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Buona Beef

4 star rating
based on 15 reviews

Category: Sandwiches

6745 Roosevelt Rd
(between Euclid Ave & Oak Park Ave)
Berwyn, IL 60402
(708) 749-2555
Price Range:
$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Private Lot
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
None

15 reviews for Buona Beef

Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Matt B.

Elite '09

45

191

Matt B.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
6/3/2008

As I've said before, I'm not usually one to write up chain restaurants or businesses. They seem to do well enough of their own advertising. But some places, like Buona Beef, are located only in the Chicago area and draw in plenty of locals and visitors.

Buona Beef is a hit with many Chicago suburbanites.  Each of the chain's 11 locations offer an almost-daunting long list of dishes to choose from, including paninis, sandwiches, salads, soups, and pizza.  However, one of my rules when it comes to dining is this: If there's a food in the name above the door, order that.  Needless to say, your safest bet here is the Italian Beef.

Dry or dripping wet, covered with cheese or peppers, you can't go wrong.  Combine it with some Italian sausage, and you've got a one-two punch of great flavor. If you still have room left, desserts include cookies, brownies, and cannoli.

Buona Beef proves that good Chicago food can sometimes be found outside the Chicago city limits.

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Photo of Tina C.

Elite '09

25

75

Tina C.

Oak Park, IL

5 star rating
11/2/2009

Truly the only beef sandwich I will eat.  You can order them many ways.  But the way I like em is dry and hot.  The smell of these wonderfull beef sandwiches are just intoxicating.  But, they also have really good sub sandwiches and salads.  I LOVE the buffalo ranch salad.  The chicken is served warm tossed in a buffalo sauce which is spicy, but not too spicy.  And it comes with ranch dressing, black beans, tortilla strips, corn, and chopped lettuce.  YUM.  Every mouthfull is pure happiness.  Some locations serve wine and beer, but only half bottles.  So I would recomend sharing one, cause a half bottle will get you tipsy enough to NOT get in your car :)  All locations are wonderfull, but this particular one is the one that started the big chain that it is now.

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Photo of Gena S.

 

13

2

Gena S.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
9/12/2009

Best Italian Beef in Chicago.  Make sure you order it with extra mozz Cheese.

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Photo of James L.

 

15

73

James L.

Pflugerville, TX

2 star rating
1/11/2009

Not sure what it is about this place that so many find so star worthy. I've eaten here twice visiting relatives just up the street. The patron of the house raves about it in a way that makes you reluctant to openly disagree. He's a little "off" anyway so I thought, in a way, he's a kind of reverse barometer and that I was getting a solid read on this place. Apparently I am missing something that the rest of you folks find appealing.
Oh well. If Italian Beef falls to someone else's plate in the Windy City and I wasn't there to eat lunch am I really missing something? That's to say, if I don't eat there again in my mortal existence I won't feel regrets.

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Photo of Angela U.

Elite '09

58

115

Angela U.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/20/2009

They are reopened and the food is great. I had the Mozzarella Prosciutto Panini, and it was excellent.

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Photo of Kara H.

 

7

82

Kara H.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
5/10/2007

I'm going to have to disagree with Chris B.  Buona is the best beef in the city!

I'm a Berwyn native and I travel back for buona.  it's that good.

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Photo of Mike A.

 

0

19

Mike A.

IL

4 star rating
8/25/2008

Authentic Chicago Italian Beef even for a chain. I love this place.
Seeting can be limited at times.
Fast order taking.
I love the beef and sausage combo - very tasty.

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Photo of Wendy L.

 

1

31

Wendy L.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
11/20/2007

Buona rocks!  Their italian sausage is great too.  This is a family favorite.  We get their carryout a lot.  The thing to do is to get the bread par-baked and then put it in the oven yourself.  It keeps fresh longer and then it's nice and hot when you make the sandwiches.  I never find it greasy, I think that's just the juice.  If you want it less messy, tell them you want it "dry".

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Photo of Ray N.

 

1

68

Ray N.

Berwyn, IL

4 star rating
4/15/2009

It's the one that started them all. And until their remodel (which should be finished within weeks), it was a typical walk-in-and-wait sort of restaurant, a la Lucky Dog. Their Beefs are good, but  I think Lucky Dog's offer a bit more for the price to be quite honest. Especillally if you want fries with them. Don't get me wrong - Buona is one of the few things Berwyn can pride itself on, but they're not quite as great as they're made out to be.

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Photo of Peter M.

 

4

20

Peter M.

Chicago, IL

5 star rating
12/20/2007

Best beef anywhere!! I've eaten here since they opened in the early 80's and will sometimes drive from my house over 10 miles when I'm craving a Buona Beef. I know that people like Portillo's but that's too greasy for me especially with their giardiniera.

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Photo of Jessica M.

 

12

50

Jessica M.

Rockport, MA

4 star rating
1/5/2008

My husband, a Chicago native, was insistent that we go to Buona Beef last time we were in the city. He neglected to warn me, a picky New Englander who doesn't like sloppy food (yes I blot my pizza, why do you ask?), about the dipping of the sandwich. Now I know to order my sandwich dry. It was very tasty, despite my neurotic eating style. The giardiniera was fab, too!

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Photo of Johnny T.

 

0

84

Johnny T.

Minooka, IL

4 star rating
4/20/2008

Also a Berwyn native, you couldn't say beef without the word Buona next to it since the owners, at the time, were from the area.  It was simply the place to go for beef that was seasoned just right and you never even thought of Portillo's back then.  Now, as they've expanded to other areas, they have also somewhat changed a little.  Its a little pricer now as to before (about $7 for beef and fries now when it used to be $5) and selling beef by the pound for $8.99 is rather outrageous but, its still as good as before.

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Photo of Ren H.

 

57

1224

Ren H.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
10/13/2005 1 photo

I had never had an Italian beef before and tried one here.. I must say I was pleasantly surprised!  It was a little greasy but I think thats the beef in general!  I would recommend this place for anyone who may be weary of trying beef!

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Photo of Richard D.

 

0

40

Richard D.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
7/15/2005

A Chicago classic. The italian beef is the best! You will see them at the Taste of Chicago as well. Enjoy!

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Photo of Chris B.

 

0

42

Chris B.

Western Springs, IL

3 star rating
8/8/2005

They have good beef, not the best in Chicago, but good. You can find them all around the suburbs now (it was different a few years ago). I always thought they were alittle on the expensive side too.

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