Big Jones Reviews

We arrived early, just before opening at 9A on a Sunday. Several folks were gathered waiting. Staff was cheery and accommodating. After a short wait we were ushered in. Delicious (complimentary) beignets were served almost immediately after the server brought coffee (several options) and tea (TEA DRINKERS NOTE: Several delicious varieties are offered, served in a small cast iron steeping pot). A Turkey Red Wheat Scone was moist and delicious. The crab cakes, part of Eggs New Orleans, were some of the tastiest I've ever had. The eggs were done to perfection. My companion ordered Corn Griddle Cakes and the serving was probably enough food for three people. However, the Corn Cakes were a bit more dark than you'd expect. Still very tasty! Overall a wonderful experience, only wish we could have eaten more. That said, we'll be back again!

Precisely prepared upscale Southern cuisine in genteel surroundings. The experience makes one think of eating a fine meal in the antebellum home of a wealthy planter in the Deep South. Beverages every bit as outstanding as the food. Ya'll stop by, hear? reminds

I took my husband here for a surprise brunch on Father's Day. We both loved the innovative menu of Southern regional cuisine. It was hard to choose! After a starter of complimentary warm beignets and a spicy Bloody Mary for each of us, my husband enjoyed his Eggs New Orleans (poached eggs over crab cakes in a popover with a Bernaise sauce) and I enjoyed cheesy grits with a fluffy asparagus omelet. Good strong coffee and friendly service rounded out the meal. Highly recommend!

To be fair, I've eaten here before and it was delicious. However, my reservations yesterday for 7 people (birthday party) at 12:15 PM were met with a grouchy hostess who told us "Your table won't be available until 12:30...at the earliest." No apology. We returned at 12:30 and were told "They're still here at your table; there's nothing I can do." No apology. We cancelled our reservation, went next door to Calo, and spent $400.

We stumbled upon this restaurant while walking around Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, and we're so glad we did. There are so many unique and flavorful foods. We loved the crab cakes and the fried green tomatoes. The different types of breads (cooked in bacon fat) was mouth-watering.

We were the first table in the place for the evening seating. No matter, the service was consistently bad. There were five at the table and one of the mains came after everyone else had finished. The waitress was apologetic and said that they would comp desert. We ordered desert and then the desert took a very long time to come. Bad enough, but the food was poor also. The food was generally over salted. Dishes that contained rice (gumbo and etouffee) had way too much rice. The gumbo was too thick and came out cold. I have reviewed 100’s of places on Trip Advisor and this is the first that I have rated poor. With all of the really good restaurants in Chicago (and in Andersonville, for that matter) there are much better choices.

So banana pancakes are great and coffee is good... but I was having brunch with my boyfriend over skype, and while drinking my cappuccino they told me that I was taking too long and that they needed my table. Basically they kicked me out. I had two main dishes and a coffee and left a good tip just because the waiter was nice. However, it made no sense that the couple next to me had been having coffee and talking for the past hour like me and I got kicked out just because I was eating by myself? That's rude and honestly, pissed me off. If this is the way they treat new customers... I don't recommend this.

Adolfo took great care of us. The fried chicken was fabulous, we had four appetizers and dessert. OMG it all was so good. Cute outside area too. Don't miss it

Big Jones was a tremendous surprise for myself and my family for dinner on a Saturday night in late May. Among our orders was, of course, the signature fried chicken and skillet corn bread, but also andouille, a three mushroom variety entree, and asparagus soup. As much as we enjoyed the fried chicken, for us the star of the meal was the three mushroom mix entree, which we never would have expected. All of us in our party of four were extremely happy with the manner in which each dish was prepared and with our server. We are recommending Big Jones to anyone planning a visit to Chicago and hope to return on our next Chicago visit.

My husband and I have been dining her for the last 5 years (give or take). This restaurant is known for brunch but for us we love coming in for dinner. Most times the two of us will sit at the bar for drinks and our meal as we love conversing with the bartenders and watching them work their craft. Our go to food choices: Mushroom entree - it's a seasonal entree that captures the mushroom perfectly Fried Chicken - I feel like the recipe for this has changed from the first time I had it years ago. I'm a fan of the recipe right now. Love the sides that come with this. If you have a craving for this order this as soon as you sit as its fried to order (about 30 minutes). Tete de Cochon - aka headcheese and it is delicious Gumbo Ya-Ya - rich roux is the key to making this starter have such complex flavors. Cornbread Skillet - Yum! Tea Brined Pork Tea Brined Duck (on the specials menu) The cocktails are great - the bartenders know what they are doing. If you go there I encourage you to sit at the bar and talk to them - they will help you find something for your palette.

For Sunday brunch, went with friends who live nearby. The owner/chef was at the front greeting guests and I thought - "Nice!" Well he should have been in the kitchen supervising what was being served. It took forever before the server showed up and then we felt that he could have cared less why were were there or what we wanted. I ordered the Biscuits and Gravy, which is a great test for any Southern kitchen. The biscuits were tough, the gravy was OK and the poached eggs were at both ends of the spectrum, one was perfect, the other hard cooked. While I appreciate greens, those served with this dish were inedible - instead of placing a teaspoon of vinegar in the greens as I was taught when I lived in the South, this was added by the cup - all you could taste was vinegar. It is supposed to take the edge of bitterness off the greens, not overwhelm them! The Owenbrae (or something similar) as an appetizer was the best thing they served - a spoonbread that was heavenly.

Big Jones generally gets good reviews from the restaurant critics, but my experience has definitely been mixed. I decided to give them another try and ordered the Shrimp & Grits. I could not eat the dish and told the waitress that it tasted like bacon and grits and that I did not see any shrimp in the dish. She said they were small shrimp. She offered to get something else and I told her that I lost my appetite. I asked for a piece of bread which broke apart like it was stale. They comped the entire meal including that of my guest and I told her that this ruined my night and that I would not ever return to this restaurant. The manager asked what the problem was and I told her. I will never return to this restaurant and would not recommend it to anyone.

Dining at Big Jones reminds me of the restaurants along the Great River Road in Louisiana, all manner of southern cooking...Cajun, Creole, Soul, New Orleans...gumbo, crab cakes, fried chicken, Eggs Benedict. Located at 5347 North Clark Street, in Chicago's Andersonville/Edgewater neighborhood, Big Jones was founded in 2008 by Paul Fehribach and Mark Armantrout to bring southern hospitality to Chicago. Mission accomplished. Open from 11 to 9 Monday through Thursday, 11 to 10 on Friday, 9 to 10 on Saturday and 9 to 9 on Sunday, Big Jones' Coastal southern cuisine is sourced from over 40 local farms. It also features over 100 whiskeys, 50 beers and 50 wines in a bright, cozy setting. I started with a Piquant spread of aged cheddar cheese, home-made Worcestershire and pimientos with picadilli and benne crackers, two sweet potato biscuits baked and served with roasted jalapeno honey butter and a bowl of gumbo with chicken, house-made andouille sausage and home-made Worcestershire sauce that flavored the broth with smoky roux and steamed Cahokia rice. For an entree, I chose shrimp and grits, Texas coast Gulf of Mexico white shrimp smothered in Tasso ham and shiitake mushroom gravy and served on creamy Anson Mills grits. With a side of shredded potato cooked in butter with onion and green bell pepper. For dessert, I had a large portion of bourbon bread pudding with Nichols Farm apple butter and honey coriander ice cream. I never knew grits could taste so good.

Four of us went to Big Jones on a cold, snowy, night in Chicago and walked into a bit of the South!! This is a “neighborhood” place with a city reputation. It was wonderful. The service was absolutely first class. Our waitress, Sam, was from Georgia. She was warm, knowledgeable and very attentive. The Food and Drinks were like good Southern Comfort Food. Everything we had was good! I would highly recommend it. I would especially recommend the cornbread, fried chicken, “Big Jones” Catfish, pimento cheese starter and,of course, the bourbon bread pudding for dessert! We will be back!

We had out of town guests and wanted to treat them to a little "city food," so chose Big Jones for its reputation and location. We had a 10:45 am reservation for brunch and had to wait a bit. That was okay. Having to wait in a narrow, crowded hallway was not okay. It was unpleasant for people to have to squish by us to get to the host stand. We were seated and ordered right away, and our food arrived all at once, including the cornbread muffins, Sally Lunn bread and popovers we had ordered as starters. The place is extremely noisy - not a soft surface in the place to absorb any noise. The food was fine. Not stellar, not bad, just fine. I know this place and its chef are lauded for their work in showcasing Southern food, but to me, the hospitality factor just isn't there.

A restaurant where the food does the talking. The Gumma Ya Ya is fantastic and the fried chicken was worth the drive. There is an amazing selection of bourbons and a great choice of beers.

If it is Saturday or Sunday, odds are that I am thinking about brunch regardless of where I am. Big Jones has the best biscuits and eggs benedict are the best on the north side of Chicago. I am convinced. The cocktails are delicious as well. Be prepared to come early to avoid the lines or come whenever and be prepared for a long line and a good chat with others that are waiting. The food is well worth the wait.

Went here for a friend's birthday dinner. We were seated in the back room which was fine but lacked the atmosphere of the rest of the restaurant. They began a Mardi gras fixed price menu 33$ pp, and everyone at the table had to order it. So we did. You had your choice of three appetizers, bread to share, choice of four entrees and a dessert each. I had the oysters which were breaded and fried and came with fritters. Very tasty but that combined with cornbread I was full before I got my entree. Carb overload! Everyone liked their choices. I had the crawfish etoufee Which was tasty but had way too much celery for my liking. Every bite had crunchy celery and it threw it off a bit for me. It was still good but I skipped eating most of the rice and sauce because of it. (I like celery cooked in sauces) Dessert was delish, donuts and bread pudding. They had tasty cocktails (12$) beers and wine. It was a good meal, worth a visit. I probably would have enjoyed the regular menu more than the Mardi Gras menu.

I can't say enough about how wonderful the food, ambiance, and service were at Big Jones. We were seated immediately, and throughout the meal the service was that perfect combination of attentive and anticipatory without interrupting or intruding. The menu has more things on it than their on-line version, which was great--we were able to select a few small plates to share and really enjoyed sampling the menu that way. Some of the menu items (Rutabaga bisque) are unusual; others on the surface at least seem fairly standard (shrimp and grits, fried chicken and biscuits). We had a mix--the bisque was a carefully prepared fluffy soup/mousse, with a range of flavors that melded really well with the texture of the dish. The shrimp and grits was a revelation--shrimp cooked perfectly, mushroom-based "gravy" with a complexity to it that balanced the creamy, perfect grits. The biscuit was excellent, with lovely homemade preserves, and the brussels sprouts, now a standard at many restaurants, completely blew us away with their light, citrus/pecan treatment. Wonderful all around. The dessert (bread pudding) was perfectly balanced and tasted like home. The bourbon list was a full page long, the ryes took up another half-page--the alcohol list is extensive and offers something for everyone. We were extremely impressed with our visit to Big Jones and only regret that we don't live nearby. Highly recommended.

