Chicago-Style delivered to my door?

Hello all, first off let me say very informative site, am I glad I browsed through this magazine in my hotel room informing me of your site.

I am a born and raised New Yorker (Manhattan) in Chicago for the week on business, I am also a foodie and I love trying out the specialty food from every city I visit on business. This is my first time in Chicago and I have long waited to try the dog's, beef and combo's.

I have already ate at Lou Malnati's and a place called tempo cafe but business has me busy and I am curious where I can find a good* hot dog/beef delivered to my hotel room? I am staying at the Hyatt on east Wacker. Thanks to all for your help and ill be sure to post on some NYC treasures in the future.

*One the locals eat.

According to GrubHub.com, Al's Beef on Ontario will deliver to your hotel. You're limited by needing something that can be delivered downtown, but Al's is pretty good. Portillo's might also deliver, and in a sense, they might be a good choice for your first dip into Italian beef; sort of standard, not fantastic but solid beef, a good way to set your dials.

Al's would be my first choice for Italian beef . . . if and only if it came from the original Al's on Taylor St. I'm guessing it's coming from the one on Ontario, but I'm not sure. I'd ask.

If it's coming from the one on Ontario (a franchise and not the original), I'd probably suggest going with Portillo's. I prefer Portillo's to any of the Al's franchises. From Portillo's, you can get Italian beef, Italian sausages, hot dogs and Maxwell Street Polish sausages. You're not going to get the best of any of these, but I think all are respectable versions. Portillo's departs from tradition by making available cheddar on their beef and hard rolls for their Polish sausages.

I just checked the major delivery websites and it appears as if both Al's and Portillo's will deliver to you. As far as delivery goes, you have a few options: www.ceodeliveries.com, www.diningin.com and www.grubhub.com. Enjoy and thanks for knocking Favre on his ass!

If you define delivery as jumping in a cab and picking up a go order then you are close enough to hit Mr. Beef and/or the original Al's Beef on Taylor Street. I love Mr. Beef, which is probably a little closer to your hotel, and a lot of people love Al's too. You are also close to a branch of Portillos located at Clark and Ontario. Mr. Beef is strictly a day time operation, the others are open at night. There is an Als in river North but it is not as good as the Taylor St location IMHO. Here is something to consider.

Beef sandwiches deteriorate kinda quickly into soggy messes when you travel with them. I consider them to be an eat in option rather then a take out or delivery option unless it is a pinch. The good news is they are not a 3 hour dinner at Tru, I can eat a beef in under 5 minutes, easy. I would suggest jumping in a cab and grabbing/eating in house and heading home. If you are here for a week you will surely be able to spare at least an hour.

Mr. Beef
666 N. Orleans
Chicago, IL
312-337-8500

Al'S Number 1 Italian Beef
1079 W. Taylor St.,
Chicago, IL
(312) 226-4017

Portillos River North
100 W ONTARIO ST
CHICAGO, IL 60610
(312)587-8930

Go with Mr. Beef on Orleans.

For Hot Dogs go to America's Dog on Navy Pier.

My office downtown just this past Friday ordered a very large order from Portillo's on Clark and Ontario thru Mother Hubbards and it was delivered warm with everything intact at a very fair price.

The beef is an above average version and I think better than the once great Mr. Beef. Also the hot dog's are very good and definetley the best in the area. If you want to try a couple Chicago specialty's not well known outside the city try a chicago tamale or a pizza puff.Chicago has long had a connection with the Delta and most dog/beef joints offer all beef tamale's in cornmeal similar to Mississippi and most come from the same company/factory, Supreme Tamales. Im not sure how the pizza puff came about but most people outside Chicago have never had or seen one on a menu. Nothing special about either of those two but they are good and unique to the city.

One suggestion if you order a beef, order it dry, by the time it is delivered the gravy will have soaked the bread up as opposed to destroyed it if you got it dipped. Ill second the thank you for keeping the pack out.

http://www.motherhubbardexpress.com/

BR wrote:Portillo's departs from tradition by ... and hard rolls for their Polish sausages. Enjoy and thanks for knocking Favre on his ass!

The last time I had the polish from Portillo's they asked whether I wanted the hard roll or the poppyseed bun, so make sure you ask for the bun if you want it that way. And ditto on those wonderful Giants! Now go on and beat them Patriots!

Also, if you order delivery from Portillo's ask for your juice, and hot and/or sweet peppers on the side so you can add it after it's delivered.

imsscott wrote:

BR wrote:Portillo's departs from tradition by ... and hard rolls for their Polish sausages. Enjoy and thanks for knocking Favre on his ass!

The last time I had the polish from Portillo's they asked whether I wanted the hard roll or the poppyseed bun, so make sure you ask for the bun if you want it that way.

I visit the Portillo's on Dempster in Niles weekly and until very recently, they always served the Polish on a poppy seed bun. Of late, they ask you whether you want a hard bun, failing to mention that they will charge you more for the hard and less desirable bun. Oh well . . . I'm still a fan.

iblock9 wrote:Mr. Beef is strictly a day time operation

Actually, Mr. Beef has been advertising late night hours for a little while now. Call ahead for details (or look in the Reader or such), but I seem to recall this being bar-closing kind of hours, not just dinner.