chicagostylejew

04/20/2025

3.5 dreidels out of 3.5.
If you know, you know. And I definitely know.

Every Easter, while others are hunting eggs and carving ham, our family has a different tradition: Jewish brunch. It’s not about religion—it’s about comfort, culture, and keeping something special alive. For years, that meant Manny’s. But with them now closed on Easter, a king-sized hole was left in our tradition.

Enter Schneider’s.

A quarter the size of Manny’s, but just as powerful. Tucked into River North, right by the old Rock ’n’ Roll McDonald’s, this place isn’t loud—it’s confident. And this past weekend, they delivered.

I ordered the corned beef hash breakfast, a couple of bagels, a corned beef on rye, and a hot cup of coffee to go. Each item was phenomenal. The ingredients were perfectly portioned, well-balanced, and everything just hit. The kind of meal where you taste the intention in every bite.

No pictures—because my ride home treated the to-go bag like it owed them money. But even after the beating, the food held up like a champ.

From the service to the seasoning, Schneider’s doesn’t miss. The staff was kind, the food came out fast, and the entire experience made me want to come back just to sit and take it all in. This August marks two years for them, and they’re already carving out a spot as one of the most joyful, welcoming Jewish delis in the Chicago metro area.

I 100% recommend this place. For the food, the feeling, and the tradition it keeps alive.

Schneider’s—you’ve earned your place in our family’s Easter brunch tradition. And beyond.

01/16/2025

It’s been a surreal and deeply unsettling experience watching how, over the course of this war—one that had nothing to do with us as American Jews—so many people we know revealed their true feelings. Let me be clear: we’re not Israelis. We’re not part of the conflict. Most of us were just living our lives here in the U.S., going to work, raising families, and trying to exist in peace. And yet, we felt the weight of this war in ways far beyond what anyone seemed to realize.

It didn’t matter that we had nothing to do with what was happening overseas. It didn’t matter that many of us don’t even share the same politics as the Israeli government or, in some cases, even consider ourselves particularly connected to Israel. To far too many people, Jewishness itself became the target. The posts, the memes, the comments, the shares—whether explicitly or implicitly—were aimed at us. Not at “Zionists,” not at a foreign policy stance, but at Jews.

We saw it all. We saw the old tropes resurface, dressed up as new takes. We saw people who claimed to be about justice and solidarity justify harassment, threats, and outright racism against Jews under the guise of being “anti-Israel.” And let’s not pretend it wasn’t aimed at us here. We watched friends, colleagues, and acquaintances either share hateful rhetoric or sit silently as others did, completely oblivious—or worse, indifferent—to the fact that their actions were deeply personal to us.

It wasn’t about Israel; it was about Jews. And every single one of us felt it. Whether people realized it or not, they were affecting us—alienating us, frightening us, and forcing us to question how many of the people we thought we knew harbored prejudices they were all too eager to express the moment they felt it was socially acceptable to do so.

The most infuriating part is how misguided it all was. The harassment we faced, the posts we read, the slurs, and the veiled accusations—all of it was directed at Jews who had absolutely no control over what was happening overseas. None of it was about justice. None of it was about solidarity. It was racism, plain and simple.

So now, I wonder: do the people who participated in this think we’ll just forget? Do they expect us to forgive or pretend like their words and actions didn’t hit closer to home than they realized? Do they even understand how much they alienated and hurt people they called friends in their quest to feel morally righteous for five minutes?

This wasn’t about Israel. This wasn’t about Palestine. This was about how a war thousands of miles away became an excuse for so many people to scapegoat Jews—American Jews—who had nothing to do with it. And that’s something I won’t forget. I’m not sure I’ll ever fully forgive.

02/29/2024

Guess what his back from a triple bypass and ready to get back out there (responsibly) and try all the new Jewish foods of Chicago? Me! My next stop is going to be!
It is important to remember that Chicago was a Jewish town! Slowly we pushed to the suburbs- but we are back!

10/29/2023

Am Yisrael chai.

10/29/2023

Am Yisrael chai 🇮🇱

10/26/2023

Best of the best of the best right here!

11/12/2022

Hey! I’m back! And I’m about to try Oak Parks newest Jewish deli.
Oak Park has a very rich Jewish history and ONLY 2 (now) Jewish deli’s! Anyway! I’m about to crack open the box’s and we shall see!

02/27/2022

Finally made it to this amazing joint, and I got here 24 min before it closed! BUT the staff was very accommodating and I took my order to go!
Wow! Wow! Wow!
With the past years being a complete wash and the country opening back up just, in time for a potential 3rd world war. I’m happy to be back into My Jewish comfort-food restaurant Schtick!
I don’t think the Yiddish word “Gesmack”gets used enough. In my opinion. if you ever wondered what food would be best described by that world? Hands down, no doubt it would be the
The kreplach soup from this place! BEST IN THE GAME (IMO)
I have never had a better kreplach soup! Absolutely Gesmack!

As for the rest of the food-

The food is GREAT here! I would put it up against the Chicago Jewish food heavy hitters (manny’s and Kaufman’s) but so hard to kvell about their food after that soup!
This may be my first time eating and reviewing this place, but this will not be my last! I cannot wait to actually eat inside and enjoying the great food and atmosphere as it was meant to be!

If I had a 1-10 dreidel system this would be 7.5- 10 (for now)
**photos are not the greatest**
thank you!

02/26/2022

Finally made it to this amazing joint- and I got here 24 min before it closed- the staff was very accommodating and I took my order to go!
Review to come! I’m very excited

01/27/2022

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

Little know historical fact on Holocaust remembrance say.
Maybe there is more to the traditional Chinese food on Christmas…. 🤔

A new exhibition in Illinois centers the stories of the 20,000 Jewish refugees who fled to the Chinese city

11/08/2021

Support your local deli! Or one day - it won’t be there!

Traditional Jewish delis have seen their numbers decline over the last few decades with many shutting their doors as rents and the cost of ingredients increase. But some are hanging on, while others are evolving to reflect a new era and serve a new clientele.