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Reviews & Tips

  • 0

    Eh, food was so, so. Not like it used to be.  Potato salad? The drink I ordered had to be returned 2 times, was horrible.  But three times the charm.  The service was pretty good because the hostess handled the drink issue with a smile, but we got dirty looks from the bar maid who messed it up twice.

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  • 0

    Hmmmm not sure why the bad reviews but my friends and I had a great time at this place!  We were starving so it was great that they brought bread to the table.  We all ordered entrees and it came with soup or salad....we got the gumbo and it had a nice taste to it.  We all had something different (ribs, seafood, and chicken) and we all enjoyed it.  This spot is def not a 5 star resturant but a great casual place to enjoy friend time. Plus our waitress was singing too...we need to take her to karaoke lol.

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  • 0

    The atmosphere seemed a little kitchy, but we had really nice service, so I can't fault a place for having a "theme" and sticking with it, when they have good service.

    The food is a little pricey for what you get. The menu seemed like it had some good options and not so good options, and you have to eat there a few times to figure it all out.

    To be honest, I got the mini-burgers, and that is why I gave it 3 stars. I felt like they were too thick, and boring. Expect sliders or some taste when you order mini-burgers, not just a big burger cut in thirds. Yet the fries were really good, so that saved it.

    My wife had the fish and chips and it was pretty good. Again though, it seemed like the total dish was a little lacking in something, just didnt get WOWED by it.

    I would definitely stop in again, because of the service, and because the food is GOOD just now WOW, but it deserves a second chance since we did visit on a late Sunday evening.  We plan to try the brunch.

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  • 0

    Went there with a few friends, and after reading the reviews - I wasn't expecting much to be honest.  We just wanted a casual place with bar food and didn't want to feel rushed.  This was a great choice for us.  

    I ordered the burger - mainly since the other reviews were so hard on their food.  The burger was fine - nothing mind-blowing, but suited the bill fine and the fries were really good & perfectly crispy.  

    Our server was great - she made cocktail recommendations (one she had put on the menu herself) and was attentive when we needed her - and gave us some breathing time when we were still deciding so we did not feel rushed.  

    Will definitely be back.  :)

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  • 0

    Meh.  Went because I get their chili every year at the Taste and love it.  Should have gotten the chili at the restaurant too, because the other options didn't impress nearly as much.  The sloppy joe's were good for sure, but nothing that will knock your socks off of convince you to come back.  The Cobb salad was nearly impossible to eat, served with too-big pieces of lettuce, chicken, tomato and avocado on a super shallow plate - big mess.  And the wings, ugh.  It was 40 cent wing night so we got 10 (the min) and only ate 4 or 5 of them between us.  We NEVER do that.  But they were fatty and hardly had any sauce on them.  Boo.  Don't think we'll be back.

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  • 0

    I went here for a work event, but did not eat anything. Only had a couple beers but the service was great! Very friendly and always getting you what you need

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  • 0

    Neighbourhood bar type of place.  Good soups.
    Overpriced

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  • 0

    I really wanted to love this place since its so close to my house.
    I came here once on a lunch date and the food was just not worth it.
    It's pretty expensive for something that lacks quality.
    I was so hurt because I expected more. I came back to try it out again and this time I tried out their buffet.
    didn't change my mind. Go somewhere else.
    It's just not worth it. I'll probably just go here for drinks.

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  • 0

    This place is terrible.  If you have not gone here already, save yourself time and money and go somewhere worth it.  Nothing about this place was good and a lot was terrible.  The food and service being the terrible.  I got the fish sandwich and it tasted like I was scooping water out of a fish tank and eating it.  The fishy taste that I got on every bite was really overwhelming and screamed I'm not fresh.  Straight up it just wasn't acceptable, forget about enjoyable.

    The onion rings weren't onion rings they were onion crisps.  So don't advertise onion rings.  Small yes, but whatever I hate this place.

