Jim's is truly a Chicago institution and has been for as long as I could remember. Located right behind UIC forum, it has been the source of many late night munchies or post-Bulls game/UIC forum presentation moments for me. Although I think the quality has suffered a little bit post-COVID and the prices have definitely increased, it is absolutely still near and dear to my heart. If there's only one thing you can order, definitely do the polish. So simple, but I think it the salt from the sausage, sweetness from the caramelized onions, HEAT from the peppers, and starch from the bun makes a truly wonderful experience. Beyond that though, the pork chop sandwich and fish sandwich can also hit. They do sell out later in the night of things, but honestly I've had nights where all they've had were hamburgers / cheeseburgers and even they can hit the spot. All orders also come with fries and I'm always amazed how fluffy and crispy they always seem to be. It's takeout only but they do have standing tables if you're in a pinch. The armed security guard I know always makes this place seem like a sketchy spot for some people who haven't frequented, but it's always a good vibe here for me. Just grab your food and go. Eat in your car. Eat at home. Eat at the standing tables. Wherever you eat, just make sure you try Jim's at least once in your life! read more

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Cheap & delicious This is a corner restaurant with no seats and is popular with both locals and tourists. I ordered the bone-in porkchop sandwich and polish sausage dog and both were delicious. It was an experience eating standing up while hiding under a tree for shade (cuz it was hot as heck). Price is cheap but service feels a little hurried. Highly recommend! read more

Jim's Original - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Saw this on Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix and it looked fun. I like that is casual and quick. We got the polish sausage and fish sandwich based on the other reviews. We liked the polish sausage more than the fish sandwich, but the pepper was too spicy. Onions were delish. The fries were a fun surprise - much better than I expected. read more

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This place is great. The food is tasty. And free fries makes it even better. I would definitely recommend. read more

Jim's Original - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Parking is tough, the area smells bad, the place looks run down and the scene is basically daytime scary. I would come back tomorrow (during the day) for the food. Had the polish with everything and a soda. Less than 10 bucks and bills left to tip. Some of the hottest sport peppers I ever ate, but man were they good. Should have asked for less onions and more mustard. Sausage is fantastic. read more

Jim's has been a staple in Chicago for decades. One of the original remaining food stands from Maxwell Street market area. Located across the street from the Dan Ryan Expressway on Union street, park your car, jump in line, order and enjoy. The food is prepared pretty fast. Try the polish sausage, cheeseburger and hot dogs. Each comes with a bag of fries and served with grilled onions and yellow mustard. So good. read more

Jim's Original - Bag of Goodies: hot dog, cheeseburger, polish sausage and fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wish I didn't wait until the last full day of my trip to come because it was the best sausage I had in Chicago. I ordered a polish dog, and it automatically comes with fries. For less than $10, it's a whole filling meal. The sausage had the perfect amount of snappiness to it. Seasoned perfectly. A hearty hot dog. Onions and mustard were enough to cut the richness. The fries were great too. Slightly crispy, good flavor. Definitely make a trip out here if you can. You won't regret it. read more

Jim's Original - Polish Sausage - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a Chicago classic Amazing food Amazing service The best security guard And a feeling of being part of this amazing cities history! read more

Jim's Original - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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For this polish sausage sandwich to be so basic it was one of the best sandwiches (lol, hotdog) that I've had during my visit to Chitown. It's 24 hours and it was a line out there at 12a. I ordered and was served quickly, they aren't friendly but they aren't mean either. They just take your order and that's fine even for a talker like myself. read more

Day One in Chicago. Had to check this place out after seeing it featured on "Somebody Feed Phil". The Maxwell Street market was open today so tables were set up outside with lots of friendly people. Polish had the "Snap" we were looking for and the bone in pork chop was delicious. Service was fast and friendly. The peppers are HOT so be careful if you don't like spicy. Delicious lunch and a fun day so far. read more

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Legendary! Been going since the 70s at the original Jewtown location. Polish, hot dog and pork chop sandwich are the choices, Each is great. Grilled onions complete the deal. Fries are just OK, the hot peppers will blow your head off so beware. Cheap, fast, no frills, no ketchup. read more

