Hot Doug's Inc

After seeing Hot Doug's on the Anthony B. show on Travel Channel, two co-workers and myself decided to check it out. We drove 90 miles which was fine. Arrived at 9:55 am, street parking only and we were about 40th in line and that was ok, we expected it and you get to chat with some pretty cool people. When I got up to Doug I cheerfully said we drove 90 miles just so we could try your place and he said "that's nothin', I had a guy earlier this week from Saudi-Arabia. (Good for you) I ordered a thuringer and it was good but it was no different than any other one I've had. The bun was very good. Overall, I rate it a 6. I also had the duck fat fries. Not that much different tasting than regular fries. I rate them a 6. Overall experience, I rate a 5. I will not drive 90 miles to eat there again.

Pros: Received food quickly after ordering.

Cons: Not Worth The Wait. Doug is a little arrogant.

got there at 2:15 and the line was still around the corner, just like everyone said. still there was a nice breeze and no one was pushing, shoving or complaining about it. doug is an icon and a colorful character, and he's surprisingly patient with those who still can't make up their mind after standing for 45 minutes. we enjoyed the chicago dog (fried & grilled) and the wild boar sausage but the elk was too gamey for its own good and could not be overcome by spices and infused bacon (yes it's wild game but there are limits). the steak fries are hot and flavorful.

Pros: nothing like it

Cons: it's still a long wait

One of the first places I'll take out of town guests. Even though there's a long line, Doug delivers on the hype of the joint with great food and atmosphere.

Pros: Doug rocks

Cons: Long live - but deserved!

My uncle told me about this place and how great the specials were so I had to put the place to the test! Im not an expert but my taste buds were screaming for joy when I bit in! Doug has a way with the ingredients, brings them all together in perfect harmony. Strongly recommend going for one of the specials to try something new in the sausage world. I arrived at 10:30am on a Friday (when they open) and I had a short wait but man was it worth it! Will definately be going back next time Im in Chicago! ENJOY!

Pros: Ambience, Food

Cons: Zero

I love this place! Doug is hilarious and the food is great. I got a huge order of fries that were crispy and perfectly seasoned. There's all sorts of unique dogs to try, but the rib eye dog is delicious. Yeah, there's a long line, but it goes fast and everyone around you is in a good mood and looking forward to eating. Doug treats everyone fairly, always plays great music, and prices his food well.

Pros: great food, fun atmosphere

Cons: can get crowded

On a recent Roadtrip we made it a point to visit numerous Hot Dog places in the Chicago area and I must say that Hot Doug's is the winner. We got there before 11am and tried a few offerings and they were all great. Doug was cool and really helpful with the menu. It was awesome! I would eat there over SuperDawg any day of the week!

Pros: Doug, Fast Service, Parking

Cons: None

Ok, I've read the reviews and here is my "opinoin". First, I had the Chicago Dog with everything the Brat with everything and I small fry.

Overall experience, average. I like the relsih and carmelized onions, nice touch. Hot Dog was the smallest I've ever had, decent flavor.

Brat was good, not very good. Fries were good, NOT great.

Pros: Carmelized Onions and sweet relish

Cons: Hot dog, and brat were avergae

Went there for a Chili Dog, and upon not seeing it on the menu board, I asked Doug if they had Chili Dogs. The response was arrogant to say the least and went something like this: "We have Hot Dogs, we have Chili, you do the math". Never again. Not that big a deal anyway...

Pros: None

Cons: Line was too long

On a recent trip to Chicago one of our first stops was a visit to Hot Doug's. We went early since we heard the place got busy and ended up with only about a 10-15 minute wait. By the time we left there was a long line out the door, down the street and around the corner....which I would have gladly waited in after we tasted our dogs. True to the reviews...the duck fat fries were amazing! But the most fun was to walk up to place our orders to an Elvis Costillo look-alike...who happens to be Doug. Even though this place is extremely busy...he takes the time to chat with everyone who comes in, explains the menu and makes recommendations. We ordered 2 duck fat fries...and he kindly let us know only one order would be sufficient. Our dogs were extremely tasty...and I honestly will say one of the best I have ever had. Very small place, but they move everyone thru...not rushing anyone. Loved this place.

