The Maxwell Street Polish: A Sausage, Some Onions and an 85-Year Rivalry
It's one of the simplest sandwiches in Chicago: a grilled Polish sausage on a bun, buried in sweet grilled onions, with a stripe of yellow mustard and maybe a couple of sport peppers. It usually comes with a pile of fries tucked into the same bag. It costs about what a coffee costs downtown.
It also has more history than most restaurants in the city.
The market
For decades, Maxwell Street on the Near West Side was home to a huge open-air market, packed with immigrant vendors, bargain hunters and, famously, blues musicians playing for tips. Hungry shoppers needed something cheap and fast, and sausage stands filled the gap.
The stand
The stand now known as Jim's Original traces its Polish to 1939, when Jimmy Stefanovic, a Macedonian immigrant, started selling grilled Polish sausage with onions at the corner of Maxwell and Halsted. The sandwich became so tied to the neighborhood that the street's name stuck to it.
The rivalry
The market is long gone and the stands moved a few blocks to Union Avenue, where Jim's and Express Grill have operated nearly side by side for years. Both are open from early morning to late at night, and both have loyalists who will tell you the other one is all hype. Order one at each and decide for yourself; your cardiologist doesn't need to know.
What's happening now
In 2026, Jim's was told to leave its Union Avenue home to make way for university redevelopment, with plans announced to move to a new spot on 18th Street in Pilsen. Check before you go. Jim's also runs a stand on the North Side, on Elston, if you want the Polish without the uncertainty.
Where to get one
- Jim's Original: the namesake; see the listing for the latest on locations.
- Express Grill, Union Ave. The other half of the rivalry, open until 1 a.m.
- Maxwell Street Depot, Bridgeport. Open 24 hours, a short walk from the White Sox ballpark.
See them all in our Maxwell Street Polish section.