Jeri's Grill at Montrose and Western Avenues

I've passed Jeri's Grill since I was ten-years-old. I've long wondered about a place which proudly highlights ham off the bone to those passing on the street.

The other day I had business in the area rather early in the morning. I decided if my parking karma held out, then this would be the day to dine at Jeri's. As I arrived, someone pulled out and any excuse vanished as the car slid into place.

I walked in and grabbed a seat at the boomerang Formica counter. I knew at a minimum I wanted ham on the bone, a couple of eggs and potatoes. I couldn't justify ordering biscuits and gravy, which is always the disadvantage of dining solo. Instead, I paid the slight upcharge for raisin toast.

After I placed my order, I relaxed reading the newspaper and listening to the chatter around me. Really, I was listening to the chatter and just looking at the pictures. One lady walked in which everyone greeted by name. She was grabbing a coffee while getting an orientation where her destination clinic at Devon and California was from this location. I was somewhat shocked I knew in a flash where she was going, what that interesection looked like and what she could eat, if she asked. The committee discussed what hundred north and west she needed. They then began quizzing each other on the origins of street names in Chicago.

I put my paper down and watched the art of griddle cooking. I am especially fascinated by the weights they will use to keep meat from curling. It's a great idea, which I have never seen anyone use at home.



The eggs were not perky Jumbo's, rather they were simply large and cooked to perfection. I am always a bit dismayed when my egg whites are runny, when it is my yolk-only I want supple and ready to burst. The ham on the bone was generous and delicious. The potatoes with extra onions indeed had extra onions and lots of good flavor. My raisin toast was ever so slightly disappointing because it wasn't quite warm enough to melt the butter I spread on them. Just as well, if it had melted, then I would have been sorely tempted to add sugar on top.

It was fun to breakfast where everyone knew each other so well. They may not have gone out of their way to welcome me, though they did keep me well entertained with their conversation.

I'll be back someday for the biscuits and gravy because our survey is not complete until they have been tested! It's always nice to leave something for another day.

Jeri's Grill
4357 North Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773-604-8775

I've never had a breakfast at Jeri's (usually head over to Diner Grill, or Dinner Grill if you read the sign on the east side of the building) but have stopped a number of times for later-night food. Their soups are very good - definitely home-made and tend not to suffer from over-thickening with flour/cornstarch like so many other place's soups do. When they have the split-pea with ham there's usually an abundance of ham (no doubt the same ham served on your breakfast plate) and it's a well seasoned soup. I like that it's walking distance from the house and can be a waypoint on the route home from over indulging somewhere nearby. Only downside is for those late night walking visits I'm without my carry-in bottle of hot sauce and the in-house versions are not very inspired.

Jeri's was always my preferred spot for biscuits and gravy, and I hope they're as good when you return as they were back then!

jeri's has long been one of my favorite greasy spoons. but i now really enjoy Mama Kitty's where Kitty Olson, the previous cook from Jeri's, is currently cooking (and owns). Mama Kitty's price is right - with coffee and tax included in the price you see right on your menu. and the food is awesome! kitty omlette with corned beef hash. right on.

leesh

mama kitty's
1616 N Kedzie
Chicago
773-235-4889
http://mamakittys.com/index.html

kitty omlette with corned beef hash

Leesh!

Is this canned corned beef or freshly made corned beef? The answer is important!

Thanks for the lead ... what are her hours?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:
Leesh!

Is this canned corned beef or freshly made corned beef? The answer is important!

Amen to that!

leesh wrote:jeri's has long been one of my favorite greasy spoons. but i now really enjoy Mama Kitty's where Kitty Olson, the previous cook from Jeri's, the place where she currently cooks (and owns). Mama Kitty's price is right - with coffe and tax included in the price you see right on your menu. and the food is awesome! kitty omlette with corned beef hash. right on.

leesh

mama kitty's
1616 N Kedzie
Chicago
773-235-4889
http://mamakittys.com/index.html

Wow. I think I need a field trip there ASAP. (I love "No Illegal activity unless Police are present.") I can't get there this weekend, but I may suddenly have a toothache or minor medical emergency early next week that only her cooking can cure...