Pros: Food, Service, Doug

Cons: Long lines if you come after 11:45

This place should be #1. It is an insult that it is #3 under the other 2.

Now, I spent just as much here as I did at superdawgs. the difference is I got 2 specialty dogs an duck fat fries and a drink. It was worth the 18 bucks here unlike supers. Now 18 bucks is a lot for hot dogs and fries but unlike super dawgs. Doug's has a regular dogs for $1.75 and regular fries. They also have a great selection of sausages. I wanted to order all of them. and I am sure I will because I am going back again soon and often.

Pros: everything

Cons: there is a line but it moves fast. and unlike places like Johnnie's beef. You get something worth waiting for.

There are a lot of "Vienna Hot Dog" stands in Chicago. None have the friendliness of Dougs. If only once in a lifetime, you have to go there on Friday or Saturday and try his Duck Fries. A Chicago Original.

Pros: Greatest Fries

Cons: Having to wait in a long line to get in...

Like I said THE BEST IN CHICAGO! When you pull up to Hot Dougs your thinking..."THEY HAVE A LINE OUT THE DOOR AND AROUND THE BUILDING!" Trust me its worth the wait. The menu has a huge variety and your almost tempted to order them all. By far the original dog with everything is the best. They have a veggie dog and chicken sausage which are very good. The fries are AMAZING, lets say I'm glad this place is not around the corner from me...i'd be as big as a house. All in all great first experience and the people are friendly and fast.

Pros: food, service, parking

Cons: the line out the door..well worth the wait

I'd love to be wordy like my other reviews, but, it wouldn't do Hot Doug's any justice. You can't imagine how amazing this place until you wait in the line of shame. If you work during the week and can't make their limited weekday hours, make sure you show up early on Saturday or you'll be waiting for a bit. It doesn't matter - any amount of wait is worth the array of unique hot dog's they offer. The duck fat french fries are a must. woo-hoo! I wish it was Saturday afternoon again so I could go back and stand in line again! I guess that was wordy enough.

Pros: Cheap, Awesome, Delicious, Everything

Best known for their exotic sausages, french fries are the real star at Hot Doug's. These twice fried beauties are heavenly soft on the inside and crispy perfection on thr outside. The duck fries, special in their exotic flavor, are less appealing in overall quality. The gourmet sausages are surprisingly ungreasey and the condiments and vegetables are very fresh and tastey.

Pros: Flavorful Food

Cons: Too Small

Chicagoans can be divided into two groups: those who love Hot Doug's, and those who haven't eaten there yet. Once you get a taste of the duck fat fries, you're hooked! I've been to Hot Doug's more times than I can remember, and I haven't been disappointed yet. Everything is delicious - from the basic Chicago dog to the game of the week. Don't be put off by the long line - it moves quickly, and it's worth the wait.

Pros: Amazing food!

Cons: None

One of the best places we ate at in Chicago. Would recommend it to anyone. The duck fat fries served only on friday and saturday are awesome and probably the best fries I've ever had. Doug is friendly and funny. the line was long at 11 on sat but moved fast.
We had the Madonna, the Thai chicken, the foie gras, and the jalepeno rattlesnake(the game of the week) all were amazing. Highly recommended, a must visit place. If you live in Chicago you should go every week.

Pros: Amazing hot dogs, and french fries

Cons: NONE

hot dougs rules. i take all of my out of town guests here and they all want t-shirts. try to polish sausage or the duck fat fries.

