What Is a Gym Shoe Sandwich? Chicago’s Famous Triple-Meat Sandwich Explained

So, What Exactly Is a Gym Shoe Sandwich?

A Gym Shoe sandwich is a Chicago sandwich traditionally packed with multiple meats—usually gyro meat, corned beef, and roast or Italian-style beef—plus cheese, vegetables, peppers, and creamy sauce on a sub or hoagie-style roll. It is also commonly called a Jim Shoe or Jim Shoo.

If you have never heard of one, you are not alone. Chicago is famous around the world for deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, and Chicago-style hot dogs, but the Gym Shoe has remained more of a neighborhood specialty. It is especially associated with sandwich shops on Chicago’s South Side and has also appeared at shops throughout other parts of the city.

What makes the Gym Shoe unusual is that it does not stay within one sandwich tradition. It brings together the seasoned meat and sauce associated with a gyro, the beefiness of a Chicago sandwich, deli-style corned beef in many traditional versions, cheese, vegetables, peppers, and sauces—all in the same meal.

At Mayo Grill in Aurora, Illinois, we take the idea in a different direction with our Crispy Gym Shoe. Instead of building it on a traditional sub roll, we combine Philly steak, Italian beef, and gyro meat with mozzarella, onions, sweet peppers, mayonnaise, and gyro sauce inside a tortilla, then deep-fry it until the outside is crisp.

But before getting into our version, it helps to understand where this unusual Chicago favorite came from and what traditionally goes inside one.

What Is Traditionally on a Gym Shoe Sandwich?

There is no single official Gym Shoe recipe that every Chicago restaurant follows. That is part of what makes the sandwich interesting. Different neighborhood restaurants have developed their own versions over the years.

A traditional Gym Shoe commonly includes:

• Gyro meat
• Corned beef
• Roast beef or Italian-style beef
• Cheese, often Swiss or another melting cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Onion
• Sweet peppers or giardiniera
• Gyro sauce or tzatziki-style sauce
• Mayonnaise and/or mustard, depending on the restaurant
• A sub, hoagie, or Italian-style roll

That combination is why describing a Gym Shoe as simply a roast beef sandwich, gyro, or sub does not really capture it. The entire point is the combination.

Eater Chicago describes the Gym Shoe as a South Side specialty that layers gyro meat, corned beef, and roast beef, while Atlas Obscura’s guide to the Gym Shoe similarly documents the sandwich as a Chicago creation built around multiple meats and a wide range of possible toppings.

The exact ingredients can change from restaurant to restaurant, so someone ordering a Gym Shoe at two different Chicago-area establishments may receive two noticeably different sandwiches.

Where Did the Gym Shoe Sandwich Come From?

The Gym Shoe is strongly associated with Chicago’s South Side food culture, although its exact origin is much harder to establish.

Unlike a food created by a large restaurant company with a documented launch date, the Gym Shoe appears to have grown through Chicago’s independent neighborhood sandwich shops. That makes tracing the exact first restaurant, cook, or year difficult.

Food writers have documented several competing stories about its beginning, but there is no universally accepted origin story. The University of Chicago Magazine, Eater Chicago, Atlas Obscura, and other publications have all discussed the sandwich as a Chicago specialty while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding its creation.

That uncertainty is important. You may see websites confidently claim that one particular person invented the Gym Shoe or that the name came from one specific event. Those stories can be entertaining, but the historical evidence is not strong enough to treat one explanation as definitive.

What is much clearer is the sandwich’s connection to Chicago neighborhood food stands where several culinary traditions often exist on the same menu.

Think about the ingredients for a moment:

• Gyro meat and gyro sauce bring in flavors associated with Greek and Mediterranean cooking.
• Corned beef connects the sandwich with Chicago’s long deli and sandwich-shop tradition.
• Roast beef or Italian beef adds another unmistakably Chicago element.
• Giardiniera and sweet peppers are familiar toppings throughout Chicago sandwich culture.

Put those elements together, and the Gym Shoe becomes a very Chicago kind of sandwich: big, practical, messy, flavorful, and influenced by several food traditions at once.

Why Is It Called a Gym Shoe?

This is probably the second question people ask immediately after learning what is inside the sandwich.

Unfortunately, there is no confirmed answer.

