Not all good food is expensive. Some good food is fast, greasy, and comes to your door in a brown bag that’s taped and stapled (I feel Izzy would want you to know it had both). Ordering from Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage Factory was one of the best takeout experiences I’ve had in a while, instantly turning my kitchen into a delicious food festival complete with food trucks and string lights on the trees during a summer night.

Okay, so let’s be clear — Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage Factory isn’t suuuper cheap. These aren’t your everyday dogs. These are sausages, meats, and toppings made from scratch. There are fresh herbs and surprising flavors. There’s a reason Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage Factory has been making a lot of noise in the Jewish food scene.

The menu was simple yet overwhelming. It was hard to pick which sausage I wanted since all of the combos sounded so unique and mouthwatering. I was honestly tempted to get the classic “Jeff’s Kosher Dog,” which was just an all-beef kosher dog on a bun. But I knew I had to give you folks more than that to fantasize about.

I settled on the City Slaw Dog, which had caramelized BBQ roast beef and homemade aioli sauce on top, and then the Chicken Bratwurst, which was a chicken sausage with deli mustard, grilled onions, and a small amount of the aioli. Izzy decided to get a bunch of pastrami-related items. Then we grabbed some fries because why not.

The first bite — not even exaggerating — I could tell these were special. These were probably the best sausages I’d ever eat. As I kept biting, I was right. They definitely were.

Let’s start with the chicken one. This was fresh and delicious with just enough flavors to make every bite exciting but not enough to be overwhelming and greasy. This was definitely the lighter of the two. But don’t get me wrong. This was a hefty chicken sausage that was packed with exciting seasonings that didn’t get old all the way through.

The City Slaw Dog was an entirely different beast — and not just because it’s beef, not chicken. This was probably the best thing you’ll ever eat if you want a bunch of meat piled on a bun. The BBQ roast beef was probably the most delicious and tender I’ve ever had without even a hint of dryness. The sausage was satisfyingly snappy each bite, pairing perfectly with the fresh and plain bread.

I forgot to ask Izzy how he felt about his pastrami-smothered dogs but he was so busy eating I don’t think he’d have time to say anything anyway. He was clearly in sausage heaven and it would have been a sin to break him out of his trance. This was clearly an escape, a transformative experience.

The fries were sadly a bit soggy by the time we got them. But they still had enough salt to make them a great bite between sausage snacking. They also came with a bunch of great sauces to dunk them in. It was flavor overload throughout the entire meal.

Review By the Numbers: 

Ambiance — 7/10

Gotta be honest, this is hard to rate since we ate it at my house. But this was the perfect meal to get delivered to you for a chill night in, so I think it still worked.

Taste — 9/10

While the fries weren’t really too special, the sausages were some of the most delicious I’ve ever had. The flavors and textures were perfect, both high-quality and simply satisfying.

Portions & Prices — 7/10

This isn’t really the cheapest option for a hotdog. Of course, you’re paying for the extra toppings and the quality ingredients. You won’t regret it.

Izzy’s dogs — 8/10

Okay, I asked him. Here’s what I got: “Jeff never disappoints. Love that pastrami.”

Experience — 10/10

This was a super unique experience that can’t be replicated. Just hanging out surrounded by plastic cups, paper plates, and messy, delicious sausages. Dunking fries into random sauces. Laughing while eating a chicken sausage with a plastic fork. Struggling to open a brown bag that’s both stapled and taped shut. This is what it’s all about.

TOTAL SCORE: 8/10