These retards were more concerned with making sure I got fries then actually putting what I ordered in the f**king bag!!! Are you serious? Who put 3 orders of fries in one bag and totally screws up the rest of the order? No wonder this p,ace caters to a bunch of drunks in the wee hours of the night. Don't go to this place unless you are completely sober and are willing to babysit the staff and make sure you inspect the bag and get everything you ordered.
Review Source:I usually get hot dogs from either here or Jims. This time I tried a polish for the first time in a while and I was disappointed. The polish sausage seemed to be the cheap, industrially produced sausage you see in the store for a $1.19 per pound. Chicago is known for the caliber of its polish sausage even in Poland. Couldn't this place make a deal with Bobaks or Genes and procure some decent sausage?
They now offer relish on the hot dogs. The menus haven't changed here is years so this is a big deal.
Plus the fries were pale and limp - they could have used a few more minutes in the frier. So now I know why this place is always less crowded than Jims.
I wish I could live somewhere in between the mountain of caramelized onions and rows of charred Polishes. Nestle my noggin on a bed of steamed hot dog buns.
24/7, 365 a year. I even went here for breakfast before a 6:30am flight outta Midway. THAT's how good it is. Drunk, sober, it matters not!
Everything comes with fries and it's dirt cheap to begin with... what more do I need to say? NOTHING.
Shane-O, OUT.
OMG! now your talking some damn good food that gets down to the soul of Chicago!
This is what its all about it's Chicago's equivalent of Tommy's Burgers on Rampart street.
I've had dreams about this Polish since I was there last and I made my cousins drag me there, I didn't care how safe it was lol.
This was delicious, you have to stop there and try it all!
"The Chicago hot dog - we don't have a Chicago hot dog. It's just done street style. But it is a Vienna hot dog. So Vienna beef hot dog. The difference is though; the main thing down here is the grilled onions. That's what people come down here for. The main thing down here is the Polish sausage and the pork chop sandwich."
"Especially made for this place here. The polish sausage seasoning? It's my dad's.
Some are perfected and whatever, but we own a patent on that. So, the polish itself is made specially for here, you can't find 'em anywhere else."
I interviewed staff at both Express Grill and Jim's Original for my journalism assignment. Both are successful family businesses (2 stands of the 40-50 hot dog eateries that used to be on Maxwell Street pre-2001). After the questions, I decided to order the Polish hot dog for myself. The owner insisted it was on the house.
Polish Hot dog: 5/5. Was great. Had a unique flavour; didn't taste like it was a normal sausage (i.e. Jim's Original). Onions were browned and not a soggy mess.
Fries: 3/5. Served hot and were definitely fresh, but still tasted average (I did fail to use the salt packets provided).
I had to have the pork chop sandwich to compare it to Maxwell Street on 31st street. Â I think it was good, but I prefer it to be thinner like they have on 31st.
I had hot peppers on it, which always enhances the flavor of any food.
I also ordered the polish sausage and it was only ok. Â It wasn't as fresh as I would have liked it.
The food comes with fries and this place takes credit cards, so that always helps.
The best Polish in Chicago. You can stop searching, because all the locals in the know stop at Express Grill, which everyone calls "Maxwell St Sausage", but that's another story.
This place is always open, they do accept credit cards and seem to attract everyone from college students, late night clubbers, wannabe bangers, ubiquitous panhandlers, retail store managers that get out late (that was us!) and last but not least, the police.
Thankfully every time I've been there, the cops have been customers. They frequent this place a lot, so although you get some questionable looking characters in the neighborhood late at night or early into the wee hours of the morning, I've never had problem other than the homeless which beg you without shame.
Although they do have a full menu of grease-filled goodness, the only real reason to come to Express is to savor the one-and-only Polish that tromps everything else in Chicago, a city that put the Polish on the map!
There's just something magical about the combination of caramelized onions, peppers, that sausage and the way the mustard makes it all come together. Throw in a bag of greasy fries and you have the perfect comfort food when you're done partying up the Chi.
