J.D. Kadds

My first encounter with their smoked meats was a number of years back at a Unilocal event in Wheeling, IL. I want to say they participated with a smoke-​out and provided samples of tips and smoked meats. It was so damn good I made a mental note to sample them at a later time. I recall chatting with one of their employees and having an a-​ha moment when realizing their proximity to my travel between NW burbs and Chicago. When looking at photos and seeing the rib tips from 2014, that’s how I remember their tips.
So years after that first taste I got around to sampling their rib tips. The tips were cut (ever) so tiny and minuscule. The meat could have been microwaved and the cartilage was bony and hard. (Usually when I dine on rib tips, depending on how well they were prepared the cartilage can be soft or as tender as butter. I’ve had tips right out of a smoker and the cartilage.sublime.) Wasn’t impressed and felt bummed.
Recently I was driving through the area and thought I’d give them another go. I’d heard from a PR neighbor that their smoked meats on pizza were pretty phenomenal. So this time around I tried their pulled pork pizza with the addition of jalapenos and also sampled their spaghetti.
The other reviewer that mentioned that their thin crust is like a South side thin is right, it is. But as the North side has different versions of pan, deep and stuffed, so does the South have different versions of thin. Kadds is able to produce a pie with a mix of crispy and soggy slices. The unfortunate part though is that the box does not keep it crispy on the drive (for longer drives I suggest leaving the pizza box open a crack or more. This is to stop condensation from building and making the crust soggy. There could be other details too, like oil from the pie soaking through the crust). I snacked on a few crust slices before my lengthy ride home. Those first few crusty pieces were something to fawn over. But later as I worked my way into the inner pieces it was downhill eating. As other reviews have stated, there could be more sauce and that neglect pains the pizza eating process. Almost $ 20 bucks for a medium thin pulled pork is a bit too much. When eating cold or reheating, just not the same.
The spaghetti (I was told) was to come with a meat sauce. I confirmed that with the order taker. Later when I arrived home we found that the sauce was a plain tomato sauce with tiny slivers of mushroom. Based on the watery consistency it seemed like stuff out of a jar. Since Kadds mentions making dough and sauce daily for the their pizzas, we’d hoped something fresh would have gone into the spaghetti. Not the case.
It seems like the passion for food has left or maybe I ordered on off days?

JD Kadd’s is the closest pizza joint to my house and was the first food of any kind that we ever tried when we moved to the neighborhood last year. Eight months later, they’re not quite in the regular rotation, but they do make a pretty good pie. We haven’t tried their stuffed, only pan and thin crust. I prefer the pan but both are fine. The pan has good crust and structure, but there is too much cheese and not enough sauce. I mean WAY too much cheese. A good pizza of any format must balance all four elements. On the plus side, the vegetable toppings are generous and fresh. Also, the pan pizza reheats well in the oven.
They also offer a panzerotti, which is actually a calzone using its cousin’s ID for the night. Trust me, I know a calzone when I see one. JDK’s is pretty good, with the same sauce: cheese ratio problem as the pan pizza.
I really like their sauce – I just wish that they would use more of it
These guys sell plenty of other food too. The rib tips and broasted chicken are solid, good but not great. I like that they don’t overdo the sauce, but use it as a compliment to the meat. Leave the pedestrian crinkle-​cut fries and bland broasted potatoes, but take the delicious baked beans. And the cole slaw is tasty, not the after-​thought that you usually find at a place like this.
The whole shop is nothing more than a glorified walk-​up window, which I kind of like. It gives it a sort of pleasantly grungy personality.

First off, the Sarah W review is embarrassing for her and anyone who takes the time to read it. I’m tired of people writing Unilocal reviews that have no clue what they’re talking about. No where on JD KADDS menu does it say that burgers come with fries. Please please I understand every has a different experience and a different opinion, but facts are facts. Too bad reviews can’t be erased for being ignorant…
With that being said…
I have no bias to this establishment. I only moved to Park Ridge last year.
I’m a Chicago guy with a Chicago appetite and was worried when I moved to the burbs, I would lose out on all my favorite food joints.
THANK GOD FOR JD KADDS.
This place does it right. The pizza is as good as it gets. Most importantly, consistent. The BBQ is excellent, reminds me of my summers in Kansas City as a child. All the sides: baked beans, Mac n cheese, coleslaw, roasted potatoes. It’s phenomenal. I’ll be ordering here until I move… then I’ll make the drive. End of story.

