Hot dog toppings

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I just had a chili dog last night!

High quality natural-casing hot dog from a company called Hofmann's (they sell 'em in 6-packs at our local Publix, but here's a link: https://hofmannsausage.com/just-german-franks-small.html) ... topped with my wife's home-made chili (we had a big bowl of it the night before, but I made sure I put some aside cuz I knew I was gonna have a chili dog the next day) ... chopped onions ... shaved cheddar ... on a quality hot dog bun.

Wow, it was good.

Otherwise, when no chili is available, I'm a basic guy -- spicy brown mustard, sweet relish, onion. Sometimes I'll dice a tomato and throw it on there, too. Never ketchup, though I have nothing against those who use ketchup; several of my family do.

+++

Related ...

When we lived in Chicago, my son worked at a Lincoln Park place called America's Dog, right across the street from the Children's Hospital. Started as just a peon when he was a teen but eventually became asst manager and then manager for a couple years. Their schtick was that they had dogs from all around the country (supposedly): Chicago, NY, Philly, Buffalo, Detroit, etc, etc, etc. I tried a few and they were all good -- as good as any in town -- because they used very high quality dogs and fresh buns. Great onion rings, too. When Children's decided to move downtown, the owner knew his main clientele would be gone, so he ended up getting out of the business.

We didn't live far from Hot Doug's and I liked their dogs but I thought they were a little overrated. I mean, they were hot dogs, certainly no better than where my son worked. Their schtick was that on Fridays they had duck-fat fries. People would start lining up when they opened on Fridays for those ... but I thought they were very greasy and somewhat limp. I like a nice crisp fry.

Wieners Circle's dogs are fine. And they certainly have their own schtick. I always thought Portillo's served a solid dog. At lunch time, the Vienna Beef place on Damen served dogs - quite good.

You really just wanted a Hummel's hot dog.
🌭

[drewm88]

I think I've enjoyed just about any combo of hot dog toppings I've had. Love a full Chicago dog, don't mind a simple ketchup only, always up to try something different.

Plain yellow mustard is overrated, so I'd never go for one that only has that. Unless the alternative was no hot dog. (Or plain. Whoever said that is a monster.)

If you're in Chicago, and they're serving Vienna Beef, the worst you can get is a B- hot dog.

[warriorchick]

-If you grew up in Chicago or the burbs, the best hot dog place will always be the one you went to as a kid. For me, that was Tommy's in Glendale Heights. Recipe is still the same today as it was 30 years ago. It's not the best, but for me, I enjoy still because it's a total comfort meal.

Can't believe we lived down the street from you and never heard of Tommy's.

What was your opinion of WeeDee's Wienies?

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

You really just wanted a Hummel's hot dog.
🌭

Or Super Duper Weenie

[MU82]

Forgot about Paradise Pup. Good call, Dish!

[Dish]

Can't believe we lived down the street from you and never heard of Tommy's.

What was your opinion of WeeDee's Wienies?

We lived in Glendale Heights until I was 10, then moved to Carol Stream. WeeDee's (assuming the North Ave location, there's now one in St. Charles) was pretty good if memory serves me. Scooby's was always ok, and over priced. Although their raging war war with Cascade Drive In was always funny.

[warriorchick]

We lived in Glendale Heights until I was 10, then moved to Carol Stream. WeeDee's (assuming the North Ave location, there's now one in St. Charles) was pretty good if memory serves me. Scooby's was always ok, and over priced. Although their raging war war with Cascade Drive In was always funny.

Yes, I shamefully admit to sneaking Scooby's into the drive-in.

[Galway Eagle]

I know it's hot dog toppings as the topic, here's my unofficial Chicago hot dog place takes.

-If you grew up in Chicago or the burbs, the best hot dog place will always be the one you went to as a kid. For me, that was Tommy's in Glendale Heights. Recipe is still the same today as it was 30 years ago. It's not the best, but for me, I enjoy still because it's a total comfort meal.

-To me, SuperDawg is the best hot dog in the Chicago area. Fries are so key to a good dog, SuperDawgs doesn't disappoint.

-Portillo's dog is solid and reliable, has more snap than most other places.

-Gene & Judes gets my "Overrated" chant.

-My wife (when we were dating) lived by the old Hot Doug's location (before the fire burnt it down). Always thought the hype was too much, and while good, not worth the wait.

