I went here for Valentine's Day and I was kinda disappointed. Â They offered a prix fixe tasting menu for the holiday as the only option. Â I understand that it would make things a lot easier on the staff and allow things to run smoother all across the board. Â However, if you're going to offer a prix fix tasting menu for your customers, at least have it consist of some of the things your restaurant is known for. Â A hint of something at least. Â I went to the restaurant expecting good southern food with somewhat of a modern twist, what I got was just the modern twist. Â
Let me start off with the best parts of the meal:
The popovers were delicious. Â They were light and crispy. Â They were so good on their own, they didn't even need the honey and butter that came with them (those were good too though). Â The seared striped sea bass was good. Â The dessert was amazing. Â It was Chocolate Chess Pie with candied walnuts and banana ice cream. Â It was really rich and chocolatey. Â
The other parts of the meal ranged from just ok to inedible. Â I can appreciate the creativity and inventiveness of the culinary arts, like that of the crawfish and lobster chowder. Â It had truffle froth on the top. Â Creative and inventive. Â The soup was just ok. Â The creative twist didn't enhance the flavor or the eating experience. Â
The warm brussels sprouts salad was also ok. Â The sirloin was a disaster. Â It was not edible. Â I had a difficult time cutting it. Â What was more annoying was that it VERY chewy and hard to eat, so I was done with that. Â The sirloin came with something called a salsify. Â I've never had it before but it sort of looks like a carrot but completely tasteless. Â In my opinion, something that doesn't enhance flavors or adds to a dining experience shouldn't be added to the meal. Â Â Â Â
I do have to say that everything was presented beautifully and the service was great. Â Our server was really pleasant and everything flowed in a timely manner. Â I just wish my experience had more of that southern cooking that Big Jones was known for.
Big Jones is simply amazing from the service, to the meal, to the bill.
Service: Our server, Matt, was amazing, sweet, and had wonderful recommendations. Â He didn't gawk at the fact that I have celiac's, he quickly pointed out the several menu items they have that are gluten-free. Â He even ran back to double-check that the appetizer we ordered was gluten-free just in case. Â When the complimentary cornbread muffins arrived at the table, he ran over to inform us they were, in fact, gluten-free. Â He was perceptive, proactive, and perfectly attentive. Â Having been a server at Nellcote, I was very impressed with his service. Â
Food: You are greeted with complimentary cornbread muffins that my boyfriend claims are the best he's ever had. Â Matt's recommendations were stellar - fried clams, and the etoufee were something to write home about! Â My boyfriend loved his po' boy (massive serving with what he claimed to be AMAZING fries for only $12), but he was definitely jealous of my etoufee. Â Really amazing food, servings, presentation, and combinations. Â The dipping sauce with the clams, for example, was awesome. Â The broth of the etoufee was stellar - I couldn't wait to finish it at lunch the next day. Â You can tell the chef takes pride in his food - the menu isn't huge and doesn't have to be.
Environment: Awesome music, great ambience, cool wallpaper in the back, and our server was attentive, always there when we needed him, and super friendly.
Being gluten-free, it is very difficult to eat at restaurants. Â Big Jones was a big hit for me, and my boyfriend, who lived in NOLA for a bit, raved about it all night.
Great job, Matt and Big Jones!
De-freaking-licious. Finally went to Big Jones for dinner, after having it on my to-visit list for a year or so.
We started with the pickle platter, and everything on it was so good... a nice variety of different veggies that are pickled, along with good ol' regular pickled cucumbers, all in seemingly different brines.
For my entree, I had the Chicken & Dumplings... I come from a long line of chicken & dumpling eating, something my grandpa never let me forget, and I still love them. So obviously I had to try what Big Jones had to offer. SO. GOOD. Butter beans, carrots, chicken, yummy dumplings... I loved it and it brought back great childhood memories. The boy had the Crawfish Etouffee, which I took a taste of, and that was really, really good as well. I thought it would be a lot spicier, but it was perfect.
Our waiter was great, very knowledgeable & attentive... it was a really good experience overall, and I can't wait to go back & try other things on the menu... Fried Chicken dinner, I'm lookin' at you...
