North/Northwest suburbs beef + fresh-cut fries?

Got a hankering for an IB, and every place within a couple miles that I can think of does skinny food-service fries.
I'm not even looking for world-class Italian Beef, but I'm not wasting caloric intake on skinny fries.
In an outward spiral from here:

• Photo's: OK beef, skinny fries
• Gyros Factory: Pretty good beef, skinny fries
• Dog Walk: OK beef, skinny fries
• Heffy's: Same as Gyros Factory (owned by brothers)
• Rand Red Hots: No beef, fresh-cut fries
• Superdawg Wheeling: No beef, fresh-cut crinkle fries
• Josh's: Good beef, skinny fries
• Tore and Luke's, Decent beef, skinny fries
• Nikko's: Decent beef, skinny fries
• Portillo's Des Plaines: Very good beef, skinny fries
• Dengeo's Wheeling: Excellent beef, skinny fries
• Johnnie's Arlington Heights: Great beef, still skinny fries (I think -- I'd love to be wrong)

What have I missed?

You could try Gina's. Some of the best fries around and the beef is pretty good.

Gina's
1222 West Irving Park Road
Bensenville

midas wrote:You could try Gina's. Some of the best fries around and the beef is pretty good.

Gina's
1222 West Irving Park Road
Bensenville

Thanks, but a little far.

The beef is not something I'd endorse, but Cooker's fries are what you are looking for:
http://cookersredhotsdeerfield.com/

Wish I could point you to the best beef in the area for a 1 2 punch. Maybe Josh's? Teddyfabz?
If you suffer through the Cooker's beef for the fries, don't say you were not warned. Get the fries, skip the beef.

I'm not vouching on beef OR fries at any of these places, they just seem in the OP's lunch radius.

Paradise Pup?
Mr Beef & Pizza?
PJ Moondoggies? (Looks like the fries flunk)
Charcoal Delights?

I didn't know if Paradise Pup had beefs. I may have to check out Mr Beef. I settled for good fries and a dog at Rand Red Hots.

JoelF wrote:I didn't know if Paradise Pup had beefs. I may have to check out Mr Beef. I settled for good fries and a dog at Rand Red Hots.

Paradise Pup has beefs, but that's definitely not something I'd recommend. ..plus their fries aren't fresh cut. If Mr. Beef & Pizza is a branch of the one on Harlem south of Irving, that may be a good lead. They have the goods at the Harlem location, so check it out.

I know this may seem odd, and maybe not even supported by many people on LTHforum, but I've had nothing but good experiences with the franchise Al's Beef locations in both Park Ridge on Higgins and the location in Niles. The Italian beefs have always been spot on, especially Al's reddish, cinnamon and/or nutmeg flavored gravy. And their signature heavily oiled hot giardiniera, with crunchy celery, capers, and dried red pepper flakes has always been very good, too. I know it may not be popular here on LTHforum because these locations are not the original on Taylor Street, but I'm just calling it the way I see it. Their fresh cut fries have always been very good, too. Are they as good as the fresh cut fries at Gene and Jude's or Jimmy's at Grand and Pulaski? No, but Al's fresh cut fries are pretty darn good in their own right.

Just my humble two cents.

The skinny fries at Tore and Lukes on Rand are very, very good. They must use lard or something, as they are the best skinny fries I have ever had. Their beef is solid and consistent.

First of all, re: Al's fries vs Gene n Judes: while GnJ is my betrothed and it is the World's Greatest Hot Dog Stand*, I actually like Al's fries a bit better. They fry them in away that really brings out the sweetness in the potato.

Second, Cookers: I know some people who think the fries there are almost on par with GnJ (cough Mom cough Dad), but sorry guys, not close. I suspect they're of the same "fresh-cut" company that supplies Poochies, Dear Franks and others.

Third, an answer: Not that long ago, I decided to step into Mario's, the pizza place that's been there for a long, long time at Shermer just south of Willow--Joel you should know that area VERY well. The beef was OK (but big), but the fries were decently fresh. Maybe also manufactured fresh as noted above, but I'm not sure. I was impressed.

Man, for the days when Little Louie's would have been the answer.

*Remember before the Wall St. Journal and Rachel Ray told you, who told you first.

VI, deepdish - thanks for the info. Next craving I will try Al's. Is the Park Ridge one any good? It's marginally closer.

I'd forgotten entirely about Little Louie's, but they haven't been the same since they moved from the original shack, and had to change the fryer oil. Are they no longer fresh-cut?

I realize Bob-O's is really northwest side of Chicago, but their fresh cut fries are among the best around, and they make a very respectable Italian beef (and cheesy beef - provolone? and light-garlic bread). Owned by parents of one of the owners of Rand Red Hots.

BR wrote:I realize Bob-O's is really northwest side of Chicago, but their fresh cut fries are among the best around, and they make a very respectable Italian beef (and cheesy beef - provolone? and light-garlic bread). Owned by parents of one of the owners of Rand Red Hots.

