Hub's Does Fast Service, Not Fast Food

This year marks 35th anniversary and that’s something to celebrate. The family-owned business is a great alternative to fast-food chains as it features quick and friendly service along with high-quality food.

The spot at 3727 W. Dempster St. offers a mix of booths and tables that can accommodate large groups. When we went there around noon on a Saturday, the place had a solid crowd of couples, solo diners, families and senior citizens. The interior was well lit by hanging and wall-mounted red and orange lamps. There are three flat-screen TVs arranged so patrons have a view from almost anywhere in the restaurant.

The massive menu is laid out behind the counter along with photos of some of the restaurant’s top items. My boyfriend and I weren’t the only ones that needed time to stand back and consider the selection.

The restaurant was well staffed, with multiple people taking orders. So even though we let a few groups skip ahead in line, we soon had no one behind us. We asked the server for recommendations and she asked whether we were in the mood for meat or vegetarian food. We said we were flexible, and she helpfully listed their top five choices with details on why she thinks they’re good.

She suggested the in-house burgers ($5.55-$6.65), the ribs ($9.75-$17.45), which she said are topped with an excellent barbecue sauce, the made-to-order salads and the slow-cooked gyros and chicken.

I opted for the Greek salad ($6.05) without anchovies and my boyfriend ordered the gyros plate ($7.75). Our orders were called out very quickly and both dishes were quite good. The salad includes a cup of a light vinaigrette dressing that enhanced but didn’t overwhelm the fresh ingredients. The dish features a huge portion of crispy lettuce, chunks of crunchy cucumber and with lines of peel still on, diced green peppers, plenty of kalmata olives and big strips of feta.

I’ve been searching for a local place that served a good Greek salad for years and can happily say I’ve finally found one where the dressing and ingredients work perfectly in sync for a great light but flavorful meal.

I often find gyros too greasy, but these were perfect. The generous portion of thin strips of tender meat is served with a pile of onion and tomato slices, a creamy and thick cucumber sauce, a piece of thick warm pita bread, and a side of hot and fluffy fries. There was so much food that my boyfriend took home enough for an entire second serving, making the price an even better deal.

The fast service at Hub’s makes it a great place to go if you’re in a hurry, but the quality and value makes it worth a visit even if you’ve got time to spare.