-Grubbing in Chicago
Greek Food and Banter in Bucktown
The corner of North and Elston is kind of a no man’s land in terms of the area and the neighborhood. It’s Lincoln Park according to the signs on the light pole banners but Google says it’s Bucktown. Really the only time people ever found themselves in this area would be when we went to Stanley's Fruits and Vegetables which was a retirement home for produce that closed suddenly in 2019. There was also Art’s Drive In located across the street from Stanley’s but it too closed abruptly when a fire blazed thru the building in 2022. Well the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stanley’s remains gone for good (the building was razed) but Art’s Drive-In is back and better than ever. Note: If you’re going to a concert at Salt Shed this is your spot to grab a bite before or after the show.
Before the fire Art’s was a prototypical Greek owned Chicago style fast food shack. You could get breakfast, lunch, or dinner there and the menu had everything from pancakes to Greek salad to their signature skirt steak sandwich. There used to be a ton of spots like Art’s all across the city but these Greek owned fast food diners are starting to fade away as time goes by (many retired and or moved to Glenview). Enter Alex - new owner of Art’s. Alex is a Greek American Chicago guy whose wife’s family used to run Art’s. When the family decided they wouldn’t be reopening after the fire, they worked out a deal to have Alex take it over. It’s a perfect match as Alex is quite the character and these type of spots always seemed to be run by characters back when I was a kid. Not only is Alex a hoot but he’s a passionate food person who’s serious about putting out a quality product. He refuses to do gyros because he’s not a fan of the factory made cones. Though he has plans to put a made from scratch souvlaki on the menu. The fries are fresh cut and he uses beef tallow as his oil while the hash browns are also made from scratch. Both the cheesesteak and the chicken parm cutlet are covered in Cooper Cheese and the cheese fries get the Merkt's Cheddar treatment. When in-season he uses strawberries from Michigan in the milkshakes which are made the old fashioned way. Same goes for the donuts which are fried fresh on site and topped with delicious homemade frostings.
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On my first return visit to Art’s I was immediately greeted by Alex like I was a longtime customer. We hit it off like we had known each other forever. Actually we know a lot of the same people as Chicago really is the world’s largest neighborhood. Alex grew up on the Northwest Side where his grandma ran a Greek bakery and grocery store called Hellenic located at 6056 W. Diversey. It was there where he would develop a passion for cooking as he often helped her in the kitchen. For my first meal here I had to try the skirt steak sandwich that helped put the previous iteration of Art’s on the map back when it first opened in 1967. I wrote a post about it in 2018. Honestly I’m not a big steak sandwich guy but the skirt steak at Art’s swayed me a little more towards their side. It was more tender than I remember most steak sandwiches to be and had a nice hot/cold element going for it with the lettuce, tomato, and grilled onions. The bread isn’t a typical Turano roll either so that was nice. It’s tough to go wrong with any of Alex’s sandwich creations - every one I’ve tried has been super satisfying.
I knew I liked Alex right away when I asked about the Italian beef sandwich and whether it was made on site or pulled from a bag and he almost seemed offended I would ask. No hormone filled bagged beef here. Alex takes the time to roast his own fresh chunk of bottom round which is sliced on site and seasoned with a unique sweet tasting gravy that gives it a flavor unlike any other Italian beef in town and that’s exactly how it should be. Italian beef shouldn’t taste exactly the same from spot to spot.
Italian Beef at Art's Drive-In
Art’s Drive-In opens at 6am Monday-Saturday and at 8a on Sundays making breakfast a big part of their day. It also makes Art’s a popular stop with the city’s working class just like the original iteration of Art’s was. Honestly I’m not the biggest breakfast guy. Usually my first meal of the day is lunch and sometimes it’s not until dinner believe it or not. But on one of my early visits I asked Alex what I needed to try the next time I stopped in and he was quick to tell me the pastrami. He was adamant that if I was there in the morning I needed to try the pastrami, egg, cheese on the burger bun (it’s served on French bread otherwise). If later in the day he insisted I try the pastrami burger which he told me is an ode to La Jolla, the neighborhood in San Diego where his dad lives. Alex and him often get pastrami burgers when he’s down there so he went ahead and put one on his menu here.
Pastrami, Egg, and Cheese
Both the pastrami breakfast sandwich and the pastrami burger are delivered via an incredible bun that Alex has baked for him off site. Each of the top and the bottom bun are studded with black and white sesame seeds and they’re soft but sturdy enough to carry the load be it it thinly sliced extra peppery pastrami with egg and cheese or a fresh all beef patty grilled to order with the same pastrami plus lettuce, tomato, onions, and cheese. These made me wonder why pastrami hasn’t caught on with Chicago style fast food the same way it has out in Southern California. The only thing I would do different is I prefer when a breakfast sandwich comes with a runny yolk so I’d ask for that next time.
Pastrami Cheeseburger at Art's Drive-In
Art’s also makes for a great dinner destination with some super fresh Greek forward dinner plates. If it’s a nice day he has patio seating and it can be really chill to just sit outside and watch the cars ride by. I did this a couple weeks ago on what was a hot and muggy evening so I wanted to get something refreshing and a Greek Salad with skirt steak was the perfect call. As you should know this far into the post - all salad the dressings are made on site. The pork chop plate was equally satisfying with the hash browns being the perfect match for two Greek seasoned pork chops grilled to order.
Greek Salad with Skirt Steak
Pork Chop Dinner with Hash Browns
I don’t think I’d had Biftekia before I tried it at Art’s one night when I was looking for something a bit more substantial and Alex told me I was having that for dinner. Biftekia are savory, herb-infused beef patties, similar to hamburgers but traditionally served without a bun. They’re kind of like a Greek version of Kofta. At Art’s you get two healthy sized discs of Biftekia served with rice, bread and salad making for a complete meal. You owe it to yourself and to Alex to go have a meal at Art’s. I can’t recall a restaurant with a similar setup where the owner was as passionate and welcoming as Alex is. Skip the hot dogs at Home Depot down the street and have one here - just $5.99 with fresh cut fries.
Biftekia at Art's Drive-In
Art's Drive-In
1333 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 500-2787
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