    Now with such a bad dinner I still wouldn't usually yelp, but it was there incompetency as a business that made me want to share my horrible experience.  When I ate lunch at this joint there were only a few other customers.  I left my jacket in the booth like an idiot and didn't realize until later in the day.  I called Chicago Joe's and spoke with a woman who found the jacket and told me she would...

    "hold on to it until I come pick it up."

    Great, this to me says I didn't lose my jacket.  If someone called my place of business and told me about a lost item and I found it, that tells me they are aware it's gone and will be by to retrieve it.  Any person with a brain would store it somewhere safe until the owner comes looking for it.  

    Wrong, for some reason the women or the staff or whoever decided to put my jacket up on a public coat hanger in the middle of the bar.  So when I return the next day the staff fumbled around for about 10 minutes until they came to me and explain that someone stole it.  "Of course someone stole you left it in the open at a bar!"  

    Not everyone will have to deal with what I had to, but if your looking for bad food then Chicago Joe's is definitely your place.

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  • 0

    My wife and I used to go with some regularity. I thought that the garden burgers were decent. My wife loved the chicken wings that were a special. Once the special was dropped, there was nothing else that my wife wanted to eat. For myself, the mustard jars always scared me; never sure what might have been stuck in there. Though I filled out several reviews, the bread basket never improved, nor did my wife's soda (often flat). The service was spotty; sometimes good; sometimes bad. We finally had enough. Though we live about a block away, we have agreed never to return.
    I can only recommend this to people who are happy with mediocrity.

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  • 0

    I have been going to Chciago Joe's for years. they have a wide variety of specials throughout the week that are easily affordable including the 'cheeseborger'

    In addition to the standard meals, they have a fantastic brunch on Sunday that manages to pack a lot of variety into a small space.

    My favorite bit though, is desert. They have a fantatsic key lime pie.

    Chicago Joe's is not perfect though. One time my girlfriend and I ate there and got the ribs. Mine were meaty and fell off the bone with no problem. Her's were essentially a slop of greasy fat.

    They have a full bar, but me being a cheap bastard, I'll usually skip that and settle on the food.

    My own dine in experiences have included most of the sandwhiches, burgers, chicken, and fish, as well as a ribs, chicken dinner, and the buffet. I've had a few of their soups, but have not sampled the chilli, which I hear is award winning.

    In the many times I've been there, service has been top notch, even when the place is busy. Waitressess bring refills on the drinks quickly and know the menu.

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  • 0

    A friend recommended we grab dinner here after a movie on Sunday. I was happy to go because my previous experience had been pretty good.

    I don't know what happened. Flat sodas served to us. an AWFUL vegetable soup, dry chicken, bad vegetables, and ice cream scooped mash potatoes that were awful.

    Just a really bad experience... here's hoping they can get there act together and start cooking some good food.

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  • 0

    I regret that out-of-towners, on their way out after a Cubs game, lured to "Chicago Joes" by it's similarity to an Applebee's, will actually think that this is what a neighborhood restaurant in Chicago is like.

    Blechh... just blech.

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  • 0

    Having read some reviews, I wasn't expecting too much - "better than meh," average, etc - but I was pleasantly surprised...the place was really good!  

    My boyfriend and I were craving oysters and burgers, so this seemed to be the place to check out.  The martinis were big and dirty, the oysters were fresh and reasonably priced, and the burgers were delicious and a perfectly cooked medium.  The service was excellent, too.  

    I'll definitely go back.

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  • 0

    What was I thinking!?  There are many places one could choose to eat at in the city and Chicago Joe's, like many restaurants has $5 specials every day of the week.  So, thinking that there would be something good on the menu the day I went I was dismayed to find that the $5 special choice was spaghetti (who makes spaghetti a special?).  So, we started out with the fried calamari because not many places can ruin calamari, right?  That wasn't a disappointment but when we finally did get our orders we were extremely disappointed.  

