Ricobene’s Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Soups And Salads
  • Dinners
  • Wings
  • Sandwiches
  • Char-broiled Burgers
  • Chicago Style Hot Dogs
  • Build Your Own
  • Specialty Thin Pizza
  • Specialty Pan Pizza
  • Specialty Deep Dish
  • Delicious Bar-bq
  • Side Orders

Healthy Meal suggestions for Ricobene’s

  • Appetizers
  • Soups And Salads
  • Dinners
  • Wings
  • Sandwiches
  • Char-broiled Burgers
  • Chicago Style Hot Dogs
  • Build Your Own
  • Specialty Thin Pizza
  • Specialty Pan Pizza
  • Specialty Deep Dish
  • Delicious Bar-bq
  • Side Orders

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  • Kaman T.

    Move over deep dish! Ricobene's is tucked away in Bridgeport. Pan pizza has crispy bottom which I love! Fried steak sandwich was like nothing I've had before. SO good. definitely worth a visit. I would rather bring my family and friends from out of town here than deep dish!

    (5)
  • Dan L.

    I went here because they said they have the best sandwich in the world. It is nowhere close to the best sandwich in the world. The breaded steak sandwich was raved about on USA Today...I can only assume by someone that hasn't had a lot of sandwiches. I rate the steak sandwich as OK...not good, definitely not the best. I probably would never order it if there wasn't the USA today article. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, and in my opinion, I could take a ride around just Chicago and find 10 other sandwiches that are more pleasing to my taste buds. Ricobene's is a large place though, and they also have parking across the street which is great for the customers. It's pretty much a pizza shop (you can get it by the slice) where someone from USA Today fell in love with the steak sandwich. Don't believe 1 person just because they write for a newspaper, or that Ricobene's plastered the article all over their window. You can try for yourself, but don't expect it to be the best...or even close.

    (2)
  • Anna L.

    Im not sure who these people think they are! The steak sandwich I just had was 5lbs!! It was soo big that I couldn't get my hand around it... 2 hands weren't even big enough! Who do they even think they are feeding?? O.. thats right.. ME! Yum! This place is unbelievable. The steak sandwich I just had wasn't just delicious.. it was in its own category of deliciousness. It was on garlic bread, with mozzarella cheese, red gravy and giardiniara. Wow.. just wow. No human in their right mind should attempt to eat the whole thing. I ate a half of a half. I will be eating this sandwich for at least another day. I also posted a pic for your enjoyment and to make you drool. Tip: If you are picking up, call ahead. The line was out the door during a weekday lunch. Also.. they have a massive parking lot, which was full. Its best to bring a wing man and double park. Hey.. you're gonna need another person anyway.. the sandwich weighs a ton. Enjoy. Additional tip: unbutton your pants BEFORE you attempt to eat the sandwich lol. PS. If someone from Riconenes is reading this, PLEASE look into expanding your delivery area or using a deliver anything service like postmates postmates.com/chicago to help. Im sure it would be a high success. I know I would use it all the time at my office.. and IM SURE Im not the only one.

    (5)
  • Brett B.

    Unbelievable portion sizes for their food. For those who've never been before, imagine a family-owned portillo's... then increase the size of the food by at least double. Had the steak sandwich and the vesuvia (girlfriend got this one) They were unbelievable. If they ask "cheese and peppers", simply say yes. They have a very acidic yet entirely complimentary giardenara.

    (4)
  • Gem S.

    An Infamous Slice O'Pizza! Ricobene's is an iconic, fast/casual, Italian-American restaurant in Chicago, IL servin' up soups, salads, a variety of sammies & pasta dishes, burgers, BBQ, and also offers whole pizzas & pizza sold by the slice too. Ricobene's has been frequented by many travel/food shows because it's widely-known for being the "Home of The Famous Breaded Steak Sandwich" as the slogan boasts & many Ricobene's customers will confirm. People go bonkers over these sammies & they are in fact breaded & ginormous & sickeningly big enough to feed a family of 4. I however avoid foods that begin with words like breaded or fried with the guilty exception of mozz stix and/or cheese curds. I don't like my steak breaded period, even if it's of the famous variety! How do I go to a place that's famous for something & not eat the famous something you are wondering?! "Maybe I'm a different breed, "Maybe I'm not listening, "So blame it on my A.D.D. Baby..." I go to Ricobene's for the pizza slices. I love them! They are available in a variety of both Chicago-style, deep dish slices & big, thin-crust slices. My fave is a slice o'veggie pizza which is mushrooms, green peppers, onions, garlic, spinach & sliced tomatoes & it's great in both thin-crust or deep dish style. I've had both kind. The thin-crust is nice and crunchy & the deep dish has a tasty, corn meal crust that's not overly heavy. The veggies are fresh & plentiful & I'd recommend either just depends on my mood! These slices are a gemtastic option for a quick lunch & especially tasty as a late-night snack! Somehow, I always think pizza-by-the-slice seem betta any time a day or night & Ricobene's makes 'em taste just right! FYI: If ya wanna make your cheat meal complete, get a bag o'fries too. They are the fresh, hand-cut, kinda limpish variety served in an over-flowing, brown paper bag with enough grease seeping through to clog your arteries for at least a year, but I know you're gonna eat every last one of these effin'grease-laden goodies! There used to be a Ricobene's location in Orland Park, a SW burb of Chicago that I used to eat at but it went belly up, sniff-sniff! It wasn't quite as good as the Original Ricobene's in Chicago but it had the same menu & yummy pizza slices too. But the Original Ricobene's in Chicago is alive & still goin' strong! So if you're visitin' Chicago or it's been awhile venture off the beatin' path & go to Ricobene's & try a "famous breaded steak sammie" if you're normal & like breaded foods or try a slice o'pizza if you're like yours Gemmy! But really, Ricobene's has got somethin' yummy for the whole damn fam & I've never seen anyone walk away hungry or unhappy! The portions are Chi-huge; the service is counter-fast; and there's free parking! What's not to friggin' love about that?!

    (5)
  • Solutioneer A.

    I'll admit that I only went to Ricobene's because of great yelp reviews. But once there, I quickly became a fan. I had their vegeterian deep dish with jalapeno poppers & fries for my family. Note: the deep dish pizza will take 45-50 minutes to make, but its totally worth the wait. The seating was of your own choosing and they have FREE PARKING!! That was amazing to me for chicago. The service was good. I understand the need to keep cost cheap, but maybe have the food served in plastic trays with paper plates for Dine-In guests. They call your name and you pick up your food the same way as a carry-out, and then you have to ask for plates, and utensils.

    (4)
  • Z B.

    I have been coming here for years after the White Sox game. I keep getting the same amazing food and service as there always is. This is a South Side gem, and don't let the building or parking lot fool you! There is a lot of parking since Ricobene's is a popular place to eat. There is street parking, and there is a medium sized parking lot under I-90. It's not making the place bad, but I call it unique. The service is quick and fast. The employees are very friendly. There is a lot of memorabilia in the restaurant. There are old-fashioned tables and an old-fashioned table to order and pick up your food! Today I ordered a breaded steak sandwich. This sandwich is the best sandwich you can find in Chicago. The steak is tender and I love the flavor of it. The chefs also put marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. The three main toppings of the breaded steak sandwich make the sandwich perfect. I also tried their pizza. There is a great amount of sauce and cheese inside. It makes good flavor and good taste. The cheese fries are fresh-cut fries and it tastes amazing. It's probably one of the best fries I have ever had. All in all, after today's perfect steak sandwich and fries, I was stuffed, but I had an amazing experience. Everything at Ricobene's is a highlight. I will absolutely be back for another good sandwich and pizza!

    (5)
  • Justin B.

    Groupon provided the introduction, and I have to say, breaded steak sandwiches wouldn't have been my first choice but I'm glad I went since this was some tasty stuff! The sandwiches were incredible, and the huge helping of fries and the huge soda left me in pain by the time I walked out of here. The bigger revelation was the pizza at Ricobene's; clearly, the majority of people who ordered while I was here tonight got the pizza, so next time around I may grab a slice of the pie and a soda since that seems like it would be plenty of food for a reasonable person. Looking forward to a future visit!

    (4)
  • Sunia C.

    Ordered a deep dish pie. It takes a long time for delivery (about an hour). Not good pizza at all. The crust was odd and flaky-tasted like something you would use for pumpkin pie. Very disappointing.

    (1)
  • Rachel L.

    This place gets five stars for me. Free parking which anywhere in the city is really hard to come by, no wait. A lot of options all of it quality ingredients in food super fast food as well. The atmosphere is great tons of seating great prices.

    (5)
  • Steve W.

    Fast service great good really can't go wrong except it's not healthy at all lol but its worth the drive to check out if your hungry

    (4)
  • All Systems Hvac L.

    The breaded steak sandwich is really good with homemade sauce. The best breaded steak sandwich in the world.

    (5)
  • Mary C.

    I know this is crazy because I've been to some really pricey or supposedly good pizza places but this place really is my favorite pizza place. Maybe it's nostalgic for me growing up a block away but they're crusty is the best I've ever had. Especially the crust for the deep dish sausage. Crunchy and buttery taste. It's like a cookie. Their's is the only pizza crust I eat, seriously. The cheese dog is a fave of mine, even tho it's soggy sometimes. The breaded steak is great too. Really hits the spot sometime. And the eggplant parm with mozzarella is one of my fave sandwiches of all time. Update June 30, 2015 I came by for a breaded steak sandwich today and it was probably the worst one I've ever had. Not just worst one from them but the worst, period. It was too soggy and usually I wouldn't mind cause I love the sauce but today... I can't explain it but the sauce was heavy but tasteless. I can't even understand the possibility because if you have a lot of sauce, the sauce itself should have tomato taste at least but it was tasteless?!?! It was warm paste. So disappointed because I haven't had it over a year now and to know my favorite eggplant sandwich uses the same sauce means it will have the same outcome. Please fix it.

    (3)
  • G R.

    I struggled at deciding whether or not to go two or three stars here, decided on three because I like their Italian Beef sandwiches. We went a couple of weeks ago and they got our order wrong, it was correct on the receipt so the kitchen made the error. What's weird is I thought I update this review then about the order being wrong, since the wrong order included one of those steak sandwiches of which we were trying to avoid. The reason being I did finally try one recently, and didn't like it at all. The one issue with the south side is much of it closes early, and we found ourselves being just a little hungry and looking for a slice of pizza, or something, so we stopped here, and because it was open it was jam packed. So we figured at least the pizza slices would be fresh, unlike the other place we stopped into that was getting ready to close and the last remaining slices where being sold and they had already turned off the light in the box that kept it warm. While sitting there munching down on my slice of pizza it occurred to me, this is fresh and hot, but why isn't it good? It just taste bland to me. Maybe it's my taste buds, people just love this place, I keep hearing about the great pizza, and OMG that steak sandwich now even has a sign in the window about it's new "best" ranking. So it must be me, because the critics and the masses have spoken. Me I'll stick to the Italian Beef, hot & sweet, with giardiniera not jalapenos. Must be a south side thing, never have I been offered jalapenos on the north side for a beef.

    (3)
  • Dan W.

    Dear breaded steak sandwich, I have dreams about you. I am drooling right now thinking about you. I am so glad I took a picture because I frequently look at it and remember the good times. I can't wait until we can do it again. Until then.... Dan

    (5)
  • Ria S.

    For the life of me I don't understand why people like their food. The breaded steak is awful as is most everything in there.

    (1)
  • Claudia S.

    I remember the first time I tried finding this place. Well, it was more so me trying to give directions to some random location that my phone insisted was Ricobene's while I got yelled at for trying to help. (Ruuuude!) Whatever. I have since figured out how to get here without getting lost, and since it's not far from home, I have been eating here more than one probably should. Three words...breaded steak sandwich. Everyone has already written what you need to know about it. Just get it. Over and over and over again. Their fries are delicious too, like the hand cut ones you'd get from a hot dog joint, but my favorite thing here is actually the mozzarella sticks. They're big, they're cheesy and the batter is more like "beer battered onion rings" consistency rather than your typical mozzarella sticks batter. I'm pretty sure this makes my use of ketchup instead of marinara more acceptable. I've had some other sandwiches here as well as wings, but the breaded steak sandwich is the real winner of them all. You know how you know it's good? Every picture uploaded of it shows how messy it actually is, and yet people rave about it. Oh, and apparently Chicago's finest are always there. A place has to be solid if a revolving door of Chicago's finest can be seen. Go here, but wear your stretchy pants if you're not taking it to go. Fair warning.

    (5)
  • Shawna G.

    Chose this place over another because of the 4-star Yelp review but I was sadly disappointed. The pizza wasn't very warm, took a long time to get to our hotel and the crust was super tough and hard to eat. I honestly only ate it because I was starving and because we paid over 20 bucks for it. Again... very disappointing!

    (2)
  • Samone H.

    They used to be better. I recently visited on a pretty busy late afternoon. Phoned in a burger, chili cheese hotdog, and picked it all up by the pizza by the slice corner so I can get a slice of four seasons too, thin crust. Even though the place was busy, the pizza wasn't fresh at all. Cheese was hard and chewy/rubbery, and pizza was dry. They heat it before they box it, but I guess they were so busy, they just let it reach a lukewarm. Burger was dry and and flavorless, frozen, not fresh. Hot dog was missing the chili. I called back and they credited me the difference. Guess I'll have to go else where for a quick bite, and just stick to Rico's for the things they don't screw up on. Like the wings and breaded steaks.

    (2)
  • Rick B.

    Still good but I remember breaded steak being so big you could only eat half of it. Not so much anymore. Italian ice not good.

    (4)
  • Anwar J.

    Breaded Steak!!!! That's what it's all about. Just order the breaded steak sandwich with sweet peppers and jalapeños.

    (5)
  • Korbin M.

    I'm relatively new to town, so when someone said I should go here, I was like, "Rico what"? And, where is Chinatown? Ok, so yeah, once you start learning your way around, you realize there are wonderful places to eat just about everywhere! When you arrive at the front door, there is a huge poster on the window that makes the 1st timer stop and take note. Yep, we took a photo, and if you're a first timer, you will too! Ok, onto the review... Upon entering, don't stop and wait near the front, as though someone will be seating you...just go straight ahead to what looks to be the take-out line. That will save you 2 minutes of standing there looking silly! :-) I'm not sure about the pizza or other items, but I was told to order the steak sandwich, so I did. And I liked it. It was FABU-TASTIC! The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because I like more spice to my food, and the seasoning was a bit bland. But, it was still an excellent sandwich. If you aren't super hungry, you may not be able to finish it in one sitting, so keep that in mind. If you're still reading this, there is obviously something wrong with you! Get your butt out of your seat and head down there NOW! As always, you can thank me later... :-)

    (4)
  • Vivian C.

    Last time I was here was over 2 decades ago at their previous restaurant. When checking out choices for dining out I jumped at the chance to have Chicago Deep Dish pizza from one of my favorite joints of my youth. They didn't disappoint ! Great spinach, sausage and 1/4 anchovies for Mom. Delish. Such a pleasure sharing Ricabene's with my son. My son took the remainder back home to NYC. He said the pizza weighed 20 lbs. yum!

    (5)
  • kendall b.

    I'm willing to bet that the only reason this place doesn't have 5 stars is because of the service. Let's be honest though, who the hell is going to Ricobene's for the service? It's all about that steak sandwich, guys. The sandwich looks a mess and cannot be held by those without monstrous-sized hands, but just as you should never judge a book by its cover, I urge you not to judge a steak sandwich by its presentation. Order it with cheese, peppers if you're into that, and grab a knife and fork. If you insist upon using your hands, do yourself a favor and drape yourself in a large bib or towel. I will certainly be back, many times, and though my belly is still full from the half sandwich I ate only hours ago, I am already dreaming about the leftovers in my fridge. Pro tip: take your own malt vinegar; it is the perfect complement to their amazing french fries.

    (5)
  • Montse S.

    Love love this place. It is a must every time I'm in Chicago. The breaded steak sandwich is a devious mess!

    (5)
  • Daniella D.

    Go. Just go. The breaded steak sandwich is amazing. I switched to eggplant sandwich since I'm no longer eating meat & it's just as amazing. Ricobene's is a Chicago staple. If you've never been go & I doubt you'll be disappointed. Also, it's a great place to stop if you're hungry after a Sox game. Get extra to take home. You'll be happy that you did when you're craving it later.

    (5)
  • Angela P.

    I first heard about Ricobene's in college. We were doing one of those ice breaker things, and this kid Ross introduced himself and said his family owned a restaurant called Ricobene's. I don't think I talked to the kid all semester, but I thought it was reaaalllyyyy cool that his family owned a restaurant. Pointless story over. Continue... There is food like this everywhere in Chicago, but you should get it at Ricobene's. We were headed to a White Sox game and wanted to grab some food nearby. Ricobene's is a great place to do this - you get quality food that is inexpensive and will keep you beyond stuffed during the game. There's no need to spend big bucks on concessions at the ballpark. The Breaded Steak Sandwich (with mozzarella and hot giardinera peppers) is massive. I could not believe they make a "regular" and "king" size. I had quite an appetite when we sat down, but I only ate half of my (regular!) sandwich. The other half heated nicely in my toaster oven the next day. Beware! This sandwich is messy. I contemplated various strategies to pick up the sandwich and eat it, but I gave in and used a fork and knife instead. We shared an order of mozzarella sticks. They come out hot and gooey, like they should be. The breading was light, and the marinara was good. Mozzarella sticks are like a sub food group to me - belonging to the food group "cheese," of course. We filled our bellies while sitting in their big, comfortable, and clean dining area. Unlike most Chicago fast food shacks, Ricobene's is kind of classy considering the food that's served here. There is a TON of seating, probably a good place for big family meals or birthday parties. Cheap eats? Check. Close to "The Cell"? Check. Great food? Check.

    (5)
  • Dr. John Z.

    1. Splinters 2. Rainy Saturdays 3. Antarctic winters 4. Pigeons 5. Thumb rings 6. Patchouli 7. Toilet water splash-back 8. Affliction t-shirts 9. Rahm's second term 10. Swass 11. The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber 12. Justin Bieber This is just a list of things that deserve to exist less than Ricobene's. For some reason Ricobene's locations have been shut down faster than a scientologist at a logic party, and now this is the only location. Yet, I keep seeing more and more Papa John's - which might as well be the definition of "throwing money at the problem." You're gonna want the breaded steak sandwich, for sure. And if you're a vegetarian, just like Hitler, you'll want to try the breaded eggplant sandwich. Pizza is really good, soup is really good. It's hard to miss at this place. I know I haven't yet. And I've been eating their food since I can remember... but since I can't even remember what happened 10 minutes ago, I guess that's not the best selling point.

    (5)
  • Yesy D.

    If you want a great deep dish pizza this is the place to go. I love that it's a cornbread crust and the slices they sell are huge! If you order by the slice I recommend the sausage or the spinach and mushroom. For their regular or pan pizza they sometimes have a special that has breaded steak which is phenomenal. Which brings me to the breaded steak sandwich. That sandwich is nothing short of extremely delicious. If you forgo the red sauce you are doing your meal a disservice. It is hands down the greatest steak sandwich. A king size can be cut in half and can be a meal for two. One of the coolest things is their draft beer. Green line on tap is a great thing especially at $12 a pitcher. The banana bites also taste real good. Definitely a great place for fast food. Did I mention their fries are also delicious?

    (4)
  • Donna B.

    I never understood the appeal in that "famed" breaded steak sandwich. I haven't had a breaded steak fom here in years decided to again I'm sorry I did, it just sucked. The breaded Steak is sometimes fatty,and served on a thick even tougher piece of bread that yanks your teeth out of your head with every bite. Beware denture wearers.Their greasy Fries...well are just greasy and gross. Also the eggplant sandwich, same issue, So bland in taste, I was bored half way through and I didn't even finish. And onto the pizza. I've tried them all thin, thick, stuffed. Eh, I've had better. With all the pizza choices in this snow town. This is not the holy grail of all pizzerias. Better off going somewhere else for pizza. This experience was the last time I'll ever,ever eat here again.

    (1)
  • Debbie C.

    I have never seen a pizza quite like theirs! Awesome people that work there. Super nice and understanding. It was my first time in town and they were very helpful and kind. The place is PACKED. Travelers make note that they have a private lot right across from them. I drove right past it and ended up parking on the street, which isn't too bad because there are some small stores and bars nearby. I got the steak sandwich and whatever pizza they recommended.......totally ate with my eyes. I could not finish any of it! I wish I had more room in my belly or someone to eat with.

    (4)
  • Theresa C.

    The best advice I ever heard was "if the cops eat there, it must be good" because cops don't eat at crappy places. There's so many of Chicago's finest here that they should just open up another precinct inside. I had the king breaded steak sandwich with cheese and sweet and hot peppers. Totally awesome!! And so much food I had to take it home. The parking lot across the street is festive, it's kinda find an open spot and try to fit your car in there. Getting out is also another adventure navigating through the half-assed park cars. Despite that, it's worth it for the food and definitely a place to hit when I want a sandwich.

    (4)
  • Shan L.

    The 4 stars given on yelp is an overstatement. The rave for this pizza joint is unnecessary. There are many other Italian restaurants that are as good or even better. Don't get me wrong, the food is good, and the prices are reasonable. But the customer service is horrible. Workers there are rude, and because they think their pizza is the holy grail of all other places, they give themselves the right to treat customers like peasants. I've been a loyal customer since I was a little kid, and I've noticed a huge difference from then to now. All the hype about this place has changed the atmosphere.

    (2)
  • Nick S.

    All you need to know is breaded steak sammich. Get it. Get it with sweet and hot peppers for a real tasty treat. Artery clogger? Yes. Heartburn inducer? Yes. Best damned sammich in Chinatown? Without question! I always stop here when I'm in Chicago and next time won't be different.

    (5)
  • Mandy Y.

    Ricobene's, how have I not reviewed you yet? Upon arriving to Chiberia in the middle of February this year, this was the first place I had. The husband recommended everything so long as I had cheddar fries. So I figured it HAD to be a Chicago style hotdog. Allow me to say that I didn't really care for hotdogs before moving here and now they are a regular staple in our house. In LA, a hotdog is something you eat when you're poor and not exactly a sought after meal. Haha The pizza, it really doesn't need my recommendation. FANTASTIC!! Again, never had pizza like this before moving here and this place is still in my top 3 places. Delivery from Ricobene's never lags either, at least not for us. I do hope they get new trucks soon though because what they drive now is awful, although efficient. So there's this thing here, breaded steak... I've never had it and I need to. They occasionally have a breaded steak pizza and the cops go crazy for it. Chicago sure does have a lot of chubby cops, now I see why. Too cold to be pulling people over all the time, screw a foot pursuit and then there's food like this! Also, they have a carpool van that'll haul you to and from Sox games. Pretty sweet. Speaking of sweet, the Italian beef with sweet (and hot!) peppers smothered in mozzarella cheese is the reason I will always have a gym membership. Happy eating! EDIT: I FINALLY HAD THE BREADED STEAK!!! Amazing just like everything else. It's soooo tender! Had a slice of breaded steak pizza and it didn't disappoint. Northsiders really need to stop dissing this place and talking crap about how the southside doesn't have any restaurants. BYE FELICIA go back to north.

    (5)
  • Andrea F.

    So i ordered food 2 hours later i am still waiting. I called in to see what was going on they said it was on its way and confirmed my order. another 30 mins passed I call again and they magically never had an order from me.

    (1)
  • Amy H.

    My boyfriend has a theory - if there are cop cars infront of a restaurant, that means the food has to be good. This was an impromptu visit as we were on our way to Yolk for brunch, bc obviously, there were cop cars in front of the restaurant. It's a huge place and the food was an upper scale fast food type of selections. We got the famous bredded steak sandwich, a mushroom and spinach pizza and some hot wings. The huge 9" sandwich was okay -- it was drenched in marinara sauce and the flavor was subpar. The pizza was also good but I've definitely had better deep dish pizzas. The wings -- they were very good (not too much on the hot side even though we got hot wings) until I saw chicken hairs on my wings. I know it's not a big deal but I couldn't eat them after I saw it. Overall, it's an okay place if you're looking for some quick food and don't wanna visit McDonalds!

    (3)
  • Amy H.

    This place is straight up American food. There's spaghetti, burgers, steak sanwiches. While you're eating the food, it's delicious. It's warm and big and your eyeballs will pop out if your head. Afterwards, though, you will feel so sick. The food is very greasy, so when you head back to work, you feel sluggish.

    (1)
  • Paschan l.

    Ok so last night was my first time at Ricobene's. I had the single hot wings over a bed of fries. Let me just say this I'm big on customer service so when I enter a establishment I expect to be treated like your number one customer. I actually got the opposite of this. I told the cashier, "Hey this is my first time here" with a bright smile. She just looked at me with a bored blank face and said, "what can I get you". I should have walked out then, but I stayed and order my food to go. Now about the wings I should have cooked my own wings at home. The hot sauce was drenched over the wings and fries like their trying to hide the true taste of the chicken which had no taste. The hot sauce is the only thing I would order again and put on my own hot wings prepared from home.

    (1)
  • Tyler A.

    Horrible service. We waited a half hour for food and told one of the workers about it and still 15mins later no food. There weren't even that many people ordering food.

    (1)
  • Jennifer K.

    Was visiting from Texas, and my boyfriend brought me here.. This place is AWESOME. HUGE portion sizes, we had to take most of our food back home. Food suggestions: *Brownie Bites* DO NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE UNTIL YOU ORDER THESE DELICIOUS MORSELS OF WONDERMENT. *The breaded steak sandwich.* Holy Moly. It was absolutely delicious. Kind of messy to eat, but once you get that sucker in your mouth you can't help but close your eyes and wonder why you've never eaten one before that moment. *Pizzas* Any of them! We had the margherita pizza and breaded steak pizza. YUM. The breaded steak pizza was definitely my favorite out of the two - so cheesy and delish. *Fries* Disclaimer: Yes, they're greasy. But if you're going to be eating bad anyway, then who cares!? They're worth your time, and you get a big brown bag full of them! I'll definitely be back here again!

