Chicago Eatz

Joe and Kelly are the most amazing people ever! Best wishes to them as they make their adventure to the garden isle!
The food at this truck was amazing. Especially the deep dish pizzas. They took a while, but boy they came out perfect! Yup Gyro meat on a deep dish pizza, match made in heaven.
As the pizza was baking in the oven Joe would talk story which was a pleasant change from other food trucks whose workers would just take your order, and call you when it’s finished. All around great guy talking about his journey from Chicago to islands.
In the recent (and their last Eat the Street) event, they had the Gyrami… Picture this: Gyro meat, Pastrami, Bacon, Tzatziki Sauce, Mustard & Dill Pickle. Super amazing… Broke da mouth Ono. Too good!
Bottom line, great food, great service, and wonderful selection. Kauai people, you definitely are super lucky to be getting a new food truck! (And yes, they take credit cards with Square!)
Sad they’ll be leaving Oahu, but lots of love and congratulations to them!

I had the Pastrami Gyro at this past Eat the Street and it was pretty dang good.
At first we’ve seen this truck around and were like eh we’ve had Gyros before, but NOT like this. There was pastrami, mustard, tzatziki sauce, and a pickle in a pita, sounds pretty intriguing huh.

@ Eat The Street, March 2012 i finally decided to stop at this truck.
after passing by it multiple times, thinking it was just hot dogs… something caught my eye… GYRAMI
wtf is a Gyrami you say?
it is a gyro style sandwich with pastrami, tzatsiki sauce, a pickle and mustard… (see my picture).
it sounded so weird, i had to try it. it was friggin delicious. the pastrami beef was tender, juicy and dripping with flavor. mixed with the pickle, tzatsiki and mustard… it worked. its fairly large, and really good… try this thing!
the workers are also very friendly, and will explain things if you’re puzzled…

I’m so sad they’re leaving for Kauai at the end of April! But what i’m most bummed about is that I just got food here for the first time tonight! Boooo on me.
I don’t know anything about Chicago food and what stuff is «really» supposed to taste like, but damn the Italian Beef here is so good! My boyfriend and I were debating on getting that or their Gyrami which is a gyro with pastrami. The girl working pushed us more toward the Italian which was A-​OK with us before and definitely after we ate!
It had pickled carrots/​peppers/​onions. Added a super nice touch of spicy! The beef was served between a french roll dipped in au jus and it made the bread all nice and juicy. I liked how the beef was seasoned and everything tasted so well together! I would definitely go back for it. It’s $ 7 and probably about 8 inches long or so.
The two working were so nice, it made me instantly like this place. They gave us no pressure on what to order, and helped explain their menu and decide on what to get.
If you haven’t tried them on Oahu, get to them before they’re gone to Kauai! They will be at eat the streets till the end of April.

Finally a place that reminds me of home! Poppy seed buns, real giardiniera, Vienna beef, AND RC Cola, I feel like I’ve been transported back to Chicago! The prices are fair and Joe and Kelly are great! If u have never had chicago style food I would recomend the Field Museum. Its perfect little sampler of everything, except the pizza. I have had the pizza only once. It does take about 10 mins so if you are in a bit of a hurry, call ahead. The pizza was the real deal! The only downside to it is I thought the sauce was a little too spicy.
Overall, I am a big fan of Chicago Eatz! And don’t even think about asking for ketchup on your hotdog!

Got an Italian beef sandwich from their truck at Eat the Street for $ 7. It was very good, the combination of meat, peppers, and hoagie dipped in au jus was delicious. Plus it was a sizeable sandwich for $ 7, I believe. The service was very friendly.

You know I’m a yankee at heart. Grew up in Wisconsin, love the brewers, love the packers which makes me WANT to hate this place due to my upbringing. HAHA
My best friend and I ended up going to this place during a first friday because she was STARVING!!! We ended up waiting in line for an italian beef which was like it was from home!!!
This stuff is authentic chicago food. I gotta hand it to the Windy City your teams may suck but atleast you have awesome hot dogs, pizza, gyros and italian beefs!!!
This brings me to the actual food. Chicago Eatz good job at bringing a bit of home back to the streets of Honolulu! Next time I see you I will be getting a gyro. And I will be back to talk smack about sports!
By the way don’t talk smack about their sport teams they will talk smack back!

