there is one person in the kitchen, I guess it's expected.

I feel Vitesse's sentiment really echoes why I like the place. The food is very good (not to say we couldnt make something similar at home), but I find the environment very welcoming to the mix of the Hermosa/Logan Sqaure community.

I made my inaugural visit to the Brown Sack recently and I was definitely impressed. In fact, my expectations, which were pretty high -- due to this thread and the recent GNR nomination of the Brown Sack -- were easily exceeded . . .


The Brown Sack - 3706 W Armitage



Spicy Pozole with Smoked Pork
This was a complexly-flavored soup, which included pork ribs that had been smoked on Galewood Cookshack's smoker, which is (or at least was, on this day) located just outside the restaurant.



Vegetable Soup
I'm guessing this wasn't vegetarian but it was sensational, with lots of greens and beans that were perfect -- tender but not mushy -- in texture. The broth was fantastic, with a deep, rich flavor.



Meatball Sub
Great rendition. The meatballs, which had a nice definition, were tasty, as was the sauce. The bread was also excellent, with just enough tug to be substantial without making the sandwich difficult to eat.



BLT with Shrimp & Avocado
I absolutely loved this BLT. It was dressed with just the right amount of condiments and the combination of bacon, shrimp and avocado was even better than it sounds.



Cajun Po'Boy
Another fantastic sandwich. This included ham, turkey and some spicy mayonnaise, along with lettuce and tomato. It was actually hard for me to decide whether I liked this or the BLT more. They were both among the best non-deli restaurant sandwiches I've had in Chicago in a long time.



Apple Ginger Cole Slaw
Sides are hardly throw-aways at the Brown Sack. In fact, this delicious cole slaw, which delivered a gentle nudge of heat, was as good a slaw as I can remember. Needless to say, many sides are made in-house. You don't get something this good out of a plastic container.



Potato Salad
Another winning side. Perfectly cooked potatoes, a wonderful dressing and fresh herbs. Better than textbook.



Mac & Cheese
A serious rendition, which included some very flavorful, pungent cheeses. It was restrained in that it was not a saucy version. Yet the cheese was gooey-melty and the noodles were comfortingly tender.

Not pictured is an Oreo milkshake that was simply fantastic. I thought that the portions were generous and the prices were very reasonable, especially given the quality and care that so obviously went into the food. Sandwiches were $6.25 each. They came with chips but the excellent sides we enjoyed only cost $1.00. Mac & Cheese was $2.50. I loved the vibe, too. I was worried that the Brown Sack would be too 'crunchy-granola' for me but that was hardly the case. This is a fun place that doesn't take itself too seriously nor put philosophy ahead of taste. But this isn't merely great food for the price, it's simply great food. The Brown Sack is a gem; a place you feel lucky to have experienced. Frankly, I did not know that a place like this existed in Chicago. It's seems so simple and yet, if it were, wouldn't a bunch of people run places like it?

As if the food weren't enough, during our meal, the sound system played a stream of a Johnny and June Carter Cash concert that was recorded in 1994. I am a huge JC fan and for this 'Country-G' wannabe, it was a total treat, a fantastic show, and one I'd never heard before. It was like a greatest hits album of perfect renditions -- and Johnny and June sounded as good as I'd ever heard them. They were almost a match for the food.

Fwiw, our visit was at about 1:15 pm, which seemed like a great time to be there. Whatever lunch rush there might have been had faded and there was only one other 2-top in the restaurant at the time. It still took a few minutes -- maybe 15 -- for our sandwiches to be made but if it had taken twice as long, it still would have easily been worth the wait.

=R=

I'm prolly just gonna echo what's already been stated quite a few times, but I think another positive statement is warranted. It was my first visit today, and this seems to be one of those places that actually takes pride in their product. We had:
Veggie Chili:
Great flavor. A touch on the thick side was the broth, and pretty well loaded with beans. I would have liked a few other veggies for contrast, but this stuff was really good. It had a nice backnote of chipotle - very subtle, very nice.

Pozole:
Flavor wasn't deep as a homemade or abuelita brew, but I was liking this stuff big time. Strong smoke flavor, and a decent kick at the end. The corn had a nice chew to it, and I would have eaten as much of this as was available if given the chance.

Chicken salad sammich:
This belonged to my d/c, so I only had a bite. It was good. Really good. There was a definite hint of a spice/herb I couldn't place in this chicky salad tho. No matter. I do know that I would order it again with no hesitation.

Pulled Pork Sammich
Smoke, Smoke, SMOKE!
This stuff was SMOKED. The bun was grilled with a little bit of oil, and I was pretty much in pig flesh on a greezy bun heaven. It was served w/ slaw on which I was hesitant about, but I would get it same way again - no problem.