Cathy2 wrote:Is this canned corned beef or freshly made corned beef? The answer is important!

Thanks for the lead ... what are her hours?

Regards,

Corned beef hash is NOT homemade - it is canned. but it still makes for a mighty fine omlette stuffing!

Wed - Sun 8am - 5pm

Cathy2 wrote:

kitty omlette with corned beef hash

Leesh!

Is this canned corned beef or freshly made corned beef? The answer is important!

Thanks for the lead ... what are her hours?

Regards,

Thanks for the lead? What are her hours? Who posted this this, then?
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... light=mama

That was the thread that originally made me decide I needed to make a
trek down to Mama Kitty's. Of course, I didnt manage it, and it then
slipped my mind - so thanks for the re-mind (and re-lead), really will try
to make it this time

c8w

The Formica Company actually employs a librarian to keep track of the thousands of patterns they've made over the years. I spoke to her some time ago when I was searching for that "boomerang" pattern I remembered from my childhood. She informed me it's actually called "Skylark," and has enjoyed a big renaissance in recent years. They now make it in several colors but, like Fiestaware, not the same ones as during the fifties.

It's always a treat to walk into an old diner or coffee shop and discover Skylark on the counter or table. Thanks, Cathy-- I'll soon be visiting Jeri's for a little trip back in time.

Hi,

Some visit for the food and others for the countertop. We all have our niche interests!

Regards,

Hi,

I returned to Jeri's Grill late last week for the biscuits and gravy. From my one experience, I would take a pass and go with what they do well: ham on the bone, hash browns and well executed eggs.

The biscuits and gravy were a quick serve from the steam table. The biscuits were small (about the size of a Kennedy half dollar) and plentiful, but suffered from the steam table. I really couldn't decide if the biscuits were undercooked or by the steam had conjealed. When you bit into them they immediately compressed and were gummy. The sausage gravy had hunks of sausage, visible specks of pepper and maybe was fresh made hours ago. However the steam table didn't do any favors to the gravy, it gave it an overcooked milk taste, then again maybe it was a canned base. I am a loyal member of the clean plate club left uncharacterisically quite a bit on the plate unfinished and did not take it home.

I will return for breakfast, just not the biscuits and dumplings.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I returned to Jeri's Grill late last week for the biscuits and gravy. From my one experience, I would take a pass and go with what they do well: ham on the bone, hash browns and well executed eggs.

The biscuits and gravy were a quick serve from the steam table. The biscuits were small (about the size of a Kennedy half dollar) and plentiful, but suffered from the steam table. I really couldn't decide if the biscuits were undercooked or by the steam had conjealed. When you bit into them they immediately compressed and were gummy. The sausage gravy had hunks of sausage, visible specks of pepper and maybe was fresh made hours ago. However the steam table didn't do any favors to the gravy, it gave it an overcooked milk taste, then again maybe it was a canned base. I am a loyal member of the clean plate club left uncharacterisically quite a bit on the plate unfinished and did not take it home.

I will return for breakfast, just not the biscuits and dumplings.

Sorry to hear, Cathy -- those biscuits in particular sound nothing like what I used to enjoy when I lived near there, which were about the diameter of, mmm, maybe a small fist or the base of a coffee mug, and were usually fluffy and just a touch dry to soak up the gravy better. I know the short-order cook back then took some pride in the dish, so perhaps it's someone different, or perhaps it just isn't the priority it used to be.

BobS wrote:I know the short-order cook back then took some pride in the dish, so perhaps it's someone different, or perhaps it just isn't the priority it used to be.

Hi,

What it really begs for now is a trek to

mama kitty's
1616 N Kedzie
Chicago
773-235-4889
http://mamakittys.com/index.html

Cathy2 wrote:I returned to Jeri's Grill late last week for the biscuits and gravy. From my one experience, I would take a pass and go with what they do well: ham on the bone, hash browns and well executed eggs.

C2,

While I've been to Jeri's any number of times over the years, in general I prefer Two Way to Jeri's, though I'd be hard pressed to give a tangible reason why. If memory serves, and it may not, Two Way's biscuits and gravy are a cut above Jeri's.