The food was fantastic and the back patio was a pleasant seating area (if a little chilly in late evening in early June). Four of us shared a boucherie board appetizer--generous, varied, and delicious. Two of us devoured the fried chicken dinner (chicken was good, the sides--greens and sweet potato hash--were superb). A third had the evening special of chicken and dumplings which he assured us tasted even better than it smelled. We foolishly decided to share two desserts--foolish, because the one sweet potato chocolate pot de creme would have been enough for all four of us after what we had already eaten. Prices are midrange. The service was not speedy, but it was friendly and accommodating (and the restaurant was full). The ginger tea was the only disappointment--not much ginger flavor.

We had a great late lunch at this quaint Chicago eatery last week. From the outside the building is nondescript and easy to miss; but, the inside is warm and inviting. The portions are generous, and the food was delicious. The catfish and grits were amazing, as was the cornbread . If you are looking for something a little lighter, the cup of gumbo was also quite good. The restaurant is about a 15 minute stroll of the train, through beautiful neighborhoods. A thoroughly enjoyable stroll in good weather, after a delicious meal at Big Jones .

Fantastic brunch with friends. This was my second time dining at Big Jones, first for brunch. Had a very relaxed slow brunch with a group of friends. Even though the place was packed and people were waiting to get a table, we didn't feel rushed. Some of the food highlights ... Mushroom and grits - a very savory twist on grits. A rice based waffle served with potted duck, preserved peaches, berries and a side of whisky sauce. This dish offered a great juxtaposition of flavors. The savory flavors of the duck both complemented and contrasted nicely with the sweet fruit and the creamy whisky sauce. Overall it was a well balanced dish. Buckwheat banana pancakes - strong buckwheat flavor. If you're not a fan of buckwheat I'd avoid this dish. Alternatively if you're looking for an interesting version of pancakes I'd recommend it. The pancakes are big and heavy with lots of flavor. The toasted nuts on top provide a nice complement to the buckwheat. Perfect for a big appetite. We'll be back - for both dinner and brunch

My first time to Big Jones and I felt like I was in New Orleans. We were brought complimentary beignets and I must say they were better than Cafe Du Monde! All four of us ordered something different (including vegetarian) and all would give our entrees an A+. We also ordered a scone to share and it came with really honeycomb. A must try to share are their popovers. Perfect service and lovely atmosphere. Next visit will be for dinner.

Everything thing was outstanding and a pleasurable unique introduction to my palate... They are renovating so don't let some of the unfinished construction discourage you

Had brunch here with husband and four family members, first time for all of us. The brunch begins with complementary beignets, followed by delicious corn bread, honey butter and a wonderful berry jam. Everything was wonderful, all egg dishes came with perfectly prepared eggs, and everything came to the table hot. I don't think you can go wrong with anything that you order here. The problem is we all wanted to try everything(hint, hint, maybe some kind of sampler or smaller plates). The portions are extremely generous, something that I was definitely not expecting. Southern cooking at its finest at a lovely spot in Andersonville, with amazing food and spot on service. Want to go back and try lunch and dinner.

My friends and I went for brunch on a Sunday and did not have reservations. Bad idea. Make reservations. They were more than happy to seat us at the bar, though, and it worked out great. We ordered three dishes to share and each one was better than the next. We had the pumpkin pancakes, the eggs New Orleans and the corn griddle cakes (this last dish was my favorite). Fair warning: the dishes are huge, so be prepared to either share or take some home with you.

We dined as part of "Dining for Life", a program in which restuarants give a percentage of amount spend to AIDS organizations, which is great. Food was very tasty (I had the fried catfish, nice sides), but we thought it was pretty expensive for size of our entrees. And, bread is alcarte at $5.00 or more. First glass of wine (by the glass) was old, or not the quality we'd expect for wine equivilant to $45 per bottle. It was promptly replaced by one that was much better. Waiter did a great job for us, which included a very active three year old son.

this restaurant doesn't live up to it's billing...but as a Southern/New Orleans style restaurant, there is much here to enjoy. The catfish entree and the duck breast were outstanding. The sweet potato hash is an absolute must. The chicken and dumplings however doesn't live up to Southern-born expectations...the dumplings being heavy a d doughy...not like grandma made. Also, the corn fritters miss...again pretty heavy and not what one expects for fritters....perhaps we should have ordered the fried chicken dinner...we really wanted that banana pudding, but, als, it only comes with the fried chicken dinner.

I was greeted by a very pleasant customer service guy as soon as I walked in but the waitress, she wasn't rude but just unpleasant and stuffy towards me and this made me feel a bit uncomfortable. The food was not for my taste, I ordered the bbq pork shoulder it was indeed very tangy but too spicy hot, the collard greens had no taste to it whatsoever, the waitress had to give me salt for it. The creme cole slaw had a strong vinegar taste to it. But the pomegranate lemonade wow, was very good. The portions overall were very small for the price. I would not return because of the waitress and the taste & portions of the food.

We made after theater, early dinner reservations on a Sunday. Not exactly the busiest time of the day or week, so we expected a better experience. It was one of the coldest days of the year, and we were the first and only diners in the place. They put the four of us at the very worst table, given the weather...right behind the hostess stand at the front door. We asked to move and the hostess did at least promptly accommodate us. We then waited ten minutes for drink orders and another 20 minutes to get the drinks. By that time, there were ten people in the restaurant. We all finished our drinks before our server came back to take our food orders. At this point, we could have each eaten an arm, so we ordered the skillet cornbread and biscuits as starters. We got them less than five minutes before our entrees arrived. Most of our party thought their entrees were adequate. I got the shrimp and grits which I thought was watery and flavorless. As we were finishing up, our server asked if we wanted dessert. We said, sure, let's take a look at the menu. We waited another 15 minutes before our server returned and asked if we wanted dessert. We said, well we haven't seen the menus, so no. Check please.

This is a small, very good restaurant in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago.it's known in town for its brunch and fried chicken, and the brunch reputation is well deserved Three of us had the Bayou Teche omelette and we all thought it was very good. Our fourth member of the group has the Big Jones Benedict and she also liked hers. It's nestled in a strip of restaurants and shops, and it's not downtown. If you like southern food, however, I think it's worth a drive out to eat there. All of us said we would go back.

Make way for a new brand of cooking in Chicago. It's called "Southern Heirloom Cooking" and Big Jones is setting a hot pace. Depending on who you choose to believe, Big Jones is either the No. 1 restaurant in the city or No. 29. Co-owner and chef Paul Fehribach, who has been a semifinalist for the coveted James Beard Award on five occasions, is creator of arguably the best fried chicken in town. And he may serve the finest brunch on weekends, too. Located at 5347 North Clark Street in the Andersonville neighborhood, Big Jones offers a Coastal Southern cuisine plus a large whiskey and bourbon menu served in a bright space and an open outdoor patio. Yes, the word Cajun is often used to explain the dishes. To-go and delivery also are part of the resume. The menu includes such delicious items as fried chicken, shrimp and grits, catfish and grits, chicken and dumplings, curry peanut bisque, chestnut spaghetti, gumbo, skillet cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, Louisiana crawfish pie and Caroline shrimp burger and barbecued pork shoulder sandwiches. It's a new taste--I haven't experienced it since dining in Louisiana--but easily absorbed and appreciated. Chicagoans, who love good food, whether steak or hot dogs or pizza, will get used to it.

Really great food for a fun night in Andersonville. I recommend the crab cakes, Big Jones Burger, and fried green tomatoes. Still dreaming about those crab cakes... And the cocktail menu is incredible - unique drinks with quite a flair. Only negative would be the service - we ordered drinks immediately but it took nearly 40 minutes to finally order our food. Our waitress was really helpful but not very attentive. That being said, I still highly recommend giving this a try. I'm excited to stop by for brunch!

I must say I love Southern food. And so being a northerner, it is hard to quench that craving for grits! Fortunately there is Big Jones. There were so many outstanding options on the menu everyone in my party changed their minds several times prior to making a final choice. We shared a yummy, gluten free starter of crawfish fritters, which was great for our friend with a gluten alergy. We also tried pimento cheese which came with homemade crackers. Dinner for me was a phenomenal shrimp and grits. My friends enjoyed their entrees of chicken and dumplings, crawfish pie, and a duet of pork. Dessert was worth saving room for. We shared chocolate pot de creme and something similar to a beignet. I also have to give a shout out to the bar for making the best Old Fashioned I've had this year. Absolutely outstanding!

This place is the best, plain and simple. Our breakfast was unique, delicious and worth every cent. Everything is made from scratch, and is of high quality. I had the biscuits, gravy and debris, so filling and soooo good. We also tried some of the house cured meats, corn bread, gumbo and an incredible (huge) buckwheat banana pancake.

April Bloomfield once described the effect of tasting the extraordinary by making a fist & swinging the thumb side up to her forehead like a mallet. My wife and I still have mallet marks on our foreheads after this morning's brunch at Big Jones. First, construction detours had us running late for our reservation (for Saturday brunch, one of their truly busy times). I called, apologized; The response was a genuinely, "We'll do what we can." What they could turned out to be great understanding and the next available 2-top within 5 minutes of our arrival. The host could not have been more welcoming (except , perhaps, for the owner/exec chef who was with him, greeting customers as if they were entering his home as honored guests). This is and incredibly busy shift for one and all; tables turning like crazy, more diners arriving constantly, tables being moved to accommodate two diners, six diners. You would never know that by seeing the performance of the service staff. Serene, smiling, charming hosts, seemingly interested in nothing but the client's happiness. Rushing (but calmly) themselves, but making it clear that diners could take their time, enjoy the experience, and stay, welcomed, until they were finished. (At the height of brunch at one of Chicago's busiest brunch venues? Who does that anymore?) Ok, now the food, Extraordinary understates it. I don't know what wouldn't understate it except for that mallet to the head. My wife had the Big Jones Benedict. We're talking about a Benedict served on popovers -- not just any popovers. Ham that could make you cry. Mine was the shrimp & grits. Yes, you can get shrimp & grits at who knows how many places in Chicago. But you ain't gettin' shrimp & grits like this. Grits that took me back to trips through South Carolina when I was a kid. Perfect shrimp, perfectly cooked. Tasso ham gravy. (Can we get a posthumous Nobel prize for Mr. Tasso?) It all inspired me a thought to bring harmony to the South. There remains debate about giving up the Stars & Bars in several Southern states. Personally, I've got reservations about how much to glory valor, however glorious, in the cause of treason, but that's me. But why not pick instead a glory shared by one and all in the South, replacing the Stars & Bars with a nice bowl of shrimp & grits?

This was my first visit to Big Jones. The service was good; very attentive and swift. The food was ok. The fried chicken seemed somewhat bland. The outer layer was quite crispy, which was good. The biggest miss was the beet salad. The beet salad seemed to have some type of off flavor; perhaps from a not too good beet. The skillet cornbread was good; however, might I suggest placing the butter on the side instead of right on top of the cornbread which then becomes mushy because of the quickly melting butter.