    I opted for a corn beef sandwich and my date opted for a fish sandwich (with intentions on splitting our sandwich's when they arrived).  We figured that since it's Chicago Joe's the corn beef would be heaping but not so much--the corned beef was dry, the bread soggy, and overall maybe I ordered the wrong thing.  The fish sandwich wasn't  half bad but it's stench lingered all the way home (we both needed to shower to removed the odor--yuck!).

    The server was nice enough so I wouldn't complain there, but overall the experiences was a total rip.  So, if you made it to this point in my review lets figure it out how this ended up being so steep price-wise because
    we spent $35 on the items listed above and our beverages--and I drank WATER!!!!

    I can think of many other places to go on the North-side and Chicago Joe's I'm sorry, but you are no longer one of them.

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  • 0

    Good burger, inedible meatloaf. It was gross breadloaf with indescribably horrid jello-like tan gravy. Blech. I predict serious barfing for anyone who actually eats this mess.

    Come on, Joe! Meatloaf? How did you screw that up? Its like getting the lyrics to Happy Birthday wrong. Just plain dumb!

    PS I saw Pat Tomassulo here, so I guess its not a total loss. He's seriously short, btw.

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  • 0

    Want great service?

    Want great tasting food?

    Want a comfortable atmosphere to dine?

    Then don't come here because it SUCKS. I really want to like this place, but I can't. It hurts me deep inside that I don't even have it in me to give Chicago Joe's the benefit of the doubt. My food was literally cold when it got to the table, not luke warm, not warm, but cold. The price you pay is not what shows up on your plate, let's put it that way.

    Chicago Joe's I'm sorry man, but even giving you "1 star" is pushing it.

    SUCK list, make some room because someone is joining you in about a minute.

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  • 0

    Chef Ramsay would have a field day here!

    Service was mediocre at best, food was borderline terrible.   A friend had a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> gift certificate, otherwise I'm not sure I would have ever stopped in for dinner.

    There is hardly as much seafood on the menu as the graffiti all over the building indicates.  The seafood that is served is definitely not fresh.  My gumbo tasted like vegetable soup with some crummy seafood chunks thrown in.  Clam chowder tasted like chicken soup.  'Worst italian beef sandwich ever' I believe 1 of the 4 at our table said after one bite (the last bite) of her dinner.   Beer battered fish tasted watery and bland to me.   I bit into something that was not supposed to be in my salad.

    Believe it or not, the only thing that ironically tasted fresh was the salsa they served with chips.

    The place is so dated that we felt like we were stuck in a time warp.  It's too bad, because the ambience could really make for a neat dining experience if combined with good (and fresh) food and better service.

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  • 0

    How come no one is talking about RIOT Comedy, the hilarious stand up show that happens in the back of Chicago Joe's every Thursday at 9:30?  That is weird because that show fucking rules!

    Okay, see you in hell, Yelpers!

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  • 0

    I have this crazy idea about creating an art installation using photos of all Chicago businesses that incorporate the name "Joe"... subsequently, I've had my eye on Chicago Joe's for a long time.

    Finally pulled the trigger one night when I wanted a hamburger. Turned up, got seated quickly, waitress was attentive, even gave us a Blue Moon for the "domestic" beer special. The burger was tasty, and the price was about right (ok, the burgers are a bit too pricey, but considering how well everything else went, I figured what the hell).

    I've been trying to get back to that first impression ever since.

    Let's just say that I should have read some reviews before I went back. Aww, who am I kidding--I would have just dismissed them as too picky or entitled, or overly critical. I mean, I ate there once and had a GREAT experience! Each visit since then... not so much.

    There's one waitress there, the only one that doesn't look like it's her first job (or else it looks like her first job, and she's kept it for 30 years), maybe you know who I'm talking about. I'm positive that she considers herself an excellent employee, and from the standpoint of saving the owner money on every conceivable level, I guess she is. The problem is that she's a terrible server. I cannae be arsed to detail her symphony of lacking, but suffice it to say that I've made my last trip to Chicago Joe's.