Generously rounding up for this one. I see why people like this place, and I see how it could potentially be really good. The menu looks great, and I had a hard time choosing my meal for brunch last weekend. However everything I tried was just... ok. I had the shrimp and grits, the grits were good but I didn't love the shrimp and the sauce it was in... had a slightly weird flavor to it. Couldn't quite put my finger on it. Â Biscuits and gravy were also ordered, and I guess these were "Cajun style." I am used to the biscuits and gravy made for me by a friend from rural Virginia, and so it was going to be an uphill battle for this "debris gravy."
Service was just ok, coffee was burnt... just not a great experience.
Should be 3 1/2. The brunch is pretty good and the wait staff is extremely nice & attentive. Serving sizes are on the small side. My wife who normally can't finish her plate, cleaned hers this time and was looking for more. Also after actually having New Orleans beignets, I'd say Big Jones's version has some more work to do. Overall it's a nice place but slightly overrated.
Review Source:The food was not as good as what I expected. This is a New Orleans style restaurant but it is lacking Southern flavors. My friend and I ordered the Tasso Ham Butcher's Block to begin our brunch. This was the best part of our meal. Next, we ordered the Bayou Teche and Roasted Cauliflower and Pimiento omelets. Both were very bland and nothing too special. I also ordered a mimosa and my friend ordered a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary was like drinking water but the mimosa was good. Lastly, the waiter and other staff were very friendly and frequently checked on us.
Review Source:I love this place and I am never disappointed when I come.The staff is always so friendly and the food is just so good. My favorite is the Fried Chicken special and it really is very good.
I went there about a month ago with a friend and she was in awe of the place and the food. That banana pudding was delicious!
Andersonville is a bit of a hike for me, but each time I arrive at Big Jones I am reminded that it was worth the drive. I always say I am going to eat at some of the other places in the area, but why mess up a good thing!
Enjoy!
This restaurant is an elegant, modern, warm and inviting gem serving Southern food. Â You would totally not expect a place like this to be located on this strip of Clark Street.
My boyfriend and I stopped in around 2:30 for an extremely late lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Â The host asked us if we had reservations, which we did not. Â We were offered a seat at a high top by the bar, which we took. Â I was a bit disappointed that we could not sit at a table and also saw some open tables by the window, but perhaps they were already reserved. Â
The beverages are excellent. Â My boyfriend enjoyed his Intelligentsia coffee and our server was good about providing him with refills. Â For all you tea lovers, their tea menu was extensive! Â
I had the green rooibos - sweet African red tea, which was amazing. Â I haven't really had tea in the proper way so I was impressed with its presentation. Â It came with a little pitcher for my tea, which stayed hot the whole time. Â My teacup came with a saucer and was on a wooden block. Â The tea was superb! Â It had just the right amount of sweetness, which I enjoyed. Â I would definitely come back for that.
As for our entrees, my boyfriend ordered the Egg New Orleans, which is crab cakes with a poached egg, popovers and Bearnaise sauce, which came with potatoes. Â I had the bacon, baby Swiss cheese and onion omelet, which was served with creamy grits. Â We got complimentary beignets, which were coated with powdered sugar to start our meal. Â They were delicious and artificially sweet like I have had at other places.
I would highly recommend ordering the Eggs New Orleans because they were amazing. Â I absolutely loved the creaminess of the egg that mixed well with the crab cake. Â The popovers were cooked well and give the dish a nice touch. Â His potatoes looked really good too, but I didn't get to try a bite of them.
As for my dish, it was OK, but just ordinary. Â I did enjoy the crunchy pieces of bacon that were in my omelet, but I wished I would have tried something new. Â The cheesy grits however, were awesome!
Service was good. Â I could tell that our server was busy handling lots of tables, but she did a great job checking up on us, offering help if we needed it and being polite and professional. Â I did find it weird that we were not charge for my boyfriend's coffee so we made up for it by tipping a bit more.
Overall, I had a great experience here and I definitely would come back again for brunch or may even try their dinner. Â They have an excellent selection of whiskey for those that enjoy that.
First off I want to say that we had the best server ever! This was my first time having any kind of Southern food. I asked our waiter what the best thing on the menu was and what was the safest way to go for our first southern food experience. He was very knowledgeable about the food the ingredients and told me exactly what to try. I got the po boy shrimp sandwich, oh em gee. This sandwich was huge. Whatever spread they used was so good. I was only able to eat half of the sandwich. The French fries are fried in beef fat. I was apprehensive about trying french fries fried in be fat but they were so good. Nothing that I tried from big Jones what is what I expected. It was all very organic and presented clean & neat. Overall a very good experience for our first southern food place. Would go back to be adventurous.