I have been to Big Jones on multiple occasions. The restaurant has a fantastic menu. My favorite is the fried chicken. However, every item on the menu is creatively prepared with excellent presentation. The fried chicken comes as white, dark or combined. It is served with greens and sweet potatoes. Unlike anything you can prepare at home. Big Jones is an excellent choice if you are on the north side of Chicago.

I don't really know what words to use for this review. The food "tasted good", but the overall details and experience were very very off. This is a restaurant with a very defined food theme "Southern Cooking". That typically bends towards some longstanding traditional flavors and sensations, but Big Jones does not at all nor do they make any attempts to inform the diner what to expect. Just the opposite. I ordered the chicken and dumplings, based on someone's grandmother's recipe. OK, so what would you expect on that....??? The result was basically chicken soup with a few small extremely thin slices of chicken meat (like 1/8 inch thickness), and very few morsels of vegetables, and about three "dumplings" which quite frankly were so hard that I had trouble cutting through them with my knife. In any household that I know of if grandma said that she was going to cook up a meal like this for the family everyone would be shouting "Oh let's just go out for dinner Grandma". To be fair, the taste of the food was fine. But the overall product was simply very strange. Additionally I was in the mood for a side of bread, so I ask about their cornbread and their biscuits since I love both of those usually. The waiter highly recommended the biscuits. They came out and were wildly over baked, with a hard crust that more resembled a hard roll. Attempted to salvage it, ready to smear on some butter and what their menu described as "fruit preserves", thinking that always is a good thing. The "fruit preserves" were about 6 blue berries that had been boiled in their juices. Honestly, and sadly, it was like spooning a stewed prune onto the biscuit. Not horrible, but still totally NOT what a real biscuit and preserves should be like, not even close. Also, our table thought that the service was extremely so. And now that I'm reading a few others reviews here, it appears our experience may be the norm. And you can't blame it on the kitchen needing 45 minutes to meticulously preparing each dish. Things like chicken/dumplings or grits are typically something that is more on the ready back on the stove. I do try to be very fair on my reviews, so I will summarize in saying this food tasted ok but do not come here if you're looking for Southern Cooking that will make you feel at home or comfy.

My partner chose this restaurant based on reviews on line. I had heard about it on a TV show. The restaurant was next door to one of our favorite neighborhood restaurant in Andersonville. We went on a Monday around 1:30. There were only 7 customers in the restaurant, decorated with prosaic tourism photos of New Orleans and Louisiana. The lighting was outdoor lamps on sconces. I would imagine it could be dark at night. I am not a connoisseur of fried chicken, or its regional subtleties or merits. To me it was fine, not too heavy breading, a tad salty (but I have to disqualify myself on salt issues--I use none) the collards were sour and bitter, and the potatoes I think had made a trip to the freezer. My partner, the connoisseur of chicken said that he could not understand why it was rated so highly. "Mediocre." I hadn't had breakfast, so I had "cajun" breakfast-- just like in any restaurant except for the Louisiana style boudin. The boudin I know is French. In this one I could not really see much in terms of vegetables nor the distinctive flavor of the French blood sausage. Maybe it was not supposed to be--I know this boudin can be made with any flesh. Our young server was pleasant, and attentive--but at one point we were the only customers! Either way 40 dollars for this type of lunch seemed excessive.

Frankly, I didn't know a restaurant like this existed in Chicago. It's as if Paul Fehribach, the executive chef and co-owner, took Big Jones from its location along the Great River Road in the heart of Louisiana's Cajun Country and dropped it at 5347 North Clark Street in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. If you love southern style cooking--and who doesn't?--this is the place. Fehribach, a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's coveted Best Chef-Great Lakes award in 2013 and 2014, refers to his cuisine as "Southern heirloom cooking with a focus on sustainably grown heritage and heirloom crops and livestock, sustainable seafood and contemporary American kitchen techniques." Big Jones brings you brunch, lunch and dinner inspired by the history and richness of Southern cooking from New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, Carolina Lowcountry and Appalachia. Why did it take us so long to find it? We discovered Big Jones on Chicago Eater's list of 38 essential restaurants in Chicago. Until then, we had never heard of it. Big Jones draws raves for its brunch, great biscuits and omelets, Eggs Benedict and grits and gravy. But it's hard to pass up the fried chicken at any time of day. As someone who usually orders Eggs Benedict whenever I find it on a breakfast or brunch menu, however, I can tell you that Big Jones' version ranks among the top five that I have experienced in the last 25 years. The Big Jones Benedict features house-cured and smoked ham simmered in Kilgus Farmstead cream, served on a traditional farmstead biscuit with poached eggs and potatoes O'Brien. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and you can't go wrong by ordering the cornbread muffins, Sally Lunn French Toast, Colonial-style Brewster oatmeal, shrimp and grits or Eugene's Breakfast in Mobile, circa 1930, or farm-raised Alabama catfish fried in gold rice and corn flour breading with fried plantains, black beans and buttered aromatic southern rice. For lunch, you have to try the gumbo soup, made Cajun style with chicken, sausage and rice from Arkansas. The fried chicken is to die for, made from Big Jones' own recipe fried in leaf lard, ham drippings and clarified butter and served with reezy-peezy and greens. The shrimp and grits and Farmhouse chicken and dumplings circa 1920 and smoked and smothered pork shoulder also are highly recommended. And how's this for a new idea for a tasty sandwich? The Grilled ham and egg salad, with house-cured ham and egg salad griddled on marble rye with chive cream cheese, pickled pepper sauce and piccalilli. I had to try the Carolina shrimp burger, made in the style of Beaufort, South Carolina, seasoned with lemon and parsley on a soft egg bun with home-made mayo, pickles and butter lettuce. What's for dinner? Start for crab cakes if they aren't too rich for your digestive system. If so, order the gumbo. For an entree, choose the award-winning fried chicken or the Savannah fish fry, crispy catfish in a light corn and rice flour breading, served with creamy grits, hushpuppies, greens and oyster gravy. This is cooking you'd expect to find in Louisiana. But it's a touch of the Old South to find it on the North Side of Chicago.

You know that fried chicken you see on TV? The kind that starts you salivating? And then you see it in real life and it's more than disappointing?? Well Big Jones lives up to the glorious TV fried chicken!!! Heads up - the fried chicken requires 30 minutes, and when it arrives, give it a few more minutes before you dig into the most crispy, crunchy, juicy and flavourful chicken you may ever have (otherwise you'll burn your taste buds off). I can't imagine having any better fried chicken. Anywhere. Ever. The chicken was served over succotash (yummy) and sautéed greens (not my cup of tea, although my friend enjoyed them...but not enough to finish off mine). My recommendation for Big Jones is to serve the sides separate from the chicken, since the bottom of the chicken lost its crunchy goodness as it absorbed some of the juices from the greens and succotash. While waiting for our chicken, we ordered the pimento cheese. OMG, where has THIS been all my life? Loved it and the 5 home made crackers that came with it. (Another note to Big Jones, maybe up the crackers, even by 1... 5 was a wee challenge to share between 2). Honestly I could have eaten the appetizer all on my own, but I reluctantly shared with my friend (who was probably thinking the exact same thing). So if you're in Chicago and craving fried chicken, make your way to Big Jones.

We heard they were known for their fried chicken so we tried that and it was good!! But we also tried Shrimp & Grits - yummy! And the BBQ Po Boy. Also very good! The service was excellent and the desserts to die for. There is a Vanilla ice cream that's amazing and a peach and blackberry pie that I wanted to take home with me - it was SO good! Definitely try here!

Big Jones is a very popular Andersonville restaurant and its popularity is well-deserved. They serve up very tasty Southern-inspired cooking with such specialties as pimento cheese, a smooth-as-silk pork paté, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and gumbo. The food is delicious, the service is pleasant, and the vibe is relaxed. We had dinner there and enjoyed it very much; we want to return to sample the brunch that this restaurant is well known for. My only criticism is that the decor is on the bland side and not very distinctive. Given the quality of everything else here, I'd expect a bit more of a "look" in the dining room.

A couple of people ordered the gumbo, which was darker than usual with a slightly bitter taste. The other appetizers were fine although the Sally Lunn bread was dry and cold and tasted more like a wholemeal recipe rather than the butter and egg bread described. The main courses were good (4 of us had the fried chicken). Of the desserts, the bread pudding was OK, the pawpaw panna cotta had a very subtle flavor but the peanut butter cake was really delicious. The service was fine except for a delay in picking up the credit card after the bill was presented. The whole Andersonville area is really booming with lots of new restaurants and bars and people. Free parking can be found on the side streets.

Southern food nicely done. Our server was excellent! She reminded us the peach cobbler needed extra time so we ordered early. Big Jones is a small restaurant that likes to keep things moving. Fried chicken was good, shrimp and grits good too. The only snafu was being asked to vacate the table when we were finished. People weren't waiting at the front so we felt abused even though the hostess offered us free drinks at the bar.

This was our fourth visit to Big Jones, but our first ordering off the regular menu. We had been for Thanksgiving twice and for brunch once. We went to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Honestly, the details. It's about the details. I could go and just eat pickles and pimento cheese and be perfectly happy. Who pickles fiddle head fern? Big Jones does. And they are delicious. I am not sure what dairy they use, but it is impossible to notice the quality. The cream has fat on the top. The butter is like nothing most of you have had before. Well, unless you have your own cows that you love and care for. I always say I want to meet these creatures. Fried chicken is a big deal here. Fried in lard, ham drippings and clarified butter with a corn meal crust. Yup, it makes noise when you crack it open. The voodoo greens served with the chicken almost had me asking for another order. A little bitter, some little hint of vinegar and perfect texture. Raised in Chicago, there are some unfamiliar ingredients. No matter, the wait staff will answer all your questions and make suggestions if you are indecisive. There is a lot of love and craft put into the food here, and into the cocktails and bar menu, as well as the play list. Oh, yeah. Desserts too. Don't forget those. The night we were there we had the rhubarb pie. The streusel topping made friends with the butter. Something here is going to remind you of your mom or grandmother. After our last visit, re reminded ourselves to come back more often.

We arrived at the right time: the chef had a special Mardi Gras meal which was quite good. We started with the Coush-coush, fried oysters that were very tasty. The 'bread' course was a standard at the restaurant and we immediately saw why: a skillet cornbread with scallions, cheddar, and honey butter that we ate down to the crumbs it was so good. My wife had the fried chicken, quite delicious, and I had the crawfish etouffee, which was as good as anything I've had in New Orleans. We ended with Calas, sourdough rice doughnuts with tres leches ice cream (a Mexican touch) and rum caramel - we sopped up as much as we could, Delightful meal and, for $33 each for so much, it was a deal.

