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TODAY
Thursday, April 25
Fuel
Andrew / May 29, 2008 10:54 AM
I love Hopleaf's, and Hot Doug's duck fat-fried are great, but I wish they were a little crispier.
When I worked way out in the northwest suburbs, I'd stop at Torre & Luke's for a bag o' fries, plenty of salt. Tasty!
BG / May 29, 2008 10:54 AM
There's a new place at 517 S. State called Epic Burger which has the best fries I've tasted in a long time. They make excellent burgers as well. I recommend a visit for some great food. A little bit expensive but worth it.
d / May 29, 2008 11:10 AM
My fav fries are the the nearby Chili's, always fairly well done and with some sort of seasoning on them.
A local place does fries with a side of gravy and curry sauce, those are pretty rocking.
Worst fries will surely go to steak-n-shake. Those skinny fries often seem undercooked and go cold way too fast.
Erica / May 29, 2008 11:37 AM
Joe's Hot Dogs in Joliet (810 Plainfield Rd.). You get 'em in a greazzy bag!
Tore's Italian Beef (2804 N Western Ave). Very crispy w/lots of little burnt ones (my fave kind).
Chief O'Neill's (3471 N. Elston)
The curry fries are delish!
p / May 29, 2008 11:49 AM
paramount room Poutine! or janson's.
Dunl / May 29, 2008 12:05 PM
Frites at the Hopleaf.
Leelah / May 29, 2008 12:06 PM
Superdawg!
Irisheyes1212 / May 29, 2008 12:08 PM
Susie's drive-thru on the NW side are pretty kickass. Handcut and served w/ gobs of cheese in a tortilla bowl.
I also second Chief O'Neill's or any Irish pub w/ curry fries really
I really want to find a place that has pomme fritte w/ various dipping sauces. Oh and I want to try poutine, I've never tried that.
bobbi b. / May 29, 2008 12:10 PM
my favorites are from either rockwell's (basic fresh-cut fries that are always perfectly seasoned) or rockit's truffle fries.
Andrew / May 29, 2008 12:34 PM
Oh, and for garlic fries, it's hard to beat Flounders at Clybourn & Webster. No one will want to kiss you for awhile, but boy are they yummy.
Helen / May 29, 2008 12:42 PM
Hot Doug's duck fat fries. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is better. The frites at Hopleaf are a very distant second.
Kelly / May 29, 2008 1:47 PM
Buffalo Joes in Evanston. Their waffle fries drenched in Merk's cheddar are the best thing I can think of to pig out on.
Artemis / May 29, 2008 2:45 PM
Kuma's Corner. Hand-cut, taste great, and you can get them with BBQ pork and cheese on top.
Jamie / May 29, 2008 4:34 PM
I think that what makes Hopleaf's so great is the garlic aioli. Using that criterion, the Violet Hour has great waffle fries with a shallot and blue cheese dipping sauce. But I used to dunk my McD's fries in my vanilla milkshake, so my taste may be suspect.
michellemybelle / May 29, 2008 4:59 PM
Jerry's Deli on Division has fries with various dipping sauces and those are pretty good, but I LOVE the sauce at Minnies.
Steven / May 29, 2008 5:06 PM
It's a tie. Waffle fries at the Deluxe Diner at Clark & Devon, or fries with curry sauce at Wilde on Broadway. But that said, the fries in Chicago are pretty sad compared with those in Amsterdam, where they come with a choice of 20 different sauces. My two faves there are friets with saté (peanut) sauce or friets oorlog (war) smother with half mayonaise (the yellow Dutch kind that is 80% fat), half ketchup and topped with diced white onions. Man am I hungry now!
Flyguy / May 29, 2008 5:19 PM
Steven...
Then it's the SAUCE that makes the fries in Amsterdam kicka**, not the fries themselves?...
Steven / May 29, 2008 7:42 PM
No, the fries are great too. Handcut, thick and fried twice. Served in a paper cone and not eaten with fingers. Eaten with a small fork. How we eat fries here is simply barbaric.
moody / May 29, 2008 7:50 PM
> Portillo's crinkle cut fries
> Carsons Ribs wedge fries
> Mickey Dee's
Cinnamon / May 29, 2008 9:45 PM
I could eat fried potatoes every day because I love them so much. Hot Doug's fries are great, Hopleaf's fries are darned tasty and perfectly crisp, but I have to give some french fry love to the garlic-mayo cheese fries at T's on Clark St. Holy crow, they make it easier to drink several martinis there.
Danielle / May 30, 2008 12:04 AM
Susie's Drive-in on Montrose. Perfectly seasoned, a bit spicy but not too much. The best milkshakes, too!
printdude / May 30, 2008 10:42 AM
Al's Beef,
Ricobene's.
Tortor / May 30, 2008 11:40 AM
Hot Doug's duck fat fries... yum
Sweet potatoe fries at Small Bar... also yum
Portillo's... classic yum
jen / May 30, 2008 12:15 PM
hot doug's duck fat
small bar's sweet potato
rock bottom's - well seasoned and crispy and slightly thinner than normal fries yet not shoestring.
J / May 30, 2008 12:40 PM
Al's Italian Beef has the best fries.
matt / May 30, 2008 2:58 PM
Jimmy's Red Hots at Pulaski and Grand.
JD / May 30, 2008 10:29 PM
"Hey Viv's" in Brookfield.
They cut (pound) and cook the potatos per order. Skins on.
And lots of celery salt.
Officaly the only reason to go to Brookfield.
charlie / May 31, 2008 9:04 AM
Edgewater Lounge
MIchael / May 31, 2008 9:39 AM
Irving's cheesefries in Wilmette are the best that come to mind. Perfectly crispy and drenched in cheese.
fluffy / May 31, 2008 1:41 PM
I'm a tater tot girl....
TMT / June 1, 2008 10:51 AM
Wendy's fries dipped in Frosty. I don't care what anyone says.
cletus warhol / June 1, 2008 12:39 PM
As someone mentioned, french fry quality can vary widely depending on when you happen to order them, but the best fries I ever had in my life were at The Ranch Steakhouse near 111th and Michigan in Roseland. They were straight out of the fryer and eating them was a joyous experience, like receiving a big wet hot kiss from the Potato Goddess (pardon the rhetorical excess but they were really that good).
I need to get back down there and see if the experience can be replicated.
Espinoza / June 1, 2008 8:07 PM
HEY VIVI in brookfield is now closed down. no frieds !
PATCH / June 1, 2008 8:19 PM
HEY VIVI in brookfield il.on odgen ave. is now closed down. no fries!
flange / June 1, 2008 10:38 PM
i'll second the love for t's garlic fries. i'd go there before i went to hopleaf up the street; i think hopleaf's fries are the star of the menu there but not really that interesting in the grand scheme of things.
someday i'll get to hot doug's when the duckfat fries are there. with his hours and location i pretty much have to take a day off to go there.
bigBare / September 14, 2010 9:40 AM
If you have not been to Gene & Judes- Then you MUST --Best fries and dogs are not bad either !
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kate / May 29, 2008 10:29 AM
I just took a trip out to the burbs and hit up Portillo's. Their fries (ordered "well done") are pretty awesome. Crispy, just salty enough and super fun crinkle cut for getting gobs of ketchup/cheese sauce/whatever your fancy.
Small Bar has awesome tater tots. They're not french fries but they're in the "fried bite-sized potato" category, alright?