Lucky's Sandwich Co - Primanti Bros in Wrigleyville??

The discussion of Primanti Bros on the Beyond Chicagoland board reminded me I should post on Lucky's, the Primanti's wannabe in Wrigleyville. I haven't yet visited Pittsburgh so am unable to compare Lucky's with the genuine article. Several years ago I made my one and only visit to Costello's in Lincoln Square and tried The Mess, their sad little attempt at a Primanti Bros sandwich. Lucky's is considerably better than that but I suspect it too misses the mark.

I only visited Lucky's once and tried some sort of combo sandwich (corned beef, capicola, and cheese I think). It was big and messy but seemed rather unbalanced, with too many fries and not enough meat, making it a little bland. The cole slaw was generously applied and was the dominant flavor. I'm not yet ready to write off Lucky's entirely and ought to go back for another sandwich, maybe kolbassi and cheese with a fried egg. Really, I guess I ought to go to Pittsburgh.

Has anyone else tried Lucky's? I'd especially like to hear from anyone who has also been to Primanti Bros.

Lucky's Sandwich Co
3472 N Clark St
Chicago
773-549-0665
Sun-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-3am

too many fries and not enough meat,

Rene, that one statement accurately reflects the downside of Lucky's. They take the Jimmy John's approach of using as little meat as possible.

YourPalWill wrote: They take the Jimmy John's approach of using as little meat as possible.

Will,

One of my wife's nephew's owns a couple of Jimmy John's. I've never eaten at one, if I do I'm afraid I'll tell him what I really think next time I see him.

Actually, who knows, it might be good, though I imagine there's a reason Jimmy J's are located mainly in college towns.

Enjoy,
Gary

if you go to JJ, get the gargantuan. it has enough meat and it really is tasty.

OK. I'll give the garantuan a try and report back. I think the bread is great at Jimmy John's.

YourPalWill wrote: I think the bread is great at Jimmy John's.

You do??? It didn't seem very substantial to me when I went to JJs on two different occasions. The word insipid comes to mind. Give me a Bari Deli sub any day of the week. I'd even take a Potbelly sub over a JJs, given the choice.

As a Primanti proponent, I have been meaning to step into Lucky's for a comparison. The menu is a little off in terms of possible meats, but it seems you can construct a typical sandwich easy enough.

Of course, my main source of doubt is, as always, the bread. The essential local ingredient, bread is why cheesesteaks can only be so good outside Philly, Cubans outside S. Florida, etc., etc. The Primanti bread, from a Strip bakery nearby, is a thick, squishy Italian affair, somewhat like the bread one gets in Greektown here, sans the seeds. Not sure what Lucky's uses.

Mimi is a Chicagoan of French ancestry. She is as wide as she is tall, she drops serious French accent into her South-Side-ese, and I'm betting she makes the best sandwich in Chicago.

I've followed her from a little storefront on Wilson Ave (where she also operated her catering business) to a some-time venue in a closet-like space connected to The Long Room (a bar on Irving Park, just W. of Ashland), and finally to Sweet Occasions, an ice-cream/candy shop on Damen, just N of Montrose (under the el tracks). She's there most of the time.

Get the Citronette with ham and extra feta. Holy Smokes. You will have died and gone to heaven. Plenty of meat, good hunks of creamy (not dry) feta, cornichon, delicious lemony dressing and THE BEST CRUSTY BREAD! Bread freshly delivered M-Sat. Don't go on Sunday, unless it's for the ice cream, which is secondary for me.

My friends and I call it the $8 sandwich. We'd never pay that for any sandwich but Mimi's.

It's worth every penny (and you may even have a leftover bit for later snacking!)

--STACEY

A friend just alerted me to this newish restaurant...

Lucky's Sandwich Co
3472 N Clark St, Chicago
(773) 549-0665


"Chicago's home for the overstuffed Sandwich"
(Photo courtesy of Lucky's website)

I have been to Perry's where they top the sandwich with coleslaw beefing up the size but at Lucky's they also add fries.


Perry's Deli

I thought that place had been around for a few years.

PlayItGeorge wrote:I thought that place had been around for a few years.

Doh! Perhaps I should of said "Newish to me".

How is it?

From what I have read the meat is a little on the skimpy side.

Here's a five year old thread on Lucky's. I haven't managed to return in all that time. I guess that says something right there.

Their food was decent when they opened up and operated as a fast food restaurant with order at the counter, seat yourself setup. Succumbing to the idiotic atmosphere of the neighborhood they quickly slapped an Irish bar facade on the place and hoisted the banner of some Midwestern university. I haven't been back since. Like I said, the food was OK. If it hasn't changed, it's still OK.

I only learned of this place when I saw the Chicago episode of "Man vs Food" on the Travel Channel. It sounds like a knock off the Pittsburgh Primanti Bros. sandwich to me

I loved this place when I lived by Wrigley a few years ago. My wife did not for some reason. So I wasn't able to go there much. I guess it got super popular now cause of MvF. I liked it before the remodel, now it's too upscale looking.

Chitown B wrote:I loved this place when I lived by Wrigley a few years ago. My wife did not for some reason. So I wasn't able to go there much. I guess it got super popular now cause of MvF. I liked it before the remodel, now it's too upscale looking.

Maybe she didn't have a burning desire to have french fries on her sandwiches

Probably. I think they were just too big and she felt gross trying to eat the whole thing. ha

top because I miss Lucky's