Very dirty place . I mean I get it , it's a place to go late night after drinking for some and what not. But Be aware I saw the workers handling filthy money and buns and fries with the hands and not using gloves . It's not very sanitary. I called to speak to a manager and he didn't care to address any issue. He said go to a 5 star restaurant then if I wanted clean place to eat. The windows are filled with some type of film. I filed a report with the city of Chicago health department . They are not handling food well. And it's so overpriced anyway. They make it seem like the overall price will make up for the lack of quality and taste . Someone definitely has gotten food poisoning. Look it up on the city of Chicago website. Do not recommend. You've been warned . read more

BACKGROUND Alongside the famous Chicago dog and Italian beef, the Maxwell Street Polish is another historic Chicagoan food item, albeit a bit overshadowed. I already tried the first two earlier on during my vacation, so to complete the trifecta, my friend and I visited the first Jim's Original on the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) campus at around 6:00 PM on a Wednesday. Located next to a UIC parking lot, Jim's Original stands out with its bold red and yellow bricks and its tall signage. If you're curious about the history of this institution, their website is pretty insightful: http://jimsoriginal.com/History FOOD Obviously, I had to order the Polish sausage ($6.50). I appreciated how the price you saw on the menu was the price you paid since tax was already baked in. And they don't ask for a tip. To be frank (pun intended), I did not like the Polish sausage sandwich. First, I'm surprised that more reviews don't mention how the hot sport peppers are extremely spicy. I'm probably a little better than average when it comes to handling spicy foods. However, I took one bite of the sandwich with the peppers and started tearing up immediately and had to gulp down a lot of water. Maybe I got some extra spicy peppers, but I promptly removed them from the top of my sandwich. I thought the sausage itself was fine; the flavor was nothing to write home about, but it did have a snappy texture. I do love onions, and I'm indifferent to mustard. Therefore, I thought the entire sandwich was just okay. As stated on their menu, every sandwich order comes with free fries. They were the saving grace of the order. The fries were tasty, consisting of a nice salty flavor and a crisp texture. I'm glad I got to try the iconic Polish sausage, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Of course, my tastes and preferences are different from yours, so you might really enjoy it. The menu is extremely affordable, and I can definitely see why Jim's Original is so appealing. SERVICE When we arrived, there were no other customers, so it was a bit quiet. Therefore, the employees were fast, the service was quick, and I received my food immediately after paying. TIPS The menu has both the Polish sausage and the Polish sausage, all beef. I asked the employee which item was the traditional one, and he was very helpful and informed me it was the former. So if you want the original order with the same recipe and taste since 1943, get just the Polish sausage (source: https://jimsoriginal.com/Timeline ). read more

Jim's Original - Polish Sausage Sandwich - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Certainly worth a visit for some unique polish...just not the best polish in Chicago but probably one of the best in the country. I went to high school in Wisconsin and tried a lot of different polishes, sausages and hotdogs. Jim's has one of the best polish sausages around. The grilled onions alone are worth stopping to smell. The combination of onions, polish and hot peppers are a staple of JIm's and Chicago. Just one note, don't go to a dive for customer service. Pay your money, grab your food and roll out. read more

If you are here in Chicago, this is s must stop . Make the time , this place keeps moving food . This is a staple in the community. The sausage was deeelicios , whatch out for the greem pepper , very hot !. While you are there get the porkchop , its the right thing to do ! . You cab tell then no bun for the pirkchop . And its sharable . Put this in your chicago list . read more

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My pops would take me in the 80's & every now & then I take my son we order & eat in the car..... People watch, talk about our day & just enjoy our polish & burgers.... read more

A routine stop in that always evokes nostalgia of my UIC days. Solid, and I appreciate the polish and onions more for than ever.

Quick, affordable, delicious Polish hotdog! $6.50 you can get a hotdog with fries! The polish dog is in good size loaded with sauté onion on it. They open until 1AM so it's a good late night food option! read more

The food was Nasty and so was the service. I'm never going back again. The young man was so rude and NASTY.