Review Source:Went here recently on a Friday night.  Cocktails were great, as we're the appetizers.  Entrees were badly in need of seasoning.  My catfish needed salt, my girlfriend's étouffée was bland and somewhat sweet- a little seasoning would have helped it substantially.
Our waiter was very friendly and prompt. Â However the bar service that night was terrible- sometimes waiting 10 minutes for beers, and longer for cocktails.
I was so excited to have dinner at Big Jones. I left extremely disappointed. When my boyfriend and I first arrived, the restaurant was empty while the restaurant next door was packed. Probably a bad sign... We were seated immediately but after that the service did not impress. We definitely expected more attention (and better food) since we were one of 3 tables and we spent over $100 for dinner.
I hoped the food would make up for the service but nothing really impressed me. The biscuits, corn bread and charcuterie plate were average. The overly hyped fried chicken was juicy and flavorful but the breading was a weird texture, probably the result of too much corn meal? The crawfish etouffee (which came highly recommended by the waiter) had absolutely NO flavor and was a waste of $20. Even our beverages were disappointing (flavored sweet teas).
Do NOT believe the reviews. Save your hard-earned money and try another restaurant (maybe the one next door?)
Came here for dinner on a Saturday night. Pretty busy and loud, but not too loud, we had reservations and were seated immediately.
Had the Gumbo Ya-Ya which was quite good, very savory, excellent spice level, possibly a little too salty if I was going to start splitting hairs. The crawfish etouffee was even better, totally delicious. Heavy with butter and lemon and wine sauce and jam packed with tasty crawfish. Being a big fan of spicy food I appreciated both of these dishes.
We also had an appetizer that consisted of smoked sliced duck meat with cumin and pepper and pimento cheese, slightly above average.
Big Jones is one of those restaurants that meets any occasion and makes it better. Â Whether you are looking for a spot for lunch on your day off, a location for a birthday dinner, taking your parents out to eat, or looking for an after-dinner drink and dessert spot, Big Jones will make it work.
I have been here three times and have tried a number of items on the menu. Â All the recipes they use are vintage recipes from the deep south, including the mixed drinks and other beverage options. Â Straight up delicious antique ways of cooking the soul-food you've always wanted. In addition to being pretty niche in terms of menu, Big Jones locally sources all of their food and changes the menu based on the season.
Most notable from my meals here would be the fried chicken dinner, with mashed potatoes and roux gravy, voodoo greens, red beans and rice, and a giant biscuit. Also, I loved the pork with sweet potato hash, which I tried to recreate, but I couldn't get the same impossible balance between sweet, salty, crispy and creamy sweet potato-soft. Â
I wasn't able to get my hands on any myself, but I have heard from many people that the sweet potato chocolate pot de creme is to die for. Â Layers of sweet potato and chocolate with bourbon, no one is mad about that. Â It sells out when they have it.
That's just the food! The service is fantastic! Â We've always been very well taken care of and our favorite server is Michael, who is the sweetest man and the most competent server I have encountered in a long time (and I dine out a lot).
We will continue to go here again and again. Â Keep up the good work, Big Jones!
Found a great little southern place in Andersonville. Â Big Jones has some tasty eats from New Orleans. Â Best thing here is not traditional though - the Gumbolaya. Â Oh so good that you won't stop eating it. Â Hearty, smokey, spicy, and chocolatety - kind of a good mole meets gumbo. Â A winner. It's topped with some picked okra and brown rice that makes it delicious.
Outside of that, we had the potato and goat cheese croquettes. Â Very tasty although I yearned for a sauce to dip it in. Then came the corn bread which is complimentary to the table. Warm, right out of the oven, and oh so good. I could live on these. Go just for these! Â I then tried the chicken and dumplings...good dish but nothing to scream about.
Finally, a shout out to the homemade ginger beer. So clean and refreshing. Great pairing so a big bowl of chicken and dumplings. I also really liked the decor - so inviting and fun that makes you want to stay and hangout.
I absolutely love this place. Â If you want Southern food with gourmet flair, I can't think of a better place within my walking radius.
Potato and Goat Cheese Croquettes, Farmhouse Chicken and Dumplings (circa 1920), Sour Cherry Bavarian Cream Tart... need I go on?
