BEL 50

Yummy waffle sandwichs that were offered in a gluten free waffle for no up charge. Tasted Great! They used rice flour, and I tasted nearly no difference from a normal waffle.
They had sandwich waffles, and dessert ones. I visited a few times while they were open, and really miss them. Nutella banana waffle dessert! Nectar of the gods!
I really wish they would come back. *sobs in a corner*

CLOSED — just tried to go here for lunch today with a coworker and there was a sign on the door that they closed up on ⁵⁄₂₈. Too bad, the menu looked great!

I gave Bel 50 another shot, and I’m glad I did! I went during lunch again, and it was totally the opposite of when I went during their first week. No line, and plenty of open seats, even a few outside tables!
I used my free sandwich card that I got from the manager, and this time they had the fried chicken waffle, so I was happy. The crunchyness of the chicken and slaw was really good along with the soft but a little crispy waffle. The flavor was sort of spicy, which probably cancelled out some of the other flavor for me, but it was still pretty tasty.
I also got the truffle tater tots, and it was definitely made for sharing. They were good, but I think truffle oil is a little overrated. It doesn’t really have a taste, and just makes them more greasy. If the tots came with a good aioli or dipping sauce other than ketchup, then it would be awesome.
One thing I was bummed about was that they didn’t have the cucumber water that I saw the first time I came. I was really looking forward to it!
My next visit will be for a breakfast waffle, probably banana nutella, and 99 cent coffee.

Pure genius! I don’t know how they make these sandwiches, but it’s amazing. The waffles are cooked perfectly, just crispy enough, not burned, yet still soft enough to enjoy. The variety of sandwiches offered is great. I tried the breakfast egg one, a chicken one, and the s’mores one. I’m fat, i know =)
The place is cool inside, and the staff is very nice and helpful. I will definitely go there again next time I’m in Chicago!

This place hit the spot after a night drinking! Not because it was greasy, but because it was super filling and oh so flavorful! Plus, easy on the wallet!
So, after staring at the menu for quite sometime — everything looked amazing — I decided to order the sirloin burger with all the fixins, a french onion soup and cup of milk! If that’s not an awesome combo, I don’t know what is?! haha. Oh wait, some commandeered truffle tots does the trick! NOW, that’s a great combo.
Besides the food, I loved the orange walls, mural, and seats! I can’t wait to try this place again if I’m in the area… too bad there’s only one!

Came here on a Thursday night around 7. The place had one other couple sitting in the back, so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. I was happy with that because they are only open until 8.
We were greeted by a super friendly lady at the counter. She was nice and funny making my usual stress when forced order quickly a little less. My date and I ordered two waffle sandwiches and split them along with an order of tots. I was excited about the fried chicken waffle sandwich as I have jumped on the ‘chicken and waffle’ bandwagon lately. I was not disappointed with the balanced flavor of this little waffle sandwich with coleslaw. We also had a BLT with avocado which was a nice contrast. A little heavy on the mayo for me, but most mayo lovers would be happy with the amount. The tots came in a big portion with enough for the two of us to share. I might try the sweet potato fries next time.
Service was great
Layout of the tables was nice for sitting alone or with a group
Food was fresh and tasty
Food was brought out quickly and hot
Place was clean
Nice selection of waffle sandwiches
Reasonably priced
Tap beer and coffee in the AM

This is a counter service waffle sandwich store, nothing extremely fancy, just good food, and good customer service. It gets 5 stars for what it is — a quick service sammie stop, no frills attached.
Me and the lady split the fried chicken with honey mustard slaw, and the BLTA (avocado). The waffles were nice and light, which some good crispy ends — clearly this wasn’t the first time they’ve made waffles. All the ingredients were good, the flavors meshed well together, and the waffles provided a nice strong backing for the sandwich (something that wasn’t guaranteed in my opinion).
They also have many beverages, of which we did not partake, from tap beer to coffees. The sides looked pretty standard, we chose the truffle tots, and they were well done, nice and crispy and held their heat well in the cone they were served in.
It is on the upper end of the sandwich cost chain, but the sides are certainly big enough for two — we ended up out of there for less that twenty bucks total — so a pretty good deal in my opinion.
Loved the communal table and bar stool format, just a friendly place to go have some good, unique, well-​prepared food!

