What a lovely find. Located off the 290 South Exit on Harlem Ave, West on Madison. Located on the North Side of the Street. Pay to park street parking , reasonable price. The signs and store front were very inviting, so I decided to stop in. I was having trouble locating a public restroom- they have a nice one here: fab how they've kept the charm alive! Reasonable priced beverage . $6 for High Noon. They've been in business a really long time here. Fantastic traditional family style diner place. I noticed they offer catering and banquet space . Specials were posted in the chalk board. I didn't try the food, but overall the service I received was nice. Fantastic items on the menu! They have fantastic memorabilia for the Local Schools and Sports Teams. Very clean place. I went in before 10pm, they were winding down , but I didn't feel rushed at all. Such a great find here on Madison Street in this lovely neighborhood. Many beautiful homes all around and a great smoke shop right across the street. Great place for a daytime tour, cool shops nearby. I'd like to return and try a meal, give them an additional raring on that read more

Great service and the food was very homemade Italian. We got the pepperoni pizza, ravioli, spaghetti, meatballs and sausage. Everything was delicious and flavorful. The sauce is a little sweet but not in a negative way. I was pouring it over everything. Great atmosphere. Will be back. read more

Jimmy's Place - Sausage and meatballs - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Really great thin crust pizza. Great entrees. And most of all just nice people, very attentive, whether you're picking up or dining in

I left an item at the restaurant. I called the restaurant the next day, Jimmy returned my call later that day. He found my item and put it aside for me. So, kind. The young lady who greeted me was so gracious read more

Everyone was so nice, great service, warm fresh bread to start. The breaded steak sandwich was better than ricobenes!!!! Fries were perfect balance. Escarole and beans very good. Fried zucchini was abundant and expertly prepared. Great prices. read more

We had a family gathering. There may have been 20 or more of us. They took care of us with great service and good food. We enjoyed salad, pasta, and pizza and even a gluten free pizza. Although most of the family drank soda, I was pleased to find they carry Heineken 0.0. My only complaint is that the noise level is very high but that's also a testament to how much fun the many customers were having. read more

The food was good as hell but i took a dump and the doors were like see through and it was open so i didn't have privacy read more

Jimmy's Place - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

I attended a memorial service for an old friend at Jimmy's place. The food and service and hospitality.m were all excellent.

The restaurant has a decent amount of seating. There was a large party in the second room. The service was friendly. The calamari was very good with just the right amount of breading and crunch. We tried the shrimp appetizer which has a little kick. I enjoyed my baked mostaccioli. My husband liked his pork chop and potatoes. The portions allowed for leftovers. Lastly, the tiramisu was good but not great. The bussers were very eager hard workers! They were checking on us often! read more

Good reliable neighborhood restaurant. We order pizza from here several times a year. Pizza is our favorite from them, as it's a tavern style thin crust. Pasta dishes and other dishes are a bit hit or miss. I have ordered a pasta that was delicious and then the next time we order the exact same thing it tastes like the sauce came from a jar. But the service is good, along with the prices. read more

Melt in your mouth good authentic Italian food. At first I didn't understand the menu. Like why do all these pasta dishes not come with meat? But after researching Italian cuisines, I learned that pasta is a course in of itself, and it and its sauce should stand on its own. Jimmys place does this perfectly. I had homemade cavatelli with vodka sauce, with a sausage as a side. I started of those with a perfectly made Negroni. The food here is well worth the price. I will have to stop in next time I'm in Chicagoland. read more

Jimmy's never disappoints! The cavatelli with vodka sauce was delicious, as well as the sausage. We also had the salmon and t bone steak. Portion for the salmon was a bit small, but it tasted great. Friendly and attentive service and owner Jimmy was very hospitable. Come here for great Italian food! read more

Jimmy's Place - Homemade Cavatelli with Vodka Sauce - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

This place cannot be beat. Food is awesome. Drinks are great and reasonably price. Atmosphere is comfortable and casual. Staff always makes you feel welcome. read more

