Uncle Sam’s

Walked in with my hungry, thirsty children. Waited in lobby for a hostess to seat us for 7 min. Mind you, there was no one waiting other than us. When we finally do get seated, we waited for another 10 min. We finally decide to leave when the server says ‘oh, your leaving.’ When I said «yes, we are, you took too long.» She replied «well I was over there arguring.» I didn’t even let her finish, because that’s exactly what we wanted to hear.

So, Uncle Sam’s is gone. Too bad, because the food wasn’t that bad.
But in life, as they say: «As one door closes, another one opens.» See below:
«Portillo’s, a much-​loved Chicago-​area restaurant that specializes in Italian beef and hot dogs, is moving ahead with plans to open its first Arizona locations in Scottsdale and Tempe.
«Company spokeswoman Patty Sullivan said Portillo’s is in the permitting process with Scottsdale for plans to open a location near 90^th Street and Shea Blvd. in February. [Reported in AZBEX June 1^st]
«Portillo’s also plans to submit permitting papers shortly for a location at Tempe Marketplace, near the Loop 202 and McClintock Drive. Sullivan said the company hopes to open there in August of next year.
«We are continuing to look for areas in Chandler,» Sullivan said.
«Portillo’s specializes in Chicago-​style hot dogs and Italian beef, but also offers made-​to-​order salads, burgers, cheese fries, desserts and beer.
«Company founder Dick Portillo said in January that each of the new restaurants would be at least 7,000 square feet and must have a drive-​through and ample parking. The new locations would be built, as opposed to moving into existing space
«This is the first of four restaurants planned by Portillo’s for the Arizona market»

Wow, four Portillo’s in AZ. Nice!

The happy hour is unbeatable. A premium pitcher for $ 6 (Fat Tire) or a domestic pitcher for $ 5. They also have good happy hour food prices and a strong variety of options. The waitstaff is willing to split checks in a variety of ways (for example, each person on the bill gets ¹⁄₃ of the pitcher if it was split 3 ways). The pizza is so good that we order off the plentiful food happy hour menu for it. The pepperoni’s on the pizza are always crunchy. Yeah buddy!
If you are lucky enough to have Kelly as your waitress, she will be attentive, friendly, and will split the check a variety of ways.

My so-​called ‘life coach’ called last week from jail asking if I’d come down and throw his bail.
I knew something about the guy didn’t smell right when he told me I could turn vegan by simply limiting my diet to beer and Cheetos. What an asshole.
Anyway, I’m at Uncle Sam’s when he calls, mainly because they have cheap beer… their ‘bailout’ plan as it’s called.
I call it my vegan plan.
Sixteen ounce Coor’s and Miller light drafts for $ 1.25 every day from 3 to 7.
Dos Equis Amber for $ 1.50.
Loosely translated, this means I can throw back ninety six ounces for nine bucks, putting me squarely in the .0143 B.A.L. range.
If I extrapolate these figures over the course of their four-​hour happy hour, I figure I’m around thirty bucks in for around two and a half gallons and a solid .30 BAL.
Pretty righteous, eh?
And the food.
The philly cheesesteak is my favorite, followed by one of the white pizza’s and a dozen (actually 13) crispy hot wings. It should be noted at least one of the 13 is from a chicken who looks like it may have been a troublemaker, the farmer hobbling its wing with a hammer or something.
Anyway, the guy IS my neighbor, so it’s the least I can do to bail him out.
But i am firing him as my life coach, the little prick, and I’m also demanding his parents pony up the three hundred on his bail.

A friend of mine introduced me to this place several years ago before I moved here. Since I moved here, we’ve dined here three times. It’s a fun, casual place to take your family and enjoy bar food. Here’s a breakdown of what I’ve had:
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich (Whole, $ 14.95) — Really good. The Bread is decent and the Whole sized portion is enough for 2 people.
Uncle Sam’s Special Pizza (18″ Large, $ 23.95) — It has virtually every topping on it. Because it’s crammed with toppings, it tends to get a little soggy even if it’s ordered well done, which is how I order it. Flavor is pretty good. We always take a few slices home and it heats up well for leftovers.
Wings (Baker’s Dozen, $ 7.95) — Our friends don’t like the really spicy stuff, so we always order the Medium spice level and the Spicy on the side. The Wings are really good. Always served hot and they break away from the bone well. The Spicy sauce isn’t too Spicy… I like spicy food, so it’s about average for me.
Large basket of Fries $ 3.23 — Decent sized basket. Can serve 2 – 3 people. Average flavor, reminds me of Wendy’s Fries in terms of size and style.
Large basket of Fried Zucchini $ 4.95 — Can serve 2 – 3 people. The flavor is average. Always served hot and crispy. I’ve never had soggy Zucchini here, which is a pet peeve.
The restaurant has plenty of seating and can easily accommodate a large group. During one visit we had 8 people and it was very comfortable. The Happy Hour here is pretty good, but I’ve never been able to try it because I’m always working. The wait staff is young and relatively inexperienced, so you have to stay on top of them… however, that’s to be expected in a restaurant like this.
Overall, we enjoy this place and will definitely return.
Return Factor — 90%

Eh, just alright. The honey hot wings were decent, a little crispy on the outside, but some of them were dry on the inside. Onion rings and fries were good. Had some cheese steaks, which had a big portion of meat, and included onion, hot and/​or sweet peppers. Although portions were big, the cheese steak itself tasted bland, and it was even hard to taste the cheese in the cheese steak.

