I know I'm not adding much to legendary establishment with this review, but I was able to take an out-of-towner here who is a Portillo's fanboy, and Gene and Jude's did not disappoint. It was a treat to be able to point to the signs above the store that list "red hots", "French fries" and "tamales" and say uhhh yeah, that's the menu.For those unaware, while this is a Chicago dog, it's not the classic one with the tomatoes and neon green relish (which I also love). You get the mustard, onion, relish and sport peppers, but instead of the tomato and celery salt you get a handful of fresh fries - lovingly referred to as the "depression dog".Now, I think I would rather have a classic Chicago dog over a depression dog, but there's nothing wrong with either. There's definitely a strong nostalgia vibe here, and it was busy on a Friday evening with families eating out of their cars and well before the drunk crowd came by.The tamales are not traditional ones but Chicago corn roll tamales. Maybe something you can try once, but not a must get. It's kind of like an unfried corn dog but inside is a spiced meat paste. Not the most appetizing description but they cost like a buck at the grocery store.Overall I feel it's a must visit for people who have had the traditional Chicago dog and want to see what other dogs we offer, and it's never a bad place to go for a family night out. I'm not dying to come back but I know this wasn't my last time either.
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