One of my friends who I've eaten here with is completely gaga over the corn muffins.
I've been back to Big Jones (largely against my will) for brunch a few times since 2009. Â I've never found anything to make me change my opinion that they have great service and mediocre food. Â However, lately I've had a weird craving for fried chicken. Â On my last day of winter vacation I decided to give Big Jones the benefit of the doubt and swing by for the Boarding House lunch, which is only served from 11-3 Monday to Friday. Â And, wow.
The Boarding House lunch is only $16 per person (though Big Jones does request it be ordered by every one at the table) which given Big Jones normal prices is an amazing deal. Â Everything we were brought was fantastic. Â The meal starts with cornbread and biscuits (though for some reason we weren't given biscuits, though tables around us were). Â I didn't miss the biscuits since I far prefer cornbread. Â And this is good cornbread - moist, slightly sweet, with whole corn kernels. Â Then your table is barraged with fried chicken (1/2 chicken per diner), mashed potatoes and gumbo gravy, greens, and red beans and rice. Â I wasn't awed by the greens, but I never like greens. Â Everything else was amazing - I'm not the biggest gravy fan, but whatever gumbo gravy is I wanted to drink it. Â The red beans and rice, which can be tremendously bland, were deliciously spicy. Â And the chicken. Â Oh, the chicken. Â It was perfectly cooked with a flaky, tasty coating. Â To finish you get banana pudding for dessert, which is great, because I don't think I could have fit anything but a semi-solid in my ridiculously full stomach.
So I'm leaving Big Jones at three stars, because I've had more disappointing visits than great ones. Â But I will say, if your schedule allows get the Boarding House lunch (skip brunch). Â You can bet I'll be back here next time I have a weekday off!
Let me preface this by saying I have never had brunch here--I live too close to B'way Cellars to take my allegiance elsewhere (and I usually sleep past brunch time anyway). Â But the dinners I've eaten here have been fabulous, and more importantly each better than the last.
To the reviewer who complained that Big Jones doesn't "get dirty down-home greasy simmered-all-day Southern cooking," that's not its focus--it has never claimed to be that. Â Perhaps because I read its website and reviews (including mission statement) first, I knew going in that it was Carolina low-country Sunday-afternoon-dinner food--the kind of stuff one's proper Southern grandma or great-aunt (who wouldn't be caught dead outside the house without her girdle, stockings and string of pearls) would serve after a long church service regardless of her fiscal circumstance. Â After a few meals there, I chanced upon a biography of Craig Claiborne, who grew up in a SC boardinghouse run by a mom who was just such a cook. I've also eaten at one SC B&B that was a converted plantation manor house, and the cooking at Big Jones is remarkably similarly refined-yet-down-home. The difference is that Big Jones' fictional auntie must have been a closet foodie (and probably took more than a few side trips to Atlanta, Charleston, New Orleans and maybe even Paris). There are other places in town to find more downscale authentic Southern fare, but thank heavens this is not one of them.
Without a doubt, the star of the menu is the shrimp and grits. And the fried green tomatoes are delicate yet not at all soggy. Â Best hurricane I've drunk outside New Orleans (more potent and nuanced and much less sweet--hallelujah--than Pat O' Brien's Drunken-Tourist Trap's). And its Sazerac is the equal of Commander's Palace's. (Great place for Mardi Gras, BTW). Every meat offering (rabbit, venison, farmhouse chicken) has been wonderful. Portions are sensible--neither nouvelle-skimpy nor choke-a-horse gargantuan. The few times I've had to take home leftovers is because I indulged in too many dishes....especially the cornbread. Oh, Lord, that cornbread! To paraphrase Alton Brown's comment on Elizabeth Faulkner's cheese gougeres, it could probably be used as currency in prison. Â I wish they'd sell it to go on a regular basis. Â
Wine list is small yet very thoughtful, and the bar and waitstaff knows it intimately and suggests pairings that are spot-on (especially wonderful dry rosés in warm weather).
Big Jones is not the Maple Tree Inn nor is it a roadhouse with white tablecloths. Neither is it Galatoire's North. But if you are looking for refined low-country Sunday supper food every night, this is the place for you. (And for those carping about price, you get what you pay for).