There's a new coffee shop, Rosies, on Pulaski which opened up in the old Diane's space. Rosie's is counter seating only concentrating on breakfast sandwiches and hot lunch combos. While I am unsure of the exact hours, Rosies is not open 24-hours.



Rosies serves an ok biscuits and gravy, if they amped up the spice and upped the sausage content it would be pretty darn good. Though I think that could be said for most diner biscuits and gravy.

Rosies Biscuits and Gravy


Far as biscuits and gravy go my preference remains Edgebrook Diner.

Edgebrook Diner's Biscuits and Gravy (Saturday Only)


Enjoy,
Gary

Rosies Diner
773-478-0948
6128 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60646

Edgebrook Diner
6322 N Central Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
773-792-1433

Two Way Grill
4351 N Elston
Chicago, IL

Gary, forget the biscuits and gravy. I need for you to purchase or steal that coffee cup next time you are at Rosies. It appears to be an old Homer Laughlin similar to those used in my aunt Florence's Italian American restaurant, circa 1979. Thanks in advance.

That cup is the standard issue cup at Edgebrook Diner.

Oh, yeah. I usually just look at the pictures. I should read the captions now and then. Thanks Steve.

I must have been there on a bad day.

Based on what has been posted here, my wife and I went to the Edgebrook Dinner for a late breakfast, a couple of Sunday's ago.

We arrived at 12 Noon, and were seated at 12:20. Shortly after we were seated, a family of four was seated next to us.

The 8 year old, wanted breakfast, with a starter of a vanilla shake. It took 12 minutes for the young girl behind the counter to make the shake. She said that the ice cream was too hard for her to get it out of the container.

We placed our order for two eggs, two strips of bacon, hash browns, and pancakes. I ordered the biscuits and gravy. It took 15 minutes for the food to appear, without the pancakes. We asked the young man behind the counter for the pancakes, and he said we would have them shortly. To him "shortly" means, after you have eaten everthing else, and to bring them with the check.

The B and G, was good, but not great, or at least up to what I have eaten in small places, in the South.

Would we go back.... no I do not think so.

Gary,

If Rosie's is the place I think it is, it is just north of Petersen, then you missed a great signage picture. On the north wall is a sign suggesting its a truck stop or truckers are welcome a la the belated Julia's Trucker's Welcome sign from the Westernathon. I'm glad to see your comments on Rosie's since everytime I pass it I wonder what your thoughts are on the place.

I was to Two-Way Diner once last year. It was quiet at 6 AM on a weekday morning. Though I would guess it can be a character-magnet in the wee hours of a Friday or Saturday night. I was advised the diners along that stretch are run by transplants from Apalachia. I remember at Two-Way there was the option to order Kentucky ham, which I did. The ham was salty though hardly unexpected in a cured ham.

I still have to hit that biker bar breakfast place one of these days. So many interesting things to do, so little time.

Regards,

Rosie's has been there a long time under a different name (Diane's Truck Stop?) and had closed about 6 months ago. It very recently re-opened under new management. I went there once so far and was underwhelmed by the food and cleanliness. It's also quite nasty smelling from cigarettes. I'm sure I'll give them another chance, since it's the closest restaurant to my new office, but I'm not in a hurry to do so. Usually, it's Edgebrook Diner for me. There is no comparison.

JeffB wrote:Gary, forget the biscuits and gravy. I need for you to purchase or steal that coffee cup

Jeff,

Done and done, though you have to defend me gratis if I get arrested pilfering the cup from Edgebrook Diner for you.

Speaking of coffee shops, while I was luke warm on Rosie's biscuits and gravy, I was back for breakfast and their grits are really quite good. Perfect with easy over eggs.

Enjoy,
Gary

Last Sunday I found out that Horseshoe has biscuits and gravy at their all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet, along with cheese grit cakes, beef brisket, and lots of other great food. They also have a make-your-own bloody mary bar, although, since I know the bartender, the glass she gave me was so full of vodka that there wasn't room to put in enough tomato juice!

The sausage gravy was excellent - lots of sausage chunks and visible pepper specks in a good base. That alone makes the $14 price worth it. Brunch is from 11-3pm, and there is live bluegrass music featuring The Dimestore String Band.

