Restaurant

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer

Name: Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer
Address: 600 E Grand Ave SA-16, Chicago, IL, 60611, US
Telephone: (312) 877-5639
Price range: value

Sandwiches•Chicago•value

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is one of the best sandwiches restaurants in Chicago for dinner, especially if you want a strong option in Chicago.

Editorial review•Dec 9, 2025

There's a certain irony in finding one of Chicago's most historically grounded Italian beef operations inside a tourist-facing food hall at Navy Pier, but that's exactly where Chef Ciccio operates — and the disconnect is kind of the point. This is Mario Ferraro's vehicle for carrying a family legacy that predates the commercial Italian beef era: the Ferraro family was already serving this sandwich at their Victoria Banquets and Catering operation in 1935, three years before the dish was supposedly commercialized citywide. That's not marketing copy, that's a genuine claim to origin. Ferraro is a second-generation Chicago restaurateur channeling 75-plus years of family kitchen history into a fast-casual format priced at the kind of numbers ($11.95 for a full sandwich) that make you do a double-take. If you can get past the Navy Pier address — and you should — the concept earns serious attention from people who take Chicago's Italian beef canon as seriously as they take the city's pizza wars. The anchor here is the Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch, served on rustic artisan bread with beef that's been slow-roasted and thinly sliced, finished in a 12-hour au jus that diners have singled out as among the best-flavored in the city — one professional ranking placed it tied for second among Chicago's Italian beefs. The kitchen runs 100 percent scratch, which matters in a format where shortcuts are easy to hide. The meatball sandwich has its own following; diners consistently describe it as standout, and the Chicken Parm sandwich connects to the family's classic Italian-American repertoire going back to the 1930s. Sandwiches come with roasted potatoes on the side. The Chicken Pesto and Italian Sausage options round out the menu for anyone not locked into the beef. The move here is to go for the Italian beef wet — that 12-hour au jus is the whole argument for this place over its competitors. The food hall setting means no reservations, no wait for a table, and hours that run Monday through Friday 11am to 8pm (9pm on Fridays). Go at lunch on a weekday if you want it fresh and unhurried; Navy Pier crowds peak on weekend afternoons and the lines will reflect it. At under $12 for a full sandwich, this is one of the more defensible value plays in Chicago's Italian beef scene.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Chicago guides•Editorial team

classic dinnercheap eatssandwiches

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Taste ID

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Rating (Google) 9.8

385 reviews

Chicago

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

9.8

Rating

Based on 385 reviews

Best used for

dinner and classic

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

Chicago · 600 E Grand Ave SA-16, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Price

Good value

Google rating

9.8 from 385 reviews

Phone

(312) 877-5639

Watch

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer on video

Video: Eat Local (third-party feature) · plays on YouTube

What to order

Signature dishes at Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer

Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch

Meatball Sandwich

Chicken Parm Sandwich

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Italian Sausage and Veggie Sandwich

Why go

What makes Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer worth the move

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is a clean first click in Chicago when you want a sandwiches option you can trust. Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch and Meatball Sandwich also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.8 rating across 385 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.8 from 385 Google reviews

Best used for

dinner and classic

Style

Sandwiches in Chicago

Spend

Good value

Best for

classic dinner cheap eats sandwiches

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.8 from 385 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch, Meatball Sandwich, Chicken Parm Sandwich

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer

Google snapshot

9.8 from 385 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

Boka Group has a knack for making a room feel more expensive than it is, and Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna at 531 N Wells St.

Tavern style pizzacasual nighttakeout

2127 reviews

Read restaurant page

Website Menu Rate

Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Directions

Address: 600 E Grand Ave SA-16, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
Phone: (312) 877-5639
Price: value
TastyPals score: Coming soon
Google rating: 9.8 (385 reviews)
Cuisine: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Chicago

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer serve?

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is a Sandwiches restaurant located in Chicago, Chicago. There's a certain irony in finding one of Chicago's most historically grounded Italian beef operations inside a tourist-facing food hall at Navy Pier, but that's exactly where Chef Ciccio operates — and the disconnect is kind of the point.

What is Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer best for?

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is best for classic, dinner, cheap eats, sandwiches. Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is a clean first click in Chicago when you want a sandwiches option you can trust. Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch and Meatball Sandwich also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.8 rating across 385 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer?

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.8 from 385 reviews

What should I order at Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer?

Start with Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch, Meatball Sandwich, Chicken Parm Sandwich and Chicken Pesto Sandwich. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer worth visiting?

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer holds a 9.8 Google rating from 385 reviews. Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is a clean first click in Chicago when you want a sandwiches option you can trust. Famous Chicago Italian Beef Samwitch and Meatball Sandwich also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.8 rating across 385 Google reviews.

Where is Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer located?

Chef Ciccio, Beef-Balls-Beer is located at 600 E Grand Ave SA-16, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

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