You will see the sandwich written several ways:

• Gym Shoe
• Jim Shoe
• Jim Shoo

Some stories suggest that the name began with a customer or employee named Jim. Other explanations connect the unusual name to the sandwich’s size, appearance, or an offhand joke. None of those explanations has been conclusively proven.

Chicago food writers have spent years asking restaurant owners about the name, and even longtime shops have provided different answers.

So the most accurate explanation is simple: we know what a Gym Shoe is, but we do not know for certain why it is called a Gym Shoe.

The unusual name may actually be one reason the sandwich continues to attract curiosity. Someone who sees “Gym Shoe” on a menu for the first time usually wants to know what it means.

Is It Gym Shoe or Jim Shoe?

Both names are used.

“Gym Shoe” is common in modern food coverage, while “Jim Shoe” and “Jim Shoo” continue to appear on restaurant menus and in discussions of the sandwich.

They generally refer to the same Chicago-style, multi-meat sandwich rather than three entirely different dishes.

If you searched Google for “What is a Jim Shoe sandwich?” and ended up here, you are looking for the same Chicago food tradition.

Why Does a Gym Shoe Use Three Different Meats?

The three-meat combination is what separates the Gym Shoe from most familiar sandwiches.

A classic gyro focuses on seasoned gyro meat. An Italian beef focuses on thinly sliced beef and au jus. A corned beef sandwich focuses on cured beef. The Gym Shoe essentially refuses to choose between them.

Each meat contributes something different.

Gyro Meat

Gyro meat provides a strongly seasoned, savory flavor that stands out even when combined with other meats. It also works naturally with onions, tomatoes, and creamy gyro sauce.

If you prefer that flavor on its own, Mayo Grill also serves several gyro options in Aurora, including a classic gyro sandwich, gyro plate, and a crispy gyro.

Corned Beef

Many traditional Gym Shoes include thinly sliced corned beef. Its salty, cured flavor creates a noticeable contrast with the gyro meat and roast beef.

Roast Beef or Italian Beef

The third meat is commonly roast beef or an Italian-beef-style meat, depending on the restaurant. It adds another layer of rich beef flavor and connects the sandwich to one of Chicago’s best-known food traditions.

At Mayo Grill, our Italian Beef is also available as its own sandwich with thinly sliced roast beef, giardiniera, mozzarella, au jus, and fries.

Traditional Gym Shoe vs. Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe

Mayo Grill’s version is inspired by the idea of the multi-meat Gym Shoe, but it is intentionally different from the traditional Chicago sub.

Here is an easy comparison:

The biggest difference is the texture.

A traditional Gym Shoe gets much of its character from the combination of meats, vegetables, sauces, and bread. Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe adds another element by wrapping the filling in a tortilla and frying it.

Inside, you still get several recognizable Chicago sandwich flavors. Outside, you get a hot, crunchy shell.

Our current Crispy Gym Shoe combines Philly steak, Italian beef, gyro meat, mozzarella, onions, sweet peppers, mayonnaise, and gyro sauce. It is served with lettuce and tomato on the side along with fries.

You can see it alongside our other current items on the full Mayo Grill menu.

What Does a Gym Shoe Sandwich Taste Like?

If you have never eaten one, imagine several familiar sandwiches colliding in one bite.

The gyro meat brings seasoning and richness. The roast or Italian beef adds a straightforward beef flavor. Corned beef, when included, adds saltiness and the distinctive flavor of cured meat. Cheese helps bind everything together, while onions, tomato, lettuce, sweet peppers, or giardiniera cut through some of the richness.

Then comes the sauce.

A creamy gyro or tzatziki-style sauce creates a cooling contrast, while mayo makes the sandwich richer. Hot giardiniera can add acidity and heat.

The result is not subtle—and it is not supposed to be.

A Gym Shoe is typically the type of sandwich you order when you want something substantial, highly seasoned, and full of competing textures and flavors.

Gym Shoe vs. Italian Beef: What’s the Difference?

A Gym Shoe and an Italian beef may share beef and Chicago roots, but they are very different meals.

A classic Italian beef is built around thinly sliced seasoned beef and its juices. The bread and au jus are central to the experience, and toppings often include sweet peppers or giardiniera.

