Jim's Original
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The smell of caramelized onions hits pretty much immediately as you approach the window. No line midday. We were served quickly and got the polish sausage that comes with fries. Both were nice and hot. Fries were crispy and that first snap into the juicy sausage was worth the trip. No seating, so be prepared to eat in your car and get a bit messy. Also be warned the peppers are legitimately spicy, those serranos had my partner sweating. Glad I tried it, but not something I'd eat all the time, great late night drinking kind of food.
After the Foo Fighter concert last night...this place is rocking out the goods! Oh, and you're only seeing part of line were in...and..there's another line on the other side. Bone in pork chop sandwich....I know...nuts to leave the bone in. But, it's so worth it and has a great taste. You'll learn how to work around it! lol.
I've eaten a lot of Polish Sausage in my day and I just assumed it was the kind of thing that couldn't really be improved upon. I was so wrong. The Polish Sausage they're serving up at Jim's is so much better than any I've had before that it's almost an entirely different thing. It's just so flavorful and delicious. The spicing is phenomenal and the sausage itself is extremely above average. And it's taken over the top by the fresh bun and superb sautéed onions. I joked that we should start every day with one of these sausages, and while we didn't actually do that, I feel like that would've only enhanced our trip.
Jim's quickly made its way onto my list of must-haves while in Chicago from the first bite. Their Polish sausages were cooked to perfection, with the loaded grilled onions and peppers serving as the cherry on top (to note, the sandwiches come with fries too so no need to order them on the side.) The service was excellent, delivery was fast, and prices were affordable. Can't wait to be back!
Seen this place pop up multiple times on places to go in Chicago. Finally got a chance to grab a polish sausage, double cheeseburger and fries to go. The polish sausage is as good as advertised, the mustard, onions and the flavor of the sausage meld perfectly. The fries were hot and fresh and really good. However, the burger was just ok, nothing special. Definitely come here and get the polish sausage, top tier!
What left is there unsaid about Jim's Original? Where has it not been featured? Do I even need to bother with this review? The remnant of a neighborhood ruined by an ugly public university. When UI Chicago built its campus, it displaced the Maxwell Street Market. Such cases are sadly too common. And while the neighborhood is ugly in its sanitary banal way, Jim's Original is pure Kino. Yellow on red on a cinder block structure. No place to sit, you stand with your meal on the stainless steal counter that runs the length of the edifice. Traffic streams along on the I-90 in the canyon below you. Behind the window, the griddle supports serried mounds of caramelized onions, rows of sausages resembling Midwest farmland. Here, you can really afford to order both the Maxwell Street Polish - fatty, semi-sweet, coarse filling with onions mustard and pickled serrano - and the pork chop sandwich (on the bone with onions, mustard and pickled serrano). Each item comes with fries. They are, of course, frozen, but the manufacturer thought well enough to give them an added starch coating for increased crunch.
I've had Jim's on my "to do" list since seeing several stories about them. We were in tow from Texas for just a couple of hours on a business trip. Stopped by here just before lunch and a little bummed that there's no inside or outside seating. That didn't stop us from trying own of their polish dogs though. They come with fries and a pretty good deal for both. The sausage was really good, especially with the grilled onions. Even though I ate it right away the bun was still soggy. That was a bummer but didn't stop me from devouring it. Great iconic place to visit!
We came here for per a local's recommendation. They're known for their Polish sausage, so that's what we got. No seating/bathroom available. Literally a building with some standing room area. Service was rude. We changed our soda order as the guy was packing our order into bags and he threw up his arm and was like "what do you want?". Sounded exasperated. Plus, our orders were inconsistent. Some of the Polish sausages came with the sport peppers and others did not. Probably for the best in all honesty, because those peppers were SPICY. The Polish sausage itself was extremely satisfying. Juicy and topped with mustard and grilled onions. Plus the side of complimentary fries didn't hurt. You come here for the dogs, not the service. On a side note, the security guard in front was friendly.
So thankful for the lady that recommended this spot to us when we were visiting the city! The polish dog had an amazing snap to it inevery bite and I love how much grilled onions they added! The sport pepper added a nice kick as well. We had come to this spot on our last day after eating lunch prior to this and I wish I had more room in my stomach to eat the whole thing because I enjoyed this a lot. Service was quick which is what you expect at a fast food stand. They do give a small discount if you pay in cash.
I won't knock anybody's take on a restaurant based on nostalgic memories. After all, every dish tastes better with a generous dollop of nostalgia. However, as someone who did not grow up eating Maxwell St. Polishes I was very underwhelmed. I couldn't get the full taste experience as the unbelievably squishy bun was drenched with mustard to the point that the whole mess disintegrated when I first picked it up (about 3 minutes after it was made). I couldn't taste anything but mustard, not even the onions which ended up slipping everywhere. I eventually gave up on the bun and finished the sausage by itself. I'll just say that if I ever do this again I'm going with the all-beef version. Fries are included in the price of the sandwich and the serving is a decent size but they're mediocre at best. Even though the fries were freshly cooked they had very little flavor. Considering that they're battered I find that surprising. Then again, the onions from the Polish were completely unseasoned, too. The best thing about the meal was the Diet Pepsi and even though it came straight out of the cooler, it was barely cool. As reasonably priced as the food is, that's how overpriced the sodas are, though. Not cool, guys, in more than one way. Service was interesting as the counterman did not seem to speak English at all and the atmosphere is what it is, a take out window by the highway. Neither really adds to nor detracts from the food. If you're on a nostalgia trip you'll have a great time here. Otherwise it was not worth the time or calories.