Bel 50 was the perfect place to grab lunch last weekend while I was out running errands. There was no wait and lots of open tables when I was there on Saturday around 2pm. The bar seats at the window are great for people watching!
I opted for the portabella waffle sandwich which had roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, and red pepper aioli. It was yummy although the red pepper ailoi was a little bit spicy which the description didn’t mention. I would like to try the smoked salmon or the prosciutto one next time I come back.
I plan on dragging the boyfriend here soon so I can justify trying the parm truffle tater tots :)

Bel 50 just proves that traditional food can be done up to be something more than what it usually is — and it made it to my list of favorite places to eat in Chicago!
I ended up in Bel 50 while walking home from the gym. There’s just a board outside that proclaims of breakfast being served all day. Walk in, and you are greeted with smiles and the wonderful smell of fresh waffle batter :)
Pick from a variety of sweet and savory waffles; I had the crème brûlée and berries waffle and a nice steaming hot cup of chai latte (they serve Intelligensia coffee).
The waffle was crisp on the outside and wonderfully spongy on the inside; the crème brûlée layered on the waffle was perfectly sweet, not overwhelming, and filled with strawberries and blueberries. The flavors of each of the components melded quite perfectly together. It’s a perfect meal! Oh, They also serve beer from the tap if you are so inclined to pair a waffle with it.
The staff is fantastic — very friendly and generous with their smiles.
Bel 50 will become, I fear, my after gym stop :)
Update: Less than 24 hours after my first visit, I went back in this evening (on my way back from the gym: D) for a turkey, bacon, avocado waffle. It was divine!

The server was telling me how they make the banana and Nutella waffle sandwich and I had a food moment. Ah-​maz-​ing
What better to go with waffle sandwiches than the option of tater tots.
Seriously, this place is delicious and (I’ve been told) the waffle goodness is actually better for you than bread. That’s some serious sandwich competition. BEL 50 is definitely on my ‘must come back to eat everything’ list.

The waffle concept is nothing special, but the food is still good.
The sandwiches aren’t too big, so we sampled a few: Prosciutto/​brie/​fig, fried chicken, BLT, and banana nutella. For these, friend and I found that the waffles failed to add any special spin to the savory sandwiches. The sweet banana nutella… i mean, that really can’t go wrong! By far the best of these was the fried chicken, which, y’know …chicken and waffles, classic! but the slaw inside is absolutely perfect with the sandwich and complements the chicken and waffles really well. I really enjoyed that. The others were tasty, but with such a novel and exciting concept, the addition of the waffle didn’t add much though, so they were just good.
Overall, it’s pretty good! Maybe I didn’t pick the right things, since there were still so many more items that all sounded delicious. I’m excited to come back and eat my way through the menu! It’s not super big and I can order several things at once. I LOVE being able to sample multiple things.

Foo Foo McGriddle anyone?
Don’t mind if I do! (I said I do so I guess that means I wanna marry their waffle sandwiches).
I rarely get the chance to dine out for breakie or brunch so the prospect pleased.
My dining partner and I probably over ordered but it all worked out since the portions aren’t big if you’re in the mood to stuff your face. We had:
Intelligentsia coffee
Good.
Buttermilk fried chicken waffle sandwich with honey mustard and apple slaw.
Alright. The waffle on the sandwiches are crisp and thin, so as not to overwhelm the flavors of the filling. The chicken was a touch dry.
Prosciutto with Brie, carmelized onions, and fig jam.
I felt this was the shining star. A good mix of salty and sweet.
The truffle tater tots with Parmesan.
Again a winner. But I like tots… The truffle oil and cheese earns this an A+ with extra credit.
The S’mores with powdered sugar dusted on the waffle, dark chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow.
Good, a nostalgic little dessert sandwich, but I could only eat a bit.
The service is perky. The décor was off. I don’t care for the tables and ottomans to dine at a time where I would be tired and wanna be cozy. It’s early! Let us be comfortable. They had posters and graffiti on the walls which I guess is to uphold the non conformist theme and indicate the Belgian/​travel piece. I’d visit Bel again for a honeymoon with their elevated waffle sandwiches.

The good ‘olé chicken ‘n waffles folded betwixt a thin neutral waffle dressed in a sweet, tangy slaw. I couldn’t resist and paired it up with some truffle parm tots. It had the makings of something magical, but I was left feeling underwhelmed. The gal behind the counter was super friendly, and was raving about my choice of order– it was her fav too! When it arrived, I took my bites and got more breading with little actual meat. Can a girl git more chicken up in here? Maybe I’m not cool enough for the waffle-​sammy trend. My preconceived notions of chicken ‘n waffles always included a nice pour of thick maple syrup. While you can order a side of apple compote or goat cheese for dipping, I was hoping for a touch more of my conventional brunchy sweetness.
They serve Intelligentsia!
Plus, their seating area’s pretty modern with a homey touch: tufted waffle-​esque ottoman seats up in the front, cozy booth seating in the back.

So. I was so impressed with Bel-​50 after Wednesday Night’s
Unilocal party that I just had to make a return visit!
Okay. actually. I left my glasses in the Bel-​50 bathroom and I
had to go and pick them up from Caren.
So. i came for my glasses. but stayed for lunch and for
the food.
I had to have more of the chicken waffle and the truffle parmesan tots
for I have been dreaming of them ever since the night of the party.
Bel-​50 you put me in euphoric bliss yet once again, you rocked
Wednesday Night and you rocked it again today.
Everything was perfect. the waffle was light and fluffy, a great
big chicken fillet and the tots were pretty much to die for.
Well. I did’nt want to die yet because I also ordered the Crème’ Brulee“
and Berries waffle for dessert.
I cannot praise Tim the owner and his staff enough for all they do here.
I was here today at lunch time and the people were piling in and the
staff handled everything and everyone beautifully.
Bel-​50 has the best staff of people, Caren, Jackie, Ashley and everyone
else who contributes to this great team of people.
So. to Caren. Thanks so much for holding my glasses for me.
And. for the record. you have truly become one of my very favorite
places to have a meal.
You will be seeing me again in the near future.
Thats a given.:)
P. S. I would have made a return visit even if I had’nt forgotten
my glasses. You guys rock!

3.5**
Bel 50 ha???
I had seen this place on TV and knew that I had to try it. I called a friend and he was game. Tuesday night while the president was talking about the state of the union, I was enjoying one of America’s favorite food, a sandwich. But not any sandwich, it was a waffle sandwich.
I tried the prosciutto with brie and caramelized onions, the fried chicken, onion soup and for dessert the crème brûlée and berries.
Prosciutto sandwich was ok, I expected more from this combination of ingredients. The fried chicken on the other hand was way better but the one that hit the ball out of the park was the crème brûlée. It was so delicious with toasty waffle, creamy filling and sweet and tart berries. Do not get the onion soup, unless you want to add some heavy cream and a little bit of sugar and make it a dessert. It was super sweet.
Service was super nice and helpful. She told us what she thought their best 3 sandwiches were. I should’ve taken her advise. The front rrom is super cool with perfect lighting, communal tables and cool stools
3.5 * for the food
4.5* for the service
Bel 50, would go back for the chicken and the crème brûlée waffles

I was excited to try bel 50.
I’d like to go back and get a sweet waffle sandwich because I was underwhelmed with the waffle taste.
I got the pulled pork and I love pulled pork but I was asking myself about how he pulled all the flavor out of the waffle.
As I was reading the wall story I got my answer:
«During the summer of 2010, Tim started to do some research on the ingredients of the Brussels Waffle. After conducting research on healthier versions of the Brussels Waffle, he thought about taking this a step further and turning the waffle into something that tastes like freshly baked country bread, but with more texture.»
Truffle tots were great but not my first time at the truffle + potato rodeo.

After waffling over what to write about for my 1000^th review it hit me… Why not waffles?
Enter BEL 50 which combines my severe sandwich obsession with the classic breakfast carb. Should be a winning combination right? Well I can’t say it wasn’t but I definitely fell victim to a case of the wish-I’d-ordered-something-different-blues.
I had the burrata with fresh basil which was pretty good, but was instantly envious of the person next to me that had the buttermilk fried chicken. I mean chicken… waffles…what the hell is wrong with me that I didn’t order this?
Anyways, back to the burrata. It was tasty, but they serve the waffle cold with this sandwich so the cheese doesn’t melt. Not bad, but I guess I was just expecting the waffle to be served warm which it is on pretty much every other option. Next time i know.
Also notable are the parmesan truffle tots which are a must and soon made me forget my order envy from the sandwich. Between these and the sweet potato fries it’s worth it to stop in for a side alone.
They have a few beers on tap, it’s over alll very affordable, and the service was really friendly so I’ll definitely be back for another visit. Next time I’ll just have to remember to stick with obvious combination. Duh.

Like the concept (waffle sandwich?!) and enjoyed my food.
We were lucky enough to avoid the pitfalls other Unilocalers have noted. We went right after work (5pm) and were the only ones in the restaurant for a while, so service was fast. The girl at the counter was very friendly and gave great suggestions.
I asked about either the prosciutto or fried chicken sandwiches, and she gave me a «are you kidding??» look and said the fried chicken was her #1 choice on the whole menu. It was quite tasty, and I really loved the zesty slaw on top. My friend got the #2 choice on the menu, the pulled pork. I tried a bite and it was quite good, not dry and with a unique spice that I couldn’t place. It’s also served with avocado. I saw complaints that the waffle was plain, but I enjoyed that. I wouldn’t want sweetness to detract from the savory sandwich. I think it’s just there to give a unique texture, which is exactly what it did. Mine was nice and crispy, but my friend’s was slightly over-​crisped on one side. BTW there’s an «Anti-​Resolution» sweet waffle special: peanut butter cheesecake with oreos. Anti-​resolution indeed.
They don’t have fountain drinks yet (coming soon), but their bottled sodas are fun (key lime, grapefruit, rootbeer). I didn’t order a drink, but they had a small selection of microbrews on draft (including Allagash Black, which you don’t see often) and a wine on tap.
I’d come back, I want to try that prosciutto with fig jam and the truffle tots!

Happy New Year everyone! Start your year off right with some scrumptious waffle sandwiches from Bel 50. I tend to dine in at new places just to get a feel for the service and the food fresh out of the kitchen. But this particular day, I wanted to do nothing but go home and have my meal in front of the tv watching guilty pleasure shows (Ie, General Hospital or Hawaii Five O). Was I worried how the waffle would hold up on the half hour ride hime? Absolutely. But I took the chance anyhoo.
I had the blt waffle and it was savory and satisfying. The best part was the waffle, being on the thinner side, as it maintained its crunch factor. The heat/​steam didn’t alter to texture one bit. Hubs had the fried chicken waffle. I wish I comment on the taste but he wolfed it down, and said in between bites how good it was. He paired his waffle sandwich with some truffle tater tots, equally delicious. Crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, with the perfect amount of truffle, I’d prefer these over fries anyway. Oh and the serving size was GIGANTIC, so one order could easily feed two people (hey, I understand people have New Years Resolutions).
The Nutella shake was awesome. They will ask you if you want it with vanilla or chocolate ice cream and I opted with vanilla. Next time I’ll have it with chocolate just to make sure to know which I like better for good measure ;)
Hug your loved ones and enjoy a meal together! 2013 is gonna be a great year! Many blessings!

When I found out last night that a new waffle joint opened in Chicago, I dropped everything I was doing and ran to Bel 50… (sort of). At least, I felt the urge to rearrange my day to fit in a trip for waffle sandwiches. Similar to the concept of Bruxie in Southern California, Bel 50 serves hearty sandwiches with waffles as «bread.» Unlike the café aptly-​called Waffles in the South Loop, Bel 50 features more selection variety.
We ordered the fried chicken waffle artisan sandwich with maple and slaw. Amazing. We ordered the pulled pork sandwich too with guacamole and salsa. The tater tots were nicely fried with truffle oil (!!), parsley, and parmesan. I loved the interior of the place, and it’s River North location is perfect for locals and tourists alike. The prices are reasonable, and the speediness of the food delivery to the table is much appreciated for quick lunch breaks. The owner stopped by our community table to check-​up on us, and was very friendly and wanted to make sure we were comfortable and enjoyed the food. Definitely coming back!