There were hot dog stands all over the streets of 1920s Chicago, including one on the northwest corner of Halsted and Maxwell owned by Jimmy Stefanovic's aunt. His name was Nathan Handwerker, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. In the early days of the stand, a mean, black dog used to live near property where the parking lot was and harass customers. We just dont use it and thats just it. Note that the relish is not neon green. Dave's Red Hots founder Dave Kaplan, standing second from right, is surrounded by his sons, their wives and his wife Ida Kaplan, seated center, at a family wedding in January 1939 in Chicago. Past menu items have included the Champ Summers (spicy polish sausage with Goose Island beer mustard and fried onions), The Pete LaCock (ribeye steak sausage with horseradish cream and blue cheese), or The Bill Bonham (atomic pork sausage with cherry marmalade and smoked gouda). Two (2) Vienna pure beef hot dogs served on One (1) steamed bun. Its your typical South Side spot. These days, the one-time chain named for what was Abe Drexlers nickname is grammar school, is now just a stand again. As far back as the 1890s, immigrants in Chicago found work peddling sausages from pushcarts on the streets. This remaining location is located in Niles in a Walmart. If youve grown up in the city or suburbs, chances are that you have a certain sort of love for Portillos. Thats been our zhuzh forever.. You can also get cucumber and lettuce and green pepper. For many of the early hot dog vendors in Chicago, it was part of an American Dream -- and its roots were established during one of the most integral times in Chicagos history. We dont know the exact year, but do know it was earlier than previously believed, in 1938. By 1971, Eugene Gaines had already established his Black-owned hot dog shop on the South Side. Selling taffy apples on the street wasnt lucrative for Stefanovic, but he had enough money to buy his aunts stand, and he made it his, inventing by his own claims the Polish sausage sandwich and the bone-in pork chop sandwich. That recipe varied slightly from the current standard: The original had a frankfurter topped with mustard, pickle relish, onions, a dill pickle, hot peppers, lettuce and tomatoes for 5 cents. 218 (formerly Douglas Park), Dave's opened in 1938. Same goes for the local cops. Its a walk-in-walk-out spot with some picnic tables outside. Hy and Rose, whose surname had been lost to time, named the restaurant for their son, according to the oral histories shared with Eugenia Gina Fountain, the current co-owner along with her mother, Shirley Fountain. But for more. Were oldies but goodies, she said. Its hard to miss a place like Wolfys. Best Hot Dogs in Huntsville, AL - Nomads Road Dogs, Downtown Dawgs, Big Spring Cafe, Jordan's D Stand, Brian's Hot Dawgz, Ken's Fast Foods, Ohana Catering, Momma D's Restaurant, Panther Cafe, Five Guys Lets get down to business though, yes the hot dogs are great, but at Weiner's Circle, its what comes with their hot dogs that have made them one of the most famous stands not only in Chicago, but in the country. Once opened, tightly seal hot dogs in a Glad Food Storage Zipper Bag. His rebound downs Marian Catholic. Located in Jefferson Park, Superdawg was founded by a returning WWII GI named Maurie Berman and his high school sweetie, then wife and the love of his life, Flaurie Berman. And about 95% of what they sold was hot dogs. Easton-Style Hot Dog. Monica Ramey: Great Hot Dog place. To stand out, Maurie built a 20x12 building topped with two 12ft guy and gal hot dogs beckoning in passersby with a coy wink and a knowing smile as if to let on a secret. Her daughter, whos 10 years old, comes in to fill the pop machine and gets paid. Although the menu boasted interesting sausages, it was also the place where you could always expect to get a good Chicago dog. Shes been there 20 years. "The oldest hot dog stand in Chicago dates back to 1938. Register your Hot Dog Stand Business for Taxes. It was pretty impressive., The sign would flash between Daves Jumbo Red Hots, and Daves Famous Red Hots.. They use Vienna Beef all-beef, natural-casing franks (12-count, for my fellow hot dog connoisseurs), tucked into softly steamed poppyseed-free buns. Its bankrolled by fees developers pay to build high-density downtown buildings. Everything else, from the onions peeled by hand to the serrano (not sport) peppers pickled by the barrelful in back, is Jims way. Shirley Fountain, from left, Corey Holmes, Marquita Fountain, Brianna Fountain and Eugenia Fountain at Dave's Red Hots, in the 3400 block of West Roosevelt Road, the oldest hot dog stand in Chicago. Bell & Evans Organic Chicken Hot Dogs. Highest Rating 2022 1. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune), A lot of people tend to shy away from natural casings, as opposed to skinless products or whatever, said Gina Fountain. Easton-Style Dog. The Jewish immigrant who walked out of Russia to escape the czars army loved nothing more than sunning himself in the warm Miami Beach sunshine. It looks every bit its age, from the carnival-esque marquee outside to the fire-engine red formica counter, bar stools and subway tile inside. It has been selling tasty Vienna Beef hot dogs on steamed buns accompanied by a handful of fresh-cut greasy fries since 1954. Als has been a fixture in East Garfield Park for as long as neighbors can remember, and its these folks who keep it going. 15, 2022. Store in the refrigerator. Parker House Sausage The original "Sausage King" was Judge Parker, McFolling's grandfather, who started Parker House in 1919. An often visited spot for those catching a game at the baseball field formerly known as Comiskey Park. Friendly staff, fast moving. After 10 years of long lines and grueling work days, Sohn closed his doors at his brick and mortar spot. Address: 138 Dexter Ave., Montgomery. Those wooden booths remain roped off otherwise, as they have since the pandemic closed indoor dining in March 2020. 1968 riots following Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination, city fund supports projects in underserved neighborhoods in Chicago, Oswego Easts Jehvion Starwood steps up with winning 3-pointer in OT. This is genuinely a community restaurant.. His cousins David Meyerson (who first emailed me and was named for his grandfather) and Ronald Meyerson came instead. Jimmy's is consistently voted top dog in local and national polls. Donald Duks Red Hots. Mervyn Dukatte and his cousin Donald Marselle thought it was a catchy name for the West Town hot dog stand they opened in 1957, an obvious reference to the most famous of all ducks but also to themselves. This family-run stand offers traditional Vienna sausages and appears to have almost the same menu as when it opened in the early 1930s. The neighborhood that will always be popular with the young post-college crowd and for DePaul students, has had many businesses come and go. And one of the oldest hot dog purveyors is Dave's Red Hots. And then he hit on the idea to open up the hot dog stand, Kaplan said. Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan and essential coverage of Chicagos diverse neighborhoods. What to eat. Hot dog with fries: $3.35How its dressed: Mustard, relish, onion, sport pepper. With everything means yellow mustard, sport peppers and dill pickles, in the minimalist Depression dog style. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune). Chicago's Gene & Jude's Hot Dogs Since 1946, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. We don't know the exact year, but do know it was earlier than previously believed, in 1938. Thats also an apt word for what these businesses represent for the families who keep them going. But first, back to that Russian teenager. Where was the first hotdog served? Fifty-three years later his empire is still going strong. In terms of hot dogs, there is everything that can be thought of: a red hot, the chili dog, the cheese dog, the double dog, the super dog, the double cheese dog, and so forth. He tried a cigar store and candy shop, Kaplan said. We get very wealthy people pulling up in limos, and we get the poorest people in the neighborhood, Jake Segal said. Hot Dog Heaven (Amherst) The possibilities are endless at this beloved, local hotdog joint. The seven condiments built on the dog ina manner that, the minute its unfolded, it has to be eaten, because the toppings ooze together, falling in plops on the wax paper it was wrapped in. Its the cost of doing business, making rent and pleasing customers, Kraig and Schwartz said. Varellis late husband John and her brother Don Caputo opened the business farther west on Taylor, literally as the outdoor patio of their restaurant, The Rendezvous, serving the kinds of foods that taste better under the sun hot dogs, clams, watermelon wedges and Italian beef, for which theyre better known. Seal. My dad admired the route driver for Vienna who brought them hot dogs, Kaplan said about his late father. Additional toppings include kraut, jalapeno and. I drove my father, who was living on the North Side, down to see what was left, Karm said. It was the perfect first or last stop before getting back on the cable car. Its 12in of greatness and easily the cities best mix of condiments and fixings. This restaurant means so much to me, said Gina Fountain. He finished his route that day and soon after opened Jakes Pup In The Ruf at 950 W. Montrose Ave. (Ruf because It was a rough neighborhood, but I didnt want to make it look bad, he said.) Many Chicagoans will tell you that if you are going to eat only one Chicago hot dog and you want to understand what a Chicago hot dog is, then the dog for you is Byrons. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune), Then my dad got sick, she said. This would be the fairest of fairs. Chicago Dog & Co chef Doug Walters and co-owners Monica Walters and Sandra Rivera stand next to their restaurant venture in . The Oldest Hot Dog Stand In Chicago is a must-visit for anyone who is looking for a truly unique and authentic Chicago experience. Ratings. It was working in an institution, not in a store, Karm said. We do not own the building, said Gina Fountain. Or, seal the hot dogs into a GladWare food protection container. If you were a kid growing up in Little Italy, you ate at Patio on Taylor Street, and when you were old enough to earn a buck, you worked there. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune). It could be a stand in any corner of the city. Stands populated Jewish and Italian enclaves on the West and South Sides, serving this cheap meal on a bun that was especially welcome during the Depression and has become emblematic of the city itself. NBC News Kevin Tibbles stops by to hear from customers and staff about their years of memories at the community staple.Jan. In 1971, Karms family sold Daves Red Hots to Fountains father, Eugene Gaines. Its patented, he said, holding a hefty pouch of said seasoning but not allowing a photograph to be taken. Read more. Shes earned the title with fries we rank among the best. After Maurie graduated, the couple decided it was time to take the business to full-time, and over the years it too became sort of a different love of the Bermans life. Its a vague, but loyal canvas to decorate. But dont be mistaken. Welcome to Fatso's Last Stand. 6. At the time it was owned by Mickey Becker, who was rumored to be the brother-in-law of Abe Drexler, the owner of Flukys and the originator of the Chicago hot dog. Its a time-honored rule. Hot dogs are all around us and although most in the city are similar, there are a handful that stand apart from the rest. Over the years, residents have come and gone, but even among the youngest Lakeview residents, its a popular spot to grab an early-afternoon hot dog or cheddar burger after a long night. Never any physicality.. At a time when the nation was sinking, Flukys kept their prices low enough to make sure many bellies were fed -- whether they had the nickel or not. Mustard's Last Stand is located at 1613 Central St, Evanston, IL 60201 19) Morrie O'Malley's Morrie O'Malley's is a classic small counter served place serving traditional hot dogs, burgers and more. Literally. He opened a string of locations in a circle around the city in the citys suburbs. Plus, the Trib tells the story of the city's oldest hot dog stand. Shirley Fountain, from left, Corey Holmes, Marquita Fountain, Brianna Fountain and Eugenia Fountain at Dave's Red Hots, in the 3400 block of West Roosevelt Road, the oldest hot dog stand in Chicago. Its there you will find posters of Chicago encompassed in hot dogs and various other kitschy hot dog memorabilia on the wall -- some with a Japanese theme -- telling the tale of a bygone-era when William Murphy, the owner and namesake of Murphys was tapped by a few Japanese moguls to bring the Chicago Dog overseas. Dave's Famous double red hots are seen at Dave's Red Hots on Aug. 13, 2021. The oldest stand in town (around since 1938), it looks the part, but the quality of its food hasn't faded. Ketchup is still, for the most part, verboten. Murphys is now around 30 years old, and its one of Chicagos most beloved spots for hot dogs, cheddar burgers, and the best foot-long dog in the city. The star of the menu is Murphys foot-long Vienna Beef hot dog. All my cousins and I worked on weekends and after school. Because this fellow was out and about all around the city, seeing the sights and talking to different people all the time. They are charred or grilled, topped with the Magnificent Seven. The wedding was for Morris Kaplan, Daves oldest child, standing left, and his bride, Sharon (Rothbart) Kaplan, standing next to him. Mr. Murphys friends in Japan call this monster the Big Murphy. Its best served besides hand-cut skin-on fries with a side of Merkts cheddar sauce and washed down with a triple thick milkshake. At the time a Superdawg and drink cost 32 cents. . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Located at Platform 14 in the renovated Wrigley bleachers, the dogs and sausages are named after historic Cubs players. He started looking for a way out of the shop. Read more. Plus, 30-so years later, in Japan, his dog is still considered the model for the American hot dog by a Japanese restaurateur. So according to that new study, each one cut 36 minutes off my life. She ran the counter with Miss Bea. Daves Red Hots was owned by my father, my uncle and my grandfather, said Irv Karm, 88, Nathan and Martha Karms son. Behind the plexiglas shield, Fountain hears your hot dog shop confessions. If there was anyone to be named a Chicago hot dog historical expert, it would undoubtedly be Professor Richard Bowen of Loyola University Chicago. John Varelli bought the building where Patio is now in 1984. Although its still a staple, Flukys reign supreme is over, but it will always be a beloved memory to the older generation of Chicagoans that fondly remember Abe Drexler and his commitment to family, the spirit of community, and for being the inventor of what has come to be known as the Chicago hot dog. It touted elaborate live-action exhibits like Buffalo Bill Codys Wild West Stage Show featuring pygmies. 6.7. $10 at Fairway Packing. Back when Mallis purchased the original storefront on Cotton Avenue in 1914, he was using it as a fruit stand and sandwich shop. CHICAGO Before leaving the city for graduate school, Heidi Ratanavanich got a shoulder tattoo of a Chicago-style hot dog . Thomas said thats how it always was. Ten years later, he bought the entire building and moved the hot dog stand to its current northeast corner spot. Located at 72nd St & Western, the teeny tiny hot dog stand has served those who live locally and those who travel across the city to those in search of the perfect Chicago hot dog since May 12th, 1972. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune), Dave Kaplan walked out of Russia as a teenager when he was conscripted into the czars army, said grandson Jerry Kaplan, 77, who knew his late grandfather well. Oscar Mayer Turkey Franks. The full story has now been unearthed with help from the living descendants of not one, but two families, including an 88-year-old who once ate a hot dog five days a week and returned recently to the same booths he polished as a boy. The red hot ($3.10) is served up with a mountain of fries, and an excellent seared. The business is now being helmed by Mauries children, Lisa Drucker, along with her husband Don, and her brother, Scott, and his daughter Laura. Anything you can imagine. The Vibe Unlike many of the spots for hot dogs in Chicago on this list, Dave's Red Hots has an interior space. but the city's oldest stand remains open to serve up single dogs, double dogs and Polish sausage. Daves Red Hots opened sometime in the early 1930s. Fatso's Last Stand has started with the concept of a hot dog stand and taken it to the next level. Art's Chili Dog Stand Art's Famous Chili Dog is a bargain at $2.30 and includes mustard, chili and onions. Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago 7,229 reviews Open Now Quick Bites, American $ Menu "Good food" "Delicious cheap Hotdogs" Order online 2. He left to fight in Vietnam and came back to his job at Als. Her ambition now is to move Daves to the Lawndale Plaza strip mall up the street. (Family photo). All the primary tastes, including umami, salty, bitter, sweet, and sour are represented in perfect balance. Her father endured 11 months. Among the hot dog toppings: lettuce and ketchup. Were older than them, said Clifton Thomas, looking out the window at a McDonalds just west of this Grand Crossinghot dog stand, where hes cooked for 26 years. Possibly Chicago's oldest hot dog stand.and it LOOKS it! She quit her job to become his full-time nurse. This is especially true at Chicagos 10 oldest hot dog stands. They have like three things on the menu and just a few toppings, but its the place where your grandfather took your dad and your dad took you and it is the place, its that scent, its the memories, its that particular aroma that we all identify with. Owner Eugenia Fountain serves an order at Dave's Red Hots on Aug. 13, 2021. He saw a man put a For Rent sign in the window of an Uptown storefront. Over the years, as those stands became fewer and fewer, it became apparent to Sohn that although there were many places selling a hot dog, there very few places doing it well. . Like a special reserved table.. He finished every time., Lifes a beach under the basket for Lemonts Miles Beachum. In addition to hot dogs, he added Barnellis pastas, ribs, beef, and sausage sandwiches, the ability to buy beer, and famous clair cake, making it a multi-stop destination for those who want to experience the best of Chicago cuisine. You know what youre there for, as does the guy next to you, and you both know how its going to