But the most welcome improvements have been in the food department. In the beginning, the only grub a guy could get was a basket of pierogis and a few popcorn balls. Before long, the bar added sausages from the Pork Chop Shop at the West Side Market, which evolved into a sausage sandwich with sauerkraut, and things took off from there.
“What happened was my kitchen staff started making up their own dishes when they didn’t feel like eating pierogis or whatever,” explains owner Alex Budin. “They came up with these kraut bowls that were so popular with the staff that we started testing them on customers and they loved it.”
Those “build your own” kraut bowls are still on the menu, with mix-and-match add-ons like brats, spicy Italian sausage or crispy tofu and a cadre of sauces and krauts. One add-on, the spicy chicken, was so popular that it evolved into its own sandwich. That sandwich soon was joined by other new signature sandwiches. Toss in a few soups and salads and you’ve cobbled together a decent size menu.
In addition to the regular menu, Jukebox has been steadily adding to its lineup of late-night eats. First there was the Pierogi Night every Thursday, then Late Night Ramen on Friday, Saturday nights are now reserved for Late Night Pizza Bagels, and then there’s weekend brunch, which happens every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jukebox, it’s (now) what’s for brunch, dinner and late-night eats.
This article appears in May 25-31, 2016.