We tried three hotdogs (portello's and weiner dog) while visiting chicago, and Jim's was the best hands down price and quality wise. A huge polish dog, mustard, and slathered with saulte'd onions along with a side of fries. Watch out though - the chili pepper is actually VERY spicey. read more

Be ready for poor customer service and sub par food. Dumb a$$ can't get an order right to save their lives and can't speak English.

Went for a little late night drive down Lake Shore in Chicago like my boyfriend & I used to do in high school. Since it was a far trip, we looked up late night eats in Chicago and decided on hot dogs. It was between this and Superdawg but I was wanting a Polish sausage more so came down to Jim's Original! Doing more research it's apparently been popular for over 80 years, and honestly I can see why. The Polish sausage was delicious! I got no onions since I don't like them but the hot pepper & the mustard was super good with it. My boyfriend got a hot dog to try out & it wasn't anything special, no snap to it. Clearly Polish sausages are their game. Fries come with all sandwiches & they were above average, battered & crispy. Got a side of cheese sauce to dunk them in & it was perfect. Great price for the city, great food, super fast service, & open late, what more could you ask for. read more

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It's the original Polish stand at Maxwell St that moved when they redid the area Best polish I've ever had! read more

We quite literally came across this place at about 2:30 in the morning on Wednesday. We were driving up from Indianapolis to catch an early morning flight, and all of us we're getting a bit hungry as the early morning cortisol level started rising. It's located just off the freewayIn an area of town where apparently a large number of people gather very early in the morning to eat hotdogs! There were two all night spots located on the same block, and this one is definitely the more by popular of the two. Polish dogs, hotdogs, burgers, pork sandwiches and fish sandwiches were all on the menu. We grabbed a pork burgers and a Polish dog. Definitely get them With onions, if they offer she used it's not a bad option as well. What is therefore not the best sandwich and Polish dog we've had,To get an extra star for being open at 2:30 in the morning on Wednesday. The line was surprisingly long, but everybody was very friendly. If you're in the area, it's worth checking out... Especially early in the morning. read more

Jim's Original - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Protip: Try it at least once Highlights: They are pretty efficient with their orders. Fries are included and the highlight of the meal for me personally. I'm not really into hot dogs, but I thought it was pretty good. Lowlights: Lines are a little long with a constant stream of people queueing read more

Jim's Original - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

no frills but overall experience was great and tasted like what true chicago cuisine is

Came here for the first time since my friend who grew up here, highly recommended it. I bought the polish dogs and hotdogs. Both are crazy flavorful and delicious, especially the polish dogs that has an amaaazing snap as you bite into it. My coworkers ordered the pork chop burger and she thought it was delicious and flavorful as well. The dogs came with grilled onions and peppers. Messy, but very delicious. This shop is a small hole-the-wall, but have decent prices and the staff are fast and friendly. Our orders came out within a minute after ordering our food. They have street parking and I think there's a small lot in the back. read more