taste. (There are an estimated 1,800 to choose from, according to Bob Schwartz, senior vice president atVienna Beefand author of Never Put Ketchup On A Hot Dog.) You could be wearing a tank top or a tux. A menu board, featuring the original four items and much more, stretches along the back wall over the counter. Thats not, however, what makes Daves Red Hots special. Shes far from naive, knowing some neighbors belong to different gangs. The Chicago-style dog covered in mustard, onions, relish, a pickle, tomato, sports peppers and celery salt . We don't know the exact year, but do know it was earlier than previously believed, in 1938. Most people know what they are in for upon stepping up to order, and during daytime hours, its unlikely you will find the workers swearing or being inappropriate, especially when kids are around. Its also unclear if he sold the shop to another owner who ran it briefly, or perhaps had a middleman sell the business, because the next longtime owners didnt know the founder of the shop theyd run for 30 years. Vienna beef, the Magnificent Seven, wrapped in wax paper, the whole kit and caboodle. It's not even a milestone anniversary this year, its 83rd in the Lawndale area on the West Side of the city. Daves closed completely after the first state-mandated COVID-19 closures in March 2020. The city was constructed with architectural wonders made of cardboard that seem impossible even in todays modern-era. On the east side of the stand, the words THEE HOT DOG are written. 1,185 were here. There isnt a restaurant in this neighborhood where you can actually sit out on the sidewalk and enjoy your hot dogs, Fountain said. I want Daves Red Hots to be around well after Im gone, she said. By the time he got home, he had already started to solve his own dilemma. Before it was called Als Under The L, it was Als Red Hots and before that, going back to 1949, it was a Jewish guy named Al slinging red hots, cheeseburgers and Polish sausages out of a trailer at Lake Street and Francisco Avenue, said current owner Larry McCullum. Stefanovics grandson Jim Christopoulos now runs it. Menu Order Online. That means the oldest hot dog stand in Chicago is older than we thought. Both restaurants shared a supplier, who told Gaines that Daves was for sale. The oldest hot dog stand in Chicago is the iconic Superdawg Drive-In, located at 6363 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune). The onion rings and mac and cheese are sinful. Fountain calls herself a potato-ologist. Portillos is legendary, and their hot dog is one that many locals hold very close to their heart. Now 72, he still works weekends. We go back to when Pulaski was still called Crawford! Well, due to UIC expansion, the hot dog stand was relocated in 2001 and again in 2005 to 1250 South Union Avenue, at the southwest corner of Union and James Rochford Street. Plus, a large demographic of customers are Cubs fans, which account for increased traffic during the spring and summer. According to Thrillist, Chicago's oldest hot dog brand, David Berg, was established back in 1860, and by the 1880s, the city's massive meat industry was dominated by German immigrants. The oldest hot dog stand in America is believed to be the Little Red Hot Dog Wagon, which opened its doors in 1893 in Coney Island, New York. Its Fountain and the family she shares. He couldnt bear to see children walk out without candy because they had no money.. By the World War II era, due to meat rationing, Flukys was unable to get a proper supply and took a hit. Its just this real, perfect balance of salty of sweet of fat of different textures -- salty, crunchy, tangy, soft warmness of the bun, it works well together and everyone can afford one. This restaurant is owned by Lawndale. In May of 2015, Maurie passed away at the age of 89. She greets adults with honey or baby, though a boy of, say, 15 will get a young man. She was that age when she started working at the Lawndale stand, founded in 1938 by a man named Dave near 12th and Homan, then a Jewish neighborhood. What you need to live your best life now. Ive been applying to the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund since last November, but Ive been turned down twice, she said. El Guero Canelo Reportedly dating back to the 1960s, "Sonoran" hot dogs reflect a Mexican-inspired, Southwestern style: the frank is wrapped in bacon before being grilled, set in a fluffy bolillo bun, and then topped with beans, grilled onions, tomatoes, mayo and jalapeo salsa. Ive met so many people here, and its not at all like people in the neighborhood are portrayed. Forever began when a Jewish couple opened the shop on Homan Avenue and what was then called 12th Street, now Roosevelt Road. He used his idea to open a small stand on Polk and Western and would be instrumental in putting The Chicago hot dog AND Maxwell St on the map. There are maybe a few stools and a small counter that faces outside. When you add ketchup, its overwhelmingly sweet. A plain hot dog is $1.95. 