The Big Jones was my first foray into the wonderful Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville. The Sunday night crowd was a bit sparse at 7 but picked up as we were leaving. We had to try the fried green tomatoes and they didn't disappoint. Fried oysters rounded out the appetizers. The fried chicken required 30 minutes which was well worth it. With such wonderful entrees it was no surprise that the desserts were also well done. Though the server called my party of 4 adults "kids" all night she was excellent. A lot of fun!

So . . . I'm a New Orleans Yat transplanted to Chicago. Crawfish are in season and I had to get my Étouffée fix. Took an Uber here from the burbs and had reservations for 7:30 - arrived early as we usually do and had no problem at all with getting seated. Started off with drinks - Gin and Tonic for me and the Wife got a "Supper Club" brew which was a lager beer from Wisconsin. Drinks were so good I ordered two more G & T's before I exited. They pour drinks well here and have an awesome selection of bourbon, whiskey and beer. For starters we got the beer battered shrimp - a bit on the greasy side but good. Entree's - I got the Crawfish Étouffée and the Wife got Fried Chicken. Étouffée was not like home - very unusual . . . . but in a weird way it worked. It was very good. I would've served it with Louisiana Cajun Prairie short grain rice. The fried Chicken was good as well. The table show stopper was the skillet cornbread. Whatever you do do not pass this up. Only gripe for me was that damn skillet was just too small. For dessert we got the banana pudding which was served hot - never would have guessed it was served hot but was good. The service was great - never had to ask for a drink and the atmosphere was good., Nice to see there is a restaurant in the Chicago area who can serve up Southern grub that is "Slap ya Momma" good.

Here you can find some really old style dishes, we went here for lunch it was very busy and popular and we can understand why. The pickle platter was delicious and as was the fried chicken.

Perfect for families, foodies, couples and even singles. The food is amazingly wonderful with just the right spices and flavors. Get the pickled appetizer, the fried chicken is a MUST as well as the bread pudding with sweet potato ice cream! Amazing food. The waiter for our table was not friendly nor attentive. He slowly brought out one dish at a time to each table. We tried to politely flag him down three times to order more drinks and desert. Further, he would not let us take an extra order home to our sick child.

Restaurant been around for ten years and apparently, some big awards for being a foodie place, James Beard sort of stuff but that's not what interested me. It was the southern food and the bourbon bar. Pretty big selection of bourbons and ryes, plus some local crafts. There's some bourbon club but it seems less active and I was told that they'd be rejuvenating this in the future. But it was the food that got me. Looking at the menu, I just wanted to try a little of everything and in the end settled for some dark meat fried chicken, a BBQ pork shoulder sandwich, plus two sides of collard greens and some petit pois and rice which to me looked more like red beans and rice. Taste was abound in every dish and the fried chicken reminded me of Willie Mae's Scotch House's fried chicken in New Orleans, it was that good! Can't wait to come back to try the other things like gumbo on the menu.

I grew up in the South and what can I say except Thank You Sweet Lord! Shrimp and grits, gumbo, Sally Lunn, popovers, biscuits and gravy, crab-cake Benedict, complimentary Beignets....I could go on and on... top notch fresh ingredients and great service as well! We have been twice now and cannot wait to go back!

Surprisingly tasty down home Southern cuisine in a Yankee town, in the shadow of Grant Park, in the Land of Lincoln--who knew?

What a great Brunch! The popover’s just melted in your mouth! I really got the farm to table feel from this restaurant. Everything was fresh and tasty and had a great presentation. I ordered the catfish and grits others ordered the lump crab over popovers and the fried chicken! All we met with high praises. We will return.

For a special occasion, I was looking for good food, nice ambiance and attentive service. Big Jones missed on all three. Not really "Southern" food. Born and raised in Alabama, and Big Jones didn't deliver real fried chicken. Room was unnecessarily noisy, and service was spotty. Server was nice enough, but was too busy to pay a lot of attention. Hoping for better.

This eatery in the Andersonville section is well worth it. We had Christmas Eve dinner which was a prix fixe; I don't know if this is the norm, or just for the holiday. An inviting small restaurant, with a nice atmosphere. The style is creole, and mostly authentic in my opinion. I lived in New Orleans 8 years and go back often. I was told the restaurant owner is from Indiana (surprise!). Nevertheless, be prepared for really great food. Started with a cocktail. The Sazerac was better than I expected. Not many know how to make this drink. First course was a butternut squash bisque which was perfect on a cold night. Three of us chose this; the fourth, my daughter enjoyed her fried oyster/ham/rice. I forget what it was called. Next, the salad course. My wife had beets. I don't do beets, kind of a joke for my family and friends. She loved it. The rest of us had the butter lettuce which was just a bit salty from the nuts and feta cheese, but nevertheless fresh and tasty. Main course time. 3 of us enjoyed the trout filet stuffed with crawfish, while my independent daughter loved her gumbo with goose as small meatballs. I tried it. Delicious. For dessert there was a cake that had some chocolate, but was very much like a yellow cake with chocolate streaks and a toffee (?) icing, brad pudding, and a cranberry/marrow pie. All were excellent. Be prepared. There are a lot of flavors here and food that is rich and filling. Just what I like, but I know not for everyone. They did serve a home made dark bread with walnuts. I would suggest sticking with French bread, and keep it coming, just to be authentic to the Louisiana theme they are seeking. Very enjoyable meal with my family on Christmas Eve.

We have been to Big Jones for lunch and dinner this month and both were first rate. We've had gumbo, crab cakes, shrimp and grits, fried chicken, a variety of southern style greens and sides, and bread pudding with bourbon sauce. The food is zesty and really jumps in the mouth, and though the menu sounds kind of average New Orleans, these versions of the classics have their own unique flavor. It seems to be a happening place; great bar, service and ambience are pretty hip, and a charming open air patio out back is a plus.

This is a lovely place. The servers are very nice, helpful and enthusiastic. The cocktails and bar are well done, including an infused bourbon selection and local brewery selections. The crab cake starter does not cheat, the croquettes are perfectly fried. A Curry Catfish entree is different and the fish tender and sauce pleasant. The pork loin with sweet potato has was very nice, perfectly cooked pork. The desserts were competent with a bread pudding with salty caramel sauce that was overwhelmed by sugar and internal heat from being microwaved and another dessert in which the mint ice cream was the star, and so good it was the best bite of the evening. What makes this a very average place appears to be that the fine dining presentations do not really enhance the Southern Food flavor experience whatsoever, and the flavors, while pleasant and nice, are forgettable. In addition, the service out of the kitchen is slow. It is noticeably slow. This coupled with a hefty price tag for the ingredients used and the relatively standard flavors created in an artistic way that does not really ehance the flavors bring the rating of th is restaurant down for me.

We're moving to Chicago and I was doing a walk about our new neighborhood on a swelteringly hot day. The wait staff was very friendly and the crab cake salad delicious. This will definitely be one of our haunts.

This is a wonderful restaurant in Chicago's Andersonville area. They specialize in creative Southern style food served in a vibrant, comfortable environment. It's a storefront that is bright, busy and lots of fun with great food. My wife and I had Ox-tail pie, my step-daughter had Catfish and Grits and her daughter had their signature Fried Chicken. All were outstanding

Wonderful southern style food in a friendly environment. Everything is made on site including the house cured bacon, taso and boudin. The biscuits and popovers were elegant and the sides terrific. I had shrimp and grits, the best I have ever tasted. I'll be back.

When my native Texas son said he knew the best place for fried catfish in Chicago I was willing to give it a try. Who knew what a treat we all were in for. The cocktails were yummy and the pickles, cornbread and ceivche appetizers executed to perfection. But it has been a long time since I 've had catfish fried so very well. Perfectly dusted with a light breading and not creasy at all. The chicken, shrimp and grits and the market pasta dish did not disapoint, I'm going to remember this catfish for a long time and look forward to having it next time I'm in town. But dont stop there the desserts, Triffle with berries and Bread pudding...again perfection. A slice of the best of the south.

I have been meaning to try Big Jones for ages, and what better time to go in and have brunch than on New Year's Day? My friend and I tromped through the snow to get a table around 1:30 pm on a Wednesday (but basically it was like a weekend, since it was a holiday). The restaurant was full but we didn't wait - part of why we chose the place, compared to 30 minutes at Bongo Room. We got a high-top table near the bar. The atmosphere is appealing. It's not a massive restaurant, but is casually stylish, homey and comfortable. I started with a pot of mint tea, they have a nice selection of looseleaf teas both caffeinated and not. I love this, because if I'm paying money for tea at a restaurant I don't want a store-bought teabag in a little mug. At the end of the meal, they added more hot water so that I could enjoy the tea further. Very comforting on a cold day. My friend said her coffee was wonderful. Everyone gets beignets which is a lovely touch. They are sweet and yummy and dusted in powdered sugar. They are light and delicate, and don't have that heavy, fried, crispy feel. I don't know what texture is more "authentic" but these were definitely great! Brunch entrees took a long time to come, but we were in no hurry and didn't mind. I got the "Eugene's Breakfast in Mobile, circa 1930." Yes, that is what it is called. It is catfish breaded in rice and corn flour (so gluten free, I think, if you care), served with black beans, fried plantains, and buttered rice. The batter was light and crispy, almost like a tempura. All of the components of the dish were well cooked, but I felt that the dish really needed salt and was lacking in general seasoning. I added salt and hot sauce but still felt a little disappointed overall. There was a sort of...I don't know, chutney accompaniment that added a sort of tangy flavor, but I still really wanted something more. The server said this dish was her favorite so I was a bit bummed out! I'd happily come back because I know this is a much-loved restaurant with a lot of great dishes. I just wouldn't order the brunch catfish again. Oh well, better luck next time! I certainly intend for there to be a next time.

Greeted by a very nice friendly Host. Once we sat, a female server took care of us. It started with ordering drinks. We order 2 Mimosa and she offer a bottle and said it was a better deal, so that is what we ordered. Waited 15 minutes until she told us the bottle of bubbly we order was warm. She offered an upsell. Which always makes me crazy. I asked for her to offer same price she said she would check. Finally when she came back they where out of that one. So, she brought Prosecco and we were fine w/that and brought one glass of OJ. What's really good! Grits w/mushrooms, Omelet Tasso, Fried Chix/Biscuts. But, they are all full of beading and not worth $14, good though. Not good! Binet's, to large and not enough powder sugar and the Puff muffins no taste in them or the butter. We had to ask for everything. Servers assistance where saving her for the were great and friendly. One more thing! $8 for 2 glasses of OJ! Thank you for the better deal, Not! I will try again for I think the food had potential. Just hope to have a better friendlier server and a Bad Server will kill any good meal.

Another place in Chicago that looks amazing, their dishes look great, but food its just good, not incredible. I order the cinnamon roll with bacon and tabasco, was ok, i would not order it again tho. And i had a latte, which was really good, and the Big Jones Benedict; its a heavy dish but its pretty tasty. Staff was really friendly and nice.

