Fresh Fries

-Fried out on 420

It's 420 maaaaan. Yeah 420! Wait I forgot what was I saying? I'm hungry lets go get some french fries.

Welcome to the soon to be annual chibbqking's "fried out on 420" a round up of the best batches of french fries in the city with all sorts of styles to choose from, truly a stoners dream. These days everyplace that serves food seems to serve fries even the high end places have stuff like pommes frites with garlic aioli mayonnaise but most places just use the boring frozen spuds that have no flavor or character and for that matter just flat out suck...even if you got a serious case of the munchies. One good sign to a good roadfood style joint is fresh cut fries. It's takes a little more time and requires a little more work so at times this can be a clue to good food ahead. There are so many places with good fries that its going to take quite a few fry outs to get them all but here are this years winners.

The Winner for best fries in a Regional role goes to...


The New Orleans Style Cheese Fries from Toon's Bar & Grill: fresh cut fries buried in a mix of real cheeses and melted under a broiler

The winner for best fries in an International role goes to...


Athenian Room's famous Greek Athenian fries

Here are the 2009 fried out winners for way above average fries


best fries with a first class Italian Beef: Chickies


Go just for the fries and nothing else, they're that good: Michael's in Oak Park


Best old school tasting fries: Sammy's Red Hots


Best cheese fries during the day: Murphy's Red Hot's


Best cheese fries late at night: Wieners Circle fries


best cheese fries when inebriated after 3a: TBP #2


Best curly fries in the country: Fred's Burger's (Burlington, WI)


best stoners creation with the use of fries: Horseshoe from D'Arcy's Pint (Springfield, IL)


Most unique set of fries: Max's Ghetto Fries


best combo of meat/potato (fries): 'tato dog from Gene & Jude's

You know your hungry.

Max's Beef: Since 1957

--Got Beef? Italian Beef

Max's has been doing Italian beef in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood for over 30 years. When you cruise along Chicago's Western ave, the longest street in the world, your going to find some Italian beef joints. Max's is one of the more well known along the street. Anyplace that has been around that long has to be doing something good and have a loyal following. You know that Max's does. First lets start out with the menu. Max's has an amazing menu selection that can take care of everyones taste palate. Max's does all the usual Chicago beef & dog stand foods and most are homemade and they have more than a few unique items as well which is also a plus.


Max's on Western ave. (Chicago, IL)

Max's has a unique beef and with this comes the argument of whether or not it is on peoples favorite's list. Max's has a very unique gravy that is a dark distinct red and loaded with garlic and other spices giving it a very unique flavor. One thing you have to give love to Max's for is the fact that they have a big tub of homemade peppers that are also unique that rest on each table. I for one hate when places charge extra for peppers. They are a part of a IB so add them into the price of the sandwich if you have to but they should come standard and not be extra. With all that said I am not a big fan of the giardinara at Max's, it is too oily for me and not green enough. The beef is also unique and I am also not a big fan of that. I think that Max's hasnt changed his approach which I cant knock anyone for but it just taste's like what a real old school beef would taste like before they had the machines to slice it up thin. It seems they havent changed their recipe to improve what a beef has progressed to. The meat is sliced medium and not thin and it gets a little rubbery sitting in the gravy all day.


Max's will allow you to order their signature gravy so you can have it with anything

I am not wasting anyones time with places I think you need to avoid at all costs. Therefore Max's gets love here on my site or else I wouldn't bother with it. Try a beef if you dont like it then you know that this isnt your style in the future. Just make sure to get an order of Ghetto fries. These are potatoes topped with barbecue sauce, raw onions, cheese, beef gravy and giardinara. Sounds good? it is. You can be sure ill have a fried out special coming soon.


Max's famous "ghetto fries"--Deal with it alderman.


Beef with Hot from Max's

Rating Scale 5/5

beef: 2
bread: 3
gravy: 2
hot peppers: 3

Score: 10/20

Max's Italian Beef
5754 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 989-8200
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