Split a side of mac&cheese, and this was made like my mama does it. I have to get her in here. She won't believe it.

Potato salad was excellent.
Apple ginger slaw on it's own was a touch sweet for my taste, but the d/c happily ate it all up.
Oat smoothie was splendid.
This place kicks butt. Kinda reminds me of the Depot Diner in a way. Simple. Good. Done well. With pride.
Thank you, LTH for yet another stellar meal, in a little, out of the way, unassuming spot.

Arrgh! I was all set to compare the vanilla shake from the Counter with the one at the Brown Sack. We trekked all the way there. I was ready to suggest the roast beef sandwich for DH. I was set to have chilli and mac & cheese. We parked. They were closed.

We trekked across town for a delicious pizza and salad at Spacca Napoli. We phoned first.

Cheers,

I was right there with you today, and ended up around the corner at El Cubanito. I'll repost this to the main thread with the actual hours (I took a pic) and mods may merge.

No worries. I just did not want anyone else to land there like I did.

I have been away for a while. How did the Brown Sack miss getting a GNR nomination? I cannot believe it. I know location matters, but I figured we had a lot of folks on this site who live in Logan Square area.

Since all of the country has been working really hard for what they believe in an election year, how do we make sure The Brown Sack is definitely in the running next year. I wish they would just move around the corner from me in the old White Linen space on North Avenue. I am sure the rent is much higher, but they would definitely get a dinner crew and I think the neighborhood could handle a few dollars more per item (I know there is a recession).

Cheers,

Ava

Ava - you will be thrilled to know that Brown Sack was nominated this year. Keep watching the board for the next few weeks.

As noted by a few of the unluckier among us today, The Brown Sack is closed on Sundays for the rest of the winter (unspecified stop date).

The current hours are: 11 AM - 8 PM, Tuesday - Saturday.

If you're hankering for a sandwich nearby on a Sunday or Monday, let me re-highlight El Cubanito around the corner on Pulaski.

PSSSSST!

Seebee's hot giardiniera might be available here if you ask for it by name: "Seebee's Giardiniera."

pairs4life wrote:
I have been away for a while. How did the Brown Sack miss getting a GNR nomination? I cannot believe it. I know location matters, but I figured we had a lot of folks on this site who live in Logan Square area.

Just to keep it honest. TBS *IS* currently a GNR nominee. I would have nominated it last time around but it had only been there a short time when I would have had to do so and I used my nomination for fRedhots and Fries. One of the qualifications for a GNR is that there has been a volume of discussion on the nominee. At this time last year, TBS had a thread about a page long, if that. So while there were those of us that loved the place pretty much from the day it opened, it needed a bit of time before it could take its place as a GNR.

After a long absence from both Chicago and my favorite restaurants, I'm finally starting to get back into the swing of things. After having had the pleasure of sitting with my good friends from the Brown Sack family last night at the GNR awards dinner while they got their much deserved award, I stopped by TBS today for lunch. Along with the always good Ruben (pastrami this time), I had what was easily the best milkshake I have had in Chicago.... ever...

Adam suggested last night I try their blueberry shake. It was actually less like a normal milkshake and more like taking fresh blueberries, cream and sugar and blending them. It had no trace of that slightly fake taste that most shakes have, even when made with fresh fruit. I'm not sure why this often happens, especially with strawberry shakes, but this had nothing but berry and sweet cream flavor. As always the first half needs to be eaten with a spoon due to the thickness. Do yourself a favor and try this before it is gone for the season, it is outrageous!

The Brown Sack Blueberry Milkshake

Lucantonio had a day off from school today so I took him for lunch to the Brown Sack. I had told him that they were one of the latest round of GNR winners (by the way, their plaque is already up). After his first sip of the oreo milkshake, he looked up and said in a low, serious voice, "This is VERY good." He went for the mac and cheese but actually liked my lunch even better, spicy pork chipotle chili. The bowl contained a generous portion of excellent pulled pork, including some browned outer bits. At the end of lunch I asked, "So, do you agree that this place deserves an award?" He replied, "They deserve TWO awards!"

I'm sure we'll be back soon to try more things.

P.S. The jumbo box of crayons was also a big hit...

My boyfriend and I made it to the Brown Sack for the first time last Saturday. That spicy pork chipotle chili was sooooooooooooooo good. They are so nice there! In addition to ordering a cajun po'boy and a shrimp & avocado BLT, we ordered a bowl of chili and chocolate milkshake to share. Adam was so kind to split our servings into two cups for the chili and milkshake. It was a very nice gesture. Everything was prepared with care and so delicious, I can't wait to return.