A Gym Shoe is a mixed-meat sandwich. Instead of making one type of beef the star, it combines several meats with cheese, vegetables, and creamy sauces.

Put simply:

• Italian beef: one primary meat, usually served with au jus.
• Gym Shoe: several meats combined with cheese, vegetables, and sauces.

If you want the traditional beef-and-au-jus experience, browse Mayo Grill’s Italian Beef in Aurora. If you want several flavors packed into one meal, the Crispy Gym Shoe is the much bigger combination.

Gym Shoe vs. Gyro: What’s the Difference?

A gyro is another important part of the Gym Shoe’s flavor, but a Gym Shoe is not simply an oversized gyro.

A typical gyro sandwich focuses on seasoned gyro meat served with pita, onion, tomato, and tzatziki or gyro sauce.

The Gym Shoe takes gyro meat and combines it with other beef, cheese, peppers, vegetables, and additional sauces.

At Mayo Grill, our standard Gyro Sandwich uses seasoned lamb-and-beef gyro meat with tomato, onion, and tzatziki in warm pita. The Crispy Gym Shoe combines gyro meat with Philly steak and Italian beef, creating a much different meal.

Gym Shoe vs. Philly Cheesesteak

The difference becomes especially interesting at Mayo Grill because our Crispy Gym Shoe actually includes Philly steak.

A Philly-style sandwich generally keeps steak or chicken as the main protein, paired with cheese, peppers, onions, and other toppings depending on the recipe.

Mayo Grill offers several Philly cheesesteaks in Aurora, including steak, chicken, buffalo, teriyaki, mixed, and crispy options.

Our Crispy Gym Shoe takes the Philly steak concept much further by adding Italian beef and gyro meat to the same filling.

So if you enjoy a cheesesteak but want something considerably more loaded, the Gym Shoe moves in that direction.

Is the Gym Shoe Really a Chicago Food?

Yes. The Gym Shoe is widely recognized as a Chicago specialty, particularly one connected with the city’s South Side.

It may not have the international fame of deep-dish pizza or the Chicago hot dog, but it has earned a place in coverage of distinctive Chicago foods.

Eater Chicago’s guide to Chicago food includes the Gym Shoe among the city’s characteristic dishes, and the Chicago Sun-Times has described it as a South Side favorite.

In fact, a version of the sandwich has even appeared at Soldier Field. During the 2019 football season, the stadium introduced its own interpretation featuring gyro meat, corned beef, Italian beef, tzatziki, giardiniera, and tomato.

That does not make one recipe the official recipe. It simply shows how a food that began as a neighborhood specialty has gradually gained wider recognition.

Why Isn’t the Gym Shoe as Famous as Deep-Dish Pizza or Italian Beef?

Part of the answer may be geography.

Some of Chicago’s most internationally famous foods became associated with restaurants, tourist destinations, and brands that expanded well beyond their original neighborhoods. The Gym Shoe remained much more closely tied to independent sandwich counters and local food culture.

It is also hard to describe quickly.

“Chicago hot dog” immediately tells people they are getting a hot dog.

“Italian beef” tells people beef is involved.

“Gym Shoe” tells someone absolutely nothing about the food unless they already know the name.

That mystery is part of its appeal, but it also means many people in the Chicago suburbs can live relatively close to the city without ever trying one.

Is a Gym Shoe Always Made the Same Way?

No—and that is an important thing to know before ordering one.

The three-meat idea is the common thread, but restaurants vary their:

• Meat combinations
• Cheese
• Type of bread
• Peppers
• Sauces
• Vegetables
• Preparation method

One shop might use Swiss cheese while another uses mozzarella. One might add hot giardiniera while another uses sweet peppers. One may rely heavily on gyro sauce while another adds mayo and mustard.

Mayo Grill’s crispy tortilla version is another example of how restaurants can take the basic concept and make it their own.

Can You Get a Gym Shoe Outside Chicago?

You may find versions elsewhere, especially around the Chicago metropolitan area, but the Gym Shoe remains strongly connected with Chicago.

That makes Aurora a particularly natural place for a restaurant to put its own spin on it. Aurora sits within the broader Chicagoland food culture, where Italian beef, gyros, Phillies, hot dogs, wings, and other counter-service favorites are already familiar.

