I tried Italian beef from 3 popular Chicago chains, and there's only one sandwich I'd order again

I tried Italian beef from three Chicago staples to find which I liked best.

Alexis Kishimoto

• I ordered an Italian beef sandwich from three Chicago staples: Buona, Portillo's, and Al's Beef.
• Buona's beef was a bit underwhelming, and Al's beef was a bit overpowering.
• Portillo's sandwich took the longest to order, but it was by far the best and worth the wait.

Italian beef is a Chicago staple, and I was excited to try it.

Portillo's, Al's, and Buona are some of the most popular chains for Italian beef.

Alexis Kishimoto

Italian beef is a classic Chicago dish that's increased in popularity after the debut of Hulu's "The Bear," which returned for another season this year. Originally, the show follows a chef returning to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop that sells — you guessed it — Italian beef.

Originating in Chicago in the 1900s, the iconic sandwiches consist of slow-cooked, thin-cut roast beef and au jus on a French roll. I moved to Chicago from Hawaii, so I was curious to try Italian beef.

I wanted to order it at some of the most popular chains, so I asked a Chicagoan for recommendations and settled on three: Buona, Portillo's, and Al's Beef.

To keep things fair, I ordered the original beef without extra cheese or peppers from each location. I also visited each chain on a Saturday around lunchtime.

First, I stopped at Buona.

Buona's specialty is Italian beef.

Alexis Kishimoto

Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto opened the first Buona in 1981. The chain's specialty is Italian beef.

Buona has about 30 locations throughout the greater Chicagoland area. 

The chain was spacious and welcoming.

Buona had tons of seating options.

Alexis Kishimoto

When I walked in, I was surprised by how spacious and open the seating area was — it made for a very welcoming and relaxing environment. There were tons of places to sit, too.

I didn't feel rushed, squished, or like I was in anyone's way. It was a friendly atmosphere, from the reggae music playing over the speakers to the kind employees I interacted with.

The Buona employee who took my order seemed confident I'd love the sandwich.

Based on the welcoming environment and kind staff, I had a great first impression of Buona.

Alexis Kishimoto

After I ordered, the cashier told me I'd be seeing her face a lot because everyone always comes back. She seemed very confident, which made me extra excited to try the sandwich.

My Buona sandwich was wrapped in foil and placed in a paper bag.

I could smell the tasty beef through the wrapper.

Alexis Kishimoto

I could smell the beef and au jus before I even took the sandwich out of the bag. I hadn't tried sandwiches from the other two chains, but I felt like we were off to a promising start.

I was a little disappointed by how skinny the sandwich was.

My Buona sandwich wasn't quite 7 inches long, as advertised.

Alexis Kishimoto

When I peeled back the paper from the sandwich, I was surprised by how small it appeared. It looked like a skinny log and felt light in my hands.

The sandwich was 6 1/2 inches long, though it was advertised on the menu as being 7. It was also 2 inches wide. Still, not a big deal.

Buona did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment when asked about the sandwich's discrepancy in size.

Before taking the first bite, I reminded myself that size doesn't matter, and I should let the flavors do the talking.

This sandwich didn't quite meet my high expectations for Italian beef.

Buona's sandwich was good, but it didn't blow me away.

Alexis Kishimoto

Upon my first bite, I wasn't sure I'd be back frequently like the cashier said.

Buona's Italian beef was simple. It was flavorful, but the main flavor I tasted was pepper. It wasn't overpowering, but the peppery taste lingered on my tongue long after finishing the sandwich.

The bread was fluffy, and the sandwich wasn't messy to eat.

I almost wish the sandwich had been messy since it would've meant more juice.

Alexis Kishimoto

The roll was light and fluffy and didn't steal the show — there was also a great beef-to-bread ratio.

But the bread was just there and didn't bring much flavor or personality to the sandwich. It felt like just something plain to hold the beef in place. 

The sandwich wasn't messy at all, and I barely needed a napkin since the beef wasn't overly juicy and didn't drip onto my fingers. Still, I wish it had been moister with more of the flavorful au jus.

Overall, Buona had a solid sandwich — but it didn't blow me away.

Buona left a little to be desired.