We went to Big Jones to celebrate my husband's birthday. We were looking forward to our dinner after seeing what appeared to be a delicious sounding menu and reading good reviews. We were really disappointed. The waiter was not very attentive and was not very knowledgable about the menu. We ordered a lot of different dishes but nothing was really great. Everything but the pimiento cheese spread was bland and/or dry. I would not recommend any dishes nor would I recommend this restaurant.

Stopped in for brunch on a Saturday at noon. Made a reservation because we thought it would be busier but we didn't need it as the restaurant was maybe 60% full. I was surprised given the neighborhood, the fact that it was a beautiful sunny day, and all the good reviews I'd read. The food was very good (the beignets were delicious and quite large) and the server was nice but the whole experience was very rushed. Felt as though they were pushing out to food to flip tables even though they never really got busy. The prices are a little steep, especially the cocktails, even when you consider the local area. Worth dropping in if you're in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back.

Finding a spot for breakfast on Saturdays in Andersonville can you leave you waiting 30 mins for mediocre food but we lucked out this past week, big time. After being scared away by the waits at other spots, we decided on this one since we could be seated right away. I'm not sure why other places were on a wait and this one only full. We were seated within 2 mins of arriving and had the best southern inspired breakfast I've had in years! Delicious biscuits and gravy (not like my southern Mom made but good all the same) and eggs benedict with the healthy chunks of southern bone in ham...all delicious. The sauteed chard that came with my delicious scrambled eggs (I have no idea why they were so delicious, but they were) was too die for. Prices are in the upscale range for breakfast but worth every penny. Our waiter, Armando I believe (with the long hair) could not have been more accomodating and charming. Go for it!

My husband and I stopped by on Sunday morning, we walked to the host stand, stood for a minute, then someone walked up to the stand, and the phone rang so she picked up the phone and chatted with the caller, as we stood there for another minute, was going to leave then but my husband said let’s wait. So we get seated after getting scolded for not having a reservation, the restaurant was maybe a quarter full, give or take! So we sat there, wait staff walked by, a busser filled our water glasses, we sat some more and I told my husband if they would wait on us, that would get us out of the restaurant quicker so then they would have our table for all those reservations... we sat and sat and my husband pulled out his phone, it was over 3 minutes, yes he set the timer, so we left!! Don’t really care if the food is any good or not, with AWFUL service like that, I’m not interested in the food! We went to Bongo room down the street! Service and food were FABULOUS!!

This was our first time at Big Jones for brunch and we loved it! Everything tasted so fresh and delicious! Our server was delightful. Great coffee too! We will definitely return!

When I first ate there I was impressed. Nobody up here seems to know the difference between Cajun and Crelole and I gave up trying to get Andouille at the grocery store s I went in skeptical. He got the Andouille and chow-chow right as well as a good sazarec. Unfortunately, it didn't last. As I went back the quality kept going down. The final straw was a brunch we went to in which the Eggs Orleans were served cold, the coffee had no chicory, and the beignets tasted at least a day old without even attempting to reheat. Had he served these items to a Brennan in NOLA, he would have been fired on the spot. Guess I'll just have to stick to cajungrocer.com and my own kitchen.

So what's a native of southern Indiana who studied trombone in college doing cooking up the best southern fried chicken this side of the Mason-Dixon Line? Meet owner/chef Paul Fehribach, who opened Big Jones in 2008 at 5347 North Clark Street in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Since then, his restaurant has been hailed as "Best New Restaurant" and "Best Brunch" and "Best Fried Chicken" and Fehribach was nominated for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef-Great Lakes award in 2013, 2014 and 2015. At Big Jones, you'd think you are dining along the Great River Road in Louisiana, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. If you're into crawfish or catfish or cornbread or Cajun or Creole or gumbo or shrimp and grits or smoked pork shoulder, you'll find it here. But Big Jones has made its reputation on fried chicken, which is fried in leaf lard, ham drippings and clarified butter and served with sweet potato hash and voodoo greens. Start with skillet cornbread, which is baked in cast iron with bacon fat and green onions and served with Ellis Farms honey and whipped butter. Or crawfish and cheese hushpuppies. Or something really unique, Sally Lunn, a staple of southern cooking for centuries, a soft rich butter and egg bread served with honey butter and home-made preserves. Or pimento cheese or split pea soup or fried green tomatoes or gumbo. If you prefer something other than fried chicken for your entree, Big Jones offers some delicious options, including a Carolina shrimp burger, a Peacemaker Po'Boy (crispy oysters on crusty bread with remoulade, cabbage and bread and butter pickles with Creole-spiced potato chips), catfish, crawfish and hand-cut noodles and seafood. In a town that is famous for steaks and hot dogs and pizza, Big Jones offers a delicious change of pace.

Cute spot with a touch of New Orleans cuisine. The food is good, service is friendly. If you are looking for Cajun in Chicago, give big Jones a shot.

Went there for my birthday dinner with my family. Been wanting to try it for years. Excellent fried chicken side rice my favorite, the gumbo was different, but tasty. Others had the pulled pork, which looked good. We ordered green fried tomatoes which were different then others I had. But tasty. Very friendly waiter. I order dessert, can't remember what it was, but it was very good. And yes there coffee was excellent. It was a great birthday dinner. I took home 1/2 of the chicken as they give you a whole half to much for me to finish. So glad we went there.

Big Jones is a small neighborhood restaurant so make reservations. If you are a tourist, particularly a foodie tourist this should be on your top 5 list. I have been here several times over the years and most recently went for an early dinner. I had forgotten how good a cook the chef is and how he meticulously sources all his plates from the history of cooking in the south. First off his food just is good. He sources from local farmers in the Chicago area and authentic organic growers in the South. This is another restaurant that if it were closer to me I would be in all the time. I tried one of their slushies which is delicious and of course has a slew of ingredients that take time to prepare. If you are visiting Chicago particularly from another country you should try this place because it gives you a great example of a style and type of cooking that is very representative of a slice of America. Sometimes the higher end restaurants all kind of mix together, their plates are all pretty, they use great ingredients but it is not representative necessarily of a place. Big Jones is as others have said is unique but at the same time you will like the food. It is located in Andersonville which is a hike from downtown Chicago, there are buses and a taxi from the MagMile will probably take you 20 minutes and be around $15. When I visit other countries I sometimes hesitate to go to a neighborhood I don't know and is out of my way. But in this case it is definitely worth it, you will not be disappointed. But I stress, it is not big relative to say the restaurants on West Randolph street so make a reservation.

This place was very nice. The service was great; though slow at times (it was packed). I liked that the menu wasn't just your plain-Jane breakfast items; but even those were there if you wanted. Good flavor. Good atmosphere.

First of all, great fried chicken! The rest of our meal was beneath expectations. Too much cream in the soup, too much salt in the succotash, heavy gravy's. Yes it's southern cooking and maybe I just wasn't ready for that. Decor is okay, but unimaginative. Friendly waitress. Also, I don't drink alcohol, so asked for N/A beer. "Sorry, we don't have that." I had a bottle in my wife's purse, got a glass of ice. They charged $6 for that... and our bill was $145. Very cheap of them I believe. The Chicago Restaurant website is wrong on this one.

Quaint little comfort food restaurant in Andersonville. Enjoyed the food, drinks and service! The only issue is that the tables are little too close together. Other than that it was awesome.

Had a couple Fried Chicken Picnics delivered with Macaroni and Cheese and Corn Bread. All was very delicious and traveled well. Largest chicken breasts that I have ever seen and so juicy. Red Beans and rice was very flavorful. Macaroni and cheese used sharp cheddar cheese so was unique and tasty. Really good biscuits and corn bread as well. Delivery had an error in that it only included enough sides for one Fried Chicken Picnic, so we had to go pick up the items forgotten. Food was plentiful but certainly not inexpensive.

Everything we had was delicious, from the complimentary beignet to the shrimp and grits, the only thing I did not like were the cocktails, kind of blend. Restaurant is very nice and service was good!

We recently went here for a friend's birthday brunch. I don't frequent the area much as it's fairly north of the city, albeit in a very charming neighborhood known as Andersonville. The space is small and cozy, they do have additional tables in a back room near the restrooms. The service was prompt and friendly, and the food was, well...GREAT! We shared the farmstead biscuits...fluffy and delicious. And we also got the tasso ham plate, also very tasty! And compliments of the chef, beignets with powdered sugar. I was getting full already from our pre-brunch selections! So I ordered the Eggs New Orleans. Can I say awesome sauce?! The crab cakes were perfect and poached eggs added to the perfection. My fiancé ordered the Biscuits and Debris Gravy. He liked it, but it may have been a little too gourmet for him. He's a meat and potatoes type, so I think he was thinking the dish would be less gourmet. Plus, he's not a fan of collard greens. The others ordered the corn griddle cakes, another big hit. And finally the Hominy and Farm Egg Scramble. All in all, if you want heirloom southern cooking, definitely go to Big Jones. I'm sure the lunch and dinner menus are as great as the brunch menu is...PS, the bloody marys and mimosas were also great!

Joined a friend for Sunday brunch, with a reservation; the restaurant was great about a delayed arrival. Our server was very nice, although one course we ordered was missed (and quickly taken care of). Nice atmosphere; homey interior, and busy, but not overly loud. Menu is focused on Southern-inspired brunch dishes. The options are thus all pretty heavy, so I wouldn't recommend coming here in search of a light start to the day or with health-conscious guests. That said, many of the offerings are a refreshing variation from the standard eggs-and-pancakes brunch menu. The catfish was well-prepared, served over flavorful grits. The fish itself had a nice crust. Corn cakes topped with eggs, avocado, etc. were more of a disappointment; the cakes themselves lacked flavor and the overall texture of the dish was mushy. Skillet cornbread was okay, although I've had better. Overall, just fine--I wouldn't make it my top brunch spot in Chicago, but I'd return.

The food and service at Big Jones is inconsistent. Sometimes it's okay and sometimes it's downright poor. We have ordered the same salad on three different occasions and it has come out in three different ways with varying degrees of freshness and varying ingredients. The chicken and dumplings were one of the best dishes on the menu and it's since been removed so we probably won't be going back. The fried chicken used to be a highlight for Big Jones. They used to serve a large serving of wonderful fried chicken that even allowed for leftovers. Now they serve two small pieces with some wilted greens. It is not tasty and not worth the price. Lastly, the servers are never rushed and never seem to feel badly if they forget to take your order or get your order wrong. All around, this restaurant could be a hit but it's consistently a miss.

Dinner Friday night at Big Jones. Cocktails spot on. Appetizer and dinner quite delicious. Staff extremely friendly and welcoming albeit service was a bit slow possibly due to bar and kitchen as opposed to inattentive wait staff. Would definitely recommend and would likely return. Andersonville neighborhood eclectic and really cool.

One of the best Southern restaurants in Chicago, and they have some old classics on the menu. My favorite dish on the menu here is the Crawfish, the Fried Chicken is very good also.