At Mayo Grill, those foods already share the same kitchen and menu. Combining Philly steak, Italian beef, and gyro meat into one Crispy Gym Shoe is a natural extension of that mix.

Where Can You Try a Crispy Gym Shoe in Aurora?

You can try Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe at our Aurora restaurant at 954 East New York Street Unit B, Aurora, IL 60505.

The current Crispy Gym Shoe features:

• Philly steak
• Italian beef
• Gyro meat
• Mozzarella
• Onions
• Sweet peppers
• Mayonnaise
• Gyro sauce
• A tortilla fried until crisp
• Lettuce and tomato on the side
• Fries

If the Gym Shoe sounds like more food than you are looking for, the same menu also includes Italian beef, Philly cheesesteaks, gyros, burgers, wings, fish, chicken, loaded fries, hot dogs, salads, sides, desserts, and shakes.

Browse the Mayo Grill menu before your visit, or see our Aurora restaurant location, hours, and visit information.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Gym Shoe Sandwich

What is a Gym Shoe sandwich?

A Gym Shoe is a Chicago sandwich traditionally made with a combination of gyro meat, corned beef, and roast or Italian-style beef, along with cheese, vegetables, peppers, and creamy sauces on a sub-style roll. Recipes vary between restaurants.

What meat is in a Gym Shoe?

Traditional versions commonly combine gyro meat, corned beef, and roast beef or Italian-style beef. Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe uses a different three-meat combination: Philly steak, Italian beef, and gyro meat.

Is it called a Gym Shoe or Jim Shoe?

Both names are used. You may also see “Jim Shoo.” The spellings generally refer to the same Chicago sandwich tradition.

Why is it called a Gym Shoe sandwich?

The exact origin of the name has never been conclusively established. Several stories exist, including theories involving a person named Jim, but there is no universally accepted explanation.

Where did the Gym Shoe originate?

The Gym Shoe is strongly associated with Chicago, particularly neighborhood sandwich shops on the South Side. The precise restaurant or individual who first created it remains uncertain.

Does a Gym Shoe have gyro meat?

Yes. Gyro meat is one of the ingredients most consistently associated with the sandwich.

Does a Gym Shoe have corned beef?

Many traditional versions do. Corned beef, gyro meat, and roast beef are a common combination. Individual restaurants may change the recipe, however. Mayo Grill’s version substitutes Philly steak for corned beef.

Is a Gym Shoe the same as an Italian beef?

No. Italian beef focuses primarily on thinly sliced beef and au jus, while a Gym Shoe combines several meats, cheese, vegetables, and sauces.

What kind of bread is used for a Gym Shoe?

Traditional versions are commonly served on a sub, hoagie, or Italian-style roll. Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe is different because the filling is wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried.

What sauce goes on a Gym Shoe?

Sauces vary by restaurant, but gyro sauce or tzatziki-style sauce, mayonnaise, and sometimes mustard are common. Mayo Grill’s Crispy Gym Shoe uses mayonnaise and gyro sauce.

Where can I get a Gym Shoe in Aurora, Illinois?

Mayo Grill serves its Crispy Gym Shoe at 954 East New York Street Unit B in Aurora, Illinois. Visit our Aurora location page for current hours and restaurant information.

A Chicago Sandwich Worth Knowing

The Gym Shoe may never be as immediately recognizable as deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, or a Chicago-style hot dog. That is exactly what makes discovering it interesting.

It is a sandwich built from several Chicago food traditions instead of just one: seasoned gyro meat, beef, cheese, peppers, vegetables, sauces, and a substantial amount of food packed together.

There is no perfectly documented origin story, no single official recipe, and not even one universally accepted spelling of its name. What it does have is a long association with Chicago neighborhood sandwich culture and enough personality to make people ask the same question again and again:

“What exactly is a Gym Shoe?”

Now you know.

And if you want to see what happens when Mayo Grill gives the Chicago favorite a crispy Aurora twist, browse our full menu or visit Mayo Grill in Aurora.

Sources & Further Reading:

• Atlas Obscura — Gym Shoe Sandwich
• Eater Chicago — An Eater’s Guide to Chicago
• University of Chicago Magazine — City of Big Sandwiches
• Chicago Sun-Times — Gym Shoe at Soldier Field