Horseshoe
4115 N Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
773.549.9292

Today was my first ever trek to Jeri's Grill. I had the biscuits and gravy and a side order of the ham.

First the ham: At $2.50, I have to agree that the serving size is extremely generous. I also thought it tasted good (nothing special, but good).

I also tried the biscuits and gravy. First thing to note is the oddity of pricing. A half order is $3.25 (IIRC) and a full order is only $.50 more. But the full order is so much larger. Sure I hate wasting food, but given the slight difference in price, I just cannot justify ordering the half order.

As to the flavor: the gravy was pretty good -- slightly tangy, rather peppery (all good so far), but a little lacking in sausage chunks. Although I have not been to either Rosie's or Edgebrook Diner so as to comment on the quality of their biscuits and gravy, I will say that the pictures posted here reflect the amount of sausage I expect to find in my sausage gravy. Jeri's did not measure up in this respect. Nonetheless, Jeri's gravy was pretty flavorful.

But the much larger problem was definitely with the biscuits. Does anyone know if Jeri's makes them from scratch? Good buttermilk biscuits are so easy to make, but these tasted a little like the kind that you squeeze from a can-like tube (after first cutting into the tube with a knife). Texture was all wrong, they were not fresh and the flavor of the biscuits themselves just not right. And they were also small.

On the plus side, Jeri's is kind of a neat place -- an old fashion diner, something you just don't see much these days. Maybe the food isn't top notch, but I hardly cared. It was fascinating being right at the corner of a major intersection where the area has probably changed so much over the years, yet Jeri's has been around for more than 40 years . . . a little like an oasis from a different era.

And how has Jeri's changed? I don't really know since I haven't been there before, but I'm guessing that until recently, they didn't serve cappuccino, and now they advertise that they do. OK . . . so it's from one of those cheesy machines like you'd see at a car dealership . . . but that's the charm of it: an old fashioned diner's attempt at modern-day trends.

Cathy2 wrote:...From my one experience, I would take a pass and go with what they do well: ham on the bone, hash browns and well executed eggs.

After our disappointing experience at Baker Miller last weekend, the perfectly-cooked eggs over medium (ordered one, got two, paid for one), ham slices crisped on the griddle, and hash browns with lovely crispy bits really hit the spot. We found seating easily in a booth with a great view of the park, the friendly, tattooed waitresses made nice with my daughter, and the place has a well-functioning ventilation system, so I didn't leave smelling like whatever was grilling. BM has way better coffee... but I'll be back to Jeri's.

I believe much of Jeri's reputation was made during the '90's when they employed one if the great short order cooks, Doug. He worked third shift and baked the hams, made the biscuits, cornbread, etc. He was a magician on the flat top and accordingly, I ate there about 5 times a week. He is surely missed.

Jeri's is still a blast from the past. They're still going strong over there at Western and Montrose. A long time ago my dad used to have his business a block away. I went there many times as a kid always getting the grilled cheese. Still a friendly neighborhood joint, great place for ham and eggs and potatoes. It's nothing to write home about but the staff is nice and the prices are very cheap.

Jeri's is an oasis of old-school, blue collar Americana that has stood the test of time. I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for that place.

Wow, I'm glad Pie Love resurrected this thread. I have driven or walked by Jeri's many times, been intrigued by the look of the place, but have never had time to stop in. Thanks to this reminder I'm going to stop by and try it this weekend.

Thanks

Really nice, reliable spot. I love that they're open 24 hours. A friend lives nearby and we occasionally hit it at the late end of one of our drinking nights. Ham & Cheese Omelet, Hash Browns, Rye Toast . . . really hits the spot.

=R=

eating while walking wrote:Wow, I'm glad Pie Love resurrected this thread. I have driven or walked by Jeri's many times, been intrigued by the look of the place, but have never had time to stop in. Thanks to this reminder I'm going to stop by and try it this weekend.

Thanks

Don't go in expecting the be-all and end-all of artisan cooking, or everything made from scratch-- but this is one of those places you have to enjoy for what it is.