Is The Bear Sandwich Worth The Hype? I Ate At The Real Chicago Spot

There are just some dishes on TV that look so aggressively good, you wish you could somehow jump straight through the screen to take a bite. For me, that holy-grail menu item has been the famous Italian beef sandwich from The Bear. Sure, Sydney’s French omelet with the crushed chips lives rent-free in my mind, but it’s the messy, savory sandwich that saved Carmy’s restaurant that really caught my eye from the beginning.

With the internet's obsession with the show currently experiencing a resurgence thanks to its eight Emmy nods, there really isn’t a better time to find out whether the dish lives up to the hype. And luckily, you can actually order it for yourself. Unlike most fictional foods, this mouthwatering staple is a real-life Chicago dish. In fact, the Hulu series is famously inspired by Mr. Beef, an iconic deli nestled right in the River North neighborhood.

So, when Uber invited me to the city earlier this summer to see Ariana Grande on her Eternal Sunshine Tour at the United Center, I knew exactly what my pre-concert mission had to be. The night's plan was already peak luxury: taking an Uber Shuttle straight to the arena, and screaming the lyrics to "We Can't Be Friends" from a StubHub VIP suite. But before dancing the night away, a serious lunch fuel-up was mandatory.

As it turned out, Mr. Beef was just a short walk away from my room at The Ritz-Carlton, so I headed out to see if the real deal could match the on-screen drama.

No "Yes, Chef" Screaming Required

Walking up to the counter, the pre-order anxiety immediately started sinking in. I didn’t want to seem like a dumb tourist ordering the wrong sandwich, and I was equally nervous about running into someone as short-tempered as Richie.

Thankfully, I was able to watch the people ahead of me order, and the workers were super nice. Crisis averted.

I ended up getting the regular Italian beef sandwich with all the toppings, which has since been famously nicknamed “The Bear” after the show. That comes with sweet peppers, hot peppers, dipped in au jus, served on a French roll. It was just $12 cash, though you could also pay with a card for a small extra fee.

I thought about having my sandwich in the store, but decided to take it back to my hotel room so I could eat it while getting ready for the concert. Despite it getting a bit soggy on the way back, it was just as delicious as I expected when I bit into it.

The peppers provided a nice heat, and the beef was tender and so savory. The presentation wasn’t fancy, but that’s the charm of it all. It feels like a hidden gem, nostalgic food that you want to tell all your friends about. It was also super filling, and had me fully energized before seeing Ari. I can see why The Bear was inspired by Mr. Beef, and I will definitely stop by again on my next visit to The Windy City.

5-word review: “Comfort food that truly hits.”