Hot Doug's

One of my vegan friends introduced me to this place. I have been hooked ever since. This is not your typical hot dog stand sort of place. Hot Doug's will give you a hot dog that will not only be tasty, but good for you as well. I had their veggie dog here and though I was very, very scared at the thought of even taking a bite, I was so super surprised to find that their veggie dog was actually good. I didn't miss the meat one bit. It is amazing and everybody should give it a chance. more

Chicago is very well known for its hot dogs. The traditional Chicago-Style hot dog has relish, onions, tomato, pickle, sport-pepper, celery salt all on a sesame seed bun and it should be a Vienna beef dog. Well, you have a unique dining experience awaiting you that goes well beyond that at Hot Doug's. Hot Dougs likes to say they are not producing and selling "hot dogs." What they are selling is "encased meats." You can understand what this means by taking a look at their menu. Their specials change daily and if it is possible to grind it up and put it into a sausage casing, then that's what they do. As an example, I am writing this on May 16, 2006 and their website (www.hotdougs.com) says one of their specials today is Bacon-Jalenpeno Duck Sausage with Blood Orange Mustard and Foie Gras. Better get that one while you can since our Chicago City Council (apparently after having solved all the other problems in teh city) banned foie gras in the city of Chicago. How about Apple and Cranberry Chicken Sausage with Blueberry Dijonnaise and Creamy Kirsch Cheese? My friend Robyn's favorite of all time was Antelop Sausage with Port-Berry Sauce and Fourme D'Ambert Cheese. She says it was a perfect blend of flavors. So, this is not your typical hot dog stand. The hours can be a little crazy because the owner will simply decide, on a whim, to close the place down for a holiday or a weekend. Get there early because it can get very crowded. They serve Duck-fat Fries on Fridays and Saturdays and they are worth the trip. You won't find a hot dog or "encased meat" experience quite like this one and have it still be legal. more

I first saw this place featured on the WTTW show "Check Please" and I'm still not sure what to make of it. On one hand it's cool to try new things, on the other hand Chgo. is famous for tradional hot dogs (that are not that great for you). Maybe Doug's dogs are better for you, but do you want to wait in line with a bunch of yuppies ordering a rattlesnake hot dog? You aren't going to see many truckers in here or many southsiders either. 2 stars for the place being novel and another star because it makes others happy. more

These guys know how to do a Chicago dog. BUt, if your in the mood for trying something new, they've got a whole bunch of tasty tube steaks from around the neighborhood. You've got your basic Italian and Polish sausages as well as some fancier links. Try Doug's it's awesome. more

Hot Doug’s is the hot place to go for “gourmet” hot dogs, as you can tell by the long lines here. Part of the schtick is that some of the specials are named after celebrities, but it is cool to try pheasant sausage or something equally bizarre like rattlesnake or buffalo on a hot dog bun. Duck fat fries are crispy and are sold only on Fridays and Saturdays. more