Burgers & Hot Dog restaurants in Chicago
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Hot Doug’s
Doug’s the man to fulfill all your hot-dog fantasies. He serves multiple dog styles (Polish, bratwursts, Chicago) cooked multiple dog ways (char grilled, deep fried, steamed). Confused? He’ll explain it all. The chatty Cubs lover also makes gourmet ‘haute dogs’ – say blue-cheese pork with cherry cream sauce or sesame-ginger duck – that have reviewers dragging out their superlatives. On Friday and Saturday, Doug offers fries cooked in duck fat; be sure to ask for them. The line is lengthy but good natured (it’s even been known to burst into a group sing-along). Cash only.
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B
Kuma’s Corner
Ridiculously busy and head-bangingly loud, Kuma’s attracts the tattooed set for its monster 10oz burgers, each named fora heavy-metal band and hefted onto a pretzel-roll bun. The results can be straightforward (Black Sabbath comes blackened with chili and pepper jack), esoteric (Led Zeppelin is piled with pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and pickles) or whimsical (Judas Priest has bacon, blue cheese, fruit and nuts). There’s a mac ’n’ cheese menu for vegetarians, and beer and bourbon for all. Be warned: on winter days there’s no outside seating, so the prime-time wait can be two hours.
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C
Wiener’s Circle
Both infamous and revered in Chicago, Wiener’s Circle’s charred hot dogs and cheddar fries come with a verbal berating that would make a sailor blush. During the day and on weeknights it’s a normal hot-dog stand – with damn good food (no less than Rachael Ray and Jerry Springer proclaimed them the best hot dogs in town). The foul-mouthed show is on weekend eves, late night, when the nearby bars close. The f-bombs fly, and sometimes racial epithets erupt between the mostly white clientele and the mostly black staff.
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D
Village Tap
Even though it can get overly packed on the weekends, this neighborhood tavern does everything well: food, drink and atmosphere. The friendly bartenders give out free samples of the ever-changing and carefully chosen lineup of Midwestern microbrews. The kitchen turns out some great burgers, veggie burgers and chicken sandwiches, served with a side of hummus and grilled pita. Out back the beer garden contains a fountain; inside, the tables enjoy good views of the TVs for ball games.
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E
Epic Burger
This sprawling, sunny-orange restaurant brings ecoconscious fast-food eaters the goods they crave: burgers made with all-natural beef, no hormones or antibiotics, topped with cage-free organic eggs and nitrate-free bacon; preservative-free buns; vanilla-bean-speckled milkshakes; and no petroleum-based packaging. The loud music and flat-screen TVs draw a student crowd from the surrounding college campuses in the South Loop.
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F
Mr Beef
At this local classic the Italian beef sandwiches come with long, spongy white buns that begin dribbling (that’s a good thing!) after a load of the spicy meat and cooking juices has been ladled on. In a recent episode of the Travel Channel’s Food Wars, Mr Beef won as Chicago’s best beef. Don’t be afraid of the dumpy decor. Eaters from Jerry Springer to Jay Leno have devoured at the picnic-style tables. Cash only.
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G
Vienna Beef Factory Store & Cafe
After you’ve eaten these hot dogs all over town, it’s worth a trip to the source. The Vienna Beef Factory makes the majority of hot dogs sold in Chicago, and the factory’s workers’ deli is one of the freshest places to try the famous creations. Hot-dog haters can nosh on corned-beef sandwiches or burgers. And Vienna diehards can pick up a case of the dogs at the on-site store to bring back home.
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H
RJ Grunts
The very first of the now-ubiquitous Lettuce Entertain You stable of restaurants, RJ Grunts came on to the scene in the 1970s, when Lincoln Park emerged as the young singles’ neighborhood of choice. Now, as then, the huge fruit and vegetable bar and burgers are the mainstays. This is a fun postzoo lunch spot; even the pickiest kids (and parents) will find something to love.
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I
Green Door Tavern
Ensconced in an 1872 building, the Green Door claims to be Chicago’s oldest tavern. This is your place for simple but well-cooked burgers and sandwiches, plus a few pasta dishes, amid old photos and memorabilia. Daily specials (like the $5 cheeseburger and fries on Wednesday) provide substantial savings that can be parlayed into additional microbrews.
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J
Clark Street Dog
Clark Dog is bright and friendly. Apart from hot dogs, carnivorous delights include the hearty combo – which marries Italian beef and Italian sausage on a single soggy bun – and the chili cheese fries. If all the salty dogs make you thirsty, head to the adjoining divey Clark Street Bar for some cheap cold ones.
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K
Portillo’s
Die-hard hot-dog purists might bemoan the lack of true Chicago dogs in the vicinity of tourist hot spots, but this outpost of the local Portillo’s chain – gussied up in a nearly corny 1930s gangster theme – is the place to get one. Try one of their famous dogs and a slice of the heavenly chocolate cake: far and away the best inexpensive meal in the neighborhood.
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