Morrie O'Malley's (located on the corner of S Union Ave and 35th St) is a popular stop for White Sox fans both before and after the game, since it's blocks away from U.S. Cellular Field. We found we didn't have the luck of the Irish, since we didn't realize the Cubs/Sox game was starting minutes before our arrival. After getting redirected numerous times by the Chicago Police and stadium staff, we were steps away from Morrie's. The last obstacle of parking the vehicle was a little trickier. We circled our destination a couple of times before the fine staff at Morrie's let us park on the grass and skip the $40 parking charge, since we were only getting a dog.

We must say that the hassle of getting to Morrie O'Malley's on game day, was well worth it. We walked in the door and knew we were gonna get something special. Morrie's is located right smack dab in a residential area and looks and smells the part of a classic Chicago hot dog stand. Their tight quarters only allow for shelf seating inside, but there are tables outside, complete with Vienna branded umbrellas.

We were excited about this place and ordered up a red hot with the works. The natural cased Vienna arrived seconds after placing the order (or maybe we took someone else's by mistake). Everything looked fantastic. The dog was perfect size (6/1) and had all our required ingredients as well as a cucumber slice. We did the requisite dog photo shoot, but were itching to get down to taste this culinary masterpiece.

The dog tasted great. It was juicy and had a nice snap. The relish was neon green. The pickle was first rate and all the ingredients were in perfect harmony with one another. One thing we especially appreciated was the application of the celery salt. It was plentiful and really brought out the flavor of the other ingredients. Too often, celery salt is either completely forgotten or inappropriately used. We were in heaven.

We can't emphasize how excellent the dog was. Morrie's is the first Chicago dog to score a 10 on our DOGS (Dog Overall Greatness Score) rating. Morrie O'Malley's is flat out a great venue to have a dog. Make a trip out to Morrie's, we promise you'll be blown away.

Murphy's Red Hots is the kind of place that we think about when we picture an authentic Chicago hot dog establishment. What Murphy's lacks in grime and grit (yes, those can be big pluses for a true dive) it more than makes up for with top quality ingredients, passion and atmosphere.

As soon as you walk through the doors at Murphy's you know you're in for a real treat. Murphy's is very welcoming and has the definite feel of a neighborhood place. The walls are full of hot dog related signs, posters, newspaper articles and vintage Coca Cola signs. The counter service is snappy, yet friendly and the smell as you walk in is enough to draw folks from blocks away.

Murphy's even has a franchised location in Hiroshima, Japan. A T-shirt with Japanese writing and an article on the wall caught our attention and the guys behind the counter filled us in on the story.

We ordered the char grilled Chicago Dog and didn't have to do any hand holding with these guys. The only close call was with the lettuce, since some folks consider this part of "the works", but we don't subscribe to that religion. We watched as they assembled the toppings, expertly choosing the tomato wedge over the slice and placing the toppings on the dog in the correct order. These guys really know what they're doing. A post we saw on the internet referred to the Murphy's crew as "hot dog artisans"...we agree. If you have been a regular reader of our reviews, it's no secret that we appreciate the proper application of celery salt, which held true for Murphy's. We also really enjoy a bonus cucumber slice/spear on our dogs and Murphy's delivered on that too. The taste of the cucumber slice was perfect and the celery salt really enhanced the flavor.

The dog tasted even better than it looked. The blend of ingredients was in perfect proportion and everything was fresh. The dog was charred perfectly, had a great beefy taste and was nice and juicy. The pickle was fantastic and the bun was one of the best we've ever had. The tomato was crisp and fresh and cut into a proportioned wedge. We would have appreciated another tomato wedge. The sport peppers were niced sized and mildly hot. The cucumber slice was awesome and the celery salt was applied like a pro. This was the best dog we had of the 12 we sampled on 5/2/08.

Murphy's oozes the neighborhood atmosphere of a classic hot dog establishment. We absolutely loved this place, from the look and feel to the service, to the dog. These are folks that really put some passion into their work. Murphy's has a nice menu, everything from dogs (even a footlong) to a rib eye sandwich. They even offer a couple of salads and best of all they serve homemade, hand cut fries. If you find yourself on the north side of Chicago (Lakeview), you need to head over to Murphy's.

CLOSED - Rockstar Dogs
801 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 - 312-421-2DOG
DogCaching: W 87° 40.043' / N 41° 53.797'
Rockstar Dogs Website
Date: 05-02-08

Rockstar Dogs on Ashland Ave is a tough place to miss...look for a big red wall with "ROCKSTAR DOGS" painted in huge bright yellow letters on it. This newcomer features a menu inspired by different pop icons and uses photos of famous performers as a backdrop. We love the fact that the menu states: "No ketchup unless you're under 13". We only wish more establishments took their (lack of) ketchup so seriously. Their menu features at least 8 different hot dog choices. We ordered a standard Chicago Dog, which we couldn't find on the menu. We think that they call it "The Zeppelin". However, no need to worry, the staff is well versed on what a Chicago Dog is. All their dogs are offered with your choice of the following toppings: mustard, onions, super green relish, fresh cut pickles, tomato, sport peppers and celery salt. They also offer a char-grilled option, so of course, we couldn't pass that up.

The Rockstar building is long and narrow. One of the first things you'll notice when you walk in is a stripper pole! There is shelf seating facing the street, but instead of the typical round stools that are characteristic of many hot dog joints, they have funky modern square stools. The walls are filled with pictures of rock legends, both past and present. We get the feeling this place primarily caters (do you think?) to the late night crowd, especially since they're open "very late" until 4AM on Friday and Saturday.

When our dog arrived, it looked like a work of art. It was charred to perfection and the ends were split to look like a butterfly (is this a tribute to the rock group "Iron Butterfly"?). These guys must have taken a master class in Chicago Dog-ology. Everything on this dog was fresh and in perfect proportion. The onions were diced nice and fine. The tomatoes were cut into perfectly sized wedges and the neon green relish was expertly applied. The dog came with two excellent pickle spears and the celery salt was obviously applied by someone who really understands this vital ingredient. The poppy seed bun was great and comfortably held the dog and its toppings. The Rockstar fries were excellent as well. They had a crunchy layer, which we thought was some type of batter, but couldn't be confirmed by the staff. Our only complaint about the dog was the price. At $5 (with fries), it's not outrageous, but definitely on the high end of the price curve.

We really loved our Rockstar Chicago Dog and can safely say that Rockstar Dogs Rock! (pun intended). We definitely recommend you give this place a try. This isn't a place to go if you're looking for a traditional hot dog joint, especially since it kind of has a "Planet Hollywood" feel to it. Let us know if you ever see anyone using the stripper pole.

Wieners Circle has the look and feel of a classic Chicago hot dog dive. There are picnic tables outside, and shelf seating is your only option inside. It's a tight squeeze inside, but there's no doubt that things are hopping in the kitchen area. As you'd expect, Wieners Circle is a cash only establishment, however, there's an ATM inside that will bail you out if you're only carrying plastic. This place just oozes atmosphere.

We ordered up a char dog and waited while orders kept rolling in. We've heard the lines get pretty long after bar time, but the place was hopping when we placed our order around 6:30 pm.

The dog looked incredible. The bright red Roma's were sliced thick, extremely juicy and fresh. The sport peppers (we had to ask for them after the fact) were some of the best we've tasted. They were ideal size and had the perfect combination of heat and juice as you took that first bite. The bright neon green relish was ample and tasted fantastic. The onions were coarsely chopped and the dog came with two pickle spears that had great crunch and flavor and rated as some of the best we've had. The steamed poppy seed bun held up well with the perfect blend of mustard and all those fantastic ingredients. The char dog was cooked to perfection and had us thinking of ordering another as we barely started into our first one.

Wieners Circle caters to the late-night crowd, but don't hesitate to stop in when it's still light out. If you stop in late (or I guess you could call it early), you can get lippy with the staff and they will give you quite a tongue lashing in return; all part of the late-night atmosphere. We read many other reviews about this place and it appears that either you love it or you hate it. There are definitely loyal regulars and then the crowd that believes Wieners Circle is overrated. One of the many gripes was that this place is a dump. Hey, it is a dog joint, what do they expect? Another review made us laugh because it's not considered a "romantic spot". I think someone summed up the Wieners Circle experience perfectly, "It's not just the food, it's the experience". We agree.

We can't say enough about the Wieners Circle dog. Overrated or not, don't miss out on a visit to the Wieners Circle. It's worth the trip. A dog runs $3.00 and is worth every penny. Seating is limited and there's ample parking in the rear (by Chicago standards).

Update March 2011: Unfortunately, fRedHots has closed its doors.

Original Review: I visited fRredhots and Fries on a Sunday afternoon shortly after they opened for the day and the place was already hopping with a steady stream of people walking through the door. Fred, the owner was working the register and taking orders. Fred seemed to be on a first name basis with just about everyone and he easily recognized that I wasn't a regular. Fred gently asked, "Is this your first time here?", and I responded "Yes". Just as if I was an old friend, Fred struck up a conversation about where I was from and what brought me there. I ordered the "fRedhot and Fries" which is listed as a Vienna Beef dog, Poppy Seed Bun, Trimmings and Fries. A jumbo version of the dog is also available.

As I waited for my food to arrive, I took some time to soak up the ambiance. The building looks a whole lot bigger on the inside than it does from the outside. It is almost hard to believe that they have as much seating as they do. I also noticed that that majority of customers were families, and just about every kid was eating a dog. I also watched Fred's warm personality shine as he talked with his customers who seemed more like friends. It kind of reminded me of "Cheers"...where everybody knows your name.

When my dog arrived, one look told me had a winner and my first bite confirmed it. Their Vienna Beef dog has a casing and is served on a steamed poppy seed bun. The dog had nice flavor and a slight snap. My dog had the right amount of yellow mustard and the pickle and sport peppers were excellent. The pickle was crunchy and had the requisite deli taste. The sport peppers had the perfect level of heat and the amount of neon green relish was generous. The thinly sliced tomatoes could have been a little more ripe, but I think that was probably due to the time of year. The onions were finely chopped and plenty of celery salt was sprinkled on top.

Fred stopped by my table and asked how I liked the dog. I told him it was excellent and would definitely be back in the future. I mentioned that the guy in their logo looks exactly like Fred. Without missing a beat, Fred joked that after a lot of plastic surgery that he now looks like the guy on the sign.