Our table of 6 was seated in the almost empty restaurant after a brief wait at the hostess station although we were there first thing in AM for our reservation. The waitstaff checked with the kitchen, and informed us that our request for a vegetarian substitution (hush puppies) was not an option for the sausage in the Simple Breakfast ($11). The oolong tea was the best part of the brunch. It balanced the sweet complimentary deep-fried beignets offered; mine was thick and doughy and upset my stomach the rest of the day. The best of the plates at our table (Mushroom Leek Omelet, Corn Griddle Cakes, French Toast) was the Carolina Gold Rice Waffle although the huckleberries were intense, and pickled peaches were sour. Creamy grits and the cornbread were wonderful. We had come after a glowing recommendation from a patron. Next time, I'd try another place.

We really enjoyed it. Our table order Gumbo, Shrimp & Grits and Fried Chicken - but the best entrée was the mushroom risotto-like dish. Worth the trip to Andersonville. Service was good.

A group of pals and I have a monthly dinner club to explore all the awesome dining that Chicago has to offer. Last month we went to Big Jones. It was a slower evening, but there were a few other tables. The service was average- the drinks took a little long, and the server did have the whole restaurant, but it seemed a little longer than average. No big deal- the drinks were great when they arrived- and it was industry night. The food was excellent- we shared the Cornbread Skillet, Catfish, Pork Shoulder and (multiple orders of) the Fried Chicken. *kisses fingers* the chicken & greens were fabulous. I would definitely venture back to try more items, and even brunch. Overall it is a cute, quaint spot in Andersonville with traditional Southern flare!

Had a late lunch here and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Wonderful service; charming and cozy ambience. Pimiento cheese appetizer was great. I had the chicken and loved it. It is breaded in a cornmeal mixture and it is just delicious. Same for the voodoo greens and cornbread. My wife is a bit of a cheeseburger connoisseur and she rated the pimiento cheeseburger as one of the best. I might skip dessert next time.

We went here for brunch on a Saturday morning. While, the service left a little to be desired, the food was awesome! The service issue seemed to be the restaurant was short staffed- two servers seemed to be covering the entire dining room. However, there was an overabundance of back-servers waiting to re-fill water and take empty plates. So, I would for sure give it another shot. Our group had the Benedict, biscuits and gravy, and pumpkin pancakes. Everything was amazing! We would definitely go back.

I would have had better experiences if the host left his attitude at home. Please don't act like you are better than your customers and you should never act like your customers are stupid. Hard of hearing, yes....stupid, no. On to the food. The food is good, but inconsistent. I order the same thing every time, The Big Jones Benedict. One time it had a huge delicious chunks of ham on top, one time I had to dig my magnifying glass out to even see the tiny string of ham. The size of the biscuits has been all over the place. Large and fluffy. Little and hard. Sometimes the meal comes out warm. Some times it does not. For the price of this meal I would hope for some more consistency. I think I've spent enough time and money here that I need to go and explore more options that work for me.

After my second visit to this Andersonville gem I will say that there are some great things and some unremarkable things. First if you are going to order bread absolutely select the cornbread over the biscuits. The cornbread is moist, buttery and with morsels of real corn. I could eat it everyday. The biscuits by contrast were small, dry and hard. The butter beans, asparagus, crab cakes and chicken and dumplings were all outstanding. The fried catfish was oddly bland as if someone forgot to add seasoning to the batter. And while the whip cream was excellent the strawberry shortcake used a biscuit base instead of cake and you already know what I think of the biscuits. But go for yourself and see how some of the other menu items fair.

Fantastic service and fresh, delicious food make Big Jones a 5 star spot. We both had the fried chicken salad, which may not seem much to base a review on, but the homemade dressing, perfectly fried white meat chicken, and uber fresh vegetables were all fantastic, and the warm, friendly service made us feel fight at home at the Andersonville gem.

I have recently started frequenting this place for lunch. The fried chicken salad is excellent as is the fried chicken meal. The atmosphere makes you feel like you are in a New Orleans home kitchen. The gumbo is also a must have.

Big Jones - 7/21 A Southern, Breakfast & Brunch Bar – Breakfast from 11:00 till 2:00 or 3:00 then open at 5:00 for dinner. Indoor/ outdoor dining. 5347 N Clark St Chicago, IL ., (773) 275-5725, bigjoneschicago.com.. Big Jones offers: Wine/Beer/ Full Bar/Tea First time visit for the Q’s. I had the Fried Chicken – Fried in leaf lard, ham drippings and clarified butter, served with a biscuit – Flaky buttermilk biscuits made with Pine River Dairy butter, served with whipped sorghum butter and homemade jelly. The other half had: Catfish – Alabama grilled in a spicy rub, roasted plantain, coconut rice, fire roasted turnip green & cool pineapple salsa. David surprised us with an order of hush puppies. Perhaps you know “David” who worked at Francesca’s on Bryn Mawr as the bartender. On a happy note: David is well and happy now as the Manager of Big Jones. So stop in to enjoy a meal & drink and say, Hi, to David.

Enjoyed a hearty and delicious lunch at this wonderful place. The service was excellent. Will definitely return and recommend to anyone who enjoys southern fare.

Known for fried chicken, this Andersonville restaurant offer other treats like fried green tomatoes, biscuits, fried catfish, creaming grits, corn bread and more. Complimentary cava and pot de creme for our birthday guest. Wine, beer and cocktails available. A good place for celebrating or just relaxing. Unhurried and attentive service.

Seven us brunched here and I was disappointed. The restaurant was not crowded yet we had to flag down our server for coffee refills, one side dish was what I ordered, and the fresh cream was not shaken before being brought and produced clumps in our coffee. Others raved about the Mobile breakfast, the salmon and the pancakes. I detected little cheese in my bacon and cheese omelet, the bacon was overcooked, and the onions underdone. Cheese grits were good, but the biscuits only average.

Such a frigid cold day of spring we went for a hot lunch. First the staff was great and welcoming Decor is very nice Food was piping hot! I had farmhouse chicken and dumplings. PERFECT I tried to explain my mother used to make round dumplings to add to fresh green beans and ham and I hoped they were the same. Just dough balls dropped in. They were. Wonderful. Like a soup with great veggies and chicken piping hot! Gumbo was great. And Cajun breakfast was a treat with a sausage style hush puppy. If i lived in Chicago is be there weekly!

We went to Big Jones based on reviews and while our entrée was very good, the starter and desserts were very underwhelming! We started with the cornbread and while it was good, we've had much better. In fact, we make Jiffy at home and like it better. The honey butter that comes with it was very good...in fact, we asked for more because I'm not sure I would have even bothered with the cornbread had it not been for the butter which helped the cornbread. The Butcher's Port Duet was excellent! We ordered two desserts (bread pudding and some kind of tres leches inspired chocolate cake) and they were just ehhhh. Ice cream on chocolate cake was really good. Based on our experience, I'm not sure we would even be open to trying Big Jones again.

I married into a New Orleans family, so dining with my NOLA-born-and-raised husband and brother-in-law in a restaurant that offers items such as boudin and jambalaya can be a daunting task for satisfaction. Conclusion was that we enjoyed our meal at Big Jones, with the NOLA brothers complimenting that it's one if the better Cajun meals they've had outside of NOLA. Boudin was nice and flavorful and not too dry. Shrimp and grits was also really enjoyable, a much fancier version than what I've had in New Orleans. My favorite, though, was the buckwheat banana pancakes. Fantastic combination of the sweet bananas and salty sweet caramel. The neighborhood, a historically Swedish area, is neat to walk around afterwards window shopping. Big Jones is a very enjoyable place to have brunch one lazy weekend!

On my first visit the food was good. Service not so much. Under staffed. Everything arrived at once. Even the things we ordered that we had hoped would come before the main meal. Would advise to go early. As the place fills up with other customers, conversation becomes difficult. My second visit was much better. Food still good and arrived warm and not all at once. Do not miss their pop overs, or their home made bacon.

Went there for a brunch with a friend, the place is small but the décor is beautiful. The service is excellent, friendly and attentive. For a taste of Southern cooking definitely visit Big Jones.

Really like the interesting food options at Big Jones. Its not your run of the mill omelet joint, the food has some kick to it. I have plantian, bacon and egg. Could not have done it better myself. I will be back.

Hands down one of the best brunch spots in Chicago. Great southern style brunch, omelets, biscuits, etc. Even the drinks were great. This is NOT a tourist friendly location so you'll have to drive or take about a 20 minute taxi from downtown. But is worth the trip. I'm from the south and this is pretty good stuff.

I walked past and saw their claim to Chicago's best fried chicken. I took that as a challenge. Their chicken was in my opinion, tied with 2 others for Chicago's best. The Cajun specialties are very good. Their coffee is decent . That puts them ahead of many other classy places that challenge you with bitter coffee. I liked theirs. The waiter, Alex, was helpful and patient. He was actually quite pleasant with all the questions that I posed. The menu was classy and just a little pricey for my retiree budget to go very often but the food was worth the price.

The fried chicken was worth the wait and the Boudin was amazing. Craft cocktails were delightful and the service was friendly, prompt and not invasive. Chairs were uncomfortable....that's the only detractor and a minor one at that. I will return.

A Chicago friend made reservations for us to have dinner here at 6:00pm. We got there early and were seated right away. By the time we left the place was hopping. We shared a starter of hushpuppies with a crawfish and cheddar sauce. It was good...I really enjoyed the sauce...there were 5 hushpuppies which was a nice size to share between the 2 of us. The speciality cocktails were good, my friend got drunk off the one drink. I was driving so only had 1/2 of my drink. We each ordered different main courses, she had shrimp and grits which she really enjoyed. I had the chicken and dumplings which seemed more like a fresh, clean chicken soup with chunky dumplings...loads of onions and carrots and green onions. It was not what I expected, but much better...not a thick gravy mess but a clear flavorful stock with chicken and veg. We shared dessert which was a peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Really yummy warm and sweet. The coffee serving was huge and I was too full to drink it all. All in all a nice different eating experience.

We had a wonderful meal and great service! The fried chicken was amazing, as was the catfish and burger. Order anything - you’ll love it!