This place has GREAT thin crust pizza. I am from the South Side and people from the South Side know pizza. They sell brisket, etc. but I only get the pizza and have no complaints. We have probably ordered over fifty (50) pizzas from here over the last 2 or 3 years and maybe once we had one a little undercooked-​we put it in the oven for 5 minutes and perfect! The younger guys always in there are nice — We order for pickup so I cannot speak to delivery. Do yourself a favor and get the Monday special — one pizza (I think a medium) with a single ingredient for $ 11.05 tax included. You will be a convert.
The advantage to picking up your pizza is you can start to eat it on the way home as I do. In addition the little mall where they are located looks like an abandoned property in Detroit. There used to be a stink about one of the abandoned store fronts having a sign talking about the mayor of Park Ridge getting hump hump massages or some such thing. When you look around you will be overcome with the need to get a six pack of High Life and sit on one of the parking bumpers (during the summer) enjoying your simple picnic and reminiscing about better days of yore…

Really yummy thin crust pizza! I recommend the veggie.
JD Kadds is a go-​to of mine for men’s events at the senior center in which I work. The guys enjoy their pizzas, burgers and Italian beef sandwiches.
I try to call a day ahead for larger orders (like 15 burgers, multiple pizzas), just to make sure they have the ingredients. They’ve always accommodated us and are very flexible. I believe they cater, but I’ve never used those services.
I wouldn’t expect to sit down inside, but they do have a couple of tables. More of a carry-​out/​delivery establishment.
Very friendly service.
Shop local!

So, you order a cheeseburger that in the description says comes with fries. You gey it home. There are no fries. They do not have pickles. The bun was stale. They poured a whole bunch of pepper on the burger. I had to apply my own condiments.
Ordered a full slab of ribs — meat was decent. Sides — mac n’ cheese: hold the cheese, apparently. The noodles are over cooked and there was no evidence of cheese. Broasted potatoes — greasy and gross.
Save yourself the time and cash.

Great thin crust pizza … They have a deal with pizza and wings for $ 20… I also really like their fried chicken deals …

I routinely order their thin crust pizza for delivery and have been really pleased with them. Pizza’s tasty, especially when I request them to go EASY on the cheese. But last night I tried the pan pizza for a change. Ick. Partly my fault that I forgot to request EASY on the cheese. The cheese is so thick it’s disgusting.
I also tried some sandwiches. I’m so disappointed in the Rib Eye Sandwich. Good Lord, for $ 7.25, I was expecting a bit more than what I got. A huge bun, fresh lettuce and tomato, and the tiniest excuse for a rib eye steak I’ve ever seen. Unbelievable.
And the Tuna Sub was a huge disappointment also, for the exact same reason. Huge bun with lettuce and tomato, with a minuscule amount of tuna salad. Wow. Really? It may not be as expensive of a sandwich as the steak but still, come on, I paid for a tuna sub and this is all the tuna you’re giving me? It’s all bread.
Just down the street is another joint that has great sandwiches, among other great eats (Wally’s). They may not have pizza on their menu, but everything else is yummy and great prices, especially their Rib Eye Sandwich.
I’ll probably still get J.D.Kadds thin pizzas but that’s the last time I try anything else there. Wasted my money, big time.

Hankerin’ for BBQ wings for Super Bowl Sunday. Great choice. Huge 10 — wing order plus some pizza bread. Yummy!

We tried this place for the first time tonight. Their pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were very tasty. The BBQ sauce has a good vinegary zap to it, and their baked beans were smoky and full of pork shreds and bacon chunks. I would go back just for the beans. Their location is in sort of an odd, dark strip mall, but the BBQ was worth it. We will definitely be back to try their pizza.

Had a hankerin’ for some BBQ. This was close to where I am so decided to try it for the first time. Wasn’t hungry enough for ribs so decided on the rib tips. Got a nice portion. Meaty, light smoke flavor and a mild sauce. They need to add some hot sauce to the menu as an option to kick it up some. They were a bit chewy but I expected it. For a pizza joint, these were pretty good. Had broasted potatoes and they were nice. Expect them to be dark from the broasting but they are moist and tender inside. Slaw not so bad. Roll was too stale to eat.
My friend got a meatball on garlic bread. 3 huge meatballs in a tangy meat sauce. She was not disappointed. Delivery is $ 2.50 but went to pick it up this time.