The fRedhots Chicago Dog was excellent and we definitely recommend that you give this place a try. You will not be dissapointed. Their fries were great and are cooked in trans-fat free, cholesterol freee, non-hydrogenated Canola oil. Besides dogs, they also serve burgers and other sandwiches. They also serve Wild Game Sausage. The daily selection is posted on their website. There is ample parking in back and a couple of picnic tables outside the front of the building.

Mitch grew up on Poochie's dogs, so we were excited to visit and find out if Poochie's lived up to his memories and more importantly, our DOGS formula.

We loved the fact that a Vienna Beef neon sign is prominently displayed in the storefront. Poochie's was another place that just oozed the essence of the Chicago Dog joint. Although there are some tables, the majority of the seating is "shelf" style with red round stools. The owner greeted us as we entered and made sure we were taken care of immediately. We were really impressed by the very friendly and helpful staff.

The menu included a standard Chicago Dog as well as a "char dog" for $2.25. We were licking our chops as we ordered one of each. A combo was also available for $4.99 that included fries and a drink. Ketchup was not in plain site, but could be "brought out" in the unlikely event it is requested.

The dogs arrived in a basket and had all the required ingredients. The tomato was sliced instead of our preference of wedges. We loved the taste of the char dog. The poppy seed bun was steamed to perfection and the peppers were perfect in size, texture and taste. The neon green relish was ample and blended perfectly with all the other ingredients. The pickle was fantastic! It had a great crunch and blended nicely with the celery salt.

Overall, Poochie's was one of the best dogs we've reviewed to date. We were so impressed by Poochie's that we think it would be a sin if you were in the area and didn't stop in...even if you've already had lunch. Poochie's serves a number of sandwiches and sides. They only accept cash, but an in-house ATM is available if needed.

Paradise Pup is a family owned business which started in 1983. They are housed in a brick building that looks like your typical fast food restaurant from the outside, but as they say, "looks can be deceiving". There is a sign on top of the building that says "the Small Place with the Big Taste" and that is definitely a true statement. It was quite a surprise walking into such a tiny space. Although their quarters may be small, the ambiance exuded by this place is quite large. The limited wall space is filled with autographed photos and accolades from local celebrities. Seating is vary limited and consists of shelf seating with round stools. When the weather is nice, there are plenty of picnic tables outside.

It was lunch time on a Saturday afternoon and the place was really hopping. There was a steady stream of customers and I counted at least 10 burgers cooking on the grill. Their burgers look great and were very tempting, but I was there to get a dog. I ordered a Chicago Dog (aka "Paradise Pup") "with everything" and after a short wait, I was handed my dog. I said "excuse me" a bunch of times as I worked my way through the crowd and found a place to enjoy my dog.

I unwrapped my dog and immediately liked what I saw. The Chicago Dog looked impressive and I eagerly took my first bite. The natural case Vienna was juicy and tasted great. The pickle spear was excellent and had a nice crunch. They also added a slice of cucumber. There was plenty of neon green relish, but they went a little overboard on the onions. The tomato slices could have been more ripe, but this is often a seasonal thing we are forced to deal with. The sport peppers were great and had the right amount of heat. Yellow mustard, a dash of celery salt and steamed poppy seed bun rounded out the dog.

Overall our Chicago Dog at Paradise Pup was excellent and we definitely recommend you give them a try. You will not be disappointed. They also offer a char version (aka "Char Pup") as well as a char jumbo dog. Besides burgers and dogs, they also have Italian and Polish sausage, a chicken sandwich and Italian Beef. Their crinkle cut fries looked great. They only accept cash and their hours are 11 am - 5pm Monday - Saturday, closed Sunday.

CLOSED - Hot Dog Island
4925 W Dempster, Skokie, IL 60077 - 847-763-8282
Hours: 10:30 am-8 pm Mon-Sat; 11 am-7 pm Sun
Date: 05-12-06

Hot Dog Island definitely wins the award for the best furniture. The round stools along the "shelf seating" wall are the classic yellow "Vienna" stools. The ambiance was typical of a Chicago Dog joint and was further enhanced by the Cubs game on TV. We were probably the only non-regulars in the joint.

Hot Dog Island offers a "normal" Chicago Dog as well as a "char dog". The "normal" dog runs $2.30, while the char version will cost you $2.50. Various combos were also available for a modest price.

The Vienna dogs were cooked to perfection, since we experienced a snap as we dug in. The application of mustard was a tad aggressive, but not excessive. The poppy seed bun was one of the best we've tasted. It was steamed to perfection and was able to withstand the onslaught of ingredients without getting the least bit soggy. The sport peppers had a nice bite, but also had a little sweetness to them...some of the best we've ever tasted. Our pickle spear was the perfect size and had that great deli taste and crunch. The neon green relish was applied in perfect proportion to the other ingredients, but the tomatoes were thinly sliced instead of wedges.

Overall, Hot Dog Island has one of the best dogs around. We also loved the fact that the owner took a few minutes to make sure we enjoyed our visit. Hot Dog Island offers a variety of items including gyros, chicken, ribs and many sandwiches. This is one Island you will not mind being stranded on.

Say the name "Chubby Wieners" out loud and you will have a smile on your face in no time. I am not sure how they came up with this name, but rumor has it that its namesake is from someone named "Uncle Chub". The outside window has a caricature of "Chubby" the wiener and a sign proclaiming their one year anniversary. This place is really small inside, but has a lot of character. The exposed brick walls really add to the ambiance. Seating is limited as there are only four booths and the black and white awning above the counter created a deli-like atmosphere. They do not have a parking lot, so metered street parking appears to be your only option.

We placed our order with the friendly woman at the counter, took a seat and anxiously awaited our dog. While we were getting situated, a young guy walked in the door, made his way to the counter and asked us "if we needed help with our work". We were pretty confused by this odd comment and were not sure what to make of it. We just thought it was some crazy guy off the street trying to be funny. Anyway, it turned out that the guy was the manager and didn't appreciate that we "were doing work" without his consent. He thought we broke some rule of common decency, but he was having difficulty communicating that in a professional manner. We mentioned that we were doing a review and during our conversation he said that he doesn't put any stock in reviews, either good or bad. He told us that this was his establishment and his rules. He said we could do a review, but we could not write up anything while inside his place. We thought that was a tad curious, especially since in our 40+ reviews we've never had someone approach us about this (and definitely not in that fashion), but we put away our review sheets and got down to business with the dog.

The presentation of the dog was fantastic! This is what a Chicago Dog should look like. It was obvious that the dog was NOT hastily thrown together and great care was taken during its creation. We were assured by the manager that he doesn't skimp on toppings and uses only the freshest ingredients. This fact was definitely reinforced when we took our first bite. The ingredients blended perfectly and it is one of a handful of places that really understands the application of celery salt. Neon green relish was generously applied and the pickle spear was one of the best we've had. The coarsely chopped onions were in perfect proportion to the rest of the condiments and two thick, perfectly ripe tomato slices nicely balanced the dog. The steamed poppy seed bun ranks as one of the best we've ever had. The sheer quantity of poppy seeds was off the charts and the bun had a great texture and more than held it's own with the other ingredients. We also have to mention that the battered fries were excellent.

After we polished off our dog, the guy seemed to have lightened up and asked us what we thought of the dog. Mitch said, "it was one of the best dogs we had today" and he countered with, "I seriously doubt that". For some reason, he was convinced that we would give him a negative review because of our earlier interaction. Again, we stated that we loved the dog and that is what we are reviewing. He then told us that he tells his staff to prepare the food as if they were making it for themselves.

We really loved our dog at Chubby Wieners and highly recommend it. A "Chubby Dog" and fries will run you $3.35. One of their menu items is called the "Capitalist Pig". For $250, you get a Chubby dog along with a bottle of Johnnie Walker blue label. We're going to hold off on that one, but be sure to let us know if you give it a try.

One of the places on our "must visit" list was Wiener and Still Champion in Evanston. We have always heard great things about this place and I was excited to finally get the opportunity to try one of their dogs.

I (Mitch) was in Chicago visiting my parents and decided to take the whole family out for Chicago dogs. As we headed toward Evanston, we experienced the good old lake-effect snow, but nothing was going to stand between me and my dog. We found great parking right in front and after one look at the place, I instantly knew that we were in for a great experience.

Their sign has a graphic of a hot dog wearing boxing gloves with its arms raised in the air, as if celebrating a victory. The inside is small, but has a very welcoming ambiance. My wife commented that it has the perfect amount of "dive" feel to it. There is not much seating available with its 4 booths and 2 tables. The walls contain memorabilia and tributes to Northwestern and Harper College. You will also notice many 50 pound bags of Idaho potatoes lining the walls.

We ordered dog combo meals which included fries and a drink. They serve Vienna brand dogs and S. Rosen's poppy seed buns... which we watched coming out of a steamer.

We were delighted when our dogs arrived. They looked fantastic and tasted just the same. The dogs were juicy and had nice flavor. Our Chicago Dog was expertly assembled and included all the expected ingredients from the mustard right down to the celery salt. The relish was the standard green variety, but fortunately, that did not detract from the overall taste. The onion was good and the thickly sliced tomatoes were not as ripe as they could be, but not too bad for March. The Sport Peppers were excellent...they were nicely sized and had a slight kick to them. The pickle spear tasted great and had a nice crunch.

Wiener and Still Champion serves an excellent Chicago Dog and if you are ever in the area, drop on in...you will not be disappointed. They serve incredible homemade fries, which are double fried. Probably some of the best fries I have ever had. My family loved the place too. Here are some comments form my kids: "This is the best hot dog place I have ever been to", "This place isn't fancy, but they have good cookers".

They have reasonable prices and offer a variety of dogs and burgers. My advice is to get the combo that includes 2 dogs since you will be craving another before you even finish your first. I chatted with the owner (Gus) for a while and learned that he went to school at UW Madison...definitely a small world.

When you hear the name "Scooby", you immediately conjure up an image of a famous cartoon dog. However, this Scooby is not a canine, but is a dog of a different sort...he is a hot dog man.

It would be impossible to miss Scooby's if you drove by in the evening. The place is lit up like the Vegas strip. We're pretty sure that you just might be able to easily see Scooby's from space. We were finishing up a review marathon, and Scooby's would be the last of 16 establishments on our schedule for the day.

