Tony's Italian Beef

I've mentioned Tony's several times on Chowhound but am happy to do it again as it's one of the better beef stands in the city and another one that gets overlooked by those outside the neighborhood.

The house-made Italian beef is thin sliced, tender and tasty. Gravy seems to have a bit more body than at most places. Bread (probably Gonnella) is decent and shows proper strength even when wet. Giardiniera is clearly freshly made and is generally very good but shows considerable batch-to-batch variability. The last time I was there it contained a few garbanzos, something you don't see every day. For the complete package I'd rate Tony's highly.

Tony's menu is fairly extensive for a beef stand. I can vouch for the made-to-order pepper and egg sandwich, now served every day, as one of the better renditions around. There's a nice selection of breakfast subs and they offer One Eyed Jacks (an egg fried under toast) for a buck and a half.

Most people have their orders to go but there's a formica counter with about 10 stools so eating there is no problem at all. There are small bowls of hard candies sitting atop the napkin dispensers so you can even have an after-dinner mint!

Before you have that mint consider there's a pretty good nieveria a couple doors north at 7003. A nice selection of ice creams, water ices, and paletas. The people who work there seem especially nice and are more than willing to provide numerous samples. Just north of there is Alferdow's (7001) where you can puff on a hookah for a while.

Tony's Italian Beef
"When Was the Last Time You Had a REALLY Great Sandwich?"
7007 S Pulaski Rd
Chicago
773-284-6787
Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 11am-10pm

Don't forget the breaded steak - a huge (King-size, at least, by Ricobene's standards) rendition with a nice red sauce. My grandmother lives nearby, so I used to go to Tony's a lot, although recently I've been stuck in the Vito & Nick's rut (not such a bad rut to be stuck in).

Not out that way for breakfast very often, but I'm intrigued by the "good breakfast subs" comment. Did you mean bacon, egg & cheese and derivations there of on a hoagie roll? I would travel early for those if they were good.

Glad to hear someone else knows and likes Tony's. I've definitely had their breaded steak but probably not for a couple years (it was good then). The only thing I had there I didn't like was the Poor Boy (basically a not-so-great hamburger on thick toast) recommended in the Streets & San Man's Guide. In spite of that I think Tony's is a superior Chicago-style sandwich place.

When talking about their breakfast subs I should have said nice sounding because, with the exception of the pepper and egg, I haven't tried any of them. When I was last there recently a couple guys waiting for their order mentioned they liked the steak and egg breakfast sandwich. Looking at the menu, that could be either the rib eye with 2 eggs and cheese or the "Sicilian grilled steak" with grilled onions, peppers, eggs and mozzarella. Their regular breakfast sub contains eggs, bacon, sausage, ham and cheese. Other egg-based sandwiches include Italian sausage or chorizo with peppers, onions etc. They also have plenty of omelets, pancakes, hash browns and the like. Breakfast hours are 6-11 Mon-Fri, 8-11 on Sat. Hmm, I think I convinced myself at least.

Yesterday, after reading the initial post, I got a bit hungry. And as luck would have it, I was to be in that exact neighborhood visiting a customer before lunch, so I made the trip over to Tony's.

I walked in, and there were already spirited debates going on, Cubs vs. Sox, Kerry v. Bush, etc. The person that I assume was Tony was gregarious and a lot of fun.

I decided to try the regular beef (wet), which was more than enough, and made me wonder just how big the larger size beef offered was. The beef did have a slightly darker gravy than I am used to, and was well spiced (leaving my lips tingling for about 10 minutes after I left), although I thought a bit too salty. The gonnella roll held together somewhat until near the end. The fries were fresh and good, although they went a little crazy with the seasoned salt.

Overall, I would rate the place highly, not as high as a place like Johnnies, but well above average definitely.

Glenn

Nearly seven years later, Tony's needs some attention and thus the thread is reborn. I've been on a Tony's kick recently having found myself out that way around Midway alot of late. I hadn't had a beef from Tony's since high school (late 90's) but was happy I finally gave in and got one on a recent trip last week. It's still a great beef and everything Rene G described it as back in '04 when this thread was born. I tend to get other things there like the breaded steak and meatball but da beef is pretty damn good too.


a locals favorite at 70th and Pulaski

In case anyone was wondering about good spots to grab Italian beef and other city favorites catered for Super Sunday or otherwise, Tony's is a really good bet.


It's all pretty damn good...

