Looking at fries piled directly on top of a hot dog, my back immediately warned me, "That is a dangerous game to play!" But I had to see what the hype around Gene & Jude's was all about. ​I caught them at a great time with a short line. Their menu is delightfully simple and typical classic Chicago style with minimalist topping choices (mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers) so ordering was a breeze. A single dog with fries and a medium drink came out to about $9. ​While waiting, I loved watching their team work like a well-oiled machine behind the counter. Fresh hand-cut potatoes were dropping into the fryer, and the assembly crew was constantly building dogs and piling massive heaps of steaming fries on top. High output, fantastic energy! I even asked one of the prep guys if I could snap a picture, and he was super cool about it. ​The meal itself was awesome. The fries were piping hot, perfectly salted, and very generous in portion. Once I dug down to the dog, that first bite took me by complete surprise, the snap of the natural casing and the flavor were incredible. Before I knew it, I was clearing the paper wrapper and completely understanding why people order double dogs or multiple single dogs. Be warned it will have your back talking to you too. Lol! Highly recommended legend! read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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Good Eats! Legendary Hotdogs. A short 15 min or so from Ohare Airport. The fries are good, no ketchup in the building read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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We have a tradition; Blackhawks hockey and Gene & Jude's. We go downtown to the game and hit Gene and Jude's on the way home. Every single time we have stopped in, our order has been 100% correct and piping hot. My daughter and I like the single dog and fries with everything - my husband and son like the double dog and fries with everything. This is a grab and go kind of place, unless you don't mind standing at the counter - that's one of my favorite things to do. I can't wait for hockey season to start again, I am missing Gene & Jude's. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Single Hot dog/with Fries - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

Always 5 out of 5 stars! Just returned from a trip and it's always a must to stop in for hot dogs for the family! It did not disappoint! Needed to Chicago food! read more

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No Seats! No Ketchup! No Pretense! No Nonsense! Pay attention! 70 Years. That's right. 70 YEARS!! Ahh yes, Gene & Jude's in River Grove, Illinois. I will always have fond memories of eating a ton of hot dog lunches here. It occurred during my 'serious' working life at Jensen Sound Labs in nearby Schiller Park. Back in the day, Gene & Jude's was a teensey tiny, stand-and-eat-over-a-counter-french-fries-stuffed-into-your-snappy-Vienna-Beef-dog kinda place. It still has a devoted cult following. As it is with all good things, the restaurant has only become bigger and better! Gene & Jude's has such a wonderful location near and around many office buildings that house large companies. And a forest preserve nearby. Today, the same hot dog and fries combo I ate back in the day is still a great value for struggling sound mixers and speaker-based Motorola employees and of course, all the other working class. The snappy Vienna Beef Dog with the only condiments, consisting of yellow mustard, green relish, onions, and sport peppers, then smothered and covered in fries, "Depression style", is currently priced at $4.69! You need to visit this icon if you're ever in the Northwest Chicago area suburbs. You won't regret it. read more

Obviously we had to come to Gene's & Jude's. Long before we planned our Chicago trip, I can remember seeing a feature about the place on TV. It was a no-brainer. The place is kind of out of the way, but hey, we had a car and some free time, so why not? I, of course, got the Hot Dog w/ Fries ("mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers") and yep it's a superior dog. I'm not sure if the copious fries really added anything to it, but the snap of the wiener and the tasty condiments added up to an extremely enjoyable experience. I can see why Gene's & Jude's is so highly regarded. It's a cool place (and super affordable, too). read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Hot Dog w/ Fries. - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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It's was a beautiful night yesterday so we decided to go for a ride to grab a hot dog from the Iconic Gene & Jude's. Before we left I checked the website and saw that they were a cash only business. No problem except we took the 30 minute ride and when we arrived I realized I forgot my wallet at home. Fortunately for us it was a nearby Walgreens where we could get cash. My wife had her wallet so I zelled money to her. Once we got back we then saw that they do in fact take debit/ credit cards. Anywho. It was a no frills place very basic aesthetic nothing special to look at. Just a service counter where you can see them preparing the hot dogs. They do however have a steady line of people! They move the line very fast so you're not waiting long at all. We ordered 3 hot dogs with everything (mustard, onions, relish & sport peppers) the basic depression hot dog. They come with fresh cut fries & we got a fountain Cherry Coke to share. I spent $20 even with tip. The hot dogs were good i wasn't disappointed nice soft bun tasty condiments and a great snap to the hot dogs. I'll give it a 7/10. The fries had a decent amount of salt on them a bit oily and not too crispy but they were fair. They don't have any ketchup in the house. We keep tobacco in the SUV so I added some to the fries for a little bit. Without the tobacco the fries were still tasty. A solid 6.5/10. The service was good. Young people with good customer service. I loved it. 10/10 for service. All in all if I'm in the mood for a drive and a hot dogs I'll go back. If you're in the area and like hot dogs check them out. They also sell tamales. ( I didn't order one) 7.3/10..... all in all. It's really more like 3 1/2 stars! Remember Yelpers ALL reviews are subjective! read more

