Mid-Michigan Dining

• 10235 S. Cicero Avenue
• Oak Lawn, IL 60453
• (708) 636-7717
• Website
• Menu

Rosie's Drive-In on South Cicero in Oak Lawn, IL

I’ve been in the Chicago area for three days now.  I’ve had two pizzas, but no Italian beef.  J and her mom got up to go do some wedding planning that I didn’t need to be there for, so I slept in.  When I got up, I was hungry.  I wanted an Italian beef…..bad.   J’s parents have recommended a little place just around the corner.  They have Italian beef and it was close, so that’s where I went.

Rosie’s Drive-In is on South Cicero Street at 103rd in Oak Lawn.  It’s not a Drive-In in the traditional sense.  There are no speakers in the parking lot and no car hops.  It is a small building that does most of it’s business with carry-out and drive thru. 

Since I hate drive thrus, I chose to park my car and go inside.  To my surprise, there was seating inside the building.  I didn’t think it looked very big from the outside, but there are a handful of tables so you can actually sit an eat.  Since J’s parents live right around the corner, I chose to take my sandwich with me. 

There’s an order counter to the left side of the building.  Rosie’s brags about their gyros.  There are signs on the windows claiming it’s the best in Chicago.  I’ve never been a gyro fan and I really wanted an Italian beef.  I ordered the sandwich with mozzarella and a large fry.  They did have Pepsi products, but I passed on the pop knowing I had a Coke Zero at home.   I paid $7.75 for the meal and headed home.

Rosie's Drive-In near 103rd Street in Oak Lawn, IL

I dug into the fries first and there were a lot of them.  The fries were thin and crispy.  They weren’t much different from fast food fries, but there was a lot of them which filled me up.  The Italian beef was pretty wet which I love.  It wasn’t completely soggy, but it was leaking through the three layers of foil, a layer of wax paper and the paper bag.  I did my best not to make a mess on the table, but there was a puddle of Au Jus that I had to clean up when I got done.  The beef wasn’t very tender.  It was a little tough to bite through, but still had a great taste. 

J’s parents have both recommended Rosie’s for their hamburgers and, like I mentioned, they’re known for their gyros.  I had a guy in line behind me recommend it after I ordered the Italian beef.  He said he stops in once a week just to get the sandwich.  Rosie’s was good and it’s pretty convienent when we’re at J’s parents.  They have two locations.  The one in Oak Lawn and another on LaGrange Road in Frankfort that have both been around for quite a while, so you know they’re doing something right.