My husband and I had a fantastic brunch here this morning. Â We were seated immediately and our server was taking our drink order within a minute. Â Adolfo was fabulous and made us feel right at home. Â He gives off the impression that he is genuinely happy to be with you and cares about your experience. Â The homemade cornbread muffins and butter they bring to the table were awesome. Â I had the shrimp and grits and my husband had the hominy and eggs. Â We each has a mimosa as well and it was clear that the juice is freshly squeezed. Â The decor is lovely and I was impressed that even sitting right at the window on a frigid morning the temperature was very comfortable. Â Can't wait to go back and bring friends. Â Yum!
Review Source:Meh! I wanted to love this place. My husband wanted to love this place. And well no such luck.
They start you off with fresh, warm beignets. Then it all went downhill from there. The service was horrendous, inattentive, and careless. This might account for the unnecessary 25 minute wait on a Sunday morning. The food lacked flavor and excitement, and when you have competition like Floriole and Over Easy, this place pales in comparison.
Came here with no expectations whatsoever - I blindly tagged along to a dinner I was somewhat invited to. :] Thanks guys!
This place did not disappoint in any way whatsoever. Our reservation at 7:30 didn't matter to us, we got there at 6:45 and we were seated immediately. Grabbed some drinks, I got the American Orange something or other Punch..I was expecting a bright fruity drink! Did not get that..I should've read the description more closely. oh well, still tasted exactly what it was supposed to taste like. My fault!
Our party of 5 ordered the cajun liver boudin fritters (i hate liver, but Big Jones made these perfectly..how did you season this?), creole fried clams (came with a nice light salad and sauce - WOW!), and the butcher's block that came with a ton of different "charcuterie" (head cheese, pates, quince, lots of firsts for moi and all very delicious!)
Main dish - SHRIMP AND GRITS. Highly recommend. I couldn't stop saying "omg..this is so good.." I'm pretty sure I was really annoying with my unthoughtful comments of the flavor of the food..but really..it was sooo good.
I can't even think straight..I wanna go back. I wanna live in Andersonville. I want to grow a beard so they'd consider hiring me as a server. Just go!
Deep south in the windy city makes this southern girl happy! We had the boarding house lunch, which adds up to a half fried chicken per person, with mashed potatoes and meaty gravy, collard greens, and red beans, biscuits and cornbread as sides, with banana pudding at the end. It is food porno at it's best when it's all laid out on the table.
Although the execution is great, and the space is also very adorable, I think they miss the mark slightly on dirty, lardy, simmered all day southern cooking. Overall, the items were dressed up, and detracted from the gluttony that is southern food. Â My favorites (read: most indulgent) were the hot cornbread muffins with sweet butter, and the thick chunky mashed potatoes with very savory gravy. I am not a huge fan of the cornmeal batter that the chicken was fried in, because it wasn't terribly flavorful, thick, or indulgent. But that's a small ding...it is fried chicken after all. The dark meat was running with juices and very moist, but the white meat was a bit flavorless and stringy. I didn't very much like the collard greens. I ate it because it was the only green on the table, but it had a distinctly medicinal taste, like too much anise or licorice. The banana pudding was also just okay.
The service was sweet and laidback, and although we walked in mid-afternoon with few patrons, we didn't feel rushed to finish while they prepare the place for dinner service. The server we had was delightful, but perhaps too laidback, as some of our items, like the biscuits, didn't come out because he took a very long chat with another table.
Big Jones definitely offers one of the most authentic Southern style, soul food meals I have ever eaten (outside of being in the south). Â Their boarding house lunch special is easily one of the greatest values in Chicago, and I believe everyone should try it! Â They offer southern classics like fried chicken and greens and they do it all for a great price. Â The sheer amount of food is unreal and the atmosphere of the restaurant is very comforting. Â It would have received a perfect rating if it wasn't for the dry biscuit... yes a dry biscuit can ruin perfection. Anyway, I can't rate the other food outside of this lunch special at the moment; but from what I have eaten, I will definitely come back and recommend everyone to come try the place!
Review Source:After several years of wonderful experiences at this establishment, it really does pain me to have to write this review.
Today, I joined a colleague for lunch and decided to try the pimiento cheese sandwich, which I had heard good things about. Â Everything I've had here has been excellent, so I was excited to try this dish.
