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Grease pit lovers that love a good gyro....come an' git it. It is a small dive, takes only cash, and it's hard to find. It's worth it though, the gyros come with a great amount of meat, and since it's so busy, the meat is not dried out from being on the rotater so long. You can also "gyroize" your cheeseburger or grilled cheese sandwich. Not for the faint of heart.
The place is laid back with a small town feel. The guy behind the counter greeted every person that came in, by name or just by the mere fact that you were coming in to eat. My husband used to go there all the time and finally took me there. When I saw that it could only fit ten people, I was a little worried, but I left satisfied.
I had a craving for a gyros and read all the good reviews for this place and must say it did not disappoint. I had 2 gyros sandwiches and an order of sweet potato fries. The food was great! If you're on the northshore and looking for an authentic and high quaity gyros experience, do not hesitate to try this place, you will not be sorry, just full!
Chuck Wagon, I miss you! Ever think about starting a branch in San Francisco? You can't find a decent Chicago-style gyro out here.
I guess I'll have to keep you as one of my first stops when i get back into town. Can't wait to try the sweet potato fries or the hot dog special that I just read about on yelp.
Wow, what a literal hole-in-the-wall. If I hadn't been looking for this place, I never would have seen it. It's wee! Just a row of 8 wall-facing counter seats and 8 grill-facing counter seats. The young man tending the counter was very friendly and seemed to know everybody who came in. The silent, inscrutable cook worked stoically at the grill and the fryers.
The menu is small but everybody knows what they want when they come in. I was happy to find a polish sausage that fits the bun; it seems like many places serve you one of those over-length versions which stick out over both ends of the bun. Here they slice it lenghtwise, smash it down, and grill it. Nice.
The specialty here is the Nikki--a cheeseburger with gyros meat on top. No thanks. I want to live!
They have just added sweet potato fries here which seem to be a big hit. Big thumbs down on the onion rings--minced Ore-Ida jobbies. That is inexcusable.
But, I like this place and would love to have it on my street. There are a million hot dog stands in the Chicago area, and this one seems to have more personality and neighborhood feeling than most. Several college kids, two ten-year-old boys, a father and two young sons, a middle-aged woman, and an old man--the patrons during my Saturday lunchtime visit.
Oh My God two Stars just a Hater From E Town you don't got to the Chuck Wagon for just a Burger You go for the Niki and Gyros I don't know any places that can get the Niki right or gyros stuffed so full you got to eat most of the meat before you close it and eat it like a sandwich and the fries are the nice thick cut variety and certainly a healthy portion. Go for the Niki, the double Niki, the Losh, the gyro everything else is just for the people who don't know well actually the Dawgs are great all the right ingredients and celery salt . Ok Everything is tasty
p.s. When ever I leave the country thhis is what I always crave
When it comes to food, their is nothing better than a hole in the wall restaurant that caters to a certain niche within the industry successfully. The only item I have ever tried off the menu was the Niki Special, which is gyros on a burger with all the trimmings. While enjoying this feast I did feel my heart shed a few tears, but it was worth it. The flavor of this beast is unlike anything I have ever tried in a burger. The fries were also pretty damn tasty and complemented the burger nicely. On a later visit my buddy ordered some sweet potato fries and I tried those for the first time. They were pretty killer too, highly recommended.
Yes, this place IS a heart attack waiting to happen, but what a way to go. When I am 90 yrs old and have a terminal disease, I am going to eat at Chuck Wagon for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day until it happens.
And, as I grab my chest, in between painful spasms, I will ask for TWO Niki Specials 'to go' -- one for me, and one for the big guy.
Please read Nick, Annie and Jesster's reviews. They have nailed it.
Very tiny diner, with just enough room at the counter for maybe six people to cram into and eat their greasy meal.
I ordered the "Waitress Special" which was very good. I think it was a pile of gyros meat covered with cheese and french fries, but honestly it's just a big saturated blur.
A great place to grab a meal before or after you catch a movie next door.
I miss Chuck Wagon!
I miss the Waitress special and all the other delicacies dripping with grease!
Do yourself a favor and stop at this place if you are in the area. Please. Don't let the greasey film covering the walls scare you!
EDIT: They did the inside. Its so nice and clean looking. Not the Chuck Wagon I remember but good for them!
We had to check this place before going to a movie at the Wilmette Threatre after reading a funky review of the place in the Tribune last week.
This place's claim to fame is a sandwich concoction called the NIKI SPECIAL ($4.95) which might appeal to people who adore Susie's...
This sandwich is composed of "a thin cheeseburger topped with grilled onions, ketchup, mustard, lettuce and a huge pile of GYROS meat" nestled in a soft seasame seed bun.
Surprisingly, it wasn't nearly as disgusting as it sounds. There's a certain "fusion of sweet, salty and greasy" that transcends the yukky sounding concept. It's worth a try if you're headed to or hungry after going to the movies. Once will probably be enough.
I love The Wagon. Whenever I come back to the homestead (Wilmette), a Niki Special is never far behind. I order mine with grilled onions, lettuce, ketchup and mustard, plus a side of fries.
The one downside to lunch at The Chuck Wagon used to be the horrifically dirty surroundings; however, ever since the restaurant changed hands a few years ago, it has been much cleaner. Plus, they recently added outdoor dining, during the warm months, which is a decision that the previous owners should have made long ago.
The food is always greasy and always delicious. If you eat there too often, you'll probably have a heart attack, but at least you'll have lived (and eaten) happily.
Ok honestly, my mouth is watering just thinking about Chuck Wagons.
I swear this is the BEST burger joint I've ever been to.
Ok the burgers MELT IN YOUR MOUTH!! And the fries are to die for. No joke. I love this place.
I used to go there all the time in high school and once in a while when I was home during college. I haven't been there in a couple years but I'm planning to go back soon.
Yay for Chuck Wagon!
This place is, and will always be, a greasy spoon...and I love it. I remember back in elementary school, it was always a treat to get lunch here. What the Chuck Wagon lacks in space it makes up for in tasty, albeit greasy, food.
I usually get the Niki special and fries (about $6.50) to go. By the time I get home (5 minutes), the grease is coming through the bag. The Niki is a cheeseburger topped with gyros meat and is definitely not heart healthy. But, for a once in a while treat, it's wonderful.
I went to the Chuck Wagon for lunch yesterday with pretty high expectations, having read these reviews. It was full (literally, packed full) of typical North Shore New Trier/Loyola high schoolers chirping on their blackberries (ridiculous) and comparing their new Christmas Uggs (ugh.)
Anyway, I can dig a neighborhood joint. But onto the food -- I got a cheeseburger, and it was severely mediocre. Sort of mealy, tasted like the cheap frozen patties you can get at the grocery store. My friends and I were thoroughly unimpressed. Maybe the Gyros are better, I'm not sure. But these burgers really don't compare to Evanston standbys like Mustard's, Wild Dogz or Wiener & Still Champion.
Pass on the Chuck Wagon unless you're in the neighborhood for other reasons.
Greasy and old school. This place makes a mean burger and they have a nice menu. I haven't been here since I was 16, but I'm willing to bet little has changed. In order to not have a massive heart attack I'll be staying away, but if you're looking for some good food stop on in.
Tasty food, but a bit understaffed.
I have had breakfast and lunch at the Chuck Wagon and both times I was left wanting refills on beverages and had to flag down my waiter/waitress to get the bill.
Evanston, IL
Category: Fast Food
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