We managed to arrive as cars were packing into the drive-in theater next door. After bucking the line, we pulled into the lot and nearly had a seizure from all the neon. Scooby's looks like a 1950's diner on steroids. We were glad to have stopped by in the evening so we could experience and appreciate all the pretty colors. Inside, the walls are crammed with pop culture and local hoopla. I don't think there's a square inch of bare wall anywhere in this place. The extensive neon and the mirrored ceiling really adds to the effect. Seating is plentiful both inside and out, by diner standards.

We ordered up a Chicago dog and waited anxiously as it was being assembled. The staff was friendly and on point, greeting us as we walked in and making sure we were taken care of once we got near the counter. Scooby's serves a custom, skinless Vienna. These custom made dogs are 7" long, which is about an inch longer than a standard Vienna.

The dog tasted great and had all our required ingredients with the exception of the neon green relish (ironic). The standard sweet relish didn't seem to detract from the taste, only the sheer beauty of the dog. The hot dog was the star of the show, but the thick fresh tomatoes and tasty pickle were excellent as well.

Scooby's is definitely a place you should go out of you way to visit. They've obviously worked hard to provide a fun atmosphere and we feel they've nailed it. Scooby's is open 7 days a week and 24 hours Thursday through Saturday (at least in the summer). We have also heard that they have great shakes.

Mickey's is a place near and dear to my (Kevin) heart. I ate a lot of dogs at that old drive in back in the late 80's. Mitch didn't want to take any chances, so he packed a few boxes of tissues just in case I got all emotional as I strolled down memory lane.

After we arrived at Mickey's, I realized it looks pretty much the same as it did back in 1988. I remember getting 2 dogs and 2 fries for $4 back in the day and couldn't believe it when we walked in and saw the same special for $4.19!

We ordered up a dog and watched as it was expertly assembled. The creation process started with a little bit of flair. It was impressive to watch as the dog was flipped up into the air and caught perfectly on the bun. He rattled off the ingredients and handed us the dog in record time. I told the manager my history with the place and he was having fun listening to me reminisce about days long ago.

The dog looked great. It was a skinless Vienna with all the required ingredients except for celery salt. As a bonus, a thin cucumber was added, which brought me back to 1988. The sport peppers were perfect size and had just the right amount of heat. The dog was juicy and perfectly cooked and the pickle was definitely in our top 10. Overall, the Mickey's Chicago dog was excellent.

A couple of things struck us as we left Mickey's. First, the quality was as good or better than it was in 1988. Lastly, Mickey's has stood the test of time as evidenced by the boarded up Taco Bell that is adjacent to the building.

We highly recommend Mickey's and think it's a "must visit" for any serious Chicago dog lover.

Ziggy's epitomizes what we love about a great hot dog joint...unique, full of character and unassuming. The sign on the outside of the building might make you think twice, since it reads "H and Z Grocery" and "Ziggy's" seems to be mentioned as a mere afterthought. You wouldn't expect a small neighborhood grocery store to also double as a hot dog joint. We were a little confused about what we were getting ourselves into, but we were put at ease by the numerous signs on the outside wall touting Vienna hot dogs, Polish sausage and Italian beef. We knew we were in the right place.

When you walk inside, make no mistake, it's a grocery store. Shelves of groceries are to the left and a food counter is located on the right. We had our doubts that we cold get a decent Chicago dog here, but in the end we were pleasantly surprised. The owner greeted us as we walked in and made sure we were taken care of. We ordered up a Chicago dog and it arrived in a flash. We don't have the data to back it up, but we're sure this was possibly the fastest we've ever received a dog after ordering.

The dog was expertly assembled, although the application of the celery salt was a little light. The skinless Vienna was juicy and tasted fantastic. A standard bun was used instead of the traditional poppy seed Mary Anne, however, it didn't detract from the taste in the slightest. We loved the pickle and enjoyed the neon green relish. The amount of chopped onions was just right and the balance of all the ingredients was spot on. The peppers were a little on the hot side, but still blended nicely with the other ingredients.

In the back of the store, there are a few tables for your dining pleasure and some arcade games. The walls are adorned with grade school class pictures and cards from the community. Ziggy's has been in business since 1975 and ties to the community appear to be strong. They have a pretty big menu for such a small place and their prices are unbeatable.

Ziggy's is an absolute gem and we highly recommend a visit! It's a great place to take care of your stomach and your shopping list all in one place.

Muskie's looks like the kind of place that would satisfy a late-night food craving. Although the Muskie's sign says, "The Original Char-Broiled Hamburgers", we can assure you that they also serve Chicago Style Dogs. The white with red trim exterior of the building is unassuming and may easily go un-noticed if you're not paying attention. The building is extremely small, but they have ample shelf seating (considering the size of the place) and a couple of "stand up" tables inside as well as a table and chairs outside. We don't know how the place got it's name, but there is a large mounted Muskie over the door.

Muskie's serves Red Hot Chicago brand dogs. RHC dogs are slightly longer than standard Vienna's and are slightly leaner. We ordered our dog and were anxious to get down to business. We joked that we didn't think a bun steamer was necessary, since it was like a sauna inside. The bun was gonna get steamed by default.

The dog tasted great. It was juicy and perfectly cooked. The onions and tomatoes were coarsely chopped. The sport peppers were on the atomic side and still had their stems. The pickle was excellent and there was a perfect amount of celery salt. The mustard was applied a little too heavy and and the amount of relish was a little light for our tastes. The bun was excellent, however, it didn't have any poppy seeds. These were all minor infractions in our opinion, since overall, the dog tasted wonderful and made us crave another as we finished off the first.

We highly recommend Muskie's. Even though burgers are their specialty, you should definitely try their Chicago Dog. You won't be disappointed. We have also heard that their cheese fries are outstanding.

Huey's is located just off of Clark Street at Balmoral and is a bit more upscale than the typical hot dog joint. Their building is pretty unassuming, but you can't miss their bright red sign with the "crazy" looking dog on it. When you walk in to Huey's, the counter and the huge chalkboard menu above it grab your attention. On first impression, Huey's looks pretty small, however there's an attached dining room with many tables. Limited shelf seating with round stools is also available. They also have some outdoor sidewalk seating. The place is decked out in bright mustard colored walls with ketchup colored accents. There's a fair share of memorabilia on the walls and a huge painted mural of the Chicago skyline. This place definitely has the feel of a family friendly restaurant and the number of families dining there proved that point.

The Huey's menu offers about 8 different hot dog options which all include fries. It's your choice whether to get your dog steamed or charred. We ordered up a char dog with all the fixings and waited patiently for our order. The wait was longer than expected, and we're not sure what the holdup was, but once we took our first bite we forgot all about the wait. This char dog was juicy and tasted fantastic. The relish wasn't neon green, but still tasted great and didn't seem to affect our overall dog experience. The pickle and the sport peppers were excellent and some of the best we had that day, definitely near the top of the all-time-best list. The poppy seed bun was decent. It was fresh and stood up to the other ingredients, but it was nothing special. Two ripe tomato slices were on the dog and although Celery salt was applied, we would have loved to see just a tad more.

Overall, we really enjoyed our Huey's Chicago Dog and definitely recommend it. The ingredients were fresh and applied in perfect proportion. The staff was friendly and it's definitely a place you could sit back, relax and order up another. We didn't have any beef with this dog. Mitch especially enjoyed this dog and even bought a couple of T-shirts.

There's definitely something special about Dempster Street in Skokie. Once again, another great Chicago Style Dog can be found on Dempster at Herm's Palace.

For well over 30 years, Herm's has been serving up a great Chicago Dog. It's hard to miss their red and yellow colored building. The outside is adorned with lots of Vienna signage which makes it obvious that they proudly feature Vienna products. On the inside, Herm's has that welcoming ambiance that you expect from a typical hot dog joint.

There is certainly no shortage of seating and you have your choice of tables, booths or shelf seating (complete with round stools). Some of the walls contain painted murals featuring Chicago sports teams.

I ordered up a Chicago Dog "with everything" and eagerly awaited its arrival. After a short wait, I was handed a yellow basket containing a great looking Chicago Dog. Herm's does a great job with presentation. The dog wasn't just thrown together. Instead, each ingredient was placed with care.

The natural cased dog had an excellent flavor. Neon green relish was on the dog, but the quantity was extremely light. Originally, I didn't see any, so I asked if this was the norm. After some digging, I finally found the relish. The lack of relish was the only disappointment. The sliced tomatoes were thick and fresh and the onions were nicely chopped. The pickle spear was excellent. The two sport peppers were a nice size and appropriately placed to allow for a little pepper with every bite. The peppers had some heat to them, but were not overpowering. The poppy seed bun was excellent and held up nicely. Celery salt completed the package and unlike some other places, Herm's wasn't shy about the application.

Overall, my Chicago Dog was excellent and certainly recommended. As mentioned earlier in the review, there should have been more relish. Their Chicago Dog costs $2.10...a true bargain. A complete lunch (dog, fries and drink) is under $5.

Herm's menu is very extensive and includes several hot dog options including a Grilled Jumbo Dog.

While recently in Evanston, I stopped by the world famous "Mustard's Last Stand". Located near Ryan Field on the Northwestern Campus, this institution is a popular spot before and after the game.

Mustard's has been in business for about 40 years and is located in a small unassuming building that looks like it was originally a house. They are even a featured question in Trivial Pursuit ("What's the specialty in an Evanston, Illinois, eatery called "Mustard's Last Stand?").

From the moment I entered, I could sense I was in for a special experience. The ambiance at Mustard's Last Stand is unbelievable. Without even tasting their food, I already loved this place and knew I would not leave disappointed.

You could spend all day looking at the photos, letters and other memorabilia on the walls which highlight their rich history. Everything from sports magazine covers, signed celebrity photos, Northwestern related items and even some tennis rackets adorn the walls.

The place is so small, there is no room for tables/chairs. Shelf seating, complete with round Vienna stools, is available along one of the walls. If you can't get a seat inside, there are tables outside with Vienna umbrellas to keep you out of the sun.

For the last 20 years, Keith has been serving up the food. Keith is probably as much an institution as Mustard's itself. Since they were not too busy when I visited, Keith and I had a great philosophical discussion about hot dogs and also discussed the controversy of adding ketchup. Although Keith does not agree with putting ketchup on a dog, he said he will because he wants the customer to enjoy it. Keith also stated that 80% of people in Evanston put ketchup on their hot dog. I also learned that the owners had originally planned on opening this location as a pizzeria.