If you want a true taste of Chicago that can't be replicated elsewhere, pay a visit to this shrine. I'm normally not one to rave about food, but for only a few bucks, you won't find anything tastier in the city and that is open 24/7.
This is a diamond in the rough. Amongst so many impostors this Joynte still remains to be the epitome of classic, not to be confused with classy, Chicago dining.
For around $5 you get a full meal. Sandwich, fries, drink. It's that simple!
Maxwell street is as Chicago as the saint valentines day massacre!
Get a Polish Sausage or a Pork Chop Sandwich and you wont be disappointed.
Fast and cheap. These guys get your order and get it back to you at lightening speed. I tried the guys next door, Jim's Original, and it took twice as long for food that's the same price and same quality.
This is the place to go for a greasy double-burger with everything and fries. The Polishes, hot dogs and fish sandwiches are great too. You can feed five people and more for around $20 bucks.
This is hangover food, "I'm starving and have no time" food, comfort food, don't expect gourmet in anyway, but expect tasty, cheap, and fast.
Look this is Maxwell at it's finest, any place that says its the Original Maxwell Street, then doesn't give you Fresh cut fries, is NOT, I repeat is NOT original in any way and guess what, Jim's next door gives you some manufactured Fries that's why there so crispy. I'm tired of people that were to scared to come down and eat a Polish in the neighborhood back in the day, and now come around talking about how they know Original, then say Express is so greasy, they use to much onions and Expresses Fries ain't Crispy, People this is Maxwell Street Polishes, it's suppose to be greasy, the Fries are suppose to be soft cause the potato just got cut up, and It's suppose to have a massive amount of grill onions. These are probably the same people that complained about people selling stuff here at night, Maxwell street was the only place you could go and get a polish in the middle of the night and pickup some socks and porno. If you don't know what I'm talking about then you don't know Maxwell Street and you shouldn't be allowed to say anything about this place, You want an Original Maxwell Street Polish, Express Grill is it. Everywhere else is just NOT.
Review Source:The best Maxwell stand on earth bar none. First off, they're open 24-7. Also, for a few bucks you can indulge in some phenomenal fast food cheap eats. The original maxwell polish with grilled onions and mustard is just divine. 100% pure Vienna beef and not the garbage you buy at the local grocer. The only way to get this is here or through the Vienna factory directly. These are tasty and more than filling. The fries are greasy and a nice compliment as well. The pork chop sandwich is very good also. A generous size chop grilled to perfection on a hamburger bun. But it is bone-in, and eating around your sandwich is half the fun. Also it's cash only, so stop by the atm, and for a few bucks you can potentially have food for days. It's cheap, delicious, generous, and satisfying. And did I mention cheap and delicious?
Review Source:The red-headed step-child of Maxwell St. stands. Â It is not terrible, but not all that great. Â Its existence is wholly unnecessary because of its proximity to the superior Jim's Original (they are neighbors). Â The sandwiches are much greasier at Express, and the fries are not crisp.
I ate here once when my drunk friend insisted that Express, and not Jim's, was the better one (I didn't want to argue), which he conceded after his first bite. Â In hindsight I should have been more assertive, but at least it gave me a chance to be able to definitively say that Express was inferior to Jim's.
All Express Grill has to do is move a few blocks away from Jim's, and I'd bump up the rating to A-OK.
You haven't tried a real "Maxwell Street Polish" until you've been here. Â Anyone other place's Maxwell St. Polish is a waste of money. Â I chuckle at any restaurant around the country that has tried to emulate this (even better, make a "healthy" version).
Back when it used to be on Maxwell St., many late nights were spent trekking there and wondering either if you might get mugged or bothered by a bum who's probably taking a leak on the curb. Â The excursions were always worth it though: how can you say no to a $3 polish + fries + drink? Â
Now if you're reading this and never tried either Express Grill or Jim's Maxwell St. Polish, DO NOT expect anything NEAR healthy. Â My roommate and I were always amused that the Polish and fries were so greasy, they soaked through the layers of wax paper. Â The onions came out of a vat of grease, the Polishes from another vat of grease, and the fries that either fresh from the grease pit or probably under a heating lamp with grease.