+1

Cookers fries are indeed great, cut in house and you can sometimes see pails of them soaking in the kitchen. I have to admit, I normally get the char grilled chicken pita and not the beef.

Beef Shack
Roselle Rd in Hoffman Estates.

Very good beef and fresh cut fries.

@BR: I love Bob-O's. Great spot for Italian beef and hot dogs. Good stuff all the way around.

@JoelF: I've had nothing but great experiences at the Park Ridge Al's Beef. Love it. Last fall, I had a mini beef-a-thon between Al's in Park Ridge, Niles, and the original location on Taylor Street in one afternoon. Yes, you read that correctly, and yes I'm out of my mind. But it was a great day, let me tell you. They were all equally excellent on every level. I'm sure quality from the different Al's can vary, but these two franchise Al's have always been excellent.

JoelF - Portillos crinkle fries are cooked in beef tallow, and I personally love them, but I usually ask for mine well done because they are excellent right out of the fryer. And I think they still do one of my favorite beef sandwiches.

I always will take a great beef with frozen fries over a fair beef and fresh cut fries. I guess my love for most fries trumps my hatred for fair to mediocre beef (of which is the majority out there).

I think for beef and fresh cut fries, Al's is your best overall bet. I absolutely love their fries and the beef is in my top 2. And I have to say I've been really impressed the last few times I've had Al's franchise locations (Touhy Ave/Niles location and Wrigleyville location on Clark). My usual order is a Regular Al with extra meat.

Bob-O's does a solid beef and fries. But it's in the shadow of one of my favorites - Mr. Beef and Pizza (only the location on Harlem by Irving Park), 5 minutes from there. I have never had the northwest suburbs Mr. Beef and Pizza, which is not related and supposedly not as good.

BR wrote:I realize Bob-O's is really northwest side of Chicago, but their fresh cut fries are among the best around, and they make a very respectable Italian beef (and cheesy beef - provolone? and light-garlic bread). Owned by parents of one of the owners of Rand Red Hots.

Another big thumbs up to Bob O's. Good beef sandwich at a great stand with a hilarious staff. They also have a ridiculous sampler platter that is something like: small size of any 3 sandwiches for like $8. It's been a while since I've been there but I want to return just to tackle this beast of an order.

To answer the OP's question, if memory serves me correctly Duke's in Jefferson Park is just barely still in the city but they serve fresh-cut fries. The sandwich was pretty good but what I remember most about it was the size, it had about 2 regular sandwiches worth of meat stuffed into it.

5659 North Central Avenue

Can't speak to their beef, and they are on the outer edge of your range, but they meet the criteria. Fries are fresh cut and satisfy but they have been inconsistent on their burger preparation so they have fallen out of my regular lunch rotation. If I'm wanting an IB, I'm headed to Johnnie's or Portillo's.

Scooby's
1039 S Arlington Heights Rd
Arlington Heights, IL
(847) 718-0550
Menu

{extraneous quote snipped}

eating while walking wrote: Another big thumbs up to Bob O's. Good beef sandwich at a great stand with a hilarious staff. They also have a ridiculous sampler platter that is something like: small size of any 3 sandwiches for like $8. It's been a while since I've been there but I want to return just to tackle this beast of an order.
To answer the OP's question, if memory serves me correctly Duke's in Jefferson Park is just barely still in the city but they serve fresh-cut fries. The sandwich was pretty good but what I remember most about it was the size, it had about 2 regular sandwiches worth of meat stuffed into it.
5659 North Central Avenue

On Saturday night, on the way to a sexpositive event in Niles, I stopped off at Duke's on N. Central Ave.
You have to be careful when querying for this Duke's lest you get a shack on S. Harlem Ave.
I had its italian beef meal deal. For $9.30 [incl. tax], I got a solid sandwich stuffed to the gills with beef, plus krinkle-cut fries (which makes me think they're institutional - not fresh-cut), and a small soft drink [Coca-Cola products]. Whether I got this much beef was because I spoke italian beef lingo, or because it was 35 minutes before closing, I cannot ascertain. YMMV. The hot peppers on my sandwich were also my preference: Celery, carrots, cauliflower, and green olives.
No photos, sorry. I don't take my camera when going to sexpositive events.
Aside from the lack of fresh-cut french fries, I encourage you to give here a shot.
Duke's
5659 N. Central Ave. (@ Elston Ave.)
Chicago, IL. 60646
773-763-1866
Visa & Mastercard accepted.

I don't know what they use but those skinny fries at Tore and Lukes are awfully good.

Nikko’s has closed for good = https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20 ... d-for-good

Dave148 wrote:Nikko’s has closed for good = https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20 ... d-for-good

Beat me to it. Only good news is it's the owners of Ttowa in Arlington Heights taking on the space to make an upscale Korean place.