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I can't believe I've had this draft review since 2017, but this week I was actually talking about Gene & Jude's with a coworker who was visiting from Chicago. All he had to say was hot dogs and tamales and I knew he was talking about Gene and Jude's. I came here on a recommendation from a previous coworker, when I was on a business trip. I can't say much about the service and ambiance as it has been some time. What I can say is it fit the menu. It definitely felt like a comfort food spot. The kind that is more of a craving than fine dining, but you'd want to go over and over again. To start, these are hot dogs stuffed with fries. So many fries, at first glance you couldn't even see the hot dogs stuffed inside the bun. The tamales are familiar, in that the wrapper looks familiar and the flavor is what you'd expect from a comfort food place. I'd definitely go back as the flavors were good and it hit the spot. read more

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First time here. We were lucky enough to find a good spot to park as it was a busy Saturday night, in almost summer. Didn't have to wait long in line, even though it was very busy and service was friendly and helpful. Food and drinks (make sure to eat in the car like the pro's do!) were good and filling. Would recommend and will be back if in the area. read more

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Still the Greatest hotdog on the planet after eating here for 45+ years and my parents eating years and years before me everything is still the same ambience inside of the restaurant. It's standing room only to eat your hotdog. The line is always out the door, 15 minute wait for the greatest hotdog known to man. The food taste exactly the same as it did 45 years ago the service is faster than ever the inside has never changed since I was a little kid after many nights of being at the thirsty whale which was adjacent behind Gene and Jude's is where all the rockers hung out and the greatest bands of Chicago came through ..their we would eat hotdogs at two and three in the morning. My children are now full teenagers, and got to experience the Gene and Jude hotdog and we're delighted beyond belief now living outside of Chicago coming into town to have the greatest hot dog and still be exactly the same. The fries are exactly the same ,the inside exactly the same, with a few more awards. This is 100% the best Chicago, hot dog and greatest hotdog on the planet. You must visit this place just to experience the years and years and years of excellence. Enjoy!!... May it bless your life as it has mine. God bless Gene and Jude's team. Keep the tradition and hots going. PS don't forget to get your Gene and Jude's merch. It is now available. Cheers read more

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I was always told Chicago is a great place for a hot dog, and I have to admit I've always been skeptical. However, Gene and Jude's showed me that that skepticism needs to go away. This place highlights what a good hotdog can be, even more, what a good hotdog with fries can be! Definitely worth the trip to try this spot. read more

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What a great way to end the night. BEARS WIN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS. Whenever we're in the area we stop for a red hot, today was that day. The energy in that place was amazing as all of the customers eating inside and the crew were cheering for the Bears inside and we were outside in the car watching. The staff is always nice. The service was fast. The food is always good, although the fries seemed short this time around. read more

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We were in the area and decided to stop by Gene & Jude's to finally give it a try after hearing so much hype over the years. Staff was nice, line was long, but service was quick. We both got the double dog and we both thought it was just ok and don't really understand the hype at all. The fries were super greasy, and to be perfectly honest, it would've been nice to at least have ketchup for the fries lol. Overall, the food was below average to us and not something we'd go out of our way for again. Glad we tried it once. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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FooooooD is YUMMMMY! Hits the spot at any time! These guys are quick and work in unison! Every kind of person any nationality everybody goes there. When you're there it's so much fun. It just feels like a big family. Everyone eating in the parking lot walking around sitting on their trucks. Little kids running around everywhere and everybody is just so wonderful. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - My family we all ended up going there after my son's graduation. It was the perfect quick spot. - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

It was 1pm on a Tuesday and we just finished up at the nearby Costco Melrose Park. I chose to drop in here for a hot dog lunch instead of having a big $1.50 hot dog with a drink at Costco. The double dog with fries here now goes for $5.55 (it was $3.34 in 2014) and though it's not nearly as good a hot dog deal value-wise as at Costco, there's not the foodie fun factor there either and Costco doesn't have healthy fries like here haha. They also don't have Gene & Jude's steamy buns and snappy hot dogs for what that's worth. Apparently, it's been 11 years since my last visit and it was not crowded this time, and finishing lunch here standing up was a good, quick, and satisfying junk food meal. Nothing has changed here, and that's a good thing. Only the prices due to inflation, and I figured the menu's inflation rate was a reasonable 4.7% per year over the last 11 years. Fun stop! Ps and fyi - they now take credit cards and without a fee and that has been the case since the COVID days. read more

