Mister J's — Restaurant in Chicago

Mr. J's in Chicago is one of those spots that lands squarely in the "it's just okay" category. It's not going to blow your mind, but it also won't leave you regretting your choice. The ambiance is pretty standard, leaning towards a casual, no-frills diner feel. You won't find any trendy decor or unique design elements here; it's clean and functional, perfect for a quick, unpretentious meal. The service is usually prompt and efficient, getting your food out without much fuss, though don't expect overly warm or memorable interactions. They get the job done. Now, for the food. We tried a couple of their popular dishes. The burger was decent, cooked to order with standard toppings, but nothing that made it stand out from a dozen other places. The fries were hot and crispy, which is always a plus. We also sampled their pizza puff, a Chicago staple. It was exactly what you'd expect: a deep-fried, crispy shell filled with molten cheese and savory sausage, satisfying in a greasy-spoon kind of way. It was edible and hit the spot for that particular craving, but it wasn't anything elevated or particularly memorable compared to others around the city. Portion sizes are generous, so you definitely get your money's worth in terms of quantity. The prices are fair, reflecting the straightforward nature of the food and experience. Mr. J's feels like a dependable fallback when you're hungry and nearby, but not somewhere you'd go out of your way to visit. It's perfectly average, a reliable spot for a quick bite without any high...

The thing I like THE MOST about this place, honestly, is the location. I'm a Hairstylist, and I work in the area...even though I LOOK the part, I am really NOT the super girly, snooty kind of person that generally habitats the area. I'm a bit of a tomboy, which means I can chow down on some food like a grown man; the greasier, the better! (LOL) I am a BIG fan of Chicago-style food, and I can easily live the rest of my life off of pizza puffs, mozzarella sticks, gyros...you get the idea. If you're the type that likes to go out for sushi or vegan burgers on your lunch break, you have plethera of places to choose from in this area. But Mister J's is a hidden gem, and one of the very, very FEW, if not ONLY, Chicago-style dives in the area. The food is good (not THE ABSOLUTE BEST, but again: location, location, location!) & inexpensive, the service is fast (although, I do agree with the itemized bill comment above; I have felt like I was overcharged before as well, but it wasn't a large amount or anything, and I was in a rush, so yeah.), and if you're going to grab a bite later in the evening, it can be quite entertaining...because, naturally, there always seems to be that ONE drunk dude, sobering up with a nice, greasy cheeseburger before he heads home...and he is not only drunk, but BRILLIANT, as well...smashing ANYTHING off of this menu while intoxicated causes this rating to IMMEDIATELY jump from 4 STARS to, like, 12. Go ahead, give it a shot; TELL ME I'm wrong. I...

DO NOT GO HERE OR MAKE SURE TO GET AN ITEMIZED RECEIPT!!! The manager who was running the till purposefully overcharged us. We made sure to get a receipt (after having to specifically request an itemized receipt when he wouldn’t at first) and realized we had been overcharged. When we asked the manager to return the amount he had overcharged us he refused, citing the fact that we had requested one of the meals to not include a drink, he had charged us for each item individually and not the a meal price for the other order. After going over the receipt with him and doing the math he refused to give us our money back. Kept referring to me as “brother” but his customer service was the farthest thing from brotherly.

I do not give such reviews usually. The customer service left a horrible taste in my mouth. The fact that he would want to sneakily try and get money from innocent customers is sad.

I would recommend not supporting this horrible business, but if you go, make sure to get an...