How very disappointed I was! Â The menu describes the sandwich as being "toasted" but what I received was simply a pile of cold, grated cheese with some peppers and onions on top sandwiched between some toasted bread. Â Now, the menu said nothing about the sandwich being served cold, so needless to say the melty deliciousness I anticipated was nowhere to be found.
Now, to be fair, apparently eating a pile of cold, grated cheese that looks like vomit is some kind of thing people actually do, but I was not informed about this reality by the waiter or anyone at the restaurant. Â When I told the waiter this was not something I expected and I did not want it, he asked if I wanted something else--I refused--and then he just left the plate sitting there while I sat fuming.
Because so few people were in the dining room, I could hear the waiter talking to another staff member, whom I'm guessing is a manager, and I anticipated having someone come to the table to explain that this is simply how the dish is made, we're sorry you don't like it and we want to make sure you leave happy.
None of this was done. Â The waiter was conspicuously trying to avoid me, and seemed terrified to return to the table lest I snap at him, because by this time I was livid. Â It is so unreasonable that a diner should be expected to have some kind of knowledge about a regional dish, which this apparently was, and be expected to deal with it if it's not to their liking.
My colleague picked up the check as this was a work meeting, and it wasn't until we left the restaurant that she sheepishly admitted that-surprise, surprise-the restaurant had charged us for the dish that I had returned completely untouched! Â She just didn't want to make a scene and she was mortified that I had sent the dish back.
But, the restaurant really left a bad taste in my mouth when I returned home and posted to Facebook my experience--and when I went back to see if there was a response, I found that not only was my comment deleted, but that I had been blocked from future commenting! Â My husband went in and commented with his account and his comment was also deleted shortly after posting it!
Now, social media is what I do for a living and this is absolutely anathema! Â You don't delete and ban people who have legitimate complaints--you address them and ask them what you can do better next time! Â
I had a bad experience at Lady Grey this summer and made sure to leave a comment card explaining exactly what went wrong--and they went out of their way to ensure that we had an outstanding experience on our return trip, which they comped completely. Â
Up to this point, I would never have expected this kind of "noob move" from a place as good as Big Jones, but simply because they are unwilling to treat me like a human being I will not only never return, but I'll no longer be scheduling work lunches or celebration brunches there either.
Au revoir, Big Jones!
Kinda pretentious-y brunch spot with delicious Southern food. The Hominy & Farm Egg Scramble is exactly the kind of savory dish I go nuts over. Eggs, beans, hominy and a spicy tomato sauce, plus avocado and sour cream. Holy yes. Mimosa is also great. Note that the wait for two top at 11 on Sunday was nonexistent, although the place filled up soon after. And boo for brunching at a high top table - really kills the kick back and relax vibe of eating/drinking away your hangover.
Review Source:If I could give zero stars... I would have!
THEIR IGNORANCE NEARLY KILLED ME!
My parents had gone to Big Jone's for lunch. They had a terrible experience as well, but I will not recount their experience, as I was not there. I will only recount my experience. Because of their experience at Big Jone's they had several pieces of left over fried chicken and brought it home to me for dinner. I had food allergies, so my mom, being very diligent, and not wanting to see me sick asked if the chicken was safe for me to eat. The waiter quickly replied with 'yeah, it's fine'. When I returned home from work my mom told me that it was in the fridge, but she asked me to call and double check because she didn't particularly trust the server at lunch.
So, I called. the man on the phone basically said "no, we don't use nut oil" and that was it. So, I proceeded to eat, cautiously. Within 15 minutes my tongue and throat had begun to swell. I quickly administered an epi pen.
But, I think this is something to note. IF YOU HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES, BEWARE!
We have been living in Andersonville for almost one year and finally we made it go to Big Jones. Â I was excited.
We went for brunch and we ordered Big Jones Benedict and Gumbo Ya-Ya. The food were o-kay but just because I expected a lot better than Okay so i was little bit disapponted. I have been walking pass in front of the restaurant on weekends and saw full of people. It looks and it is popular place for breakfast and brunch. I expected something WOW about  the food but the food we ordered were typical, nothing special.
I liked the coffee in a big mug.
The ambience and service were very nice.
I guess they're trying to refine just about every cuisine these days. Upscale sandwich, poutine, and even street food restaurants are all the rage in Chicago. I think Southern food is the easiest to mess up when gussied up - much of its allure comes from the rough-around-the-edges, homemade character, which can easily be lost (see: Q). All would-be Dixie debutantes would be well-served to see how Big Jones does it.