    (4)
  • John K.

    Wow, how to review my favorite place for a Chicago Italian style breaded steak sandwhich? I'll say this, a Bridgeport institution for well over 50 years now there's no better place for said sandwhich and now they even offer a breaded steak pizza! Grab a beer and plan to hit the gym extra hard.

    (5)
  • Alexander H.

    I've been going here since I was a child. I highly recommend the Steak sandwich or the chicken vesuvio.

    (5)
  • Leslie L.

    Great food and great delivery service! They are always working a reasonable time and I have always received exactly what I ordered. My favorite is their chicken Parmesan sandwich but I have yet to taste a bad thing from the menu! Also, the older gentleman that usually delivers in the evening is such a sweetheart! Always so happy and makes me smile.

    (5)
  • Carl E.

    I love the breaded steak sandwich more than any other food from any other restaurant....!!!! For the last 25 years I have enjoyed these monster treats, and I have nothing bad to say about this food.! The quality has always been consistently great, the taste is incredible, and I am sure that Mama Cass would have been happy and proud to have died with this meat in her mouth instead of that nasty ham sandwich....I know I would...!!!!

    (5)
  • Zach J.

    I have fallen in love!! In love with the amazing breaded steak sandwhich, that is by far the best breaded steak ever! Order it to be ON GARLIC BREAD, then you will be even more blown away. Also ask for hot peppers on it. The king size is huge and not for someone with a small appetite. The breaded steak is so delicious and has that amazing fried taste that melts in you mouth. Always get the red sauce on it. We also has a deep dish pizza, the deep dish is simple, not award winning, but is really good in it's own way. I give two thumbs up for the deep dish. Do not get the thin crust because it is not good! I will be here again and again so I can visit my new love, the breaded steak sandwhich on garlic bread with hot peppers. The hype is real!

    (5)
  • Claudia H.

    Family friendly, fast food joint. There is also a convenient parking lot. Only giving it four stars because their healthy menu options are scarce. If you do go, we always are satisfied with the baked mostaccoli, chicken Vesuvio sandwiches and hot dogs.

    (4)
  • Lisa A.

    Everyone raves about their steak sandwiches here, but that's not the only sandwich I like here. They have a great Italian Beef, Chicken Vesuvio, and Eggplant sandwich that's rich and gooey with melted mozzarella cheese. Their fresh cut fries are great, too. I like that they pile the beef on their Italian Beef sandwiches unlike Al's Italian Beef where their portions and prices have escalated.

    (5)
  • Kat R.

    This was my first time here, so I was not familiar with the menu. I saw the rave reviews and was so excited to try it. Right off the bat, the young woman who took my order was rude and impatient. I could see the hateful way she looked at me when I was trying to order. Even my young niece could see how rude she was being. Couldn't even enjoy the food. I won't be back to this location.

    (1)
  • Daisy G.

    I have never had a breaded steak sandwich and had no idea what to expect. It was phenomenal! Massive sandwich even though it was the regular size. Throw some peppers on it for extra flavor! Fries were decent kinda soggy for my taste as I like them nice and crispy.

    (4)
  • Italian S.

    Went here about a week later after a horrible experience at Connie's Pizza. Waaaaaaaay better experience here than there. This place is fast and cheap and has great atmosphere. Girls behind the counter could be a little more polite but that's about the only thing I can say bad about them. If you're looking for pizza after a Sox game or anytime for that matter, stay away from Connie's and come here. They're the bomb!!!!

    (4)
  • Jackie M.

    I am addicted to the buffalo chicken sandwich! Fried are best in Chicago! I always call ahead pick up with no problem! Hate that it's Sox friendly bahahaha. Nice place I come here weekly!

    (5)
  • Tony D.

    They have without question the best fries I have ever had. These are the standard against which all other fries are measured. That includes you McDs. Pizza is good, breaded steak is unreal. I have a soft spot for this joint. Had my first Chicago style do there in about 1976.

    (4)
  • Charlene L.

    Came here while on business in Chicago. I read this on a fellow Yelper's profile. Actually, I have to admit, I was reading all his reviews, as he is a Chicago native and seemed to have some good food on his profile... a bit stalker-ish, but yea... anyways... :) This place is crawling with Chicago police... there's TVs posted up around the place to catch the game, and it's self-serve. I ordered the breaded steak sandwich and cheese fries. The sandwich was better than the Italian beef at Al's that everyone raves about.. THIS SANDWICH should be the staple of Chicago!! As for the fries.. meh, I've had better.. YUM YUM! cant wait to go back next time I'm in town! :)

    (4)
  • Jimmy B.

    Been going here since 1991. It was a little place then. It's much bigger now. I suggest the barbecue Pork Sandwich or the combo (beef and sausage). Worst Pasta Fagioli at an Italian restaurant I ever had. Their Hot Wings give me the explosive bubble guts. Make sure you tell them easy on the barbecue sauce. They go nuts and drown that shit in the sauce and ruin your sandwich sometimes.

    (3)
  • GabyandRoofy M.

    There's really only one thing to get here: the steak sandwich with fries. I couldn't tell you what else was on their menu. It's all about the food though and the four, not five, stars is because sitting there and eating it wouldn't be my first choice. Still you're not a true Chicagoan until you've had Ricobene's. The sandwich is humangocious and delicious and filling and cheap ($10). A true gem.

    (4)
  • Mike M.

    Ricobene's, oh Ricobene's, where have you been for 10 years? Well, actually, where the heck have I been for the last ten years that I've missed out on these wonderful breaded steak sammiches or sammies, as I call them). I remember as a kid going here and trying to finish a regular breaded steak sammie, but because there was so much delicious cheese and scrumptious breaded steak, I'd always fail. Failing was good, because there'd always be another opportunity to eat this delicious and hearty sammie. This is one of very few places where you run out of bun before you run out of beef. I find myself eating the sammie from the back as it starts to leave the soft roll behind. It always leaves me with a full belly and satisfied taste buds. They also do great pizza by the slice, which my dear pizza connoisseur loves. She does have refined taste buds for a 13 year old! They have thin crust or thick crust. I prefer the thin, but both are equally good. Go here, eat pizza, eat a one of a kind breaded steak sammie, be happy, then repeat. Yum!

    (4)
  • Jeff J.

    Not bad, not super amazing either. Had their famous breaded steak sandwich with extra cheese. Everyone made it seem like this was the best sandwich in Chicago. It was good, but far from the best in Chicago.

    (3)
  • Nicole Y.

    Veggie pizza is the best i've had in the city!!!!!!!! All fresh ingredients. AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (5)
  • Ruben T.

    This place was sooo good I went for the first time today with a friend and the food was incomparable! Pros: fast service enough space to sit comfortably Cons: parking was a little annoying not very well organized they have a young girl at the register with a whole lot of attitude! Food was so good her attitude did not bother me

    (4)
  • Glorie G.

    Waited 2¹/² hours for an online order. It's totally unnecessary. Who ever works the phone room should be fired. She expected me to pay even more . It doesn't matter how good the product is. If the customer service is bad, I doubt that any business would have customers. They're breaded steaks are ok. They are only worth four stars by basic bridgeporters because the south side lacks good restaurants.

    (1)
  • Gloria E.

    The breaded steak sandwich! It's what they're famous for and it's delicious, so just get that. Red sauce (marinara) and provolone. Don't go somewhere else for it, because I've tried somewhere else in bridgeport, and it doesn't compare. It wasn't as melty, hot or juicy. The only other thing I've had here is the breaded steak pizza (yeah! They made it into a pizza!), and that was pretty good, but it still isn't quite the sandwich.

    (5)
  • Johanna A.

    Ok I've updated my review based on my previous experience. We ordered the same sandwich, as we always do, the breaded steak and fries. The steak was so yummy. It was tender. The sandwich came out hot! We always top it with hot peppers instead of cheese. We like it spicy! :-) The fries were so good. Freshly made and perfect seasoning on them! Will be coming back!

    (4)
  • KC S.

    Breaded steak with jalapeños it's my favorite. The meat it's fried to perfection and the break it's amazing.

    (5)
  • Lisa S.

    If you're looking for a heart-clogging sandwich, be sure to get the breaded steak. It's like a deep fried, oily chicken fried steak on a roll with peppers and onions. It wasn't horrible, by any means, but it wasn't amazing, and I could feel myself getting fatter with every bite. The kids enjoyed the ice cream and Italian ice, though, but I didn't have any of that, so I can't review it.

    (2)
  • Lingyi P.

    Good place for big groups to hang out and grab a bite for cheap. I heard that this place is known for their breaded steak sandwiches. I thought the steak sandwich was ok. It wasn't amazing but decent. It was VERY filling though, so be prepared to skip the next meal. The hotdog was the same - good but not great. I was looking for something green on the menu...but quickly figured out that this was not a salad place. Only carbs and dairy. Unless you count potato (fries) as a vegetable. What I did like was the milk shake. I got the vanilla shake and was happy to find that it was as rich, creamy and fatty as I had hoped for.

    (4)
  • Ramon L.

    I have been going to Ricobene's forever now and it still is one of my go to places if I'm looking for a bite. My favorite items are hot wings and rib tips. The single order of hot wings are 8 large wings sitting on top of a bed of fries drenched in their hot sauce (the sauce isn't too spicy at all, but still really good). Tip - get fries on the side if you like to dip your fries like me. Rib tips are very similar, rib tips with awesome BBQ sauce sitting on top of a bed of fries. My mouth is watering writing this...... The place is open late and has a lot of seating. It's got a classic south side vibe. I must have ordered at least 100 orders of hot wings in my life. Is that wrong?

    (4)
  • Tiffany Y.

    After a late night workout, my friend was feeling pretty hungry so we stopped by here to grab a few slices of pizza to go. I loveeee the huge parking lot across the street, there is nothing nicer in Chicago than FREE PARKING LOTS. Not that it'd be that hard to find parking in this area, but still FREE PARKING. There were still plenty of people / po - pos frequenting this restaurant even though we went so late around 11pm, and they don't close until 2 am ! We ordered the veggie deep dish, lasagna deep dish ( not so yums ), and a sausage deep dish. They stuck the pizza in the oven for a quick reheat, and then they were boxed and ready to go. $12 for 3, pretty affordable I'd say because a slice is enough for 2 people to share. I reheated the pizza at home so it could be super hot and melty, and oh my gosh buttery crust all day long. The veggie deep dish was my favorite because' it wasn't that salty, and the huge chunks of tomato were the perfect addition to the slice. The crust was really the best part about the pizza, to this day I have not had better crust in Chicago. BEST DEEP DISH, but bring home and reheat!! You will not be able to eat it at maximum deliciousness in the restaurant.

    (5)
  • Lupe D.

    What can I say that has not already been said about Ricobene's? 1 - I agree that the breaded steak is the way to go - personally I order it with mozzarella, sweet peppers and hot peppers on the side. I can barely get through 1/2 a regular size, maybe bit more if I am starving. 2 - free parking definitely plus! 3 - late hours another plus! 4 - I have never received bad service and I've been coming here for many years. Not sure what people expect when they complain about service in a fast food places so I am not going to judge... but as far as my experience at Ricobene's the staff has always been nice, friendly and accommodating. 5. - Pizza - I love pizza, but this is not what I come to Ricobene's for. I have other places that make my fave pizza...that being said, their pizza is not bad either, it's ok. I usually get whatever veggie options they have and never had a bad slice. 6. French Fries - I really like their french fries... no matter what I get, I have to have an order of fries on the side....but be warned the orders are pretty big. I never finish an entire order. 7. Hot dogs, etc. - gotta be honest - I have not had their hot dogs, beefs, etc...but have been there with people who do and they have all devoured them..so I guess they were good. I had a salad there the other day and it was pretty good (yeah, I had a salad - what was I thinking). I only wish they threw in a roll, or a piece of french bread with the salad. 8. I like that the place attracts so many different types of people, there's always a nice buzz about the place, you can order a pitcher of beer with your meal if you'd like, it's casual, family friendly and has yet to disappoint.

    (4)
  • Daniel W.

    I grew up on Ricobene's food! I have been eating here since I was probably 7 years old. I remember back in the days when Dad would bring Ricobene's back to the suburbs with him for us to feast on...Thankfully now I can drive myself here whenever a craving arises. Here's a list of what I have eaten here...from best/most frequent to the least frequented 1) KING SIZE Breaded steak sandwich WITH Jalepeno peppers! Very thin steak that's breaded and seasoned then smothered in their marinara sauce...mmm...The bread roll soaks up the marinara and softens up a little bit that just makes the sandwich soooo freaken delicious. Go with the jalepeno peppers instead of the giardiniera...trust me, it's a little hotter but compliments the sandwich very well. 2) The thick cut fries - My top 3 without a doubt. I love the thicker cut and how they leave some of the potato skin on the fry that gives it the taste of an actual potato. A perfect blend of soggy fries and crispy fries so both parties will be happy. MMMMmmmmm...... 3) Chicken Vesuvio Sandwich - I know this is probably a heart attack in the making but it is worth it. The bread is buttered, the chicken is hefty, thick, and I think is white meat. Then they put on lettuce, tomatoes, and thinly sliced onions that make the sandwich that much better. Also, they drizzle it with some white type of sauce that melts in your mouth. 4) Chicken Parmesan sandwich - It's like a combination of the steak and vesuvio sandwich. Basically, the steak sandwich but with Chicken instead. 5) Tamales - I thought they used to be a little better but I still order one with every sandwich. 6) Pizza - I've had the slice once and I would get it again.... if they were out of steak sandwiches. Ricobene's will always be one of my favorite Chicago restaurants and I will be bringing my kids Ricobene's just as my father did.

    (5)
  • Brian K.

    FAMOUS FOR: - Breaded Steak Sandwich (7/10) I ALSO TRIED - Tamale (5/10) Ricobene's is kinda weird because it's been around long enough and is popular enough that most Chicagoans know about it, for everyone who doesn't live in the immediate vicinity of one, it's mostly forgotten. When anyone thinks about Chicago food, hot dogs and pizzas normally come up, but RIcobene's will never so much as get a mention or even a thought! Put it this way, if we were playing Family Feud, Ricobene's would definitely be up on that board of the Top 100 answers for "Name a famous restaurant/chain in Chicago," but it's the one that both teams will fail to answer, and when it's revealed, everyone'll be like, "OHHHhhhh that's riiiiiight!" There's a huge dining area, and there's even a second room too! I've never seen the place packed, but I've only gone either for dinner or late at night. Something I've noticed, though, is that Chicago Police frequents this place, and every time I've been here, I've seen at least a table of CPD. The area isn't bad, but I'm sure time to time you get some shady types wandering around, so at least it's a little comforting CPD's around. So what is it? Well, it's what I call a "City Food" place. Since it's a pretty big place, their menu is bit bigger than most - fries, onion rings, pizza puffs, wings, tamales, soups, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, BBQ, etc. I don't think they have gyros, though, which is a little strange, but oh well. And of course, amongst all that, they have their famous breaded steak... BREADED STEAK SANDWICH Hungry? Get this. Done. Hungry AND Stupid? Get the King Size. Done. This sandwich is huge! It's literally what the name says, breaded beef steak. It's like veal parmigiana, but beef, in an Italian roll. It's basically a flattened piece of steak, breaded and fried, about the size and thickness of a DVD case (not Bluray), although I'd say maybe a little wider. It's folded into an Italian Roll like they use for Italian Beef. You can order it however you want, but normally people get it with Marinara, mozzarella cheese, and giardeniera peppers. I'm surprised I haven't tried it yet, but you can also get it on garlic bread. Now, don't get me wrong, I really do like the breaded steak sandwich, but it's not like, mind blowing or anything. If I'm in the area, I can see myself having a craving for one (but 554 will win out for sure!). It's a solid meal, it's a very tasty one, and hearty. The bun doesn't steal flavors, and the seasoning of everything is well balanced. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this sandwich that I can pinpoint. However, there is a slight logistical problem with the design. You see, the breaded steak is folded in the roll, and the sauce, cheese, and peppers are dumped in the middle, which creates this tunnel. You'll want to eat it with the wrapper still on one side of it, but you'll find out that all the sauce, cheese, and peppers make their way on the other side, so it can get messy. TAMALE I've just been on this tamale trip lately, so I ordered one. It's your average "city food" tamale, much like you'd find at a Portillo's or any other city food joint. Tastes like a Patio microwave burrito, but in tamale form. RICO SUAVE? Well, it's just a city food joint, so it's just casual eats. Probably about $10 a person or so. I like the breaded steak, so I would definitely come back. I'm just not rushing to or anything. If someone wants to go, I'd be like, yeah! Like I said, it's a solid place, just not mind-blowing or anything like that.

    (3)
  • Victoria O.

    Gotta tell ya, I was disappointed. Stopped by Ricobene's, and I know they've been around a long time and have a good reputation, so I was enthusiastic. That rep must rest on something (anything) besides their hamburgers, however. You know those toy sets of plastic food--the kind kids find so fascinating and use to play "grocery store" or "kitchen" or whatever the hell it is that kids do with plastic crap? (I did know once, but time passes....) Anyway, I can pretty much guarantee that those plastic hamburgers bear more resemblance to actual BEEF than does the Ricobene version. I was so ready for that burger, Yelpians. And I was expecting something along the lines of Culver's or Portillo's...a nicely charred patty of BEEF that tastes like BEEF and is HOT (I know. My standards are off the charts.) And this mythical sandwich has tomato, onion, and lettuce on it, which, while cool (as befits such things) does not take away the HEAT of the BEEF. Oh, and the bun is magically warm as well. I guess some places employ wizards. What I got at Ricobene's was this: a luke warm ( and this is a disservice to all those named Luke) beige disk that tasted beige, ice cold condiments that sucked away any LUKE or WARM in the DISK, and an ultra chewy (it really was odd...Gummy Buns?) COLD bun. YUM! DIG IN! Awful. I understand why restaurants use frozen foods, but I also know that there are some excellent frozen (I'm about to use the word again) BEEF patties that taste like BEEF. Am I asking too much? Have I misunderstood the term "hamburger?" Does BEEF really taste like BEIGE and I've been deceived all these years? On the upside (and there is almost always an upside)...the employees are friendly and helpful, the restaurant is clean, my husband said the pizza was very good, and the hand cut fries have the right amount of grease and salt and brown paper bag. Then again I could put a fifth of vodka in a brown paper bag for about what I paid for the "burger," and...you finish the sentence.

    (2)
  • Jon D.

    The vestiges of working class Chicago distilled to a powerful extract. Welcome to Ricobene's, which I assume has not changed in a very, very long time. The tiled floor opens up to the ordering counter, where all sorts of the breaded and fried, on a bun, or on-a-pizza will be deftly handed to soon after you order (health nuts need not apply). Pick your seat among the many tables among the Chicago PD, and be prepared to get a little messy if you didn't opt for the fork and knife. I went this time for the famous breaded steak sandwich -- breaded steak fried then slathered with Ricobene's tomato sauce and peppers. I opted for the regular size, but my cohorts which decided on the king size were surprised with much more sandwich than they may have bargained for. Tasty was it? Yes, it was quite good for what it was. Perhaps even exactly what I expected. Would I crave it? Come back for it again even? Maybe, but probably not. But it as an experience, it was an interesting spot indeed.

    (3)
  • Dustin S.

    A little disappointed... The food was not memorable in the least. The hot dog was just ok and the fries were very soggy. Jalapeño Poppers were average. The mostaccioli was horrendous. Really subpar. We should have stuck to the pizza but the choices were limited. The food took forever compared to the other patrons (20 + mins). They said it was because of the pasta? Whatever, at least the game was on. The bathroom was gross and it also was uncomfortably hot in the restaurant. Maybe it was an off night

    (2)
  • Alexander C.

    Your delivery driver musta stole my fries. As somebody that grew up in Chicago and ordered hundreds of dollars of food orders from this restaurant, today was a disappointing day for me. I ordered the usual for delivery: Single BBQ Wings with fries ON THE SIDE for me and Bacon Cheeseburger for my brother. Delivery took about an hour from the time we placed the order online. *Ding Dong* Yay the food is here! So after opening the brown Ricobene's bag expecting my BBQ Wings and FRIES ON THE SIDE, my jaws dropped. There were no fries. Frantically looking around, I thinking that it was probably in the bag with my brother's order. Nope, I was wrong. So no big deal right? Just call them, let them know that they forgot my order of fries, and they'll kindly dish out an order of fries in the kitchen pronto for the fry-less customer right? NO. WRONG. After calling the establishment and speaking with two managerial position type people, they concluded, after speaking with their chefs, that they did indeed put the fries in the bag, and they wouldn't compensate me for my fries. I made the point that I ordered the BBQ Single Order with Fries ON THE SIDE. Nope. "The chefs said they put the fries in the bag". WHY RICO'S. Why... This has lead to the conclusion that the delivery driver musta took MY fries. 1 star until I get my fries.

    (1)
  • Mark G.

    My first experience at a Ricobene's was actually the one in Orland Hills. But I enjoy this location much more. It's bigger with a much more vibrant atmosphere. There's always tons of Chicago police eating here, so make sure you leave your weapons and narcotics in your vehicle. And I must stress again the greatness of the breaded steak sandwiches. I can eat with the best of them, but even I can only finish half of the king size sammie. But it's all good 'cause I enjoy having some to take home to munch on later. I'm eager to try other menu items here, but it's very difficult to pass up on these breaded steak sandwiches. But I suppose I'm content with Ricobene's being once of those places where I order the same thing every time. I'm sure south siders would love to keep Ricobene's as their own, but I'm still petitioning to have them open a location up north!

    (5)
  • Linsey R.

    I can't get into the breaded steak sandwich, but there's a lot to choose from anyway. I love the Italian Ice in the summer, the hot dogs are great, and pizza is sold by the slice. The service is always friendly and the food is always fast.

    (3)
  • Cheyenne J.

    I would have given them 4 stars but every-time and I do mean every-time I call to get a crushed tomatoes with mushrooms and spinach delivered to my home, the call taker on the phone never has any idea what the name of the pizza actually is and we always spend 10 minutes trying to figure it out. What is even more amazing is that they sell this same pizza to go in the window for take out and yet nobody seems to know the name of it. Other than that, once I get the pizza, its just absolutely great.

    (3)
  • Nic T.

    Wow, Blast from the past. Growing up a block from Ricobene's and then having a grandmother that lived a block away, meant I spent a lot of time at the various incarnations of Ricobene's. Home of the Breaded Steak Sandwich? Pizza? I will pass on them. There are 3 things I come for: Chicken Vesuvio, Hot Wings, and Creamy Bowlful Frozen Custard. Chicken Vesuvio. This sounds healthy but it is NOT. Your heart will stop from the BUTTER sauce that they fry this in. This butter sauce then drenches your bread. This sandwich would make Paula Dean scream in ecstasy if you add bacon to it. Then there is MAYO, lettuce onion and tomato with it. *I am not responsible for any cardiopulmonary problems that may arise from this sandwich.* Hot Wings. I do NOT get this for the hot wings. I get this dish just to get to the FRIES underneath. The wing grease and the hot sauce combine to form a liquid HEAVEN that flows to the fries and soaks them in uber-orgasm. Warning: it is a vinegar based sauce so some people might find the wings revolting. Frozen Custard. Ok, it's not as good as Culver's but it comes DANGEROUSLY close. But what give Ricobene's the slight edge? It's not proximity to me. It's the fact that you can order FRIES with the Frozen Custard. This sounds stupid but try it ONCE. get a "swirl" which is a mix of chocolate and vanilla. Then take your HOT fry and dip it into the custard. eat fry with a slight coating of custard. Ze taste buds, they dance with joy! Why am I only giving it 3 stars? 2 words. Cheese Fries. I have been going to Rico's for over 20 years. Yes I started as a toddler. No I am not eye-talian. BUT the old old cheese fries were OMG OMG OMG great. The oldtimers will know what I'm talking about. The cheese fries that was NEON Orange and made with what seems to be a cheese PASTE that at times seemed slightly powdery. They have recently replaced it with this watered down nacho cheese toilet water. This is a TRAJESTY! (Its a word I made up, can you figure out which words I compounded) You can easily identify Ricobene's because it is on 26th Street and it looks like a police station based on all the CPD squads parked out front. Oh, there are also free refills and they have Cherry Coke on tap. If you have any problems at Rico's, go ask for ROCCO. He's an old buddy that I grew up with (and always got in trouble at school with). He's the manager of the joint.

    (3)
  • John S.

    You've heard folks joke about how cops eat at donut shops...well, in Chicago it's called Ricobene's. I like this place. When in the "Port"...I sometimes head over here to get my Chicken vesuvio sandwich with hot peppers. The pizza by the slice is good too. Ample parking is across the street.

    (4)
  • Steve K.

    I returned to Ricobene's today for the first time in a long while. The breaded steak sandwich was out of this world and the onion rings were very good. This meal definitely did not disappoint me; can't wait to return.

    (5)
  • MeLissa H.

    This place is my neighbor pizzeria. I like it much better than the other option, Connie's. Great food ranging from pizza to sandwiches. The salads are overpriced and not that great. Same with desserts. The option for dining in is alright. The place looks mediocre but free parking is great.

    (3)
  • Katie H.