The food is excellent-- just like your Grandma would have made if she were an amazing chef. But the service is incredible. I'd ear here every day if I could. read more

Attended a graduation party here last week. This is a great location with good food and a unique bar atmosphere. Everything appeared to be clean -- including the bathrooms. The vodka pasta made with fresh pasta and the most delicious vodka sauce and the fresh bread with garlic olive oil were the shining stars of the food provided at the party. The Cesar, house, and hot cannellini bean with greens salads were all fresh and yummy as well. The chicken, meatballs, sausage and peppers and cheese ravioli were all very good too. The owner, Jimmy, was onsite during most of the party but ended up leaving early leaving his staff to work the party. When Jimmy realized the party guests were not heavy drinkers and most were only ordering sodas and Shirley temples his attitude changed and he told the guests the bar was out of grenadine which is very hard to believe when the place had not even opened for the day. The dessert sampler platters provided at the part were pretty good. The cheesecake and chocolate cake were the best. I did not have the carrot cake since it had pecans in it. A HUGE warning regarding the Cannoli here - I took one bite of the cannoli and noticed it tasted very funny. I have had numerous cannolis in my life from all sorts of Italian places and this one did not taste like any cannoli I've ever had. Side note -- I have a very bad allergy to peanuts and do everything I can to avoid eating them and I usually check for labels saying peanuts are included. However the dessert platters were not labeled and I am used to pistachios being included in cannoli but not peanuts. I ended up having an allergic reaction and needing to take Benadryl to get my symptoms under control. Upon closer review of the cannoli, the chopped nuts on them were definitely peanuts that had been rolled on the ends of the cannoli with green sprinkles to turn them green (making them look very similar to chopped pistachios). My uncle called the restaurant the next day and asked what kind of nuts they use and the woman who answered the phone immediately stated they use peanuts. I would be willing to come back for the delicious Lillian food and a glass of wine but will be avoiding the cannoli at all cost which is sad because I love cannoli. read more

Now the food at Jimmy's was good and not bad for Forest Park and the service was great and the beers were cold , I would definitely be returning to try something different read more

I have ordered from Jimmy's Place many times through out the years and just recently catered a dinner sent to my nephew and wife who just had twins, with a 3 yr old at home also. They were so happy to receive the meal of sausage, potatoes, peppers and salad. They loved it! Jimmy delivered this order himself and if I heard correctly even took a picture with the new twins!!! Thanks so much for making their dinner experience a great one for them Jimmy. I know you now some more new customers.... Mary Lynn Pelzer read more

Good food, good people, good prices. They don't have their own delivery frivers though, so I recommend carryout or dining in.

We had a funeral luncheon at Jimmy's. He was so kind and helpful. His daughter and all the other servers working that day were empathetic to my family. Pizzas absolutely delicious. Spacious and clean we were able to host all of our guest. I was worried about parking, but there's plenty street parking in the neighborhood. Thank you Jim. Definitely plan on going back with my family . read more

Okay, they earned these stars because, not only was the food good, but they opened for a funeral luncheon on a Saturday afternoon. They most certainly did not have to do that. The servers were attentive providing drinks and then pizzas to each table. And, may I point out that every table in the restaurant was occupied. The rest of the food was offered as a buffet that included pasta, chciken, salad, veggies, and sausage and peppers. A nice selection of desserts rounded out the meal. Totally enjoyable. Now the problem is parking. Madison has become a very lively street for dining and shopping. Parking is sparse and you have to pay whether it be street parking or lot. If you find a spot ~ enjoy. read more

I came here as a fundraiser event for a local school. First off, the staff (from the greeter to the server) were kinda dicks. One told us where to sit, then we were yelled at by another for sitting there. And it kinda went the same way from there on. Sure, they were busy, but the time from ordering, be it drinks, apps or mains, was terrible. Way terrible. The food was fine, nothing to write home about, but fine. Compared to something in Little Italy, it's not even close. Over all, given a choice, you probably want to choose elsewhere. I'm happy we helped the school fundraiser though, and if that were to happen again, I'd still come back to eat. read more

We love jimmy's place! Yummy food, good people. My fav is the antipasto salad and pasta w vodka sauce, and you cant go wrong w any pasta.