I went with their «Mix & Match Cubbies» sampler platter ($ 7). A person can choose three of the following: Italian Beef sandwich, Chicago dog, Gyro, or a Super Taco, obviously all in a smaller, more sample-​size portion. I really loved the presentation: three mini sandwiches inside a takeout box.
First up, the mini version of the Chicago Dog. Unlike the actual Chicago dog one might get, no poppy seed bun here (probably because it’s just the cubbie version). I asked for a spicier version of this dog, so instead of the yellow mustard, it appeared spicy brown or deli mustard was added instead. The bite of the mustard came through here, and that neon green relish is just cool to look at (yes, it was delicious). I could taste the celery salt on there — even if just a «dash» was put on it.
Next, the «mini» Gyro. The strips of the beef/​lamb hybrid were juicy, tender, and seasoned beautifully. Extra points for the homemade creamy, refreshing tzatziki (cucumber and dill with yogurt). I think some cucumber slices (perhaps just a couple for the mini gyro) could give this one a little more color. It’s real good the way it is, though.
Finally, I chose the mini Italian Beef Sandwich. I’m gonna pat myself on the back for choosing this one. The chipped beef just wanted to melt in my mouth. The hot-​pepper Giardiniera brought a slight hint of spice that I crave. I swear, as I was eating this sandwich, I felt the essence of a meaty Chicago pizza. It’s a ghost Chicago deep-​dish inside this sandwich, I tell ya! The sandwich roll here was light and fluffy, and almost wanted to disintegrate while I inhaled this bad boy. But of course, nothing gets past me.
I hope to return in the future. I’d love to get that deep-​dish pizza next time (call-​in orders encouraged, since the wait time is apparently around 10 minutes). Go to Chicago Eatz and try Joe’s food today!

#137/​365
I decided to try this place again when I saw that they had a $ 7 bento box special with a mini italian beef sandwich (spicy or mild), a mini gyro, and a mini «christmas» hot dog which was just ketchup and relish. Fortunately for me, they ran out of the hog dogs (as I didnt really care to get that one anyway), and said that they can substitute it with another gyro or italian beef, in which I chose the gyro. It didnt take them long to prepare it, prob about 5 mins. The lady working was really nice too and even offered me a bag when she saw me carrying 2 containers of desserts from fairy cakes ;). As for the gyro, it was delicious, the mini pita was warm and soft and the meat was tender and the tatziki sauce was good. The italian beef was pretty good too, although a bit plain and not at all spicy. It would have been nice if it had some giardiniera like a traditional italian beef, but no, this mini roll was just beef. The beef was moist though and the roll was soft so that was nice. Overall, a pretty good deal.

@ChicagoEatz — So I’s was just tweetin up a storm ya see. Just tweeting up a storm, when I’s sees this tweet mentioning where this picture was taken and the hint of «Kawamoto.»
Oh man it’s gotta be Kahala! So I’s responded, right? Yeah ’cause I knows that Kawamoto + Koko Head could only mean Genshiro Kawamoto. (like my neighbor! but thats whole ‘nother episode of the book.)
Then I’s get the tweet back sayin’ I won lunch tomorrow. Woah! No kiddin’!
So the next day, I head over to their Ward/​Kapiolani outpost after class to take them up on their offer. I’m a student! I gotta start winning lunches rather than payin’ for them. How else am I gonna pay for my luxury goods and endless nights out?
Not only did I meet the sweetest couple, Joe and Kelly, but it was actually their anniversary AND Joe’s birthday. If anything, I should be buying them lunch!
This was my first time (and definitely not my last) at Chicago Eatz and since my lunch was free, I told Joe it was all up to him. Of course he told me it was all up to me… so I went for the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Not a Deep Dish, but THE Deep Dish.
He made it a chef’s special, an omakase of sorts, and did it up with taco beef, mozzarella, fresh veggies, cheddar and their signature sauce layered deeper than the 7^th pit of hell.
Oh man. They advertise this thing as being a 1lb’r but I swear I could probably do sets with it.
When I finally got to work, I dug right in and got to business. Its very rich and definitely filling! Even for a big guy like me, it was a lot of food. I had to take half of it home, which I happily shared with my dad today.
I’m more of a crispy, New York style pizza but I am a huge fan of Gyros, Tacos and Polishes which is just what Chicago Eatz offers. Hellz yeah. Hellz. Yeah.
You can catch them at their Normal post on Ward and Kap or at Eat the Streets and First Fridays near Hawaii Theater. All perfect times to enjoy a slice of the midwest.
Can’t wait to go back to try another item off their menu. And this time Joe, I’m buying: D.
Review (#47/​365)

I’ve heard of this truck for a while now, and they finally participated in the Sept. Eat the Street event. With an oven right inside their truck, the meat in their sandwich is made freshly hot:
Authentic Italian Beef — 4 stars — Because I didn’t have much time to stay at the event, I ordered to go, and by the time I got to my car, the sandwich was still steaming hot! For $ 7, I took the cashier’s suggestion and ordered spicy, which gave it a nice kick to it. Carrots, onions and different peppers all blended well together to give it a flavorful, crunchy, yet meaty texture to it. They also had other condiments on the side to add to the sandwich, but I didn’t need any because it was already flavorful with lots of meat that I was satisfied eating it without anything additional for dinner
Service — 5 stars — Although the wait was 10 minutes for them to make my food, the staff was very nice, enthusiatic and friendly.