    Went in not knowing what to expect. I have come back to report that I am a fan. My dad and I came here on a whim after getting a fan from Home Depot for my new apartment. After getting lost in Chinatown for about 20 minutes we found the stretch of the Dan Ryan that my dad remembered parking under as a teenager. I ended up ordering what he order because I felt that, being from a family of Southsiders, it was about time I tried a breaded steak sandwich. The sandwich was very messy, but delicious. I normally find myself picking at steak because I always end up getting fatty chunks, but because they tenderize the steak so much I was able to gobble up the who thing. I added some peppers to add a bit of spice which really did the trick with this sandwich. I wasn't man enough to get through the regular sized one and I am quite frightened to see what the king size looks likes. My dad and I also got some of their homemade Italian Ice which was the perfect thing to un-stick the sandwich from my ribs. If you find yourself on the southside, make sure you stop in at Ricobene's.

    (4)
  • Daddy F.

    We asked a cab driver near the convention center for his fav pizza place...he said hands down go to Ricobene's. So off we went! We walked in and it was all locals...there was a White Sox game that night so lots of baseball fans. There were more local cops in the place then a donut shop! Apparently, this was the local hot spot! We walked up to the counter and ordered a few personal pizza's as everyone wanted different toppings and a side order of french fries and ofcourse beer! Pizza came out in about 20 min, all togo boxes...fries came in a brown bag. We sat down with our pizza and 2nd pitcher of beer and were very happy! The thin crust pizza was crunchy, fresh and flaky. Loved it! The place is on the outskirts of Chinatown...well worth the drive! If you are from out of town...give it a shot!

    (5)
  • Char Y.

    I have been to this place for so many years, and I still can't believe how greasy everything is. Don't get me wrong, this is THE place to go to in Bridgeport for fast food, and they are decent. However, one would just eat & fall asleep.

    (3)
  • Dan E.

    If the inbound Ryan is congested I take my detour. I get off at 31st Street, meander to 26th and then take Union north. This route takes me right by Ricobene's and their legendary breaded steak sandwiches. Of course I often succumb to the smell of fried food and garlic wafting across 26th Street and have to veer off and stop. I once worked in the vicinity and Ricobene's was in my departments lunch rotation. With all the choices in the area we ate well but I was young and had a high metabolism. Back then Ricobene's was literally a shack with one employee. Every customer usually got the steak sandwich and there only was one size of steak sandwich: enormous. I like the beef sandwiches here also but never had the pizza. One of the few places left in Bridgeport where you can still get a decent eggplant sandwich. Don't ask what the fries are cooked in, just enjoy. Artery clogging bliss!

    (4)
  • Carmen M.

    Their pizza is definitely the best I ever had without breaking the budget. The pizza dough is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with lots of oily goodness in between without being too oily. The top layer is piled with cheese making a soft and chewy cheesy layer without being overly empowering. Biting into the cheese, the crunchy yet soft bottom layer is to die for. The sandwiches are great as well. The fresh cut fries are a bit on the oily side, but still very good. Interesting Note - Crowds of police officers can be seen on their lunch break here. Take a note of all the historical pictures on the wall. It really gives it a memorable feel.

    (5)
  • Linda M.

    So I'm sitting here wondering what would be perfect right now If i wasn't in such a healthy new year's resolution... A gut buster / artery clogging chicken vesuvio sandwich. Yes, the ultimate sinful, yet god damn delicious greasy, sandwich. I miss it so much that I tell people that don't have a clue what and where Ricobene's is, to try it if they are ever in Chicago. Being that I live in NJ now, places like this are precious to me. One thing I miss about the midwest is the italian steak sandwiches dipped in that oregano seasoned soup gravy. Not so much the pizza, sorry - NYC has the BEST pizza. ;) Ricobene's fries are also deadly, comparable to Five Guys fresh cut fries but greasier. Lets admit it, this place is a grease pit - throw your diets out the door when you come here. It's all about gorging and losening your belt. I miss you Ricobenes. 26th Street location, you are the best.

    (4)
  • A C.

    this place is known for its greasy pizzas and fries. And pink lemonades. It's a favorite hangout for Chicago cops. There's plenty of parking across the street under the highway. This place is almost always packed with young kids from the Bridgeport and Chinatown neighborhood.

    (3)
  • Kate C.

    I've loved Ricobene's sandwiches and fries for a long time. But what I really want to write about is their party room. We used it yesterday for my son's first birthday party and everything was great. The service from the beginning of the planning through the end of the party was wonderful. They explained everything and were flexible. We had a dedicated server, Leonard, who was courteous and very helpful. It was very affordable for what we wanted. We wanted a party, obviously, but a casual one and every other place required us to pay a certain amount per person -- think it was at least $12/person at another well known hot dog chain starting with "P". This was more formal than we were looking for and more expensive. Here, we paid $75 to reserve the room. Then we could order off the catering or pizza menus but there were no minimums as far as how much we ordered or how many people we had. We put in our food order a few days beforehand but had the flexibility to order more food during the party so we didn't have to worry if we ordered too much food. Plus, they provided all the plates, cups, etc. and had to clean up our mess :) And the space is nice. We had it full at about 65 people but there was enough room for all without being on top of each other. It's up in the front with a wall of windows, it had a nice bright feel.

    (5)
  • Adam M.

    I have been living right down the street from this place for a couple of years now. I really want to like this place but I really can't. The food sucks and is way way over priced. Every time I decide to go there I figure I just got some bad food on an off day. Nope. Their pizza is gross. The crust is like eating wet cardboard. It's like 5 bucks a slice too!!! As for the sandwiches, these were a little bit better but still the buns were soggy and they were greasy as heck. I'd save your time and money and go just about anywhere else.

    (1)
  • Darren F.

    i dont even know where to start! ok.. lets see.. hands down to the best breaded steak sandwich in chicago, rib tips is delicious!, hot wings is good but way too greasy and so are their fries!, pizza is amazing, the chicken vesuvio sandwich is very good too but also too greasy.. theoil drips down the sandwich while you eating it..chicken parmason is excellent and so is their italian beef sandwich.. over this place is gooooood!

    (4)
  • Daniel L.

    Mmm... Vesuvio chicken sandwich... Oh how I love thee... Grew up not too far from this place. Grew up on their fresh cut fries!! I've been going here since they were nothing but a hole in the wall, LITERALLY. No tables. No dining area. Just a window in the wall to take your orders. Its a pretty straight up Chicago place. You walk up to counter, place your order with the sometimes grumpy staff and you wait requisite 5 min or so while a hispanic guy in the back fries up whatever it is you ordered. You grab a stack of napkins with your order and then head to a table of your choice. Sandwiches that are must tries are the vesuvio chicken, breaded steak and SLOPPY JOE!! Plus, their deep dish sausage pizza is just amazing as well. I took away a star cuz it costs nearly $10 now for a sandwich pack. Then again, I still always leave wishing I didn't just eat a whole sandwich and the order of fries. *BURP*

    (4)
  • Erin B.

    I can't believe I haven't written a review for this fine place yet! When you come here, for sure get the breaded steak sandwich. Sure, it's a billion calories, but it's OH SO GOOD! I frequent here after Sox games, and love the fact that they are open later on the weekends, and serve me beer! :-) Believe me, after working a 8 hour shift there in the hot humid, a breaded steak sandwich and beer really hit the spot! Even if you're not a Sox fanthey accept you with open arms! There are some few hidden Cub fans that work here...trust me, I've met them! :-)

    (4)
  • Tone E.

    Ricobene's was mad famous for their breaded steak/chicken sandwiches and their amazing fries.... and that is the only reason why you should come visit. The pizza here is horrible. Ricobenes.. you should drop it from your menu. The Chicken Vesuvio, Breaded Steaks, and Eggplant Sandwich are top notch. Their chilli cheese fries are a true gut buster... You can try the other stuff on the menu... but don't say I already warned you!

    (4)
  • Tim M.

    Hard to find great places like this anymore. Great food, great diverse family atmosphere

    (5)
  • Maggie R.

    Their breaded steak is awesome and fulfilling!!Fries are great also. Only drawback is that there is always something wrong with our order. The last time we asked for a container of their hot sauce and got marinara instead. We had the order to carryout so we didn't find this out till we got home. =/ Either way, if carrying out, make sure you have a correct order.

    (4)
  • Vivian Y.

    I am SO SO sad to give this place only two stars. I just returned from a very late lunch (Saturday afternoon, 4pm) and was SO disappointed with the visit. I was devirginized of the great breaded steak sammich at the Taste of Chicago two years ago - it was there of all places, that I fell in love with this breaded meat of the heavens. At TOC it was hot, the meat was crispy to the bite, but balanced out with the sweetness of the tomato sauce. Finally, today - my hubby and I decided to go and re-live our moment from TOC and anticpated it to be even better as we were going to the real site! Perhaps our choice of time was not the best. It was not busy at 4pm. We ordered two regular breaded steak sandwiches, with cheese, with peppers + cheese fries + two drinks = grand total $20.41 When I popped open the paper/foil packaging I noticed this stringy white stuff on it, "oh look honey, there is pasta on our sandwich!" (normally I'm not this dumb, esp when it comes to food" Hubby: "that's the cheese honey" Me: "holy shit, that is alot of cheese! maybe too much!" (yes, here, there is such a thing as "too much cheese". The cheese was very stringy, there wasn't any heat to melt it down at all. Diving into the sandwich, I notice the sandwich is not anything like I remembered it. It was luke warm. Soggy. Too much cheese - it wasn't even melted onto the bun like it was at TOC. The cheese fries were good, but not super amazing. What did we do wrong? Why am I only giving this place two stars when it should deserve 4-5??? I guess I'll have to go again, when it is busier and they aren't serving me food that has been sitting around for a few hours.

    (2)
  • Julia B.

    A Chicago MUST! This location has easy parking and it is never too busy. I have only had the breaded steak sandwich (sweet AND hot peppers - YUM!) The pizza looks pretty good but I think I will stick to my usual.

    (5)
  • Richard F.

    It's a pizza place but I always order a cheeseburger from here. Pizza is ok...

    (4)
  • Katherine R.

    my favorite pizza ever! the corn bread crust is aaaamaaazzingg on both the deep dish and pan pizza. the deep dish is well worth the wait but if you are starving the regular pizza is delish too! i usually order and pick-up to go and the pizza has always been ready by the time i get there. i've eaten in once and the individual slices of pizza are good too! :) p.s. they usually have coupons on their website too!

    (5)
  • Nancy C.

    I got the challenge from my boss to go here and try to finish an entire regular sized original sandwich. I had no idea what I was in for. First of all - this sandwich was freakin delicious, so I thought it would be a piece of cake - but halfway through the sandwich I was defeated. The sandwich is basically a thin sliced piece of steak, breaded and deep fried. Stick that in a roll, and slather cheese and marinara sauce all over it and you got yourself a sandwich. The problem is, there's no possible way to eat that sandwich with your hands. It's like picking up a giant meatball out of your spaghetti with your bare hands. I ended up eating it with a fork and knife... also ordered the fresh cut fries (which were also amazing)... and of course a diet coke. (A girl has to watch what she eats right?) Ricobene - you have won this round. I can't even imagine who orders the King Size sandwich. Now that's a person who deserves a high five or a cookie or something. It was almost impossible finding a cab back to my hotel from that location. We ended up walking quite a few blocks towards downtown and stopped ourselves RIGHT in front of a cab company. Still took us a while to get a cab. Next time I know to call - or not wear heels.

    (5)
  • Angelique R.

    Ricobene's is just simple good food. They have a veggie burger that is pretty damn delicious so yes, I am a fan! Their fries are really good too. I'm very happy about the free wifi and parking as well.

    (4)
  • Nora B.

    Chicken parm on garlic bread!!! Bring your appetite or your hangover because the sandwiches are big. The most delicious thing ever and just talking about it makes me want one right NOW!!! I have tried the pizza, it's ok, the soups and salads are as well. Wide variety of Italian basics makes this a great spot for anyone. The Italian Ice and shakes are great in the summer as well as soft serve cones!! Yum!!

    (5)
  • Kathryn K.

    This location is absolutely the best compared to other chicagoland Ricobene's. The breaded eggplant sandwich is my favorite. It's not a menu option, but you can get it on garlic bread! I haven't had a bad meal here. I also see a lot of customers getting the pizza, but I haven't tried it yet. Next time.

    (4)
  • Christian M.

    What can I say, you make my favorite pizza hands down in Bridgeport. The only thing I don't like about your restaurant is that you rarely have a good veggie pizza slice choice available. Cheese does not count. I refuse to believe that people in the surrounding area do not like veggie pizza. Please respect us and try harder for your vegetarian customer's business!

    (4)
  • Kevin C.

    I had their regular steak sandwich for $5.29+tax. I was planning to eat lightly as I had a big dinner plan that night. Boy was the menu deceiving or what! The sandwich was huge and meaty! Definitely worth it for the price though. Wait a minute....they tried to charge me for cheese! This place is somewhat out of place near china town. I walked here from south loop hotel and it was quite an experience. It was very quiet and dark so I wouldn't recommend walking there. Drive there and the experience is worth it.

    (4)
  • Jonathan C.

    Oh Ricobene's how I miss your loop location. Its all right. At least we will always have the taste of chicago. Ricobene's fried steak sandwich slathered in sauce and cheese is something you need to have before you die (and you probably will of a coranary considering the greasiness of this sandwitch). Unless you are vegetarian or trying to eat healthy or something. The portions are ridiculous at the restaurant, not so rediculous at the taste... oh well. Don't eat this in a shirt that you like, cause you will make a mess of yourself. Not for the faint of heart. Bring your artery declogger with you. I haven't had anything than the breaded steak sandwich, so the rating is for the 'witch alone. UPDATE: Seems like while my old loop location on Lake Ave was closed, they have another location on Wells. The yelp engine can't find it because the address is spelled Well, so i sent in a correction.

    (5)
  • Doe L.

    it was sunday night... and i started craving ricobenes. thinking that it was closed at 10pm (like every other place on sundays), i almost changed courses to settle for white castle. luckily, the bf asked, "are you sure it's closed?" ah, where would i be without you? .... eating white castle, that's where... =[ i get ready to order my usual breaded steak w/mozzarella. the bf looks at the menu and says, "i think i'm getting the chicken parmesan (with mozzarella)." [ jaw drop ] he says, "i like chicken parmesan." and i reply, "well so do i but you get the breaded steak here!" the bf wasnt hungry yet so i decided to eat first. after we got home with our sandwiches, i opened the bag and took out the biggest one, took a peek and dug in. wow... it was more delicious than i remembered! as i asked the bf if he wanted to try mine, i cut a piece and fed him. i watched in slow mo as my hand moved towards his mouth and immediately noticed, the meat was white... was the meat always white? then it dawned on me. omg... i just ate the chicken parmesan.... and it was unbelievably delicious. how naive i was... i'm sorry ricobene's. i will never doubt you again. next time i come back, i will be getting the chicken parmesan with mozzarella... and a breaded steak to go. =[

    (5)
  • Stef B.

    My boss and I were on our way to check out new office furniture when we realized we were close to Ricobene's and neither of us had been there. We made a detour and stopped in for lunch. Service was spectacular! The ladies behind the counter were bickering (which I love in a place!) and the atmosphere was clean and set-up well. The food took a while to make, but it was terrific and fresh. It is well worth the drive to check this place out.

    (5)
  • Winter H.

    One star due to the rude customer service. I called the 26th street location for delivery, and was told they don't deliver to 16th and State St. I see their delivery truck all the time in the South Loop, so that threw me off. The delivery map on their website also didn't match what this lady was telling me on the phone. She then places me on hold and then asks if I live in a public housing building! I said No, this is a condo. So she takes my order and doesn't apologize or anything! Not a very nice way to treat your customers Ricobene's.

    (1)
  • Jose G.

    Update: After visiting this place a number of times, they raised the price of their king size eggplant parmigiana (my fave menu item) by $1.10!!! (And you still pay $.89 extra for cheese) Although the regular size by only a dime. Nevertheless, when I'm in this hood, I now will have to stick to Punky's for that. And the pizza's really expensive too (and I have an army of friends who agree). Original: For a Daley Machine favorite, I was pleasantly surprised. Affordable and tasty veggie burgers, nice workers, and decently priced and big enough eggplant parmigiana (one of my two favorite Italian dishes) sandwich, tho you have to pay extra for cheese which is messed up. But they also specifically mention that the latter is made with vegetarian sauce, which is nice of them. I also love the pictures on the wall, except the ones of Daley (signed by hizzoner). On the other hand, I thought it was a little sketchy that they were a polling place. Not that I wouldn't love to be a judge over there.

    (3)
  • Rico T.

    The breaded steak sandwich is delicious, but for some reason it's never a " I HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW!" craving. However, if someone mentions Ricobene's, my mouth immediately starts to water. My friend came into town & wanted the famous breaded steak sandwich. He didn't have to twist my arm! Damn good eats, especially with the cheese & sweet peppers.

    (5)
  • Jia M.

    let me say this before I go on with my review: pizza and I don't get along. I can't stand it. Why, then, am I reviewing Ricobene's? They serve other non-pizza items as well, and that is what I'll be reviewing today. I had the italian sausage with sweet peppers and the double cheeseburger. Total came out to be 9.90 with taxes. I clocked the time it took from me getting my receipt to me getting my food to be around 7 minutes. Not too shabby. The italian sausage was covered in sweet peppers and tomato sauce, which made the bun a tad soggy (i'm sure the french bread would have fared better but I chose to place it on a hot dog bun), but the bun did have copious amounts of poppy seeds. I can't say that it was the best italian sausage I've had, but it was pretty damn good. The burger was great. They use the same kind of bread as Chubby Wiener's on the north side, and it was soft and went well with the patties, which was what I expected: not too big and not too small. So if you hate pizza but like burgers, check out Ricobene's if you're in this part of town.

    (4)
  • maurice s.

    Ricobene's started off as a small sandwich stand. It remains true to its roots, though it's now much larger and has expanded to other locations. Nothing fancy here--just sandwiches, pizza, and related foods. They have a large party room in the front, which my family has used for several informal events. The kids who work the room are great. The parking lot is across the street.

    (4)
  • Chicago C.

    YUM YUM YUM!!!! thats all I have to say! :)

    (5)
  • Christine P.

    I'm pretty sure I've been coming here since I could walk. Heck, my parents did my sweet 16 here (yeah, i have no idea). I work close to here and Ricobenes cures my hot dog craves via delivery usually within a half hour. Their breaded steaks, burgers, Buffalo Chicken sandwiches, and pretty much everything else here is great. I agree with earlier comments about their pizza- it's awful. The sandwiches more than make up for it. However, it should be noted that everything here is greasy, and should only be consumed if in the right mood. This Ricobenes has the best atmosphere if you choose to dine in. It's right by two police stations, so there are cops all over!

    (4)
  • Nazario O.

    A definite must if you're ever in the Bridgeport area. Also stop by here before or after a White Sox game to enjoy some good eats. The breaded steak is the highlight here and you can have it with cheese and peppers. Also, they have great pizza by the slice or whole for the family to enjoy. A great joint with a great atmosphere with of course, great food.

    (4)
  • Alan A.

    The breaded steak is perfection. The place is really nice inside and there always cops eating there so you're safe once you're inside. Going outside, though, watch your @ss because it's a bad neighborhood! Order for delivery and you should be fine :D

    (5)
  • Steve S.

    The breaded steak sandwich is one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. They are addicting and should be almost illegal. If you don't eat meat the eggplant parmigiana sandwich is just as good. I drive all the way from the North side just to get their sandwiches!

    (5)
  • Q Y.

    I love love their pizza! No matter the thin cut or the deep dish, just one bite, it will melt in your mouth leaving you so satisfied!

    (4)
  • Funkdragon H.

    I experienced this South Side institution for the first time the other day. Those famous steak sammies? Overrated. It's a mess, firstly. Gummy bread attempting to swallow a ridiculously oversized super-thin breaded steak drowned in marinara. The steak was pinkish purple, chewy, and about one centimeter thick: The breading took up most of it on either side. I felt like I was eating sinew: my incisors could barely penetrate it. This is obviously a cut of meat that is barely above zoo-grade, so better to bread it and deep-fry it and slather it with sauce. I get it. Hell, I eat and adore great hot dogs and Polishes and Italian beefs. I can appreciate a perfectly edible yet unsexy meat product when it's dressed up well. This one ain't one of those.

    (2)
  • Yo U.

    Meh, the breaded steak sandwich here isn't as insanely huge as people make it out to be. Nor is it covered in the mountain of cheese about which so many here have complained. The regular size is just that -- regular. The king size is big, but you can wolf it down in one go if you're hungry and determined. Having visited here twice, I don't know if I'll return. After coughing up a small tip, it's hard to get out of here for less than $12-14. Ricobene's is not a great deal if you ask me. I'll try Punky's down the street some day to see if it's better value.

    (3)
  • Steve S.

    Pretty decent delivery pizza. But I can help but think the deep dish crust is frozen. Not that frozen crust is necessarily bad. I just don' think I should be able to tell.

    (3)
  • Brian L.

    This place is awesome! It's the closest thing to Portillos in the area. Me and my partner ordered the Italian Beef Sandwich here it was so good and the fries were freshly made. In all, if your not counting calories stop on by here and their's free parking!

    (4)
  • Cathaleya C.

    The menu has a unique selection of ice creams with great taste. The ambiance, however, is lacking. I have experienced better at the Bolingbrook location,

    (2)
  • Captain G.

    Best fried steak in Chicagoland! They also have good BBQ wings. Great for after drinks snack as well as takeout when you don't wanna cook. They would deliver all the way downtown which was a huge plus for me. pasta is so so.

    (3)
  • Desiree Anne A.

    Such a well thought out place. Great for big groups, no need to split checks and the place is big, clean, and the ambiance is great! I believe the have the best mushroom deep dish pizza; the bread and crust is so good. The Parmesan eggplant is bomb! You wouldn't think this place was good for vegetarians, but I think it one of the best place for pizza and hearty sandwich. It is also the most diverse settle with all kinds of people from age, race, occupations, huge family parties, just a great vibe!

    (5)
  • Linda P.

    This had to be the WORST sandwich that I have had in a very long time. I ordered the Broiled Chicken Sandwich Pak. First off, there was absolutely nothing that was broiled about this chicken. I actually did a double take when I first laid my eyes upon this sandwich..it actually looked boiled!!!! The chicken was the exact same color as the inside of the bun...and the tomato was a very unappealing shade of green and pink!!! Not to mention that the chicken was thinner than my cell phone...there had to be at least 3 times more bread than meat, and that is a generous comparison. I have been to Ricobenes many times over the years, and will NOT be going back. Not to mention the fact that this "meal" was nearly $8.00...I could of bought a whole pound of boneless chicken for less. Im embarassed for Ricobene's that they could even serve this. I know that they are famous for their breaded steak, (which btw has looked thicker in the past)but, what your "famous" for should not be the only decent thing on the menu. Stay away!!!!!

    (1)
  • Cameron F.

    My office ordered a bunch of sandwiches from here for lunch on a Friday. The breaded steak sandwich is a blessing. I bet its better dine in than delivery but I would eat this sandwich wherever I may find one. I hear the chicken is as good or even better than the steak, which I need to investigate.

    (4)
  • Bob G.

    OK everyone else has talked about the sandwiches and yes they are the best. Definitely get the Breaded steak sandwich or the Breaded eggplant sandwich. I have never been treated badly here and never heard of it before reading these reviews. Maybe, if you act like an ass you will get treated like one?

    (4)
  • Zannoah C. K.

    My brother and I were looking for a place to eat, and he recommended Ricobene's to me. I was excited to go because he said such good things about this place, and he used to take people there all the time. We went to the one on 26th st on Sunday between 3pm-4pm. I ordered a hamburger with mushrooms, and my brother placed his order. Before I gave the cashier the money she asked a tall guy with a blue shirt and a mohawk if they put mushrooms on hamburgers and he looked at me and simply said,"NO". He gave no explanation or apology just NO. Which seemed rude, and odd because I can order mushrooms on pizza, but not on a hamburger. I am not a big pasta fan, so I ordered the fried chicken. The same man in blue turned to me and said it would take 15-20 minutes for it to be ready so I said "that's fine". Thirty minutes later our food was ready, and the chicken was soggy and greasy, and did not taste fresh. I didn't get my coleslaw with my meal, and my brother's pizza had been warmed up when we placed the order so it was cold and chewy. My brother came to the counter to complain, but everyone seemed to be busy talking to each other to notice. As we were taking our food to go, an employee came from the back with basketball shorts on with a Ricobene's shirt, and a mop in hand. There was a lady standing at the counter waiting for her food. The employee hit the lady in the head with the mop handle by accident and when she turned and looked at him, he made a face like "sorry", and just kept mopping. She looked at me and just shook her head. This was all in front of the guy with the blue shirt who I assumed was a manager. We paid $22 for our food, and we just took what we could and left. I work at a restaurant so I know we all have off days, but the vibe we got on Sunday was like,"Take it or Leave it". I work a lot and I eat out 3-4 nights a week. This would have been a place I would have kept coming to, and taken more and more people because I like the friendly interior space. However, this was my first experience and I would not recommend this place to anyone. My brother has been apologizing to me since. I don't understand why we had this experience, the place was not very busy, just steady, so I don't understand why the service and the food was so bad.

    (1)
  • Nisha E.

    Their pizza is GREAT!!!! So is their delivery. After checking out the Yelp Site, I went in and ordered the breaded steak sandwich, but was not very pleased :( I think I was expecting too much after reading the reviews. But I'll definitely be back for their yummy pizza :)

    (4)
  • Daniel G.

    Have been going to Ricobene's since it was a one room shack back in the '60s. The pizza is excellent but they don't get the publicity other pizzeria's like Connie's or Uno's or others. In addition to the pizza though, Ricobene's sandwiches are better than any you will find at other pizza places. The breaded steak is a traditional must try. But the beef and sausage combo is even better and comes with fries and can feed at least two people. The pasta and meatball or sausage family dinners are inexpensive, come with garlic bread and will feed a small platoon. Do not miss this iconic Chicago Italian restaurant. Great food and value.