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Looking for a quick bite to eat look no further than this place. An icon in Chicago. Staples. Food is great. Although limited Service is friendly and ambience is Old School. Don't ask for catchup you in the area. Check this place out. read more

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I'm not mad at this place and you shouldn't be either. A perfect, classic hot dog and fries. Sure it's messy and doesn't look beautiful, but the hot dog is tasty and the fries are crispy and well salted. What more could you want? I appreciate the large parking lot and the fast-moving line. Though we lucked out with a small line on a Sunday afternoon. If you're in the area (or even if you're not), it's 100% worth a stop. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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Tried Gene & Jude's for the first time. Always pass by the place on my way to church on Sundays and finally got a chance to come by tonight. Looks like the only thing on their menus is hotdogs, fries, tamales, and soft drinks. More of a carry out place as it's just a counter to order from, and behind that counter is where they cook. It's spacious inside, unlike a lot of carry out places and you can actually have elbow room while you wait for your order. Very laid back atmosphere and can't go wrong with the price of $4.99 for a hotdog which comes with fries. The fries are cut freshly cut from potatoes and not the frozen kinds which is great. I was expecting a mean chicago style hotdog but was a little disappointed when I open up my wrapped meal. The hotdog was missing the pickle and sports peppers and was just onions and mustard. So the hot dog was just meh for me. Is that how their normal hotdogs are? My daughter also asked for ketchup only on her hot dog (no ketchup on hotdogs!!!) and I was advised that they didn't have ketchup. Like I get it but dang. So I'm still up the fence on this one - maybe I'll come back and give them another shot. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

If you're a hot dog lover, this is a spot for you! Try them out! .... Their flavor and NATURAL ingredients!

As a very long and faithful patron, I thought I should contact you about my experience Labor Day. Along with another couple, we visited Gene and Jude's and were terribly disappointed with the quality of the hotdog (sausage). The skin was extremely tough and not the usual snappiness. It was like you had to gnaw through it. All four of us agreed. I don't know if it was an anomaly or if you changed the recipe with Vienna or, God forbid, vendors. This is not a criticism, but an alert to fix a potential issue. read more

This iconic hotdog spot has been a worthy establishment for depression style hotdogs and freshly cut fries. Has raised the bar so high nobody other can compare. The best! read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

One of the best hot dog joints in the Chicago burbs. Fresh cut French Fries are the best. Price is very reasonable! Fast service.

Best hot dog I've ever had, people are right about the fries though. You have to eat them immediately or they're too soggy to be edible. I had a great time, a local told me how to order in line, everyone was super efficient. I suggest eating your meal in the parking lot with others, great experience overall. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Single Hot dog/with Fries, hot dog with everything - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

Gene & Jude's has been rated the best Hotdogs in the United States and they do have the lines of people waiting to prove it. The Hotdog has a crisp snap casing and the fries on the sandwich are soft and fresh. There are standing places around the windows of the establishment, but because of the crowds, we always just eat in our car. This is one of the places that will ask you to leave if you ask for ketchup (ketchup shaming), we've seen it happen over the years. I've been eating here every so often for 50 years and the quality has carried over after all these years. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Yum! - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

I definitely did not get the point nor did I understand the hype. Short menu (I think thats the point) and no seating. You come and get a regular hotdog that tastes the same as a 7/11. Soggy fries - it's honestly prob that I don't like fries. Also, call me uneducated but a hotdog without ketchup is not a hotdog. Let me change and rock your world - go to chile and have a real hotdog called a completo. As in, it's complete and includes ketchup. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Aa - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

Came in with the family to order 4 dogs with everything and a couple of sodas. We got lucky that it was not that busy. As usual a dog minis the raw onions, veey tasty option. The only thing that would have made it better was if i could get a beer. Great experience, on a sunny hot day. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

First time and yummmy yummy I'll review in a minute I'm enjoying this spectacular hotdog read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Child labor jajaja jk He only looks 14 but he's 18 - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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This place has been around for many decades. Nothing's changed here and that's a good thing. Grab a fantastic hotdog fries or fresh cut right there in front of you. It's an establishment worthwhile taking the time to explore. Plenty of parking around there. Try this place out to experience a piece of history. read more

