Luke's on Harlem The Original

This is one of those places I have driven paste thousands of times but have never been to. Today we gave Luke's on Harlem a try. I have frequented Luke's Italian Beef in downtown Chicago but today I found out they are not directly related. Luke's on Harlem (the original from 1973) has your standard Chicago fast-food menu: Italian Beef, Italian Sausage, hot dog,  hamburger, pizza by the slice,  etc.... my lunch partners got the Italian Beef, and the other friend got the Italian Sausage. What caught my eye was the Breaded Steak Sandwich; I'm a fan of the famous Ricobene's but the Luke's version is about half the price. I asked cashier/ order taker: he acknowledged "the Southside original" but said theirs are smaller better suited for a single person. He is right about that the Ricobene's is a three or even four-meal sandwich; it is absolutely HUGE. The Luke's on Harlem version is still a large sandwich, and I could not finish half of it. It was mighty tasty too, it comes on French bread in a tomato sauce,  I got it with cheese (an upcharge). The French bread stood up to the tomato sauce and steak nicely,  it is a hearty meal that will satisfy and under $10.00. The staff was helpful and friendly, it was like we were immediately local customers that have been coming in for years. The also had bespoke Chicago art on the walls, my favorite was the hotdog with the Chicago skyline, also a Chicago flag with the letters 'b-e-e-f' on each of the stars. We are coming back to try the Sloppy Luke (their take on the Sloppy Joe).

This is an incredibly soft breaded steak sandwich dipped in a tasty red sauce. Arguably the best breaded steak sando in all of Chicago. What separates this from Ricobenes is the friendly and attentive staff and owner!!! Definitely going to continue to patronize this establishment when in the area!!

Solid neighborhood hot dog joint. So few of them left. They also have a breaded steak sandwich that is pretty good. Decent slice of pizza. Great hot dogs. Pizza puffs. Really just what you expect and want it to be. Big fan of this place.

I’ve been going to Luke’s on Harlem since I was younger, and it’s still one of my all-time favorite spots. Some places change over the years, but Luke’s has stayed consistently amazing — if anything, it keeps getting better every time I go. Their burger is hands down one of the best you’ll ever have. It’s always cooked perfectly, juicy, flavorful, and fresh. And the chili cheese fries? Unreal. The chili is rich and hearty, the cheese is melted just right, and the fries are always hot and crispy. It’s the kind of meal you crave. What really stands out is the consistency. No matter how many years go by, the quality never drops. You can tell they take pride in what they serve. It’s more than just a restaurant to me — it’s a place I’ve grown up with. If you’re anywhere near Harlem Avenue and want a real, satisfying burger and chili cheese fries, Luke’s is the spot.

such a great experience at Luke’s on Harlem! The service was GOOD 🙌🏽 Everything was fast, reliable, and super professional. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made sure everything was taken care of quickly without cutting corners. If you’re looking for great service you can count on, this is definitely the place to go. Highly recommend!

Haven't been to Luke's in a long time,but their food is still delicious! Took my family for lunch. The girl and guys taking the orders were prompt, attentive, and really, really genuinely nice people! They showed that they cared about your order and made sure you got all you ordered and then some! The Cheeseburger was perfect and the Cheese Fries were to die for! The Hot Dogs were fresh and made just right! Also, the Fried Mushrooms and Mozzerella Sticks were fantastic! HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you desire great Chicago local food and people who actually care! Great job Lukes!!!!

Ive been going to this place since I was a kid. Well over a decade now and at all times I always feel the same way, nostalgic! It's a neighborhood restaurant that takes the time to know you and remember you. Which is rare now a days in the food industry. I moved way out the area but let me tell you.. EVERYTIME I'm towards this way I stop here for food. Fast food is annoying for both parties sometimes, ESPECIALLY during busy hrs, (long waits/long orders/long lines) but even then.. they always seem have good energy 👏 ✨️ I'd recommend them to anyone who's visiting the area.

Luke’s on Harlem is our go to spot for our family. Whether it’s after practice, a busy weeknight, or just because, we know we’re getting great food and great service every time. It’s one of those places that always hits the spot. And don’t forget to order the Italian ice. Trust me. That’s a must.

It's worth the 30 minute drive for the Italian sausage on garlic bread with sweet peppers! The best.