The meal starts with homemade cornbread, rich and buttery, somehow still moist despite the small size, Â and with real corn kernels on the inside. Perfect. Reasonably priced charcuterie is a nice addition; Andouille sausage ($5), served with homemade rye bread, is the standout here. Tea-brined and wood-grilled pork loin ($17) is audaciously served medium-rare, and accompanied with a seasonal sweet potato and bacon hash. This was one of the best dishes I've had all year. Mixed greens ($7 for a large) are a welcome accompaniment - piquant in flavor, cooked low and slow with a ham hock, and doused in flavorful pot likker, just the way they ought to be.
Pricing is very reasonable for food of this caliber, and service is personal without being cloying. All in all, it's nice to see a well-executed effort at gussying up a Spartan cuisine for once. Because it is able to pull off this exceedingly rare feat, Big Jones is an absolute homerun. I'll definitely be back for the fried chicken lunch, and likely for many dinners.
Came here last weekend for brunch. I really liked the ambiance, and thought the restaurant was a great fit for the surrounding neighborhood.
We had the shrimp and grits and new orleans benedict. Both were great. I'd never had shrimp and grits before, but holy shit I've been missing out. It was awesome and I'm looking forward to trying it again someplace new. The benedict was good, but the crab was a little warm..can't nitpick too much.
We also got one of the sausages as an app, which was a good start to the meal.
Oh, and they start your brunch off with free beignets, which was like high class fried dough. Nice touch.
I'll be back.
P.s. Swedish Bakery across the street if you're still hungry.
Four years later, finally decided to give Mr. Jones another chance. Â The experience was far more pleasant this time, went in with a reservation and was seated almost on-time. Â Very few walk-ins waiting, so I guess the annoying new-kid-on-the-block hype has finally settled down after all this time.
Service was far less flaky this visit, and the food was generally still delicious, especially the begniets and the grits.  They still need to work on the consistency of  their biscuits, the ones that came with the biscuits and gravy were somewhat hard & overcooked, but the ones we got plain on the side were light & fluffy.
The catfish looked spectacular but unfortunately did not have room for that - maybe that will be atop my list for my next visit (which hopefully will not be another four years away).
Eh... Went there for breakfast. Â Service was very good. Â Biscuits were surprisingly uneven, very very hard on the bottom. Â Eggs were done perfectly and 100% best cheesy grits that I have had since I lived down South. Greens were interesting....Dirty Gravy was not impressive at all.. pretty bland. Â So a very mixed bag.
We will probably go again. But with so many places open for breakfast in Andersonville, we were kind of disappointed that this was not one of the better ones, especially for the price paid....
Big Jones' made me want to slip on down to 'Bama or Mizz'hippie to git me a spread with a big front porch. Just set in my white suit 'n sip whiskey sours 'til the shrimp 'n grits are just right.
I could seriously have brunch here every Sunday. I love this food. It was phenomenal. Â Jones starts you off with the Beignets, powder sugared fried dough balls that melt in your mouth. Â We also ordered the popovers, but that was before we knew the beignets were part of th deal. Skip the popovers if you're going for brunch, although the house preserves and sweet butter made them pop for sure. They're good, but we didn't need them and the beignets were probably better if I were to choose anyway. Probably should've sprung for something from the Butcher Block as a starter instead.
The shrimp with cheese grits was incredible. Really good spice and the shrimp were perfect. The Bayou Teche omelet with crawfish and andouille was plain legit. By which I mean it wasn't plain at all. Be ready for a flavor explosion because this was unforgettable. I can't wait to try more of their menu. Many more options look pretty special too.
Topped off our brunch with a Bellini for the lady and a whiskey sour for me, we were seriously satisfied.
Although, I found it funny that they didn't have a whiskey sour recipe at the ready, as this place specializes in whiskeys and bourbons, but the manager dug up his own creation with lemon, orange, orange bitters, and a little cherry liquor. Â It was a great cocktail and he even shared the recipe with me.
I had a great experience here. No doubt I'll be back shortly.
I appreciate what they are trying to do, but it just doesn't hit the mark. I think it's about a 3.5-star review overall.
We heard it was loud, so we requested a quiet table and they put us in back, which worked out fine.
