There was a small feeling of regret growing in my stomach while eating at Top 50 Best New Restaurant Giant in Chicago’s Logan Square. Not because of the food. The food was glorious. The reason I was starting to grow anxious was that I, for some reason, volunteered to film a video in which I had to eat at 14 Chicago hot dog joints in a single day. The objective was to find the best Chicago-style dog in the city. It was a noble pursuit. It was for science. My body was not ready.
But guess what. I made it. My heart is still beating, despite the absolutely absurd amount of sodium I ingested that fateful afternoon. I walked away sweaty, mustard-stained, and legitimately sore. I’m not sure if I walked away a better person, but I definitely walked away a different person. When it comes to Chicago-style hot dogs, this is what I learned:
Don’t Try to Hit 14 Hot Dog Joints in 1 Day
Let’s just get this one out of the way. My body hated me. I was sweating constantly, and I was dehydrated for the next four days (seriously). This is not an activity that I would suggest for a Saturday in August. Go swimming. Ride a bike. Finish a puzzle. Don’t do this.
Chicago Isn't Just the 2017 Restaurant City of the Year
It's the hot dog city of the century too. We passed so many hot dog places that we didn't stop at, because we had to hit all of the spots on special projects editor Julia Kramer's list (scroll down for that). They are literally everywhere.
Sometimes Fries Come on the Dog
Well, wrapped in the paper with the dog. I’m not sure why this happens, or if I like that it happens. But at spots like Gene and Jude’s or Red Hot Ranch it does.
The Ingredient List Isn’t Dogmatic
Naturally-cased all-beef Frank. Poppy seed bun. White onions. Tomato. Pickle. Sport peppers. Celery salt. Sweet relish. Yellow mustard. That’s what goes into a classic Chicago-style dog. But as you’ll see, the list is open to riffs and reinterpretations, which fuels people’s allegiance to different spots. I've also heard there's a cocktail with said ingredients. No thanks.
The Hot Dog Is a Perfect Snack
It seems weird to say this, since I ate 14 of them, but I fully endorse the Chicago-style hot dog as a snack, not a meal. It satisfies every craving. It’s the perfect size.
Char Is Great
The classic Vienna Beef Frank is boiled or steamed, but some spots do a char dog. These pick up intense color and flavor from a high heat charcoal grill. I am a big fan of this treatment.
Celery Salt Should Be on More Things
That’s just how I feel. I enjoy celery salt a lot.
Harmony is Key
It quickly became apparent that with so many things going on in a Chicago-style hot dog, it was easy to get lost. Not geographically, but in the dog itself. The best dogs, like Superdawg, Red Hot Ranch, and Fatso’s Last Stand, all had the ratios down to a science, so no one ingredient dominated.
The Vienna Beef Brand Relish Is a Very Weird Neon Green Color
Because they put blue food dye in it. It's a bizarre thing that I chose not to ask questions about.
The Whole No Ketchup Thing Isn't Life or Death
Listen, I know you’re not supposed to. I know that people are adamant about it. But you know what? There was a bottle of ketchup at almost every place I visited, and although the Chicago-style dog certainly doesn’t need ketchup (I firmly believe that now), I have a feeling that the good people of Chicago wouldn’t kill you if you decided to put some on your frank. Hopefully.
Superdawg Is the Best
I’m not from Chicago. I’m going to take heat for my choice, regardless of what it is. But let me say this, as someone who writes and eats for a living: Superdawg made the best Chicago-style hot dog I ate all day. The dog itself was perfectly cooked, with a snappy natural casing. The toppings were all there, in perfect zen-like harmony. The tomato was pickled, providing enough of a deviation (and briny tang) to make it interesting. The pickle was crispy, the bun pillowy soft, and the mustard applied with a caring touch. It was a hot dog that made me truly happy, and at the end of that day, that’s what a hot dog should do.
14 hot dogs? Not so much.
These are the top three spots I went to:
1. Superdawg
2. Red Hot Ranch
3. Fatso's Last Stand
Honorable Mention: Kimski, which was insanely good, even if the polish sausage, topped with kraut kimchi, soju mustard, scallions, and sesame seeds on a buttered toasted bun wasn't really a hot dog.
The rest of the spots: The Wieners Circle, Wolfy's, Duk's, The Duck Inn, Portillo's, Publican Quality Meats, The Bakery at Fat Rice, Devil Dawgs, Gene and Jude's, and 7 Eleven (ha, yeah, for comparison's sake).