    And besides the ridiculously poor service, the food barely rises above mediocre. You can do better.

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  • 0

    I have to say I was pretty disappointed at Joe's. I've driven by it and wanted to pop in for a while now and finally got over there for a "Linner" or "Dunch" if you prefer, Sunday late afternoon.

    The atmosphere is sorely lacking. We were a party of 6 and were seated in the drab basement. All but one of our orders came out with at least one component missing (wrong side item, burgers cooked incorrectly, etc). Although our server was quick to correct the errors, she was no shining star.

    Overall, mediocre food, mediocre service, mediocre atmosphere.

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  • 0

    I spent a delightful few hours on the patio at Chicago Joe's this past Friday, soaking up the sun and enjoying some vodka & (pink!) lemonades. The patio was empty, the weather was perfect, and the plastic palm trees surrounding us created just the type of cheesy ambiance I needed.

    My friend and I  both ordered burgers, and while they were overcooked and just decent, they were edible. Their french fries were definitely the highlight of the meal. I had the 'Irving Park Road Trip' burger that had cheddar jack cheese and guacamole on it. Had it been served on a more robust bun and not so overcooked, it probably would have been great!

    So what went wrong, you ask? The service. I understand that, when sitting outside, you may be forgotten from time to time, simply because you aren't visible. However, it was our server's attitude that really ruined the experience for us. Rebecca was highly annoyed to be serving us. She approached us with no greeting, smile, or introduction--just simply "What can I get you guys to drink?" Granted, we were having a lazy afternoon and took our time in ordering drinks and food. But that was no reason to be an indifferent, unfriendly brat to us. My favorite moment was when my friend put down her Discover card and Rebecca came by to get the check and said "We don't take Discover!" like it made her so happy to be able to reject us. Perhaps something more along the lines of "Oh I'm sorry, we don't take Discover" would have been more appropriate.

    Too bad, because any establishment that has pink lemonade is, in my mind, automatically worthy of five stars.

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  • 0

    I've been to Chicago Joe's a few times. The first time was a brunch buffet; it was just...okay. I'm not a fan of buffets, but as they go I'd give that experience 3 stars. The second time was an office holiday lunch. That was fine, just not anything great. 3 stars again. Other times, the food was adequate and the service fair.

    The last time -- and it will be the last time -- was a weekday lunch. My guy, my mother and I stopped there because I knew they had a variety of dishes from which to choose. It was virtually empty; there were just two other tables being served at the time. We placed our orders and waited. And waited. And waited. My mother is not a patient person; at age 80, she hasn't the time to be patient. I am very patient; however, after 15 minutes even I started to wonder. We asked our server (not the one who took our order, as there had been a shift change), who assured us that lunch was on the way.

    We waited for nearly half an hour for our food. I am not exaggerating. Half an hour for salad, plus crab cakes, a burger, and a fried fish sandwich. What could have taken half an hour to prepare those items? I have a feeling that our original server either forgot to put the order in before she left, or that there was also a shift change in the kitchen and there was a disconnect there.

    Our server was very apologetic. I have a feeling she was the least culpable of anyone there. I did not want to discuss the problem with the manager, because my mother just wanted to get out of there. In any case, I will not go back to this place, for any reason. It is not worth the aggravation.

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  • 0

    Chicago Joe's is one of my favorite burger places that I've found so far in Chicago.

    The restaurant is very laid back but the burgers are good. I cannot comment any other entrees or deserts b/c I only get the burger.

    I am a fan. It's a great place to bring friends and catch up.  It's not a place to take a date.  

    I go to this restaurant at least 2x per month.. Highly recommend.

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  • 0

    this place was nasty. The only reason I'm giving it two stars is because perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing. I probably should have just gotten a hamburger. But, to my defense, the friend I was with kept telling me how good the sea food was. So, I ordered the gumbo and baked clams. The gumbo tasted as though someone just dropped some white fish into a minestrone soup and the baked clams = unflavored bread crumbs. Waste.