Today I had a very bad experience at Luke's on Harlem. Drove 45 minutes to get a slice of pizza. When eating my meal I bit down and notice a bandaid in my pizza. As I ran to the rest room to throw up non-stop. My husband reached out to call the restaurant. The manager was not brother by the concerns we had. He replied with he's both the owner that he can not refund us without driving back to the restaurant. We are 45 mins awayaway the restaurant closes soon and we will not make it on time. What gets me as a Chef that if you are making a product and something happens in the kitchen which will make you not use it you are suppose to toss the food. If a cook or chef is wearing a bandaid gloves should used be use incase in cross , contamination. If your product has been contaminated, you should be tossing it out. If a cook or a chef is using a band aid, and they realized, at the end of mixing a product, they don't have that band aid. Obviously, they know that it could have fallen in the batch, which means it they would have to toss it out just for safety. In this case, they decided to keep and make pizza like nothing happen. This is so NastyNasty. I will never eat at looks again and I hope you make the right decision to never eat there. To each it's own. 2 bad experiences is good enough for me. I'm not asking for anything to be given to me for free, but I would like a refund back. And I really don't feel that I should drive 45 minutes to get my refund when they can immediately send this right over.

Your typical late night joint in the Dunning neighborhood. They serve pizza, italian beef, pizza, you name it. The indoor dining area is not that big but they have a drive thru which is convenient to grab a quick bite. Hot dog w/ fries: This was good enough to satisfy my hot dog craving. I got all the toppings except mustard. Fries were pretty crispy. Can't complain. Sausage pizza w/ onion rings: Tastes like your average pizza to be honest. Onion rings were good though. I'm fairly new to the Dunning neighborhood but I'm sure this place has been a staple to the area. It's nice that it's close to home. It's a nice place to visit every once in a while. I've gone twice so far.

Let's start with the good - the service is FAST. Lightning fast. From order at the drive thru to drive off we're talking 4 minutes max. And I suspect there is the problem. We ordered two slices of pizza and some fries. Everything was clearly pre-cooked and waiting under a heat lamp. The pizza was cheesy, but otherwise completely lackluster. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they bought grocery store frozen pizza to cook. The fries were crisp and hot, but completely under seasoned. Like no salt at all. I can't obviously comment on any other food, so I would give the fries 3 stars and the pizza 1 star (or less). I appreciate speedy service, I really do, but I'd rather they take an extra 2 or 3 minutes to do things right.

I had a cheese pizza and coke good for the price of 6 bucks lukes have been around for a while they have good service and the food is good too

I am local about Luke's. The service is spectacular. The food is great. And it's a classic fast food restaurant one more. Do you need grapes?

Tonight the group of us ended up at Luke's for the first time. To start the place was clean and counter help was friendly. Prices were reasonable and the sandwiches were decent size. One ordered a pizza puff, 2 orders of Italian beef, sandwiches, and a fried steak sandwich. The Italian beef were decent but nothing separated them from the pack. The pizza off was mediocre as well. The fried steak sandwich with marinara sauce was pretty good. The shakes were bland and I wouldn't recommend them. Overall, the food was a decent late night pit stop, but there are better places during the day. One more thing, they were open several hours and others were eating inside but we were told they were to go only... after we ordered. We should have been told that prior. I would only recommend them for a late night stop

Great food and open late! I love their Bread they use for their Beefs, and their pizza it's very good to me as well.

The best. Open late, staff is always quick, food is always hot, and it always hits the spot! Luke's, please don't ever change!

Foods not good at all got 2 slices of pizza and spicy mozzarella sticks, pizza was dry. no sauce and was chewy. 8$ mozzarella sticks and they literally give you 6 sticks and they were cold ‍

The food from Luke's is always spot on, you know what your going to get with them every time! I'm not the guy that's expecting a gourmet meal from a quick serve spot! You don't have to worry if the flavor is going to be off or the service is going to be spotty! You get quick food hence the name fast food! What makes this place stand out is the darn good service, the condiments are right there, the tables are maintained unless the lines long. The feel of the place takes me back to high school when I would sit to eat a burger with an order of fries, and if we had left over money we got the Italian Ice!!! Thank you Luke's!

This place is legendary! Luke is always my go to spot when I have a craving for hot dogs or Italian beef!!!

