This Is a Great Place for a Hot Dog Stand by Barney Saltzberg

The oldest stand in town (around since 1938), it looks the part, but the quality of its food hasn’t faded. Milwaukee Ave., Norwood Park 6 Dave’s Red Hots And of course, there’s the Superdawg ($6.75), the rare great skinless wiener, served with housemade crinkle-cut fries.

Clark St., Lincoln Park A 35th Street Red Hots cashier 5 SuperdawgĪs the city’s last drive-in, it brims with nostalgia, from the food being toted to your car to the giant hot dogs on the roof. Whether or not you consider the yelling at patrons and the late-night circus atmosphere charming, you’ll dig the the local-classic char dog ($5) - get it topped with grilled onions - and the crisp, well-seasoned hand-cut fries with cheddar ($5). Grand Ave., Humboldt Park 4 The Wiener’s Circle And no, you can’t dip your fries in ketchup - as the signs declare, “Don’t even ask!” 4000 W. Some of the staffers have been slinging dogs here for decades. This 67-year-old corner stand is loaded with character - and characters. Morgan St., Bridgeport Hot dog and fries from 35th Street Red Hots 3 The Original Jimmy’s Red Hots From the wieners to the electric green relish, nearly everything is made at the Vienna Beef factory across the street. Part hot dog stand, part shop, it is as close to a farm-to-table dining experience as you can have at a hot dog stand.

35th St., Bridgeport 2 Vienna Beef Factory Store & Cafe Bring a friend so you can also split the city’s best double cheeseburger ($6.11, including fries) and the crispy fried shrimp ($17.20 per pound). It comes wrapped with tender fries, which are hand-cut and double-fried - leave a few on the wiener for texture. That, plus zero shortcuts, means the dozen items on offer are all killer: The juicy, beefy hot dog ($3.62), minimalist compared with a full-fledged Chicago-style number, is served with mustard, relish, sport peppers, and onions. Each spot feels like an old-timey stand (there’s little more than White Sox signs at the Bridgeport location and a Vienna Beef poster in Lake View), the seating is largely outdoor picnic tables, and the menu isn’t padded out with pizza puffs or mozzarella sticks. It’s gotten there thanks to its consistency, simplicity, and cheap prices, which are seemingly from another era. Considering the first of this trio of spots opened only in 2005, its rise to the top is meteoric in hot dog stand years.

This Is a Great Place for a Hot Dog Stand by Barney Saltzberg