On a recent visit I had the John Hancock ($ 10) deep dish pizza which has cheese, Italian beef and barbeque sauce. As I ordered, I was informed right away that it would take 12 minutes, which I was ok with. Having stopped by with my coworkers before, I’ve noticed that they’e expanded their menu recently — adding a sampler and variations. During my wait, it was interesting hearing the owners chat it up with other customers about Chicago and their food. The pizza was well worth the wait. Crust was baked right — a balance of chewy & crisp and not oily at all like personal pan from Pizza Hut. They were generous with the cheese and Italian beef. The cheese was fresh and the beef was juicy and flavorful.

I LOVE hot dogs. My first job was at Orange Julius and I worked there for 5 years and every day I worked I ate a hot dog. Since then I have not gotten sick of them. In fact, I think I could eat a hot dog every day since I can jazz it up with all different sorts of toppings. At Augusts Eat the Street Spicy I wanted to make sure that I didn’t eat the same type of food so when I had to choose between the different vendors that served hot dogs I chose this place because how can you not give love to Chicago. haha.
I ordered their vienna fire polish sausage with sport peppers and when I got it I also drizzled some hot chili pepper water over it. The bun was a poppy seed one, which I’ve never seen before (my friend said that’s the way a true Chicago dog is supposed to be served). Biting into that hot dog gave me that feeling like when I first saw my fiancé, the warm fuzzy’s. Mmhmm that sucker is good. It had a hint of spice so that those that don’t douse their food with hot sauce like me wouldn’t bite into it and immediately need to dunk their head in a bucket of milk to cool down. Plus they were super awesome in accomodating my order (one was to go for the fiancé and I didn’t want the bun to be soggy by the time he ate it so they seperated the toppings from the bun and put it in a to go container).
This place is the real deal. I will definitely be back for my fix the next Eat the Street.

Chicago Eatz is one of the many gems in Honolulu! The deep-​dish pizza is the best and the closest thing to it on the islands! Joe and Kelly, the people who run the food truck, are both fun, nice, and awesome people to talk to! For me as a Chicagoan in Honolulu for school, this the best place to get some food that reminds me of home! If you are from Chicago or just love Chicago food, then you need to support this business! The prices are very fair for Hawaii standards! Plus they have the breads imported from Chicago! Meaning, actual Italian rolls and Poppy seed hot dog buns!!! You can’t find Poppy seed hot buns ANYWHERE in Hawaii except for this place! Again, SUPPORT these people and this business!

Passion and love are the two words that come to mind when I think of Chicago Eatz, Joe, and Kelly. You can taste the love they put into everything they cook, and you can hear the passion they have for bringing truly authentic Chicago eats to Honolulu streets.
After missing them previously, I was pulled in by Joe’s tweet of the next day’s special: $ 15 for a full Chicago-​style thin crust pie (two free toppings). The fact that they actually had the confidence to sell thin crust as a Chicago staple was enough for me since most people have no idea that Chicago is home to a great thin crust.
We ordered ahead to make sure we weren’t out of the office for too long. We got half garlic (for this mostly veg) and half pepperoni for the other meat-​eater. When we got the pie, I immediately knew we were in the right place because it was cut into squares. My first bite was perfectly overly cheesey with a good attention to the flavor of the sauce. The dough was right on for a Chicago-​style thin crust (as opposed to New York or St. Louis styles). The toppings were generous and matched well. We left stuffed and with a bunch of leftovers.
What really made the experience complete though was the welcome we got from Joe and Kelly. It wasn’t busy while we waited for our order so we got to sit and chat with Joe and lament over what it meant to be a real Chicagoan and real Chicago food. He even gave us the overview of the pizza oven they use. His passion for bringing authenticity to the streets and his love for Chicago was overflowing by the end of our lively discussion.
You bet I’ll be back to try the deep dish — since I know they’ve got something going with the sauce on top — and to keep patronizing a business that takes me back to my favorite big city and second home.