We arrived on time for our reservation for four - meeting our friends for dinner. Nope, we were told, you don’t have a reservation! We pulled out our email confirmation of it, two then three employees looked at it and muttered something until one finally announced, I guess we can squeeze you in. Are you kidding me? I have a reservation and you’ll do me a favor and ‘squeeze me in’..... we sat and five minutes later our friends appeared having arrived five minutes early and giving our name, were seated in the far end or the restaurant..... and the staff couldn’t figure this out? And the place wasn’t close to full! Morons..... Then we met our wholly incompetent server..... who tried to take our unfinished app plate away without asking, brought a second beer right after my friend ordered it and handed it to me, and was clueless and unfriendly. She didn’t explain any of the sauces, butter or jellies..... The fried green tomatoes were hot but lacked flavor.... and the mayo and relish did nothing much for them. The popover was tasty but pretty small and we had no idea what the spreads were which came with them. Fried catfish was tasty but more breading than fish, a nice flavor and very good beans and potatoes on the side. The Amish hen in broth was ‘pretty good’ while the shrimp and grits also lacked flavor.... my pal dumped a lot of hot sauce on it to give it some taste. The biggest disappointment was my Pork Reunion, which was not like what the menu describes..... thin slices of RARE, pink pork! I asked to have it cooked more and was scolded by the waitress that it’s the brining which is why it looks undercooked - very unpalatable and upon return it was tough. The sides were excellent though. Pork which appears undercooked to the customer and my table mates, lovely...... I wanted to choose a different entree but didn’t want to begin eating even later than my friends..... so nice when you have three meals cooling off while one comes late and results in eating it quickly to catch up. We ordered coffee and dessert, and the dessert was tasty but would’ve been better had she brought the coffee! The restaurant was freezing while waiting near the door (see above for why we were there so long...) and stifling near the front. Our friends brief stay in the far end was freezing.... seating was uncomfortable on thinly padded metal chairs with very upright metal backs. Tables were close and adjoining table chair-backs were touching one another . Noise level was ok and allowed conversation. It seems amateurs oversee this place..... amateurs work here.... and pork needs proper preparation..... I will not return.

We had never been to Andersonville before and had chosen Big Jones based on the Trip Advisor reviews - we were very glad we did - it was fairly early (6 PM on a Friday), so we got a lovely people-watching open-window table. The restaurant filled up rapidly but service was great and the food lived up to prior reviews and beyond! Cornbread was among the best we have had, the whole menu is interesting and the special, which was a striped bass with barley and roasted beans, was very special. A great list also of teas and of bourbons! Highly recommend and will definitely go back...

I had the seafood platter and it was just ok but not really that good. I had high hopes that the food would be good but was slightly disappointed.

If you like southern food, you'll love Big Jones. It's not a big place, so you're not lost in the shuffle. And the food is made to perfection, with a menu that reminds you of the good folks at home. There's also a bar for wine and spirits. We love to take our visitors there to "show off" what our neighborhood has to offer.

The ambience, food and service was great!!! The place is in a really great laid back location. I love the little shops and eateries. The music 🎶 has a vibe of blues along with a little jazz. We came for brunch and was not at all disappointed. Our wait time was short and our waiter, Aldopho, was excellent!! The prices were reasonable and the food amazing!

Good, but not outstanding. We had some issues with my open table reservations, their system didn't show it and my email confirmation wasn't good enough for them. They wouldn't seat three of the four of us who were there....until we assured them that the fourth was delayed by public transportation. Staff came off as arrogant. Good coffee, interesting southern takes on dishes. Food was good. We enjoyed the popovers for sure (but only got two on the plate). I would say the corn griddle cakes are the most interesting and best thing on the menu. I just wasn't over impressed or wowed by the food or experience.

We were so happy to find this restaurant with a french cajun theme. The menu had a number of gluten free offerings and our server Keith was very helpful and enthusiastic about our options. We ordered the cheesy corn fritters, fried green tomatoes, eggplant (warning, spicy alert) a salad and the pot de creme dessert along with drinks. It was all excellent and a great find in the Andersonville neighborhood.

Big Jones is probably the best southern food restaurant in Chicago. There are not so many places which service authentic southern food in Windy City, and this have has it all. Service is very friendly, portions have good size (not very good, but big enough). If you want to have a nice dinner at excellent local place with “warm vibe”...I would recommend to visit this place

We went to Big Jones because of its highly touted fried chicken and our expectations were exceeded. The fried chicken was out of this world: crunchy and juicy. And there was a lot of it. It was part of a special menu with a charge of $17.00 per person. What accompanied the chicken [corn muffins, red beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and banana pudding] was good but not on a par with the excellence of the main attraction. No matter. The staff was friendly and informative and, all in all, this was an outstanding luncheon experience. While I was tempted by other items on the menu, it would be hard to resist returning to this place for the chicken over and over again. I can recommend this place without reservations. The people who live near it are indeed fortunate.

Very good southern style dishes. We really enjoyed the gumbo and the cornbread. Make a reservation or you will have a very long wait.

Light, warm, delicious cornbread. The best corn fritters I've ever had. Impossibly wonderful flavor from…stewed chicken and dumplings? Yeah. Who knew? Salmon on a bed of farro (!!) with bacon-fried collard greens and fried chick peas: oh.em.gee. Not too pricey, ample portions, unexpectedly scrumptious. Definitely worth the price paid (even including the $75 parking ticket I got by inadvertently parking in a prohibited zone). Big Jones is definitely on my mandatory eating list for my next trip to Chicago.

My sisters and I meet in Chicago every year. This year we chose to eat at the Big Jones. It was a great experience. Our waiter Andrew was outstanding. He was so passionate about the food they served. He was thoughtful on his recommondations, I can't say enough great things about him. The food was also excellent. It was seasonal, so we were a bit disappointed when Jambalaya was not on the menu, however the special was trout, and it was fabulous, the Shrimp and Grits were great, along with the Baby Back ribs. The atomospere was very comfortable, and prices were reasonable for the quality of food.

Wouldn't normally think of Chicago for great Southern food, but the cooks at Big Jones know what they are doing. Sat at the bar for brunch and enjoyed great food and drinks. The fried chicken and biscuits are every bit as good as you've heard.

After running a few errands in the city, and driving past the new hotel construction near Wrigley Field (GO CUBS!), we were looking for a later breakfast/lunch/brunch place nearby. We were too late to catch the last seating at M Henry, but remembered Big Jones and headed there instead. A really good-tasting and filling Cajun-style breakfast hit the spot, with fresh cornbread to top it off! Service was quick and attentive, and it's not overpriced food, but a pretty decent value. Glad we remembered and glad it's still there, as we'll be back again soon.

So i stopped in today big jones today . Its been on my list for long time. This week a chef friend from south Carolina is cooking there . #chefbjdennis Outstanding is best word i can say. All of them top dishes . I look forward to coming back. #porkmafia inda house

still the best southern inspired menu on the north side. can get busy, you know the rest. parking sucks, congested urban business district.

Well, I am southern and I can assure you this is fine fare indeed. We have only had dinner here, and I'm placing brunch at Big Jones at the top of my list for things to do next trip to Chicago. I'm sorry some other diners did not have the experience that we have had here: friendly and attentive service, knowledgeable recommendations regarding the menu, knock-out cocktails, and delicious food. Our meals here have clearly demonstrated fine culinary technique from the kitchen with particular attention to the freshness of the ingredients.

The subtle modifications to traditional southern cuisine don't require a particularly sophisticated palate to appreciate - although it doesn't hurt. The hint of smoke in the biscuits, the twist on traditional grits, the fried chicken sandwich ... all excellent. Perhaps my favorite food experience in my recent trip to Chicago. I only wish I had known that they had a "Bourbon Society" when I was there.

We were a little put off at first by some of the offerings here. We started with their award-winning cheeseburger and slowly expanded our exploration of the menu of what has become one of our favorite places to eat in the Andersonville neighborhood. If we lived closer we would definitely consider joining the Bourbon club and eating here more often. Try anything, you won't be disappointed. Some variability in terms of waitstaff attitudes, nice and helpful to slightly snarky and self-absorbed. But the star is the food and it's always very good!

Wow! A great brunch is found at Big Jones!! It was worth the wait. The hostess told us about 1/2 hour so we enjoyed walking through the interesting shops in Andersonville, and returned to a table waiting. They had so many choices so we opted to start with a fabulous Bloody Mary and a southern tradition - Sazerac!! We had crab cakes and egg to die for and my favorite- Fried Catfish with beans and rice. The atmosphere is fun and inviting with attentive waiters. Was relatively pricey, but went later in the afternoon ( 2:00) so it served as an early dinner. Big Jones is a a fabulous find and until I get back to New Orleans, I will be headed here.

Went to this restaurant to have the fry chicken, but the wait was at least 30 minutes, so we didn't have time for it. The second choice was the braised ribs, but they were out of that. The Sally Lunn bread was so dry that it was rigid when served... the replacement order was better but still very dry. Maybe we hit it on an off night, but it was not worth the trip.

Excellent brunch choices both food and drinks. Be prepared to wait for a table, but they do turnover each table pretty fast. Bistro style seating. Food is fantastic. Average service due to popularity. I have to eat Gluten Free and always find something to eat there. Go as early as when they open to guarantee a short wait.

I saw the review on Check Please and wanted to try it out. I was not disappointed! Great southern cooking and cocktails. The fried chicken was exceptional--not greasy and delicious crisp skin, came with greens and sweet potato hash (which was also very good). The pimento cheese with homemade crackers was a great starter along with the pea fritters. I love cornbread and this was probably the best one I ever had, along with the bread pudding I had for dessert. Service was great and waitress was knowledgeable. If you like southern cooking give Big Jones a try--you won't be disappointed!

I've eaten at Big Jones several times, lunch and dinner, and absolutely love the food and atmosphere. The menu may seem traditional but the execution is imaginative: shrimp and grits, ya ya gumbo, voodoo greens, and, of course, amazing fried chicken. Interesting appetizers too, like boudin sausage and house made crackers. I like the food so much I even bought the cookbook. This is a very popular spot in Andersonville, and it feels very comfortable to be there.

Best Bloody Mary I've had in a long time. Excellent gumbo, shrimp and grits, and fabulous cornbread! Highly recommend!

I must love this place because I have never been to restaurant 4 times in a one month period. One dinner, two weekday lunches and two weekend brunches. I had everything from a poor- boy, New Orleans breakfast, powdered beignets , pickle pairing, and fried chicken. All where a one. I brought a party of 8 to there from out of town and they accommodated us and it was a party atmosphere for them. The next day we had a friend who had his birthday party there and again it was a taste treat for all and they even made a special dish for our vegan friend. Will go back great addition to Andersonville .

My son told me Big Jones was very good but he undersold it - the food and the atmosphere was fantastic. We had brunch and I would heartily recommend it. Between the six of us, we tried almost everything on the menu and none of us were disappointed. In fact, there was so much food, and it tasted so good that we couldn't stop, that we had trouble getting up when we were done!

This is a unique restaurant with an extensive menu. Orleans type of food, delicious and reasonably priced. Good for breakfast or dinner. They do a great business, so definitely make reservations.

We went to this restaurant after a Cubs game. It’s only a couple of miles from Wrigley Field. The menu items were not traditional cajun but everything was very good. I was not expecting the smokey flavor on the gumbo and the trout was very simple but both were great. I’m not someone who likes the skin on my fish very often but here, it was crisp and added to the flavor nicely. Veggies and sauce simple and added to the flavor profile nicely as well. Service was perfect.