I ordered my Chicago Dog and Keith quickly created it. Their Vienna beef dog is served on a steamed S. Rosen's poppy seed bun. The application of the yellow mustard appeared to be heavy, but I think that the dog got slightly crushed when wrapped up and caused it to ooze. The relish tasted good, but I was slightly disappointed that it was not neon green. The onions were finely chopped and the dog was stocked with some nice tomatoes. There were 2 extremely small sport peppers...I would have preferred some larger ones. If there was any celery salt, it was applied so light I couldn't even tell it was there.

Overall, the Chicago Dog was great and I was already craving another before finishing the first (always a good sign). In our opinion, Mustard's Last Stand should not be overlooked. Give the place a try...you will NOT be disappointed.

Besides their Chicago Style Dogs, another favorite is their double cheeseburger. I have also heard that they serve some great shakes and malts.

We had an ambitious agenda and Pete's Red Hots was our first stop of the 16 reviews we did today. We had just finished a tour of the Puckered Pickle Company and drove the short distance to Pete's. As we pulled in, we were already excited since Pete's had the look of a classic Chicago dog joint. On the inside, space is tight, but plenty by HDJS (Hot Dog Joint Standards). The seating consists of mainly booths, but they have a table or two as well as some shelf seating by the front door. There are also three picnic tables with umbrellas outside.

Pete's was already hopping, so we got in line and ordered up our dog. The dog arrived fairly quickly and looked good. The skinless Vienna was juicy and tasted great. The sport peppers were excellent! They tasted great, were nicely sized and had just the right amount of heat. The pickle was fantastic. No surprise there, since Pete's uses Puckered Pickle brand on their dogs. The dog was served on a steamed poppy seed bun with a thick tomato slice, coarsely chopped onions and just the right amount of mustard. Pete's didn't commit any major sins with the missing celery salt and their use of standard relish instead of our preferred neon green de facto standard. They really nailed the balance of ingredients as everything was in perfect proportion with each other.

Overall, we really enjoyed our dog and highly recommend Pete's. Their prices are decent and the dog comes wrapped with fries. Add a drink and you've got yourself a great meal. Pete's was a great start to our day.

CLOSED - U Lucky Dawg
6821 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645 - 773-274-3652
DogCaching: W 87° 43.888' / N 42° 0.357'
Date: 09-07-07

Update July 2009: U Lucky Dawg has closed its doors. The property is listed for sale.

Original Review: U Lucky Dawg resides at the same location as the original Fluky's. The memorable iconic sign is the same, except for the new name. Although the ownership of this location has remained the same for the past 10 years, the Fluky's name was dropped in February 2006 and changed to U Lucky Dawg. Fluky's still has a couple of locations in the area and is under different ownership. U Lucky Dawg is owned by Larry and Randee Estes. Incidentally, they are also the owners of the popular Max's Italian Beef.

After placing an order for a char dog, Larry stopped by to talk with us. Time flew by as he shared some great stories about Fluky's, U Lucky Dawg and a few other dog joints. We can't say enough when the ownership takes the time to connect with their customers. I guess that's why they've been in business for so long.

The inside of U Lucky Dawg is filled with original hot dog artwork. This place definitely has the atmosphere of a hot dog joint. The seating is ample both inside and outside, with a variety of tables and booths.

The char dog arrived quickly and looked fantastic. We were very pleased to see an ample amount of neon green relish and a perfect blend of mustard and onions. We could hardly wait to dig into this puppy. The thinly sliced tomatoes were decent, but the dog itself was so tasty, it was hard to think about anything else. The large pickle spear ranks with the best. Our only complaints were with the sport peppers and celery salt. The sports were atomic. We mentioned this to Larry and he explained that they vary from batch to batch and it's something that's extremely hard to control. We understood and have heard that before, but it didn't help the immediate problem, so a trip to the counter for a drink solved that immediate problem. The celery salt was either applied in a trace amount or forgotten, which was too bad, since they have a decent sized shaker near the condiments.

After chatting with Mr. Estes, it was obvious he takes great pride in providing a dog with the highest quality ingredients. He mentioned he serves the 8-1 (8 dogs per pound) Vienna, which is slightly larger than most dogs you'll see at other places. We heard some great stories and wished we could spend the day, but we needed to press on to do more reviews.

We really liked our char and would highly recommend U Lucky Dawg. The ambiance is what you'd expect for a hot dog joint and the dog is fantastic, just keep your eyes on the peppers and make sure they give a couple extra shakes of celery salt.

Dog Day Afternoon is located in a converted trailer, within a residential area. If it wasn't for the bold signage on an old wooden fence, you would most likely miss this gem of a place.

As soon as you walk in the door at Dog Day Afternoon, you know you're gonna get an authentic dog. The ambiance of this place is great. The inside is cramped, but there is still plenty of room for you to enjoy your dog. The walls are adorned with newspaper articles and trivia. They even managed to jamb in a TV and a couple of arcade games. Shelf seating and stools are available on the inside, and when the weather is nice, you can sit at the picnic tables on their outside patio.

Dog Day Afternoon serves the Red Hot Chicago brand and is one of the first places ever to do so. The owner almost talked us into getting their famous Maxwell Street Polish, but we resisted the urge, since we were on a mission.

The dog was fantastic: A Red Hot Chicago brand, 8-1 (8 to a pound), natural cased beauty that was cooked to perfection. This dog had a great beefy taste, excellent snap, and was juicy on the inside. The dog was assembled to spec and everything was authentic, except standard sweet relish was used instead of the neon green variety. This didn't seem to affect the taste in an adverse way. A tomato slice was present as well as a piece of cucumber. The pickle was fantastic and the celery salt was expertly applied. We really appreciate folks who understand the application of this vital ingredient. We really had no complaints about this pup. The peppers were hotter than most, but still tasted great.

The owner was very friendly and made us feel welcome. We certainly enjoyed chatting with him about Chicago Dogs. This is definitely a place you need to visit to get the feel of a real Chicago hot dog joint.

We obviously really loved Dog Day Afternoon. We appreciate a place that really understands how to put together a fantastic Chicago Dog. You're not gonna find too many places that will put a smile on your face for $2.71, and that includes fries.

The Charhouse Grill is on the corner of Oakton St and Austin Ave. I am not sure how long they have been at that location, but they were not there when I went to Niles West High School which is just across the street. It certainly would have been nice to have a hot dog place within walking distance of school.

The Charhouse has an extensive menu and offers typical Chicago fare such as Chicago Dogs, Polish Sausage, Italian Beef and Gyros. They also have everything in between including burgers, salads, chicken, steaks and fish. Under the title of "Doggies" the Charhouse offers 7 or so hot dog choices. They even serve breakfast.

The inside of the place looks like a typical modern fast-food restaurant and has ample tables and booths as well as a few picnic tables outside.

The Charhouse is known for their "Buy one hot dog, get one free!" deal. I ordered two Chicago Style Hot Dogs with everything on them, including Sport Peppers. There is a sign telling you that you need to ask for sport peppers. After a short wait, my dogs were ready.

The Vienna dogs were served on a steamed poppy seed bun, and on first glance, they both looked the part. The pickle and hot dog were excellent, but they used standard green relish. I always prefer the look and sweeter taste of the neon green relish. Unfortunately, celery salt was nowhere to be found. The quantity of yellow mustard and chopped onions was perfect and three sport peppers and two ripe tomato slices rounded out the dog. The sport peppers leaned towards "hot", but they looked and tasted great. In the end, two sport peppers would have sufficed.

Overall, the Charhouse Grill makes a great Chicago Dog and I was glad that I had two. They have decent prices and their menu has something for everyone, including Kids. They are open everyday except Sunday.

Compared to the typical dive, Bob-O's has a look and feel that appears to be pretty upscale. Although they have been around since 1960, the white stucco building looks fairly new. The building isn't very big and all of their inside seating consists of stools and shelf seating along the perimeter. Outside, there are many picnic tables, complete with Vienna branded umbrellas.

We were getting a good vibe, so our expectations were high. We ordered up our dogs and waited. Oh, we waited and waited. We were starting to wonder if they had to make the dogs by hand. After about 15 minutes, our dogs finally arrived...which was interesting since we were not there during peak time and the crowd was pretty small.

Our Chicago Dog certainly looked the part and was served on a Mary Ann bun. All the fixin's were there except for poppy seeds. The skinless Vienna was very good and the neon green relish was great. The tomatoes were thickly sliced and there was a satisfying amount of coarsely chopped onions. Bob-O's definition of "Everything" includes mustard, relish, onion, tomato and pickle. You'll have to request sport peppers and celery salt, since they're not applied by default. Overall, everything was great. Our only complaint was the excessive amount of mustard. Also, the pickle spear was more on the sour dill side of the spectrum.

We enjoyed our Bob-O's dog and it serves as a good baseline of a typical Chicago Dog. Bob-O's has quite a large menu for a hot dog joint. Burgers, chicken, polish, Italian beef, tacos, chili and more...they have it all. On top of all that, they also feature hand cut fries which are included with every dog. Just remember, Bob-O's only accepts cash, so leave the plastic at home. They also have no public restroom and charge anywhere from 10 to 40 cents for a cup of water, depending on the size.

We first heard about America's Dog years ago when they opened at Navy Pier. On our recent trip, we visited one of their four Chicago locations. Watch for the opening of their new location at O'Hare.

America's Dog is built on the concept of the many regional dogs across the United States. The last time we checked, they had 18 specialty dogs. Their slogan is "Taste the Best From East to West". We were tempted to try a dog from a different region, but we had to stick to our mission.

We ordered the Chicago dog and hoped the guy behind the counter wasn't going to give us something crazy from LA or Boston. Our worries were calmed when the dog arrived. It definitely looked the part and we were anxious to see if it tasted the part as well.

America's Dog uses standard sweet relish on their Chicago dogs instead of the neon green stuff we love. The taste was fine, it just didn't make for as nice of a picture as we hoped. The dog was a standard skinless Vienna. The pickle and sports were top notch. The onions were coarsely chopped and two tomato slices and celery salt rounded out the dog. Our only complaint was with the mustard. It was applied a bit too heavy, which caused the steamed poppy seed bun to become a little soggy.