Here is what you are getting from this place. The worst customer service ever! A manager who points blame at you and hangs up the phone on you. A place that doesn't seemingly take criticism well. Or correction when they make a huge mistake! Ordered a bunless burger, as it is a diet restriction. I get a bun with lettuce in it. When I called to have them correct the problem, I am told it is my fault because bunless is confusing for their servers. I was told to them that means a veggie burger. How does bunless" having no bun" correlate to having a veggie patty? 'Manager says, "well you should've said no bun." I'm sorry what does bunless mean! I explained you are blaming me because your team cannot comprehend what bunless means. Therefore I am paying for a bun with lettuce in it. The manager said, "whatever", and hung up the phone on me. Real mature and classy! What other things do they not comprehend and cut corners on? If they can't handle a simple request of a bunless burger because of a necessary dietary restriction it makes you think twice about what else they're not handling correctly in the restaurant?

I made the mistake of stopping at this place to get lunch. What a rip-off, 4 items for $25.75. I know inflation had gone up but this is ridiculous. If you can avoid this place, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else where your money will give you more for less. It doesn't even taste good. What a huge mistake on my part. The good thing is, I will never make this error again.

Recently went. Seemed different than it has the past few years. New owner perhaps? Not into it. Disappointed as I've been going here for over thirty years. Why change things that have worked for so long?

Has the best Chicken sandwiches and I really enjoyed that their fries are unsalted. Still have yet to try a slice of pizza.

Quick solid eats food was fresh and was out in less then 5 mins and was perfect was pressed for time

I was only in Chicago for a few days and an Italian beef sandwich is one of those things that I really wanted to eat before I left. My sis and I came here because of an appointment across the street and Luke's opened so I figured we could go while we waited. I hustled across the street and got the #5 combo-extra hot, extra dipped, large sized. When did beef places start charging for hot peppers? This is something from the Portillo's playbook that should not be emulated and it's done here; it's so anathema for me, like charging for the ice when you get a glass of water. The sandwich itself was ok, slightly under 6 inches and the giardiniera was ok, not too much heat to it. The beef had some good bites of flavor and sometimes it was a bit bland so it came out average. The fries though were good, crispy, crinkle cut and salted just right. It's a decent place, nothing crazy good or crazy bad.

Finally got a chance to try Luke's beef. And they didn't disappoint. I ordered my usual beef with hot peppers and dipped. Rarely do any beefs ever completely fill me up, Lukes was definitely a challenge to finish. It was huge. Plenty of perfectly seasoned beef, the bread held up, the giardiniera was good but could have used a little bit more. They're pizza also looked very delicious. I wouldn't mind grabbing a slice next time I come in. Their service was also outstanding. They were already very busy and they had just opened their doors. Despite how busy they were, the food came out fast. The dining area is small, but looked updated and extremely clean inside. They also have a drive thru and are opened til 3 am. Very few places that serve great food are opened that late. So that's a huge plus. Can't wait to come back!

My girlfriend loves the pizza, so I give it five stars nice and clean the garlic munchies are delicious

Went thru drive thru Feb 22 and heard the food was great. After the girl was rude after paying over $10 for burger fry drink , man was I disappointed in the food and service. McDonald's taste better than their overpriced food. Rude and attitude business and don't waste your time there . Much better options if I recommend Mc ds over this

First time ordering was great. The food was good & the delivery was quick. Second time ordering was terrible. Crystal took my delivery order. When my food arrived the order was incorrect. When I called to get it corrected she said that she didn't charge me for the missing item, which was fine, I was willing to pay for it, but she insisted that I pay another delivery fee even though she is the one who entered the order wrong. She said the calls were recorded, I asked if she could listen to the call to confirm, because I'm 100% sure of what I ordered, she refused and said "LIKE I SAID, YOU NEED TO PAY ANOTHER DELIVERY FEE" I went ahead and paid the fee because 2 out of my 3 kids had food, the other 1 didn't so I didn't have time to go back & forth. Also my burger was really burnt on the outside but still pink on the inside. The delivery drivers both days were nice. & my kids enjoyed the tenders.

Hot dog smaller they must using a 10 to one. Bun hard like my thing. Diet Pepsi tastes watered down and not diet Pepsi. Guy working the drive thur with long hair rude no smile he acts like he his doing me a favor to order here. F this duca di merda

It was my first time and there are only a few people inside. Place is clean and has a cool vibe. They have a wide and variety of selection on their menu. The in the counter is also nice and friendly. She patiently waited until I decide. I just wanted a quick bite so I only ordered the Italian beef sandwich. It has a nice portion and the price is fair. I took a bite and it was good but it got nothing special in it. I did not expect much but it is not something I can recommend although it is good. Maybe I should try something different from their menu some other time. Customer service is great and it deserve a star.