Alexis Kishimoto

Measured length: 6 1/2 inches

Measured width: 2 inches

Wait time to order: none

Wait time for beef: two minutes, 54 seconds

The beef on this sandwich kind of reminded me of flavorful, rehydrated beef jerky, which was not disappointing but didn't meet the high expectations set by the cashier. I wasn't sure the beef was enough to make me a Buona regular.

Next, I went to Portillo's.

Portillo's is also famous for its hot dogs.

Alexis Kishimoto

Portillo's began in 1963 as a small trailer opened by Dick Portillo. Since then, it's become a Chicago staple known for its hot dogs, chocolate cake, cheese fries, and, of course, Italian beef. 

Most of Portillo's 75+ locations are in Illinois, but it's in some other states, including Florida, Michigan, and Arizona.

Portillo's was bustling, but I immediately felt welcome.

The employees were helpful and upbeat.

Alexis Kishimoto

As soon as I entered Portillo's, I was greeted by a lively employee who jokingly pulled me in on an invisible rope and guided me to the lines to order in.

The inside of Portillo's felt totally different from the outside. It felt like a funky train station, and there were props and decorations scattered from the floor to the ceiling. The Dean Martin-esque music playing in the background transported me to the 1950s.

There were two lines, each with about 10 people. Customers were constantly coming in and out. Within five seconds of standing in line, two groups had already entered behind me.

It felt like an experience, not just a place to eat.

Portillo's is so cool inside.

Alexis Kishimoto

Based on my phone timer, I waited a little over nine minutes to place my order. But there was so much going on and so much to look at that I didn't even realize I was in line that long. 

While the place was crowded, the ordering system seemed clear and organized.

I even enjoyed the fun way order numbers were called out with phrases like, "number 292, you know what to do" or "number 249, you're next in line."

I couldn't smell my sandwich through the bag, but it looked thick.

Portillo's bag has a dog on it as a nod to its famous hot dogs.

Alexis Kishimoto

There weren't any beefy smells coming from the bag or out of the wrapper.

When I unwrapped my sandwich, I was shocked by its thickness.

It was love at first bite.

Portillo's beef was well seasoned.

Alexis Kishimoto

Buona set my baseline for Italian beef, so I was immediately surprised when I bit into Portillo's sandwich.

Portillo's Italian beef was super meaty and rich and had layers of flavors, which I felt were somewhat lacking during my Buona experience. The beef here was also generously packed.

The gravy and beef in Portillo's sandwich were very flavorful, and the seasonings were balanced so that one didn't overpower the other. All the seasonings melded very well together.

I didn't see a measurement for the regular sandwich on the menu that I ordered, but this was 6 inches long. It was 2 1/2 inches wide, thicker than the Buona sandwich.

It was clear this sandwich wasn't just thrown together.

The Portillo's sandwich was thick and delicious.

Alexis Kishimoto

The flavors of the beef tasted like they were developed and created over time during a slow process. 

The French bread that kept the beef in place was soft and fluffy but crusty on the outside, which allowed for the tender beef to nicely mingle with the pillowy inside. It smelled and tasted freshly baked. 

I felt like I could taste the time, effort, and care that was put into this sandwich, which was extra surprising considering how busy the chain was.

Overall, Portillo's beef was worth waiting for.

Portillo's sandwich was flavorful and juicy.

Alexis Kishimoto

Measured length: 6 inches

Measured width: 2 1/2 inches

Wait time to order: nine minutes, 23 seconds

Wait time for beef: three minutes, 48 seconds

I initially had my doubts about Portillo's because it has "hot dogs" on its signs instead of beef, but after devouring its Italian beef, I was blown away. Each part of the sandwich was incredible.

Lastly, I visited Al's Beef.

Al's has won hundreds of awards for its beef.

Alexis Kishimoto

In 1938, Al Ferreri and his sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Chris Pacelli Sr., opened the beef stand that would become Al's decades later in a new location.

Al's logo says it has the "#1 Italian beef," a title the chain added after Chicago magazine named it the best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago in 1980.

The award-winning chain has five locations, and four of them are in Chicago.

Al's felt a bit cramped, but it was beautiful inside.

I liked the pop of yellow.

Alexis Kishimoto

As I opened the doors to Al's, "bold" was the first word that came to mind.

All the chairs and accent colors of the interior were bright yellow. The seating area was clean and pretty, but it did not seem as open as it was at Buona and Portillo's.

