I don't have just one favorite-

Superdawg

Jean and Judes

Paradisepup

Home depot :D

Yeah I grew up in the Graceland West neighborhood on Greenview a block west of Clark and a couple blocks north of Irving Park Road. I never really thought too critically of Byron's, I figure if I can see the whole process I'd notice poor standards.

Just heard that Flukies is opening a new location on Rt. 83 in Buffalo Grove.

The real Chicago native ethnic food is a super taco on pita from a Korean or Jewish owned hot dog stand. :)

Nice. I'm a Buena Parker.

Am I the only one who doesn't like "snap" in a dog? Just checking. I would so much rather a nice tender dog that you can actually bite through without feeling like you're fighting against it or pulling on something vaguely gristly. :rolleyes:

Anyway, a rare and strange pleasure for me is when you get the nuclear green day-glo neon colored relish. I don't know why but that stuff rocks. C's on Cermak has it. :D

/pbz

You need just a little bit of snap, otherwise the dog is overcooked.

I like Byron's but I go there for their polish sausage, not their hot dogs. Portillo's does a good jumbo dog, but I usually get a beef dipped hot instead.

The original Flukey's was good, I haven't liked any of their subsequent locations. I used to like Wolfies' on Peterson and (?) California as well.

Gold Coast has gone really downhill. They sold their location in the Daily News building (attached to the Ogilvie Metra station) a while back, and their Union Station location is really bad.

BTW, if you're out towards Downers Grove, avoid Teddy's. I've been there twice in the last couple of years, and was disappointed both times.

I used to sell hot dogs, both a national popular brand and a kosher one.
Most "good" dogs have a snap due to the casing (the stuff the meat is put into), I love the snap and consider it a part of a good hot dog.

You're not the only one who doesn't like the snap, many companies remove the casing after smoking/preparing the dog. Here is how this is done: http://www.hot-dog.org/facts/hd_factory.htm

I admire your fortitute. Selling hot dogs, for me, would have been like the proverbial fox selling hens. :D

Ha ha, the dogs were good, our prime rib was outstanding!!! ^ :D

It is just not fair !!! I had been at a client in River Forest and was driving north when I spotted Gene & Jude's, I had not been for quite awhile, my car for some reason just pulled into the lot, I swear I couldn't help it.

I had forgot about how they take potatoes and cut them them for ready made fries. So good ^ ^ ^
The hot dog had good beefy flavor and quite a snap, of course served on a steamed poppy seed bun. YUM!!!!
Gene & Jude's
2724 N. River Road
River Grove IL
(708) 452-7634
Daily
10:30 AM to Late Night

Byron's
 

I live rather close to Byron's myself and know the place pretty well too - have yet to get sick from anything I've eaten there, so while not pretty looking, it's definitely a good dog!

Anyway, if anyone's ever flipped through the "1,001 Places to Visit Before You Die" book (or something like that) one of the things they mention is the Chicago hot dog. They suggest Superdawgs as #1 but list Byron's on Irving Park as a runner-up. They listed one other runner-up but I don't recall which place it was.

I definitely prefer the dogs at Byron's compared to Gene & Jude's (grew up not too far from there), though the fries at Byron's aren't anything special.

I'm particularly curious to know what Sweet Willie has to say about this -

Sweet - I just had a Nathan's hot dog, from a refrigerated pack sold in a grocery store. I enjoyed it.

My question for you is, when it comes to mass produced dogs of this type, do you have a favorite?

And though I enjoyed the dog, I was struck by how much inferior this dog seemed to me as compared with the Viennas I'm used to from Chicago. Your thoughts?

ok.

IF both the Vienna dog and Nathan's dog were skin-on, my guess is you preferred the spicing difference of the Vienna. Also, Nathan's is generally grilled on a flat top grill and most Chicago dogs are put in simmering water/steamed. Nathan's is generally an East Coast taste while Vienna is Midwest.

For mass produced dogs, my fave mass produced would be Bests Kosher or Sinai (same producer), skin-on frank that I simmer. Seeing as my office is not near Superdawg or my other favorite places, the Portillo Vienna hot dog, skin on, is good in a pinch. (this has lost out though to Paradise Pup's char burgers which are wonderful and PP is in my hometown. PP also serves a killer char dog and I generally don't like char grilled dogs (but damn it is good))

I have not had a Nathan's at Coney Island which is where I believe Nathan's started. I have had franchise Nathan's and while decent, I still prefer a skin-on Vienna or Bests Kosher. (perhaps my Chicago upbringing?)
One of these days, I'll get to Coney Island to have an original Nathan's, I'm hoping with a certain someone who grew up in Brooklyn and has shown me some of his Brooklyn faves.

I'd like to have a Flyertalk Drive In Do at Superdawg sometime this summer. ^

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Shouldn't it be a drive-around do- Superdawg, Flukies, Wolfies, one or two others, each person gets one dog at each location, spread it over 4 or 5 hours. Then sit down at the last joint and compare notes. Two or three locals drive, everyone else squeezes into their cars.

This is my dream vacation (even though I'm from Chicago).

Sweet, other than Superdawg and Weiner Circle, you got any other unique faves we should know about?