Hot Doug's

I believe Hot Doug's is single handedly responsible for ending the great Foie Gras War inflicted upon the United States over the last couple years, marking a win for the little guy and foodies alike.  When alderman Joe Moore declared foie gras illegal in the city of Chicago Mr. Hot Doug decided to name a hot dog in his honor which he smothered in foie gras and mustard and served unabashedly along side his delectable duck fat fries (fridays and saturdays only for the fries).  Shortly after the introduction of the "Joe Moore" lawmakers realized how completely silly they looked and dropped the whole thing.  Yay Doug!

That said, this is by far my favorite hot dog joint in all of Chicago.  I used to live around the corner and in a neighborhood primarily known for it's Mexican and Puerto Rican residents, a good hot dog place was a welcome break from the taquerias lining the streets.  They have a "game of the week" dog which could be anything from wild boar topped with pomegranate to kangaroo covered in goat cheese (my personal favorite).  Try to get there on a weekend so you can enjoy the duck fat fries, but note they are closed sundays and if you show up during lunch hour rush you could be waiting outside in the cold for a while as the line tends to wrap around the block.  it's worth the wait

Whether you're looking for an authentic Chicago dog or are interested in the culinary advances of the sausage kind, you must make the trek to Hot Doug's. Sure, you can get a hot dog on navy pier, but is that really Chicago? Not so much. Doug, the store owner, is the man at the register who takes your order. This is someone who loves his freakin' job and you can taste it. 

Location is the only hinderance here...if you have a car, it's easy as all get out. Public trans may take a bit longer unless! you are staying near wrigley. There's not much else to explore in that neighborhood in this very moment, it would be a Destination Dog, so to speak.

This place is a modern legend of Chicago Hot Dog History. You should go.