Bad place bad people. We came in and were disgusted by the service and the food will not be returning

This was a neighborhood spot known for solid, Italian "fast food." While it mimics a decor blend of "bar meets family friendly Italian," it is time for a re-fresh. The restaurant appears shabby, run down and now needs kitchen attention. Our family ordered an appetizer of clams, the meatball salad, and a pasta entree. Unfortunately, none of it was prepared well. Meatballs were gray because they were under cooked, the clams were minuscule and dripping in a soupy "sauce" (instead of being properly breaded) and the pasta was sticky, cold and in a tomato sauce that was not pleasing. While we know this is not a fine dining establishment, food should still be served hot and appetizing. read more

Service a bit slow but everyone was nice and accommodating. Stop by for pizza to go - it was overcooked - almost burnt.

Pizza was off and service was strange . What happened new owners or what ?. Pizza crust and taste was pretty bland not crisp as had a different make up as in the past . Asked for an OldStyle in a bottle and got a draft and told me it was OldStyle. Really. Did not recognize one server what up ? read more

This is my third review of Jimmy's in the past 12 years - my six-year "rotation review" is "due", so time to share another post. We went for my brother's birthday - four of us altogether. The last time I had been there was six years ago - my last visit didn't really leave me wanting for more. I'd say that feeling didn't change after this trip - the food was good, but nothing spectacular. I can't recall our server's name - it was her first day. She did pretty well except for one oversight. I decided to order gnocchi. Generally, most gnocchi are the small pillows with the lightly embedded fork marks in them. But these were more like semi-wide linguine noodles cut in 3/4 inch lengths. It was OK, but not as good as what I was anticipating. My brothers both ordered cavatelli with vodka sauce - this dish is probably the restaurant's featured entree. This is where the newbie missed - she brought them both cavatelli with red sauce. They looked past it but mentioned it to her later just as an fyi. She was very apologetic. I didn't catch exactly what my sister-in-law ordered, but she was good with it. So we had a decent meal and I decided to pick up the tab - about $140 for the four of us with two appetizers, only one beer and no dessert. I gave the waitress my debit card and get back the receipt to sign... it's about $4 higher than the amount on the check. A closer look reveals a "processing fee". That's the first time I've ever been charged that on a debit card - kinda ticked me off a bit. Once again I leave this place not craving for more - like I used to when it first opened. read more

Unfortunately the pasta was mediocre at best. We were really exited to try this place being on the main strip in forest park we had high expectations but the pasta was lacking so much flavor! I had fettuccine alfredo which was extremely bland and the sauce was chunky, my partner had chicken parmesan with red sauce and he told me that he'd had canned sauce be better. I'm not even a picky eater but for the price I could've gone somewhere else and gotten x10 better pasta. read more

This is an incredible Italian restaurant in a very friendly and humble setting. Portions are incredible, the quality is beyond compare. This is becoming a go to Italian restaurant for us. read more

Their pizza is amazing...perfect ratio of cheese and sauce. However the hidden gem is Gina: personal, genuine, and makes a killer old fashioned. Stumbled upon Jimmy's by chance...nothing else in the neighborhood was open and we were hungry. Restaurant was empty and I had some concerns as to why that might be....and after such a pleasant experience there should be a line out the door. Pizza wasn't cheap but it darm good and worth it. I'll absolutely return! Gina, you rock! read more

People who are saying how good the food is are definitely wrong here. Let me start off by saying, my wife ordered the salmon with roasted potatoes and it was hard as wood. My son ordered the fish pasta (Jimmys specialty) and when it came to the table there was a smell like an ashtray. I had to taste it for myself and it was terrible. The only good thing here is the pizza and fried veggies. The waitress was really nice and she took both of our bill . Jimmy came to our table and said and said what! You didn't like my fish pasta. Never the less he made us feel uncomfortable. And his recipe SUCKS! read more

