Chicago Hot Dogs

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RatherStarved
RatherStarved Posts: 5,766
edited August 2024 in All Encompassing Trip
Someone in my group has never been to Chicago before and wants one of the famous hot dogs.  Where would locals recommend we get that? 
PJ: 2013: London (ON); Buffalo; 2014: Cincinnati; 2016: Sunrise, Miami, Toronto 1-2, Wrigley 2; 2018: London (UK) 1, Milan, Padova, Sea 2, Wrigley 1-2, Fenway 1-2; 2021: SHN, Ohana, Ohana Encore 1-2; 2022: LA 1-2, Phx, Oak 1-2, Fresno, Copenhagen, Hyde Park 1-2; Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto; MSG, Camden, Nashville, Louisville, St. Louis, OKC; 2023: St. Paul 1-2, Chicago 1-2; Fort Worth 2; Austin 1-2; 2024:  Vancouver 1-2, LV 1-2, LA 1-2, Napa, Barcelona 1-2; Indy; Chicago 1-2; MSG 1-2; Philly 2; Boston 2; Ohana 1-2; 2025: FL 1-2, ATL 1-2, Nash 1-2, Pit 1-2.
 
EV Solo: 2017 Louisville and Franklin, 2018 Ohana, 2019 Innings Fest, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Dublin and Ohana; 2021 Ohana Friday (from beach) and Saturday; 2022 Earthlings Newark; 2023 Innings Fest and Benoraya 1-2.

Gutted:  London 2 2018, Sacramento 2022, Noblesville 2023
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Comments

  • darwinstheory
    darwinstheory LaPorte, IN Posts: 7,352
    Someone in my group has never been to Chicago before and wants one of the famous hot dogs.  Where would locals recommend we get that? 
    Portillos. Everything on it. End.
    "A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory
  • JBob87
    JBob87 Posts: 485
    Can do a lot better than Portillos.

    Byrons or Fatsos (prob my favorite). Swing by Jim’s Original for a Polish as well. 
  • Portillos hot dogs are fantastic 
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • battle1
    battle1 PHI Posts: 637
    Portillos is a fast food joint. Probably the most overhyped food on earth honestly. 
  • Wrigleyville Dogs. 
  • mvw
    mvw Posts: 1,700
    Gene & Judes.  No other answer is correct.
  • coco butter
    coco butter Posts: 1,494
    Is 7:35 am too early for Chicago Dog? Just asking for a friend. 
    Do you know what it's like to fall in the mud and get kicked... in the head... with an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does. It never happens. Sorry, Ted, that's a dumb question... skip that.
  • JojoRice
    JojoRice Kennesaw, GA Posts: 4,553
    Is 7:35 am too early for Chicago Dog? Just asking for a friend. 
    Nope!
    "I got memories, I got shit"
  • iwasatpj20
    iwasatpj20 Rockford, IL Posts: 3,470
    JojoRice said:
    Is 7:35 am too early for Chicago Dog? Just asking for a friend. 
    Nope!
    Never early enough
    2000 - Chicago, IL
    2003 - Champaign, IL
    2006 - Chicago, IL 1 & 2
    2007 - Chicago, IL Lollapalooza
    2009 - Chicago, IL 1 & 2
    2010 - St. Louis, MO
    2011 - East Troy, WI 1 & 2 (PJ20 Destination Weekend)
    2012 - Atlanta, GA, Missoula, MT
    2013 - Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field), Dallas, TX, Oklahoma City, OK
    2014 - St. Louis, MO, Tulsa, OK, Moline, IL (No Code, IL), Saint Paul, MN, Milwaukee, WI (Yield, WI)
    2016 - Greenville, SC (Vs, SC), Raleigh, NC, Columbia, SC, Boston, MA (Fenway Park 1), Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field 1 & 2)
    2018 - Seattle, WA (Safeco Field 2), Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field 1 & 2), Boston, MA (Fenway Park 2)
    2020 - Nashville, TN, St. Louis, MO, Oklahoma City, OK, Phoenix, AZ, ??
    2022 - Nashville, TN, St. Louis, MO, Oklahoma City, OK, Phoenix, AZ, Las Vegas, NV
    2023 - St. Paul, MN 2, Fort Worth, TX 2, Austin, TX 1, and Austin, TX 2
    2024 - Portland, OR and Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field 1 & 2)
    2025 - Pittsburgh, PA1 & Pittsburgh PA2


    2012 - Temple of the Dog East Troy, WI (PJ20 Destination Weekend)
    2014 - Soundgarden Tinley Park, IL (with Nine Inch Nails)
    2014 - Alice in Chains Davenport, IA
    2016 - Chris Cornell Solo Madison, WI and Peoria, IL (official hometown show)
    2016 - Temple of the Dog San Francisco, CA (both shows)
    2017 - Soundgarden Dallas (cancelled) RIP Chris Cornell
    2018 - Smashing Pumpkins Chicago, IL (first show)
    2019 - Alice in Chains Milwaukee, WI
    2022 - Jerry Cantrell Chicago, IL
    2023 - Jerry Cantrell Milwaukee, WI