Luke's was a great place to bring your family and co workers but this time i brought my family tonight and was very disappointed i order 2 breaded steak sandwich's and one beef sandwich small fry and a large fry and 2 drinks what was not cool when i open up the styrofoam container i was looking at one of the breaded steak sandwich and found that half of the sandwich had steak and the other half needed a magnifying glass to find and the other breaded steak sandwich was fine and I thought for sure if I showed it to them that he would made good on it but he told me that's how it is false statement plus i had 2 different cashiers taking my order and i asked for easy ice that did not happen also customer service definitely needs improvements

The quality has declined over the years, but the food I got the other night was the last straw. Burnt crust on the pizza with a very sweet sauce. Minuscule amount of beef in the sandwich. Undercooked, floppy fries. I won't be going back.

This place probably owes most of its success to the fact that they are open after most places have closed for the night. The food isn't spectacular but it will get the job done. I've eaten here several times and all but one of the times was because they were open late. The pizza is good when its hot, enjoy it with the pepper flakes for maximum favor. The burgers are a mystery to me. They are good but i think they add some "special sauce" similar to a McDonald's Big Mac and it's just not my thing. I don't care for it all all. I always forget to ask for them to leave it off. Anyway, the people working there have always been friendly. If its late, you're hungry, and don't want white castle's, then try this place. Otherwise there are some other options.

I put one star because you can't give less. Warning Be careful when you pay and when you get your food they give less food and charge you more and give you the receipt for less I think they are pocketing the money. The customer service is horrible including the manager and owner the Italian ice tastes like vinegar on many occasions so it's hit or miss. You can get better customer service pizza or beef that is better at places near Luke's . Will never go back I hope people read this so they so stop going there.

Love coming here w my nephew. They have something for everyone. Burgers, hot dogs, pizza. I didn't know they had pizza and my nephew who at the time, only three, notices pizza and says, I want pizza. Kids are amazing. Anyway, it's a typical fast food joint. It's got a drive thru which I've never used cause there's enough space inside to find a table. They have something for everyone as other reviewers stated. Food is decent especially for fast food. Folks are nice. Not my typical place for dinner cause I try to stay away from fried foods but sometimes it's alright.

I ordered from here several times, and every time was disgusting. I had to give Luke's on Harlem the benefit of the doubt after the first experience. But two more times after, the experience was consistent. Burgers very underdone. Fries cold. Flavor, not there at all. And the BEEFS?! Chicagos abomination. Their beef does NOT represent our city's beef at all. I would give no stars if it was an option. Sorry Luke's.

Love the Italian beef with hot and cheese fries wide selection of items on menu, including pizza parking lot, dine in

Pizza and Beefs?! OHH YEAHHH!!!! What a great combo!! Luke's has really good slices of pizza, italian beefs, hotdogs, and Italian ice!! Solid choice for lunch, dinner, or a snack!! Great service too!!

On the southwest corner of Harlem and Belmont...oh no honey...I'm not talking about that commercial W*ite C*ast*e. I'm referring to Luke's, which was aired on one of the episodes of "Chicago's Best." Rosa J., Mama J., and Daddy J. were walking northbound on Harlem, and I wanted to treat them some Chi-town fare. Luke's on Harlem does dine-in, carry-out, delivery, and even drive-through. They have awesome hours just in case you're cold, lonely, and knowing that your bus isn't coming for another twenty (20) minutes. Our destiny wasn't that sad since the weather was beyond pleasant for late October in Chicago. Luke's menu is clear to understand, with the value combos featuring right at the center. Rosa J. did all the ordering since she's a self-proclaimed Chi-town "blue-collar" food master (well...that sounds way too boastful...please disregard my statement if you want to). Their Italian beef sandwich was "soaked" a bit too much. However, the beef itself was very juicy and tender. The hot giardiniera could have used more celeries and carrots, but that was just my personal preference since I enjoy my hot peppers with "textures." On the other hand, Daddy J. loved the Italian sausage sandwich. For some "add-on" pricing information, extra hot/sweet peppers and cheese will charge $0.45. For three (3) value combos (large fries and drinks included) and all the extra ingredient add-ons, my MasterCard was charged $26 and some change, not to mention that our beloved Cook County Deputy Sheriff popped in and joined our "Lunch at Luke's" filming crew. The only downfall is that Luke's doesn't provide a restroom for patrons. Well, that's really not a deal breaker at all since the food is what matters.