I think I just took a mini Vacation to NOLA, so happy we found it. Met Chef Paul last nite who signed my Unique Chicago Eats book. When we read about Big Jones we just knew it would be good!! We both started out with the Whiskey & Bourbon menu, lots to choose from, I settled on a Bourbon & my friend got a Scotch Whiskey, both were good. The Pumpkin bisque soup was excellent, I savored every bit. My friend had the Gumbo TaTa, he liked it but just a tad on the salty side, but he said the flavor was there. He had the fried chicken with Collard greens & sweet potato hash, I got the Shrimp & Grits, Let's put it this way, this is the 1st time there were no leftovers. It was that good!! We finished up with an order of bread pudding and the rice fritters, both were so so good, I would order them again. Experience was very good, food was delicious and we will definitely go back without hesitation.

Big Jones is a storefront along Clark St., which is probably the worst part of it, as the street parking can be a real pain. If you live close, this would be a great selection. Though the restaurant was crowded for an early Sunday afternoon brunch, we were seated within 10 minutes. Very nicely decorated and there is a patio outside that may or may not be open. Upon being seated, our server brought us a small plate of beignets to start the meal. Don't get me wrong, but I think I could just come for the beignets and skip the rest of the meal. We picked out three different dishes to try. The first was "Eugene's Breakfast in Mobile, circa 1930" which consisted of farm-raised Alabama catfish fried in gold rice and corn flour breading with fried plantains, black beans, and buttered aromatic southern rice. The second was "Eggs New Orleans" with Ponchartrain blue crab cakes and poached eggs, popovers, and bearnaise sauce, along with Potatoes O'Brien. Finally we also tried "Rey's Breakfast Pozole", which was homemade hominy stewed with local guajillo peppers, onion, and smoked pork shoulder with two poached eggs and special slaw. Each of us thought that the other dishes were as good as the others. The only thing that I might consider offering is one biscuit with the pozole, as the stew does need to be sopped up! I did think that the staff could have been a bit friendlier, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it was a busy time for them. If you enjoy Southern cooking, Big Jones is definitely worth a visit.

Big Jones menu is amazing, service is great, dishes beautifully prepared. It has a down home New Orleans kind of menu with chicken and dumplings, gumbo, greens, and cornbread. The mixologist is talented even for non alcoholic drinks. Always too full for dessert, but I am sure they are terrific too.

I reiterate my review from last year but this time it is on my route home and I have to hold back getting off of the Clark Bus to stop in. In Chicago, we are lucky to have so many talented chefs. Big Jones just brings together so many good things, historical perspective, researched Southern recipes, sustainable, organic, locally sourced where possible food and just food that is good. Their beverage manager sources quality southern spirits and makes tasty cocktails, I still love their slushies which are basically gourmet slushies. Their food is good and tasty and reasonably priced relative to the work behind it. I probably will be in more than my budget will allow but this is a place that I am happy to stop in to. If you are visiting the US, try brunch here but you need to make a reservation. Knowing Big Jones is on my route home makes me happy, It is a happy place, go here.

This is not your ordinary Southern restaurant. Chef Fehribach researches authentic recipes from old southern cookbooks, and serves dishes you will find nowhere else along with staples like fried chicken and awesome gumbo ya-ya. Soups are to die for.

This place has really good coffee! We are from South Carolina so, our daughter thought we would enjoy this southern cooking. We truly enjoyed our food. I especially liked the cheese grits. We sat on the patio in the back. It was a nice place with southern decor as well as food.

Just got the Big Jones cookbook and, on a whim, emailed the restaurant for advice on substituting an ingredient in one of the recipes. Within 90 minutes, I had a reply from Chef Fehribach with clear explicit instructions on how to make the substitution. If the service and attention to the customer in the restaurant itself is anything like my experience, you're in for a fantastic meal.

Love it here! We came with a group of six including a 2 year old. We were greeted very friendly and informative, sat reasonably fast, excellent service all around from the weight and bus staff. The food was amazing! Flavor bursts in each dish!! I was only going TJ eat half of mine and ate the whole plate! Can't wait to find an excuse to go back!

This place was recommended by a local. The fried chicken was very good, and the skillet cornbread lasted the three of us about 30 seconds! One person ordered the gumbo and was very disappointed. It tasted burnt and was over salted. The restaurant did not charge us for it. Service was excellent.

Very unique dishes, appetizers and sides. We had brunch and every dish was unique and delicious. Very hard to decide because they all look so awesome. This is a definite do over.....we will definitely eat here again! Highly recommended

This is our favourite place for brunch in Chicago. The bloody Mary's are a great start and no one can resist the warm beignets - so fluffy and delicious. For mains we had the salmon fish cakes and duck. Both stunning and full of flavour. Service is stunning and the atmosphere is buzzing. Book ahead as this place always has queues at the weekend.

small quaint place, good service, the food was really good- our table had the two specials, Venison Stew and Walleye, and two regular menu items, fried chicken and shrimp. We had beer (couple of good local microbrews) and wine. I had the venison stew and it was awesome, very flavorful with blue barley? mushrooms, carrots and a baked apple in the center! nice!

My wife and I are native southerners, and this was the finest southern meal (think top drawer, not greasy spoon) we have had in 20+ years, and it included beautiful and creative preparations and presentations. Example: corn bread in a small iron skillet, made of corn meal plus finely ground grits, cooked in leaf lard (Google it - it's worth understanding what chef and co-owner Paul does). Best corn bread since our childhoods. My wife had amazing grouper bouillabaisse with gulf shrimp and oysters. I had the lovely and delicious chicken and dumplings, light and tasty. We ended with rum bread pudding and sorghum ice cream. Corban provided able advice and fine service. Paul explained a few dishes and helped us understand his updating of the older versions of our early meals in the south back in the sixties and seventies. The wine and whiskey lists are also deep and varied. Truly exceptional dining in Andersonville.

On a recent visit to Chicago we decided to skip downtown restaurants and go into the neighborhoods. Big Jones was our first experiment, and we liked it so much we went back to try more of the menu. The kitchen emphasizes heritage recipes and home made components (breads, charcuterie, pickles). New Orleans is the focus but there are other southern influences, as well as an old Amish chicken and dumplings recipe. Fried chicken is light and crispy and redolent of the ham-scented frying fat. There is a great variety of appetizers to explore, and everything we had was good. The gumbo ya-ya soup was based on the toastiest, darkest,deeply flavored roux that we have ever come across. We also tried the crayfish pie, fried green tomatoes, yam hash and voodoo greens. Bread pudding was classic. Add to this a creative bar serving inventive re-creations of historic cocktails, punches and slings, and you've got a winner.

Anticipated great comfort food but came away very disappointed. The place is cute and we had a lovely window table. The beignets were not what I expected as they had a hint of banana in the batter which was unusual... We ordered what the server recommended but was underwhelmed. Eggs New Orleans - Crab cake in popovers with hash browns: not fresh crab, no taste, no flavor in anything on this dish, & overpriced. Very disappointing. Big Jones breakfast - the pork was tasty but dry,an ok dish Gumbo YaYa - tiny portion for such a hearty dish, ok flavor, but no seafood in this version. OVERALL - overpriced for what we got at underwhelming flavors.... Not sure if I'll be back to try that again.

Excellent food, knowledgeable waitstaff, and the most delicious and huge sweet potato pie ever! Definitely taste the Charred Brussel Sprouts ~ grilled to perfection. Butterbean Pasta is rich and filling. Sea Island Red Pea Bisque is a great start. Roasted and Pickled Beet Salad on creamy buttermilk, with bitter greens, absinthe jelly, and rye croutons is a real treat if you're an absinthe aficionado. However, the crème de la crème is the surprising gigantic and super-dark chocolate delicious sweet potato pie: Just Beware. The smooth sweet potato base is covered with 1/2" chocolate ganache, then sprinkled with crushed benne (sesame seed) brittle, topped with poached pears, and dollop of crème fraiche. The joy is hardly imaginable, however be forewarned, the pie is 7" diameter, so bring family and/or friends.

I live nearby Big Jones, and it's been a regular restaurant stop for me for years. Most recently I stopped by for the fantastic burger, a decadent pile of flavorful beef, pimento cheese and sauteed onions accompanied by beef-fat fried potatoes. Delicious. But I also have very much enjoyed the gumbo, the fresh fish, the fried chicken, the stuffed pork trotters... And brunch is a delight, not only because of the food, but because you can actually make a reservation. Just as important, the wine list has ambitious and unusual selections in addition to more familiar standbys, and the cocktails are expertly mixed. What's not to like? I come here whenever I get the chance.

Waitress was very friendly and efficient. Food was southern/creole comfort food that was very well executed, Complimentary beignets was a nice touch.

Linda had a hard day, so we had to find a good spot that served delicious, healthy food, so we chose Big Jones, an acclaimed restaurant in the trendy Andersonville neighborhood. We were greeted and seated in the front window promptly by a friendly server. The cooking at Big Jones leans toward Southern, New Orleans style with dishes like gumbo, shrimp and grits. After a quick scan of the menu choices, I ordered the crab cake salad and Linda ordered the fried chicken salad. Both were graced with butter lettuce and a variety of mixings that were both pleasant to the pallet and visually alluring. My two crab cakes were good size, delicious with a slight kick. Linda’s fried chicken was breaded, crispy and tenderly delightful with a nice crunch. This was our second trip to Big Jones, once for brunch and once for lunch. Both experiences in this lovely appointed restaurant were pleasant adventures into the culinary south, rewarding on more than one level, and a worthwhile experience for sure!

Very interesting menu featuring southern cuisine with some interesting twists. All dishes ordered by our party were very good. A specialty is fried chicken. Service was friendly, helpful and relaxed. Ambience was comfortable.

We went to this place due to being part of the top brunch spots for Chicago. I think it's a bit overrrated. We made a reservation, once we arrived over half our party was there and they couldn't seat us until the last person of our group arrived. I think it was because they also didn't have a table for us. So that may have been there excuse. Now to the food. I ordeded the Bayou teche omlette. Wasn't bad. But the side dish was terrible. I got both the grits and the potatoes. Grits were watery and potatos weren't fully cooked like I requested. My sisters got the catfish and it wasn't seasoned or anything. It was just super plain. They didn't even eat it because it just didn't taste right.

This place easily accommodated a big group of six people. The southern type food was delicious. Everything was fresh and yummy. While the food was outstanding the service was not as good as the meal. It is a place to go to for great food, but be prepared for not great service.

Third time here, and I will be back. Interesting, authentically Southern food that tastes great. Had the pickle plate, head cheese, fried chicken, and my companions had shrimp and grits, and chicken and dumplings. We sampled several bourbons. Casual, but certainly nice enough for a special occasion. Everything I look for in a restaurant--interesting , tasty food that I won't easily find elsewhere, and simply a fun place to eat.

First visit service was extremely slow waiter was good . We ordered Fried Chicken the chicken was cooked in lard and the portion was small. We overheard a server tell Another guest to order an appetizer Because the portions were small. The portions were small and not worth the price we paid. The staff Never asked how our meal was. Feel You could get a better fried chicken Meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I Really wanted to like this restaurant I don’t think I will ever return.

I had read a lot of reviews and I was not let down. Would highly recommend. The mixed drinks are great and I found it to be an over all great value. Wait staff was very helpful and polite. Beignets were delicious.