Overall, we liked our Chicago dog and recommend that you give America's Dog a try. It's a little pricier than most, coming in at six bucks, but includes fries and a drink. You're not gonna get that typical hot dog joint ambiance at America's Dog since it really has more of a fast food, corporate feel to it. However, you will get a mind blowing number of interesting options, if you want to try some regional favorites. They have plenty of tables and booths inside, as well as a bunch of umbrella tables/chairs outside. Besides hot dogs, they also serve a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and wraps. You can even get a fried Twinky for dessert.

Jeff's Red Hots turned out to be the place that broke down some barriers for us. One thing we've realized after doing countless dog reviews is that you really need to examine what "the works" consists of for a given hot dog joint. Normally, we do our ingredient pre-check with the person behind the counter, but for some reason we didn't feel the need to do so at Jeff's.

Jeff's idea of the "the works" is a fairly typical Chicago Style Dog, but with the addition of sauerkraut. I was a little worried about Mitch, because unlike me, he didn't grow up eating bratwurst and doing the polka.

The dog arrived quickly and looked great. On first glance, celery salt was nowhere to be found. The 6/1 natural cased Vienna was a beauty and everything else was on this puppy, including the previously mentioned sauerkraut. Like we said, this dog was going to break down some barriers for us. We're not gonna propose that the Chicago Dog spec be revised, but I (Kevin) actually liked how the kraut enhanced THIS dog. It was quality kraut that had some crunch and wasn't too sloppy. The kraut added a little sweetness to the dog that really enhanced it's flavor. Although Mitch carefully picked off every last bit of sauerkraut, he did hesitantly agree that it did add a unique sweet flavor to the dog.

Everything about the Jeff's dog was great, with the high points being the excellent Vienna dog and perfect pickle. The peppers were a little on the hot side, but they were the right size and texture. The mustard was a little heavy, but not enough to screw the pooch. The standard relish was good as well as the steamed poppy seed bun and red ripe tomatoes.

Although we normally wouldn't recommend going off the rails with Chicago Dog ingredients, I (Kevin) think you should definitely try Jeff's take on the Chicago classic at least once. Mitch recommends you that you order the Chicago Dog sans sauerkraut.

We have to admit that we were really starting to wonder if we were ever going to taste a Gold Coast dog. Every time we tried to locate one, the place was either no longer at that location or we couldn't find it...even with our trusted TomTom GPS. After much searching, we can finally say that we have visited Gold Coast Dogs.

The Gold Coast we visited was located in a small strip mall, where the interior space is shared with two other fast food chain restaurants. As we approached the counter, we knew we were going to have to throw ambiance out the window, but we figured we still had a good shot at a decent dog. We ordered a char dog with the works and watched it sizzle on the grill.

The dog looked good even though the ingredients were strewn about the the bun. It kind of looked like a jumbled mess, but hey, this isn't a beauty contest. A Gold Coast standard is to split the ends of the hot dog prior to grilling. This gives their dogs a unique look that kind of reminds us of a butterfly. The dog was charred to perfection and all the toppings that transform a hot dog into a Chicago Style Dog were present. The poppy seed bun was good and held up pretty well under the stress of the sloppily applied mustard and the other hap-hazardly placed ingredients. Our dog had two excellent bun length pickle spears. Kudos to Gold Coast Dogs for including more than one pickle. We would love to see more establishments do this. The diced onions, neon green relish, sliced tomatoes and sport peppers were all good, but nothing stood out from the crowd.

The dog itself had a nice "beefy" flavor and all of the ingredients blended well together. Overall, we enjoyed our Gold Coast dog, which was no small feat, since it was the last official stop of our 12 scheduled reviews (that day). We haven't been to any of their other locations, but the Howard Street Gold Coast Dogs is not the place to go if you're seeking ambiance and surroundings that invoke conversation while kicking back with some friends and a few dogs. However, they do deliver a good Chicago dog that is perfect when you're on the run or want to bring something back to the office, or home.

Franksville has been around since 1964 and is another one of those places that has more of a fast food feel than a true Chicago hot dog stand. Plastic is gladly accepted and service is friendly.

Mitch was excited to visit Franksville because he vaguely remembers his regular visits to Franksville as a kid. A long time ago, back in the day when Mitch probably put ketchup on a dog, there was a Franksville located at the corner of Waukegan Rd and Golf Rd in Glenview (the current location of Kraft Foods Corporate Headquarters). He can't tell you anything about the dogs, but he never forgot the engineer on the sign riding the hot dog train.

Franksville has a vast menu and offers 10 combo meals. We ordered our Chicago Dog and received it without sport peppers. A quick trip to the counter resolved the issue and we were off and running.

The skinless dog had excellent flavor and was nice and juicy. We were also happy to see a generous amount of neon green relish, which was expertly applied to the dog. Mustard was in great proportion to the other toppings and two, thick and juicy tomato slices rested on top of the dog. We also appreciated the fact that the dog came with two pickle spears that were top quality, providing excellent flavor and crunch to the overall dog experience. The dog was served on a standard bun and was also missing celery salt. These MIA requirements would punish Franksville's DOGS score.

Overall we really liked our Franksville dog. The dog was put together nicely and sure looked colorful and tasty. The atmosphere was more family oriented than the typical hot dog stand. Franksville was inducted into the Vienna Hall of Fame in 2006. If you're looking for a decent dog and don't need the ambiance of a hot dog joint, Franksville is a good choice.

Many of our site visitors have recommended Hot Doug's. We had every intention of doing a review during our trip last year, but things didn't work out, since Doug broke his leg and had to close the place for a few weeks. Anyway, we were determined to get to visit Hot Doug's on our latest visit.

There was a long line out the door when we visited Hot Doug's at about 2 PM on a Friday afternoon. The crowd was pretty diverse...from trendy to blue-collar, old and young alike. While we waited, we chatted it up with our new friends and nobody around us had ever visited Hot Doug's, but they all heard great things. We waited patiently for about 30 minutes before we reached the inside of the place. The decor is visually stimulating and their color scheme is based on the primary colors. The walls were adorned with great stuff. There were quotes about sausage, pictures, and all sorts of interesting things to keep your senses occupied as you gradually made your way to the counter. How can you not smile when you see a quote on the wall that says "There are no two finer words in the English language than, 'encased meats,' my friend". Doug must have a wicked sense of humor. We're pretty sure Doug is the primary reason this place is so popular. How can you not like this guy? He graciously greeted each customer, chatted with them, took their order, and never showed a hint of agitation...not a small task considering the mass of people moving through this place. We were told that the long lines are normal on Friday and Saturday. Could the lines be related to the "duck fat fries", which are only served on those two days?...more on that later.

We ordered up a charred Chicago Style Dog, but I (Kevin) botched the order since I didn't realize that sport peppers and raw onions were in the "optional" category until our order arrived. This dog came standard with mustard, neon green relish, caramelized onions, tomatoes, pickle, and celery salt. The staff was nice enough to bring us some sports to top the dog, but it was too late to go with the raw onions. If you pay close attention, you may actually see the sign that indicates what "Everything" includes.

The dog was a natural cased Vienna that was charred to perfection. The dog was crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle and had excellent flavor. The pickle and relish were good, but nothing else really stood out on the dog. The fried onions didn't jive with the other ingredients, but again, that was our fault. The mustard was applied a tad too heavy in our opinion, which was most likely the root cause of the soggy poppy seed bun.

We also tried the infamous duck fat fries and one of Doug's specialty items - the Apple-Habaကero Chicken Sausage with Lime-Ancho Mayonnaise and Chipotle-Jack Cheese. The fries were a little soggy for our tastes, but they were definitely hand cut and fresh. The chicken sausage was a nice diversion. There are a number of interesting sausage combinations on Doug's menu and he changes it up occasionally, so you should be able to find something that peaks your interest. There is plenty of inside seating and they even have some outdoor tables along the side of the building.

We enjoyed our trip to Hot Doug's more for the experience than the Chicago Dog. Keep in mind that although we ordered a Chicago Dog, this is NOT what this place is known for. The veritable shagri-la of sausage choices is where Hot Doug's really stands out from the rest. You owe it to yourself to check this place out; just don't expect to be blown away by their Chicago Dog. Don't forget to request the raw onions and the sport peppers.

We arrived at The Dogfather at about 10:40 AM Friday morning. They had only been open for 10 minutes, so we were surprised that we weren't the first customers of the day. This was the official start to our ambitious day of trying to review as many places as possible.

The Dogfather is located in a strip mall. As we pulled into the lot, one of the first things we noticed was a neon Red Hot Chicago sign in the front window. Although we don't always have the opportunity to eat Red Hot Chicago brand dogs, we certainly enjoy them when we get the chance.

The interior is spacious and bright. The yellow and red painted walls reminded us of the official "Hot Dog Chicago Style" colors.

We ordered our dog and sat in one of the many booths. Seating is very plentiful and if you prefer shelf seating, you can enjoy your dog while sitting on a classic round stool reminiscent of a traditional hot dog joint. Although we rarely mention bathrooms in our reviews, you owe it to yourself to check out the bathroom. The men's bathroom walls are adorned with various pictures depicting the last supper with Tony Soprano and various other TV and movie mob bosses. We can only wonder about the theme in the women's bathroom.

The dog was nicely put together and had all the expected ingredients. Unfortunately, there was no neon green relish; only the standard pale green relish. The skinless Red Hot Chicago dog was excellent, quite tasty and juicy. Other high points were the pickle, which was bun length and had a great taste and crunch. The steamed poppy seed bun was very good. Mustard and celery salt were applied on the light side, but the amount of onions were appropriate. Lastly, the two sport peppers were a little too hot and overpowered the other ingredients, but overall the dog was pretty good.

We'd recommend the Dogfather. It's not one of the top Chicago Dogs we've ever had, but we still enjoyed it. The Dogfather also serves Gyros, hamburgers, chicken and a nice assortment of deep fried goodness. The Chicago dog runs $1.85.

Relish the Thought is another Chicago hot dog establishment that has embraced the Red Hot Chicago brand of hot dogs. Although some people may not be as familiar with this brand, we've come to expect a great dog from the places serving a Red Hot Chicago dog.

The inside of Relish the Thought is more spacious than a typical hot dog spot. There's booth seating and plenty of room to move around. There's even an ATM in house and a pinball machine to keep you occupied while you wait for your food. As we approached the counter, we were pleasantly greeted by the man behind the counter. He noticed Kevin's "No Ketchup" T-shirt and assured us he would never deface a dog in that way.

