Jim’s Original

The legend of “Jim’s Original” started over 70 years ago, when a young, bright-eyed European immigrant named “Jimmy” arrived in America. Once in Chicago, Jimmy began working at a small hot dog stand on the bustling corners of Maxwell and Halsted Streets.

Jimmy worked hard, bought the stand from his aunt, and then made it literally “World Famous.” He piled succulent polish sausages high on the grill and created the first Maxwell Street Polish Sausage sandwich, with sweet grilled onions and a smear of mustard. Perhaps there has never been a pleasure as great and as simple as taking a bite into one of Jimmy’s original sandwiches.

Due to UIC expansion and City pressures, that little stand, Jim’s Original, was relocated first in 2001 and then in 2005 a block North and a block East to the Southwest Corner of Union Avenue & James Rochford Street.

Today we continue to serve the Original Maxwell Street Polish Sausage Sandwich as Jimmy did when he first “invented” it in 1941, along with several other sandwiches including the pork chop sandwich “with the bone on a bun”.

Jim’s Original is the longest continuously operating hot dog stand to have once done business on Maxwell Street.Except for a short closure in 2001 when we were relocated from Maxwell Street to Union Avenue, we have been in business since 1939, with 62 years of history on Maxwell Street.

Jim’s was so well-known and has so consistently served Chicagoans that we became the cornerstone of the Old Maxwell Street Market until its relocation in 1994. People still identify the Old Maxwell Street Market with the sweet smell of onions that emanated from Jim’s stand.

Restaurant Information

-address: 1250 South Union Avenue, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
-website http://www.jimsoriginal.com/
-email address jimmy@jimsoriginal.com
-phone number (312) 733-7820 phone number for Jim’s Original”)

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Latest Youtube Videos

This video from YouTube has either been tagged or mentioned in he description for this restaurant. Let us know if this is not a correct video or if you have a better one and we will update it if needed.
title: Jim’s original hot dog and Maxwells Street Polish
description: Really good hot dog for cheap. I wish they had this in California. We went during Black History month and the polish hot dog were only $1.50 each and it come…

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title: The Headless Food Critic - Episode #1 - Jim’s Original Maxwell St. Polish
description: A visit to Chicago’s Union Street, adjacent to the Dan Ryan Expressway, to sample Jim’s Original Maxwell Street Polish. This sausage legend is open ²⁴⁄₇, and…

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title: In the Know w/ Jim’s Original Maxwell Street Polish
description: Jim’s Original Maxwell Street Polish Sausage sandwich has been in existence for 70 years. For those who remember the old Maxwell Street Market before the UIC…

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title: JIMS ORIGINAL LYREBIRD 1440 X 1080_16-9
description: THIS WON’T MEAN MUCH UNLESS YOUR INTO THIS SORT OF THING….MY SON JIM TOOK THIS VIDEO DEEP INSIDE SHERBROOKE STATE FOREST,WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE EASTERN FR…

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title: MAXWELL STREET-JIM’S ORIGINAL-JUNE 5 ,1994
description: Kiyoshi Nagata(Japanese King Record’s executive producer) & Mike Kositani(DJ ,Critic & Japanese 1st president of The Rolling Stones Fan Club) were toddling a…

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