    (5)
  • Alice c.

    So I have been going to this place since I was a wee little tot who was too young to understand that food in brown paper bags that are transparent are not good for your health. How come the life long patronage and yet the low rating you ask? Allow me to count the ways that Ricobene's has broken my heart. 1. "yeah ma'am, your food will be ready in 20 minutes. " They always, always lie about how long your food will take. You must tack on an additional 5 to 10 minutes to what they tell you. however, if you go over the 10 minute mark, it is guaranteed that your hot wings will have congealed into one amorphous blob of wings, sauce and potatoes. 2. "your food will be delivered within an hour, unless it is a deep dish pizza." Please see part 1. Again, they will lie lie lie lie like the dickens. I do feel sorry for the delivery drivers, they have to bear the pissy customers and cheap tips for late orders. Although, I do give them slack for when the snow is 2 feet deep and they have to take those tiny little trucks through Bridgeport side streets. 3. "Ma'am your food was ready 20 minutes ago and you were not here to pick it up and that is why all the hot stuff is now cold and the cold stuff is now warm." Yeah okay... whatever...see above. So you may gather that you should not get pick-up or delivery from here. However, I have had my problems with dine in as well. All the ladies that work the front counter have permanent scowls on their faces. They do not know how to say "Thank you," with any sincerity. Make sure that when you order pizza by the slice, the heat it in the oven for at least 3 minutes unless it is fresh out of the back kitchen. I have had many a mouthful of cold pizza. (P.S. there stuffed sausage is my FAVORITE when it is done right) Please be careful when you order the shakes and ice creams. Those machines do not get cleaned out as often as they should be. (Thanks for the heads up Sue) Although they are famous for there breaded steaks, sometimes they taste like shoe leather. I guess consistency is not one of their stronger suits. For a better bread steak, try La Milanese. Their Italian lemonades suck, they are made from powder. Since I did award 2 stars, there are some positives. 1. You will never feel unsafe here. There are always at least 3 cops in the joint. You may be in trouble if the crooks were runners though...these cops have not met a breaded steak that they did not like. 2. When the food is cooked properly, the stuffed sausage and four seasons pizza is really realllly yummy. Kinda like Russian roulette....

    (2)
  • Brian S.

    Alright this place is awesome. Its a pretty long trek from my neck of the woods but it didn't disappoint. Their breaded steak thing is just monstrous and could feed like 3 people. I'm a big guy and i got full halfway through it but did end up finishing it. The food is decently priced especially for how much you get. Really not to much to complain about and they have a candy machine with Boston baked beans in it which are freaking awesome so that's an added bonus.

    (5)
  • Teddy C.

    What can you say about a place that is willing to sell you a heart attack with a side of congestive heart failure on the side, from a woman who has an amazing hockey mullet? This south-side hidden little gem under the bridge. It's a bit tough to get to from my office around lunch time, due to the schools which apparently have recess in the street, using roadblock signs to protect the children, and all of the construction which detours you to Timbuktu. When you walk in and get that whiff of pizza, breaded steak, onions and peppers, mixed in with musk of off duty cops and construction workers, your mouth just waters... You approach the counter greeted abrasively by a woman who has worked in the business for years, and really wants you out of her line, if you don't already know what you are going to order before you get up to the front...Don't F around. She will make fun of you, and make you feel small. My co-worker actually wept from the embarrassment and wrath she draped over him. In the end it was all worth it, because bite by bite, I could feel my arteries hardening. You know what? It actually tickles a little bit. Breaded steak, with cheese, and both sweet and hot peppers...the only way to go. It's a great atmosphere, and I return regularly for the sammich and the attitude!

    (4)
  • Kyung P.

    Fresh cuts fries are delicious! Get them with cheese... I've never had their pizza, so I can't say, but their breaded steak sandwiches are out of this world! They are HUGE! Our standard order for 2: 1 breaded steak sandwich (regular size) with cheese and peppers, 1 order of cheese fries, and 2 pops. And we can barely finish what we order. I tried ordering the large breaded steak sandwich for the two of us once, and boy, was that a lot of food we couldn't eat!!! You place your order, and they call your number when your food is ready. Everything else is self service. Great place to stop on the way to a White Sox game!

    (5)
  • Kori M.

    Had lunch here today. People are always raving about it so I figured I would try it. I had the Chicken Parmesan which was excellent but SUPER messy. I must have gone through about 8 napkins. The lady who took my order wasn't the most pleasant person but she wasn't rude. Maybe I caught her on a good day??? The best part was that right after I ordered, I gave her my money, she gave me my change and as I was walking away they called my order number! Wow! Talk about fast. The restaurant cute and pretty clean. There were a couple of dirty tables and the trash was overflowing but hey it was lunchtime. Oh and I swear that every cop in the city of Chicago was in there eating! Man I bet alot of people's houses and cars were being broken into...

    (4)
  • Jane T.

    The food is mediocre and overpriced. Don't even bother to get delivery because they'll take forever. The restaurant itself and washrooms are clean. Save your money and go somewhere cheaper!

    (2)
  • Edward B.

    The breaded steak sandwich, red sauce and giardineria on the side....mmm.....pure heaven....

    (4)
  • Jenn M.

    Oh Lordy! It's good that I don't live in the 'hood anymore because I'd be a big ole pile of greasy steak wrapped in some WalMart stretch pants by now. Whenever I do go to the "big city" I try and make a stop either here or the Pulaski location. My favs? Well, I have to say they have the BEST darn fries anywhere. You have to like your fries au natural with the skin on them though. When those babies are hot out of the fryer, coated with a nice, crunchy salty layer of goodness angels certainly get their wings. Eat them quick because they lose their magic quickly. You know it's a good thing when the bag has spots of greasy yumminess. For the main event... well, I pretty much stick to a few basics. Steak Sandwich: If you get the big size you've easily got dinner, lunch and the makings to feed a family of four for a week. I vary how I get mine but it always has garlic bread. Sometimes I do it with just natural gravy and sweet peppers, sometimes it's with cheese and red sauce with sweet peppers. I'll also get a beef in the same fashion. Another yummy bit of cholesterol is their Chicken Vesuvio sandwich. YUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! Never had anything and and never had to. Why fix what ain't broken, ya know? South Siiiiidddddeeeeeee!

    (5)
  • Rene N.

    From start to finish my Ricobene's foods have gone from not bad to grease overload. I'm kind of tempted to turn this into a funny story but I'll just do it straight through. First time there I had the eggplant parm sandwich. The sandwich ended up soggy and pretty bland same for the fries. A few months later we ordered pizza for work and again, bland bland bland. That didn't stop me from eating a lot of it but therein lies the problem. If you somehow manage to sap any semblance of flavor from your foods you end up with basically gruel that can neither offend or please. You could eat it until you get sick but not because it's good, but because you can't taste it.

    (2)
  • Jean C.

    I came here this past Sunday for my friends sons' birthday party. They have parking. Huge for any place in the city. There were around 40 people and we had a section to ourselves. The food was spectacular, as I expected, and the one server did an excellent job of clearing the tables and making sure everyone had what they needed. My friend was able to bring in her own cake and the server brought out plates and a knife. I have only ordered out but wasn't surprised with the service. It was top notch!

    (5)
  • Laura J.

    This is one of my favorite south side places. Ricobene's has fantastic breaded steak sandwiches --- the best in Chicago. You can split a king-sized steak sandwich into two meals! Their deep dish pizza is on my top two list. Since they rehabbed this original location from a stand-up and eat place to the currently homey restaurant, it's a great place to hang out. The photos on the walls are copies of photos from people in the neighborhood. It's worth it to just come and look at those! Ricobene's --- I just have to mention the word to someone, and we're there in 10 minutes...

    (5)
  • tracy g.

    A few years ago my coworker invited me to her son's birthday party at Ricobene's. I am from the north side so when I heard it was all the on 26th street, I was not so excited. When we arrived and were brought to the party room, I was amazed! The room was huge with pictures of old Italians or maybe family members of the owners. The room has HUGE windows on one side of the room. The food was awesome! I was sold! With my son's first birthday approaching I knew this was the place for this northsider to bring her friends and family for a great celebration. We have since had 4 parties at Ricobene's. The service is spectacular. We have about 40-50 people at each party and 1 server takes care of us with such care. We have had the same server for 2 of our parties and he is so helpful and always asking us if we need anything. The food........excellent. The Italian Vesuvio sandwich is the best sandwich I have ever had! This past party I ordered a tray of these sandwiches because everyone loves them! Even at work, we order here for lunch! The prices are so reasonable! about $5 for this heavenly sandwich. Needless to say, my 3rd son is celebrating his 1st birthday in May and Yes, his party will be at Ricobene's!

    (5)
  • Frankie B.

    Ricobenes is the shit! I recommend breaded steak or Chicken Vasuvio sandwiches! Don't forget the fries! Mmm Mmm good!

    (5)
  • Bridgette K.

    Amazing I love their breaded steak sandwich. So delicious that can be split. I take the drive down to Chinatown every month to pick up one of these delicious hot sandwich. They are even open late!

    (5)
  • Mike O.

    Breaded steak sandwich is great. Fast service and the staff is friendly. The wings are really good too. - Eat on!

    (4)
  • Jill G.

    Awesome cheese fries and burgers. Yeah, I didn't even have the pizza. My husband has confirmed the breaded steak is amazing but not for light eaters. I just wish I'd remember that they are here, something about having to go so far down 26th and under the tracks makes me forget they exist.

    (5)
  • Y.D. K.

    Probably the best breaded steak sandwich - complete with the Turano bread, sweet or hot peppers, mozzarella cheese, and the marinara gravy. A total gut bomb and an attack to your arteries, but delish! Their pizza is also pretty darned good, except I forget if its stuffed or deep dish; and the have something that is close to New York style pizza too, not bad as well. And the fries are good as well. Expect leftovers for most anything, especially the sandwiches. Plenty of tables, lots of room, closes relatively late, and if you are as far north as the CBOT building on LaSalle & Jackson, they can deliver that far - not sure about the other bounds. And then the cons - the staff who works there are not exactly what you would call friendly, in fact, sometimes they are a bit belligerent, but they take your order, and you get what you get. Besides, what are you here for? Hitting on the cashier or getting some grub? Oh yeah, one more thing, need parking? Its across the street, under one of the ramps of I-55, and plenty of it. Street parking is possible too, but not much of it. Oh yeah #2, if you need police assistance, and IIT is too far away, you have a very good chance a few officers will be there on break.

    (4)
  • Amy H.

    Everytime I think that after 20+ years of living in Chicago I might just consider myself a native, something always reminds me that I am not. It's not related to sports teams (Go Cubs). I don't put catchup on a hot dog. I don't order fries at Billy Goat. I have my preferred Pizza joint. The thing that identifies me as 'not growing up here' is the Italian Beef sandwich. I don't get it, I don't get them, I kinda don't like them. They are okay, I guess. I just don't live to love them. Which is why for a brief moment in time I thought I had found an Italian Beef sandwich I could LOVE. Technically I was right. Ricobene's breaded Steak Sandwich is both Italian and Beef. But they bread that beef and add mouth watering red sauce. They then serve that beef to you on a firm, but quickly absorbing it's sauce roll. And it's sooooo delicious, it treats you well. It's the Michael Cera of the sandwich world. Sensitive, a little awkward but you know this is the sandwich that gets the girl at the end of the movie. It got this girl anyway. Sigh.

    (4)
  • Jennifer B.

    hour and 30 mins for delivery. and RUDE when i called about my order. i used to go here often and spoke highly of it..... but never again.

    (1)
  • amber p.

    RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE people work here. My husband grew up on their food (his mom does not cook). So he gets delivery from here all the time. I've ordered in a couple of times, and they were always rude and snippy. I made a comment to my husband about their rudeness and he said that that's just how Bridgeport people are (he grew up in Bridgeport). So fine, whatever. Anyways, on this one particular sad ocassion, my family and I went there for a quick bite to eat because we had just been at a funeral a couple blocks down. It was obvious because at least 10 of us came in dressed in black (quite the attention grabber). So we ordered our food and the cashier yelled at me for giving her too much money when paying... She said: " What is THIS? (looks at the money in disgust), what's going on here?!!" I say: "oh, sorry, I'm a bit frazzled". She said: "Whatever" (rolls her eyes at me). She just made me feel like an idiot. Have some freakin' compassion lady! if not for me, then for anyone else whose having a bad day and want the comfort of eating the junk food there!

    (1)
  • Bill J.

    Breaded steak sandwich with mozzarella, marinara and jalapenos on the side. What a good, good day, well worth the drive from the north side.

    (5)
  • Pete W.

    Tried the "famous" breaded steak sandwich. I guess it tasted like I'd expect a breaded steak covered with sauce and cheese to taste like, a slightly tough veal parmesan sandwich. I must say it was filling though, no doubt about it.

    (3)
  • JS T.

    My favorite neighborhood italian, unhealthy, tasty food place. I think they cut their own fries, have an amazin vesuvio, and not to mention pretty great pizza. Their lasagna pizza really tastes like a lasagna. They also have a unique tasting hot wings dinner, and nothing really hits the spot like Ricobene's hot wings. Love this place.

    (5)
  • patrick l.

    Ok, okay. So, I grew up with this place. It was a hole in the wall when I went as a kid. I use to ride up on my bike to the open window and have a red hot. (red sauce on a bun). It was the place to be as a kid. They had the biggest and baddest breaded beef sandwich anywhere. I remember being thoroughly satisfied. Of course it was a lot cheaper and a lot better back then. The breaded steaks were jumping out of the the bread cause it was so MUCH beef. Over the years the place has grown and so have the prices. If only we can relive that time. The breaded steak sandwiches are not as big and on the dry side. The home cut fries are big and greasy as it was back then. I always forget that the pizza is supposedly good but I forget to order it every time. Anyhow, the atmosphere is reminiscent of past times. The walls are covered with pictures of people and places from a time long ago, black and whites photos of 1960's and longer. Very spacious and nice place to sit back and people watch. I think with all that I should say the food is okay once in a while for just anything, just to remember.

    (3)
  • tobey t.

    I found the pizza there is so terrible. I had the spinach, mushroom and cheese pizza to go. All I could see and feel when I ate it is the grease. It had so much much much oil that I couldn't even swallow it.

    (1)
  • Tony M.

    This long standing short order Italian joint has some great sandwiches. Personally I only get the BBQ pork and their "Famous" Breaded steak. You can also get their breaded steak at the United Center. If you get delivery be prepared..I once had a 3.5 hour delivery time. The food actually did show up...After I had already ordered and ate from another place. After that I always went for carry-out. The food is good and greasy, the way it should be. I don't like the italian ice they serve too much, but a breaded steak makes up for that.

    (4)
  • Hanna B.

    This is the place to feed a group of college boys intent on schoolwork...yeah right, I mean video games. For an entire year of visiting my boyfriend in Chicago, I was treated to take out from Rico's or Punky's (down the street0. They have basically the same stuff.

    (3)
  • FoodEd C.

    There is no other sandwich like this in the world! I wish they franchised ouside of IL! You must always get the Kingsize Signature Breaded Steak Sandwich! YOu can order with hot, sweet peppers or do like I do - get both! Not the healthiest of foods but certainly one of the most delicious. Nestled in the boundary of Chicago's Chinatown is this jewel of a place! You can also get pizza and pasta but why bother? It's all about the Breaded Steak!

    (5)
  • Teresa Y.

    Steak sandwich... Oh my gosh.... Chili Cheese Fries.... *drooool*. My inner fat girl screams for this place each time I'm in Chicago. I had to share the steak sandwich with the BF because it was just too damn big. Excellent prices, fast service and plenty of seating. Restrooms are incredibly clean at this location, perfect to drop a few kids off at the pool. Plenty of parking across the street where the fenced off area is at.

    (4)
  • Wayne C.

    I have never been disappointed in their pizza or their weird little cars. They remind me of Asia.

    (4)
  • Patrick W.

    I haven't had a breaded steak sandwich since well before the Ricobene's at 60 E. Lake closed. I saw this location out of the corner of my eye while looking for someplace to eat and made a bee-line straight to it. The sandwich was even better than I remembered it being, the sauce is a little more garlicky and the sandwich and fries were hot and fresh. The "Valu Pack" includes a drink and now your choice of a few different side items; it used to be fries only. For old time's sake, I had the terrific fresh cut fries. The place brought back some good memories from when I interned with a company during my summers off from college. A group of guys had started the "big boy club", for which one gained inclusion by consuming the king size breaded steak plus the valu pack all in one sitting without getting sick or taking a nap that afternoon. Something of a "mile high club" for chunky insurance professionals. Yours truly joined easily. I'm a bit more health conscious nowadays, so although I was tempted to renew my vows to the Big Boys' Club, I went "light" and got the regular size sandwich. And the other reviewer who mentioned the eggplant parm sandwich is absolutely correct- it's a great option for vegetarians or simply because man cannot live on breaded steak alone. And if you're looking for a cop or fire fighter, try here first.

    (5)
  • Chris A.

    There pizza is delicious, I don't care what anyone says. Yeah some of the people behind the counter have attitudes, but who cares it's the city and they're suppose to be a little surly. It's open late, and has parking right across the street under the expressway. The sandwiches are mad tasty, as Rico T. said in his review. I take all my scared of the south side suburbanite friends here, and they can't stop raving about it. Plus it's near Chinatown and Maxwell Street so alot more dinning options also available if this doesn't cut it.

    (4)
  • Davin D.

    Extremely greasy, fatty foods at premium prices. Not for me.

    (2)
  • Justin S.

    What a quality place. Breaded steak, cheese fries to stop even the most steadfast of hearts, dubious milkshake machine.... oh god, my poor cholesterol rating.

    (4)
  • Nancy H.

    I never order Italian beef sandwiches, but Ricobene's could possibly be one of the only reasons I'd come back again. The meat was full of flavor and so were the fillings inside (cheese & peppers). The stuffed pizza was also very good. I was expecting it to taste not fresh (like Sbarro's where it sits out all day), but I must have been lucky and gotten one fresh out of the oven. I'd almost even go as far as saying it could possibly be my 3rd fave pizza places (behind Lou Malnati's & Pizzeria Due/Uno). Those two items alone bumped up my rating by 1 extra star. I've had their thin crust supreme pizza via take-out, and I was slightly disappointed because the pizza itself was very "wet," and the toppings came off in one piece with the cheese. I'm also not a fan of the cheese fries. I think they use cheese powder mix as also evident in their chili cheese dogs, and the texture of their chili resembles barf. This restaurant is also fairly large for being in Bridgeport. Not in the greatest neighborhood, either, so watch your car if you're eating out late! Overall, a highly satisfactory meal as I wasn't expecting much.

    (3)
  • Linda C.

    I grew up going to Ricobene's as I've always lived in Bridgeport. I've had most of the stuff on the menu and I have to admit that their pizza is pretty good. Nice crust with fresh toppings. However over the years the quality has gone down. I use to love their cheese fries but I've been greatly disappointed the last few times. The cheese looks disgusting. It really looks like they took the cheese fries out of the fridge and semi nuked it. Their chicken vesuvio is good but way too greasy. The grease is literally dripping off the sandwich. Overall I would not recommend this place as they serve mediocre food.

    (2)
  • Sam T.

    Awesome breaded steak!!! Tons of good cheap food. Lots of Chicago's finest can be seen dining here at all hours. Guess that there are no doughnut shops around on the south side! LOL! Great place for greasy fill you up fast food. Pizza is great too.

    (4)
  • Kevin T.

    i really like their menu. it sure ain't healthy eating, but maaan their sandwiches are just the best! my favs include their chicken vesuvio and breaded steak. if you order the king-sized breaded steak, you pretty much ordered yourself 2 meals!! i really really dug their new menu item -- fried cheescake!! it makes a great dessert item. since they give you several squares of them, this would be a nice sweet to share.

    (4)
  • Robert S.

    Wow, they sure give you a lot of food here. The breaded steak is messy and delicious. I don't see how anyone could ever eat the king size, as I can barely eat the regular size! The Chicken Vesuvio sandwich is also good, but not as good as the steak. The pizza looks tasty, but I can't ever order it since the breaded steak is so delightful. They do offer pasta salad as a side instead of fries or onion rings, it seems a little healthier. Oh, and the minestrone is tops. My south side friend brought me to Ricobene's, and explained to me that it's a neighborhood tradition. When I visit, there are always cops and firefighters eating. Definitely an experience.

    (4)
  • Maxxy C.

    My policy is to rate my experience, not others. My experience with Ricobene's Pizzeria is personal for me. I have been going to this Ricobene's for many years and never had a problem. The sausage pizza is delicious! The crust, toppings and sausage are absolutely delicious. I always call my orders in and they have always been ready for me on arrival. The counter staff is very pleasant. Everything here has been consistent marvelous! You dont have to worry about parking as they have parking under the Dan Ryan Expressway which is very accessible. Give Ricobene's a try. Call your order in, pick it up and enjoy!

    (5)
  • Sarah D.

    I LOVE this place. In fact I have pizza delivered to my work at the end of the day to take home for dinner because they do not deliver to me at home. The pizza is excellent, the crust is perfectly flaky and buttery and the sauce is amazing. My dad will not stop talking about their sandwich's. Great food, and great service.

    (5)
  • Debbie E.

    Grew up eating at the original Ricobene's and remember when it was just a little shack. Have been ordering pizzas and breaded steaks from them for years and they have the best fries. Unfortunately, have to knock them down a few notches for service. It's been horrible. Ordered a bucket of mostaccioli with extra meatballs for pickup and they forgot the extra meatballs. If this were the 1st time, I could let it go ..... but it's probably at least the 3rd time in as many orders! Here's the worst of it though. Knowing that they forget things, I had the guys who picked up the order make sure that the person behind the counter verified that the extra meatballs were there. They said the girl looked in the bag and said "yeah, they're in there". What the heck was she looking at? This "looking in the bag act" (and I do mean ACT) to verify the order was not the 1st time. They're taking the time to open and look in the bag. Why don't they just actually check that the order is correct. We're sick of picking up the food, getting it back to the office and finding out the order is incomplete. Orders get messed up all the time, but when I ask you to verify the order before sending me home with it and it's still wrong ..... that's just plain laziness and indication that customer service is not a priority!

    (2)
  • Michelle H.

    Why? I recently read in a newspaper article that refereed to this place as "a staple of Chicago cuisine." Yeah, maybe if I was dying of hunger and it was the only food available (and yes, the idea of munching on my own fingers still might bring me more pleasure). We order from here quite often for dinner at work. We will place our order over the phone, and be told it will be ready in 20 minutes. We get there 25 minutes later, and our food is still not ready. Not like this only happens once or twice, I am talking every time we go. And then our food is still mildly room temperature. The cheese fries used to be decent, but most of the times the fries are soggy and undercooked. The one redeeming quality are there pizza slices. They are usually hot and pretty tasty. Then don't even start me on their breaded steak sandwiches. They come in king and regular sizes, and the meat resembles something that died in a gutter, and the supposed spicy red sauce it is topped with reminds me of Ragu. They also sell beef , Italian sausages, combos, and Chili dogs that are only sub-par. The prices are way to high for the quality of food. With so many other choices available, find somewhere else.

    (1)
  • Mark S.

    When I lived at 28th & Princeton I'd walk here a couple times a week and pig out! First time visitors must get the breaded steak sandwich- they'll cover what could be tasty shoe leather in breading, deep fry it, smother with your chosen toppings and red-sauce- I recommend mozz and red sauce. Oh man this sandwich is good. Get a small unless you're a huge Chicago cop.

    (4)
  • Jessica C.

    it's pretty good here. i don't eat beef/pork now, but when i did back in the day, i ALWAYS got the breaded steak sandwiches. anytime anyone came to visit, i'd always suggest the breaded steak sandwich from ricobene's. =) the pizza and wings are good too =)

    (4)
  • Donna G.

    The crust... it's soo good... the deep dish pizza just melts in your mouth. Don't come here for the service, or the atmosphere (it's usually really noisy). Come here for the deep dish pizza with the fabulous cornmeal crust that tastes buttery and delicious. The breaded steak is good, but it is too filling and doesn't leave much room for the pizza :)

    (5)
  • Cookies C.

    I love their cheese fries! I'm not a big fan of breaded steak, but thats what they are popular for. Their pizza are okay. The only thing I hate about this place is their service. Sometimes its okay, but most times they either get annoyed or frustrated at customers. Especially if you call for a pick up order. Last time I ordered a pizza and the lady ask me thick crust or thin and I couldn't hear her, she repeated it but in a screaming voice.

    (3)
  • Elizabeth C.

    We ordered from here today at work and I've never had their food before. Maybe it's that it's the day after a holiday, but food was delivered within an hour of the order being placed. I got the personal pan veggie pizza which was fantastic, the crust was nice and buttery. And of course the people I worked with got the breaded steak sandwich, which they all love. I will be ordering from here again.

    (5)
  • Sarah N.

    Hands down the best thin crust pizza I've ever had.

    (5)
  • Maggie M.

    ab-so-lute-ly de-o-lic-cous

    (5)
  • Terri M.

    We tried Ricobene's in order to fairly assess all of the pizza options in the Bridgeport/McKinley Park vicincity. Here are a few things you should know about Ricobene's: They have tons of seating but no table service--only counter service. They are not very fast. Even if you are eating in, you are served your pizza in a box and you eat off of paper plates with plasticware. Their pizza is ok, but not very flavorful. Kinda bland actually. But they do cut the pie in slices, not squares, which is unusual for Chicago. The green salad was not too bad, especially if you have it with Italian dressing. But it comes in a take out plastic container and has been stored in the fridge for god-knows how long. They also ahve a small selection of beers on tap--bud, miller, and michelob, plus the lite versions of the above. In all, I was not all that impressed with the place. For delivery I will stick to Lina's or Falco's. For a nice, homey, sit down Italian mealin the neighborhood, I will go to Gio's or Trattoria 31.