Service was great. The staff was really friendly and helpful. The ambiance was a classic Chicago dinner feel. The food was incredible! We had a dog fully loaded and fries, which were hand cut in front of us! I highly recommend if you're looking for a great hot dog in the northern Chicago area try this place!!! Oh and not to mention the price was awesome! Check it out! read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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Hot dog was juicy with a snappy casing. Bun was steamed. Fries were crispy and fluffy. Glad to finally try the famous Depression dog. If you live in the city, this is much more worth the trek than super dawg. No issues with service. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Double dog - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

I haven't been here in over 15 years but I can confidently say the food is still good and the prices are reasonable. I ordered a hot dog and fries and they were still yummy. Service was fast yet friendly and this is truly a fact food place. There isn't any seating. It's a pick up and go spot. Hopefully it won't take me another 15 years to go back. Thanks for being consistent :) read more

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Damn good hotdog in its own way different than other Chicago dogs I have hot. Be very careful when taking a bit when you get it because they are extremely hot from the oil of the hot fries piled on top the dog. The mustard o ions relish and peppers either the snap of the dog and soft bun with greasy fries boy that first bite was amazing . Very busy staff was friendly but no sitting counter stand up eat your dog quick and go about your day. Very plain inside no art just a fryer and steam bath for the dogs. But that's what we went for the dogs and they standing on business. Must try in the area glad we got to.. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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Gene & Jude's hits every time. The snap of the red hot is unmatched. The perfectly seasoned fries. It's still the best in the world. read more

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Gene & Judes is a great Chicago institution highlighting the way hot dog establishments use to be. Big new, they now take credit cards! read more

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Best hot dogs on the planet!!! Super quick service and no ketchup in sight! No seats neither so either smash it down or get out of the way! read more

Best hot dog in Chicago you can find. The snap of the dog is the best here. Although it is not a "traditional" Chicago dog I still think this is the best. They do not have a poppy seed bun and the hot dog does not come with a pickle or tomatoes, but I love it this way. You get a mound of French fries on top. Pro tip - ask for your French fries extra crispy. I think they are a bit soggy if you don't. This is a cheap place for a hot dog and fries and well worth my 40 min drive. They only have space inside to stand and eat but that is how you eat a hot dog anyway! If you are thinking about coming here, don't think any longer just do it! read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

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We come here once a year and it always delivers! Chicagos authentic hot dogs and fresh cut fries. The fries are fresh cut in front of you and come out hot and ready. They are a little soggy if you like crispy fries, but get them double cooked and they're crisp and ready! Hotdog is typical and the perfect price. There's a little excess bun. The tamale is a bit soggy but it is what it is. Quick service, no seating and in and out experience. read more

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Was visiting Chicago and this was such a great spot for hot dogs. Cash only, and the line moves quickly! Menu is straightforward and you can be in and out pretty fast. read more

Gene’s & Jude's - Fast Food Near Me - River Grove, Illinois

I'm sure no one but me is keeping track, but this is my 100th review! I wanted to make sure that it was something special. I've gone to Gene and Jude's with my mom for as long as I can remember! I've seen them overcome getting completely wiped away by flooding, I've seen them outlive countless competitors, and thrive even during downturns in the economy and still they are standing tall! Metaphorically speaking. The reason is they keep things simple and delicious! Hot dogs, fries, tamales, drinks! Classic Chicago preparations that they will be happy to customize for you! You always have the option to order extra fries, and quite honestly who doesn't? But if you don't want to they come with your hot dog! One of my favorite things is that they have also kept their prices very affordable! Half the fun of going here is eating in your car, or you can choose to eat in the very clean but no frills small restaurant. It will be similar size to a classic New York diner car size wise, but if you want to do some people watching and listen to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, try eating inside at the counter! There is nothing better for a beautiful summer day or even a crispy fall day with the perfect breeze, to sit in your car and enjoy a delicious Chicago dog and some fresh cut potato fries from Gene and Jude's! They are an absolute Chicago staple and worth the drive from wherever you are in the Chicago area! ** They used to be cash only but now they finally accept credit cards!** read more

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Gene and Jude's has been on my list for decades now. I finally got to try them out while I was in Chicago. I went with 2 hot dogs (they come with fries). How were they? Hot Dog- While eating it, it was tasty as could be. Loved everything about it. The problem? It gave me horrible shits the rest of the day. Like all day long. Something from there didn't agree with me and I usually have a cast iron stomach. Fries were tasty. Service was gruff, whatever. I would definitely go back to see if my first time was a "one off" or if something there just doesn't jive with my stomach. Cool, old school place and I can see why people love it! read more

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