# Are italian beef sandwiches popular outside of Chicago area? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535 "2014-05-29T03:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/121 "2014-06-02T15:39:13Z")
I’m from Arizona and I’ve heard of it many times, but that could be because I’m a pretty big fan of food. ---
**Author:** ![chicagowhitesox1173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@chicagowhitesox1173](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicagowhitesox1173)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/122 "2014-06-02T20:14:56Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > This may be a bit dated, but just found… > [Italian Beef Restaurants by State](http://www.italianbeef.com/main-category/rate/beyond-chicagoland.php) That’s a pretty cool site. That is awesome that they give instructions on how to order a beef. I have seen many times where people take to long ordering and everyone starts yelling at them. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/123 "2014-08-04T23:23:06Z")
Bump. I just tried an italian beef sandwich for the first time, having read about it first on this thread. It was so-so but then again it wasn’t exactly authentic - just a hot dog restaurant in suburban DC (Maryland). I enjoyed it and it was pretty much what I expected. The peppers… or “Giardiniera” though were really spicy and numbing. Enjoyable but unexpected. I got it wet, and no cheese. Just thought I’d share. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/124 "2014-08-04T23:53:43Z")
I grew up in the Washington DC area, have spent significant amounts of time (\>5 years) in Texas and Utah, and would not even know what an Italian beef sandwich was if not for Food Network and Travel Channel. Having said that, they sound fucking delicious. Right up my alley. And I love giardiniera. ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/125 "2014-08-05T01:59:50Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > This is why I regret that my parents have left Chicago and moved to Arizona. Visiting them for the holidays always meant at least one trip to Portillo’s. Occasionally multiple times. The same day. I always planned on returning from there with 5 extra pounds. There’s a Portillo’s in Tempe and Scottsdale ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/126 "2014-08-05T02:13:09Z")
> [@chicagowhitesox1173](#): > > I wonder why they went out of business. Portillos actually has employees taking orders outside due to how much business they get. There’s another place in Elmwood Park that has lines that sometimes reach a quarter mile. I don’t get the popularity here and no where else. … Ah. Johnnie’s Beef. A few blocks from me. I’ve never seen a quarter mile but I’ve rarely seen not a long way out the door. It moves fast though. It is that good. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535/127 "2014-08-05T02:49:35Z")
:o ☹ :mad: Sucks being on a diet… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-italian-beef-sandwiches-popular-outside-of-chicago-area/689535.md?page=6)