LAKEVIEW — The block around the Belmont 'L' station is about to beef up its food options — literally.
Beef Shack will open its first Chicago location at 1056 W. Belmont Ave. this weekend, said Spiro Douvris, a partner in the family-owned business.
Beef Shack has two locations in Hoffman Estates and St. Charles, but Douvris felt it was time to move into the city — surprisingly, the more affordable option.
"We were to the point where it cost so much money to build a restaurant in the suburbs, and the competition was so fierce," Douvris told DNAinfo Chicago.
Just west of the Belmont 'L' station, the Lakeview Beef Shack will take up a portion of the closed thrift store, Something Old, Something New, which announced plans to close in August.
The densely populated neighborhood and nearby train were big selling points for Douvris, and he isn't alone. Ramenster opened recently down the street at 919 W. Belmont Ave., and Home Run Inn staked its claim in the former Leona's in October.
Beef Shack will have some meaty competition before long; Blackwood BBQ is moving into 962 W. Belmont Ave. in the former Einstein Bros. Bagels, but has yet to set an opening date.
In the next 18 months, Douvris said Beef Shack will open two more Chicago locations, including a former Forever Yogurt in Lincoln Park, 2727 N. Clark St. The other will open in North Center at 3625 N. Western Ave., where Champion Cycle Center stood until 2013.
Beef Shack offers just a handful of items, but "we do those items very, very well," Douvris said. Its best-seller is the Cheezy Beef on Garlic, with non-garlic and non-cheese regular and mini versions also available for between $4.20-$7.10.
The Cheezy Beef on Garlic is Beef Shack's "claim to fame," with more than 24 million sold since the first Beef Shack opened in 2011, Douvris said. (That's roughly 13,000 sandwiches per day, if you're counting.)
"It's our recipe that's been handed down from a family secret," Douvris said. "The beauty is [when] it goes through the oven and makes it a crispy sandwich."
The $5.40 cheeseburger is made with steak trimmings, while the Vienna Beef Chicago-style hot dog is a classic. A Shack Salad, grilled cheese and French fries round out the menu.
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