A commoner’s quest to find the best Chicago-style hot dog
in and around Chicagoland takes a turn east of Midway Airport, more specifically
onto West 63rd Street between Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road.
Just look for the red metal sign in front of the small
shack on the south side of the road, and you’ll be at Windy City Hot Dogs.
At first glance, Windy City Hot Dogs is very much like
many other local stands devoted to Chicago’s favorite fast foods. Banners proudly boasting Vienna beef hot dogs
served here? Check. The “big three” of hot dogs, gyros and
Italian beef sandwiches easily identified on the signage? Check.
Homemade construction paper signs identifying off-menu specials? Check. And, all of these visuals enhanced by
the smell of deep fryer wafting through the air? Check!
But where Windy City seems to stand out is with its
friendly service and family-run atmosphere.
Don’t expect to be ignored when you enter. Do expect, however, for your decision on
what to order to get a little tougher. They
have all the classics and a whole lot more (I read the wings here are exceptional!),
and the grill and fryer always seem to be going.
Although I have to question their loose definition of
what counts as a vegetarian food option. I also can’t be too sure many of these
will benefit those calorie counters out there.
But in all honesty, if you’re worried about the nutritional value of
your next meal, this probably isn’t the place for you.
Windy City Hot Dogs does have a steady stream of
business, but fortunately it has never felt packed while I’ve been there. With a handful of stools and one narrow
counter comprising all the seating, it’s easy to see why places like Windy City
are called hot dog “stands.”
Per custom on my first trip to an untested hot dog joint,
I got the two hot dogs and fries on special, which only set me back $5 plus
tax. The fries were obviously made
fresh, as steam rose out of the bag when they were served. They had an excellent crisp to them and were
perfectly salted. It wasn’t as big of a
portion as Nicky’s, but that’s perfectly fine.
The dogs were very good – not outstanding but certainly
not disappointing. Sometimes the best
part of a Chicago-style hot dog is the quality of the accoutrements, and that’s
OK, too. In this case, I was pleasantly
surprised by how one large tomato wedge placed perfectly can influence almost every
bite. The sport peppers on these dogs
also hit the spot – bursting with juiciness, a nice crunch and not overwhelmingly
spicy.
It’s apparent from online reviews that Windy City Hot Dogs gets a lot of business from both regular devotees and visitors flying in
and out of Midway Airport looking for a Chicago dog fix. I’d say the largely positive comments are
well justified. So, it’s not my all-time
favorite Chicago-style hot dog (I’m still giving that honor to Wiener’s Circle
for now). At Windy City Hot Dogs, you
still get good fast food from a local spot, cheap prices and quick and friendly
service. What more can you ask for?
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