Jimmy’s Famous Heros: BBQ Chicken Hero – The Bite


by on Feb 8th, 2012

THE BITE: Four years ago, the last time the Patriots were foolish enough to engage the Giants in a Super Bowl, I was asked by Rachel Wharton of the Daily News to recommend a place for sandwiches for the big game. Of course, I recomended Jimmy’s.

Here’s what I wrote…

It’s a little hole in the wall joint down in the bay that’s been around for something like 50 years. It’s the only place I know that always has fresh RIPE tomatoes, which taste like fresh ripe tomatoes even in the dead of winter. They only serve cold heroes, using Boar’s Head meat and cheeses. Be sure to get your heros with “the works;” lettuce, tomato, salt, pepper, oil, red vinegar and shredded onions. The onions are bathed in a secret process that makes them very different and sweeter than others. Also, try the home made roasted red peppers.

Four years later and the Giants once again reign supreme and Victor and his team are still serving up outstanding heros each and every day.

Today’s sandwich was a combination of Boar’s Head BBQ chicken and Swiss Cheese ($9.00) topped with “the works.”  That doesn’t sound like something to write about – after all, there are dozens of places in the bay where you can get a sandwich made with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, but there’s something about Jimmy’s Heros that make them special.

So, what is it? I’ve wondered about it for years. It’s not Victor or his staff, who always greet you with a smile. It’s not the bread, it’s not the meat and it’s not the cheese. Looking back on my email to Rachel, I thought I found the answer…

It’s the only place I know that always has fresh RIPE tomatoes, which taste like fresh ripe tomatoes even in the dead of winter.

But it’s not really even the tomatoes, is it?

Nope, it’s the attention to detail and the pride in his craft that causes Victor to ensure that Jimmy’s always has fresh ripe tomatoes all year long.

And it’s proof that sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Jimmy’s Famous Heros, 1786 Sheepshead Bay Road, (718) 648-8001

The Bite is Sheepshead Bites’ weekly column where we explore the foodstuffs of Sheepshead Bay. Each week we check out a different offering from one of the many restaurants, delis, food carts, bakeries, butchers, fish mongers, or grocers in our neighborhood. If it’s edible, we’ll take a bite.

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  • geneee

    lol 9 bucks for decent tomatoes from a “hole in the wall joint.” thanks for reminding me why every person i know stopped going here in the late 90′s.

  • Tinman

    Haven’t tried Jimmy’s in a while. Remember they made great sandwiches, but they became a little pricey, even for a robust hero sandwich. Silver Star, on Nostrand Avenue, makes great sandwiches, too, but for several dollars less.
    Jimmy’s may be famous for heros, but that doesn’t mean they have to charge trendy prices ($9), like Starbucks.

    • Anonymous

      silverstar is my the place i check out when I’m in the mood for a hero! YUM!!

  • Brightonresident

    Jimmy’s ain’t what it used to be!  I used to go there often, but haven’t been there for about 2 years.  Tre Frateli made a much better hero, but sadly they are gone!  Will have to give Jimmy’s another chance.

  • Edrf

    honestly its all about the bread, they have the same ingrediants as any other deli place but when they have fresh soft bread they are the best but when their bread sits for a few and starts to get a bit stale thats when jimmiys isnt famous anymore.

  • guest

    $9 for a fricken sandwich! Who’s the clientele? Donald Trump? I would be glad to try Jimmy’s but not for that amount of cash. I can go to other places and get 2 for that price.

  • Brooklyn Native.

    As well as it’s been photographed, I still wouldn’t stop for a sandwich there. 
    For my money, I would expect better. Not a simple (insipid) processed sliced meat, shredded iceberg lettuce, on plain bread. Nothing to get excited about at all. 
    And all the reasons why I haven’t had a sandwich from there in, well, maybe the late 80′s.  There is better for less. There’s better for the same! 
    Nostalgia only takes anyone so far.

  • nolastname

    I remember stopping there for a hero on my way to the beach in the 70′s. They were the first place I ever had shredded lettuce. The house dressing and hero bread made them great.
    Makes me think of the place on the corner where they sold tire rims. LOL

    • Anonymous

      Ah yes.  The good old days when Jimmy and the kids ran the store.  It hasn’t been the same since Jimmy left.  For a few years, it was still quite good when he left the business for the employees to run.  When they all left, the quality took a major tumble.  I miss those days.

      • Anonymous

        spider.

        Victora who owns and runs the store now WAS one of the kids when Jimmy owned the store. He and his brother Jack bought the place from Jimmy

  • Local Broker

    Have not been there since the mid to late 90s. 9 bucks for the hero in the picture is weak.

  • Anonymous

    Really good hero shops,are the ones that cook their own meat.Anyone can buy the same Boars head meat and cheese in a supermarket.

  • subway stinker

    why dont your food critics lead with the name and address of your favorite joints, instead of making us go all the way and then you bury the vital info.

  • keep in it real

    IT WOULD BE NICE IF ONE PERSON HER ACTUALLY NEW WAT THE FUCK THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT…AND IM SURE NONE OF U EVEN LIVE IN THE BAY CAS YA SOLD OUT AND MOVED TO JERSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JIMMYS HEREOS IS AROUND 75 YEARS WITH 2 OWNERS IN ITS HISTORY THE QUALITY IS STILL GREAT AND AS GOOD AS IN THE 90′S WHEN I STARTED GOIN AND STILL DO IN 2012 AND YES EXPENSIVE IT MAYBE BUT IN THE 70′S GAS WAS 85 CENTS A FUCKING GALLON….THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    JIMMY’S FAMOUS HEROES 1786 SHEEPSHEAD BAY ROAD BROOKLYN…75 YEARS STRONG!!

    • Bimmer

      AREYOUMADBRO?

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  • welcomeBACKJimmy’s

    fuggetabut the boardhead! Jimmy’s makes THE best Tuna hero in alllllllll of NYC…made even better if you eat it over at the beach!