Al's felt much smaller and tighter than the other chains since the tables and seating arrangements were very close together. Still, this place looked good. It felt cool.

Al's had a very hip and fast-paced energy.

Al's menu was easy to navigate, too.

Alexis Kishimoto

With the hip decor and Jack Harlow and Harry Styles songs playing in the background, Al's felt like a trendy local spot for 20- to 30-year-olds to grab a quick bite to eat with friends.

There were a handful of people eating their sandwiches at Al's, but no one was in line to order.

I don't know whether it was the eatery's setup or the attentiveness of the workers behind the counter, but Al's felt fast-paced. I almost felt rushed into ordering, even though it wasn't very busy.

Al's sandwich was definitely the messiest.

The Italian beef sandwich from Al's was certainly thick.

Alexis Kishimoto

As soon as I got my sandwich, I could tell it was going to be a doozy.

Unlike at Buona and Portillo's, the paper wrapping of the sandwich was soaked in au jus. I could tell this would be the messiest of the three and that napkins and moist towelettes would be needed. 

Still, I was excited — this meant the sandwich wouldn't be dry.

The sandwich from Al's almost had an autumnal taste.

Al's sandwich was the shortest one I tried.

Alexis Kishimoto

I ordered the regular sandwich, which clocked in at 5 1/2 inches. With a thickness of 2 3/4 inches, it was probably the most well-stuffed.

As I leaned in for the first bite, I immediately smelled a ton of indistinguishable spices. It was a bit overwhelming — the smell of Buona's sandwich was more appetizing to me.

My first impression was that the sandwich was salty, but that was immediately overpowered by the spice. I get what the chain means by "distinguishable" and "unique" taste.  

It might sound weird, but the taste of the beef and its au jus kind of reminded me of a fall-themed candle.

The beef was flavorful, but I wasn't sure about it.

The sandwich was nice and moist, but I didn't love it.

Alexis Kishimoto

The beef had incredibly bold flavors, but I wasn't sure I loved how these spices paired with beef. 

I loved how fluffy and thick the French bread was, and it mostly did a good job of soaking up the au jus. If I loved the au jus, this would've been a good thing. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly want to hold on to the flavors. 

Still, this beef is award-winning, so it might just be my personal preference, or I may have just gotten an extra-seasoned batch.

The bread also got pretty soggy while I was eating.

The sandwich from Al's was well stuffed.

Alexis Kishimoto

Since the bread soaked up all the meaty juices, it quickly became soggy.

As I picked up the sandwich between bites, I felt like I had to be really gentle. It felt like the bread could fall apart at any moment. 

Still, I have to give the chain kudos for such a moist sandwich — I was glad it wasn't too dry. That said, it was so soggy I don't think it would hold up well enough for me to eat the rest of it later.

Al's Italian beef wasn't No. 1 for me.

Al's sandwich was moist and well stuffed.

Alexis Kishimoto

Measured length: 5 1/2 inches

Measured width: 2 3/4 inches

Wait time to order: no wait

Wait time for beef: two minutes, 8 seconds

Al's beef had a very bold and distinct flavor, but I found the execution a bit lacking. In Al's case, I think less might be more.

The amount of meat I got on the sandwich was impressive, but I thought there were too many seasonings and spices that took away from the fluffy bread and super tender beef.

Overall, Portillo's is the only chain I'd go back to if I wanted Italian beef.

Portillo's Italian beef felt like a perfect medium.

Alexis Kishimoto

The sandwiches from Buona, Portillo's, and Al's each had their own distinct appearance and taste. The chain locations also had unique personalities and vibes, which I also loved.

There really is a chain for everyone, whether you prefer your sandwiches simple or loaded to the max or want a chill, cool vibe or vibrant, bustling one.

For me, Portillo's had the perfect balance of everything I wanted.

Buona's sandwich felt a little too skinny and dry to me, and I wished it had more flavor. On the other end of the spectrum, the sandwich from Al's felt a bit too overloaded with flavor and au jus.

Portillo's Italian beef had complex and delicious flavors, and I loved the fresh-tasting bread. The vibes inside the location I visited were also so fun. I get why the line was so long, and I'd easily wait 10 minutes to order this sandwich again. In fact, I'd wait even longer. 

This story was originally published on August 16, 2022, and most recently updated on July 1, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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