On The Mall

The two dogs I got from the hot dog place were not good at all, like day old microwaved hot dogs, fries were pretty good though. Sbarro pizza wasn’t bad but those hot dogs uhhhgh

Stopped by after visiting the hospital all I can say its good and reasonable priced food

Not bad. Walking pass this place on a monthly basis, I decided to finally give it a try. The two things that drew my attention were the Chicago style dog and the fries in a brown paper bag. Overall, it was good. Nothing like Maxwell Street but hit the spot in a pinch. I might try the polish next time I am there. We shall see.

This review is for Franks n Fries… I love the cheese fries here! The service can be hit or miss, but the food is greasy and hits the spot. I usually just order fries here when I forget to pack lunch… also this building houses a Bank of America ATM, the closest one in the area unless you want to make the trek to Ashland/​Roosevelt. And trust me, during Chicago winters, that could be a very, very long trek.

Running late for the Polk pink line and missed lunch? Run out of money on your CTA card and cursing the machine not taking your plastic credit cards? Run into On the Mall for hot slice of sub-​par Za, sloppy calzone, or a greasy Boli from Sbarro or grab a cheap dog n fries at the next door kiosk. The best part is the Bank of America atm inside and people watching or rather gaping at the small TV playing right wing political propaganda. The hours are not great (see UIC student hours), but OTM has its times of glory.

this place is right off the Polk Pink line station and houses Franks n’ Fries together with a Sbarro. I don’t think anyone should expect anything on the menu to scream WOW like on a five star dining level! Franks n’ Fries is convenient, fast food — definitely way better than McDonalds/​Burger King (yuk). They have some decent priced combo deals (hot dogs & fries, burgers & fries, chicken sandwiches & fries — you get the picture), they serve a huge amount of crinkle cut fries with their sandwiches (at least by my standards), offer fountain drinks and sell mozzarella sticks (YUM!!). Although I don’t go too often, anytime I’ve been to Franks N’ Fries I’ve liked the food.
The Sbarro serves different types of pizzas (thin, thick crust, and stuffed — at least I think it’s stuffed) they also have pasta dishes, sausage & peppers, garlic bread, and other italian dishes. Their menu varies as do their specials. They also have different salads and some really yummy desserts… I love their cakes, especially their carrot cake… oh boy do I love that carrot cake. In addition to the fountain drinks, they offer bottled juices/​water. The Sbarro side is also open early for breakfast… standard breakfast fare (eggs/​sausage/​bacon, etc) … but I really dig their breakfast potatoes — so tasty!!! But soo filling that I don’t indulge in them very often…
yes, it can get busy during lunch — but most places in this area get busy during this time probably because there so few choices. They have a nice outdoor patio during the summer… but it also gets pretty packed. They take credit cards, but also have an ATM inside.

I’m fed up with this. Move this joint one block south to the Taylor St., it’d die within half a year. Why?
1. Tiny pizza slice, big price, frozen pizza-​esque flavor;
2. Amateurish pasta. You can reach the same level by yourself, seriously;
3. Hot dog = sucky bun+grocery store-​grade sausage+lousy pickle;
4. Burger = sucky bun+grocery store-​grade beef patty+dispensable veggie;
5. Fries = … well, just potato, deep-​fried.
Needless to say any more. Feeling bored reading this? You’ll feel very similarly when eating their stuff. This place survives due to its location.

The Frank N’ Fries location at On The Mall is generally quick, if you order hot dogs. They’re not the best hot dogs you’ll ever eat, but are certainly respectable. I recommend the two hot dog combo, with everything.

Super-​convenient location, gotta say. But the little hot dog stand in the corner seems to make everything fresh, which is good on one hand, but always means a long wait. It’s quicker to grab pizza from Sbarro.

This is a really convenient place for lunch if you go to school or work on the west campus of UIC. They have Sbarro which is like my favorite pizza! They’ve also got decent coffee and drinks and its right next to the Polk St Blue line stop so its easy to pop in on your way to work or your way home!