Matthew Shrake If you are a student at Latin, you may have recognized that a new restaurant has opened to the public just down the street from our school. Pop’s Beef, located at 157 W. North Ave, has become an instant hit for students with their Italian beef, burgers, and fries. When you walk into the establishment, you can feel a friendly atmosphere, as the workers are nice and make the space clean so there are no inconveniences. While I have noticed that not very many teachers go to Pops Beef, students are on top of this new fast food joint. In my opinion, Pops is an easy place to get to if you have the time to sit down and eat the large portions you receive. Their small parking lot is helpful and with the potential Pops has, I have a feeling that they may become a regular go-to place in Old Town and will stick around the neighborhood for quite a while. For some student opinions about the food, accessibility, and more, I asked some students (and one staff member) in the school about what they think. “Pops is a great place to eat if you do not want to stay at school for lunch. As far as fast food goes, the food is pretty good and prices are low. It is quick enough that you can get there and back in a small 35-minute lunch period.” Henry Coleman, Class of 2021 “It is very good food, especially their chicken tenders, and I like the atmosphere. The people that work there are super nice as well.” Owen Kmety, Class of 2021 “Because of its convenient location and cheap prices, Pops Beef is a great place to go for lunch during the school day, time permitting. However, the food can sometimes be a little soggy, decreasing Pops’ appeal. Despite this, I still love going there when I have long lunch.” William Furlow, Class of 2021 “I have visited Pops Beef two times, and both times I ordered the same thing: a cheeseburger, fries, and drink. The food was made to order, and Pops ranks up there with some of the best burgers Chicago has to offer. There is a lot of space at Pops, it seems like possibly too much room, but the restaurant is clean and the seating is comfortable enough. Pops is the best choice to walk to from school with its close proximity. Overall, I would recommend Pops Beef for a tasty, affordable meal that is a nice treat.” Cheryl Shrake, staff member “I think it’s a nice new restaurant that is easily accessible to students here at Latin. It allows students to have access to a larger variety of food options near the school.” Sean Gorman, Class of 2020 “The Italian beef is always a classic, and I believe that it is pretty good. I would prefer Potbelly over Pops Beef for a sandwich, but it is a good place to stop for lunch.” Tushar Patel, Class of 2021 “The service and atmosphere are great, but the Italian beef and other dishes could be improved.” Sujan Garapati, Class of 2021 All in all, you can see that there are various opinions on this new restaurant. As of now, all we can do as students is wait and see what happens with their popularity in the future.]]>