We have driven past this pizza place many times and decided to try a new Friday Night pizza place for our family. We ordered two xl square pizza’s, one sausage and one pepperoni… and although we rcvd both these pizzas when we picked them up… we also picked up as so it tasted as an entire container of salt… was so salty that 4 of the 5 adults could not eat it… I called the restaurant after we picked them and tried them, was placed on hold, and hold, and hold, and I finally hung up. I called back and the same thing happened. Very disappointing.

I am sad to see a couple bad reviews for JD Kadds as this is the best pizza we have found in park ridge. If you have not tried the P & B pizza, then you are missing out. Pulled pork and beef brisket with bbq sauce on a pizza! It is so good!
We order this pizza almost every other week.

This is the first time we tried this place. Had it delivered. The came when they said they would. Delivery was only $ 2. Fantastic BBQ sandwich with curly fries and baked beans which were obviously homemade. Great smoky flavor. The ribs were meaty and moist, coleslaw was good. They forgot the bread for the ribs, but for the taste of the food, it didn’t matter. $ 24 with tip and delivery for 2 on a Friday night. We wwill be ordering again.

Been passing this place forever on my way to work, and was always taken with how sad and lonely the shop looked, buried in a dead and aged strip mall. This week I finally ordered the family up a Kadd’s deep dish and was a little disappointed. The crust was awesome, a little toasty, a little buttery, and not at all heavy. Likewise, the cheese was a little toasted and obviously top-​notch stuff. But, the sauce was lame to the point of sadness, leaving the pizza screaming for salt, or anything a wee zesty. Still, a decent pie, just not a Chicago-​level great pie.

Very disappointed with this meal. The chicken was so so over cooked and dry. The cole slaw was pretty good — the best think in the box. The mashed potatoes were out of the box with a horrible brown gravy that tasted like soy sauce.
We thought that we were finding a good place for broasted chicken but think again;;;;; :-(

Lotta bang for your buck here. The pulled pork is great! And I Love the BBQ Brisket pizza!!! YUM.

If it weren’t for the giant sign on the corner of the lot, then you would never know this restaurant was here. It’s a small store at the end of this shared building complex hidden within the nearby homes. Inside is super small but it isn’t exactly the place you go to sit down and eat at. Decorations are very simple which include the neon signs, a little plant hanging near the window, and fliers/​advertisements posted on the walls.
Despite appearances, the food is absolutely delicious. I always eat the thin crust pizza (pan pizza available also) they have during the Taste of Park Ridge. The key is the BBQ smokehouse items though. You can’t get meat quite like this at most places in the area for the same price. Burgers, beef briskets, and pulled pork sandwiches are tender, neatly made, and exploding with true BBQ flavor… and I definitely mean BBQ flavor… not grilled flavor. A variety of sides nicely complements the delicious meats as well. The entire menu is quite extensive ranging from pizza to jalapeño poppers, to BBQ meat. Price ~$ 5.00-$ 9.00 for a typical meal.
I plan to try everything on the menu and would recommend this place to anyone who wants to eat delicious food. A must have for BBQ lovers.

Anyplace pizza place that uses fresh mushrooms and does not use a pre-​made crust will generally get high marks from me.
Like another poster here posted, too much cheese. IF JD Kadds was to ease up on the amount of cheese, it would be a very good thin crust pizza.
Their sauce is good, crust is thin, close to a cracker thin but not quite, sausage was of good quality and fresh mushrooms.
C’mon JD, lighten up on the cheese !!!
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We decided to finally try this little hole in the wall for barbeque. I ordered take out for the whole family. My son’s Italian sausage was tasty, but I think a tad bit overcooked. My daughter’s hotdog was fine. My mom ordered the pulled pork and when we opened it I was surprised that the barbeque sauce was on the side and suspected it was going to be a bit dry, which it was. She said she could taste the smoke in it, which I think is a plus, but that putting the bbq sauce over it wasn’t as tasty as it would have been if the pork was mixed with the sauce.
I got the rib tip dinner, which was good, but again a bit on the dry side. I thought that some of the meatier tips were left cooking a bit long. Those tips with moderate amounts of meat were juicy and the meat fell right off the bone.
My husband got the full slab dinner and said that his meat was falling right off the bone and it was really moist.
What I really liked about the dinner options was that we had a choice of sides: fries, mashed potatoes, baked beans, cole slaw, apple sauce, mostacolli and mac-​n-​cheese. I got the baked beans and the slaw. The negative on the slaw was that there weren’t enough carrots in it. But the beans were amazing! There was carmelized onions and shreds of pork in them… they were so yummy!
I don’t know if I would rush back tomorrow, but I think we’ll probably try it a few more times.