The best part of da beef over at Tony's is the beef itself. This is a good thing since that's the most important part of the sandwich, ya know? Definitely their #1 seller, they go thru a bunch on a daily basis and so thus it's always sliced fresh and never sitting long, all in a day's work. I think the bread is ok and the gravy is legit, the peppers are different. Just as Rene G said they are without a doubt made fresh with a heavy blend of jalapenos, very small pieces of celery and quite a few of those beans he mentioned with lots of oil, I don't really care either way about the blend I just wish they were hotter. All in all this is a very good beef and the fact it's stayed the same over time is great.


beef with hot (garbanzo beans included)

Tony's slogan goes by "When Was the Last Time You Had a REALLY Great Sandwich?" but I like to use another saying to describe it - Tony's "the safest place to eat in all of Chicago". I will set the odd's at 5/2 that you will see at least two if not quite a few CPD in their enjoying some rest and relaxation from the streets while putting down one of Tony's really great sandwiches.


Some of the sandwiches there

Recent Conversation overheard at Tony's

CPD #1: So what are some of da spots you's went to while you was over there?

CPD #2: Well I really liked this place called Jimmy's over on Grand and Pulaski but the neighborhood there is shit. You always gotta take a call about something and rush out! You could also get movies though so that was cool. My favorite was Superdawg, this Drive In on Milwaukee right down from the station, that place is great.

CPD #1: Oh yea, I heard of dat place, dey spell it D-A-W-G over der right?

CPD #2: Yea that's it

CPD #1: Goddamn my last partner used to be over at da station right there and dat's all he talked about. I'm gonna have to try it, maybe I'll ride my bike up der dis summer. I only get chili cheese dogs from here, I don't get hot dogs from nowhere else. NOWHERE!

Haha, you'll hear convos like this all day inside there. I have a few friends on the force and they all love them some Tony's and on a return trip form a bachelor party a few years back one of them insisted I get a breaded steak which I was hesitant to do. I pretty much gave up on them, finding most renditions of the southside specialty to be chewy and gristly. Well this was a return trip from Vegas and I was very hungover so I said screw it and got me a breaded steak. It's now one of my go-to guilty pleasures, when I need one I'll drive out there if I'm not already out that way. Another guilty pleasure for me is the Continental chicken which is a fried chix patty with Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese topped with lettuce, tomato and their special sauce and served on toasted light rye. It all adds up with this one.


Breaded Steak (L) Continental Chicken (R)

I haven't tried the chili cheese dog the PoPo was raving about (he had two) but will get to one after I try a pepper & egg sandwich. I've been wanting too my last few visits but cant pass on one of the steak makes. Now that that I see it's got the experts approval, I'm all over it. Next time. The Sicilian steak is one of the better steak sandwiches in town. Like the breaded steak, the grilled steak is tender and there is no friction and resistance when eating the thing.


Sicilian grilled steak topped w/ grilled onions, sweet peppers and cheese

Rene G wrote:I think Tony's is a superior Chicago-style sandwich place.

True Story.

Tony's Italian Beef
7007 South Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629-5823
(773) 284-6787

Great post beef! Can't wait to check this place out!!!

A lot of Chicago's Finest do indeed love Tony's. This particular district that Tony's is located in ( 008th District ) is a very fast district, and not in a good way. It's dangerous, but at least there's great places to eat. When South Side coppers want great thin crust pizza, Vito and Nick's is usually the gold standard. And if it's not Vito and Nick's, then you'll run into them at the Home Run Inn on Archer Ave. And when it comes to Tacos, Zaca Taco is it.

Coppers definitely love food, and not in a donut way. They simply know food because they work in every neighborhood in the city, and every neighborhood has their own distinct culinary treasures.

Good Eating,

deepdish

Any clue if this place is affiliated with the Tony's Italian Beef that's opened recently on Mannheim near Irving? Their main website doesn't show the location, but I've seen other mentions that it is.

I have been going here for several years and I am never disappointed. I usually get the Sicilian steak sandwich but I also like their beef sammy and pepper and egg. Before Zacataco opened down the block this was my got to place in the area.

Wonder if Tonys in Palos Park is good? Close by, will have to try duh beef dear soon!

Tony's Italian Beef
9664 W 131st St.
Palos Park IL 60464
708 671-1710
http://www.tonysbeef.com/

Cbot wrote:Wonder if Tonys in Palos Park is good? Close by, will have to try duh beef dear soon!

Tony's Italian Beef
9664 W 131st St.
Palos Park IL 60464
708 671-1710
http://www.tonysbeef.com/

you ever get into this spot cbot?

i popped in today, figured 3 different combos in 3 days is all good.

Tony's Palos - located in a strip mall @ 131st and LaGrange roads - along with a Jewels:



went combo, I just like the added sausage, I rarely just get an IB.

biggest sandwich this week, maybe 10", w/12" sausage link. Pepper mix is as da beef said, with garbonzo beans(and olives..excellent.).... Nice sandwich decent beef, bread was good, not my favorite recently, but a more than decent sandwich.


Tony's combo - hot:



ill go back.

Sorry to rain on the parade but both my brother and I hit Tony's on Pulaski as our last stop out of 4 beef joints one day in November. We both though it was decent, and not much else.