    RIP Andrew Wood, Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and Chris Cornell

    RIP Mom (may your star shine the brightest in the sky, our family loves and misses you very much, we'll meet again)

  • northern spirit
    northern spirit I'm not present, I'm a drug that makes you dream Posts: 191
    Drooling at work now.
    1993 08-18 Toronto ON CNE w/ Neil Young, Soundgarden
    1998 08-22 Barrie ON Molson Park
    2003 05-02 Buffalo NY HSBC, 06-28 Toronto ON Molson Amp.
    2004 10-02 Toledo OH Vote For Change w/ Neil Young
    2005 09-19 Toronto ON ACC, 09-13 Hamilton ON Copps, 09-11 Kitchener ON Memorial Gardens
    2006 05-10 Toronto ON ACC, 05-09 Toronto ON ACC
    2007 EV 09-11 Toronto ON Body of War TIFF Screening Isabel Bader Theatre - Grateful to have met Ed!!
    2008 EV 08-12 Toronto ON Massey Hall
    2009 08-21 Toronto ON Molson Amp.
    2010 05-10 Buffalo NY HSBC
    2011 09-15 Hamilton ON Copps, 09-11 Toronto ON ACC, 09-12 Toronto ON ACC,
    2011 EV 06-26 Detroit MI Fox Theatre
    2013 10-12 Buffalo NY First Niagara, 07-16 London ON Bud Gardens
    2016 05-10, 05-12 Toronto ON ACC
    2022 09-06 Hamilton ON First Ontario Centre
  • manitouman
    manitouman In My Head Posts: 1,088
    I think Byron's is just around the corner from where we're staying. Might try that one since it so close.
    Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 7-11-1995; United Center, Chicago, IL 6-29-1998; MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV 10-22-2000 ~PJ10~; Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 4-1-2003; Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ 6-7-2003; United Center, Chicago, IL 6-18-2003; Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 6-21-2003; Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 10-5-2004; The Gorge, George, WA 9-1-2005; United Center, Chicago, IL 5-16-2006; United Center, Chicago, IL 5-17-2006; Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 7-2-2006; Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 7-3-2006; United Center, Chicago, IL 8-23-2009; United Center, Chicago, IL 8-24-2009; Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC 12-4-2013; Key Arena, Seattle, WA 12-6-2013; iWireless Arena, Moline, IL 10-17-2014 ~No Code Show~; Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN 10-19-2014; Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI 10-20-2014 ~Yield Show~; Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 10-22-2014 ~PJ24~: Wrigley Field 1 & 2, 2016; Safeco Field, Seattle Home Shows 1 & 2; Wrigley Field, Chicago Away Shows 1 & 2....
  • mvw said:
    Gene & Judes.  No other answer is correct.
    I live a few blocks from Gene & Judes.
    And while I will say it's a very good hot dog, I just don't get the legendary status it receives. Any and every Chicago dog MUST have a pickle spear on it to truly be a classic Chicago hot dog. Gene & Judes doesn't offer the pickle spear? Ludicrous. 
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....

  • Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • JeBurkhardt
    JeBurkhardt Posts: 5,321
    We plan on getting a couple at some point this weekend, possibly Portillos. I will not be getting one at the show. Last Fall we went to the PJ day Cubs game when they they were playing the UC. I got a hot dog during the game and regretted it. I felt sick enough later that day that I skipped dinner. The next day I still felt sick through out the day and contemplated not going to the show that night. Fortunately by the time we were going to leave for the show I was feeling a little better. 
  • Discopij
    Discopij Posts: 480
    I think Byron's is just around the corner from where we're staying. Might try that one since it so close.
    I think Byron's is the best option for proximity to Wrigley.  But if it's after midnight the answer is Wieners Circle for the pure chaos :)
  • The Grilled Dogs, with grilled onions, at Wrigley, are outstanding. You just have to make sure it's from one of the vendors where they are grilling the dogs right in front of your face. Do not get a Wrigley dog from a vendor walking around, or from a beer stand selling peanuts and popcorn. 

    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • JeBurkhardt
    JeBurkhardt Posts: 5,321
    The Grilled Dogs, with grilled onions, at Wrigley, are outstanding. You just have to make sure it's from one of the vendors where they are grilling the dogs right in front of your face. Do not get a Wrigley dog from a vendor walking around, or from a beer stand selling peanuts and popcorn. 

    Hmmm. That was my mistake. 
  • The Grilled dog is really really good. And if they have those grills open tonight, your nose will lead you right to the stand. But honestly, I'm not sure all vendors are open for a concert. But again, right when you walk the lower concourse, you should get a whiff of those dogs grilling.
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • JeBurkhardt
    JeBurkhardt Posts: 5,321
    Thanks for the info.
  • QuarterToTen
    QuarterToTen Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 3,649
    rchicago - The Wieners Circle keeps it real 

    Gotta love their honesty.
    Nice shirt.