    (2)
  • Tony L.

    It is worth the drive and is open late. Very good breaded steak with red sauce and mozz. Peppers too if you like them. This place used to also be a small shack. Has since expanded and plenty of locals and city workers are eating here. To me that always tells you it's good food and not some trendy fly by night place. A+

    (4)
  • Rudy B.

    the infamous italian breaded steak sammich is the best by far in the city!!!! i took one of my buddy's from Jersey to Ricobenes and he loved it. always end up goin there after a White Sox game and never dissapointed.

    (5)
  • Rick V.

    Best way to clog your arteries in Bridgeport... you gotta try the Chicken Vesuvio Sandwich - deep fried chicken breast served on garlic bread with mayo and mozzarella. A heart attack on a bun!

    (4)
  • Dee W.

    Their breaded steak sandwich is a must try! Smothered with their marinara sauce - it just melts away in your mouth and before you know it, you're half done. Their chili cheese fries are always a must try! I only get their breaded steak sandwich but I've heard that the eggplant parmesean, chicken parmesean, and wings are pretty good, too.

    (5)
  • Barb Y.

    When ur in the mood for something not so "light," but very "filling" I would definitely suggest going to Ricobene's on 26th street! I've been going to this place since I was a kid ( my 1st date in the 6th grade!!!) haha =D Back in the days they had no seats, just some counters where u have to stand in order to eat, so it was more of a take-out place, but NOW, the place has expanded BIG time, so even on a crowded weekend, U'll still be able to find a seat there! What to eat? what to eat? I don't mind trying different foods, but I ALWAYS get the Steak Sandwich when I'm there! I don't go all too often, cuz like I said, it's not light, but sure is tasty when U get a "bad food" craving! When U get the sandwich, U can ask for their valupak which includes fries (yum) and pop. AND if U wanna sound like a REGULAR, just say "steak pak"...hot peppers/ sweet peppers make it yummier, but DO NOT add the cheese cuz it actually takes out from the sandwich and makes it kinda yucky! Frozen custard for dessert and u'll be oober satisfied! After ur meal I suggest the gym! haha ;) ENJOY!

    (4)
  • Joe S.

    Here we go, another Chicago joint living off its past reputation. This used to be THE late nite place for a snack. That breaded steak was legendary. These days, it's like a fried piece of shoe leather. Pizza is pretty good, medium crust. The Chix Vesuvio sandwich is the best thing here. Sausage is run of the mill Vienna or whatever, nothing special. Skip the breaded steak, its time has passed. It was cooler when it was a little stand-up/takeout joint.

    (2)
  • Takelya W.

    chilly cheese fries are to die for!!! plus, on the one downtown (if this isnt that one) there's the italian ice lady. she sells lemon italian ice for $1.50 and its delicious. find her cuz she's out there like everyday. well worth the buy

    (3)
  • Stephanie M.

    This neighborhood joint has gone from a stand-only small carryout place to a spacious classic retro-feel restaurant with plenty of seating. I just LOVE the old photos on the wall. There's class pictures from my grade school here...entitled class of 1955. Wow. The Italian Lemonade here is the best...with pieces of rind mixed in. Pizza...chicken vesuvio...italian beef, breaded steak, burgers, fries...you name it. Everything here is good, altho the cheese fries were too salty and gooey for me.

    (5)
  • Betty H.

    Totally get why they have been around for sooo many years. Still love their breaded steak and thing crust veggie pizzas and deep dish sausage. Keep up the great work!!!

    (4)
  • Lance W.

    Ricobene's has several locations now but this is where it all started in Bridgeport. When I was in grad school at DePaul, I traveled to the south side on a regular basis for a breaded steak sandwich. Think steak parmigiana, rolled into a gonella bun that is smothered with cheese and marinara. You cant (or shouldn't) eat them every day... I don't live in Chicago anymore but when I am in Chicago, the Bridgeport Ricobene's is always a stop at some point during the trip. The Italian Beef sandwich has emerged as "The" traditional Chicago delicacy in popular culture but the breaded steak sandwich deserves equal status as an authentic south side Chicago tradition...

    (4)
  • Alford L.

    Been coming here since I was a kid. I'm always a big fan of their sandwiches. Chicken Vesuvio was my favorite.

    (4)
  • John B.

    My birthday was 02/13/15. I decided to go to Ricobene's for the first time and I was very pissed off about my first time visit. The food came fast but I was very disturb. I noticed the facial expression of one of there workers who was sweeping the floors near by his face read horror so I followed his eyes from my seat that's when I noticed a small MICE running/hoping parallel behind my lady along side of the base board towards the trash can. The worker continue to supposedly sweep the floor at the same time look for the mice he then took out the trash. Moments later the mice ran back out from where me and my lady was eating by this time the mice was spotted by people in line and by workers. A young girl in line yelled out "Oh My God" then a worker from behind the pizza tried to capture the mice with a spatula there was a heavy set male manager wearing a light blue shirt who was so nerves that all he did was grab a water bottle and drink from it and whisper to in employee near by him. I was shocked and embarrassed I wanted to complain but seeing the way the manager reacted to the entire situation I felt it was pointless it was obvious he was clueless of what to do I didn't want to continue my food so I told my lady it's time to go. Get place for a birthday dinner

    (1)
  • Rick L.

    Just finished a long day at a trade show at McCormick. A worker at the show recommended this neighborhood spot. The breaded steak sandwich was awesome. Ask for cheese and peppers. A little extra but well worth it. The regular was more than enough for one hungry man. Don't expect any fancy ambience. It is a great neighborhood dive.

    (4)
  • Pierrette J.

    Love love the hot wings! They are best wings I've had in while. I also had the zucchini sticks which were ok. I'll be back for the wings.

    (5)
  • Eric G.

    Three words Breaded steak sandwich!!! Chicago classic! Comes in two sizes regular and large. The regular is already like 2 pounds. Get it with cheese, The fries and pizza are also good too. Whenever your in the b-port area you definitely have to stop here.

    (4)
  • Samantha S.

    Food is good but service is crap! I ordered online delivery and was told it'd be at my house in roughly 30 mins. I didnt think much of it at the time but when 30 mins came and went I called and asked where my food was. I was told it'd be there shortly, that they were having some sort of event or something. So I waited another 30 mins and still no food. When I called again the lady informed me that it was for pick up (I know I put delivery, my confirmation email said so) and when I asked why then did the previous lady tell me my food would be here she got real snotty and told me to come to the restaurant and look for myself. Um. Excuse me. I don't think so. So I told her to cancel my order which she also had a snotty remark for and preceded to cut me off when I tried to talk and damn near hung up on me. Ive noticed recently the type of people they hire and I assume if your a local druggie/teen idiot you fit the bill. Despite the fact that I LOVE their Chicken Vesuvio and pizza I wont be going back. I'll take my business elsewhere.

    (1)
  • Mike M.

    First off, this is not a sit-down place! Although it may appear to be a table service type place, it IS NOT. That being said, if you are looking for quick, cheap italian eats then this is your spot. Do not be afraid of the abundance of police in the place, just take that as assurance that the food is spot on. Let's take a look at the rundown: the GOOD: 1. Italian Ice 2. Pizza- pizza by the slice always fresh, i'd recommend the deep dish spinach 3. Chicken Parm sandwich- more meat and less greasier than its breaded steak cousin the BAD: 1. Breaded steak sandwich- I won't mention names, but there are better in the neighborhood 2. Beer- they have cheap domestic macros on tap. Perfect for before or after a baseball game the Ugly: 1. pasta dishes- not worth the time or money 2. Sides- Salads, fries, onion rings left much to be desired.

    (3)
  • Elizabeth F.

    Love Ricobene's on 26th every time I visit. Order a bag of French fries & just rip into them. If fries are calling your craving name, you won't be disappointed. Of course, Ricobene's is known for their Famous Breaded Steak Sandwich & their order-by-the-slice pizza. I have always enjoyed their veggie burger (I order it with everything sans mayo...) Ricobene's has free wifi, too. Just ask the person at the counter for a slip of paper with the password du jour as they change it frequently.

    (5)
  • Julia J.

    Few things in this world evoke strong memories of my childhood more than a trip to Ricobene's. You go here for the steak sandwich and leave with a bowling ball in your stomach (in the best way possible). It's worth a trip to the south side.

    (4)
  • Philip L.

    Just started a new job and the site is on the Southside. All my work buds ranted and raved about this place so I had to try it. I ordered a beaded steak sandwich of course because that's what they are known for. Let me tell you the portions were incredible. Steak sandwich was good, really hit the spot. Fries were sub par but what do you expect when they come in a brown paper bag. I'll definitely make this a normal lunch spot. Also this dude in there rocking a cane wad a clown. He was rocking a Ricobenes jacket so I knew he had clout, I'm hoping he's there a lot.

    (4)
  • Ryan A.

    The pizza was very good overall, but they charged me double and made me jump through hoops just to get my money back. I work for a charity and needed 3 pizzas, I put a 20% tip on my card, when the delivery guy arrived, he said there was no tip on the bill. So, I gave him a $10 tip because I was in a hurry. They charged me two times on my debit card. The restaurant told me to call corporate, corporate told me to call back the restaurant and to call my bank to get my money back, and Ricobene's was not helpful at all and even seemed annoyed when I was trying to work with them. I will not eat at Ricobene's again or risk any of my charity's funds with them again. Thankfully I used my own card instead of the agency's credit card.

    (1)
  • Dennis C.

    The pizza slices at Ricobene's are really quite unique and delicious. There is a 5-veggie thin slice that is really, really delicious! They also have eggplant pizza! Other 'typical' offerings are usually quite good. THe deep sausage, the spinach-mushroom, etc etc are all good. The quality is sometimes a tad inconsistent between visits but I guess that is to be expected without true chefs. The price per slice is a little higher than it needs to be but it really is delicious and the unique offerings mentioned are well worth it.

    (4)
  • Amanda M.

    Your go-to American/Italian joint. Speedy service and bang for your buck! Love hot wings and theirs is nice and tangy over a bed of fries. Their Italian beef is also quite nice. My second favorite after Portillo's. Love that you can add whatever toppings to it! Warning: King size breaded steak is a beast...as in, come on a VERY empty stomach.

    (4)
  • Kristy F.

    Ordered 2 sandwiches. One came with an intense amount of roast beef which was decent but not worth ordering again. The other was a sausage meatball combination which was much better. The fries were good and the service was quick. I was surprised by the diverse crowd and the place was pretty well kept.

    (3)
  • Jeanette D.

    I ordered my pizza around 6:15. I was told it would arrive around 7:16 via email. It is now 7:50 and we still haven't received our pizza. When I called they told me delivery times are more like an hour and half which was NOT communicated to me. I said so why didn't you call me or email me to tell me the adjusted time. I would have understood. Their first response to me was "we can cancel your order." Not anything about let me try and get it there quicker since the online version said differently. I will never order from this company again. This is horrible customer service. Their pizza is not worth it.

    (1)
  • Rob P.

    Flat Squirle Sammith - - Northside Cub / Blackhawk Fans have the place to to stop in get good eats !!!

    (5)
  • Justin H.

    I remember one specific time when I ate at Ricobene's a few years back. I'm not sure exactly what I had, I think a Chicken Vesuvio sandwich, but maybe it was an Eggplant Parm. Anyways, I remember that a coworker, who by then had grown to be one my best friends, told me over Ricobene's that he was leaving Chicago to go back to Florida. I remember being knocked on my heels and I instantly told him I had gotten myself into a little bit of legal trouble. Never turned into anything, but at the time I was worried about it. I think I just wanted to shock him too, you know? Because I was shocked. Like I didn't expect him to say he was dipping, like he was just out of the Chi for good. I just expected to be eating a really killer sandwich. I mean, this place still has the best Eggplant Parm sandwich in the world in my opinion. It's just that I think part of me never really realized it was a possibility that people in my world could just up and go, break free of the gravitational pull that was the South Side. Anyways, we've since stayed in touch and I realized that you can leave Chicago. And even if you do leave, a piece of Chicago stays with you and true friendships are stronger than any distance can ever be. Thing is, I just wish Ricobene's would learn that lesson too. See, I've moved from the Midwest Coast to the East, and now on the West Coast and I am still looking for a place that can bring it like Rico's. They're not all around my fave when it comes to every Chicago dish (they're not the Best of the Best in terms of hot dogs or pizza), but they do master the art of the Chicago-style Italian sandwich more than any other. That means heaping helpings of breaded steak piled high with plenty of red sauce on top. I know real Italians call it gravy and real cooks call it marinara, but to me it'll always be "red sauce." This is their most famous dish I believe, the breaded steak sandwich, but it's that style of sandwich that just brings it in every form. Personally, I'd take the Eggplant Parm any day, but in any case, it's something that might be done elsewhere, but not to the degree or quality as it is done under the shadow of the El on Chicago's South Side. Fries are really good and so is the Chicken Vesuvio. I understand Chicken Vesuvio is a distinctly Chicago dish and I also understand, that in my opinion, Chicken Vesuvio can vary so wildly from recipe to recipe that it is more about the spirit of the dish than the actual ingredients. In my experience Rico's Vesuvio sandwich shares very little with the actual dish aside from chicken and the name, but ultimately it is an amazing sandwich that hits the spot you may never knew you had. Anyways, give this place a shot. I wish they'd branch out from Illinois and basically come with me wherever I go. There's a Portillo's up in Anaheim and there's a couple Giordano's out in Orlando. Why there can't be a Ricobene's in every corner of the world I'll never know, but I do know if there were, that world would be a better, and more delicious, place. Anyways, that's a Best of the Best Trend rating for Ricobene's when it comes to Chicago Style Sandwiches!

    (5)
  • Sharon F.

    Two words: Chicken Vesuvio. I love breaded anything - steak, veal, pork, salmon, you name it. The Chicken Vesuvio (yes it deserves the double capitalization) at Ricobene's however, is unlike anything I've ever had. It's off the hook. On the hook. Away from the hook. Whatever! It's got to be tried. For being a Chicago specialty, I can definitely understand the appeal: garlicky chicken topped with onions, lettuce, pickled carrots, tomato and a thick slab of mayo, all of which is spilling out of the bun. Of course the sandwich must be had with some fries which are freshly fried. Best of all it works for those with a big appetite. With my little bird stomach, I ended up eating half for lunch, half for dinner, and skipping breakfast the next day because I was STILL FULL. This location also happens to be a short drive from McCormick's Place, so for all you conference/tradeshow goers, this is THE best spot for lunch in the area.

    (5)
  • Christine B.

    One of my favorite food joints in Chicago! I can't review on anything but the breaded steak sandwich since I get it every time and have for years. I always get the red gravy rather than brown. You can get additional things added for toppings, but I eat it as is. Usually, I order a king size and get some extra bread so I can make several sandwiches. When I moved away from the area, my brother (who was living in Arizona where I was heading) had me pick up some Ricobene's for him before I flew out. These sandwiches made a second trip to Arizona when some of my family came to visit me. :) It has always been a family favorite for all of my immediate family. I will definitely miss these delicious sandwiches until I'm back in Chicago for a visit. I would eat these breaded steak sandwiches everyday if I could!

    (5)
  • Jacob G.

    I like the food at Ricobene's. Their breaded steak sandwiches and pizza are worth trying.

    (4)
  • Jen P.

    The most overlooked and hidden gem of this place is the pizza. They always have phenomenal concoctions. My fiancée brought me home a slice (well, half a slice, it's a long ride) of lasagna pizza yesterday. It's heavenly. I usually have pretty strong willpower but it seems like every time my choices are eat ricobenes or abstain from ricobenes I usually give in and gorge myself. The pizzas are displayed for you to drool over, making choosing hard. Hence we usually end up with several different kinds. And empty plates. The beef is excellent, the steak sandwich is good but its like 3rd on my list so I rarely get it. The fries are soooooo good. And one time I got the antipasti salad (oh I don't know why don't ask) and that's delicious as well. A destination if you ask me. If I didn't live 20ish miles away I think it might be a more serious problem for me. Such a treat.

    (5)
  • Michael C.

    Breaded steak sandwich, double cheeseburger, and slice of pizza are all I ever had here. All three are great, been at this location at least 50 times. The Ricobene's in the burbs don't match up to this one. (too bad because I live in the burbs)

    (4)
  • Amy H.

    After a long and hard day at work, I came here with my cousin because I needed food STAT. I got a slice of pan sausage, green peppers, and mushroom pizza and it was okay...the first few bites were pretty good because I was so hungry, but as I started getting full, the reality of the okay-ness of my pizza settled in. The cheese wasn't gooey at all...disappointing. And I usually love crust - both thin, crunchy crust and thick, soft & warm crust, but I was so sorely disappointed by their crust. It was thick, but not soft, warm, or delicious. Sigh. Still, the slice satisfied my pizza craving. The guy who took my order was very nice and friendly =) Yay good service. And I love that there are all these old family photos lining the walls! There's a parking lot across from this place. Yayyy convenient free parking!

    (3)
  • Tyler D.

    Always a big contingent of CPD squad cars parked outside/CPD in the place... so you know they're doing something right. Love the chicken parmesan w/cheese... sometimes on garlic bread. Good beef, good lard fried fries. Heart stopping sandwiches (meant in a couple different ways).

    (5)
  • Gerry X.

    So Astro Joe brought me here....and I liked the look of the place... clean abd busy and the deco reminded me of an Italian diner. Service are was bustling with activity (and clean) and bathroom was ok (late night joints usually have that though) So this is a cool place to hang out with friends, converse and eat...and the breaded heart attack that was the steak sandwhich was no exception.. it was delectable and evil and good. And huge. Staff was friendly and spotted me as a newbie from the get go, and obviously this is a favorite spot for the CPD as a few were coming in and out. Parking is right across the street (literally under the expressway) or on the street itself. It is a bit of a haul as I live on the northside, but if another star party lands me here I would go joyfully into that night. :) Posted pics as well. :) Sorry if some are alittle blurry.

    (5)
  • Carm B.

    Ricobene's has been around for a very long time and the reason being is because they have good food. Plain and simple. Their Chicago style Hot Dog & Fries is one of the best around and their Steaks have made them famous. They have a delicious Beef Sandwich (dipped with sweet/hot peppers) a surprisingly good Sloppy Joe and their Pizza is very good. The lines sometimes reach to the back of the restaurant, they must be something right. As for the rude employees mentioned by other reviewers, honestly it's a fast food restaurant, I'm not expecting 5 star Customer Service. As long as my food is good and comes out fast enough, that's good enough for me.

    (4)
  • Diana G.

    Been going to Rico's since I was young. They definitely have gone down a bit and on top of that they jacked up the prices now. Breaded steaks can be inconsistent. I'll sometimes get the Chicken Vesuvio or Chicken Parmesan and those are usually pretty good. The fries are not the best. Sometimes they seem a bit undercooked for me. The pizzas are ok. They usually seem friendly or nice enough just doing their jobs.

    (3)
  • Shah S.

    Breaded Streak Sandwich + Sweet Peppers + Large Fries!!!! In 1986-1987, this was my favorite place to go late at night for take-out steak sandwiches or pizza after classes. I keep going back every time I visit the city. Sure the place has changed and it doesn't have the same family-run restaurant vibe anymore but the food is still the bomb.

    (5)
  • Leon M.

    Pizza is good enough. You get a nice slice, but the sandwiches italian beef is is freaking delicious! The breaded steak is great. Also italian ices!!! Great place if you're in the neigborhood

    (5)
  • Curtis A.

    If you're ordering online, it's probably a good idea to call and verify your order was received. We placed a large lunch order which never made it to the kitchen. Basically, the order had to be remade hours after being originally placed. Not a good way to spend a half hour lunch break. We eventually received the order and were offered a 15% discount. I realize it's just a mistake, but the apology and weak discount may have been too little, too late. Sorry doesn't put the skirt steak in my belly now, does it?

    (2)
  • Susanne P.

    Awesome sandwiches!! Fries were soggy but in all fairness, I got my order to go and had traffic to battle before getting home to eat.

    (4)
  • Nicole C.

    This is a weekly stop for my man and I. We live down the street! They make the best chicken parm sandwiches you'll ever have. They are to die for!! Make sure you get them with mozzarella cheese!

    (5)
  • Steven B.

    Everything here is excellent, but deep dish spinach pizza is outstanding.

    (5)
  • Michael L.

    I've been coming here for a long time and I will never get sick of the Breaded Steak sandwich (add mozz cheese and jalapeno peppers). Why? Because you can get it with their special sauce or you can order it dry. I love it both ways. They are good on deliveries and phone order pickups. Never had a problem dinning there either as there are plenty of seats so it's good for large parties. They also have some pretty good chicken wings there too served on a bed of fries. Don't forget to stop by for some Italian ice during the summer time.

    (4)
  • Kevin M.

    First had Ricobene's in 1984 I believe. It was a little hole in the wall joint back in the day. Recently moved back into the city and go out of my way to go down here for a steak sandwich with fries well done every chance I get.

    (5)
  • Jaci Y.

    I love Ricobene's Deep Dish Spinach with mushroom pizza, and their Four Season's pizza and their Deep Dish Sausage pizza. I love their " Chili Hot Dog," and I love their fresh cut french fries! I don't care for their beef sandwiches, or the famous steak sandwhich, but their pizza will always be top knotch on my list. I love the corn meal crush, and the flavorful pizza sausage on their deep dish pizza as well as their regular crust pizzas. The price is very reasonable, and I find myself dreaming abou their " Deep Dish Spinach Pizza in my sleep." What can I say I grew-up eating Ricobene's and I love it.

    (4)
  • Samantha L.

    I have a couple of friends that live down the street from Ricobene's and it is always a solid standby place to go when we are hungry and want some junk food. I have mainly had their pizza and beef sandwich, and maybe a couple other items I might have ordered while drunk which escape me. The food is always good. I agree that the pizza is not the best in the city but it is still a decent slice, and I am a big fan of being able to order just a slice. Honestly my favorite thing at Ricobene's are their fries, I freaking love their fries. Thick hand cut, hot and salty in a brown paper bag. I want fries now. I had never read a review of this place until I went to write one, so next time I plan on getting this apparently awesome breaded steak sandwich!

    (4)
  • Joshua M.

    I went to Ricobene's again after a long trip to Michigan. I still love that they're open so late, and their food is never bad. The breaded steak just keeps getting bigger and bigger, but so do their prices. I wish they would stop increasing their portion sizes and prices. Ricobene's also has fantastic hot dogs. Get it with everything (ketchup is a sin, heed that rule), and it comes with fries, and is actually cheaper than ordering an order of fries (go figure). All-in-all, this place is a Chicago treasure. Go there, support them, eat good food.

    (5)
  • Noelle J.

    The World According to Noelle Allergic Girl's to Life Eating here was a dissappointment. We ordered beef sandwiches, cheese pizza slices and french fries. Upon entering one will note the family friendly ambience and the clean dining establishment. The people that work here have an attitude of indifference. The pizza was bland and the sauce was competely tasteless. The beef sandwhich had no flavor and the bread was soggy. Nothing to write home about. Noelle's Notes Skip it

    (1)
  • Loan V.

    Friendly staff, reasonable price, and always parking available. Love their fries and pizza

    (5)
  • Sandra M.

    Great neighborhood place to go for a quick bite. Been coming here since I was a teen many years ago. Now that I live in the area, the kids like it as much as I did. Try the chicken vesuvio sandwich on garlic bread with mozz!

    (4)
  • Chris S.

    It ain't pretty, and it ain't healthy, but there's something about the fried steak sandwich with sauce, cheese, and giardiniera that is just right. I've been here for dinner, and I had a party here once which was great. The staff really go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need. At the party we had, the guy that was keeping us stocked on food also went far beyond expectations. He was offering to do anything he could to make things easier on us - bringing out additional things that we wanted but hadn't originally ordered, helping carry gifts across the street to the parking lot, and just checking in to make sure things were going well. It's such a casual place that I almost didn't expect this high level of care for the customer, but it was hugely appreciated. The restaurant and food is both casual Italian - pastas, sandwiches, pizza, etc. The location is right by Comiskey, so it's a great place to fuel up before a game. A great neighborhood place that's been around forever and worth checking out.

    (4)
  • Joanne C.

    Been eating here since forever. I remember coming here with my friends when it was still this little shack, getting Italian ices or the cheese fries. I used to get the breaded steak value pack, which came with fries and a pop. But then my best friend introduced me to the Vesuvio. Yum. That's my usual when I order from Ricobene's. Breaded chicken, garlic mayo, onions all sandwiched in garlic bread. We also like their pizza (thin crust Four Seasons) and their hot wings. It's smothered in sauce, which can be good sometimes. Great neighborhood place with consistently good and hearty food.

    (4)
  • Bob S.

    This was a great alternative to the more well known pizza places on the Near North side. Parking was not an issue, we got a table immediately, and the food was great. An additional bonus, prices were reasonable. The breaded steak sandwich was excellent, and was enormous. This could feed two. We had a thin crust sausage pizza which had the best sausage, perfect spice level. We also had a deep dish pizza which had a very good crust. Not too thick like some other deep dish pizzas. The pizza sauce is also very good, with a nice flavor and consistency. A great neighborhood gem for pizza.

    (4)
  • Terrie D.

    I attended my niece's trunk party yesterday. Everything was wonderful. The food was delicious. The pasta was perfectly prepared. The fried chicken was well seasoned and super moist. The service was awesome. I will definitely be back.

    (5)
  • Cerene P.