The server was very intense. I think she must be a theater major or something because I got this weird feeling that she was "acting" like what a waitress should be. She was extremely articulate, loud, and like I said, a little intense.
About the food, it just wasn't good. There was nothing outstanding and some of it we didn't even finish. It's not like any southern food I have ever eaten.
We probably won't be back.
I was really excited to go here. My mom knows how to cook real southern comfort food so when I heard about this place I was ready to go.
The good
* It's a cute little spot on Clark with some real ambiance
The bad
* The service is pretty slow
The ugly
This place is way over priced and it's not REAL southern food. What it really is - would be a chef who is taught how to cook - food from LA, puts it on mini dishes, garnishes it up, serves you 1/2 of serving size and sends you a bill for $20-$30/person.
Sorry this place is just "meh" - if you want to taste real southern "soul" food it's not here. Real southern food is hearty, tasty, and comes in mega serving sizes. The food is unbelievable and sometimes it scares you because you're like I just ate what "frog legs, pigs feet" - yuck - but that is after your 4th serving. A real soul food cook can disguise everything as chicken with lip smackin' greens and mouth watering mac and cheese - LOL!
My taste buds thank you, Big Jones, for a pleasant weekday adventure. Â I frankly had not expected the remarkably creative and original menu, and I learned that the Boarding House lunch special is something I will probably never order. That was hardly a problem with all the other choices.
The lunch menu has an array of charcuterie, lip-service no doubt to the Cajun and 'Nawlins French influences. And here are some other items I have not seen elsewhere in town: a pickle tasting with butter and bread, potato and goat cheese croquettes, Â Roasted king trumpet, maitake, and shiitake mushrooms with fresh garlic and thyme, served with creamy grits, sawmill gravy, and piccalilli, a Carolina Shrimp burger with spicy mayo and chow-chow, a side of buttered popcorn rice, and a dessert like warm coriander oat cake. All in all, a nicely limited collection of pates, sandwiches, lunch platters, sides and desserts.
I ordered the Carolina Shrimp burger and a side of Voodoo Greens. My lunch buddy went meatless with the Roasted Mushrooms and Grits. A small plate of corn muffins arrived. They were warm and soft little numbers we enjoyed with fresh butter. We cooed with joy over the tender pieces of real corn. They got me with the muffins. My burger was like a wider and flatter crab cake on a bun, and the flavors were perfectly balanced with sweet and hot, and the crunchy chow-chow. My greens were so well flavored and earthy with just enough vinegar that they tasted like meat! The greens were collard and kale. My friend worked on his shrooms and grits very diligentlly but i did not manage a taste. He devoured it all.
The $16.00 Boarding House lunch special is always fried chicken I learned. Alas, I'm not a fried chicken fan. But I was amazed when I watched our neighbors get their platter for two. It was a very generous serving.
Southern desserts almost always seduce me, but I resisted the call of the sugar sirens this time. I may have to return for one of their half dozen or so pies, cakes or tarts. I'd love to order Peanut Gooey Butter Cake in my best Bubba accent.
I cannot fail to mention our server who is clearly in love with the place and the food. She helped us make choices and made lunch here both fun and memorable. The place is brimming with originality and fine southern regional offerings. Dinner or brunch here in the future is definitely on the agenda.
Having heard good things about Big Jones, I made reservations through Yelp for brunch. Strangely, I get an email a few days before my reservation saying that it was canceled by the restaurant. When I called to inquire, the first person I spoke to said she couldn't find my res in the system (ummm...likely because it was CANCELED), then put me on hold...forever. Until someone else picked up the phone and I had to repeat the same conversation, including the part where they confirm my res isn't in the system. Fortunately this second person had enough common sense to put my res in again.
I came in on a Saturday for brunch and it wasn't very crowded at 11am. Really liked the airy feel of the dining room. While we were studying the menu, we got complimentary beignets buried in powdered sugar. The beignets were nice and warm, and surprisingly not cloyingly sweet. We ordered the eggs New Orleans, bacon & onion omelet and cajun pancakes.The eggs New Orleans were fantastic with runny yolk and flavorful crabcakes. The omelet was standard fare. Cajun pancakes were a tad sweet, with all that powdered sugar and maple syrup.
I think I'd come back to try more of their savory dishes, but will steer clear of the sweets (this coming from someone with a huge sweet tooth is saying something). The food gets 4 stars, but I docked 1 for the disorganized staff.
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