    The atmosphere is very family/blue collar and it is very, very very, WHITE. (at least it was when I went there). Perhaps maybe even a bit trashy?

    Oh but who am i to judge?

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  • 0

    The brunch at Chicago Joe's is very odd: nothing seems to match. RIght next to the tamales is the breakfast sausage and a little further down is a whole salmon that is about four feet long. Nothing in this selection was better than average except the cheesecake which was good.

    The decor and menu makes you feel like you are in the suburbs. The place is kitschy without trying to be and they have advertisements everywhere that they have free parking for 50. Great, maybe they should have the auto show there next year.

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  • 0

    Oh. My. God.  Never order the mini bacon cheeseburgers from here.  Terrible, awful, tasteless, disgusting.  How can you screw something up with bacon on it is anyones guess, but they did it.

    This should be a 1 star review but I have always had good service and other OK meals from here in the past so I cant be too harsh.  

    But gawd - I will never get another burger from here again!  ick.

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  • 0

    **THIS REVIEW IS FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH ONLY**

    Even as a relocated suburbanite, I make the trek into the city as often as I can for brunch here. The price is very reasonable, and you get your eggs cooked to order, including eggs Benedict.

    The selection is great. Since I arrive pretty close to when it's first opened in the morning, I'm really not in the mood for chicken or ribs or any lunch-to-dinner type food. But I lose my mind somewhat when the the flautas are concerned. Seriously, flautas at an American food brunch? With fresh pico de gallo and decent (not perfect, but decent) guacamole? Bless you, Chicago Joe's!

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  • 0

    I have to admit that my last few visits to Chicago Joe's have been a bit disappointing.  
    Maybe it's because they have not changed the menu since Ronald Reagan was our Commander and Chief.  In my humble opinion, Joe's has went from being one of the better Rib joints on the North side to a place that serves decent bar food.  
    The service has always been wonderful, and it's a real nice place chill out and have a beer or two while watching a ball game.
    If you have never been there, I would recommend that you give it a shot.  The decor is wonderful and displays some rare old pictures of Chicago.  But the food (sad to say) is pretty mediocre.
      I'm sure that I will go back at some point, and hopefully the experience will be better.  I grew up in the area, and after a countless number of good experiences at Joe's it deserves at least one more chance.

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  • 0

    This place is the perfect hang out place to hang out with friends, throw back a few beers while stuffing your face with a burger or another comfort food.  By no means is this place fancy, but I don't think it wants to cater to those looking to get dressed up for a meal.  

    There's a reason this place is packed during Cubs games, or right after work on any given workday.  It's just a real Chicago type of place to kick back and unwind.  

    I met the late Jack Brickhouse at Chicago Joe's.  Everyone knew who he was, but they acknowledged him & addressed him like any normal Chicagoan would...with respect.

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  • 0

    After driving by here twice a day for 4.5 years we decided to give it a try.  Sat outside which was nice.  Service was ok-slow on refills of water.  My husband tried the burger with blue cheese-good choice since the cheese was real and not dressing.  I had the patty melt which was ok.  The meat smelled a little bit off-not enough to complain but enough to make me think twice about it.  I will give them credit for managing to serve my burger medium rare and my husbands well done.  Fries were good-the onion rings were crap.  They were thinly sliced-more like a garnish than a side.  

    They have a special of $5 burgers after 10pm.  The only way we would go back would be for cheap carry out on the way home.

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  • 0

    They do get another star for the 50 cent oysters on Saturdays. I went in there today to watch the SOX kick around the CUBS and had a dozen of some of the best oysters I've had since I lived in Florida. YUM YUM!!

    Other than the oysters, I still hate this place though.

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  • 0

    Exterior - As Seen On "Wayne's World".

    Interior - Looks like an antique store threw up some kitsch in there.  Bonus points for the lighted wall menus that change colors every 30 seconds which kept me hypnotized throught the meal ;).

    Chicago Joe's is your basic pub and grill type restaurant with various types of burgers, ribs and chicken dishes.  Greg had the turkey burger and it was pretty good!  Instead of lettuce,they put avocado on it, an interesting change of pace but still yum.  I wasn't too hungry so I just had the soup of the day, which was cream of mushroom and it was very tasty.  Big slices of mushrooms in a savory creamy base, not that gross ground mushroom crap like they serve at some upscale restaurants.  Since we had a coupon for a free dessert, we had the Joe's Banana Split which was pretty good, but kinda small for $5.

    Customer service was very pleasant and the food came out rather quickly  It was not very crowded, as it was a Monday afternoon, but I could imagine it getting nuts on a weekend night.

    And a final note, the prices are VERY sky-high. I mean come ON now, chicken parmigiana for $14.95?  You've GOT to be kidding!!!

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  • 0

    Stumbled on Chicago Joe's the first time, but decided to come back the second time.  Will be back a third.

    Food consistent, tasty, filling.  Love the January Tuesday night special of cheezeborgers and side and pickle for just $3.75 - for real!  Other specials available on other nights - look for the page in the plastic sleeve on the table; it was pointed out to us right away by our server.  Ribs and chicken also nicely presented and delish.  Anxious to try other entrees and Sunday brunch...

    No bright lights (hate those god-awful fluorescent McLights!); instead, what appear to be Victorian lights hang from the ceiling, giving the feeling - when combined with the fact that the building was once a house - of eating Thanksgiving dinner at your aunt's overly-decorated home.  Odd but interesting assortment of memorabilia on the walls, including strings of lit holiday bulbs, autographed pictures, and so forth.  No smoking now that it's 2008.    

    Servers friendly and efficient; second server cute and even funny.  Bread basket brought to the table and water glasses filled immediately upon being seated - and refilled throughout dinner.  Table was cleared promptly.  

    Only one negative:  Refills of iced tea tasted, well, like it came from a soil stack.  Yuck!  Server apologized immediately, said it may have come from an "old" tea pitcher, brought new tea which was fine.  Just strange...  Maybe that's what we get for not ordering beer.

    Typical bar area in front, although more cutesy than some, with dining in the rooms back and to the side.  Just don't fall when leaving!  Step down is immediate after opening the door, then step down again at second (wind-break) door.    

    We have felt welcome here and will return.

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  • 0

    2 1/2 stars, if that were possible.

    When you walk into this restaurant, you walk into a misty wall of cancer--i.e., the smoking section. I always prefer it when the smoking section is DEEPER in a restaurant, so that the nonsmokers don't have to walk through it to get to their table.

    After arriving at our table, a busser appeared out of nowhere with water and a basket with bread, butter, and saltine crackers. That went smoothly enough.

    The waitress, however, was a 16-year-old with no sense of humor, who quickly took our order and then disappeared for 30 minutes. Now I ask you, thirty minutes for two burgers on a weekday afternoon--just a little ridiculous? The burgers were OK, but no better than what you'd make for yourself on the grill for a July 4th cookout.

    In all, the waitress saw us 3 times. The busser let our water go empty numerous times, and when we were ready to pay, we had to find her clandestinely eating her lunch behind the bar in the smoking section. (P.S. The busser and two other waitresses also ate their lunch within eye-range of us while we were there. Gross! "Oh, let me just smash this fry into my face and I'll be right over with your meal.") We paid in cash, and she gave us only part of our change, as though she thought we were going to skimp and leave her nothing. There was a little confrontational moment where we had to ask her for ALL our change, but assuaged her concerns that we WERE leaving a tip, but one that involved us getting back our coin-change first. (It sounds more complicated than it actually was.)

    In all, I think I would have rather made my own lunch. And, coming from a guy who's content with a bowl of Cheerio's for lunch, that's saying something.

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  • 0

    Average.

    Average menu, average food, average service, average drinks average clientele. Nothing outstanding unique, exciting, outrageous, or tittilating here.

    Middle of the road, trying to be a better than burger-rib joint-but-ain't I cute all you Chicago sports fans who won't know the difference.

    The food isn't repulsive, and its not wonderful. I guess its a good place to hang out with carnivorous local sports spectators, just like any pub grub establishment. Maybe I didn't drink enough to taste the sublime qualities of the food, but doubt that would have changed this review. Meh.

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  • 0

    I had Chicago Joe's ribs at rib fest this year and they blew me away. I grew up in Kansas City, which is argueably the capital of BBQ in the US. (we had the BBQ rib championship every year there) and I hadn't had decent ribs since I ate theirs. They border on the sweet/almost-too-sweet line of taste (which I prefer) but the meat just melts off the bone and into your mouth.

    I can't comment on the actual restaurant, since I haven't been there yet, but when I have the opportunity I will update my review.

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  • 0

    I ate here for the first time today, since I friend and I were yardsaling in the area. It's a pretty solid "C." There a plaque at the bar with the name of the firm that did the interior design, which made me laugh. They hired someone to do this? What did they say, "Make it look like a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, circa 1975"? Maybe the design firm did the actual space design, building a restaurant on the first floor of what was a home. That I could understand.

    The service was friendly, but the food took forever to come out. And we're talking sloppy joe and reuben. At 2 in the afternoon. Still, I guess they were busy. The reuben was okay, though skimpy on the Russian dressing and no noticeable sauerkraut. But the meat was lean and tender, and the sandwich was grilled, which was interesting. The fires looked like they would be spicier than they were. One pickle slice, which was disappointing.

    Okay, writing this review has convinced me to lower my rating by a star. This place is okay, but I obviously didn't like it as much as I thought I did. Stupid hindsight.

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  • 0

    I ate here a couple of years ago and the food has so horrible that I would never go back.  So, this review is based on my memory of dining at Chicago Joe's.

    I had a margarita at the bar and it was teeeny and weak.  I ordered the chicken fingers for dinner.  Now when you think of chicken fingers, what do you think of?  I think of the breaded and deep fried variety of chicken fingers.  In fact, that was the only type that I had ever seen before.  At Joe's the chicken fingers are not breaded or deep fried.  They were naked.  Naked chicken fingers floating in a bowl of some type of "sauce", which was a cross between melted butter and oil with some spices thrown in.  They were so greasy and inedible...I thought that I was going to vomit.  

    I gave Chicago Joe's an extra star because a friend of mine started working there and she claims that the food is actually pretty good now.  I wouldn't know.  I'm too scared to go back.

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    I got a chance to try their Sunday brunch last weekend and enjoyed it.

    There is a little something for everyone, ranging from french toast, eggs made to order, and sausages to smoked salmon, and chicken. Then there are items that don't typically fall into the typical brunch category, like guacamole, tamales, and ribs. Still I like the off beat additions. To finish up the meal, there is a nice selection of fruit or pastries. The food was good and the staff was quite attentive to bringing out new portions when they ran low.

    I enjoyed the cozy ambience and their walls are decorated with pictures and historical artifacts of Chicago, and their dining room could easily be mistaken for an exhibit at the Chicago History Museum. Yes, I took my time looking at the walls on my way to get more food.

    There were eight of us (get there early if you have a large group) that went for brunch and even though we had to squeeze together for seating, it wasn't overly tight, and there was still enough room for me to back my chair out and get up without distrubing the table behind me. Because the place is cozy, let the staff get to where they need to go, and allow fellow diners to return to their seats before moving around. But with full plates, and the waitstaff  always filling our cups of coffee, you really have no reason to move, picture it as the breakfast version of Cheers.

    Pros: Ambience, Brunch food selection. Not a bad place to be on a Sunday morning if you're a couple or with a small group of friends.
    Cons: Perhaps too cozy for some, not worth it if you only stick to breakfast food during brunch.

    To sum it up: A diner atmosphere trapped in a bar setting. Or vice-versa. And it works, at least during brunch.

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