    I was a little reluctant to attend a baby shower here, I was thinking Baby Shower+Ricobene's=Interesting ... Well i was plesantly surprised. Walking in they had a room off to the side that was reserved for the baby shower. This was great. They had coffee for us until the event started, which i thought was nice. Then we had all types of Ricobene fare, salad, hot wings, bbq wings, chkn sandwiches, italian beef sandwiches, eggplant parm, some chichen potato dish (so yummy), lasagna and mostcacolli. The best baby shower food ever. Because i'm not really into eating everybody's homemade food, bc you really don't know how clean they are when fixing food, so i was extremely happy with all the catered food. The server we had was FAB! He was quick at replacing whatever food ran low and he kept the drinks flowing. Overall a great time!

    (4)
  • Crystal X.

    ORDER: The original king size breaded steak sandwich & hot and sweet peppers!

    (3)
  • Lisa T.

    This place is old school south side and I looooooove it. Get a breaded steak sandwich and you won't be disappointed. My boyfriend and I split the REGULAR size one and it is plenty of food!!! I couldn't imagine eating a whole one myself (although I know he has by himself on many occasions). Perfect marinara sauce. Perfect bread. A "real good sangwich" as my Grandpa would say. Pizza by the slice is also really good. The pan style crust is better than the thin crust. The Spinach/Ricotta slice is a little on the bland side but is "ok". Would actually be a good healthier option for little kids. Plenty of easy parking in the lot across the street!

    (4)
  • Ed S.

    If you haven't tried Ricobenes, you're missing out! Give this place a try! Food is great, pictures on the walls are nostalgic, and they deliver!! Great steak sandwiches, pizza, wings, chicken vesuvios, there's too many delicious things to name! I personally prefer their fries cooked well done as regularly they are a bit soggy, but delicious none the less!

    (5)
  • Angela N.

    My favorite local restaurant! Whenever I am in doubt and can't think of anything I want to eat I always go to Ricos. I've grown up eating their deep dish mushroom & spinach pizza and their hot wings! Inexpensive, large helpings, and definitely mouth watering.

    (4)
  • Rene G.

    dirty restaurant and rude employees.... Wishing the Pulaski location was still open.

    (3)
  • Andrea M.

    Amazing deep dish pizza and my husband loves their breaded steak sandwich! Looking forward to coming back here in the summer before Sox games.

    (4)
  • R Y.

    Very good. Ordering at the counter is a little chaotic but locals seem to have it down ok. Had the deep dish pizza. Takes 45 minutes but it was worth it. Spaghetti is very good.

    (4)
  • Carol S.

    Ricobene's is very techno challenged when it comes to online ordering. Ordered at 6:30 . No delivery by 8:00 . I called and was told its out for delivery. It wasn't. I called back at 8:15 was on hold for 10 more minutes, got disconnected, called back and was told there was a glitch and my order got stuck online. They never received it. The next day I discovered the charge went thru. NO GLITCH there huh?

    (1)
  • Arni F.

    Anyone else get the irony of this place being located in Chinatown? Ahem. Anyway. This is good, greasy American fare for all those pretentious North Side transplants used to mediocre, overpriced, tripe you all buy up north. The pinnacle of Chicago Italian fast food fare for the price conscious. If you don't mind working out a bit extra during the week, this place is seriously the bomb. From beef sandwiches to breaded steaks to hot dogs and fries, this place consistently delivers. Downside is their delivery kinda blows, just get your ass in the car and pick it up. No waiting an hour and half for your burger and fries. Other than that, visiting this location is about as safe as you tourists are gonna get. Cops love the joint. The family memorabilia on the walls, photos of days gone by, is rather priceless for this joint which was founded by twin brothers. The pizza by the slice is rather good as are their hot wings. I've received numerous compliments for choosing to introduce North Siders and tourists to this place's wings. They are amongst the larger and saucier in the city and go great with their crispy fries. I'm salivating as I type this. The hotness is a 7 or 8 on a ten point scale. Rather tasty and filling as a meal. Order up a coke and you have dinner at this place no problem. The bad thing about this place? Honestly, it gets a bit slow on the service side when it gets busy, but they bounce back and make it up to you when it does. Peruse the menu, you won't be disappointed. And if you are, go get Chinese down the street!

    (4)
  • Leon G.

    Terrific breaded steak sandwich. Big enough to feed a family of 6 for a week!

    (4)
  • J L.

    We were originally looking for Dim Sum in Chicago Chinatown and stumbled upon this place. It looked busy and Chicago's finest police were eating there so it must be good. Our instincts proved correct an the homemade chicken soup and italian sausage sandwich hit the spot on a cold snowy day. Cool photos of old chicago hanging on the walls and just a freindly place for a good lunch.

    (4)
  • Bethany S.

    This place is wonderful, awesome food, everything is so tasty, the breaded steak is to die for; and so is everything else; besides the pizza. The pizza looks really yummy, but it's not quite as good, but that is not what they are known for anyways; it's the breaded steak - get it!!!! It's freaking huge, you will definitely need to take it home in a doggy bag, you will not leave out of this place hungry, as well as it's decent price, fast service and plenty of parking. GO there- old school Italian south side Chicago type restaurant!

    (4)
  • Joyce T.

    I'll admit it's not always consistent, I've had just as many sub-par experiences as good times. This has been my local hang-out for many of my formative years and I still always associate here with home. The deep dish spinach and mushroom is my favorite. I love the thickness but sturdiness of the crust, the cornmeal texture, the chunks of tomato, ample spinach and mushroom. It's always a delight for more sentimental reasons than culinary, but a staple of Bridgeport nonetheless.

    (3)
  • Paul B.

    Breaded heaven in SOX country! The breaded steak sandwich is the stuff of legend.

    (5)
  • Carol K.

    So the other night, I'm sitting in a bar in Bridgeport, starving, so the bartender tosses the binder of take out food my way. My friend and I start going through it page by page when he let's out a shout! "Ricobene's!", he says. ""We have to have Ricobene's". Now me being a girl who goes with the flow, and knowing how my friend loves good food, says nothing except to ask the bartender the address and then I call to place an order which is promised to me within the hour. Ricobene's has six locations; 3 in the city and 3 in the "burbs" and serves a variety of items from pizza to Italian sandwiches, burgers and dogs and even does catering. As we wait and drink out beers, I wonder what sort of a sandwich could elicit such a whoop of delight from my friend? Well, I didn't have to wait long. Within a half an hour- two of the largest, breaded steak sandwiches that I have ever seen show up (okay, I'll admit it. I had never had a breaded steak sandwich before) Covered in "red gravy" and served on a chewy fresh roll, one of these "famous" breaded steak sandwiches (King size) was enough for at least 4 people. Couple that with the cheddar fries that we also ordered and we had a feast at the bar for under $25 including delivery and tip. I couldn't help but notice the looks of envy on the faces of the other bar patrons as I bit into this Chicago tradition. "Get your own", I thought as I dreamily chewed my sandwich. "This one is mine". And so another evening ends with full tummies, a smile on our faces and enough leftovers for several more meals. Thanks, Ricobene's!

    (4)
  • Brenda H.

    I've been coming here since I was a kid and this place went from a tiny little place with no chairs, no tables.. just a tall, long table-like space that ran along three walls.. to this huge site! Even though the breaded steaks seem smaller now, they are still so addicting!!!! I love their fries, soda, pizza, hot dogs and even the burger is pretty good. And it's not just the food, I feel so at home every time I go there. You can watch a game with all your friends and not even realize you are surrounded by cops. Well.. a lot of them come to eat late at night. Anywho, great times, great food.. they're the reason I've gained 70 lbs now that I live closer than ever. I still love them though.

    (5)
  • Kevin W.

    5 Stars! That's right, because there's no place that sells the breaded steak sandwich like these guys. The menu consists of many things like sandwiches, hotdogs, burgers, fries, onion rings, jalapeno poppers, pizza, pasta, ice cream, but if its your first time here, you have got to try the breaded steak sandwich, its freaking awesome! Now my father has been taking me here since I can remember, so its been about 20+ years of experience for me, and I always recommend this restaurant to people who say they would like to try "Chicago" food. Yeah there's deep dish pizza, chicago hot dogs.. but little do they know, the breaded steak sandwich is better than both of those foods. This sandwich is wrapped in a sub sandwich type of bun, but is overflowing with breaded steak with lots of sauce. You can get the wich with sweet peppers, hot peppers, extra sauce, cheese... its good any way you like it. They have a King size and regular size, the King size is basically if you would like to take some home because there is no way you are finishing this bad boy in one sitting. The decor of the restaurant is your basic southside italian fast food joint, with some semblence of italian decor, but more like a fast food/diner type of place. The Chicago Police is ALWAYS here eating lunch/dinner so don't worry about safety in this southside joint. There is a private lot across the street under the overpass hwy, dark and dingy but hey, its free parking. Other things you should know, the fries are awesome here, greasy but very greasy tasty! if you get cheese, beware that its the powdered type of cheese dip, but its still tasty as hell lol. I love their fries. Also, they have an online Ricobene's website where you can order anything online including customizing your sandwiches and get it delivered within an hour. If you live in the southside, you know you've seen these Ricobene little cars driving all over the city. Overall this is as good as it gets in southside Chicago.

    (5)
  • Jeff N.

    Pepper and Egg sandwich may be the best anywhere. Fries great. Vanilla malt best in recent memory. Breaded steak sw, which gets most of the raves by other Yelpers, a bland slab of thin meat with way too much red sauce on top. We'll definitely be back. Thanks to Mike at Rosebud for the recommendation.

    (4)
  • Alan S.

    I give 5 stars to this establishment. Excellent food, clean place, great food. They have the best bread steak sandwich in the city- Try it . you will never regret. The restaurant is not too far from China Town. If you are from out of town, you can get lost driving in circiles so use mapquest.

    (5)
  • Victor L.

    I entered this place not expecting the unexpected. For some reason I thought that I was going to be seated upon arrival therefore, I stood standing up by the entrance for about a minute. Also, I almost asked a lady that was carrying a pitcher of soda (who I thought she was a waitress and something) if I had to wait to be seated. Lol... OMG! That would have been so embarrassing. There's tons of food to choose from but, thanks to a picture I saw in the Yelp app for iPhone I went for "The Hot Wings." it's obviously more of pizza place but, the Hot Wings are delicious and fulsome yet surprisingly not spicy however, the "Personal Pizza" is extremely personal because it seemed extremely small and it takes forever to bake. This place is very specious and if anything it's a comfortable and safe place to dine in because Police Officers dine here as well. I like the fact that this place has its very own parking lot, that's a huge plus. I herd that pizza is good here; I would like to come back and perhaps try the dip-dish.

    (4)
  • Suzanne C.

    I grew up eating and loving this food. I left the neighborhood and am now back. Why doesn't it taste the same? The au jus on my beef sandwich tasted watered down. The breaded steak sandwich was mush, yet shy on the red sauce and the cheese was cold when we opened the wrapper. Ricobene's fries have always been yummy and still are. Get em with cheese! (why did the fries which came with the hot dog, a bigger portion than what came in a cheese fry order??) This can't be true. I have to go back. Maybe it was just an off night... hopefully. :-(

    (3)
  • Joe M.

    The first time I went to Ricobene's I was coming home from a Sox game. My friend's co-worker decided we had to go. He was drunk and couldn't exactly remember the location. It took us an hour and a half to get there. Later we checked a map and Ricobene's couldn't have been more than 7 minutes from the park. Ricobene's is my crowning jewel of Chi-town gluttony. The breaded steak sandwich would probably be my last meal on earth (I guess if I'm on death row). First, get your sandwich on garlic bread, then get both sweet and hot peppers, and cheese. The breaded steak is folded into the bread layered with cheese. Next, get your cheese fries on. The cheese they use is so friggin' amazing. It has some sweet quality that compliments the fresh cut fries. If you're going for the trifecta then top it off your order with a purple soda out of the fountain. They do other things very well like their pizza that my wife loves. Seriously though breaded steak or GTFO.

    (5)
  • Johnny G.

    I walk in and it's a scene straight outta the Godfather. It's a "order, take, and sit yourself" kinda place. No table servers. But the food is excellent, and the prices are good too, at least much better than most all sit down Italian places. I got a eggplant parm sammich, a antipasto salad, banana\chocolate milkshake, and a cannoli. The sammich and milk shake filled me up so I took the rest to go (they told me to leave my gun since I took the cannoli). It was all excellent! My friend got a Italian beef though, and I tried that and it was even better than mine. Best Italian beef in Chicago.

    (5)
  • Sam Y.

    Chicken marinara sandwich is terrific here. Your typical grease joint feel but the food is good. They also deliver all over (including downtown). Haven't tried too many other dishes though. Will be back for sure.

    (4)
  • Irene O.

    Ricobenes is great for parties. They have a small party room off the main restaurant, and a banquet hall next door. I have had 4 graduation parties in their party room off the main restaurant in the last 12 years. Lenny is the person I have always worked with and he is very, very helpful & easy to work with. The food is served buffet style, and I usually have appetizers, antipasto salad & different types of pizza, with beer, wine and pop. I bring a bakery cake. I think the room off the restaurant fits up to 70 people. Everyone loves the food and it is reasonably priced. Lenny gets 4 stars for service!

    (5)
  • Jair J.

    This better be good

    (1)
  • Mike D.

    Food: Certainly not the best pizza around, but you can count on Ricobene's to be consistently good - it is difficult to say that about so many restaurants these days. The breaded steak sandwich is a must-have... especially if you add sweet peppers! Slurp... Sorry I started drooling just thinking of the perfectly seasoned marinara and gooey mozzarella that makes the breaded steak sandwich truly to die for. Service: Is what it is - not great by any means, but also not terrible. Pay people by the hour to work behind the counter preparing fast food and it's what you get. X-factor: Ricobene's definitely has it. All of the locations are busy no matter what time you walk in the door. Good, fast, consistent food at a decent price that won't bust your budget.

    (4)
  • Mary S.

    I am not the biggest hot-dog fan but when in Rome. While visiting Chicago I wanted to try a Chicago style dawggg with tomatoes and pickles. This place takes their fries and cooks them with the sandwich. I am not sure what they do exactly. Maybe soak them in the beef juice? They taste really different. Great! All in all the food here is good. My brother loved the Italian style beef. He eats here often and likes it. I am guessing the food is not good for you but it sure tastes great!

    (4)
  • Samra M.

    This was a spontaneous adventure, My friend and I were hungry and ended up going here. The parking lot is under the highway and dark (creeeeeepyyy) but when you finally get to the street it's not so bad. Here in Bucktown we found Ricobene's. It's a nice chill spot, that has an italian feel to the place (like places like Portillo's). We looked over the menu and found many options, my friend had the breaded steak sandwich (what they're known for) and I got the meatball sandwich. They were fast at getting our food ready (you order and pick up your food). We sat down and opened up our sandwiches and they looked juicy mmm! The breaded steak sandwich was pretty good (my friend let me try hers) and my meatball sandwich had big meatballs which was also good. Comparing the meatball sandwiches that I've had in the past, this sandwich was pretty good, not as good as Fontano's but it's still good. The fries are something else. These fries are good, the potato flavor was perfect, a little flimsy for my liking but I really liked the flavor of the fries. Also they weren't too salty like other places (you have to try the fries) Overall, our stay there was really nice, the food was good and I will come back for some more!

    (4)
  • Tom G.

    The hot dog was very good, but the deep-dish pizza was ordinary. My wife had the "lasagna" pizza; I had the sausage. Both were okay, but nothing to write home about. As other reviews have pointed out, the crust is not very good. More like a crouton than like a good pizza crust. Bonus points for having Coke products, though, after a long trip where it was seemingly Pepsi, Pepsi, everywhere!

    (3)
  • Anna M.

    Really just OK. We were soooo hungry and wanted something tasty, fast and filling and we got all three. The prices are pretty good for the amount of food that you get, but quantity is not quality. The "king size" sandwich could feed a family of 6 and the regular a family of 4... Seriously SO MUCH food! The sandwich portions are just so huge! I have a big appetite and only finished half of a regular chicken parm sandwich.

    (3)
  • Karl K.

    Breaded steak sandwiches are not the healthiest food but they are sooooo good. I can not go back home to Chicago without having one. Make sure to get cheese on top and/or peppers. The fries are home made and delicious. Truly a one of a kind treat....

    (5)
  • Nazgul W.

    Nice late-night spot with lots of food options. I only had beer and some bites of chicken but it was good stuff.

    (4)
  • Sam O.

    This my second time ordering pizza to be delivered ! the first time, everything was ok. the pizza was very good as well as the soup ! this time pizza was delivered and the second we opened the box,a roach was inside running arround !!! we called ricobene's, and to be fair to them, they didn't argue and gave us a choise between refunding the money or exchange the pizza. we opted for refund !

    (1)
  • Dawn D.

    Ok place for an average breaded steak. Punkys a few blocks west has much better quality food. Ricobenes quality has gone down in recent years. B

    (2)
  • Chrissy B.

    My Boyfriend took me here on our first date (casual breaking the ice). I really enjoyed myself. He ordered a couple of things to go and let me taste them... Breaded steak sandwhich was amazing and the deep dish veggie pizza blew my mind. Thank you sweetie!!!

    (5)
  • Andy M.

    I have always wondered if I'm the only person who orders a 2,000 calorie lunch and washes it down with a Diet Coke? Ricobene's has sent more people to the Cardiac Surgeon than Lucky Strike Cigarettes. I have been trying to behave over the couple of years. I have been working out more and eating less. Cigars and a sniff of Bourbon on the weekends are my last remaining vices. My Breaded Steak Sandwich blew all of that hard work to hell. This was my first visit to Ricobene's since they closed their Lake Street location many years ago. That was back in the days' of my youth when High Cholesterol, Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure were things that worried old people with receding Hair Lines. Now that I'm one of those old people, I'm trying to avoid places that harden my Arteries. But I found myself on the South side on a Saturday afternoon and I couldn't resist the temptation of the Dreaded, Breaded Steak Sandwich. This behemoth of deliciousness tasted just like I remembered it. The folded, Breaded Steak was covered with Pasta sauce and topped with melted Mozzarella Cheese. My first bite was pure Bliss. But on the second bite I could literally feel my heart struggling to keep beating. My stomach began to feel heavy and I had the sudden urge to take a nap on my Fiance's shoulder. You might ask yourself why would I do this to myself? The answer is simple. The sandwich is Delicious. The bottom line is this. If you are looking for some Primo, comfort food and have a bit of a death wish. Head on down to Ricobene's. The food is good, the place is fun and you will walk away (or get wheeled out) with a smile on your face. It's well worth the trip.

    (5)
  • Brandon M.

    Rico's has always been THE stop for my college buddies. I'm personally not a huge fan of them but they epitomize the neighborhood. The employees seem rough around the edges, the pizza by the slice is awesome, and the place can get dirty pretty quickly. All-in-all this place is essentially a huge diner with fast(ish) food. If you can stand greasy goodness get cheese fries. This place is not for the weak of stomach, unfortunately. Grease-heavy, my friends. Delicious burgers, the breaded steak is legendary and you can bring in a whole troop of people in a moment's notice. Overall, it's pretty good. I will definitely be back.

    (5)
  • David K.

    Maybe they had a long day, since it is Mother's Day. I don't know. The place looked great, clean and at 9pm people still ordering and eating some delicous looking sandwiches. Made me decide to stay and find something meet my pallete. I decided on a Masticiolli dinner added the sausage and a garden salad. Service was fine, not fast, not slow but I would say average. The food was plentiful, hot and filling. Matter of fact I didn't even finish mine and I can finish just about any meal put in front of me. Once again everything was good, but nothing special. The Pizza looked great and you can either order a slice, or a pie just your size. The sign says they are known for their breaded steak sandwich. I will most likely go back later this week to try it. Sounds really great.

    (3)
  • Carolynne M.

    Hi Folks and welcome back to another episode of "Freakin' Huge Chicago Sandwiches: Necessity or Madness?" Today we are going to ask some questions to patrons of Ricobene's, a south side pizza and sandwich shop. Excuse me sir, is that a breaded steak sandwich you are eating? -omnomnomnom *slurp* chewchewchew mmmm *growl* Well, it appears it is and he's really enjoying it! Good god that's a sloppy sandwich. Oh hey, pardon me ma'am, is that sandwich you are eating an extra large? -NO this is a SMALL - I am trying to watch my figure after all! Ahh, haha, whoops! I guess I am not familiar with the sizes of these things! Oh here's a couple enjoying a cafeteria tray-size serving of cheese fries. How are those today? -Oh my god, so good! Hey, do you know if these people keep a set of defibrillators under the counter? My chest feels a little tight...? Well there you have it...actual opinions from actual customers! I'm not sure if we can accurately say if these menu items are necessary or not, but it seems these customers don't care either way! I personally just tried to eat a pepper and egg sandwich that I swear had a minimum of a dozen eggs in it. Good but...is it Necessity or Madness? See you next time!

    (4)
  • Vince S.

    This is another one of those places I have been coming to for 30+ years for many good reasons. Ok, lots of people have talked about the Breaded Steak and Pizza. Yes not all palates are the same. Some might not appreciate the enormous size of the BSS or the overwhelming amount of cheese that gets put on. Nor will they notice a full thick LAYER of sausage on the stuffed pizza. What makes this a 5 star review are the simple things: 1) they are open late at night. 2am on Saturdays. Great for us late night eaters. 2) Parking. A sandwich place has ample private parking in the city of Chi???? Rare. 3) FREE wireless Internet. 4) Size & cleanliness of the place. There is so much room that I never have a hard time sitting down to eat there. Not to mention you don't stick to the chairs. 5) WATER. With out having to ask for it. There are pitchers of iced water and cups at the counter. Sure, you can be silly an purchase a bottled water that tastes exactly the same, but why do that when you can get it free???? No waiting in line to ask for a refill. Just go get it. And yes, the food is great too.

    (5)
  • Mary B.

    I finally got to come here with my friend, who raves about this place. Now I know why.... I love their breaded steak sandwich. I tried a little of the chicken vesuvio sandwich too. That was also delicious so were the fries. If you're on a diet, do not come here, you will blow it big time!! I don't care so I will definitely be back soon.

    (5)
  • Z P.

    Every time I fly to Chicago I make a pit stop here at Ricobene's! love the atmosphere with all the decorations on the wall! love this place, theyre breaded steak sandwich is worth the trip to see my family alone! havnt tried the pizza because i always get the breaded king size sammich! A+

    (5)
  • Rick M.

    Great food. Amazing breaded steak sandwich. Haven't tried the pizza yet but wow the deep dish looks like it has to be great! Not a lot of atmosphere but fabulous food.

    (4)
  • Samantha M.

    The breaded steak sandwich with hot peppers is delicious!!!

    (5)
  • Jim S.

    You have heard the stories and they are all TRUE. Ricobenes has and is THE BEST PLACE in the U.S for an Italian Breaded Steak Sandwich! This is the stuff of dreams. I grew up in BP and know this sammy as a "Rico-Rug" Thats cuz if ya ever unfolded it.... its like a carpet! I recall the main place on 26th when it was a hole in the wall and the mafia "Dago" types were hanging out at their club down the block. Theres another Ricobenes on pulaski ave and their breaded steaks are every bit as great as the original restuarant. Try their steak without the red sauce..have em put natural gravy on it with melted mozzerella..YUM! Other great mentions are their thin crust pizza and Chicken Vesuvio sandwich! They used to sell a breaded pork cutlet with bbq sauce and wow that was great too!

    (5)
  • George A.

    The Stuffed pizza is very good.

    (4)
  • Jeff C.

    They had me waiting for 20 minutes when my order was just sitting in their warmer oven. No one called my name or receipt number. They didn't have a clue until I asked one of the girls to check on my order.

    (2)
  • Alex R.

    Alright, I must admit that I am a bit biased when writing this review, as this restaurant brings a lot of nostalgic memories for me. I've been coming here since I was a kid, and I remember when it was a tiny place where you would just sit outside and order your food through the window. I recall sitting here with my dad and chowing down on some delicious italian beef sandwiches. Alas, this place is now pretty big and has a lot of seating. There is a parking lot across the street that is free. They have a lot of the typical Italian junk food, but I would highly recommend you get a sandwich. I come here for their deliciously prepared Italian beef sandwiches, the meat is very flavorful and the sandwich is very juicy. I also really enjoy their huge, super juicy meatball sandwiches. The fries are alright, nothing to go crazy over, but pizza slices are pretty good too. This place has been a staple for me over the years, I suggest you go give their sandwiches a try if you're in the area.

    (5)
  • Christina R.

    The gigantic breaded steak sandwich is what dreams are made of, and diets are ditched for. Yes, the sauce will soak the bun and it can't be eaten in the car while you drive. I ask for extra cheese and use a fork. It makes two meals. I'm also a fan of the pizza and milkshakes. I didn't think the chicken parm was that great, and I always wish the fries were better. The restaurant is huge, clean, usually a few cops. The service is friendly and I get the impression there are a few owners/ family member working at all times. There's a huge parking lot area across the street. They're open pretty late too, 2am on Friday and Saturday.

    (4)
  • Alma G.

    Friday July, 27th 2012 Re: 26th Street Riconenes. So disappointed with their phone/online customer service. Currently, I placed an online order at 9:19PM . I Received my email confirmation that my order will be process and should arrived at my home at 10:30 PM. well that never happen...... So at 10:55PM I called to find out the status of my order and the girl was clueless of my order. I was put on hold several times. Only to be passed around to the next clueless person including their Front Manager. Finally the "Manager of delevery" came back with "Oh the computer just printed the request, It says here that you placed the order at 10:55PM" -Seriously lady? The minute I called it just so happends to print? Frankly, all I wanted was my food and if they came accross a problem, a courtesy phone call could have helped. Instead they said we cannot offer you anything except a $5 discount on your next purchase. I'm sorry but good customer service if taking care of the customer now not later, especially if your going to make me wait another hour for my order! But instead she replied with "there is nothing I can do because you paid with a credit card".... Well guess what lady. Cancel my order and ring it up again. She continue with "there is nothing I can do." Well I do. CANCEL MY ORDER!!!! Sadly, its not the first time I have giving this place a try. Whether its a phone order or an online order. They lack communition skills among employees. They always blame the other person (Front Manager to Back delivery Manager) -Whatever that means? And today was the ultimate blame.... A computer that happened to print the request right at the very moment I called for my food status.. I have been a customer for years. Visiting both their Chicago locations. The food is great and their breaded sandwiches are deliciously unique. It's too bad they have poor customer service when it comes to phone orders/online

    (1)
  • Gina F.

