Jody's Hot Dogs — Restaurant in Joliet

The young girl taking the orders is very courteous and helpful. The wait time, from most places I've been to within a 20 mile range, is very good. I waited 6 minutes for a hotdog with everything and small fry, not bad at all for 12:30 in the afternoon. The guy with the tat's behind the counter seems to be concerned with getting everything out on time and correctly, which is great customer service in my book. The problem I had was with the fat guy slinging the orders to the customers with an "I don't care attitude" and not having the common courtesy to say thank you, kiss my ass or please come back again. People like that bring down the atmosphere. No customers were smiling or talking, just eating, which means the atmosphere sucks. The hot dog with everything was nothing to brag about. It was rolled so tight in the wrapper, it was as big around (bun and all) as a golf ball. Asked if they put on celery salt, and was told yes. Couldn't find the celery salt. Tomatoes appeared bland and pale looking. All condiments were kinda skimpy. Fries were soggy, not crisp and had the skins on, which everyone knows in the restaurant business that those are the cheaper fries. French fries should snap or crunch when you bite into them. The oily fries left a sour taste in my stomach through out the afternoon. Had a hotdog with everything and small fry at the Creamery in Homer Glen for the exact same price, and it was 10 times better. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, but it's your choice. A true Chicago hotdog with all condiments, bun and all should be as big around as a baseball, minimum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON'T EVER FORGET THAT. Anything less and your...

We stopped in on a Monday around 5:30 pm. This place was jumping. It's kind of out of the way. I've lived here for about 8 years and I didn't know it was there until I heard some buzz on social media. We both ordered smash burgers, diet Dr. Pepper, and 1 order of fries, and one order of onion rings. Also got a cup of soup to try because I'm all about the cream of chicken soup on a weekday. First, I'm giving bonus points for serving diet Dr. Pepper. This is a unicorn. If you know, you know. The smash burgers I was expecting to like, but I really LOVED them. I think they are back there actually smashing fresh beef. It tasted so fresh and juicy. If these are frozen, then they completely fooled me. They are so tasty. It was perfect, from the bun to the pickle, which are thick and crispy unlike the emaciated pickles from a typical fast food place. Also, I think they are cutting real French fries because those too tasted fresh. The portion of fries are enormous. You can share a large with two people. I don't think they are doing the double fry because they are a bit limp but they are very good. The onion rings are crispy breaded and that's my jam. I loathe a battered onion. They are big crispy deliciousness. The soup was average. It was good, not great. It will definitely hit the spot if you have the hankering for some cream of chicken soup, but I have had better. Overall, it was great. I'll definitely go back for a smashburger. I heard they may be a limited time. I sure hope not because they are probably the best...

Jody's Hot Dogs - A Neighborhood Classic with Standout Fries ★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars) Jody's Hot Dogs in Joliet is undeniably a neighborhood institution, and you can feel the decades of history in its retro, Chicago-style red hot diner atmosphere. They've got all the expected classics on the menu, from Italian beef and various hot dogs to burgers and steak sandwiches, which certainly draws you in. I stopped by on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, hoping for a classic Chicago-style experience. I opted for the Italian sub sandwich. Unfortunately, while it was okay, it didn't quite live up to the "great" I was anticipating, especially with a $14 price tag. My sister tried the smash burger and unfortunately felt similarly underwhelmed by her choice. However, the absolute saving grace of our meal was the large order of hand-cut fries. The serving was incredibly generous – three of us shared one order and still couldn't conquer the entire pile! More importantly, they were seasoned perfectly and cooked to a beautiful golden crisp. These fries were genuinely top-notch. While our main courses didn't quite hit the mark for us this time, Jody's clearly has a loyal following for a reason. And if you're a fan of fantastic, plentiful, hand-cut fries, those alone are worth a visit. We might have just caught an off day for the sandwiches, but those fries...