Best Fast Food Restaurants in Elmhurst

"Just say yes to sport peppers and celery salt and hard pass on the ketchup, which is a cardinal sin around these parts. Chicago dogs aren’t hard to come by in Denver, but that trifecta of beefy goodness, cheese fries, and gluttonous chocolate cake is and my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Someone please open a franchise out West – help a girl out."

"Known for its Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, Portillo’s has been a staple of Chicago since 1963. Most of the hot dogs, sandwiches, burgers and sides on the menu cost $5 or less. Besides Chicagoland, Portillo’s also has locations in Arizona, California and Indiana."

"Portillos isn't exactly new in Chicago but the new Avondale location on Addison and Kimball adds to our city's legacy. Get an Italian Beef with giardiniera peppers or a chocolate cake shake for dessert!"

"In 1939, just after arriving in the U.S. from Yugoslavia, Jimmy Stefanovic took over his aunt’s hot dog stand when she fell ill. Shortly thereafter, in 1941, Jim bought the stand from his aunt and began making his signature Maxwell Street Polish Sausage Sandwiches. What began as a simple recipe turned into something of a legend."

"For Italian, check out Lou Malnati’s (including the oh-so-delicious deep-dish pizza that I am drooling just thinking about), or Jim’s Original for Polish sausage with peppers and onions."

"Kung Fu Tea is another New York classic that is spreading all across the US, and thankfully, to Chicago’s Chinatown. Kung Fu Tea has authentic Taiwanese bubble tea are dedicated to making their teas with the finest ingredients. They have a great selection of milk teas, fruit teas, and even Kung Fu Coffee."

"Located in the Chinatown district of Chicago, you’ll find a few boba or bubble tea places. One of them being Kung Fu Tea. We’re sure you’re familiar with this spot already though."

"Specializes in made-to-order tea, milk & fruit-based beverages. Offers a wide selection of drink toppings including bubbles, beans, jellies & pudding."

"The best example of Chicago’s iconic Italian beef sandwiches exists outside of the city at the two suburban locations of Johnnie’s Beef. The space is a throwback; the original fast-food spot opened in 1961 in Elmwood Park and a second has since opened in Arlington Heights. The menu is simple: beefs (the monosyllabic term locals call Italian beef sandwiches), charcoal-grilled Italian sausages, and hot dogs."

"A photo posted by Infatuation Chicago (@infatuation_chi) on Oct 9, 2016 at 6:19pm PDT. Chicagoans don't mess around when it comes to Italian beef, and Johnnie's serves up one of the best beef sandwiches around. At $4.50 a pop, they're also one of the best deals in town."

"At Johnnie’s Beef, people itching to try the Italian beef sandwich wait in lines out the door. Tender slices of beef are crowded into a soft roll, along with sweet or hot peppers, before it’s showered with its own juices. It’s hefty, meaty and juicy – all for $5."

"Restaurants Hot dogs Grand Boulevard. Founded by local musician Bobby Morelli and his daughter Brooklyn, the Hot Dog Box operates out of a shipping container in the Boxville Marketplace, located right off the Green Line in Bronzeville. Following in the footsteps of creative encased meats purveyors like Hot Doug's and Chicago's Dog House, the father-and-daughter duo is known for it's speciality sausages, such as a filet mignon steak dog covered in bourbon BBQ sauce and a pickle mignon steak paired with truffle peanut butter sauce."

"You’re probably ready for a hot dog, but are you also ready for an adorable story to go with it?. The Hot Dog Box was co-founded by Bobby Morelli and his nine-year-old daughter, Brooklyn. And just like this isn’t any old restaurateur team, this isn’t any old hot dog stand, either: You’re in for a gourmet sausage experience, such as the Bronzeville Bourbon Steak Dog, whose filet mignon frank is topped with veggies, bacon, bourbon barbeque sauce and sport peppers."

"The Hot Dog Box owes much to the gourmet slingers of Chicago’s past, including encased meat master Doug Sohn. At the same time, this tiny space in Bronzeville is blazing its own path with tubular creations such as a filet mignon sausage. Bobby Morelli and his 9-year-old daughter have teamed up to breathe some life into the city’s hot dog scene."

"As we navigate the evolving impact of coronavirus on our communities, we are temporarily closing our dining room seating to help limit person-to-person contact. Some of our restaurants may only offer service through our drive-thrus, while others may be able to offer takeout, delivery or mobile or..."

"Sweet Shot Cookies specializes in infused cookies and cookie cakes. Their homemade gooey infused cookies can be filled with anything from marshmallow fluff to dark chocolate ganache—you name it, they infuse it. They can be ordered pre-filled or if you're a DIY'er, they can be delivered with a syringe of flavor so you can inject it yourself with as much filling as you'd like."

"Each night at Ever, Michelin-starred chef Curtis Duffy serves a creative, high-concept and undoubtedly delicious array of eight to ten tasting courses. Those courses change frequently—all you’ll know going in is to expect a “[focus] on proteins from the land and sea, and seasonal vegetables complemented with fruits, grains, seeds and nuts”—but they’re all works of art in their own way. (Imagine, per a dish reported in the New York Times last year, caviar and king crab set atop a cucumber gel, in which the restaurant’s logo has been inlaid in the form of coconut pudding.)"

"Currently open for dinner service from Tuesday to Saturday each week, Ever is the creative brainchild of renowned chef Curtis Duffy and his business partner, Michael Muser. Having previously helped Avenues at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago and Grace earn two Michelin stars, it came as no surprise when Ever was awarded two Michelin Stars in 2020 after only a few months of service. The restaurant was designed by Lawton Stanley Architects and at full capacity is fairly intimate, seating only 75 guests including up to 10 in the private dining room."

"Ever, the new venture from Grace’s former chef Curtis Duffy and GM Micheal Muser, promises to offer an experience of a lifetime. The wait is already a month out with reservations starting in October for the 8- to 10-course meal that will last 2 and a half hours and feature proteins from the land and sea as well as seasonal vegetables."

"Harold’s, in its many, many incarnations, is the fried Chicago natives crave the most when forced to move. There’s a certain serenity to things when walking inside, placing an order, and waiting for cooks to fry up an order. Of course, don’t forget to order mild sauce, a condiment that Chicagoans go bezerk for."

"For faster, no-fuss access to the burger that's garnered the approval of food critics, celebrities and chefs nationwide, check out this Bucktown joint—the smaller, chiller version of the West Loop's beloved Au Cheval. Expect everything topping your plate to ring true on these: two griddled patties, sharp American cheese and a medley of pickles, onions and Dijonnaise on a buttery brioche bun, all for $10. Signature burger | Photo: Hogsalt"