    I think I've only actually been here once, but my dad has been feeding us Ricobene's since I was a kid. As an Italian native of Bridgeport, my dad knows his Italian food & his Italian fast food. He would stop by my grandmother's and return ladden down with some combination of eggplant or chicken parm, Italian beef, meatball, & pepper-and-egg sandwiches. Even years later, if he went down there for any reason, he'd return with 42,000 calories worth of food. Everything is delicious. Why? Because health is not a concern; taste is. Half a sandwich is easily a meal. It's not a place I would often treat myself to, and as a north-sider I have rare occassion to be in the neighborhood since I no longer have any family there, but I still think they're delicious and the fond memories make it even tastier. If I did happen to be nearby, I'd stop in for an eggplant parm for sure.

    (4)
  • Natalie M.

    Looking for a spot to grab a quick bite........Ricobene's it is. Cheap, good, not too greasy goodness at a reasonable price. I was pleastanly surprised that my thin crust cheese pizza was delicious (rubbing my tummy remembering the flavorful sauce). I split an order of fries with my friend and they were scrumptous as well. Our total came out to be $10.11 for two slices of pizza, fries, and two drinks- Oh yeah! I am eager to go back and try one of their soft serve ice cream flavors- i have heard the swirls of fruit are the perfect way to end a meal.

    (4)
  • Y L.

    I work from home and my lunch typically consists of whatever I have handy in the fridge, I had decided that I needed a break and wanted to order out. Ricobene's has great reviews and since I recently moved to the neighborhood I thought that I would give them a try. I placed an order online for delivery and got the fried steak and some jalapeño poppers. The delivery took almost an hour and a half (at lunch time) and I live about 4 blocks away. I ordered the food right at 11am which is when they start delivering. When I finally got the food they had forgotten to include some items but didn't forget to charge me for them. The sandwich was still warm but the bread was completely soggy. The poppers were the standard frozen kind and were nothing special. When I called to speak with the manager they did offer to remake the order but I was so hungry and frustrated I told them not to bother. They ended up giving me a credit for the delivery charge and the item they forgot but it is highly unlikely that I will be ordering from them again. Not sure why it would ever take an hour and a half to drive 4 blocks, had I known that it was going to take this long I would have ordered for pick up or not at all.. Overall not the best experience and not the best food.

    (2)
  • John G.

    Classic Chicago walk up. Its safe too.... the restaurant has almost as many cops as it has chairs!

    (4)
  • Michelle L.

    RICOBENES WENT DOWNHILL! Are they trying to save a buck?? I haven't had ricobenes in a while and was so looking forward to their amazing cheddar fries - however, they are no longer using real cheese and are now using the disgusting cheap fake cheese sauce. HORRIBLE!!!! Their chedder fries were the best thing, and now they suck. I will never again order or go to ricobenes, not worth it.

    (1)
  • Demetrio P.

    Ricobene's has the best Chicken Vesuvio Sandwich I've tasted so far! Comes with onions, mayo, lettuce I believe, but man it is good! Gets a little messy eating it, but is very worth the effort and cleanup. I haven't tried anything else here, but next time I'm in the neighborhood I'll stop by for another visit! Overall, good food / sandwich, okay prices, okay services.

    (4)
  • Brittany Y.

    The buffalo wings are awesome, unfortunately I'm a vegetarian now *thumbs down* so I haven't had them in years but they still smell the same so I guess they still taste the same. The spinach and ricotta pizza is tasty, it's not awesomely delicious but it's good. Also the hot fries are good, especially the ones at the top of carton.

    (3)
  • Herman B.

    This is classic Chicago fare. The Breaded Steak sandwich is the classic item for this Restaurant. I believe it comes in two sizes, bring your appetite and order the larger one. The restaurant is perfect for Vampires on sunny days at noon because it is located under the Dan Ryan! Seating and ambiance average, food is real good. Calories high. Happy Eatin'

    (4)
  • Marie M.

    A HUGE LET DOWN!!! I had been a long time customer, back when it was a little hole in the wall. Today I was telling friends about it and ran to get some. I ordered 3 steaks and a hot dog for the non-believer. What I got was 3 beef and a hotdog. As they were to go orders I did not notice until we were working and ready for dinner. Imagine my suprise. After working I went back with the last left over assuming they would make it right. What I got was quite the opposite. They did replace the left over (the cashier went to talk to manager, Carmen). I was there waiting getting madder by the second. I asked to talk to the manger and this kid came out finally and said he replaced the sandwich I brought back and could not understand the issue as I only brought one back and he fixed it. I asked that should I have called him from where we were working to come and replace as we could not come back at that point. He responded it depends on where you live. I answered Jefferson Park and he say we don't go there. REALLY no clue, then he said oh maybe I should give you fries. REALLY AGAIN. He did not even come up with the price difference. I Also check their website to see if there was a senior person I could correspond with, but no luck there. I am extremely disappointed, in what once was a good place to go.

    (1)
  • S T.

    I have been here about 20 times over the years and I still can't find a breaded steak sandwhich like it in my travels. It's just a sandwhich that is not offered in many fast food places and thats why it's so good. It's big even when you get the small. Parking is under the express way if the street is full. This is a thin breaded steak that is bigger than the French bread so it's folded into the bread and smothered in red gravy. I get this with mozzarella cheese and it makes one tasty sandwhich. The rest of the food is good but the star it the steak sandwhich.

    (4)
  • Nirali S.

    Breaded Italian steak sandwich is the way to go, my goodness, it's like 3 meals in one!! It's grease just the way it's supposed to be!

    (4)
  • Rahshonda K.

    I really didnt know what to expect walking into Ricobene's my friend raved all the way over about the steak sandwiches and said I had to have it so thats exactly what I ordered and it was so fantastic! I had never had anything like it before. The fries were hot and fresh! The place is pretty big I am not sure why I expected it to be a little fast food joint. A lot of history on the walls and the staff was pretty nice. I cant wait to go back!!! That Sandwich was huge and its calling my name !!!!!

    (4)
  • Maess N.

    Get the KING!!! enough said ;) Seriously, the fried steak here is unbelievable. Whats better than breaded steaks on a bun with red gravy, mozzarella and jardinare? The King is huge and delicious for not that much bank (about $8) and the people watching is great. This place is definitely now part of my regular South Side experience.

    (4)
  • Nancy F.

    Unlike the majority of ricobene's lovers, my favorite sandwich is not the breaded steak sandwich. it is the even more delicious chicken vesuvio sandwich - breaded chicken, thinly shreaded onions, tomatoes and mayo in a garlic-like bread. yes, the sandwich is a bit greasy and you should not be eating this every night but just sometimes after a long day, you want something satisfying and greasy (and a burger is not going to cut it). if you're not a fan of sandwiches, then try the thin crust pizza (tastes 10x better than a sbarro), bbq or hot wings (its not hooters wings but equally as satisfying especially because it comes with fries which soakup the extra sauce) or a chicago style hot dog (its not hot dougs here but you can get a simple chicago style or a chili cheese dog to hit the spot a lot quicker). i rotate between these options all the time and am never disappointed. they also have the traditional pasta: spaghetti, mostaccoli and ravioli. i don't think the pasta is anything special but definitely has a home cooked feeling to it. ricobene's is my default place to grab takeout (i am chinese so i can't always do chinese takeout!) before plopping in front of the couch with a good movie and a drink (in this case it might be a nice cold coke actually). oh, and if you're too lazy to pick up your takeout, rico's will deliver to your door so you can stay in those comfy "Sexy" pjs.

    (5)
  • Caitlin C.

    You really haven't lived until you try a breaded steak sandwich from Ricobenes! Dob't forget extra cheese and red sauce! Its my favorite place to order from since moving from the burbs to the south side. Oh, and the breaded zuchinni isn't too bad itself!

    (4)
  • Howie C.

    This is a mainstay of Bridgeport. I've been coming here for 43 years. I haven't lived in this area for 15 years but just about every time I come visit my sister or mom I GOTTA get a king breaded steak sandwich with hot peppers. When I was younger I would eat 2. Now I'm satisfied with 1/2 and the other 1/2 later. :)

    (4)
  • Jonny P.

    I haven't been here in years and was reminded of their breaded steak sandwich the other day. It's HUGE, I don't know if I could finish one now but they are soooo good! Crunchy bread & the red sauce totally make it all come together. Definitely grabbing one during my next trip home!!!

    (5)
  • Vickie L.

    Breaded Steaks - nuff said. Order it with extra red sauce, you'll thank me later when you heat up your leftovers. I order it plain - just steak, sauce and bread. They put too much cheese on it for my taste if you get cheese. Ample parking across the street under the highway. Cops are always there, so you know it has to be good. Never a long wait to place your order, just have to wait for the food to come out. I've never waited longer than 10 min.

    (4)
  • Nelly B.

    I've been eating here almost as long as I've been alive and the breaded steak sandwich is just as good now as it was then. I recommend you add cheese and the giardiniera peppers.

    (4)
  • Shane P.

    All I have to say is get the breaded steak sandwich with the red sauce. We order a few and freeze dry them to bring back home to San Diego. I have been eating at the location downtown Chicago next to the golf shop since I was 7, although I think that one is gone now. The pizza is okay too

    (4)
  • Todd S.

    South side staple Ricobenes is always the place to go for a quick bite before or after a Sox game, as its about 5 minutes from Comiskey, they are known for a lot of things over here, breaded steak sandwich being the main dish here.Huge steak sandwich, come hungry, if ur getting that. There baked mostacholli is also really a nice dish, and a huge portion, again you will leave full, and your wallet will probably still be full as well. Slices of pizza are large and filling, and you also cant go wrong with a burger with the works here. Fries are also hand made, and greasy as hell, but taste great. A lot of locals, and cops eat here on a frequent basis, so it must be good if the cops are always there right? ehh, dont let a felony deter you haha. Not the best food you will have, but for the price, it's a great place to frequent when on the south side, and u will probably never have to look hard for parking on 26th. Theres also a lot right across the street.

    (4)
  • Peter R.

    Always a winner. Been here many times and I always try to get something different. My favorites are the deep dish sausage pizza and the famous breaded steak sandwich. This place is a Bridgeport landmark, do not miss it if you're in the area.

    (5)
  • Ela O.

    No cheese on my sandwich. Disappointed and sandwich lacks flavor. Same with small cheese pizza, no originality. Only reason there's 1 star is because food was hot when delivered and delivery guy was friendly. Will not be ordering again though.

    (1)
  • Celena M.

    I will eat breaded steak from here forever. FOREVER. the wait is about 10 min during the week at lunch time. otherwise not too long. Fries are yummy and the pizza is mmmm.... eat here. It's a little pricy. That's why the 4 stars. but the food is soo much more

    (4)
  • Hector G.

    I've been ordering from this spot for years and it never disappoints. I've had deep dish pizza, breaded steak, sicilian beef, and fries from there and its all been excellent. Prices are excellent for the portion sizes and food is very flavorful. Weather permitting delivery is fast and the food always arrives hot.

    (5)
  • Enzo P.

    I ordered a pizza with italian beef, instead they gave us ground beef. Who the hell puts ground beef on a pizza? Come on...it tasted like dog food.

    (1)
  • Joseph S.

    Best sandwich in the world! Breaded steak sandwich loaded with cheese stuffed inside Italian bread with red sauce. Every man and woman's dream!

    (5)
  • Alexandra S.

    I am very picky with top food places of mine. This deff. Makes top 5! I love the food.... When you get to the register be prepared to spell out what you want. Need to get better people at registers! I think I had to break it down at least 3x .... And my sandwich still didn't have cheese.

    (5)
  • Sonny S.

    Ricobene's is a great neighborhood eatery. Whether it's take out or you're dining there, the food is sure to please. I usually come here with friends when we're tight on money or just don't feel like cooking and need something fast. The restaurant itself has a spacious dining area which accommodates a good number of people. Additionally, there's a large parking lot that's free across the street. Here's what I get: BREADED STEAK SANDWICH This sandwich comes in two sizes (regular and large). It's a pounded steak that's been breaded and deep fried. Then, it gets topped with a generous amount of marinara sauce...sandwiched between two pieces of bread. YUM. HOT WINGS The wings comes with your choice of either hot sauce or BBQ. I usually get the hot sauce. One order comes with 8 wings and a side of fries, which is more than enough to fill you up (there is a larger size, but I don't recall how many come in an order). Make sure you ask for your fries to be well done - they can be soggy sometimes. SOUP OF THE DAY The soups are pricey for how much you get, and they are just ok. I say skip it. Overall, the food is great for how inexpensive it is. Ya gotta come try it out!

    (4)
  • Davin L.

    It's been awhile since I've eaten here, but with an hour to kill before my movie, I decided to stop by. Stepping inside, it's as though the entire establishment has been preserved in time. The same parking lot under the highway, the same dull lighting, the same black and white tile floors, the same celebrity photos on the walls, like I was still in high school. With nostalgia kicking in full gear, I stepped up to the counter and ordered the sandwich that made me fall in love with the joint way back when without missing a beat: "Regular breaded steak, cheese and peppers, spicy and sweet." In two minutes flat, I had my gut bomb love letter to my youth. Still hot and fresh, still stuffed with three strips of steak, still overflowing with red gravy, still making a mess no matter how many napkins I use, still delicious as hell. There are few things that can qualify as quintessentially Chicago. Ricobene's breaded steak sandwich with red gravy is one of them.

    (4)
  • Shirley W.

    It's a great fast food ish place. Things you should get on the menu are Chicken vesuvio Hot wings with fries in them Parmesan steak sandwich Deep dish pizza Or if you want to go cheap you can get hotdogs that come with fries. This place is big, so it's great for groups, they have TV if you want to watch sports.

    (4)
  • Gracie G.

    Believe it or not they have a broil chicken sandwich I love, rib tips, to die for and Pizza very delicious..

    (4)
  • Megan T.

    I just want to start by saying that normally I love Ricobene's, aTonight however, I wish I could give it zero stars. First my husband and I waited an hour there for our to go order of 1 hotdog and 1 meatball sandwich. We went up several times to see what was going on and while the 2 kids who were at the counter were very apologetic, the manager was incompetent and left them out to dry with a ton of angry customers! (We were not the only ones with ridiculously long waits) the manager did nothing to help the situation, no apologies, no offers to anyone who had to wait that long! Having been a waitress myself under poor management I felt bad for the young workers and did not complain to them just took my food and left. When I got home I came to find my hotdog almost inedible it was obviously slopped together which isn't that big of a problem but the bun was so soaking that it fell apart and I was unable to actually pick up the hot dog to eat because it fell apart and was cold, like they forgot to call our number for that hour we were waiting. Now royally pissed after the wait and the the state of the food I called the restaurant to speak to management and there was no answer, probably from all the other angry customers from tonight calling to complain! Hopefully they can fix the management situation because I've seen good restaurants go under because of the management. I know if I go again and see the same manager who was unable to help the kitchen with the long wait times or the workers dealing with the angry customers I will walk right out.

    (1)
  • Padma A.

    Cold night in Chicago after a basketball game at my sons school BCA, group of us (12) including kids went and were treated to some good Italian fast food. The location can be scary to people not familiar with the south side but be rest assured the place has tons of street cops gorging on the food :) We ordered the assorted appetizer platters, pizza by the slice, pasta, sandwiches and the adults got some wine and beer. It was packed but perfect for a big group. Its a family owned, zagat rated restaurant, you can see they care for their customers.

    (4)
  • Don J.

    Food is unbelievable! The hype is real! Steak sandwich was unreal! Not one complaint

    (5)
  • Diana L.

    Ahhhh, just thinking about Ricobene's makes me drool. It's the best pizza place ever with consistent service and taste since the first slice I've ever had. This is also one of the places that makes thin crust pizza that rivals the pizza from NYC. Sorry, New Yorkers, they just have something magical and addicting inside the crust. Whether it's deep dish or thin crust, Ricobene's is to die for. Good food at a good price, and fast service make it a go to place when I visit Chicago. It's always busy but they have a good system to keep all the orders organized, and if you call in, you can do pick up and avoid the hassle of waiting. My family's go to order is a large, thin crust Four Seasons and a thick crust cheese pizza. Always feeds a large party and hopefully you can snag some leftovers. Another thing that you should try is the ice cream (I'm a kid at heart). It comes in a good number of flavors and they pack a lot onto the cone.

    (5)
  • Betty N.

    **AWESOME DEEP DISH PIZZA AND ITALIAN ICE** During our bike tour, we stopped here. AMBIANCE ========== Family friendly and spacious lay-out. Casual and old school classic pizzeria feel. FOOD ====== Had a slice of their: THE WORKS (Deep Dish) (No Item Substitutions) (Personal 7" $10.49) (Small 10" $16.49) (Large 15" $24.99) Sausage, Pepperoni, Bacon, Mushrooms, Onion and Green Peppers The texture of the deep dish crust was perfect. Nice crunch. Not salty. LEMON ITALAN ICE - under $2 Nice flavor, not too sweet. Good ice. NOTES ====== They've been in business since 1946. A favorite amongst the neighborhood Italians. Would need to return for their famous breaded steak sandwich. RECOMMEND.

    (4)
  • Mary V.

    After reading the reviews and having no good options around the South Loop Hotel we we're excited to try Ricobenes. It was very busy when we got there so we thought we had hit it Right. Wrong!! My husband got the Eggplant Parmesan sandwich. He said it was awful...overcooked and impossible to eat as a sandwich. Trying to cut it meant cutting trough the wrapping. I got the mosticcoli and meatballs and it was no better. No real flavor to the sauce or the meatballs at all and the pasta was overcooked. Will not go back.

    (1)
  • Alan B.

    If you're in Chicago,this is the place! You know that city you don't visit often but when you do you have to eat at that particular spot, well Ricobenes is that spot! Their sandwiches are too die for! Now most people are going to tell you to get the breaded steak and it is an excellent sandwich don't get me wrong but, I actually prefer the chicken Parmesan sandwich. Get it with red sauce, melted mozzarella, and giardiniera peppers and you will think you died and went to heaven! So good! It comes in a regular size or a king size and unless you have one hell of an appetite stick with the regular. They also have a chicken vesuvio sandwich with garlic butter,lettuce, tomato and mayo that is just as good. If you're having a party you can get all three of these sandwiches plus the Italian sausage in a party tray which has unfortunately doubled in price over the years. Like with most of my reviews I always try to give one heads up on the negative side and for Rico's I would tell you to stay away from the pizza because to me it's really terrible. Also their chili cheese fries are a sloppy mess and not even any good. Their Italian ice isn't bad but you're better off going down the street(west) to Freddy's for a real Italian ice. The bottom line; if you don't like Ricobenes, then something's wrong with your sense of taste!

    (5)
  • Kanthasamy C.

    One of the best in the neighbourhood. Chicken parmesan and eggplant parmesan are my favourite sandwiches here. Their pizza by slice are all good.

    (5)
  • Phil S.

    Meatball sandwich, dipped, w/sweet peppers, giardinera on the side and fries Unbelieveable .....that is all........

    (5)
  • A H.

    I can safely say I will never need to eat a breaded steak sandwich again. It was unnecessarily greasy, and impossible to eat as an actual sandwich. The hot peppers were the only saving grace and only true flavour. The breaded steak itself was oily Styrofoam. The fries are awful. Atmosphere nominal for a low-tier Italian diner. Yelp is incorrect about them taking credit cards; they merely have an ATM near the register.

    (2)
  • Pascal M.

    ***CAUTION*** ...Don't eat ANYTHING from here on the road, cept' maybe their slices. I've ruined numerous pieces of white apparel trying to tackle on the breaded steak sandwich while flying down 55 numerous times. So far, it's all about daat steak sammich for me. Tender breaded steak, a surprisingly good red sauce (not as salty and sweet as many places tend to provide), just the right amount of cheese, and YOU BEST git' choo' some peppers (hot or sweet, or both). As many have stated, they do have plenty of the boys in blue rotating in and out. So I like that old school patronage big city's like ours have when a place makes good food. Also plenty of TV's and beer, so perhaps not a bad place to watch a game. I'd love to finally skip BBQ'n for the boys on tailgate day and just get a hundred bucks worth of food from here. . Some items that looked fantastic were the hot wings, pizza looked more than serviceable (though unlikely our city's finest), and just about any of their other illustrious sammies (the beef, breaded chicken, and meatball). You'll never have an issue with parking, you shouldn't have an issue feeding your guilty pleasure, and it's unlikely anyone will ever attempt robbing the place. A Chicago institution. Couldn't (well, shouldn't) eat here often, but I love Rico's!

    (5)
  • Paulius P.

    Where do I start. Expectations were high, read a few articles of how "amazing" the place was. Did not like it at all, as soon as I walked it was a chaos. People don't know where to stand, bumping in each other, just a complete clutter. The dining area to the left when you walked in was horrible, tight squeeze everywhere. Now to the food. I got the famous breaded steak. As soon as I opened it I wasn't hungry , the 'sandwich' or whatever it was, all soggy, steak tasted cheap just a disarray, sauce was dreadful. The only nice thing about it was the fries. Not coming back again.

    (1)
  • B H.

    Breaded Steak with red Gravy. Excellent sandwich! Reminded me of a meatball sub. But I would definitely get it with the hot peppers.

    (4)
  • Ed B.

    Don't be an effin Mook...Stop in, get a sangwich and a seat by the window...Maybe you'll see a Daley!

    (4)
  • Kari G.

    I love the pizza by the slice. They warm it up and it's ready within minutes. I'm also a huge fan of their fresh-cut fries. My girlfriend loves their pan pizza, while I'm a huge fan of the thin crust. I only have two complaints: the lady that was running the pizza register was a bit short and rude, and in the the parmesan cheese and pepper flake shakers were on other patron's tables. I would recommend having little packets available for customers to take.

    (4)
  • Marius Nd Simona T.

    Love ricobene's, if I'm in the mood for some Italian fast food, this is where I go. I tried their steak sandwich and it was great. The portions are huge here, one order of hot wings will be enough for 2. They have lots of seating, Clean and spacious plus they are always opened late.

    (4)
  • Rashawn S.

    I'm gonna take a risk and state the obvious: The breaded steak sandwich has more breading and bread than meat. I got it to go and was disappointed by my inability to taste the meat in my sandwich. It was filling, but not worth the $13 I paid for the meal. It was my first experience with Ricobene's, if i go back, I'll opt for the pizza.

    (2)
  • Anthony M.

    MAGIC ON A BUN! I can not believe I haven't reviewed this place. Maybe I don't want to share the secret of this amazing sandwich. In all of my travels, I always will search out what a city is famous for like the cheese steak in Philly. But Chicago seems to be famous for many things like: Chicago style hot dogs, Chicago deep dish pizzas, Italian beef sandwiches, Rick Bayless Tortas, etc... Now I want to add the Ricobene's Steak to that list. If you have never had one then you are missing out on a treat. They start with a loaf of bread and add like 5 to 7 breaded thin steaks covered in red sauce. I always add on sweet peppers, hot giardinera and cheese. This sandwich is so good and messy at the same time. Make sure you grab some napkins because you are going to need it. I typically get the King size and split it with my wife. That is the best deal but I secretly know I can eat the whole thing like Adam Richman. I can usually score part of my wives half because she can not get through the sandwich. I love it. It's like taking a steak sandwich from a baby. In this challenge...Man always wins. Most people do not venture over to the South Side/Bridgeport area but it is worth it for this masterpiece. They have a free parking lot across the street under the expressway. There is always built in security in the restaurant. You will always find 1 to 8 Chicago police officers eating in here. So you can dine in safety with Chicago's finest. I love introducing this sandwich to friends. My best friend from LA looked like he wanted to die after eating one. He kept telling me it was too much food but he couldn't stop because it was so delicious. I just sat back and enjoyed the show. This happen like 15 years ago and we still laugh about how that sandwich destroyed him. Once I talked all my buddies into getting the steak sandwiches for a Bears game. They had never had one before this moment. First this sandwich is not easy to eat, if you don't have a table. Imagine big guys sitting shoulder to shoulder in a freezing cold stadium trying to lift these things. Steam was flying in the air because they were piping hot versus the 20 degree weather. And drops of red sauce were splattering in our paper covered laps. The row behind us and in front of us were having some of the worse sandwich envy I've ever seen. One person said, "What is that? Where can I get one now?" I had to deliver the terrible news that they would have to leave Soldier Field in order to get one. I started to eat faster before the angry mob turned on me and took my remaining steak sandwich. This sandwich is an experience or event in your food life. It is a moment you will not soon forget.

    (5)
  • Karena L.

    We happened to be in the neighborhood looking for a place to eat and decided to try it out. I love their pizza! They have a great selection and it's very tasty. Their beef sandwiches are pretty big, but also good. Service was okay, nothing special. Good food at a good price.

    (4)
  • Ray D.

    Awesome steak sandwich with cheese and hot giardiniera and fries! Sausage pizza looks good. This place has a punch bowl of Fine Chicago Street Food. I limit myself to once every few months since it's on south side and it's such a great gem! It actually has parking where China Town stinks for parking. I look forward to going back to this fine establishment for many more years to come!

    (5)
  • Tatiana T.

    By far the BEST BREADED STEAK SANDWICH EVER! The taste just lingers in your mouth And you want more!! I love it!!!!!! I could live off them

    (5)
  • Mitanette C.