We ordered a char dog with all the fixings and noticed that this was a place that had quite a few regulars, since the guy behind the counter had a pretty good idea what people wanted before they placed their order.

When our dog arrived it looked great, but had a couple of missing ingredients, namely a poppy seed bun and neon green relish. The bun was still good, and the standard sweet relish didn't detract too much from the overall taste, but the DOGS score would take a little bit of a hit on this one. We really loved the hot dog and the fact that the celery salt was perfectly applied. The dog was charred to perfection, was juicy and the ends were "butterflied" just the way we like it. All the other ingredients were good, with the exception of the sport peppers. They were too tough and hot in our opinion.

We really enjoyed Relish the Thought. The dog was solid and was obviously not just thrown together, but assembled with a decent amount of care and thought. We recommend you visit this fine establishment if you find yourself in the area. We're certain you won't be disappointed, as long as you bring your own peppers.

Underdogg is located in the basement of Flash Taco and both establishments are owned by the same person. We love the name and really got a kick out of the artwork of a dog crashing through the brick wall while holding onto a hot dog and a drink. The phrase, "There's no need to fear" was busily coursing through our heads. We arrived at Underdogg at 3:30 pm and the place was pretty much deserted...not too surprising for that time of day, but we hear that they do a phenomenal late-night bar-time crowd. Anyway, we approached the counter and ordered a Chicago classic and requested it charred. The service was a bit slower than most places (especially since the place was empty), but we were willing to stick it out for a char dog.

When the dog arrived, it looked pretty decent, except the mustard was applied a little too heavy at times and was squirted on top of all the other ingredients, a bit of a no-no in our book. We prefer the mustard applied sparingly and directly to the dog. The dog itself tasted good, but appeared to be smaller than most of the other dogs we typically encounter during our reviews. The dog size caused the other ingredients to take over the dog, since there wasn't a whole lotta meat on this pup. The bun was excellent, providing plenty of poppy seeds and staying structurally sound. We were also delighted to see neon green relish. There wasn't anything else that stood out on this dog. Our only real complaint (other than the mustard mishap) was with the tomatoes. They were "mealy" and on the mushy side. This was hopefully more of a seasonal issue.

We didn't regret our trip to Underdogg, but it left us underwhelmed. The place just didn't have a whole lot of character for a hot dog joint and the dog was smack dab in the middle of the pack. The painting on the wall was interesting and a nice touch, but there wasn't anything magical about this place. We'd recommend Underdogg, but wouldn't go out of our way to seek them out. Their crinkle cut fries were good, but like the dog, they didn't stand out from the crowd.

So, who is Wilbur? Step inside and you will instantly make the connection that the name is a reference to Wilbur Wright. Wilbur's Red Hots resembles more of a family restaurant than a hot dog joint. This airplane-themed restaurant has planes hanging from above, and ceiling fans that look like the a plane propeller. The inside is brightly colored and there's ample seating, consisting of both tables and booths.

We walked up to the counter, ordered our Chicago Dog and patiently waited. The dog looked pretty decent upon arrival. It was a 6/1 natural cased Vienna, so we had high hopes. The dog itself was excellent. The bun was missing poppy seeds and celery salt was no where to be found. The application of the mustard was applied directly to the bun and the thin mealy tomato slices certainly didn't help raise the DOGS score. The pickle was good and more on the cucumbery side, so it really could have benefited from a dash of celery salt to balance things out. Overall the dog was good.

Wilbur's is located in a strip mall a mere couple of blocks away from Wright College. Parking is very limited. We tried in vain to find a spot in the lot and ended up parking on a nearby residential street. Wilbur's is open M-F from 10-9, Saturday 10-8 and Sunday 11-7. The places that serve an authentic, 6-1, natural cased Vienna are a dying breed, so take a trip out to Wilbur's before the asteroid hits.

With a name like "Wrigleysville Dog", we honestly weren't that excited to conduct one of the last of 14 reviews of the day. We were expecting a tourist trap with overpriced and underdressed dogs, but we were pleasantly surprised after tasting a dog from this place.

Wrigleysville Dog is a short hop from Wrigley Field and has more than ample parking in the rear. There isn't any shelf seating, but there's plenty of seating both inside and out. They don't accept plastic, but there's an ATM in the building, so you don't have to worry about being turned away.

Wrigleysville doesn't offer a char dog as an option, so we ordered a traditional Chicago Style dog for $1.99. Service was friendly and extremely quick. We had our dog in no time...in fact, we barely had time to put away our change before the dog arrived.

The skinless dog was perfectly cooked. It was nice and juicy and had a great flavor. A few requirements were missing, namely the poppy seed bun and celery salt. We were ok with that, since the dog itself had such an excellent taste, but the DOGS score was going to suffer a little on this one. The pickle spear was excellent and the sport peppers were spot on. The relish wasn't the nice neon green stuff, but still tasted pretty good. The dog had 3 thick Roma slices, which were decent, but not outstanding.

We enjoyed our dog at Wrigleysville Dog and would definately return for another. Don't be turned off by the name or location, since the service is fast and friendly and the dog will leave you craving another, even if you already had 12 or so preceding it.

Dear Franks is another establishment that resides in a strip mall, although once you open the door you'd never know it. This location is where the now defunct U Dawg U was located. The interior black and red color scheme is heavily influenced by the Chicago Bulls team colors and a lot of Chicago memorabilia adorns the walls. Seating choices consist of tables and shelf seating with classic red round stools. The staff is very friendly and best of all, they offer a char dog.

As we ordered our char dog we were asked by the cook if we wanted to "go jumbo". After a "no thank you", the guy appeared to question our manhood, but it was all in fun. We were glad to see this guy definitely wanted us to have the best dog possible.

The dog took a little longer than expected to arrive and almost everything was to specification. The Mary Anne poppy seed bun wasn't steamed and the tomato slices were not very ripe. Standard relish was used instead of our favorite neon green relish. The relish was good, but was applied a little too lightly. Our dog had a nice flavor, but the outside was a little tough to chew through. The sport peppers had a slight sour after-taste, but this did not affect overall taste of the dog.

Although there were a few minor issues with our dog, we did enjoy our visit and recommend the char dog.

The Works has been in business at the same location (Talisman Village) since 1978. You have to be doing something right to survive (in this cut-throat business) that long, so I had high expectations for their Chicago Dog, but came away a little disappointed in the end.

From the outside, it is pretty clear that their specialties are Gyros and Dogs. It's my guess that they are more well known for their Gyros. Inside, I was welcomed by several Vienna Beef signs and the familiar ambiance you expect when visiting a place that serves Chicago Hot Dogs. Their extensive menu has several hot dog choices, but does not specifically mention a Chicago Dog. I asked for a Chicago Dog with everything on it and also ordered a basket of fries.

When my dog arrived, the first thing I noticed was the missing sport peppers. I brought my dog back to the counter and asked if they had any. The guy behind the counter promptly grabbed 5 gigantic sport peppers and added them to my dog. These peppers were the biggest I have ever seen and unfortunately, some of the hottest I ever tasted. Their heat overpowered the other ingredients.

At first glance, the Chicago Dog looked pretty good. However, upon further scrutiny, there was no celery salt and the relish was the standard sweet pickle relish. Standard relish contains a lot of liquid and a typical side-effect is a soggy bun. The poppy seed bun was soggy and started to fall apart while eating my dog. On a positive note, the pickle spear was excellent. It filled the length of the bun, had a nice crunch and tasted great. My only comment is that the pickle was so huge, it was difficult to keep wedged into the bun. The onions were coarsely chopped and three thick tomato slices rounded out the ingredients.

Overall, my Chicago Dog was good, but I always expect more from places in the Chicago area because there are so many great places all within a short distance of each other. An exceptional Chicago Dog is a perfect balance between the toppings. My Chicago Dog from The Works fell short of my expectations and did not balance the toppings well. My dog certainly wasn't bad, but better options exist.

We arrived at Byron's Hot Dog Haus tired at the end of a long day where we reviewed 13 Chicago dog establishments in the previous 8+ hours. Most folks might call it a day, but we're professionals and always have room for one more dog.

As you walk into Byron's you're greeted by a friendly staff and a plethora of options. Should I get the jumbo dog or standard dog? Do I want to deface my dog with lettuce? The choices are endless, but we had to stay focused. If you order a dog with the works, it will include the standard ingredients (mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers, pickles and celery salt) in addition to lettuce, cucumbers and green peppers. We specified the sanctioned Chicago dog ingredients and waited for our masterpiece to be assembled.

Seating in Byron's is plush by Chicago hot dog joint standards. There's plenty of space and you have a choice of either tables or booths. Byron's proudly serves Vienna brand dogs and is a member of the Vienna Hall of Fame.

The best part of our Chicago dog was the dog itself. The skinless Vienna was cooked perfectly and had excellent flavor and texture. The pickles were decent, but were sliced cross wise, instead of the traditional spear. This upsets the balance of the entire dog, since you won't necessarily get the proper blending of ingredients with every bite. The peppers had a reddish tint, which made for a nice picture, but it didn't make them taste any better, since they were a little tough and unremarkable. The dog had two tomato slices, but the tomato wasn't very ripe and didn't add much flavor to the experience. The dog had plenty of mustard and neon green relish was in abundance, both major pluses in our book. Celery salt was applied, but on the light side. The bun was good, but was missing poppy seeds.

We'd recommend a Byron's dog, but keep your eye on the staff and let them know that lettuce is not acceptable on a Chicago dog. Overall, the dog was good, despite a few minor flaws with a couple of the ingredients.

Lucky Dog is not your typical small, hot dog place. It's reminiscent of a fast food chain, so there's tons of food choices and plastic is accepted. The first thing we noticed on our visit was that the drive-thru was doing a brisk business, even though it was pushing 1:30 pm.

The interior of Lucky Dog is spacious, bright and more closely resembles a McDonald's than a hot dog joint. There's plenty of seating, with a variety of tables and booths. No shelf seating in this establishment. A myriad of Vienna posters and signs line the walls.

We ordered a loaded dog with crinkle cut fries, which costs $2.25. Not a bad deal for the suburbs. The dog arrived pretty quickly, but was missing sport peppers. A quick trip to the counter resolved that issue, but looking back at it we really should have brought our own.