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Remember the Aretha Franklin scene in the 'Blues Brothers', that's the real thing. Maxwell Street. I remember when I was a teenager, one of my first jobs was on Maxwell Street. It was nestled next to the South Water Markets produce warehouses, where my buddy Tommy and I would shop for his dads, produce stand in the wee hours of the morning on the weekends. When your a kid your braver than you are bright. We laugh about now. Who knew back then that his sisters would yell at his pop for allowing two 15-year-old boys without driver's licenses to operate the beat-up pickup truck to hustle produce on the docks for the family produce stand in the middle of the night. Much less, in one the most questionable of neighborhoods around. After we loaded up, we would hang around until early afternoon to help some of 'the guys' sell their wares of whatever was available that week off the back of their trucks (wink, wink), and make a few bucks. For over 100 years Maxwell Street was the largest open-air flea market in America. it enabled generations of immigrants to establish themselves and move up and out in America. You could buy anything from new gym shoes to underwear, socks, and clothing to hubcaps, toys, furniture and household wares, and even a Cadillac on that street. Everything had a price. Literally. Their motto: 'Cheat you fair'. (I wish I could claim that motto.) The market is one of my fondest memories filled with hardboiled characters that ranged from Jimmy Cagney real-life gangsters types, and others straight out of 'Shaft' or 'Super-fly' and other nefarious types. Bent noses were everywhere. I'm fairly certain that's where I earned my slightly tilted nose. Then we grab a sandwich from Jim's Original. It's known for a few things Maxwell Street is. A big thing is Chicago street food. One of the oldest around is Jim's Original hotdog stand on Union St. just south of Roosevelt snuggled tightly next to the Dan Ryan expressway. For its first 80 years, it was located on the corner of Halsted St. & Maxwell St. when I first started going there. I still go there today. Today, like then you walk up and see the steam rolling out of the windows and the sweet smells of street eats. They have a solid hot dog one of the best in the city. What they are really known for is the deep-fried polish on a poppyseed hot dog bun, smothered in grilled onions and mustard. Throw a few of their vinegar, serrano hot peppers on the and crunchy french fries, and boy, you got it going on! My personal favorite is the age-old standby, Bone-In Porkchop sandwich on a hamburger bun and smothered in grilled onions and mustard. THIS, my yelpers is a true Chicago sammich. The chop is not a sliver cut, no, it's a thick-cut grilled Porkchop on that bun. It's basic, it's da bomb. They ain't playin' around. The grilled onions, that's the key here. Being as Jim's Original is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year that grill only stops to get cleaned now and then while the others continue to work. The grease on the grill is the deal. It's shall I say, seasoned? That's what makes the onions what they are and gives that taste you can't get elsewhere. No how, no way. Now, there are questions you don't ask in this neighborhood, like "what's your name friend". I mean, even though it's gentrified in the past ten plus years and from the outside looks like University City yuppie, hipster hell, it's really still just the old Maxwell St. neighborhood. No there are no bathrooms you can use so don't ask. No there is no seating or tables to sit at, so don't ask. Just park curbside, step out, order your grub, and go back to your car. Then like me, open your SUV hatchback or sit on your hood or sit in your car with doors locked if you're shall we say, shy. Take in the impressive array of city lights and the street sounds. It's part of the experience. It sits in an urban mixed-use industrial, residential neighborhood so with that camped along the curbs you might catch a glimpse of the occasional 'rodent'. It's grease, meat, potatoes, (I never said it was particularly healthy, just tasty as hell.), and the like on a city street so the occasional drunk fools don't know what a garbage can is. Don't be one of them. Ignorance of the law of street etiquette and class is no excuse. You might get the occasional fist-to-cuff late nights, just consider it dinner and a show. You get all kinds at Jim's Original, Coppers, robbers, city workers, working girls, college kids, mom and pops, city teenagers, tourists, and those trying to re-visit and get a taste of their pasts before they moved to the suburbs. Like I said it's the Maxwell Street neighborhood and you get every race, creed, and color at Jim's and we all sit on our cars, on the street, and eat like good Chicagoans. Though it can get a bit dicey late-late night on weekends, there are always enough good folks around to look out for you. It urban, it's city, it's real, it's Chicago street food. read more

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The hot dogs here are great! The service was what you would expect in the area quick,but abrupt. You can pull right up to the curb and get out and order right at the counter which appears to be clean and nicely kept. I would recommend this restaurant to visitors. The building is old but on good condition. read more

Best polish sausage and hotdogs in Chicago. Not going to argue about it. Fries are surprisingly amazing too. read more

Jim's Original - Polish Sausage Sandwich - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food even better service. Love them! Can't wait to be back. Love the history behind them. So convenient and everything is super quality! read more

I'm from Kansas City Missouri came to Chicago for a weekend trip with my family my last day I stayed longer just to try their Polish sausage they were so delicious that I got some fresh to go home and cook I wish I would have got more I wish it was a way that I could order and have them sent to me in Kansas City I've told everyone I know here that when they go to Chicago they must visit jail the original public sausage place read more

Man I had a great time here the hot dog was great the burger was goated and the fries with cheese was a hit service was nice I always come here when I come to Chicago. read more

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It's a beautiful thing when you first try a long-standing local institution and it completely lives up to all the hype you've heard. Jim's absolutely hit that mark with its phenomenal polish sausage. Everything was right, from the bun, mustard, perfectly grilled onions, and one of the tastiest sausages I've ever tasted. Bourdain loved this place. I loved this place. You will love this place. read more