    Great food, excellent customer service, convenient location, low prices and late hours is why I give Ricobenes 5 stars. The manager Karen is the best!!!!! I highly recommend

    (5)
  • Leo S.

    i love this place haha probably because i grew up eating it but their pizza is soooo good!!!! wish they'd deliver to north side lol

    (5)
  • Susie C.

    It's been a long time since I've been back here. I used to come here often 10 yrs ago when I lived in the neighborhood. It was a popular place for us to go since food was cheap and there's a variety of Italian food to choose from. It was also spacious so we all could hang out together with TVs here and there. We came here yesterday after so long. I ordered the cheese dog, Haven't had that in several years! It tasted okay. Felt heavy though. It wasn't as good as I remembered. My husband ordered their spaghetti with meatball..he felt it was ehhh...could make it better at home but it was a cheap price compared to most Italian restaurants. We were able to stay for awhile and enjoy the bears game and chat amongst friends. Had a good time. REally like how they just let you do whatever you want, flexibility and such. Good place to hangout and chat.

    (3)
  • Acelyn B.

    Vacationing in Chicago, and a friend suggests this place as he talks about (and drools over) the breaded steak. They have a lot more than the breaded steak, and I'm almost tempted to try something else too. Boyfriend and I split a king sized breaded steak sandwich, while boyfriend's brother tries the Italian sausage. OMG, this steak sandwich is HUGE. KING sized foreal! It's also very messy to eat. So I went with the fork & knife style. I also didn't like the bread, so just ate the steak by itself. It was good, but a little dry. Needed something to juice it up. We did ask for cheese and peppers, but it wasn't evenly distributed and I got like 3 peppers. Darn. My taste bite of the Italian sausage was really good. Definitely more flavor than the steak sandwich.

    (3)
  • Selene C.

    HORRIBLE SERVICE. My pizza was cold and the employees were so rude! Never going back to this location EVER AGAIN! I do not, I repeat, I DO NOT recommend this place to anyone. Save your money and go elsewhere.

    (1)
  • Jordan L.

    We came her just for the fresh cut fries. They were so so. They do have a history of having the best fried breaded steak sandwiches. Had them at taste a while back. They definitely live up to the hype. Heard their pizza is not bad as well.

    (3)
  • Elizabeth R.

    I grew up eating Ricobene's. It was my favorite. It is a breaded steak sandwich served with cheese and red sauce. It is so messy and delicious. I would never think to bread a steak and throw red sauce on it. They have good bread which does not get too soggy. It holds its integrity well. The fries are nothing that stands out. A word to wise, get one large order for 3 adults. They give you so much food. The prices have spiked in recent years and I am just not happy about it. The price of a regular sandwich is nearly $6 and just not worth going as often as I would like to. Back to the food. Love. It is probably the weirdest combination I ever heard of. Honestly, had I not grown up with it, I would fear it. But my advice? Just do it. Wander through Chinatown and find this gem because it will be heaven in your mouth. Get the cheese. Oh you say you want to save a couple hundred calories? Wrong place to come. You need the whole picture and it is best to just jump in and try it. The staff if great. I had a giant soda spill. Not only did they refill me for free but they did not shame me when they came to clean it up. I felt kindred with just our one minute interaction.

    (4)
  • Jeanne J.

    Can you say YUMMY?! My man took me back to his home town and when we got off the plane this was our first stop. I ordered the breaded steak sandwich served with red gravy on French bread with cheese please. And I have been thinking about it every day since :) This place is great and everyone should eat here if your in the Chicago area! The fries are also really good! I will be back to this place for sure next time I'm in town :)

    (5)
  • Kristen C.

    My boyfriend insisted we come here for the fried steak sandwich and he wasn't lying when he said it was the best. Appears clean inside and a huge menu. Prices reasonable especially for everything you get! Huge menu...dont worry about selection or pleasing everyone in a group! Staff is great also...very family feeling while there!

    (4)
  • Christina G.

    Ricobenes always wonderful , I have enjoyed the breaded steak sandwich since I was a kid, one of our chicago staples !!

    (5)
  • Melissa L.

    I scanned the room of trays containing people's orders before I ordered. It was really hard to find something that I thought wouldn't cause a massive coronary. I went with soup. I ordered the pasta fagioli and some of their hand cut fries. The soup was ok and once the fries got cold, they lost their appeal. My dining companion was hoping to get the lasagna but it wasn't available so he ordered a big meat sandwich--honestly don't remember which, just that it was exceptionally difficult to eat and not make a mess of yourself. I agree with many of the two and three star reviews. The food is ok, the staff seems pretty friendly. The dining room is charmless and there's are several TVs that give the place the look and feel of a friendly cafeteria. Why so many 3, 4, and 5 ratings, I'll never know?

    (2)
  • G A.

    I think this is one of the best places where they have the breaded steak sandwiches the fries are cut fresh the pizza is really good I personally like the thing crust sausage pizza it is tasty

    (4)
  • Daniel S.

    Another south side staple, their breaded steak is the best I've ever had, if it's your first time you definitely need to get it, their sausage/beef combo is really good too, the pizza is good not great and the fries kinda meh, but the breaded steak alone is enough to make the trip here, free parking lot right across the street too which is nice

    (5)
  • Ted A.

    I first visited this gem in the early 1980's. The area hasn't changed much, except the lot across the street is officially their parking, not just an informal place under the Dan Ryan. You come here for the food. Not fancy but something I would crave for the many years I lived away. And when I'd visit, if I could only make it to one place Ricobene's was the spot. Their breaded steak sandwich, or as we always called it, their rug sammich, is unique and phenomenal. As much a signature as Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh. They now have several sizes, but I always get the king size, ordered "sweet & hot." One kind of sweet peppers; either jalapeños or giardiniera may be added as hot; I invariably select the latter. I've never tried the up-charge mozzerella on top, as it doesn't need it. Their homemade marinara coats the fresh italian bread in which sits a giant piece of super-thin breaded steak. MOLTO BENE! Drinks are pricy. Italian ice is great in the summertime. The photos on the wall give the place more charm than when it was a tiny take away joint with only a few stools. Do not go here if you have outstanding warrants, as there will always be at least one uniformed CPD officer there---another sign they're doing something right.

    (5)
  • Gabriel R.

    I've been going to this place ever since I was a kid, even though I'm a cubs fan. The pizza is delicious!! And they deliver pretty fast. Also try their breaded steak, it's really tasty. I never leave this place in satisfied , I love it so much!! Please try this place so you can experience greatness!!

    (5)
  • Rashonda H.

    This place made me so mad today I did a call in I was told it will be about 2hours. Well I got a call saying that I live 1block pass the area that the driver will come to. Well what happen to the face that you have came to my same address several times. Oh yeah by the way I got the call 2 hours in to my delivery time .I was thinking that my food was at my door. I'm pissed at this place. Have to do better then this.

    (1)
  • Trisha B.

    The staff is friendly and the food is good. Trying the arancini buffalo chicken for the first time. They taste great. Haven't found anything here that I haven't liked.

    (4)
  • Julie J.

    Worse customer service ever. Ordered for delivery on a Monday night, the employee said it would be there within the hour. 1hr 20mins later, called to find out the food was the next up for delivery - no apologies. Finally after waiting a total of 1hr 45 mins, call to find out it still wasn't on it way. Excuse was "we're busy." When I said we wanted to cancel, and they should have called to let us know it was going to be a 2hr wait - a simple ok response. Don't know how these guys stay in business.

    (1)
  • Raul L.

    Best breaded steak sandwiches ever!!! Never disappointed always fantastic!!! I have never had anything I didn't like!

    (5)
  • Ellie B.

    We came here after a recent article in USAToday claimed the breaded steak sandwich with mozzarella and giardinara was "the best sandwich in the world." I was not disappointed. I ordered a King Size knowing I'd take the rest home-- I could barely finish half. With the toppings mentioned and fries/drink, it came out to about $15, but it is more than enough for 2 people, so I recommend coming here with a friend and buying one order and sharing everything including the fries. HUGE portion, it feels like it weighs 3 pounds. Now this is not for the faint of heart, there are like 4 layers of thin breaded steak, and if you worry about what you look like eating in public you might wanna take it to go or find a corner table and face the wall. A lot of it WILL fall out so take some time and get a good grip on the sandwich before diving in. I recommend leaving the aluminum wrapping on and peeling off as you go. As for service, free parking across from the restaurant was great/convenient (though if you're going after dark it's kind of sketchy/closed off so make sure you've got a friend with you). We got here at 7PM on a Tuesday night and the place was 3/4 empty, and after 5 minutes in line, we got our sandwiches in about 10 minutes. As soon as we dug in though the dinner crowd came in and there was a huge line by about 7:20, so I think we made it just before the rush. Lots of cops, even at night.

    (5)
  • Crystal H.

    Hands down the best sandwich I've ever tasted.. King size breaded steak sandwich is the bomb.. We didn't finish our sandwich but it still tasted good after it was heated in the oven.. I'll be back for sure..

    (5)
  • Jen S.

    Swung through this place after a night at the Auto Show not knowing what to expect. This place is a gem! Had never heard of it before, but will surely not forget it easily. The food is amazing and the environment is perfectly casual. Hawks fans encouraged! This place has something for everybody on their menu. I had the breaded steak with cheese. Definitely get the cheese. It was like a chicken parmesan sandwich, but with steak. Does it get better than that?? I got the smaller portion and it was still large enough for dinner and a small lunch of leftovers the next day. Would definitely return and bring other unknowing adventurers with me.

    (5)
  • Big D.

    The place for breaded steaks. Red sauce, mozzarella, sweet peppers and hot giardiniera peppers. Gotta get it on garlic bread...

    (5)
  • Anne S.

    We had a large deep dish spinach pizza from here last week and it was amazing. I think this may be my new favorite pizza. They sell pizza by the slice. I tried a bite of the deep dish by the slice. It's better to get a whole fresh pizza. (However the pizza by the slice isn't a bad price, it's quick, and everyone can have their own choice. So I understand why it's so popular.) This seems like an outstanding place to have a big family/team party. This place is large, open, and clean. It's easy to move tables and chairs around. It's easy to add extra items and it's reasonably priced. I really like that there is cold water and cups easily available on the counter. It's nice that I don't have to ask for it and can refill my cup whenever I want.

    (5)
  • Jen P.

    This is the breaded steak sandwich you never knew you needed. It's probably the safest restaurant to eat in--no less than five cops are there all the time. And if Chicago's finest approve, you really can't go wrong. Their fries are fresh cut and freshly fried, just try not fighting over the crispy little ones. I can't speak about their pizza, why get that when breaded steak awaits?

    (4)
  • Andrew E.

    I hate to be that guy, but I don't understand how this place has four stars. Their Breaded Steak sandwich (seemingly their most popular item) is basic at best. It's ostensibly a meatball sandwich that's sure to give you some gut-wrenching if you're trying to do anything other than take a nap after eating here. The only thing stopping me from giving it one star is the EXTREMELY FRIENDLY staff. They were all super nice and the vibes of the restaurant were classic.

    (2)
  • Raymond M.

    Whenever I hear the name Rico's, I think of their hot wings. A single serving of hot wings has 8 wings, I believe, on a bed of freshly cut fries. It is more than enough. The wings are not crispy, which is to be expected since they are called hot wings and not spicy wings. The wings are tender and juicy, covered with a spicy, tangy, and thick sauce. I like the consistency of the sauce because I don't like my bed of fries to be completely drenched with the sauce. Each bite fills your mouth with hot sauce. The crispy fries were softened and covered by the sauce. Sometimes, they have too much hot sauce on the wings and fries, which softens and drench the fries a little too much; but, it's okay. There are so many different textures and flavors in this one dish. It also comes with ranch and celery sticks, but I throw the celery sticks because I hate the taste of it. I sometimes dip the hot wings in ranch to tone down the spiciness and also give a little more richness to each bite. I don't really dine in; I mostly get take-outs and eat at my friend's place while watching football and drinking beer. When you walk in the restaurant, you know it has a lot of traditions in there. It gives a sense of warmth and family. There are a lot of law enforcement officers eating there, which is a plus for safety. There is a huge parking lot right across the street. It is very convenient. Overall, this place is great. Whenever I am craving hot wings and fries, I know Rico's will satisfy that crave. I recently read great reviews about the breaded steak sandwiches and I cannot wait to try that next time I am getting Rico's.

    (4)
  • Karthik Vasishta R.

    This place is awesome PERIOD! I cannot comment on the breaded steak, sausage pizza etc; like so many other reviews I've checked out about this place because I'm vegetarian, but I can definitely vouch for the Egg Plant Parm, fries and the cheese pizza (by the slice). I would definitely recommend this place to anyone would loves good Italian food.

    (5)
  • Julian W.

    Just finished a huge breaded steak sandwich with fries - will try to get out of my seat

    (4)
  • Elle W.

    If this were a review based solely upon the quality of their food, this would be a 5 star rating, no doubt. The food is excellent and fairly priced for the quality you receive. Their customer service however is honestly by far the worst I've experienced in a few years. I understand that working in the food business is no stroll in the park, especially when you're dealing with hungry, crabby people all day. I do not think it is professional though to berate your customers, the people responsible for you having a job in the first place, especially when they aren't being impolite in any manner. My family and I decided to visit this Ricobenes after doing a fundraiser walk at Soldier Field. We moved from the city to the suburbs a few years ago and miss the food, so we figured this was perfect. The first cashier I interacted with (Felecia,) wasn't so bad. She had a bit of an attitude, but I'm normally mellow about those things. The second woman working the pizza end (not sure her name but this was at 1:30/2pm on Sept. 21st,) who was a total bitch, and that's putting it nicely. I had gone to find a table to fit our group while my sister and her husband visited the pizza side to place their orders. There were a couple people standing along the counter rather than in a normal line like everywhere else, but my sister wasn't sure if they were in line or waiting on their orders. The woman working the counter had a super bad attitude and said " I don't know what the hell you're doing, but the line forms around the counter." Now I'm not sure if the owners or the managers actually check their reviews, but is this really how you train your staff to talk to customers? Obviously if they haven't been there in years and there are no signs explaining the line forms around the counter, how are people supposed to know that? Again, I totally understand being irritable working with customers (who most of the time aren't too bright,) but to sit there and speak to them in that manner? Absolutely unacceptable. You might want to talk to your employees about their awful attitudes because if I ever decide it's worth it to give your restaurant another shot and this lady talks to me or my family like that again, I will cut off her fucking lips so she learns to keep them shut. There are enough ignorant assholes in the world, and I definitely do NOT need to put up with that shit when I'm paying for a service. Get your shit straight before you can even consider yourselves a respectable business.

    (1)
  • Sallie H.

    Not a fan of steak sandwiches, but the breaded steak sandwich here was AMAZING!!! The regular size is huge, i definitely will share with a friend next time. The place is very cozy with a diverse group of customers. I walked in and there were half a dozen military men and a few Chicago police officers, you know it's a legit place when there are people in uniform dinning there :-). There was a long line, but everything was moving quick and smoothly. Next time i'm going to try the Cheddar 'N Bacon Dog. You can never go wrong with anything that involves bacon!!!!

    (5)
  • Martin Sean F.

    Everything about this place is why Chicago has the best food in the world. Ricobene's has some of the best Chicago style food you can find. A must for a bite if you are in the area and expecially if you are entertaining out of town guests. Pizza is full of flavor with a perfect crust. The breaded steak sandwich is the stuff legends are made of. Nothing like it anywhere else. Make sure you brought your appetite. Extremely popular with the Chicago Police department. Any restaurant popular with the cops is all ways a bonus in my opinion. I have been coming here my entire life and I have never been disappointed. Easy 5 star recommendation.

    (5)
  • Danny M.

    This place has been around forever and it is still really busy at times, so they must be doing something right. I have been coming here all my life and the food has been consistently the same, which is good. The good: 1) Chicken Vesuvio - this is my favorite sandwich to get here, but be warn that this can get down right greasy. 2) Breaded Steak - this is probably what they are known for, but I have tried better...Still good nonetheless. Make sure to get this with hot peppers and mozzarella cheese. 3) Chili Cheese Dog - this comes with fries and you can't go wrong with it. 4) 4 Season Pizza - my favorite pizza here hands down, but most of their pizza is good. The bad: I for one am not a favorite of their wings, especially the bbq ones. The skin is really thick and the sauce is blah.

    (3)
  • Jeannie T.

    Went on a tip from a friend. 1st timers. Oh my gosh!!! Such good food. Old time Chicago kind of feel. A little divey, but still plenty clean and very cute in an old-time way. Hubby got chicken parm sandwich and fries. He for the "regular" and it was huge. Under $6 too! Fresh sautéed peppers and chicken was ridiculously tender. How do they do that? Fresh cut fries were awesome. We went for a lunch and I was looking for something lighter. Didn't figure I would find anything as it's hard to find lighter fare at greasy spoons. I was pleasantly surprised that I could order a grilled chicken sandwich from the menu. Again, chicken was soooo tender and tasty. I also got a cup of minestrone soup. Cup was quite large. Tons of fresh cut veggies. Def homemade. We can't wait to bring our teenage boys here. They are gonna love it!

    (5)
  • KM Y.

    I've been coming to Ricobene's since I was a little girl and I still love this place. I don't live on the south side, but I make the trek to Ricobene's as often as possible, and never pass it up if I'm going to a game at the Cell. The breaded steak isn't my favorite (I just don't love marinara sauce), but everyone else who tries it, loves it. The Italian beef is fantastic. Juicy and comes with a pile of mozzarella. The fries are freshly cut, greasy and soggy = delicious. Ask for a cup of cheese on the side. It's totally worth the extra calories. While these are my favorite things, the deep dish sausage pizza and traditional Chicago dog aren't to be missed either. During the summer, I always end my meal with an Italian ice.

    (4)
  • Peter O.

    Pretty good Buffulo chicken sandwhich, but more like mountain of chicken with a piece of bread on top. But it could cure any hangover known to man.

    (4)
  • Nathan I.

    This is in reference to their Deep Dish Pizza ONLY: I was craving a Deep Dish Pizza, last night, but my neighborhood is predominantly a thin crust area. So, having heard good things about Ricobene's food, I thought I'd give them a shot. First, the delivery took around 90 minutes, even for Deep Dish that is a long time for delivery. Secondly, the crust to toppings ratio was so off it felt like I was eating crunchy cornbread with the slight amounts of marinera and toppings (by the way, I ordered a black olive, pepperoni and spinach pizza, but I didn't find much pepperoni). I may try them again, but for one of their sandwiches, since that is what I keep hearing about. Never again for their pizza, though, I will stick with Phil's.

    (2)
  • Jessica M.

    A few of us were going to picnic at the Millennium Park so we decided to order carry-out from Ricobene's. I was looking at the menu online and noticed a 10% discount for first-time online purchases. I thought to myself, "Why not?!" Not a very good idea. I arrived at Ricobene's ninety minutes later for pick-up but the order wasn't ready. Apparently, one of the wait staff couldn't figure out how to properly process online orders. The lady at the cashier said, "Ugh...." *cue Britney's Oops! I Did It Again* The correction was made and I only had to wait five minutes. It was no biggie. BUT, I must say the food and portion size were very petty. The french fries were soggy and flavorless. It was barely a handful. McDonald's would've been a better option. The garlic bread was a mini Italian roll that fell short of six inches. The crisp was nowhere to be found and the garlic spread was kept at its minimal. There were six or seven mozzarella sticks in the order but it was a mouthful of batter. Maybe dine-in would be more desirable...?

    (2)
  • Shelly M.

    I love their breaded steak sandwich and fries! Their onion rings are pretty good too. Their pizza is decent, but nothing special. I usually just order the breaded steak sandwich with fries and I'm happy! Their portion sizes are huge!

    (4)
  • Stohn C.

    I wasn't impressed based on the pictures. I decided to try it anyways. Glad I did! Food is DELISHUS! Meatball sammich, meatballs were juicy and tender. Rib tips, finger lickin good. Burger, someone didn't eat it yet, but im sure its also delicious. Delivery was fast, reasonable prices. Great late night delivery option.

    (5)
  • K M.

    Been a Ricobene's customer for 30+ years and i have to admit quality has been dropping steadily especially their main item, Breaded Steak Sandwich. It used to be one of the foods you got to eat when you're in town. Can't say that now. what happened to the savory, crunchy breading with tender steak? I used to crave that sandwich each weekend but now I would eat maybe twice a year and always feel like i need my arteries pumped after eating the King size with greasy fries. Maybe it will be a good choice after running a marathon :) Try the eggplant or chicken vesuvio, good lighter alternates especially paying $11 for the King size with toppings. Burger or pizza are average but other than that, there isn't much. I think they grew too fast past 10 years ago and lost the touch. Will I continue to Eat at Ricobene's? Yes but I won't expect much besides feeling guilty packing all those calories.

    (3)
  • Len L.

    I've been eating the breaded steak here for more than two decades and never a disappointment. I recently went in there and saw a variety of deep-dish pizza and figured to try some of them. I was glad I did, the spinach pizza was the best - the slice was rich but savory - I loved the buttery flaky corn bread like crust, it was the perfect combination. Plenty of seats and never worried about not finding a seat and FREE WiFi. Just yesterday, went online an ordered another deep-dish pie and it was easy as pie. Tip: There are online coupons - saved me 10% on my first order....

    (5)
  • Greg K.

    This is place is old school at its finest. Very clean inside! We tried both the fried steak sandwich and the eggplant sandwich. Very good! I will be back with friends and try the fries too.A must to go place for a very good sandwich. It only gets 4 starts because its not what I call the WOW factor! But still very good.

    (4)
  • Kristine K.

    I have not been here in years, but every time I stopped in I always left happy and full!! There breaded steak sandwiches are super good.

    (5)
  • Lily Z.

    This is definitely a neighborhood spot. It has been there as long as I can remember. Their pizza is always solid, as well as their italian ice. I haven't had anything else in a while, but I will be ordering stuff whenever I want something italian and local. The reason why I'm giving it such a low rating is that when I walked in, they didn't have any italian ice left. Great. Also, their pizza selection was limited to like two toppings.

    (2)
  • Erin M.

    4 stars for the food, 2 stars for the price. Ricobene's is home to the breaded steak, a uniquely Chicago sandwich. The steak is crispy and a little chewy, served on good Italian bread with red sauce and a pile of mozz (for a fee). Fries are handcut and simple, served in a brown paper bag to illustrate their greasiness. Everything is tasty and fresh. Prices, however, leave something to be desired. My husband and I visited and split a combo for lunch-- a king breaded steak with mozz, fries and a single soda cost $14.50 after tax. Say what? Sure, that's $7.25 a person, but consider this meal is intended for one person, and any excuse of value flies out the window. It's not worth going as often as we could, considering for the price, we can spend $5 more and get separate entrees and drinks at a nicer place.

    (3)
  • Tiffany K.

    awesome breaded steak sandwich. awesome cheese fries. awesome chicken wings. awesome grape juice. this place is just awesome. breaded steak is always as good as the last one i've had. cheese fries are always good. chicken wings are super sauce-y! grape juice = refreshing

    (5)
  • Melanie V.

    Look out, Pequod's! You got some competition out there! Ricobene's Four Seasons pizza is slowly climbing to the top of favorite pizzas. It's sausage, mushroom, onions and green peppers. I've only had it thin crust style and it is fabulous! The crust is crispy and not too cracker-like thin. My coworkers and I have also started to order the fresh tomato, spinach and mushroom thin crust combo and it is amazingly fresh and always hits the spot. The pizza itself also isn't that greasy compared to other places, so that's definitely a plus in my book! There's also pan and deep dish options, but we have yet to try those out. I, however, can attest to their pepper and egg sandwich (yummy!) and their chicken salad (wonderfully seasoned chicken and fresh ingredients!). If you wanna order for delivery, this place gets pretty busy like everyday, so allow extra time because they'll probably make you wait 45 minutes. I've come here during lunch to pick-up orders and it's a madhouse. However, the convenient parking lot across the street is a nice bonus. FYI - You can order online. Plus, there's a couple coupons on their website (like, dollar or two dollars off pizzas). However, even though you input your payment information online, they don't actually charge your card until you either pick up the food or they deliver the food. (This was one thing I didn't know and they actually made me come back because they didn't charge me when I picked up the food! Oops!) Cheers to another Southside win!

    (4)
  • Faye B.

    This place is so close to work I don't see myself never coming back. The pizza is pretty good. I prefer their pan compared to their thin and they have good sausage. Always important in a pizza. Whenever we order pizza from work Ricobene's is a go to. The location is quite spacious and now they even have free wi-fi. We ended up doing a work lunch there. Have to say I should probably stick to the standards. They are known for their breaded steak and their pizza. I ordered their cheese fries and a burger. The burger was nothing to rave about and the cheese fries were ok. I think I'll just stick to pizza and maybe one of these days I'll try the breaded steak.

    (3)
  • Mitchell A.

    I mean when history meets food like this magic happens. restaurants do not exist for 50 years if they suck. This place is everything a classic Italian hood joint can offer. Their breaded steak sandwich is essentially what a breaded steak sandwich is and what all others live up to. The pizza (any of the 3 styles) has a buttery crust and I can taste the 1950s in this sauce...classic. I have only got sausage so can't say much about the toppings. go. just go. I don't care where you live. if you are at a Sox game and saw a no hitter then went down the street to Ricobene's for the first time and got a steak sandwich, years from then you look back at that day and say "I remember when I got Ricobene's for the first time that was awesome"

    (5)
  • John B.

    Watch out for their "personal size" pizza. It's only four tiny square pieces. It's more like kids sized, and it functions more like a snack. An $11 snack. They really need to take this off the menu if it's so small. It's deceiving. It's probably equivalent to one large slice of pizza from anywhere else.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :9:00 am - 12:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Pizza

Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.

Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

Ricobene’s

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