2908 W Lake St. It wasn't about the hot dog. In honor of National Hot Dog Week, we highlight the Chicago spots that have been dragging it through the garden for decades. In 1950, Berman passed the certified public accountant exam and made Superdawg a year-round business. But thats what weve had before me, before my dad and everybody else. They produced a lot of trimmings and hot dogs were the perfect way to use them up. Where other chains failed, Portillo took the idea to a whole new level by opening more of a food emporium. Best Chicken Hot Dogs. He had plans to open a pub in another building he owned across the street, but cancer got the better of him, his wife said. Dave's Red Hots, the oldest hot dog stand in Chicago, can trace its history back to one teenager who walked out of Russia in the early 1900s. Mencken . Gina Fountain, right, owner of Dave's Red Hots, meets with the grandchildren of the restaurant's two previous owners on Sept. 2, 2021. our story last month about the shops current owners, riots in Chicago following Dr. Martin Luther Kings assassination, Ruben Meyerson, who became known as the Mayor of Roosevelt Road, Oswego Easts Jehvion Starwood steps up with winning 3-pointer in OT. Founded by H.E. Im born and raised in Chicago. Dave Kaplans grandson Jerry Kaplan lives in California, so he couldnt join the family reunion. The red hots are done the way theyve always been, with fries cut every morning and pickles cut square to match, though Fountain said, The newer people get relish and onion. Keep in mind, those were six-to-the-pound Vienna hot dogs. But I think its because the Chicago hot dog has perfect culinary Feng Shui. She was there having dinner there just last night, at the age of 90. Served with fresh-cut fries. Its the kind of place that, when someone moves out of state, Portillos makes their list as one of the places they miss most in Chicago. There arent many other places that give hot dogs as much respect as we do. As he looked down at his encased frankfurter placed alone on a white bun, he couldnt help but think to himself that something was missing, and found that he couldnt get the loneliness of that little hot dog out of his mind. Although there are a variety of exceptions around the Magnificent Seven, cucumbers and green peppers are accepted (as is lettuce, this is known as the proverbial garden of toppings by hot dog historians). Four generations of the family would take shifts throughout the day. The first Portillo's hot dog stand known as "The Dog House" opens in 1963 on North Avenue in Villa Park. It was the place where locals and tourists alike would wait sometimes up to an hour just to get in the door. The Original Jimmy's Red Hots This hotdog stand has been in the corner of 4000 W. Grand Ave. in Humboldt Park for 67 years, Chicago Magazine. It's not a huge surprise: Hot dogs are a key part of Chicago's DNA. Chicago's 10 Oldest Hot Dog Stands Have Stayed Inside Families For Decades. He would always say its always better to be good at one thing instead of a jack of all trades and not good at any of them. That being said, they have used the same vendors since 1948, and the menu today is the same as it was in May 1948 with very few additions. Son Randy Segal runs it and his 12-year-old son helps out, but most days youll find the elder Segal there too. Foursquare. One difference, and its a big one, according to Alex Lazarevski, whos taken over for his dad: the seasoning in the Polish sausage. Patio, a Taylor Street mainstay since 1948, is not to be confused withThe Patio, a suburban chain of barbecue restaurants. You see people look at each other a little cross-eyed, but theres never a cross word, she said. In 1975, Byron Kouris, a well-known restaurateur opened his first hot dogs stand at Sheridan and Irving Park. IE 11 is not supported. "I don't see it as just a hot dog place. Its that familiarity that every Chicagoan knows what goes on a Chicago Hot Dog and when its done well, it tastes great. It is unlikely that we will find any hot dog stand Chicago area that has been around since 1938. I love hot dogs and sausages -- always did. And now, I see the same thing is happening.. This paid for my college, said Gina Fountain, proprietor of Daves Red Hots in Lawndale, the oldest stand, dating to 1938. His earlier misses? Best Turkey Hot Dogs. Many other GI vets were using this model for employment, peddling hot dogs often alongside tamales.