5 Local Spots I Love For A Classic Chicago Hot Dog

Being from Chicago, I often get asked where you can snag the best Chicago-style hot dog. That's a difficult question to answer because every Chicagoan will have a different set of answers for you. Most will swear by the hot dog stand in their current neighborhood or the one they went to most frequently growing up. The truth is, most of the hot dogs we eat around here taste about the same because they're almost always made with a robust Vienna Beef hot dog (ideally with a snappy natural casing) and a lot of times the condiments come supplied from Vienna Beef, as well.

So, in essence, you might be getting the same hot dog from multiple places, and guess what? That's perfectly okay because a fully-loaded, Chicago-style hot dog is a thing of extraordinary beauty filled with a bounty of flavors. There's the tangy yellow mustard, the neon green pickle relish, the bite from the onions, the acid from the pickle, the freshness from the tomatoes, that spicy kick from the sport peppers (which are really their own type of pepper), and the one thing that binds the entire thing together: a dash of celery salt.

That being said, I do have some favorite hot dog stands, all for reasons of their own, which I'll get into. Whether you decide to get a hot dog from Portillo's or a tiny hot dog cart parked outside of a museum, you're sure to get something special. And just a tip — you never need to ask for a "Chicago-style hot dog." Just ask for a hot dog with everything. You'll look like a pro that way.

You simply can't mention hot dogs in Chicago without bringing up The Wiener's Circle. Located in Lincoln Park, you can't really miss it. That's because it occupies a dingy-looking little hut nestled into a row of small businesses. I love The Weiner's Circle specifically for its standard hot dogs, which you can get steamed or char-grilled. Char-grilling adds an element of crispness to your hot dog that you don't get at a lot of other places.

The Wiener's Circle is also unique in that you can ask for grilled onions added to your hot dog instead of fresh ones. This changes the hot dog completely in that it adds a caramelized flavor to the toppings that's mildly outside the norm. (I still prefer raw onions on my hot dogs, for the record.) Also, unrelated, the cheese fries here come in a massive portion and they're topped with a tangy, thick cheddar sauce — it's not that nacho pump stuff. I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fact that The Wiener's Circle has a complicated history when it comes to foul language and drunken patron behavior, but during the day it's much tamer. Don't be surprised if you get some sass or some trash-talking when you're placing your order. It's as much a part of the place as the food. And don't worry, if you're traveling with children, they'll tone the language down.

One of Chicago's most iconic hot dog stands is a good old-fashioned drive-in. That would be Superdawg, located up on the Northwest side (there's an additional location in suburban Wheeling). And you can't miss it — Superdawg's building features food mascot statues cheerfully representing its two founders, Maurie and Flaurie Berman, in hot dog form. But you don't dare call them a wiener here; Superdawg insists on calling them "Superdawgs." These beefy, spiced specimens are custom-made for the family-run business and have a unique flavor profile that sets them apart from other Vienna Beef-based hot dogs on this list.

Additionally, these Superdawgs are topped minimally with yellow mustard, diced onions, what they call piccalilli (aka pickle relish), a dill pickle spear, and a sport pepper; you won't find celery salt here. My personal favorite touch is the pickled green tomato that comes with every order. I always ask for an extra. They're crunchy and tangy and just a joyful detail that reminds you that not all hot dog stands in Chicago are necessarily built the same.

If you want one of the more humble representations of Chicago's hot dogs, Jimmy's Red Hots is the place for you. That's because Jimmy's specializes in Depression-style dogs, which are simply topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, pickle relish (the normal kind, not the neon green stuff), and some extraordinarily hot pickled peppers which are a slight departure from the typical sport variety you see on others around the city.

The thing about Jimmy's is that it's all business. You need to have cash, the line moves faster than you can think, and if you want to eat there, you're going to do it standing up against the wall. But you'll see people from all walks of life here: police officers, entire families looking for a cheap bite, kids after school, and, well, me. This is independently owned fast food at its finest, but don't bother asking for ketchup. There's none available. You can buy some house-made hot sauce that has a kick to it, instead.

Chicago's a geographically big place by any standard. As with any large city, you'll get some hometown chains specializing in local favorites. For us, that'd be Portillo's, which was founded in Chicago but is now a nationwide chain. If you're say, out in the Chicago suburbs somewhere and can't get to one of the city hot dog stands, Portillo's still serves a textbook hot dog with all seven colorful toppings (again, say it with me, yellow mustard, chopped onion, neon green relish, tomato slices, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt) all on a poppy seed bun.

Might people be annoyed that I mentioned a national chain? I'm sure there'll be a few of you who will be dismayed. But it's the truth — Portillo's version really just follows the standard recipe and is accurate to what you'll get at many independent hot dog stands. The other thing is, if you've got picky eaters with you, Portillo's menu is pretty big and includes things like Italian beef, charburgers, salads, chicken tenders, and more. It's the sort of all-purpose place you can take a large group to.

People joke that a Chicago dog is basically a salad on a bun, but there's really only one shop in Chicago that sells a hot dog that can actually be described that way. If you ask for a hot dog at Byron's Hot Dogs with everything on it, you're going to get a dog dressed with (brace yourselves) yellow mustard, onions, neon green relish, cucumber, tomato slices, a pickle spear, lettuce, bell pepper, sport peppers, and celery salt. Yes, there's lettuce, bell pepper, and cucumber on this hot dog. For whatever reason, it works, though you are guaranteed to make a mess while eating it. Hey, at least you can say you got your greens in.

Although this sounds cartoonish, you can count me as a fan. I can't think of any singular hot dog in the country that features so much freshness to it. Out of all the hot dogs in Chicago, this is definitely the most unique variation, and whether you end up liking it or not, you'll come away a changed person for having tried one.