Hot Dogs

• Posted by Jeff Carter
• on March 18th, 2010

My friends that visit Chicago always ask about the steaks. Of course, we have great steaks. We have great other stuff too. Charlie Trotter’s, Aruns, Spiaggia, Frontera Grille, are top restaurants in their categories. World famous. Chefs on TV. But what Chicago really excels at is pedestrian artery clogging food. Italian beefs, italian sausage, pizza. Chicago has the best in the entire world when it comes to that sort of thing. What we really love is the simple hot dog. Steamed or grilled, a poppyseed bun, mustard(no ketchup or catsup ever), electric green relish, onions, a dill pickle and some sport peppers. Wrapped lovingly with some nice french fries there is not a more satisfying lunch.

My mother loves hot dogs. She passed down the love of the dog to me. I have eaten all kinds since I was a little kid. When I worked in the Auto Trades Division of 3M for a couple of years, my territory was the entire city and suburbs of Chicago. So every day I got to check out a new hot dog stand. Not good for the cholesterol, but when you are in your early twenties who cares?

Interestingly, when I was getting acquainted with a classmate from my MBA program at the University of Chicago, he told me that his buddy said that, “you have to get a Chicago dog”. He had grown up in Singapore, a food mecca in its own unique way. He had never had a Chicago hot dog-just the store bought prepackaged stuff. We went to Portillo’s because it was the best dog closest to the Gleacher Center. I will never forget the look on his face when he took his first bite. It was a revelation to him. Since then, he has moved to Chicago. Maybe Mayor Daley could get more immigration to Chicago if he offered free hot dogs!

If you are not in Chicago, and need a hot dog fix, I recommend this. Go online and order Tallgrassbeef.com hot dogs. They truly taste really really good. My kids eat them so fast we can’t keep them in stock. Plus they have that whole “good for you”, “good for the earth”, ethic. So you can look at Prius drivers and be smug to them while you are eating your wholesome hot dog. You can get the condiments at your grocer. It won’t be just like going to a hot dog stand, but you will get your fix. Kind a like methadone for the heroin addict. (full disclosure, I am an investor in TGB, but I’d eat em if I wasn’t)

There are millions of hot dog stands in Chicago and the suburbs. Everyone has their favorites. I think some are better than others. I grew up on Portillo’s. He only had one store when we were growing up. His kids went to my high school. It was on St. Charles Road in Villa Park. It’s a pancake place now. I still like Portillo’s hot dogs, but he has expanded. He has that kitschy 1920′s gangster thing going on in his places. Eh, I liked lining up at the old place in VP, but his dogs are still pretty good. Plus if you are over 21 you can get a Schooner of beer! Where else can you get a schooner?

There is a good hot dog stand way up north, Superdawg. They make a pretty good hot dog, but I think you go for the show. You order in your car just like the 1950′s. A car hop brings you your food. I don’t like their french fries. On some nights in the summer, people cruise here in hot rods. So the action is really good if you like to look at really cool cars, with a pre 1967 feel. You also cannot beat the Tarzan hot dog on top! They have been around for over 40 years. They must be doing something right.

Weiner’s Circle is legendary in Lincoln Park. Why? It’s not the hot dog. It is because they stay open late and when you stagger home from the bars you can get a dog and some cheese fries to help you get through the next morning. The hot dogs are very average here. The other reason to go there is to laugh. The counter clerk is extremely abusive to the people ordering in line. It can be really funny. I took my nephews from California there and just watched them order. She gave them a hard time. Make sure you order a chocolate shake there, heh-heh.

Gold Coast Dogs is another place to try. Their twist is the char-dog. It’s a good change up. They don’t steam the dog, they grill it. Ironically, they don’t have an outlet in the Gold Coast of Chicago. But they are at the airports and in the train stations. It caters to the tourist. I wouldn’t call them an authentic Chicago dog. I think secretly they are jealous of Portillo’s and wish they had expanded around the US too.

Then there is Hot Doug’s. It is an aberration. They take all kinds of gourmet stuff and turn it into hot dogs. You can get a foie gras one there if you want! On some days, they fry their french fries in duck fat. How rich and great tasting is that? This is not really a Chicago style dog, but a pretty cool variation on a theme. I’d go there just for the duck fries!

The frankfurter mecca to a lot of people is Gene’s and Jude’s. It’s the best hot dog in Chicago. Typical junky stand. No seats, you have to stand up there. You will wait in line. It’s not really in Chicago, but in River Grove near O’Hare Airport. When I played hoop at Triton College we used to head over there all the time. It was cheap, and no one really knew about it yet. They cut their own fries with huge Idaho russet potatoes. No ketchup in the entire place. Get one with everything and an orange Nehi, your good to go.

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