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I lived there in Chicago most of my life and went to Jew town and every chance I got I went down to Jew town and got a polish sausage and it was so good believe me once you try it you will be hooked line and sinker read more

This is a Chicago favorite even for the locals. The story of the break of the two cousins is crazy, especially since they're right down the street from one another. When I used to eat polish sausages, this was the be-all place to be. The grilled onions and the polish were a perfect combination. The bread is oh so soft and mouth watering. Wow!!!! Always a line here and since they're open 24-7, you don't have to worry about not getting your polish-fix. The price is fair and it's always a good thing to get a pop, as they call it, in addition to the FREE fries you get in the bag. You can see evidence of the goodness by the greasy oil stain on the bag. Lol. And the fries WERE AMAZING!!!!!! Right off the freeway, it's a no-brainer. Just stop, grab one and go. read more

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Saturday night at Jim's Original was an eye opening experience. Clientele is very colorful and the food is so delicious and prices are super affordable. All food items come with fries. We had the polish dog (mustard on the side-no packets, so the staff wrapped the mustard in paper for me) with Spanish onions and the spiciest pickled peppers (didn't look like jalapeños Or habaneros, but I was breathing fire after the first bite). It was a cool February night, so the pepper really kept us warm. The polish sausage's casing popped when we bit into it and the bun was very soft and delicious. The best value in Chicago. read more

Jim's Original - Fast service and great value - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious food and quick service! Nothing fancy, staple of Chicago. So glad we prioritized this spot to try. The sausage was amazing. Hotdog is juicy and pork chop sandwich was also nice. But my favorite was the sausage! read more

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I've passed by this place countless times and finally decided to check it out. It's usually busy and I happened to go at 10pm on a Saturday and it was a small quick line. The guy taking orders kind of spoke loudly to make sure you can hear him so don't be alarmed. It's for your benefit to keep the line moving. I ordered two Polish Sausage Sandwiches with everything which means steamed bun, generous sized sport peppers, a heaping amount of grilled onions, and mustard. Every "sandwich" comes with free fries. Something you need to know prior, the prices on Yelp are way off. It wasn't $3.50; my two sausages cost $13 and change, double the posted price. Personally, I find it an okay deal. I wish it were cheaper without the fries, which were greasy and not impressive. The highlight here is really the Polish sausage or hot dog. Despite the fries, I thoroughly enjoyed the substantial and flavorful sausages with sport peppers, grilled onions, and mustard. The sport peppers provide a good kick, but it fades quickly--an absolute must for the Polish! A nice quick hot meal especially for on the go! read more

Jim's Original - Polish Sausage Sandwich with everything. Steamed bun, Huge sport peppers, grilled onions, and mustard! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Those complaining that Jim's is a terrible place to grab a Chicago Hot Dog. ..they are correct. That's because Jim's doesn't sell Chicago Hot Dogs, they sell hot dogs with mustard, grilled Spanish onions and sport peppers. Tourist get a pass for not knowing the difference between a Maxwell St. Dog, a Depression Dog and Chicago Hot Dog. If you're a local, you should be embarrassed. lbvs. ..And every true Chicagoan knows Jim's is for polishes or bone-in porkchop sandwiches, not hot dogs. Jim's isn't a must try because of the food, but rather it's longstanding history and connection with the city. It's been 80 plus years and has been a right a passage for millions of drunk-post club-20 something year olds prowling for sustenance on the late night. The smell of grilled onions has enticed me to make regrettable food decisions countless nights. The greasy bag of pork, beef, fries, mustard, sport peppers and those famous onions may not agree with your tummy, but try at least once with tempered expectations. Pro Tip: Chicago Hot Dog - Fatso's or Flub a Dub Chubs Depression Dog - Red Hot Ranch or 35th St Red Hots Maxwell St. Dog - Jim's, Express Grill or Original Maxwell St. read more

Jim's Original - Terrible decision on the late night. ..smh. I liked it, but my stomach didn't. - Hot Dogs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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