Chicago Dogs Food Menu: Top Hot Dog Joints and Restaurants

Chicago is a city where hot dogs are a staple, and you can find top-notch hot dog joints and restaurants throughout the city. The city's hot dog culture is deeply rooted in its history.

Portillo's is a Chicago institution, serving up Chicago-style hot dogs since 1963. Their menu features a classic hot dog with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers, and pickle spears.

Gene & Georgetti is another iconic spot that's been around since 1941, offering a more upscale hot dog experience with a side of Italian flair. Their hot dogs come with a variety of toppings, including giardiniera and mozzarella cheese.

Alinea's hot dog is a unique twist on the classic, topped with mustard, relish, and onions, but also featuring a slice of foie gras. This high-end hot dog is a true Chicago experience.

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You can find a variety of Chicago-style hot dogs at various locations throughout Wrigley Field. Bratwurst is available at Bleacher Bums in the Upper Bleachers, Grill, and Bleacher Platform 14.

Hot dogs are a staple at Wrigley Field, with options like the Italian Grill in the Lower Bleachers and the Waveland Grill in the Lower Bleachers. You can also find hot dogs at Bleacher Bums in the Upper Bleachers, Pizza Stands in Aisles 103 and 129, and Left Field Classics in Aisle 105.

For a gluten-free option, try the Gluten Free Hot Dog, available at Classics in Aisles 105, 110, 123, 128, 309, and 324.

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Chicago-Style Hot Dogs are a staple at Wrigley Field. You can find them at various concession stands throughout the stadium.

The buns used for Chicago-Style Hot Dogs are poppy seed buns, which are brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with poppy seeds, and lightly toasted. This is the traditional way to make them.

All-beef Vienna franks are the go-to hot dogs for Chicago-Style Hot Dogs. They're the perfect size and flavor for this iconic dish.

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Here are the seven toppings you'll find on a classic Chicago-Style Hot Dog:

You can find Chicago-Style Hot Dogs at various concession stands, including Portables, Chicago Dogs, and Vienna Beef Grill.

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When building a Chicago-Style Hot Dog Menu, you'll want to start with the right ingredients. The foundation of this classic dish is the hot dog itself, so you'll need all-beef hot dogs.

You can't have a Chicago-Style Hot Dog without the right buns. For this menu, you'll need split hot dog buns, which are a must-have for this style of hot dog.

The toppings are where things get interesting. You'll need a variety of condiments, including yellow mustard and sweet relish. You'll also want to add some crunch with finely chopped white onion and sport peppers or peperoncini.

Here's a breakdown of the key ingredients you'll need:

To add some extra flavor, you can also include a sprinkle of celery salt and a dash of poppy seeds.

The Chicago-style hot dog is a culinary icon, and you can find it at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. The official hot dog of Wrigley Field is the Vienna Beef hot dog, which comes fully dressed with mustard, relish, chopped raw onion, sliced tomato, a kosher pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt.

Don't even think about putting ketchup on it, as the proprietors of Vienna Beef insist that's a sacrilegious act. You can find Vienna Beef hot dogs at various locations throughout the ballpark.

If you're looking for a skinless hot dog with a bolder seasoning than the typical Chicago dog, Superdawg is the place to go. Their skinless dog is manufactured specifically for them and is a big beefy one that's packed with flavor.

A Superdawg comes topped with mustard, piccalilli, onions, sport peppers, and a pickle spear, and it's served with a delicious pickled green tomato wedge on the side. Don't be afraid to ask for a Superdawg instead of a hot dog – it comes in a small box with crinkle-cut fries.

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Redhot Ranch and 35th Street Red Hots are must-visit spots for hot dog enthusiasts. They have multiple locations, including two on the North Side of Chicago and one on the South Side near Comiskey Park.

Redhot Ranch and 35th Street Red Hots are under the same ownership, started by experienced restaurateurs Jeff Greenfield and the late Barry Nemerow. Their menu features hot dogs, burgers, and fried shrimp.

An "everything" dog at Redhot Ranch and 35th Street Red Hots means a depression-style hot dog topped with yellow mustard, onions, relish, and sport peppers. The hot dogs are served tightly rolled up with the fries, making it a fully rounded meal.