I don’t know if my feelings would be as strong as Ester J’s. I haven’t tried the bailout plan so I can’t comment on the positive review given by Chris P. What I can tell you is that cheese steak is horrible. The bread is soft, and anyone who knows cheesesteak, knows that the roll is vital. It has to have the correct taste and the perfect chew. Moreover, the steak itself resembled ground beef more than a cheesesteak. The cheese was nonexistent. The sweet peppers were not sweet, just bitter.
As for pizza, it is your basic bar pizza. It can’t rival a bar pizza like the Rainbow Room in LA. Its a bar, and the pizza is okay, flavor not so bad, pepperoni is packaged, cheese is not pure whole milk mozzarella.
There is nothing wrong with going to Uncle Sams. It is what it is.

I think I actually ‘hate’ this place. Strong words. It started many many years ago when my dad had me pick up an order here for carry-​out. They forgot to make half the order and when I came back to get it — they didn’t apologize for over-​charging me, about forgetting the order or seem to notice I drove back to get it. I sat waiting for the order for. ever.
Forgetting to include food in a take-​out order happens, it’s a simple mistake, I get it. But they didn’t respond appropriately, in any way at all, just kind of stood there like «soooo does this mean you want us to make it now… err…maybe…well…hmmm.» My dad actually called the manager when I got back — the second time — and he didn’t offer an apology or remedy the situation.
The food is just awful. I save the word «mediocre» for frozen wings, pizza & subs from the freezer section — Uncle Sam’s is not worthy, it’s gross.
If my review isn’t enough to warn you to dine elsewhere, maybe the state’s health inspection review is —
How bad is a restaurant that actually needs the government to tell them to get rid of roaches?
«OBSERVED TWO LIVE ROACHES PRESENT UNDER EQUIPMENT IN BAR. HAVE LICENSED PEST CONTROL PERFORMED UNTIL PESTS ARE ELIMINATED.»

Uncle Sam’s is alright — but not for the food. I’ve had the french fries and Philly Cheese steak and was unimpressed by both. Not terrible food, but just really average. Some of the food is a bit expensive for what it is.
The happy hour goes from 3−7pm and 9 to close. One dollar domestic drafts and 1.25 for premium. They also have a happy hour menu, too. I’d recommend sitting at the bar for the best service.

The happy hour is ‘not to be fucked with’
I got out of there with a $ 7 tab.
Find the «Bailout Plan» menu, order ¼ cheesesteak.
Enjoy!

I think it really depends on what you order here. The wings are of the soggy kind, not the crispy, which I prefer. The pizza also looked average. Can’t comment on the drinks since I can’t order them yet.
However, I am a big fan of their cheesesteaks. They’re pretty big and reasonably priced. I always get either a mushroom cheesesteak with fried onions or a cheesesteak hoagie with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Good sides have included standard fries, fried mushrooms and zucchini, cheese steaks, and even chicken tenders for the lol.
I think it’s a good place for groups, and I’ve always been able to get a table. I’ve come for dinner and late at night, and takeout is always pretty quick.

Wish I could give negative stars.
Called ahead to verify they were open for business, was told that «everything was warming up», but yes, they were open.
Arrived at 9:36, left at 10:01.
My g/​f waited at least five minutes to be seated, while I went to use the restroom.
Also, your waitress took my g/f’s order and brought drinks, but never came back to the table after I came out of the restroom. And my g/​f said the waitress wasn’t even in her uniform yet, and changed after she took the order.
Never received the appetizer, never had my order taken.
Seriously, get some softer fucking toilet paper and paper towels. That’s a really chickenshit way to make more profit.

I am being gracious with this review because of the bailout menu. Everything on it is less than 4 bucks. So if the food isn’t stellar it’s okay because it’s cheap. And their hot wings are yummy for sure!

I remember going to the original location in the early 90’s. Same scary décor, just a different location, Wanted to grab a few wings and get our ‘fried’ fix. They are just o-​kay. Nothing special whatsoever. It even looks like the wings are assorted sizes. Some are meatier and some just downright puny. Our server said they are known for their philly cheesesteak sandwiches, so we got one to share. It was tasteless and as dry as the sahara desert. The meat was shredded cardboard and the bun was straight out of the bag. The cheesesteaks at Corleone’s (a fast food joint) are light years better!
The only thing that’s good are the onion rings…(MMMMmmm) and cheap beer, if that’s your thing.