Stumbled upon this place because it was close to Loyola Hospital. Can't say enough good things about the food and friendly hospitality. Jimmy and his staff took great care of my brothers and I - classic spot with a lot of character and history. read more

Been eating here for about 15 years. Tonight I was so very disappointed by what I witnessed while picking up my take out order. Guess they don't know about COVID restrictions, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and restaurant capacity guidelines? Because NOTHING was being followed tonight at 6pm when I was in this establishment. Owner Jimmy was running around with his bandanna mask around his neck. The UNMAKSED waitress stood with us at the door, holding a tray of drinks talking with us for well over 2 minutes. The bartender was behind the bar, and also trying to get take out orders out, he was fixing drinks, he was wearing a mask, had it looped around only 1 ear the other side was hanging down. Dine in customers were lined up booth after booth, no social distancing between booths, and NOBODY was wearing a mask! Only one booth was actually eating at the time, everyone else seemed to be chatting away, maskless of course. There was a party going on in the party room, people walking around, back and forth between rooms, NO MASKS, except for one elderly lady. Guess the Village Health Inspector needs to do their job, along with the State of Illinois. Both which I will be contacting this week. Our food, I paid for it, brought it home and threw it away! Because if they are not following the guidelines in the front of the house where the public is, makes you kind of wonder what is happening in the back? Sorry, after 15 years, we will not be patronizing this establishment again. read more

Food isn't that great and it's overpriced. I got the meat ravioli... the dough is really thick because they just shoved a meatball in it. Not worth $20 read more

Delicious!! My favorite is the shrimp saragusa, which is listed as an appetizer, but with 14 shrimp, some red pepper, garlic, butter, etc., it's like an Italian shrimp cocktail. Definitely my favorite item here and totally constitutes a full meal (at a great price, too). If you want a couple meals from an order, maybe try Jimmy's Homemade Cavatelli w/ Vodka Sauce--it's uh amazing uh-uh-amazing! read more

Jimmy's Place - Shrimp Saragusa and Jimmy's amazing bread - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Excellent service and good. Loved the atmosphere. We enjoyed it and would love to return when in the area again.

If your youth hockey team has a game scheduled at Ridgeland Commons ("The Ridge"), this is your pre-game meet-up location. The sizable bar can handle a group of 20 and it has plenty of tables for wait service, if you have time to sit down and eat. The food is very good. Highly recommend the stuffed mushrooms and the pizza. The kitchen can get overwhelmed when crowded, so if you know you're going to order pizza, call in your order before you arrive. It can take over 30 minutes for a thin-crust pie. It's worth the wait, if you have time. If you don't, you'd better call ahead. A great hangout for Fenwick Friars fans. read more

Made a reservation for a luncheon. Owner claims someone called to change the time. He did not get a name or confirm with me. As a result claimed we were late, and charged an extra fee on my credit card without my knowledge. Owner called my sister to complain about me after I talked to him about the unauthorized charge. Not too customer friendly. I would not recommend. read more

Love the place but delivery is hit and miss. ordered mushroom sausage and onion. got tomatoes onion sausage. not the end of the world but my receipt shows it correctly. Then the salad, yes a salad not antipasto but all lettuce a sliver of tomato,, sprinkler of cheese and sausage.. no artichokes etc.. nothing like the picture, but looked like a lame dinner salad.. I'll dine in,, but its not first delivery mistake. read more

This is a hard review to write because it is difficult to say which is the best The food- amazing (Shrimp Saragusa, Stuffed artichokes- Chicken Vesuvio, Eggplant parmigiana and Chicken parmigiana all perfect) The drinks- way toooo good The ambiance- great The family run business- second to none Live entertainment- perfect The service- couldn't be better All in all a tremendous experience and I would give it 10 stars if possible read more