For a generation now, Chicago has been the darling of the global culinary scene. Sleek, modern restaurants with one-word names like Parachute, Temporis, and Next collect Michelin Stars by the handful and, in 2019, the James Beard Foundation selected Chicago to host its annual awards event in which the country’s top chefs are honored. Make no mistake—Chicago is serious about its food.

But while these high-end restaurants look great on Instagram and make for effusive critics’ reviews, their numbers and cultural impact pale in comparison to the most plentiful and iconic of all Chicago restaurants—the humble hot dog stand. 

There are more of these uniquely Chicago restaurants within the city limits than McDonald’s, Burger Kings, and Wendy’s combined. In a city known for its shameful history of segregation, they are one of the few institutions that can be found in almost every neighborhood, transcending income or color lines. As such, while these restaurants share certain defining characteristics, they also reflect the neighborhoods and people they serve. 

Here's where you can find a Chicago hot dog stand.
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What is a Chicago hot dog stand?  

First of all, a hot dog stand must serve hot dogs. 

These restaurants are most essentially defined by what they serve. Obviously, hot dogs are on the menu and are most often supplied by Vienna Beef. This iconic Chicago company has been making all-beef franks with their signature garlicky spice blend since 1893, most recently from their Bucktown factory at Elston and Damen.

Contrary to what food writers outside of Chicago will say, there is no “one” Chicago style of dog.

The iconic “dragged-through-garden” dog with its yellow mustard, diced white onion, neon-green relish, tomato slices, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt has its origins in “The Depression Dog,” a cheap “whole” meal popularized during the depression. The Depression dog instead takes a simpler route using mustard, chopped onion, sport peppers, and a pile of "a pile of fresh-cut french fries."

Arguably the finest example of this style can be found at Gene & Jude’s, just steps from the Chicago border in River Grove. A third, lesser-known style is Maxwell Street dog found almost exclusively at Jim’s Original in University Village. This niche style omits most of the fresh vegetables, opting for grilled onions instead, along with the standard mustard and relish. 

The Ketchup Question

Much is made of this alleged antagonist of the Chicago hot dog, with legendary Chicagoans like columnist Mike Royko rallying against the stuff. Truthfully though, your everyday Chicagoan usually isn’t putting too much energy into policing others’ condiment usage. They’re just trying to have lunch and get back to work.

That said, if you really feel you need to put this controversial condiment on your hot dog, most stands will let you handle that task yourself. Taking it a step further, at 35th Street Red Hots in Bridgeport, you’ll have to ring a “bell of shame” to announce your intention to use the sweet stuff on your dog. 

More Than Just Hot Dogs

There’s a lot more to hot dog stands than their eponymous frankfurters. Take a longer look at the menus and you’ll begin to see a document of the many diasporas and immigrant populations that have made Chicago the great melting pot of a city it is today. 

The origin of the Polish sausages like those served at Express Grill in University Village is fairly easy to determine. Italians brought us their sausages, Italian beef, and the legendary breaded steak sandwich served at Ricobene’s near Armour Square. The breaded pork chop sandwiches at the Original Maxwell Street in North Lawndale are a fine stand-in for veal schnitzel enjoyed by German and Bohemian migrants who arrived in the late 1800s. 

The Chicago-style tamale, an extruded cylinder of meat and cornmeal wrapped in paper (sorry, Rick Bayless) is thought to have been brought by Black migrants during the Great Migration.

If you’re looking for something lighter, many of Chicago’s classic hot dog stands also have Greek-style chicken quarters or halves with potatoes or rice (skip the salad, trust me). Don’t sleep on this menu item if you find it. Charcoal Delights in North Park has a particularly good example though, in my time ordering this dish, I’ve yet to find a bad one. Just about any spot serving Greek chicken is basically guaranteed to have a good gyro, too. 

If you can’t decide, you could always go for a Gym Shoe (Italian beef, corned beef, and gyro meat) at Sun Sub in Austin or a Mother in Law (a hot dog with a tamale and chili on top) at the aptly named Fat Johnnie’s in Chicago Lawn. These are not for the faint of heart so don’t say I didn’t warn you. 

What to Look For in a Chicago Hot Dog Stand  

It isn’t solely the menu that makes for a proper hot dog stand. The outside has to have the look. While no two are exactly alike, there are a few things to look for when choosing a hot dog stand for your meal.

Flashing lights and hand-painted depictions of the meaty delights are a sure indicator of quality like at Duk’s Red Hots on Ashland in West Town. Ample signage advertising Vienna Beef and Kronos Gyros is another tip-off of the quality offered at a place like Windy City Hot Dogs in Archer Heights.

Inside, you’re looking for clearly marked pricing, ideally on a backlit plastic RC Cola sign with those stick-on letters. There is no such thing as too much Bulls, Blackhawks, and Bears memorabilia and Lulu’s Red Hots in Tri-Taylor proves that truth (I’m not going to wade in baseball sectarianism, though the locations I’ve highlighted likely shows my allegiance).

Bonus points for any hot dog stand featuring the kind of artwork that stirs true Chicagoans souls, such as Vienna Beef’s famous Navy Pier artwork or Kronos’ slightly unusual gyro posters. 

This is only a sampling of Chicago’s most ubiquitous and unique culinary traditions. The fact of the matter is that just about every neighborhood in the city has its own unique and beloved hot dog stand. If you don’t know where to start, find your locale and see what’s on offer. From there, you have an entire city’s worth of hot dog stands to explore, each of which reflects the historic and present character of the neighborhood it serves.