-Paradise Pup in Des Plaines is quality.

Places that wrap the fries in the hot dog, I don't mind getting just ketchup on the dog then. The heat from the dog/fries melts the ketchup into the fries, it's enjoyable in my opinion.

Gene and judes is overrated as a dog but so many great memories there.

Agree on superdawg

Anybody been to Woolfys? Pretty solid

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Gene and judes is overrated as a dog but so many great memories there.

Agree on superdawg

Anybody been to Woolfys? Pretty solid

Gene and Judes is highly overrated, Superdawg is fantastic because of the fries. Woolfy's is well above average, but Mickey's in Bellwood, (and to a lesser extent, their Villa Park location) is the best hot dog I've had in the Chicagoland area.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Slaw dog or nothing.  Sounds weird but is delicious.

[Skatastrophy]

Gene and Judes is highly overrated, Superdawg is fantastic because of the fries. Woolfy's is well above average, but Mickey's in Bellwood, (and to a lesser extent, their Villa Park location) is the best hot dog I've had in the Chicagoland area.

I swear you suburbs people just make up city names sometimes.

[4everwarriors]

Yep, that's the one.

Hopefully the place got your date in the mood!

Pretty sure dat depends on da size of da dog, aina?

[Chili]

Most interesting regional hot dog I have ever had is the Seattle Hot Dog with Cream Cheese & Sauteed Onions + Sriracha. Weird as hell but it works and is good.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

My grandmother used to mail Hummel's hot dogs to my great uncle in California and to my great uncle in Myrtle Beach.  Both great uncle's said there were no good hot dogs in either location.  My uncle also in Myrtle Beach asked me to send also and of course I did

[drewm88]

Most interesting regional hot dog I have ever had is the Seattle Hot Dog with Cream Cheese & Sauteed Onions + Sriracha. Weird as hell but it works and is good.

I had it with jalapeno instead of Sriracha. I was into it.

[Tortuga94]

How about Sonoran Dogs? They are popular in AZ, Mexican style hot dog, wrapped in bacon in a bolillo roll with beans, jalapenos or salsa verde, avocados, etc. Can't go wrong with anything wrapped in bacon.

[Skatastrophy]

How about Sonoran Dogs? They are popular in AZ, Mexican style hot dog, wrapped in bacon in a bolillo roll with beans, jalapenos or salsa verde, avocados, etc. Can't go wrong with anything wrapped in bacon.

That's enough toppings that it's hard to imagine. I'll hunt one down next time I'm in the SW. Sounds, though, like a great take on a chili dog.

[Coleman]

Busch Stadium in St Louis has bacon wrapped hot dogs with french's onions and bbq sauce. Really good.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Busch Stadium in St Louis has bacon wrapped hot dogs with french's onions and bbq sauce. Really good.

No fake white cheese tho?

[Chili]

No fake white cheese tho?

f-ing provele. most disgusting food adjacent item ever. vile vile vile sh!t. 

[Galway Eagle]

f-ing provele. most disgusting food adjacent item ever. vile vile vile sh!t.

+1

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Love Superdawg but hate that nuclear green relish.

[warriorchick]

Love Superdawg but hate that nuclear green relish.

Nearly every Chicago hot dog place uses that.

I used to work for a vending company that sold sandwiches out of their machines that were made at our commissary.

One time we got a spate of phone calls from our vending sites saying that the tuna sandwiches in the machines were all moldy.  Turns out that this particular time, the tuna salad was made with this neon green relish, and people thought it was mold.

[swoopem]

My favorite Chicago dog places were Little Louie's in Northbrook (my moms side of the family lives there) and then Murphy's (RIP) at Belmont and Racine which is where I lived when I was in Chicago.

Now that I'm back in Detroit Lafayette Coney Island is the spot. And Leo's...you can never go wrong with Leo's

[Warriors4ever]

I can walk to Wolfy's, and I generally get the jumbo char with relish ( not nuclear green) and onions. My neighbor swears by the chili dog. We do a group socially-distanced walk there every now and then, our last backyard distanced gathering involved Wolfy's.
True story -I was at the Salt Lake Olympics -local paper ran a story saying that they were running out of hot dogs, people were buying them like crazy and they had to order more from the supplier in Wisconsin,  I said to my companion, gotta be Usinger's -and it was!