Jim's Original Hot Dog

Location: 1250 S. Union Ave., Chicago, IL 60607

A Quick Word:
Located right off of the highway, you can tell it is a well-established, historic restaurant in Chicago.  People come from all over the city to grab a bite from this hot dog stand.  They offer more than just hot dogs however; their Polish Sausage is delicious, but some of the other items are not so great.  I refer to them as "onion sandwiches" and you will see why after you look at pictures below, or if you try it yourself.  Be aware of the smell that lingers after you eat Jim's.  It is always a great idea at the time, but most people regret it afterwards (unless alcohol graces your system).

What I Ate:

Polish Sausage

For less than $4.00, you can get one of the better polish sausages in the city and each sandwich comes with fries.  Cooked on a flat-top grill, the polish is then kept warm on a bed of grilled onions.  They use a steamed hot dog bun with a little bit of mustard, sports peppers, the polish, and of course their signature grilled onions.  Sometimes I refer to them as "onion sandwiches" because of the mound of onions the restaurant uses.  The onion smell is definitely one of the stronger smells you can notice from two to three blocks away.  It is intense but while eating, it is delicious.  Beware or be ready for the greasiness you will eat.

In terms of the fries, they are some of the best in my opinion!  They are always extra crispy.  I think they double fry them and the best part is they do that second fry like seconds before they sell them.  With a little ketchup, I can actually say I crave these fries and you will not be disappointed.

Fried Fish Sandwich

This is the second cheapest item on the menu and one of the best.  The fish sandwich is fried to order and the hamburger bun is topped with those grilled onions, tartar sauce, a little mustard, and of course hot peppers.  The sandwich comes out extra crispy and a wonderful spice.  Those acidic hot peppers are a great way to cut the grease of the fried fish.  I always suggest asking for a little tartar sauce because they always over do it.  As always, french fries are free with any sandwich purchase so enjoy.

Cheese Fries

The one and only vegetarian option at Jim's.  The order comes with two bags of fries, so be careful how many cheese fry orders you order.  It only comes with one cup of cheese however, but this is a huge upgrade from when they used to pump the cheese directly on the fries while in the brown bag.  It was a hilarious concept (I wish I had a picture) but the cup made it much better.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Excellent place to come after you are done drinking for the night.
- Order the Fish Sandwich!  It is freshly cooked and somehow addicting.  Sorry I haven't pictured it on the blog, but I am sure it will come up soon enough.

DON'T:
- If you are going out later that night or have a date planned, do not eat here ahead of time.  The onion smell will linger for hours.

How far would I walk for this food?