The skinless dog was alright, but there were some ingredients that didn't help the cause. The sport peppers were absolutely toxic, easily overpowering the other ingredients. One, thick, unremarkable tomato slice was centered over the dog. A very light application of mustard was on the dog and the standard green relish was applied on the light side as well. If the toppings weren't applied so sparsely to this puppy, it would have rated much higher. Celery salt was absent, but the poppy seed bun was steamed. The best part of the dog was the pickle spear. It wasn't in our top tier, but had a nice taste and excellent crunch.

Overall we're recommending this dog but we're teetering between a cautious "Yes" and "Better options exist". It's obvious when you pull into the parking lot that you're not going to get much ambiance at this place, but we'd stop in if we had a long day and needed a quick fix.

Parse's is another place that really looks the part of a classic hot dog joint. Based on the looks of this place, we had high hopes. The inside is pretty sparse (no pun intended). The only seating inside is a couple of red picnic tables. There are also three picnic tables outside with umbrellas.

Parses serves a jumbo, skinless Vienna all beef dog as well as a "Parse's dog", which contains both beef and pork. We ordered the authentic version and watched as the kid behind the counter played mad scientist with the condiments. We were a little perplexed as he used tongs to align the tomato and placed two pickle slices and three sport peppers to the side before wrapping up the dog. We didn't want to upset the ritual, so we stood by and curiously watched.

When we got our dog, the first thing we did was put the pickle spears and sport peppers in their rightful places. After our minor adjustment, it looked more like a properly made Chicago Dog. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and had a nice deep color. Visually, the Chicago dog looked pretty impressive, but looks can be deceiving. Things went downhill once we looked under the hood. The steamed poppy seed bun was good, but unfortunately they ruined it by adding the mustard directly to the bun. The excessive amount of chopped onions made them a feature, instead of a bit player. The sports were closer to atomic than complimentary. The pickles looked great, but didn't have the traditional crunch and had a rubbery texture. The standard relish was good and was applied in the right proportion. It was interesting that they even bothered to add celery salt. There isn't much point since traditionally the celery salt is the last ingredient added and it's main job is to give the pickle or cucumber a little lift.

Overall, the dog was ho hum and we were disappointed. The taste was ok, but the many issues were a deal breaker for us. Maybe we just stopped by on a bad day. With a few changes, there is potential for Parse's to serve a top dog. They also serve typical standard fare such as Italian beef and polish sausage as well as ice cream, shakes, malts and Italian ice.

Red Hot Ranch is another typical hot dog stand. The building is small and the seating is mostly limited to four bright red picnic tables outside, but there is a shelf inside you can stand at.

The Ranch, as we like to call it, serves up an authentic Vienna, natural cased dog along with hand cut fries, which are wrapped with the dog. Their menu is limited and only contains a hot dog, polish and french fried shrimp as their featured items. The menu indicates that the only available dog toppings are mustard, relish, onion and peppers.

We ordered up a dog and hoped for the best. It was early evening, so it wasn't very busy, and our dog arrived pretty quickly. The steamed bun was excellent, but lacked poppy seeds. Although the dog had a casing, it lacked flavor. We're thinking that maybe we got one that was overcooked. Our dog had chopped onions, standard relish, mustard and two sport peppers. Each of the toppings were pretty good individually. However, the amount of mustard was excessive and the relish was watery. Combine the two and you're left with a soggy bun and quite a mess.

We already knew that there would be no pickle spear, tomatoes or celery salt. Although we prefer the full compliment of toppings, we're fine with a few omissions, especially if the dog itself is stellar. However, since the dog was average at best, we left a little disappointed.

Red Hot Ranch is quite a deal at three bucks for a dog and their excellent fries.

Hot Diggity Dog sits on prime real estate in Downtown Chicago and is surrounded by high-rise buildings. This classic looking hot dog joint looks a little out of place, but has been a downtown icon for many years.

Since Hot Diggity Dog looks like a great place for a dog, our anticipation was running high. The only obstacle in our way was parking. As you probably already know, parking in this part of town is difficult, especially if you are just stopping by for a dog. After figuring out that we would not find any nearby parking, we decided to drop Kevin off and circle around the block while he procured our dog.

Hot Diggity Dog is a tiny place, but seems bigger on the inside for some strange reason. The counter is raised up so you have a good 4 feet or so to overcome to make eye contact and place your order. There is limited shelf dining and they may have some seasonal outdoor seating. This was one of the quickest assembly jobs we've witnessed. The dog came flying out just as I was putting my change back and keeping a lookout for my ride. After getting picked up, we pulled the car into a no parking zone, quickly unwrapped the dog and took our first bites.

Overall, the dog was average at best. This dog didn't come on a poppy seed bun and standard relish was used. The sport peppers broke all three of our rules: too big, too tough, and too atomic. However, the pickle spear was good and there was plenty of celery salt. Unfortunately, there really was nothing memorable about this dog to make it stand out in the crowd and cause our taste buds to crave another.

We won't go as far as to not recommend the Chicago Dog from Hot Diggity Dog, but we're sure there are better options nearby.

We had high hopes for Wolfy's, since they've been serving Chicago dogs since 1967 and have survived the test of time; at least that's what we thought.

The building interior has some nice pictures on the walls featuring the hot dog. One of our favorites was the classic American Gothic painting with a dog on the farmer's pitchfork and a shake in the woman's hand. The counter is right in your face as you walk in and the place has the classic "bolted to the floor" seating. The vibe felt right as we got in line and ordered up our dog. We somehow missed the char dog option on the menu and only realized this after the guy behind us specified his as such. We were kicking ourselves, but how could we go wrong in a place that has been serving dogs for such a long time?

Our Chicago dog arrived and we were initially impressed with the presentation...it sure looked the part. Upon further examination, we were put off by the dog itself. It looked bad and had a funky smell. This dog was really overcooked. It was extremely mushy, but somehow we found the inner strength to still eat it. We didn't think it was possible to turn a natural cased dog into something soft and spongy, but that was certainly the case for this one. Everything else on the dog was pretty decent, with the exception of the sport peppers, which overpowered the other toppings. The excellent neon green relish was the best part of this dog. The thick sliced tomato was decent and the steamed poppy seed bun tasted fine and held things together appropriately. The oversized, mild pickle spear could have been so much more, but it didn't detract from the dog. The only ingredient that killed this dog was the dog itself.

Our main regret is that we didn't order a char dog. We doubt it would have been mushy and we probably would have had an excellent experience. As it stands, we can't in good conscience recommend Wolfy's. Execution is a vital factor in the dog experience and this pup got misplaced in the electric chair. We will have to stop by another time and see if things improve.

Al's Italian Beef is a little place located at the end of a strip mall. We would describe the interior as upscale for a fast food restaurant and reminiscent of a sports bar. The seating is ample and consists of tables and booths. The obvious specialty is Italian Beef, but we were there for the Chicago dog.

We ordered a Chicago Style dog for $2.19 and had it in hand in no time. The dog had a casing and overshot the bun by a half inch or so. Even though the dog was decent sized, it didn't have much going for it. The flavor wasn't anything special and it was slightly rubbery. The rest of the dog was no walk in the park. Although the large pickle spear was excellent, celery salt was absent, a cardinal sin in our book. Two thin tomato slices topped the dog and the onions and the standard relish were on the sparse side. The worst part of the dog was definitely the sport peppers. The oversized peppers looked the part and had the right amount of heat, but they tasted vinegary and had a sour after taste. Lastly, the steamed poppy seed bun looked pretty good, but disintegrated into a pile of mush as we ate the dog.

We can't recommend the Chicago dog at Al's Italian Beef. Better options certainly exist, especially since Niles has a fair number of dog places in the near vicinity. Although their Chicago dog was not a hit, the Italian Beef sandwich looked pretty good. As they say, "When in Rome"

We were in Chicago for a Fire game and grabbed a dog at Kombs on the way to Toyota Park. Kombs is located in a nice looking brick building that is part of a little strip mall. The inside is very clean and inviting and there are plenty of tables and booths available. The walls contain all kinds of Chicago related items, including a picture of Al Capone. There is a poster of Michael Jordan, and pictures and signs of Chicago sports teams such as the Bears and Cubs. There are also 2 flat panel TVs to keep you entertained while you eat.

According to their signage, they serve Vienna brand hot dogs. We ordered some Chicago Dogs and my wife ordered a steak sandwich. The dog itself was good, but was smaller in size as compared to other hot dog places. Although the bun was an S Rosen's, it lacked poppy seeds. There didn't appear to be much mustard since it was conservatively applied directly to the bun and was quickly absorbed. The standard relish was also lightly applied so it didn't add much to the overall flavor. The chopped onions were good and so was the pickle spear. There was a tomato slice on the dog, but it was so thin, it didn't add much either. The sport peppers were excellent and had right amount of heat and flavor. As a bonus, there was a cucumber slice, but unfortunately, no celery salt was applied to enhance the flavor of the cucumber and complete the package.

Overall, our Chicago Dog experience at Kombs was not too bad, but it was certainly nothing to write home about. There is definitely room for improvement. Squirting the mustard on the dog, using neon green relish and the application of celery salt are three simple improvements that would change their rating to "recommended". My wife enjoyed her steak sandwich very much and a customer at the next table was eating a good looking Italian Beef. They also serve great crinkle cut fries.

We happened to stumble across Johnnie's while on the way to another review. It looked like a place that would have a great dog, so we instinctively pulled into the lot and got down to business.

The inside was mostly consumed by the kitchen area although there is a shelf along the windows for your dining pleasure. There are also some tables outside and some benches out front.

One of the first things we noticed about Johnnie's was that it was a busy place. The line extended well past the door when we arrived around noon on a Friday. It was also apparent that you better have your act together before you get to the counter at this place. Service was brisk and the people behind the counter were a model of efficiency. Don't even think about using plastic in this place...cash only.

We noticed a majority of the people were ordering Italian Beef and Italian sausages, so we were crossing our fingers that they also had a great dog. We ordered a dog with everything (including fries) for $1.69 and hoped for the best.

The dog arrived pretty quickly and it was immediately apparent that this was not a true Chicago Style dog. We were missing a slew of ingredients such as tomatoes, sport peppers, pickles and celery salt. Johnnie's doesn't serve the neon green relish, nor do they offer a poppy seed bun. Like we always say, this will greatly affect the DOGS numbers, but we still had hope that the dog would be good. The fries were decent, but nothing you couldn't find at, dare we say, McDonald's.