The menu is simple, the workers are rather brief and prompt, but you don't come here expecting top notch VIP service; i's a greaseball joint and boy is it spectacular. Â You also need to have the sport peppers that comes with to top off the experience (even though I'm usually not a fan of eating peppers by themselves, these are a must have thing). Â I normally only get a Polish, although the cheeseburger and pork chop sandwiches were OK and it's plenty filling for someone like me that tends to eat a lot. Â If you've had a crazy night of partying and/or drinking and you get the munchies, you've got to be here.
It does seem a bit different since it moved (in that, I don't feel the burn later in the night or the morning after anymore), maybe it's because they changed their grease? Â Regardless, it's still oh-so-good.
Good food, big portions, free fries, cheap prices, and hey you get to eat with your neighborhood pigeons!
$4 - You get a big grilled chicken sandwich and a bag of french fries
Pro's: Really friendly staff member with a big smile on his face... Maybe cause I'm a suburban white kid who looked out of place.
But no, on a serious note he was extremely helpful AND he mentioned that for the entire month of February all Sandwiches are $1.50 M-Thurs from 3pm-5pm.
Hot damn! Â At that price it is worth stocking up my whole fridge for a week.
Good times at Maxwells Express Grill.
FAMOUS FOR (My rating in parens)
Maxwell Street Polish (10/10)
ALSO TRIED
Pork Chop Sandwich (8/10)
Cheeseburger (10/10)
Hot Dog (5/10)
Fish Sandwich (3/10)
Chicken Sandwich (3/10)
Oh, poor Maxwells! Nobody knows you by your real name, "Express Grill!" Back in my UIC days, the debate was always "Maxwells or Jim's?" That's why Express Grill only has 19 reviews, and Jim's has 129, which, ironically, also shows the sudden shift in clients!
Express Grill or "Maxwells" and Jim's were always next to each other (why? I dunno). Jim's was always the desperate ones. No line and no customers. Their cooks were always leaning out the window calling out to you as you walked by to go to Maxwells. Us frequenters went to Maxwells because we believed the Polish tasted better here. Newbies went to Maxwells for fear that Jim's was unsanitary or something because their lines were empty. Lol @ Newbs!
Each item comes with some thick, flimsy, tasteless fries (add salt and it's pretty good) and last I remember a Polish was just over $3 and the rest was under $3. Been a while though.
POLISH
You have not tasted a Maxwells Polish until you've tried it here. Do NOT even think about saying that you had a "The Original Maxwell St Polish" at [Insert Venue Here]. I don't care if it was Wrigley Field, Portillos, or some random hot dog stand. You have not experienced the real thing. It's funny too, back in the day, you had to literally risk your life to get Maxwells, now it's in such a nice area!
It's a polish cooked on a greasy grill with greasy grilled onions on a bun slathered with mustard only, and really hot peppers (sometimes). The peppers aren't jalapenos, they're something else. My mouth is watering now just thinking about this! The polish is just perfect! It's smoky, salt, flavorful, but not overpowering! The bun is sitting in a steamy container, so it's thin, so you don't just taste bread. The mustard with the polish is just heaven! And finally, the onions. Oh yes the onions...I don't know how they make these, but I've been trying to recreate it myself and have failed on all accounts. Their onions are so perfect! They're "sauteed" so to speak, but are grilled on the same greasy grill with the same grease rained down upon them. They caramelize to just the absolute PERFECT point where they don't have the crunch and sharpness of raw onions (I hate raw onions) but they're not so mushy either. They have a softened texture of their own and they are OMG so freaking good and sweet! The entire collection just melts in your mouth as your eyes roll in the back of your head. Yeah it's that good!
You want to know about Chicago? Have a Polish, it tastes like Chicago. Figuratively, literally, whatever, you cannot die before having one of these! The
PORK CHOP SANDWICH
It's a bone in pork chop, just so you know before you go breaking your teeth! It's got the same mustard, onions, and peppers as the polish.
