Fast Track

Right off the Clinton green Line stop. Ordered the Lawrence’s ½ order of shrimp was tremendous … And a small fry. Fries were great. Railroad feel to the place.

Note: CASH ONLY! This place was exactly what I wanted. We ordered two Chicago dogs, fries, drink and a chocolate milkshake. Fast track didn’t disappoint. Everything was delicious. The service was great! All the employees were super friendly and offered us free refills on our drink. Seemed like there were a lot of regulars there too (always a good sign).

This place is the best for everything from hot dog & fries to a grilled chicken breast salad. Everything we’ve had is always freshly prepared and delicious. Their offerings are much better than a fast food chain. The people working there, from the cooks to Kleo, the guy who runs things, are always welcoming. They are just what they hold themselves out to be: Good food, and fast.

Really surprising find. Ate outside on the Patio area. The Patty Melt is made perfectly with fresh onions and a juicy burger patty inside. I also got a side of fish chips which were okay, not the best. But overall pretty great for fast food.

Expensive for a diner.
Their hot dogs are not Vienna.
Getting the order through to the cooks can be difficult.
They now offer shrimp from Lawrence Fisheries. The shrimp prices are not related to weight at all; a half-​order is not half a pound uncooked, and the full order is not a pound. I took a half order. They look like they’ve been in the freezer too long. Bad texture. And just five pieces — maybe it was six — of very medium sized. Had the sense of a total rip about the shrimp. I looked at it and asked, this is nine dollars worth of shrimp?
The burgers are competent. They guy who runs the place is genuinely charming. Their chief asset is proximity to many office workers. The food is generally OK, but far from the top tier. If an Al’s or Portillo’s opened within a half mile, they’d be out of business.

Whenever I’m in the area, I make this place a must stop for a couple of dogs and fries. The place is railroad themed with a couple of train trucks out front to the model train running overhead inside.
This place has got the perfect dog down, steamed poppy seed bun, vienna beef hot dog, and all the right trimmings. Must be careful, because they do offer catsup and sauer kraut as toppings. There is plenty of seating inside from window seats to long tables.
My only two knocks on this place is that it is very pricey. Two dogs, large fries, and large drink was twelve dollars and some change. Also they have a heavy had when it comes to the relish, they could have used about half the amount.

A perfect representation of Chicago casual fare. The gets are amazing too. I’ll be back over and over again!

5 stars… I’ve been coming here 25 years and it’s ALWAYS awesome service and great food fast like the name says. The staff are still there after all the years… heck even the owner popped in before lunch… why? Because he cares that’s why. And it shows cause they made my afternoon… thanks for the memories

I ate there today with my in-​laws. Probably my 500^th meal at Fast Track so I figure it’s time to give them a review. First of all, it’s the only place I go to eat where they know my name and welcome me every time. Great feel to the place! The food here is consistently awesome. I go for the hot dog, no onions, and a small order of fries. Super delicious. If you have kids, there’s a train track around the restaurant with running trains that young kids adore. This is one of the best places to eat in Chicago and definitely tops in the West Loop.

I can’t get enough of this place. I love the gyro and fries. Also, I like to keep it simple with a grilled cheese and fries from time to time. Can’t beat the location, as it is close to work. The price is good as well (for a west loop location). The staff is great, service is good and quick. I will keep going back!

Great little dinner. Friendly service and decent food. You know exactly what you’re in for as soon as you walk through the door.
We were here for breakfast and left full and happy. The French Toast is thick and fluffy, not stodgy at all. The omelette was cooked exactly as I like it, with cheese melting inside as you cut into it.

The Sloppy Joe Special, which is available every third thursday for $ 5.49 and comes with drink and mashed potatoes, is the best Sloppy Joe I’ve ever had. I have a hunch that it begins with Italian Beef rather than the standard ground beef.
Its not necessarily a healthy place to eat, but the chicken sandwich is staggeringly good, and thats amazing coming from me as I don’t like chicken sandwiches.
The Italian Beef is great, and I’ve had an egg sandwich which was every bit as good as homemade.
The moral of the story? The guys who work here care about good food fast.

Great food, the the wait is unusually long these dsys. Avoid lunch time.

Local treat!
Cash only (ATM out front).
They will prepare a to-​go order for you to pick up.
Love this place — love the guys and owner!
Perfect Saturday hangover food. Outdoor seating available.

This place is Chicago’s own taste of pattymelt heaven. Seriously, I dive into their melty-​cheesy-​burgery-​butter-​breaded perfection as if I am savoring my last meal.
You want to make your all-​American belly happy?
Go here.
Right now.
It is a quality and friendly place to get your fix… fast. Hands-​down, I guarantee your blood will be pumping full of the happiest goodness in an instant. I doubt you’ll find a dietician who will endorse it, but who cares about that when you have the urge for grilled or fried or cheesy meals?!
In addition to the stick-​to-​your-​ribs satisfaction, the staff at Fast Track always make my day. They are good to their regulars, which is a lost art in the world of high-​turnover chain restaurants. From the cooks who take your order all the way down the line to checkout, they find time in hectic food service mayhem to share a smile… and, if you’re lucky, a story. We’ve even been walking down the street and had them peek out and/​or wave to us. Good people.
Yes, in the winter after you go, you might smell like Fast Track for the rest of the day, but it’s like the ‘love bite’ of eating here. In the warmer months, they literally fold their walls open to tons of fresh air, and there are four large tables of permanent outdoor seating.
Sometimes there is even a bubble machine blowing. It’s just a happy place…

what a great dive!!! would totally recommend it if you are in the mood for some good greasy food :)
awesome chicago style hot dogs! huge menu!

Cute décor. Kitchy Kool. A railroad lover’s delight.
Decent Chicago style hot dog.
Unappealing greasy fries.
Extensive menu, free parking, indoor and outdoor seating.
Will I return? Perhaps.
This is my 400^th review??? LOL
BTW, Fast Track is about ½ block from the Haymarket Square Memorial. Grab your burger, walk down there, have a seat and read a bit about on infamous period in Chicago history!!!

This place is just OK.
I ordered my two very favorite deli-​type things here on different days. A BLT and a Reuben sandwich. Both were average.
The BLT bread was very dry, and not a terrible amount of bacon. Also, not a lot of lettuce. .. come ON, it’s lettuce, pile it on!
The Reuben was piping hot, which was good. Despite asking for extra kraut, there wasn’t a lot of kraut. Also, the meat was a bit tough and dry.
The fries here are not all that, I don’t recommend them. They’re a bit burnt or something, just not all that good.
The staff is sweet, friendly and charming, but the food is just. .. well, pretty mediocre, at best. And who needs mediocre?
The location was what won, since I was working in the area, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for this place. Nothing special. I like the CTA memoriabilia and oldskool Chicago pictures, but it’s not worth going here for just that, honestly.

The manager is a riot. The food is run-​of-​the-​mill.
The biggest plus is a free place to park so close to downtown.
2 things to look for:
— the train running around the top
— the dated pictures of that f’in criminal Daley glad-​handing ownership

Fast Tracks is a great place for good food (that is not that good for you *grin*) that is inexpensive, fast, and tastes GREAT!
Parking is very limited, though there is plenty of on street parking around. If you want to do the mass transit route, then take the green to the Clinton stop and head west 2 blocks… it is on the south side of the street on Deplains.
They do also have outdoor seating. Their buns are fantastic! Get the hot peppers when ordering meat… makes it that much better.
FREEBIE NOTE: Go to the far right of the counter to the window… you’ll find the 2 local newspapers you can read while you eat, which saves you $ 0.75 right there… or watch the 2 or 3 TVs.