The skinless dog was decent, but nothing to write home about. The biggest problem we had with the dog was that the bun was soggy, probably because the relish was runny. The dog, along with the mustard, onions and standard relish just couldn't overcome the absence of those key ingredients that make it Chicago Style.

We realize, after the fact, that Johnnie's is not really a hot dog joint, since Italian beef and sausages is the name of their game. If you visit Johnnie's, skip the dog and order an Italian Beef, sweet and wet. Some call their Italian beef sandwiches "the best of the best". Overall, we can't recommend the dog, but are curious about their featured items, so I guess we'll have to save that for another trip.

Gene's and Jude's (known as Gene and Jude's) is a name that consistently comes up whenever there's any discussion about the best Chicago hot dog joints. We've received numerous emails and have been told by at least one visitor that our reviews are meaningless unless we take a trip to Gene and Jude's and give them their rightful place on the mantel. Anyway, we can't even begin to describe our excitement as we headed for this popular spot. We already knew ahead of time that they do not serve Chicago Dogs with all the toppings we love, but we still wanted to discover what is so magical about this place and why some refer to Gene & Jude's as the "White Castle" of hot dogs.

We arrived at Gene and Jude's slightly before the lunch rush, but things were picking up. The outside of the building is exactly what you'd expect for a classic hot dog dive, small, unassuming, and neglect for the cosmetic appeal. The first thing you notice as you walk in the door is a battered sign that reads "STOP - Order food and move on". You gotta love a place that spells it out for you like that. Don't even think about using anything but cash in this place. There is not any seating, but there are some shelves for you belly-up to while eating your dog. From the outside, Gene & Jude's is inviting, but on the inside, the ambiance is non-existent.

Our first indication that things may take a turn for the worse was when the staff was more passionate about preventing photography instead of focusing on building a decent dog. We had our camera ready to capture our visit when one of the guys behind the counter told us that we couldn't take any photos. When asked if he was serious, he stated that the owner does not allow photographs of the inside. Why? Who knows? The guy behind us in line jokingly said, "it's probably because their worried about health inspectors showing up". After ordering a couple of dogs, we respected their wishes and headed outside.

The Gene and Jude's dog is what some call the Southside Chi Dog. It doesn't have tomatoes, pickles, celery salt or a poppy seed bun. This dog consisted of a natural cased all beef dog on a plain bun with mustard, onions, and standard pickle relish. You're not going to get any "exotics" in this place. This dog probably wouldn't fare too well with the DOGS score, but we were still excited, since we've heard so many good things about this place and figured it had to be something special to pull it off with so few ingredients.

The all beef natural cased dog had decent snap, good flavor, but it wasn't anything special. It had an overly chewy texture we didn't care for. The sport peppers looked the part, but were tough and ended up being pitched. The dog was heavy on the mustard and onions. We like the fact that Gene and Jude's make fresh cut fries on the spot. They wrap the dog and the fries together. Their greasy fries weren't anything special and made the bun soggy. On a positive note, don't even think about asking for ketchup because you won't get it. We don't even think they have it on the premises. I have heard rumors that if you want ketchup, you need to go buy it from the neighboring McDonald's for twenty-five cents a packet.

Overall, we were really disappointed by Gene and Jude's. We're convinced it's another case of a place that's been living on reputation and memories from years gone by just a little too long. A dog and fries run $1.90, so maybe you get what you pay for. The dog wasn't memorable and we certainly weren't thinking of having another while working on the first. It's possible we caught them on a bad day, but we can't in good conscience recommend Gene and Jude's since better options most certainly exist.

We've heard mixed reviews about George's Hot Dogs, but we had high hopes for this place. They've been in business for a long time, they're a classic mom and pop operation and they have a great location.

We ordered a Chicago dog with the works and when it arrived, it had a series of serious flaws. The dog itself was rubbery, watery and didn't have any noticeable beef flavor. It appeared to be overcooked. It is obviously difficult to get a good rating when the all-important dog doesn't make the cut. The sweet relish was not the neon green variety and was very watery. Although the onions were good, the dog was overloaded with them. The application of the mustard was too heavy and focused on the bun instead of the dog. The excess mustard and the watery relish caused the inevitable structural failure of the bun, producing a soggy mess. A standard bun without poppy seeds was used, and celery salt was no where to be found. The pickle was excellent, the tomato was fresh and the sport peppers had good flavor. However, these positives couldn't make up for the failure of the rest of the ingredients.

We were really disappointed with George's and cannot recommend their Chicago Dog at this time. They have an extensive food menu and their shakes looked pretty good. There is ample seating inside and even some tables outside. The inside decor was sparse and didn't exactly scream "Hot Dog Joint", but there were some Chicago Dog posters on the walls. As a touch of class, each table had a vase of dried flowers.

So the story goes, Duks was previously known as Donald Duck's, but Disney put a stop to that. I am not sure why Disney would feel threatened by a small hot dog establishment, but hey, that's why we have lawyers. The only remaining tie to Disney is a faded picture of Donald Duck on the wall.

Anyway, we were very excited to visit Duks since they've been around for a long time and have the look and feel of a classic hot dog joint. Duks occupies a very small building that is probably better described as a hot dog stand. The sign above their building reminded us of an old movie marquee, complete with hundreds of flashing light bulbs. The inside of the place is just as small as you would expect and the kitchen and counter eat-up most of the space. Despite the cramped interior, they still manage to provide some indoor seating. There are also several picnic tables outside.

We made our way to the counter and ordered a Chicago dog. Matt waited for the dog while we grabbed a picnic table outside. When we unwrapped our dog, our first impression was that it looked pretty good despite missing some key ingredients. After that, things went downhill pretty quickly.

We can live with a few missing ingredients, as long as the dog tastes great, but this dog was not in that category. The dog itself was pretty horrible. The skinless dog was mushy and tasted more like baloney than beef. We were surprised by this since the "Vienna" name is splashed across all of their signage. It certainly didn't taste like a Vienna beef dog even on a bad day. The relish was the standard grocery store variety, which again, isn't a deal breaker for us, but it was extremely watery, which added to the mush factor. We had to ask for sport peppers, but we would have been better off without them since they were too hot and very tough. To make matters worse, the dog came with a sour dill pickle spear, yes, you heard correctly. The pickle wasn't bad, it just has no business being on a Chicago style hot dog. The standard bun was good, but more points were deducted for the lack of poppy seeds. They also lost valuable points for the lack of celery salt...not a sprinkle to be found. The best part of the dog was the tomatoes. The tomato slices were large, ripe and tasted excellent.

Overall, we didn't enjoy our Chicago dog from Duks and cannot recommend them at this time. Our biggest issue was the taste and consistency of the dog. It's difficult to recover when things start out with a marginal tasting dog. Based on the look and feel of Duks we set our expectations high and came away disappointed.

Parky's has been serving hot dogs for quite some time. The sign on the door indicates they feature the David Berg dog. We have not had a David Berg dog in the past, so we were excited to find out how it stacked up against the Vienna and Red Hot Chicago brands.

The outside seating at Parky's is one of the best things about the place. There are a some picnic tables and benches in an outside courtyard, with a huge tree providing ample shade. A perfect place to enjoy the outdoors and your food. It's a little tight on the inside, with only shelf seating and classic red round stools as your only option. The place is very well kept and the staff was very friendly. Parky's definitely has the look and feel of a traditional hot dog stand. The orange and blue building is really interesting with it's mostly glass exterior.

Parky's menu is limited, but includes several hot dog choices, burgers, a polish sausage and of course an Italian Beef Sandwich. Their menu clearly states that the hot dog comes with mustard, onion, relish, tomato and peppers. No pickle or celery salt here.

We ordered our dog and fries for $2.19 and anxiously waited. After unwrapping our fries and dog we were a little put off. A picture is worth 1000 words and one look at the Parky's dog was enough to put a little panic in our taste buds. The skinless dog was very light in color and had very little taste. Its texture immediately brought to mind the phrases "unknown meat orgin" and "mystery meat". One, ultra-thin sliced tomato half adorned the dog, along with coarsely chopped onions and standard green relish, which was applied too lightly for our tastes. The standard hot dog bun was steamed, but lacked poppy seeds. The highlight of the dog was definitely the two sport peppers which had a nice blend of sweet and hot. Fresh cut fries came with the dog and were tasty, but on the soggy side.

The Parky's building looks pretty special and inviting, but unfortunately our dog was nothing special and we can't recommend the Parky's hot dog. With the exception of the David Berg hot dog itself, everything else was pretty good. Although we cannot recommend the dog, we still think it's worth a visit for the stand itself, but you'll definitely want to order something else off the menu. Parky's has some available parking on the side alley, but you can also park on any of the nearby residential streets.

We were excited to get a chance to visit Clark Street Dog since we missed them last time we were down in Chicago on our whirl-wind dog tour. This time, we weren't going to leave the city without having a Clark Street dog.

Clark Street dog has the look of a strip mall restaurant. The inside resembles a typical fast food dive and there's nothing notable on the walls or behind the counter that gives you any indication of personality. We ordered a Chicago style dog and waited patiently as it was assembled. Our first indication that things may go horribly wrong was the careless application of the mustard and celery salt. When we asked for sport peppers, the guy behind the counter had to ask us if we were sure...never a good sign. This dog was missing some serious love and attention (to detail).

This Chicago dog was one of the biggest train wrecks we've witnessed. We were considering pitching it, but we had to remind ourselves that we're professionals and that's not an option. The dog itself was average at best, but it just couldn't overcome execution sloppiness. The mustard was applied on top of all the other ingredients and plopped on excessively. The flaccid pickle was sliced so thin it really didn't serve any purpose whatsoever. The relish was of the standard variety and was watery and sparse. The piece of tomato was mushy and looked more like a small chunk of red bell pepper than a tomato...scary all-around. The sport peppers were tough and extremely hot. Lastly, the bun was dried out and missing poppy seeds. This ranks as one of the worst dogs we've ever had...a real disappointment.

Although we can't comment about Clark Street Dog's other menu items, we obviously didn't like their Chicago dog and can't think of any reason to visit this horror show when you're in need of a dog. It's too bad, since because of the location, we're guessing they sell a lot of Chicago dogs to tourists and Cub's fans on a regular basis. We hear that they do a great bar-time crowd, especially since they are open until 4 am. We read some online reviews of this place and found this comment from one of their patrons: "Good when drunk, not when sober". This seemed to be a common theme.