You can order a double dog with everything, which is literally two hot dogs shoved into one bun. Just be warned that the bun may fall apart as you eat it.

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Jimmy's Red Hots is a no-frills hot dog stand that's been serving up classic Chicago-style hot dogs since 1954. It's open until 1 a.m. daily, rain or shine.

You can't sit down at Jimmy's, just a standing counter to eat at. A steady stream of customers pop in and out all day long.

Order a hot dog with "everything" to experience the real deal. "Everything" means a depression dog with yellow mustard, onions, relish, and large sport peppers.

Don't even think about asking for ketchup, it's a hard no. Instead, ask for the homemade hot sauce, which is a game-changer with its smoky-sweet flavor and a kick from habaneros.

Get out of line as quickly as possible, because that's the vibe at Jimmy's.

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The Wieners Circle is a legendary spot for late night food where the staff openly heckles you. You might even hear some F-bombs hurled your way, but don't let that deter you.

Their hot dogs are some of the best in the city. The food here is stellar, from the dogs to the hand-cut fries. The Wieners Circle's char dog with everything is a must-try, featuring all the familiar ingredients including tomatoes and a pickle spear.

The atmosphere changes during the day, where you'll be treated to much more gentle conversation.

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If you're looking for a classic Chicago dog experience, head to the Vienna Beef Factory Store. Their hot dogs come with all the toppings on top of a natural-casing dog that has a snap to it.

Ordering at the Vienna Beef Factory Store is a fun experience, especially if you order through the loudspeaker by your car. Don't forget to take a photo with Maurie and Flaurie, the massive hot dog mascots on top of the building.

The store also sells natural-casing frankfurters, which are weirdly difficult to get your hands on at a grocery store.

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Chicago Hot Dog Joints are a staple of the city's food scene. You can find them on the North Side, where there are two restaurants called Redhot Ranch.

The Redhot Ranch restaurants on the North Side are owned by experienced restaurateurs Jeff Greenfield and the late Barry Nemerow. They're known for their small but exemplary menu of hot dogs, burgers, and fried shrimp.

Ordering a double dog with everything is a must-try at these joints. The "everything" dog comes topped with yellow mustard, onions, relish, and sport peppers.

Each hot dog comes tightly rolled up with the fries, making it a fully rounded meal.

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The Vienna Beef Store is a must-visit for any hot dog enthusiast. The store was started by two Austrian-Hungarian immigrants, Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany, who began selling their franks at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893.

You'll find the store right across the street from the Vienna Beef factory, where most of the hot dogs you'll find in Chicago are made. This means the hot dogs from their own stand have to be exactly right, and they are.

Order a regular hot dog with everything on it, which comes with mustard, onions, tomatoes, relish, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt on top of a natural-casing dog with a snap to it. Make sure to ask for the natural-casing frankfurter, as it's a bit tricky to find in grocery stores.

Don't forget to take a photo with Maurie and Flaurie, the two massive hot dog mascots on top of the building. It's a fun and quirky touch that adds to the overall experience.

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Jeff's Red Hots is a classic Chicago hot dog stand that's been around since 1977. It's located on the corner of Byron and Cicero, just south of a busy six-corner intersection.

The stand serves up all the usual suspects, including gyros, Italian beef sandwiches, and pizza puffs, but the real star is the hot dog. You can order a hot dog with everything, and you'll be asked if you want sauerkraut added to the mix.

Jeff's is a must-visit for anyone looking for a unique twist on the classic Chicago dog. The sauerkraut adds a tangy flavor that's not typically found in Chicago hot dogs.

Chicago Hot Dog Stores are a must-visit for any hot dog enthusiast. The Vienna Beef Factory Store is a legendary spot that's been around since 1893, founded by Austrian-Hungarian immigrants Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany.

You can order a regular hot dog with everything on it, just like the ones they sell at stands throughout Chicago. The hot dogs come with all the toppings, including mustard, onions, tomatoes, relish, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt.

Make sure to pick up a package of the natural-casing frankfurters from the refrigerated case, because they're weirdly difficult to get your hands on at a grocery store.