Philly Cheese, Please!
If you’re like me, you’re not wearing any pants right now. Also, if you’re like me, you have a few places you frequent where the food is good but not perfect, and the service is fine, but not amazing– and yet you still like the place.
That pretty much sums up Uncle Sams. Imperfection meets comfort food and consistency. While UCs is not a first date spot, it’s a great place to grab a lunch with a buddy, co-​worker, etc.
I usually get the mushroom cheese steak, with fried mushroom & zucchini appetizer. I’m not sure who invented beer battering veggies, but I want to hug him/​her. Pretty much– if it’s fried at UCs, it will taste good!
On my most recent visit, the service was just outstanding. It was weird how good things went, much like going to Target and getting Nordstrom’s style service. Drinks were always full, plenty of napkins, etc. It was refreshing because I often dial my expectations down at spots like these, where you’re not there to be pampered.
In closing, Uncle Sam’s is a good spot. Is it amazing? Nope. Life altering? Uh uhh. But it is good, consistent, and recently had terrific service. Sometimes that’s just enough to make for a good outing.

Why do we go to Uncle Sam’s? WINGS! WINGS! WINGS! …and lot’s of ‘em.
*juts out lower lip until it protrudes and starts channeling «Bubba» from Forest Gump* — «They’ve got buffalo wings, bbq wings, mild wings, medium wings, hot wings, suicide wings, honey bbq wings, honey hot wings and honey hot bbq wings… they’ve got wings, lots of wings, I like wings»
Sure we’ve tried their pizzas and sandwiches, but they’re consistently mediocre… at best. The service can be spotty and negligent. Occasionally they’ve had their surprisingly good service at times, but more often than not it’s lacking.
What does keep us coming back are the wings and a lots of cold beer to wash ‘em down. Holy cow, you can even order a platter of 100 wings if you want! Usually we order a few different types and share. I love the suicide & the honey hot, the hotter the better! Mmmmm good stuff.
I’m willing to overlook crazy Uncle Sam’s flaws to indulge in some tasty wings, and if the service is slow that night there’s always a game on one of their numerous televisions. If there was a rating just for «wings & beer» they’d get 5 stars. Too bad they miss the mark on everything else.

I had just recently taken Uncle Sam’s off «Secret Double Probation» for an incident during last Thanksgiving week when the waitress disappeared for about 10 minutes because she was on break. On break, wtf? Take a break when you leave work, do you want to earn tips or not?
But lately I found myself going to Uncle Sam’s a lot when the Blackhawks were on their way to winning the Stanley Cup. My opinion has turned aroung 180 degrees. The wait staff that I have had this spring has been great, for example, the waitress had the kitchen put all the Pizza ingredients underneath the cheese (Chicago Style) instead of on top of the cheese (NY Style). Not the world’s greatest pizza, but it tasted ok. I love the Chicken Parmasean sandwich which fits perfectly on the bread without spilling over, and it’s covered in this sweet marinara sauce which makes it delicious. I enjoy their Calzones as well. But who can beat one dollar very cold and refreshing Amber Bocks during happy hour?

I am originally from Philly so I appreciate good Pizza and Subs (Hoagies). I have been going to Uncle Sams for a few years now. I have usually enjoyed the food and the service was never anything to write home about, but it was never outright bad. Lately the service and food have been sub-​par. I am not sure why. It’s unfortunate because we used to really like Uncle Sams.
I recently found my self calling the Owner Bret about an especially bad experience. Even though the entire meal and service was not acceptable, all I asked Bret for was $ 15.00 back for the to-​go large pizza the server jammed in a small pizza box. The slices hot from the oven were stacked on top of each other (see pic). Are you kidding me???
Needless to say I tossed the pizza out and ordered another Pizza from Papa Johns for my kids that were waiting at home for dinner.
I figured asking for the $ 15.00 was reasonable. Guess not.
Bret declined to credit me the $ 15.00 saying it was his policy not to give refunds. Rather he offered me another Pizza. No thanks. Guess he doesn’t get it … Its not the money — Its the principal.

Great place to stop after work for some pub grub and a beer or two — NOT a destination bar! Very casual feel.
The place is absolutely HUGE and mostly empty.
Not much else to say…

Yes, this place still REALLY sucks! A girlfriend of ours works there so we went to say hi. while the service was great the food, not so much. Pizza here is horrid. the crust and the topping were so dried out it was inedible.
I ask you this. why the hell would you need to order extra cheese and a cheesesteak? Makes about as much as sense as a trailer trash woman from Alaska as our next vice president.