Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Top 5 locations:

• Gene & Jude's -  2720 River Rd, River Grove, IL  708-452-7634
• Red Hot Ranch - 2072 N. Western Ave. Cash only
• Superdawg’s original location is at 6363 N Milwaukee Ave (the hot dogs are made for the restaurant)
• Franks 'N Dawgs is located at1863 N. Clybourn Ave. This isn't your cheap hot dog shack. Franks 'N Dawgs serve fancier and more expensive hot dogs. But their dogs are a study in creativity and are nestled in some of the best buns in the city.  Try the truffle fries.
• Jim's Original - 1250 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60607 - relocated just around the corner from their original Maxwell and Halsted street location.  If you want to try the original hot dog stand try this place.

What is a Chicago Style Hot Dog?

A Chicago-style hot dog,  is an all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, first invented in Chicago. The hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers and a dash of celery salt.  The most common way to cook a Chicago style hot dog  are steamed or water-simmered.

The recipe does not include ketchup, and there is a widely shared, strong opinion among many Chicagoans and aficionados that ketchup is unacceptable. A number of Chicago hot dog vendors do not offer ketchup as a condiment.

History

Most people believe the Chicago Style Hot Dog was first invented on Maxwell and Halsted streets. The founders of Vienna Beef frankfurters — the most common brand served today, first sold at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.  There are more hot dog stands (places that sell hot dogs) than McDonalds, Wendys and Burger King combined in Chicago.