Fucking A. If you live in St. Louis and don’t suck then you’ve probably been to Mammer Jammer. Right around the corner from Natural Bridge and Kingshighway, this spot has been killin’ the St. Louis cheese steak game for years.
This, ladies and gentleman, is the motherfucking Mammer Jammer. There are 8 levels of heat that you can choose on the sandwich; going from most pussy to hottest there’s regular, mild, hot, extra hot, super hot, “Mary Francis”, “Big John”, and “IT”.
I asked the owner about the sandwich names and started with Mary Francis, he replied “what, you never heard Mary Francis before? It’s slang for MF’er”. “Big John is just like, Big Bad John”, and when asked about “IT”, he answered, “I don’t know, it’s just IT”. They claim to offer the hottest sandwich in town and I believe it.
Sure you could get a tripe, fish or polish sausage sandwich, but why? The operation’s namesake is the fucking truth. What separates the Mammer Jammer from the other steak sandwiches on the menu is the secret sauce that is poured over it once it comes off the grill.
It had been a while since I had one of these shits so I walked into the spot early Saturday afternoon before the lunch rush and had the opportunity to chat with the staff for a bit. I was telling them I had been there before and usually order the Mary Francis, also explaining how my ass usually stays on fire for 2 days after eating one of them. Jerry, who was working the grill, said my ass would be on fire for 3 days if I had the Big John. I refused and for $5 plus change went for the “Mary Francis” once again.
Here’s a shot of the griddle action. Note the habanero peppers ready to bring the ruckus to my colon.
Here they top off the steak and peppers with a cheese slathered hoagie.
Pre-Mammer Jammer chili sauce
The aftermath wasn’t as bad as usual. Perhaps it had something to do with me getting the order to go and it cooled down a bit before I ate it. Next time I’ma go for the Big John and one day make it up to the “IT”.
If you live in St. Louis or are visiting, make sure to pick up some Tucks and stop by Mammer Jammer to see for yourself.
Mammer Jammer
5124 Natural Bridge Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63115
(314)381-1617
-MF Grocery
Grocery Eats 
March 12, 2008 at 11:48 am |
I was there for 10 days last summer and the 2nd day we went here, I also had the Mary Francis and it was awesome…we were back 2 days later for lunch and had the big john..definitely a kick up. Another hot spot I always hit when in the Lou is sweetie pies…sickening in such a good way, for all those who havent tried it before, its a staple
March 12, 2008 at 2:20 pm |
Sweetie Pies is on my list of places to hit up. Thanks!
March 12, 2008 at 5:51 pm |
When you make it there, hopefully they will be serving their smothered pork chops…holy shit are they good and they give you so damn much, the mac n cheese with the crusted cheese is a must and for god sakes save room for either the cobbler or bread pudding…damn my mouth is watering now. Their sweet tea will give u a cavity right off the bat but shit thats dam good too….Im just sezzin’
March 13, 2008 at 5:45 pm |
Let me know when you go for the IT… I might have to come test IT out as well.
March 14, 2008 at 11:10 am |
SOMEONE UPDATE!!!
March 14, 2008 at 11:46 am |
I feel like such a shit for not keeping things updated. We got some stuff lined up for the weekend though. Burger extravaganza!
March 17, 2008 at 11:25 pm |
Sweetie Pie’s is good stuff. If you go to the original location in Dellwood, you’re also a couple of blocks or so over from the city’s only remaining Velvet Freeze ice cream.
September 23, 2008 at 10:25 pm |
After finding this site and article back in like June, I finally made the hajj to Mamma Jamma today and got the Mary Francis. Now, I consider myself to be a connoisseur of hot shit. I use Sriracha sauce like ketchup, and BW3’s Mango Habanero sauce is a sweet and tasty treat for me, but I wasn’t prepared for Mary Francis. I took a small forkful of the filling when it came out, and I knew I was in trouble. My lips started tingling immediately. After a couple of bites, the old dude behind the counter came out and asked “is it hot enough for ya?” I shook my head yes with tears in my eyes, and he told me that they’ve got one hotter than the IT now, the “If You Dare.” After all was said and done, I only finished 3/4’s of it and was ashamed. I closed up the foil lest any of the employees come out and laugh at me. I felt like a bitch. My lips were tingling for a half hour afterwards. Needless to say, I’m going down to the Hot next time (because I *WILL* go back) so I can enjoy it a little more. For outsiders’ comparison, if the mango habanero is a 8 on a relative hotness scale, the MF is a 14 or 15. No joke. Sweetie Pie’s is next on my list. More Lou spots, please!
November 30, 2008 at 6:39 pm |
good stuff. I used to go there all the time when they were back by SLU or thereabouts in some dumpy building. I took my friend there and he is all “I want mine seriously HOT ” Blah blah blah. Well the fucker’ behind the counter went all out (I’ll show those white boys about hot”) my friend is eating his and after a few bites he says “that guy was looking to kill us” I told you to STFU about hot. Worth flying back there to get one.
February 26, 2009 at 2:05 am |
I LOOOOVE this place. Everything I want in a sandwich. I drive up north to get one to go and it doesn’t make it past MLK. You see those grease spots in front of the building on that first shot of the place, ain’t from the folks’ cars. Herein you will find true sandwich enlightenment. Shit, that Man vs. Food guy shoulda’ gone here to get his ass kicked.
April 4, 2009 at 2:56 pm |
I’ve been going there since it was down off of Olive by SLU back in the 80’s. I got the IT once at their current location and they had to open up the front doors because customers eyes were being irritated by the vapors from what they were grillin up for my sandwich. No bullshit. It was awesome. Don’t touch your eyes while eating it though.
October 29, 2009 at 5:58 pm |
you should be ashamed,foul mouth louts
November 2, 2009 at 10:34 am |
^ people getting angry at the internet
December 14, 2009 at 8:47 am |
[…] Jammer on the northside. Here's an online review. Though not a tradition philly cheesesteak, also consider hitting Adriana's on the Hill for […]
February 15, 2010 at 1:00 pm |
I WILL BE TRAVELING TO ST LOUIS AREA COULD YOU PLEASE SEND A PRICE MENU . THANK YOU !!!
March 4, 2010 at 4:51 pm |
I’d like to bookmark this post with my propeller account, but it doesn’t seem to be working! 😦
October 12, 2010 at 11:14 pm |
[…] Along-for-the-ride Heidi and I drove west to St. Louis with LouFest in the center of the compass. At points north, south, east and west were indigenous sandwiches that had been filling my daydreams – The Prosperity, The Gerber, The St Paul and The Mammer Jammer. […]