This place says they close at 1am I been calling since 1215 at first they answer and put you on hold. Then a recording says they are closed..wait on hold for 20mins no one ever took my order..smh

All the food is good. Is FAST FOOD! It's better then Wendy's, BK & McDonald's. It's made to order, so it's not sitting in a pan or food warmer. Fresh food is what I'm going to pay for. I've been going here for over 15 yrs. This is my go to spot. Wish they could change their hours back to normal. Still a good spot for a nice grub

We love Luke's. It's close to the house, but if it's late or we don't feel like going out, we get delivery. They're super fast, too. Their burgers are flame broiled. Pizza puff is always a must. And they have a steak sandwich that's just shy of ricobene's, so it meets the craving if you can't get down to Bridgeport.

I'm so pissed now I order a foot long polish the people sold me two raw dogs screw up my lunch break to much playing going on got to be serious when your are fixing people food I will never go back to this place except to get my money back cause I still have their food and recipt Have to apologize first off heaven is missing a angel went here angry about the food I purchase and met the manager crystal turn my frown up side down great person get attitude very apologetic about some else mistake didn't make excuses just got the job done great job crystal I really appreciate you five stars just for you thanks

What can you expect of a fast food diner place. If you are going here you can't expect the finest dinning. I ordered a burger, fries and pizza puff. They were delicious and reminded me of how I grew up eating this. Fries were a little to thin for my liking but that is just a preference thing. I go here occasionally.

Never again ordering here , not the first time they've gotten my order wrong ordered an Italian beef/sausage combo only got an Italian sausage with only Giardiniera

I moved to Florida 20 years ago, I used to order from Luke's all the time when I lived in River Grove. I'm visiting friends in Chicago and wanted to order from Luke's and I'm so glad I did. The beef was awesome, I can't wait to order some dawgs today.

Didn't like the place, the cheeseburger iasked for had no cheese and was too over cooked. I also ordered a steak sandwich and it was dry and flavorless. Fries had no flavor as well. Disappointed and will not be going there again.

One of my go to fast food around here. The food is decent. Nothing crazy good or nothing disappointing. After a long day of work, it's great to have a local spot with consistently good food. Staff is pretty great and really quick on deliveries.

The only thing don't get the Italian ice cuz they put onions in it. That's weird and offensive. Like why? But their food is good, just stick to the hot stuff. Ps they got bomb hotdogs

Tonight, I came first in line to get my order. Which was fairly simple. Large fries, and chicken tenders....turns out they gave 4 chicken tenders from elementary school...thin, super freezer like...also, my French fries were some done and some WERENT fully done. I called the restaurant to try and do something about my order...and instead of getting my money back...I was only get offered 10% off my NEXT order...money, and food down the drain. You're better off going to the dawg stop on Belmont...who give out free stuff just because you're in line for too long. UNFORTUNATE since Luke's is around the corner from me.

Beware of delivery. Check your food order because these imbiciles will almost screw things up.

Just when I thought I had it all here, I just had their homemade chocolate eclair cake. WOOOOOW. holy moly guacamole the goodness......

Great food and worth the wait and money. Also open very late and great for a late snack.

The food is okay overall but the service over the phone lacks upon ordering. They have gotten my order wrong 2x already and they're better fast food places in the area to order from. Plus side is that they deliver until 1am and for no minimum purchase.

I was about to order from here again when I read the reviews involving the service dog. I won't be ordering again. Like one person said, what might they be doing to the food of those they discriminate against in private? I have previously had the polish sausage, which was good. The Italian beef was good a couple times but too dry other times. The mozzarella sticks were tasty. The worst things were the breaded steak sandwich and pizza puff.

Had a friend recommend this place. Place was dead when we walked in so that's a bad sign lol. People did start to come in after we got our food. My buddy got a Italian beef combo and I got a regular beef with both types of peppers. The beef was ok and the bread held together ok after the dip. The peppers weren't too flavorful. Overall both of our feelings were that we have had better. If I'm in the neighborhood, I'd rather goto Mr Beef about a half mile north. If you have the time and want a great beef, goto the original Al's on Taylor st. I think that's what I majored in when I went to UIC.