So in Chicago, the home of completely unhealthy and delicious hot dog stand fare, here are a couple of must-visits when coming to our fair city:

Hot dogs- Go directly to Gene's and Jude's (which is in River Grove, a very near suburb. Potatoes home cut as you wait in line (cash only) for Vienna Dogs...so gooood...but NO ketchup, per the Midwest Hot Dog Consumption Law of 1945. Seriously, these are the definition of Chicago-style hot dogs.

Italian Beef- Many parts of the country have NO IDEA what Italian Beef is (thinly sliced beef drenched in a juice/gravy seasoned with Italian spices. Mr. Beef is the place. Great gravy, and get the beef DIPPED (not dunked as some say) in the gravy. Of course, giardenera is a MUST, but I'd go to a local Chicago grocery store to get that. But the beef...omg...DEElish.

How about you? Whatcha got?

Hot Dog King.

Grilled foot longs with mustard, onions, chili, cheese, and kraut.

Place is OLD school....cash only.

We used to have a Wienerschnitzel near us, but it shut down and they made it a pizza place.

There are some hot dog stands in downtown Cincy, but I've actually never eaten from one. The ones in Chitown, on the other hand, when I lived up there, I hit randomly all the time. There's no place at all around here (that I know of) that's like what you're describing though.

My mom had a wiener dog that she named Schnitzel.

Thanks. Interesting.

Essentially nothing for hot dogs, although there is a good locally-owned burger joint. You can get good hot dogs, corn dogs, etc. sometimes when out-of-town vendors come in for a festival or something. Otherwise if you want a dog around here you've got to get some franks from the store and cook them yourself.

Ok, I'm feeling increasingly lucky living in one of the fattest cities in the world

Best pizza and hot dogs on earth!

Pinks on La Brea at Melrose is the place to go here in LA. There is always a line to place your order and they are open until 2am.

seriously, i could make a trip strictly out of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives places.

And Man vs Food.

In my hometown of Lawrence, MA is the famous Lawton's, noted for fried-in-special-oil dogs. I haven't been there in well over a decade, but they did make great hot dogs. I'm pretty sure they're still there.

I've flown to Buffalo a couple times, and if I have to change planes in Chicago, I get a Chicago dog at the airport, then have Buffalo wings for supper (Duff's) and a NY dog before I leave town. (Not to forget the beef on weck, loganberry drink and sponge candy while I'm there, too. Maybe even pizza at La Nova. With another Chicago dog on the way home.)

Wow...ya, the airport fare in Chicago is ok representin'. When you have more time (a day or several hours), just lemme know. I'll getcha around to some places.

Nathan's.

Portillo's beats out all those places.

Around here, probably Nu-Way. It's a small local chain; first one opened in 1916. The chili dogs are very good, but probably a little different than you'd find elsewhere around the country.

Gray's Papaya is a NYC institution.



Gray's Papaya is a hot dog restaurant with three locations on the West Side of Manhattan, open 24 hours a day year-round. The three locations of Gray's Papaya in Manhattan are: 539 Eighth Avenue at 37th Street, 402 Sixth Avenue at 8th Street, 2090 Broadway at 72nd Street. Somewhere between a street vendor and a fast food restaurant, Gray's Papaya is famous for its very inexpensive, high-quality hot dogs. The "papaya" in the name refers to the fruit drinks sold at the establishment, which include orange, grape, piña colada, coconut champagne (non-alcoholic), and banana daiquiri (non-alcoholic) in addition to papaya.

I went on a mission trip to Caborca, Mexico 20 years ago with a youth group, back before the country went DMZ. The street vendors there had hot dogs that were amazing. I've been spoiled ever since.

I've had "OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME" hamburgers and "OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME" sausage poboys, but I've never had an "OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME" hot dog.

We've got 7-11 over here. When you hold your dog under this machine they have, it shoots chili and cheese onto your dog.