TIP: For a pork chop, you can't go when it's too busy - you have to wait a long time, and you run the danger of getting a not-so-cooked one. You can't go when there's nobody there, those pork chops have been sitting on the grill for a while, so they're dry. You have to go either at the tail end of a rush or after the rush. You'll get the perfect pork chop then. Trust me, I lived about 50 paces from Maxwells and skipped class to test this out (I did just about anything to skip class)!
TIP 2: BITE CAREFULLY!
When you get it right, this is pretty darn good! Pork chop doesn't have too much of a pork flavor, but when you get a good bite (bun, condiments, and pork) it makes a great combination! The texture is what does it for me!
CHEESEBURGER
I have never in my life had a cheeseburger that melted! The beef and cheese on a flimsy bun with the mustard and onions are so incredibly good and buttery! I don't even know if they use butter, but it feels as good as butter! And you bite it, and it literally wants to melt in your mouth! OMG! Drool!
THE REST
Not good. I'd rather have a Filet O Fish instead of their fish. Chicken sandwich is whatever. Don't waste your money. The hot dog is just a hot dog, bun, and the same mustard/onion condiments. Now, I hate hot dogs, but love a good Chicago Style Dog, and this is not a Chicago Style Dog, so no thanks! In fact, if you order a hot dog with the onions and mustard, you take a bite, and you think to yourself, "Now why in the hell did I not just give a few more cents and get a Polish?"
The whole world tries to copy Maxwells...but nobody even comes close! Oh yeah...24/7/365! Gotta love it!
Seems like everyone prefers either Jim's or Express. Â I like them both. Â Polish hotdogs are comparable at both. Â Fries might be slightly better at Jim's. Â But hands DOWN the fish sandwiches with extra tartar sauce are better at Express. Â I've given Jim's several tries on the fish/tarter, but it just makes me nauseous for some reason - and I'm a garbage disposal. Â A few tips for Express: Â Make sure you ask for a polish that's not too charred (it drys the meat). Â Ask for onions that aren't too dark or it can turn into a smushy mess. Â Use small initial bites into the peppers - sometimes they're mild, and sometimes they're kick @ss hot. Â If you like the fish, try it with onions on it, it's actually pretty good. Â The pork chop sandwiches don't taste too good in the morning, so make sure you finish those while you're drunk the night before. Â
And thanks to law enforcement for not camping out on Halsted and giving sobriety tests on the weekends...
Mmmm. Definitely a favorite for late night or when I am bored and hungry. I have to travel from Lincoln Park to get here, so you know this place is definitely worth it. My favorites from here are the fish sandwich and the polish, topped with their delicious caramelized onions, which are so much more caramelized than Jim's, and their polish dogs are almost twice the size. The only thing from Jim's that I prefer are their french fries, besides that, I don't understand why people don't prefer to come here more often.
FYI, they take card now, but they kind of give you attitude when you pay with card, so try and always pay with cash if you can, or maybe it's just me.
Anyways, I love it here and come at least once a week. Definitely recommend if you are drunk and want food. It's delicious.
I think I would have starved to death during collage if it wasn't for the express grill. Back then it was a $1.60 for a burger and fries... What a bargain. While the burger here isn't the greatest in the world it was cheap and fast. The waldorf ketchup is kind of festive and was better used as a table decoration then on the burger but that was easily fixed but just buying our own ketchup. The bums begging while you order are a bit on the annoying side as well but they are part of the experience of coming to the express grill. Even if you give them the quarter you are still getting a great dal here.
Review Source:Best Polish dog ever. I guess this is the go to place for drunks in Chicago after a night out on the town. It is analogous to San Diego and 24 hour Mexican food. The Polish dog is the new carne asada fries (at least for me). This place is cheap and really hits the spot for late night snacking. If they had more of these on the West Coast, they would really put the local Costco food court out of business. I get excited just thinking about the smell and taste of the grilled onions. The fries were also deliciously good. Now I am sad I am no longer in Chicago.
Review Source:This is simply the best. Â I went to UIC for undergrad and my dorm was right by it. Â I remember I'd always be walking and smell the beautiful sweet fragrance of the polish sausages, tender and juicy pork chops, and grilled onions all the time! Â This always made me salivate and seems to be a way they brain wash us.
I can't tell you that I prefer Express Grill over Jim's any time of the week! Â The quality of the meat isn't the issue but its the way Jim's cook it. Â I know I've had dried porkchops from jims and their polish just didn't have that mmm mmm goodness that I wanted. Â And their onions are just undercooked or just doesn't have that texture that I want.
But Express Grill has all the right ingredients and the right chefs! Â Hands down the best polish sausages to the point where I can't eat it anywhere else. Â The pork chop is always tender and man the grill onions are done perfectly! Â Dripping in all its goodness, nice texture, and the taste is amazing. Â Oh and all this at a student bargain (under $5)! Â Use to be cheaper but still good for what you get.
I tell you when you got a beautiful piece of meat and topped with grill onions! Â It's hard to reject this but somehow Jim's falls short. Â Â *Though Jim's Beef Polish and fries is much better than Express Grill.
Plus on top of your sandwich you get free fries!!! Â And do not make the mistake that IF YOU ARE A UIC STUDENT FREE DRINK! Â SHOW ID! Â I found out the last day I graduated undergrad! Â And it only happened because my friend was wearing a UIC sweatshirt in which the cook said, "are you from UIC? Â You get a free drink." Â I was devastated as I already bought my stuff! Â Anyways could work for any student but letting you all know.
But yes open 24/7 and make sure to eat em' hot peppers. Â You will enjoy it but the aftermath ain't too pretty but who thinks of that?
OK....there have always been two polish sausage stands (not hot dog stands) on Union, parallel to I 90/94 in Chicago. Â I like this one better. Â They used to be on the corner of Maxwell Street and Union Avenue, but with all the new construction they were moved. Â That's why they're called "Maxwell Street Polish Sausages". Â Some other people even named their establishment "Maxwell's Polish" and tried to copy the taste. Â This place is a Chicago tradition. Â You have never, ever had a polish like this and the cheaper orange and grape pop (you might say soda) tops it off.. Â I have been eating them for many years and I think I'll get dressed and go out and get one now. Â My mouth is watering....no lie. Â Check out the Express Grill.
Review Source:Often imitated but never duplicated.
Been coming here for at least 15 Â yrs.
nothing has changed but the prices and the location...and not by much.
if you ever go to any joint and they advertise 'maxwell polish sausage' it's bush league. Â know that.
yes, you stand outside in the winter and eat your polish (if you eat in the car, it will stink for the next 48 hrs). Â too bad you can't buy socks or porn as you eat. Â Damn you University Village!!
Best Polish dogs in Chicago so far..
I've had Toronto's street vendor hot dogs, Detroit's Coney Dogs, Chicago-style hot dogs, and then tried this. Â Maxwell St. Polish dogs from Express Grill. Â It is the sh!t. Â Polish dogs w/ hot peppers, cheese fries and a coke. Â Love it.
The beggers can be annoying though asking for the change that you just got.
This is a review of Express Grill.
I boldly mention this because there is _another_ hot dog stand very nearby, and in the past, I believe there was a keen possibility that persons reviewing either of these hot dog stands may have mistakenly assigned the attributes of one to the *opposition* hot dog stand.
The *opposition* hot dog stand run by a feuding brother of the entrepreneur of Express Grill is at *1250* S. Union Ave. (I shall not mention its name here - it is already confusing enough.)
The snag is because; depending on when you were here, you might not especially remember all the details of what you had, much less which stand you visited. But the fog of your memory would express [oops] that this was the northernmost stand.
Then, in a lucid state, you logged on to Yelp and looked the venue up. You saw an address of *1236* S. Union. You posted your review of that venue as being "Express Grill".
And you were erroneous.
There is no stand at 1236 S. Union Ave. That is a non-existant address. (It would be in the middle of the street just south of Roosevelt Rd.) The northernmost stand is *NOT* Express Grill. You reviewed *the opposition*. Please cut out your review of the opposition and paste it into that restaurant's reviews.
After we finished videotaping 'Chic-A-Go-Go!' one Saturday evening, I had extra time before I needed to get to the Twisted Spoke. I was on another CTA 1-day pass. I walked over to Halsted St. and caught a #8 Halsted bus south to Roosevelt and walked the two blocks over to Union St. I deliberately chose Express Grill.
I opted for the beef Polish ($3.35) and a 20-ounce bottle of black cherry soda ($1.25). My money was collected in a small tip tray. (I haven't seen any business using that since I visited Tokyo.)
I had mustard and grilled onions on my polish. It was a good all-beef polish slightly pink on the inside, but with enough roasted meat flavor to be succulent. The french fries at Express Grill are institutional. They're not great. Interestingly, you will get generic ketchup packets for your fries at Express Grill. [Oh geez. How did the "never ketchup!" hot dog purists miss that in their reviews?]
In a sense, those who visit here are also doing so to absorb the atmosphere. But unlike Superdawg [c.v.], at Express Grill, it concentrates on its food. The prices are low. It is a solid value for the money. This is the cheapest restaurant in the Roosevelt | Halsted area (to briefly mention the opposition - it charges the same prices - there is no 5¢ or 10¢ undercutting by one stand from the other). Which is likely why it is sequestered off on a freeway frontage road. Fancier, more expensive restaurants and lounges do not want you to know about venues like this, especially when it's walking [or staggering] distance from them.
Transit options: Express Grill is open 24 hours a day, and buses which serve it run for all of that time. The #8 Halsted bus runs northbound from here until 1:00 am; southbound until 2:45 am. The #12 Roosevelt bus runs east from here until 12:45 am; west until 1:11 am. After that, catch the #N62 Archer bus [30 minute intervals] on the corner of Halsted & Rochford St. [1230 S.] to downtown. It is a one-mile walk (or bicycle ride) north to the Halsted Blue Line "L" station.
A must get when I Chi-town, I sometimes have friends that visit from Chicago bring me some Polish Dogs by air. Just make sure they wrap the works separate with the bun.
The Pork Chop is also good, but remember the bone is included, something you might forget when your taste butts come in contact with this treat. There are many Maxwell Streets in Chicago, but his one is the One and Only. Come on and get your Polish (fries Included) and a pop.
Well, let the picture I posted speak for it self...
Wow! Â I'm so stuffed from piggin out from the polish and pork chop. Â How did i scarf both of these sandwiches down and eat half a order of fries. Â btw, the ketchup packets just became name brand (Hunt's)...what happened to the no-name sweet packets that i enjoyed with their somewhat soggy fries? Â Tonight the polish was just the way i remember, but the pork chop was a lil on the dry side. Â Maybe cuz it was a lil cold from the 20 min. drive home. Â Dang! Â but still worth the trip at 1 in the morning. Â I'll definitely go back when the crave hits and I can afford the extra calories on some special nite I stay up late.
Review Source:O-M-G!
how is it possible that I, for ONE, be the FIRST to REVIEW a CHICAGO-an eatery? supposedly, this is THE BEST, THE BEST hot dogs in chicago, or mebe my friend was just overly hyping it up...
who knows?
came here for a late night snack, around 1am. HAHA. talk about having munchies in the middle of the night. ordered a $2 fat grilled onion hot dogs...
i luv it how its 24 hrs, and oh, you get free fries with that!:)
honestly, i like COSTCO's POLISH better. sry, P:) haha. (thank gawd, he doesn't YELP)... so they say, this is the Original Maxwell Polish hot dog, but it wasn't all THAT spectacular, but at least, i can say, i did try some chicagoan style hot dogs...
oh, one tip: never put ketchup on chicago's hot dogs. HAHAHA, i already goofed on that.
oh another tip: supposedly, this isn't the safest place to come at night, he made me stay in the car as he ordered the hot dogs... so ladies, be careful... go there early... and who gives if you're a guy? we ALL stand out by the way we walk and order, so he says. HAHA
hee hee hee...
oh, another thing, given that this was a midnight snack, talk about MAJOR SALT AND MSG UP THE ASS. i seriously was up the whole entire night, drinking water, tea, coke, alcohol, hoping it would wash itself away, but no, it was a no no!!
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