Gene's Sausage Shop & Delicatessen

This is the real deal!  I wish I worked there.  
It's like being in your Gramma's kitchen, but multiplied by a million!

My mom still makes homemade chicken noodle soup, but it's getting to be a bit too much work.  Me, I've always been lazy & have rejoiced when I time it right to get some.  My mom gave me an article from the Chicago Tribune about Gene's, so I  thought it might be worth a try.  I read some of the reviews below before going there today.  I was fully prepared for attitude, no help (I don't speak Polish), etc.  I can't tell you what a complete opposite experience it was!!!  As soon as I walked in, I asked the cashier if she spoke English.  Yes.  She directed me to the chicken noodle soup.  I asked where the pierogis were.  She directed me to the deli counter, but while I was still getting the soup, she brought up several containers of pierogi for the case up front.  I went to the deli, only to check out 'the largest' deli cases (one of the reviews).  Was talking to a fellow shopper, and had 2 samples of meat from the very nice woman behind the counter.  (I didn't even ask.)  I just finished the chicken noodle soup before writing this, and it is 99.99% comparable to my Mom's.  (I don't even know what the .01% difference would be except I can't ever say anyone's is better than my mom's.)  I will be trying the barley soup, pierogis and breaded pork cutlets.  If they're anything like the soup, I will be having a trip down memory lane (my mom's cooking) with every meal.  I HIGHLY recommend this store.  Their own parking lot (which is why I didn't consider the Lincoln Ave store, though I didn't actually check into this) was very convenient.  Thank you to the woman with the samples, and Marianna (spelling?) at the front, who was just darling.  As Arnold would say, "I'll be back."!!!

Gene's has two unique locations.  This location on Belmont is near the center of the cities Polish neighborhoods.  Vegitarians need not apply.  Just a terrific website.  They do a great job describing all the different sausages.  Do yourself a favor and do a little bit of homework because the selection can be overwhelming.  It's truly unbeliveable that you can go to a store that literally has dozens of sausages that you've never tried.  There's sausages for snacking, sausages that are good for the grill, good for putting on sandwiches, good for topping with horseradish, good for dunking in mustard and strait up sausage that's good in one hand when you have a pickle in the other hand.  Here's an exciting list of some of the best items (that I've tried until now) -

- Alpine sausage (Kielbasa Goralska)
- Gypsy Ham (Szynka Cygańska)
- German Ham
- Kabanosy (snack sausage)
- Hunters Sausage (Mysliwska)
- Veal Wieners (Parowki)
- Don't forget a Giant Deli Pickel!

So both places totally have differnent feels.  The location on Belmont has a very Polish feel and the location in Lincoln Square has a German feel (naturally since it's Lincoln Square).  It doesn't hurt if you have a Polish representative as part of your party when you visit the Belmont location.  My wife is Polish and was able to connect with the staff right away (mostly given her ablility to speak Polish fluently).  Now that I've been here a couple times, I do just fine on my own. They have an entire section of the deli that has prepared polish food for lunch or dinner on the go.  Smacznego!