Yelpers what's good. Today I felt like having some Chicago Nostalgia food. So I stopped by Jim's original for a good ole Maxwell St. Polish! It's an outdoor only eatery usually long fast moving lines. The smell of the grilled onions hit your nose immediately! I got a polish with onions and mustard and I also got a bone in pork chop sandwich with onions and mustard. And an added bonus FREE FRIES with every order! The polish is still one of my best around nice and juicy (pause) with a nice snap to them. The onions provide a slight sweetness with the tangy bite of the mustard just hits so great!! 8.9/10! The fries were hot, nice crisp on the outside and pillowy inside! 7/10 The Bone in pork chop sandwich was decent nothing special just a Chicago nostalgic sandwich. 6.8/10 Everyone from Chicago has been here and everyone from Chicago will tell you to go here for a real Chicago quick cheap eats experience. Right off the expressway so you can be in and out. And you may want to be in and out especially if you're from out of town. definitely worth stopping by! Remember ALL reviews are subjective
Stopped here for a polish sausage and some cheese fries; just to pick up something quick after coming back from a White Sox game. Speed of service was excellent, as they had my food ready in only a minute or two. Employees were nice. Polish sausage tasted amazing. Grilled onions gave a nice rich flavor to go alone with the bite/snap of the sausage. Bun was soft and tasty. They gave a jalepeno on the side which was very spicy (so be careful about that) but as a person that loves spicy food, I enjoyed the jalepeno too. Cheese fries were crispy, and the cheese itself was hot and warm. This is a perfect place to go if you want a quick meal ate a really solid value.
Iconic spot in Chicago for polish dogs and cheeseburgers! They don't have any seating inside, you basically order from an outside counter on the side of the road and either eat in your car or in the limited seating outdoor area. Wow!! This place is so cheap and I was truly so surprised! The cheeseburger was juicy, immaculate, especially with both grilled and raw onions. Perfect smaller size for me to not get too overwhelmed with the greatness. Doesn't come with lettuce or tomatoes or anything though be WARNED!! The fries were coated in a paprika spice nicely - regular size and not shoestring. It was good, not amazing. Food comes out incredibly quickly after ordering, and they're open late into the night! Note to self: next time try with hot peppers!!
A must stop if you're into original food finds. The menu is straightforward and I recommend you know what you want before you hop in line. Those lines move fast! They seem long, but you'll be at the ordering window before you know it. We ordered the pork chop sandwich (it comes bone in) and the polish sausage, a must! They come with fries and made to order. I'm one that loves a kick of heat, but their sport peppers are HOT! I felt the heat in my ear drums, so proceed with caution. read more
The Maxwell street polish is still the best anywhere flavor wise, but it has shrunk. It's still the least expensive of similar joints (except next door) but I'm guessing instead of raising prices they just shrunk the size of the sausage along with the tiniest smear of mustard and a skimpy portion of sautéed onions. Plus the hot peppers included with every sandwich was limited to two for my order of four sandwiches. They're hot as hell but I want one with every Sando! Back in the day of a mighty polish they'd give you two peppers each. So disappointing that they would cave like that. No restrooms so don't get pepper juice near your eyes. Fries included with each sandwich. No they ain't free they're 'included'. Great service, eat in your car or on it. Don't sit on the curb and eat you'll get run over!! read more
Classic! Simple and perfect, NEVER ask for ketchup or you may be banned for life! Quick and no nonsense service, there is always a line no matter what time of day. It's very hard to find anyone, especially in Chicago, that has not enjoyed one of Jimmy's finest dogs. Wrapped quickly in paper, smushed together with the most delicious hand cut fries. This will and always be a 5 star joint! read more
It is this easy. When you land in Chicago + you are hungry ....head to Jims. It is our tradition and I highly recommend that it be yours too. Why - because you can smell the sautéed onions as you drive up. It is one of the best sausages around for its price. Because if you want to be just like a local, it is just what you do. EXCELLENT street food and always a fun experience that is now a tradition for my hubby and I when we arrive in Chicago. read more
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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
10 months ago
2 years ago
Lines can be somewhat long but they move really quickly. We had about 5 people in front of us and it took just under 10 mins to get to the counter to order. Me & my boyfriend had the polish sausage and cheese fries. The food was fresh and delicious. Can't wait to come back the next time we're in Chicago. 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
5 months ago
2 years ago
I'm sorry Chicago but this is one place that I was sooo disappointed in and do not understand how so many people recommended it. We came here after trying the polish dog at Al's about 3 minutes away and were so thrown off by the taste of these polish dogs vs. those. We received a smushed soggy bun, with a boiled flavorless polish dog, sautéed onions? if you can call them that because they did not taste sweet at all and seemed to be just steamed. No mustard? No relish? Biggest disappointment! To be fair most of the people who recommended Jim's said this was the place to go late night after you've been at the bars or clubs so maybe that explains why it seems the food hit's different? read more
2 years ago
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
2 years ago
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
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
2 years ago
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
4 years ago
1 year ago
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
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
1 year ago
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
1 year ago
2 years ago
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
2 years ago
1 year ago
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
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1250 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL 60607
University Village
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(312) 733-7820
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http://jimsoriginal.com
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