Since Man v. Food premiered in 2008, there have been eight seasons and 155 episodes spotlighting some of the most gluttonous and delicious food challenges across the country, first with host Adam Richman and more recently, with Casey Webb. The show sees the host attempting to eat large quantities of food, or food that is an extreme in some way, like very spicy wings, to overcome a restaurant's challenge. Well a handful of restaurants here have thrown down the gauntlet to the food reality series, and Man v. Food took them up on it. Here are all the Chicago eateries that have appeared on the show:
Al's Italian Beef
While the 80-year-old restaurant didn't have a challenge for host Adam Richman during Man v. Food's first season, they did treat him to one of their mouth-watering sandwiches, and of course, they made sure Adam ate it the way locals do, while leaning against a counter.
(548 N. Wells Street)
Geno's East
That same episode, Adam tasted one of Geno's deep dish pizzas, and while it wasn't a challenge, it could've been. A pie there uses two pounds of dough, and can tip the scales at over five pounds. In fact, the restaurant's meaty legend has two pounds of dough, over a pound of mozzarella, and four pounds of meat like sausage, Canadian bacon and pepperoni, plus other toppings.
(162 E. Superior Street)
Lucky's Sandwich Shop
To culminate the first season's sixth episode, Adam headed to Lucky's Sandwich Shop to take on the Overstuffed Sandwich Challenge, which consists of eating three giant sandwiches of his choosing in one hour, all stuffed with piles of meat and French fries - four pounds of food total. At the time of the episode, 100 people attempted the challenge but only ten succeeded. Adam was able to take it down though.
(3472 N. Clark Street)
Timothy O'Toole's Pub
Nearly a decade after Adam Richman came to town, new host Casey Webb brought the show back and did it in style. He headed over to Timothy O'Toole's Pub and took on the Big Timmy Challenge, which saw him eat a huge towering burger that boasts two half-pound patties, an assortment of cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion straws and more, all served with a side of two pounds of Irish nachos. Casey was able to eat all four pounds of food.
(622 N. Fairbanks Court)
The Silver Palm
Before making his way to the challenge at the pub, Casey swung by The Silver Palm, the restaurant in a train car. There, he enjoyed the Three Little Pigs, a giant sandwich made from panko-breaded pork tenderloin, double-smoked ham, Applewood-smoked bacon, melted Gruyere cheese and a fried egg squeezed in a bun that's topped with a panko-breaded onion ring. Unfortunately, soon after his visit but not related to it, the eatery closed.
Pequod's Pizza
No trip to our city is complete without some deep dish pizza and Casey chose to get his at Pequod's Pizza. There, he savored their pie, which is made by laying the mozzarella around the edges of the pan, giving it a burnt cheesy crust that fans of the pizzeria adore.
(2207 North Clybourn Avenue)
Man v Food now airs on the Cooking Channel and while you wait for new episodes to premiere, you can find older footage online.
Photo: Getty Images, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel