My friends wanted to come here and take advantage of the restaurant week menu, and I haven't had crawfish in almost 20 years so I was more than happy to to oblige. The space is fun, with mardi gras themed decor complete with the infamous beads. I will say it's a tight fit, but that's par for the course as far as restaurants in the area go. Service was friendly and fast. We started with drinks so I got the sazerac, which was strong and straightforward. The limited restaurant week menu had a fair amount of options, so I started with the boudain. They do theirs as croquettes filled with sausage, rice, and crawfish. It was perfectly fried, managed to avoid being greasy, and the creole sauce that came with it really tied everything together. The bread service was jalapeño cheddar monkey bread, and we went overboard and got ourselves some cornbread as well. The monkey bread was delicious, piping hot, and perfectly soft, definitely a must have. I could take or leave the cornbread, I found it a bit lacking in texture but the bacon fat butter helped a lot. For my main I HAD to have the crawfish pie, it was amazing! Perfectly portioned personal pies (try saying that 10 times fast) served in a puff pastry, with a light salad on the side for some freshness. I'd like to try more menu items here someday... but I doubt I'll ever be able to resist that crawfish pie. Dessert offered me a butterscotch bread pudding that I couldn't pass up. It came with a spiced apple butter that was truly a next level addition. It was a terrific finish to an epic meal. My friends tried the fried chicken, and while they enjoyed it and found it juicy they were ultimately jealous of my choices. We had a nice night and left with full stomachs at a price that didn't break the bank. I'd say this was a 4.5 star experience, as close to perfect as you can get in a packed space. I'll have to come back and work my way through the menu in the near future, I know some people who need to try this food! Overall, if your looking for a fancy rendition of creole comfort food you should definitely stop in here. You won't be disappointed. read more

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This is an update on a review I posted a few months ago, where I came in and left after sitting for 40 minutes of NO service. One of my party called the manager to complain, and he was good enough to invite us back for a comped meal! Such a good, generous sport. I arrived early and was seated right away. I'm still not crazy about seeing the kitchen from my seat. That's only interesting when more 'exotic' food is on the menu. I ordered the Zwickel Lager beer while waiting. Kevin our server was attentive, helpful and diligent. (He gave an odd explanation on why he does not automatically give his name as an introduction. I found this a little off putting. I don't believe he was the same waiter we encountered earlier but my other party disagrees..) We got Fried Green tomatoes (which is NOT vegetarian as it comes with small shrimp!) and Cornbread as appetizers. The tomatoes were good, as was the cornbread, which is listed as gluten free. The plant SORGHUM appears a few times on the menu. It's a very versatile plant used for flavoring, sort of. I got the gumbo ya ya without rice, and the Reezy-Peezy/Hoppin John, which is traditionally black-eyed peas and rice, but this had Cahokia Rice (it's similar to rice but lower glycemic content) red pea gravy, fried okra chips and piccalilli(mustard relish). I am not diabetic but I wanted to limit my white rice intake. My party got mac and cheese, bacon fat fries (they like bacon fat here!) and fried chicken. The Reezy-Peezy was good, the gumbo was just ok. I'm used to thicker broth with gumbo, and this was a little watery. Dessert was good too, I got salty sorghum ice cream with oat streusel (which is crumbs). I sampled the bourbon bread pudding by one of my party, and it was SOO good! I tried the fries but not the mac n cheese or chicken. The 20% automatic fee is still an issue, and though we ate for free, we insisted on paying it since we got good service. It was kind of busy for a Tuesday night. I'd go again but only for carryout. The service industry is still in 'recovery' phase these days. read more

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This has been one of my favorite spots in Chicago since 2011. I have dined here for brunch and dinner, but this review will focus on their brunch I had in mid-December of this year. The beignets never disappoint, and there are some new additions I truly enjoyed. I was part of a group of 3, and we ordered their buttermilk biscuits (we requested sausage gravy as an addition) and skillet cornbread. For our main entrees, we ordered the fried chicken dish, sautéed duck rillettes, and tres leches pancakes. We also ordered beermosa flights, which we all enjoyed. Delicious food and an excuse to be in Andersonville. A win across the board. read more

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Excellent fried chicken, great staff and love the happy hour prices. The cornbread is delicious too.

I have been here three times and have loved each visit. There are a few vegetarian items, so each time I've gotten the tomato and goat cheese omelet. The goat cheese is rich and perfect, and I love the side of cheese grits. I also always love to get an order of fresh buttermilk biscuits. Service is always fast and friendly, and the restaurant has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Big Jones never disappoints. My only suggestion would be to expand the coffee menu to include espresso drinks. read more

Big Jones - Buttermilk biscuits - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If your in the mood for Southern style food, look no further than Big Jones. You can't go wrong with anything here, everything we ordered and everyone else in our party had nothing but rave reviews. I started off with Beignets (3 per order) and the skillet cornbread. The cornbread was by far the most delicious item of the meal. So, be sure you get it, served with melted butter on top! For my meal I got the Egg Bayou which contains crawfish, pork/bacon, sour cream, bearnaise sauce. The sauce had a bit of spicy kick (in a good way). The dish came with your choice of side, I opted for hash. My husband got the griddle cakes which were like pancakes but extremely fluffy and light with layers of a sweet sauce and berries. When we are back in Chicago we will be sure to stop by again for brunch! read more

Big Jones - Berry Rice Griddle cakes - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Unbelievable good fried chicken. Service was stellar. Pleasant surrounding tables a little close. Only neg would prefer side choice with chicken. I would recommend you won't be disappointed read more

Went to Big Jones for a late brunch. Very homey spot with kind, attentive staff. Highly recommend the Eggs Bayou Lafourche- the popovers were the best I've had. Fruit cup was very fresh and tasty! read more

Big Jones - Eggs Bayou Lafourche - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Well Big Jones has delicious Fried Chicken, and interesting take on a smokey Gumbo, wonderful choices is fresh brewed Teas and warm beignets. I can't recommend the Shrimp and Grits ‍ but the service was beyond excellent. I loved how special Blake made me and my girl feel. I want to return because of Blake, the food and to try their dinner menu. We came Saturday during Brunch read more

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Went for brunch on a weekend. I had shrimp and grits, they are good but nothing special. The sauce on top tasted a kind of similar to their gumbo. I also had gumbo for a starter, it was light but had good flavor. It came with some rice but their rice was dry and they soaked up a lot of soup. So you might want your rice for the side. The tables are really close to each other so it would be really loud especially during busy brunch time. And also, like a lot of people mentioned here, their service is slow. They are nice but just slow so I do not recommend the place if you are super hungry and can't wait for your waiters/waitress for extra minutes. Overall, they are good but nothing special. I rather try new places so won't go back. read more

Big Jones - Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came as a large group for dinner with a reservation and were pretty quickly seated in the back of the restaurant. Weirdly though, we were then told that we'd have different (worse) service which came as quite a bit of a surprise to us, because who even says that? The menu online is different than the one that's printed at the restaurant and that really threw us off because we had a few vegetarians in the group and there were fewer options than originally advertised. The food was fine and cocktails were good, but truthfully nothing special, and the service was minimal but the servers were polite. The restaurant was playing loud music, though the playlist was pretty good. One thing that really threw me off was that they allowed soliciting indoors of their patrons, which soured the experience. I am willing to bet that brunch here would be way better than dinner, but I don't think I will be coming back to try it. read more

I came in for dinner on a Saturday night. I would recommend making a reservation for weekend dinner service as it was quite busy. We started with the fried green tomatoes, which were light and crisp. I really enjoyed the vibrant piccalilli sauce that was at the bottom of the plate. We also ordered the deviled crawfish cakes. A perfect bite consisted of crawfish cake, remoulade, and topped with the corn relish. For my entrée I ordered the duck and oyster etouffee. The roux had lots of depth and flavor, which soaked into the steamed dumplings in a good way. My favorite part of this dish were the large oysters that were extremely tender. It's a filling dish and doesn't pack much heat/spicy, which I prefer. Overall, the service and food were outstanding. read more

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Great restaurant with tasty food. Big size portions for the entrees. Parking is limited as you have to parallel park in front of surrounding businesses. The restaurant has a small dining room, so your privacy seems limited. All In all it's a great restaurant to check out if you love New Orleans style food. read more

Big Jones - Catfish and Grits - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went for lunch with 2 friends. There was only 1 other customer. We ordered food, drinks. We did not get drink for over 30 minutes and food took almost an hour. We saw 2 other tables get food before us! only ordered omelets and fried green tomato sandwich. The reason for delay per server was that the orders are cooked when received?? When food arrived, eggs were undercooked and sandwich was more bread than tomatoes.I keep going back thinking things improve but they don't! Never again. read more

Ambience and staff was fantastic. Loved our waiter as well. Prices were a little high and the food was good but not great. Nothing blew me away as I was hoping it would. That being said I liked every part and was happy with how many unique dishes were available. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves real southern bayou food. read more

Big Jones - Fried Chicken Dinner with honey bread and Sweet potatoes - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I just moved from Virginia to Chicago and was craving some good ole southern food. My husband and I decided to try out Big Jones for a lunch date. The restaurant was not very crowded - a handful of tables were occupied inside and outside. The restaurant is simply decorated and a nice open area with plenty of tables throughout. We ordered the chicken sandwich and the charred andouille poor boy sandwich. The chicken sandwich was the star of the show. Everything else was rather mediocre - our fries were pretty cold and sort of stale which was disappointing because we ended up waiting a good amount of time for our food so not sure why they couldn't just fry up a batch of fresh fries. My husband felt like the bread was also pretty dense for a poor boy sandwich. The service was really good and the cocktail drink I ordered was also super delicious. read more

Great vibe. Great food. Great drinks. Being in the heart of Andersonville, it's a wonderful place to take out of town visitors. Plenty to do in the neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods. The food is not shy on spices and has an authentic southern feel (note: I'm no expert in southern cuisine, so don't hold it against me if you think I'm wrong). Regardless, the food is vibrant. Lots of great flavors. I've been here a half dozen times and have never been disappointed! Also... During Covid, my family would sometimes order the chicken dinner for pick-up. It was always a special treat!! read more

Big Jones is a southern restaurant in Andersonville that has been in business for over 15 years now. It's run by a chef that has been nominated for a James Beard award and was a contestant on Beat Bobby Flay. And he beat him with a breakfast sandwich that's featured on their brunch menu. After watching that episode I was dying to try it. Their menu features a lot options of the Southern variety and everything on it looks incredibly appetizing. I came in with the intent of ordering that breakfast sandwich, but after browsing through the menu I was seriously considering getting something else. I decided to go with the breakfast sandwich, though. My girlfriend and I ordered the breakfast sandwich that comes with a side of your choice (I ordered the cheesy grits), the potatoes O'Brien, the Cajun pancakes, the skillet cornbread, and a biscuit. The sandwich was huge and it had a chaurice sausage patty, egg, Swiss cheese, and spicy apple chutney on a buttermilk biscuit. I really enjoyed it and the grits were some of the best I have ever had. The potatoes are basically hash browns and are super affordable since they only cost three bucks. The Cajun pancakes are essentially blueberry crepes that are great and the cornbread was really solid, as well. Overall, it was a really satisfying meal and I can definitely see why this place has gained loyal customers throughout the years. I also think everything is reasonably priced for the amount of food you get. I saw servers carrying around fried chicken and they were HUGE and looked incredibly appetizing. I do plan on coming back at some point to try other items on the menu. read more

I had absolutely no intentions on eating lunch out today. After a morning of running errands and going grocery shopping because all that was in the fridge was baking soda, I just wanted to pick up my lunch and go. I had a taste for Big Jones. So, I drove straight from the grocery store to this restaurant located in Andersonville. I had not been to this place since September 2020 for my pre-birthday dinner, and I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a late Sunday afternoon, and I had some of the best food I had ever tasted. Therefore, I was TOTALLY looking forward to today's lunch! "We don't serve takeout during Brunch." WHAT! Really?! "But I can sit you at the high table if you dine in." Well, I am hungry. It is a nice day, and I just paid for parking. Okay. So, I was seated and my order was taken by the same hostess who greeted me, Aisha J. Aisha was very sweet and knowledgeable. She made me feel welcomed, comfortable, and at home. We even had a great conversation beyond food and drinks. Apparently, it's Mardi Gras time and my Mardi Gras Brunch was RIGHT ON TIME! From the Gumbo, to the Cornbread Skillet, and finally to the Beignets; every morsel melted in my mouth. I had to wash this food down with a special Rum Punch. Big Jones did NOT come to play! What a great place to dine on Southern/Creole inspired dishes in a neighborhood that has a suburban feel in a big city setting! Compliments to the Chef & Owner! A special shout out goes to Hostess Aisha J. and Manager Blake for exceptional customer service and conversation! If you are in the area, visit Big Jones, and tell them that I sent you! read more

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Fiancé and I made a reso for this place for brunch. I'd been wanting to try it for years and always forget about it. Alas, here we are. Summary first: There are far better southern food establishments in our fine city. Pros: Seriously good coffee. Decor is fun and welcoming. Beignets are super good. Cons: Service. A million times over, the service. They were packed. It was a Saturday. Staffing is short everywhere. Nope, not the case here. We were sat but no one came to greet us for a solid 10 minutes. No joke that people who came in 20 minutes after us were eating by the time our order was even taken. It was insane. Brunch with a reservation for 2 people and no drinks should not take 90 minutes. Mediocre: The food. The biscuits and gravy were uninspired. The grits were legit but I wouldn't go out of my way for them. Hit up Pearl's for a much better experience and better food. read more

Big Jones - Beignets and Coffee - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Have heard many good things and decided to come for restaurant week. Sadly our experience was underwhelming :( the menu was highlighting crawfish which I love! The risotto app had a weird balance of flavor, seemed to be overly acidic, not very creamy and lacked flavor. Gumbo definitely had a dark roux as advertised but almost tasted slightly burnt and opposite of the risotto, felt too intensly flavored that I couldn't finish the broth. Both had fair amounts of tiny tiny crawfish in it the size of a fingernail which I'm used to seeing larger sizes of. The monkeybread was bland except for the cheese toping but that was it...the middle was just plain and tasted...well like plain white bread. Asked for butter which helped but the bread needed more herbs or a side of salted herb infused butter. Entrees were also meh- blackened chicken with rice was tasty with a giant spear of semi crunchy broccoli underneath because the stalk was so thick but the florets was cooked well. The etouffee was perfectly flavored but a very small portion - even the rice was a mini scoop of rice. Dessert was forgettable. Loved the homemade whipped cream but rumbaba was overbaked and hard on the bottom. The chocolate delight was good with the filling but the short bread crust didn't hold and was dry. For $39 for 3 courses the price was ok considering seafood but I wad severely let down by the quality of food. Hard to consider if it's worth coming back to try their other southern dishes after this meal... read more

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Been here couple of times and always a quaint little spot with good food. Tried their pickle sampler and it's interesting if you like pickled foods or pickles in general. From watermelon to Brussel sprouts.... One of those try it once type appetizers. I got their shrimp and grits in the past and was good but wanted to try their steak and eggs, which was ok. Wasn't a huge fan of the salsa. I think I'll stick to the shrimp and grits. We also got the Brewster OatGroats which was actually pretty good if you like duck. We sat near the bar and our waitress from the bar was very attentive. read more

20% service fee added to our bill. My guess is due to COVID but life has been pretty normal for about a year here in Chicago so I am curious what it's for. Either way, food was 10/10, service was 10/10, got sat immediately at 12pm on a Sunday. Tip: you don't need a reservation for the bar seating! read more

Big Jones - Menú - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went here for my buddy's bachelor party weekend, we had five people that were all decent sized guys sort of wedged into a regular size 4 top, and they accommodated moving us to a better table, which was great. Our server was really friendly, the drinks were solid (only 2 drinkers), I think all of the food that we had was either interesting or close to excellent. I can't recall there's anything that I was just average on, I think if I lived in the neighborhood and I could walk here, it would be a five-star place, because I would know the menu better and be able to not spend as much as we did for only being there for about an hour. So I would call it a very solid restaurant, but also given how many great Chicago restaurants there are I wouldn't need to go back unless we happened to be in the area. Therefore a hard, solid 4 read more

What a great Cajun experience. The food was very authentic and tasty. The server was attentive. I would definitely go back.

I loved the food and drinks I had at Big Jones. The restaurant isn't huge but for my friend and I it was just fine. We didn't make a reservation but the staff was very nice about it and seated us right away despite it being a Friday. The food did take a while but it was so worth it. I got the half chicken white meat meal with the greens. I wasn't a fan of the greens at all, not your traditional greens and I also didn't feel like it had much seasoning. But the fried chicken was amazing. So juicy and well seasoned. It went so well with the gravy they had. Like, amazing gravy. But what really set this meal to impress me was the jerk hot sauce. Next time I go, I have to buy a bottle. The mac and cheese was also pretty good. Well seasoned and not too cheesy but not too dry either. I liked the biscuit, but it was a little dry. The drinks were amazing, especially the lavender one! Will be back! read more

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I live 2 hours away in Michigan from the restaurant. My neighbor has a place in Chicago close by. I have order takeout 3 times and my neighbor has brought it over . ALL 3 times the orders have been messed up. One half the chicken order missing, 2 the sides were missing. 3 called back to place... chicken wasn't in oder. 3 for 3 messed up. Today I tried to place a pick up take out order for tomorrow at 10 am with 24 hours advance notice and they said they don't do take at brunch !!!! Chicken is fantastic but NOT WORTH THE HASSLE! If you can't take a pick up take out order for a repeat customer 2 hours away that's on you!!! AND this customer is DONE! read more

Stumbled in here after Having martinis at Marty's down the street. I just wanted a little snack and these fried green tomatoes were amazing. Great service, friendly staff!! read more

Big Jones - Fried Green Tomatoes!!! Delish!! - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What an unexpected gem. I would have passed right by this place as when I think "southern" food the connotation leads me elsewhere but I repeat DO NOT miss Big Jones. Their southern charm is imminent throughout the homey feeling decor and table settings and the menu ranges from southern staples like made-to-order corn bread and pimento cheese to twists on flavors like a Thai inspired blackened catfish with grits. It was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. read more

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I decided to try this place for brunch, and it's been on my list of places to try for a very long time. When I got there I was seated immediately, and the staff was very very nice. I waited wayyyyy too long for my food (about an hour and a half). It was quite frustrating because I noticed people getting their food around us at a much quicker rate. When the food came out, it was good! I got the biscuits and gravy with a side of bacon. The turnip greens that came with the biscuits and gravy were subpar but everything else was really really good. They got 3 stars instead of four stars because there was a 20% service charge on the bill for a table of two, so I am guessing they put it on everybody's check. For the amount of time I waited for the food, I didn't think they 20% was warranted, but I didn't complain. read more

This has long been my favorite spot in Chicago -- a place where I can get southern dishes I grew up with. It has always been our go-to for my birthday and Father's Day, but two out of the last three visits have been disappointing. This morning my egg sandwich was really overcooked. The biscuit was hard and dry, the egg yolk was almost crumbly like it had been hard boiled, the cheese was rubbery, and the chutney wasn't really detectable. Someone at the next table had the same dish and their preparation looked pretty different. I ate about a third before I had to tell them. They took it away and removed it from the bill, but didn't bring me a menu or offer to replace it. Probably just bad luck, but a disappointing birthday brunch. Three stars for all the great meals I've had in the past. read more

I had a lovely server named Aaron so my rating is not based at all on his service. This was my 2nd attempt at dining here. I came many yrs ago and I was hoping to have a fantastic experience sadly I did not. I ordered the corn bread which was good however my fried green tomatoes were raw and woefully under seasoned. My hurricane was almost undrinkable this is not the servers fault but due to the fact that syrups were used instead of fruit juice like most traditional hurricane drinks my drink tasted like a Long Island that had been left out overnight. When I got the bill 20 percent was tacked on I normally tip above that so I like tipping myself. I think based on other reviews here the owner needs to advise people instead of tacking it on which is tacky. Service is very good here but the food lacks authenticity read more

Big Jones - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Been here a couple times over the past two years and thought they were alright, but this last visit was the best. Food came out relatively quick, server was attentive and prompt, and the remodel made the setting so much better. Before, it was cramp feeling and dark. I think we also made better food choices. Like last time we went for the fried chicken and it took forever. This time we came for brunch and shared the quintessential choices like the... breakfast sandwich that beat Bobby Flay - really different from the typical breakfast sandwich you're used to. Everything in it was delicious and flavors were like POW! You get to choose a side, so we went with the greens which were yummy. crab cake benedict on popovers - popovers were over baked/ hard to cut into, but besides that everything tasted delicious. This dish is a good counter to the heavy sandwich. We visited Charleston a couple months ago (went to places like Husk, Callie's hot biscuit, Hannibal's...) and in comparison Big Jones is up there. I think they do a nice modern take on Southern dishes. read more

Big Jones - Breakfast sandwich that beat Bobby Flag - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came for brunch earlier today. Got a Bloody Mary. Spicy not too spicy, don't know many places will put pickled Okra in the garnish. Got a side of grits. They were decent. Believe they came from some kind of small batch mill or something. Also went with Fried Chicken. Very satisfied in the spices/ seasonings they used as well as the portion size. Couldn't even finish it all during brunch. Yay leftovers. Also went with a Last Word cocktail. The biscuits were unique with what what was either honey in the biscuits or butter. This was a great meal!! read more

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We have been here many times and have never been disappointed. Today was no different. We were here for Thanksgiving dinner and it was fantastic. Top notch, creative menu and setellar service. Perfect wine pairings. This place is a neighborhood gem. read more

The place is very cute, and and the service is okay. We were here on a Monday night and there was only one other table. Fried green tomatoes were great, as were the biscuits and my friend's shrimp and grits I tried. I got the mushrooms, and while they were plated beautifully the serving size was tiny and the flavor kind of bland. Especially for $28. This seems to be the only vegetarian entree, so I'm not sure if they are trying to up-charge? The worst part of the experience was my friend's burger. The server forgot to put it in with the rest of our food, no worries accidents happen. But they didn't even come back to check how our food was. We had to flag them down to tell them. When my friend finally received his food he took one bite and the burger was completely raw on the inside. I get trying to rush to fill a forgotten order, but it's actually dangerous to serve something like that. They comped the burger, but really no other apology or explanation. There are simply too many other establishments that are far superior at this price range. I don't think I would go back, even for the brunch that looked tasty. read more

Big Jones - Raw burger wee were served - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So those 2 YT guys who attempt to eat every sandwich in Chicago gave this place a very favorable review of the chicken sandwich, so I thought I'd give it a shot . While I must admit the chicken recipe itself is very tasty , i found the rest of the sandwich a little underwhelming, the peppers and sauce weak to my taste and the roll just ok, I prolly would have enjoyed the hot version more.....More importantly, the joint failed me in two of my sensitive pet peeve areas. The first is the poor quality of the carbonated beverage, in my case a gross root beer from what appeared to be spewed from an old school soda gun, where it is crucial to get the syrup/gas mix right which they did not. My server was nice and understanding and made a couple attempts, but failed. They had no canned soda either. I also wish that my server didn't walk past my sandwich and ,crucially , my fries, 5 times while I watched the half -life of fry /minutes wither those poor formerly crispy morsels on the serving counter. I asked the other maybe manager guy if that was my sandwich getting cold and he replied its not getting cold , but I knew the fries had passed their prime already........ read more

Most people I know that go to Big Jones go for the brunch. I am not one of those people as I see nothing about bottomless mimosas on their menu or website. So, there you go. But I did happen to go there last night for dinner, so this a tale of that meal. Our lovely neighbors decided to take me and The Doctor to dinner, so this was their selection. I am happy to say this was a lovely experience. I know Big Jones toots itself as Southern cuisine but being from the South and having grown up with women (and men) who know/knew how to burn, this is the Yankee version of Southern cuisine and that's okay. The interior is warm and inviting, although I think the host/hostess podium is too close to the entrance. The bar area is cute and has bubbles, with comfortable seats that swivel. The bartender working was pleasant and had a lovely smile. The dining room was nicely laid out and not too brightly lit. The tables had a decent amount of space between them. One thing I can't stand are places that try to capitalize on squeezing as many people into a space as possible. While the dining room looked great, we ended up dining outside on the back patio. It was cool to get back there. You must walk through the restaurant to the back, take a right pass the restrooms, then a left down another walkway (turn around and you will see the kitchen) and viola, you are outside. The patio is cute and inviting, with several two and four top tables. I am guessing because it was a Wednesday and it was going to possibly rain, we were able to get a table outside. We started with a great bottle of bubbles (Mawby Brut from Michigan...love!), Buttermilk Biscuits with a blackberry jam/sorghum butter and the Boucherie Board (house-cured meats, relishes, breads & crackers). This was a great start to the meal and I could have ended dinner here. The biscuits were great, light, and fluffy but with enough body that they didn't fall apart while spreading the jam on it. They were a perfect complement to the board. The cured meats and relishes nice and tasty, but a little on the pricey side, clocking in at $26. Not sure what they were, but there were some lovely crackers served as well that had a little spicy kick to them. One friend got the Gumbo Ya-Ya. The menu said it was "made in the traditional Cajun style, but it looked a little darker than what I am used to seeing. I didn't try it, but I know my friend is picky and he ate it with relish. For dinner I got the Barbecued Pork Shoulder, served on buttermilk roll with coleslaw on top. It came with a choice of sides, so I went with the cheesy grits and got an extra side of fries. The grits were on point and I was happy to say that it was refreshing to have grits that had that coarse texture that I remember growing up as a kid. Don't get me wrong, I love a finer grit with a creamy consistency, but it was great chowing down on that side dish. The French fries were nicely salted and cut on the thick side, served in a small cast iron looking pot. The pork shoulder was very good and Big Jones did not skimp on the meat. But gotta say I have mad respect for Big Jones on the swine front. As we were sitting on the patio having our drinks, a delivery man walked through the back gate with a huge pig wrapped in plastic over his shoulder, then went back out and got another. Talk about fresh pig! That was impressive. I wish I had gotten a photo, but he was moving fast. Mad Mad Respect Big Jones! Finished up with strawberry short cake, biscuit style. For me, this is a version of the dessert that I grew up with, using dessert biscuits instead of lady fingers. This was served with fresh strawberries in a light syrup over the biscuits. The biscuits were not too sweet and very tasty. This dessert would have been on point if there had been a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top of the biscuits, then covered in the strawberries (think about Big Jones). The Doctor got a burger with a side of the greens. I tried a little of the greens to see how they tasted. They were not bad, prepared Afro-Caribbean style with coconut milk and benne (think African sesame seeds). They were decent. Our server was lovely...don't remember his name (sorry lovely guy) but you can see his photo holding the bubbles. He was attentive and checked in on us often. He was lovely relocating us from the patio to the inside dining room when it looked like it was going to rain on us. Overall experience was a pleasant one and I can see myself going back here. Just not for brunch...gotta kick it with my girls (and boys) where the mimosas are bottomless. read more

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I've dined in for brunch and dinner. I've ordered delivery and. ..Big Jones is just ok. I'm not surprised they're so busy considering the neighborhood. Let's just say is doesn't have the most soulful collection of down home diners. The 4 & 5 star reviewers probably didn't grow up with Grandma's soulful cooking. I appreciate them staying true to "historically correct" recipes, I just wish they had better sources. I enjoyed dinner more so than brunch, but not by much. Our beignets were tough and had clearly sat out too long. The server was too busy to check on us, so I didn't get a chance to ask for a fresh batch. Even though I readily admit, Soul Food is one of the few cuisines Chicago doesn't do well from a restaurant perspective. ..I still can't endorse Big Jones. read more

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You cannot be this good and make those big portions. The Food. Epic. The portions Epic. The Flavors hit the spot. I dont think i've ordered anything that i have not liked. I am a picky eater. I order the exact same thing at a restaurant every week. Yet, every time i come here i order something new. It just works. Give it a shot!!!! read more