LTH,

Lunch yesterday at Brown Sack, hadn't been in a while and was once again struck by the friendly cozy neighborhood aspect. Had shrimp/avocado BLT, which has been justifiably praised upthread, and warming on a blustery day posole made with smoked pork from, what I am assuming, Grace Delcano's (Galewood Cookshack BBQ pit.

Also had the opportunity to try SeeBee's giardiniera, which fits the flavor profile SeeBee described here to a tee. I liked the giardiniera, went perfect with the shrimp/avocado BLT, though I lean to a slightly more oily giard. Steve Z took a picture of the giardiniera, which I'm thinking he may very well post.

Reasonable prices, fresh ingredients, interesting tasty food, nice people. I will be back soon.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:Also had the opportunity to try SeeBee's giardiniera, which fits the flavor profile SeeBee described here to a tee. I liked the giardiniera, went perfect with the shrimp/avocado BLT, though I lean to a slightly more oily giard. Steve Z took a picture of the giardiniera, which I'm thinking he may very well post.

Sure Gary. Just for you. (nice knifework, seebee!)



We also tried a side order of the shrimp & grits. The grits are made with a pinch of sugar, giving the dish a slightly sweet profile.

G Wiv wrote: I liked the giardiniera, went perfect with the shrimp/avocado BLT, though I lean to a slightly more oily giard.

I recently had a chance to try some of this year's batch, and I will admit that there is less evoo per jar than in years past. My mistake, although not a huge one - it can be rectified lickety split - (add oil.) Sometimes though, since it is a refrigerated product, the oil tends to separate to the top. A skilled user will dip the spoon into the jar, and pull a bit of the congealed oil out along with the veggie mixture. The cold oil mixture melts almost immediately, and you then get your standard (oilyish) giardiniera. Hope you did enjoy it, and it packed a decent amount of heat and flavor for you.

I can't really tell if stevez liked it at all:

stevez wrote:"Nice knifework"

Umm, maybe I won't ask you point blank if you liked it.

But, like I said, maybe you like it, maybe you don't. I brought it over to Adam because it seems like they are good ppl making good (real) food - just a gesture of appreciation for what they have going on over there.

Just to be clear, I liked it a lot, though for me it could have packed quite a bit more heat. I've got a pretty high tolerance. I was amazed at the fine chop you got on the veggies (hence the nice knifework comment). Mine was quite a bit more chunky. Did you use a food processor on this?

The "nice knifework" was, in fact, a Cuisinart. I made about 35 pints of the stuff, and although I do love working with my knives, It's just not worth it. As for the heat, my own personal stash has a higher ratio of habanero and scotch bonnet to serrano. But, when I tried a jar of the Brown Sack batch, I did notice that it had kind of a decent creeper heat to it. You may have a higher tolerance, and I too, do like things a tad hotter, but, I just worked with the peppers my csa guy gave me. In years past, I would only use my habaneros and serranos from my own garden. More of a 1 to 1 ratio. Bright red / orange color throughout the jar. I'll have to request more habanero from my grower for next year. If I get a whole bunch of em, I promise to save you a jar of the "special reserve."

Again, glad you liked it, but the folks at Cuisinart are more deserving of your praise for the knifework.

Just a quick message... you can now see the majority of the menu at the newly designed The Brown Sack website:

http://thebrownsack.com/

Just be sure to enter the address exactly as it appears unless you want to see images that are decidedly less appetizing!

#1 it seems like the website is down.

#2 what is their delivery area? anyone know?

milkruboy wrote:#2 what is their delivery area? anyone know?

You're right - - I'm not getting the website, either, which does provide their delivery area. I think they deliver as far north as Diversey and as far east as Western. I'm not sure about south and west, but perhaps this helps? Can always call, of course.

I think the website is still being tweaked. it has only been up for a short time.

Just give them a ring, they are reasonable about their delivery area.

My mom and I took my 6 week old on her first restaurant outing to the Brown Sack today. (it was our first trip there as well.)

I had the grilled veggie sandwich and potato salad, and my mom had the BLT with avocado (no shrimp) and apple-ginger cole slaw. My sandwich was absolutely perfect, with the most deliciously caramelized plantains, and the potato salad was really good. My mom loved her sandwich and we both loved the apple-ginger cole slaw. Our whole meal was absolutely delicious. Malaika was possibly the nicest person I've ever encountered in a restaurant.

(best of all, Princess Grace of ColicLand slept thru lunch, tucked between tables in her stroller:)

The Brown Sack is one of those places I want to bring everyone I know, because it's so good and the owners are so nice. I never would've found it without LTH, so thanks to everyone who shared this gem.

sweetsalty wrote:(best of all, Princess Grace of ColicLand slept thru lunch, tucked between tables in her stroller:)

Always nice when their highnesses deign to let one eat lunch...