Free drink and chips after Chicago Bears win a football game, cool! Be on a look out for the Soldier Field pizza, a pizza with Italian Beef in it.
Joe and Kelly makes a great deep dish pizza worthy of Chicago, he could not redo three great deep dish pizza places (Giordanos is one of em) so he took elements of what he liked best in all of em. Spicy sauce, cheese stick-​like pizza, and of course great high quality ingredients from Chicago. In Hawaii, you can experiment with different toppings of pizza without being labeled a travesty, so be on a look for some crazy new pizzas in the future!

Okay I heard about this place I’ve seen it at «eat the Street» but only now have I been able to gather up the courage to try what is supposed to be the closest to a Chicago Style Pizza available in Hawaii in a Food Truck no less… Granted the closest experience I’ve had was from a long lost establishment known as Gary’s Pizza which had set my expectations what I thought a Chicago Style Pizza was okay, so Gary’s Pizza was a bit thicker they actually had two layers of pizza dough inbetween the Pizza but because I didn’t know any better (still don’t) I thought that is how it was supposed to be. enough about that fast forward some sheesh is it at least 15 years now since Gary’s closing.
Here comes Chicago Eatz to start the thinking about deep dish Pizza again…
You know just what is Chicago Pizza supposed to be any how?
So after looking it up I suppose that this is one of many forms of Chicago deep dish pizza.
So I braved the hot walk down Ward Ave. to the parking lot at the corner of Ward & Kapiolani to visit Chicago Eatz scanning the menu even though my mind was already made up to get the pizza I was almost swayed to get the Italian meat Sub sandwich well okay next time. I ordered the pizza $ 8 and added pepperoni for a $ 1 Slightly dismayed that it was only a Cheese pizza but no problem pizza in it’s basic sense but I added Pepperoni Yay! Okay being it was a food truck there were 3 stand up tables (all occupied) I decided to cross the street to eat at the Neil Blasdell Center I expected the pizza to be very juicy being a deep dish pizza (having no idea) but after my 10 minute wait for my pizza fresh out of the oven. I even asked for extra napkins being clueless. I sat down at a bench and opened up
my pie and woah! the smells emanating from it of pepperoni and spicy tomato paste
it wasn’t juicy where it was running down my fork but it was very moist strong tasting of spices and tomato pizza sauce and I dug in…
It was different from what I expected but not deflating of my expectations it was enough having that strong flavor and I almost just couldn’t finish it being it weighed a pound but I took a couple of deep breaths and gave it that Adam Richman last ditch effort and Yay!
Man won!
Of course there being a special that day the pizza came with a soda and a bag of chips which I feel it was okay that I didn’t eat the chips at that sitting.
I have to thank Unilocal!for all the support and my eating fans & friends out there who give me inspiration to continue to eat at great establishments.
I shall return to Chicago Eatz and take on the Italian Sub next time!

Being from Illinois, I have been meaning to try this place out ever since I walked past it one night. Specifically, I wanted to try their deep-​dish pizza, which is one of my favorite foods, and entirely lacking in Hawaii these days.
Verdict: the pizza was very good. Not quite up to the level of dedicated Chicago-​style pizza places, but you can’t really expect that. It is baked in an actual pizza oven, which is impressive given that this is a food truck. The sauce was spicy, which was new for me, but good. Overall, I think I will definitely be back.
If you go for the pizza, it takes about 12 minutes to bake from the time you order. You can call ahead if you don’t want to wait.

Stopped by for an Italian Beef Sandwich while at Eat The Streets in Kaka’ako.
The good: The beef was hot and service was friendly
The bad: The beef was bland and a little overcooked
I love their concept: All of my favorite Chicago treats in one place. Chicago Dog, Italian Beef Sandwich, and the Chicago Deep Dish pizza – One hell of a combo there! I’m not sure how long they have been doing this but it seemed that they could have used more time to work on their execution.
I didn’t have room to try the Chicago Dog or the Deep Dish Pizza this time, but I will definitely give them a go on the next go round.

I got shafted when I tried to get some grub from Chicago Eatz during Eat the Streets Garlic, so when I seen them downtown for First Fridays I had to stop by. I got the Italian Beef sandwich dipped with cheese. The sandwich was really good. The bread (imported from the Chi Town) was great for soaking up all that beef juice. And the giardiniera (kinda spicy but just don’t eat the peppers) was super dope, don’t sleep on this and get it on the sandwich.
Want to try the gyros and chicago dog next time.
Will be back for sure.