Of all of the restaurants in Chicago this is my favorite. What is there not to like about this place? Even vegetarians agree! Once in awhile I will bring a group of friends, a bottle of champagne and a free afternoon to really enjoy this place (yes it is byob). Hot Doug keep making the dogs and if you ever want to franchise, let me know. I see you almost every week. Thanks for making lunch great!

Pros: Food!!, Service, Fun

Cons: Hours

I'm not a vegetarian and the taste of a veggie dog, when I would humor my Vegan roommates, made me queezy. But Hot Dougs has got it straight..

The same snap and attack of their perfect regular dog, with no cholesterol or excessive fat! They even offer an amazing veggie corn dog that forces me to drive the 35 minutes from one side of the city to the other just to pick them up before the line cuts off at 4pm.

Make sure you try the duck fat fries when theyre offered on friday or saturday and dont let the line get to you, it moves fast.

PERFECT! I tend to shy away from Hot dog joint because the service usually sucks and they aren't very clean. NOT THE CASE AT HOT DOUGS!!!!

CLEAN, FAST, FRIENDLY AND TASTY...

My best friend and I joke that Doug is the perfect man...because he makes everyone sooooo happy!

"There are no two finer words in the english language than encased meats, my friend".

NOT TO BE MISSED.

Pros: service, food, music

Cons: none

They feature "game" of the week in their menu which I thought would be great for gastonomic adventurers. Here you will find gourmet hot-dogs such as White Wine Rabbit Sausage with Dijon Mustard Cream and White Truffle Cheese - i just had it. The sausage tasted fine to me, couldn't even tell it was something else other than pork. But the white truffle cheese is superb, but of course, who can go wrong with truffles. The size of the sausage is relatively smaller than the size that's usually sold at stands. Today they also have Fresh Mint and Roasted Garlic Lamb Sausage with Kalamata Olive Aioli and Feta Cheese.

Pros: gourmet selections, cheap eats

Cons: business hours, sausage size

i will eat here at least once a week until my heart stops. there's often a line, but it moves quickly enough... doug's a cool guy with great taste in encased meats (and music--long live the WAZ!!)

Pros: imaginative sausages, innovative condiments

this east coast girl is now in love with a midwest dog with 'everything' on it!

Pros: so cheap, free refill on drinks, easy menufast service

Saturday 6/11/05: I LOVE hotdogs. My friends think Im crazy, not me, I love hotdogs - so when I read about HotDog Doug's in the most recent Chicago Magazine I said, "yahoo", I know where Im going for lunch. I WALKED from Damen/Irving Park to California/Roscoe Street to check out my new "dog" discovery. I was hungry when I arrived. My only complaint is that the hotdog bun looked like the guys at the assembly line squeezed it in their big hands making it look like it was the bun from the bottom of the barrel. Presentation boys, presentation! Don't squeeze the bun! Handle it with TLC. I like my buns fresh and not sqwished. Handle the bun with TLC. In fact, handle all buns with TLC. Other than that, a great place, hardy and scrumptious dogs! Kudos to HotDog Dougs. xxxoo Raquel

Pros: Good pickle : ), Great Fries : ), Friendly : )

Cons: Sqwished bun, Sqwished bun, Sqwished bun

Make a list of the ten best hotdog joints and if you include Doug's, one will stand out as better and thoroughly different. Hot Dougs treats their specialty like a fancy resturant might do if known for one thing. Rather than seeking to make the best dog from the components that are available, they make their own components taking the whole package to a new level.

A great place to go for the best hot dogs in the city! There are a lot of hot dog joints in Chicago, but there are 3 reasons Hot Doug's is always so busy -- great food, good service, and cheap prices. You can't beat it!

Their specials are good, too, and you have to try the Duck Fat Fries (available on Friday & Saturday) at some point, too.

Pros: Great Food, Inexpensive, Good Service

Cons: Usually a line

My husband and I walked many, many blocks from the Blue Line (thanks to a screwy mapquest map), but it was well worth it. Expect to wait in line, but the dogs and fries are great. The specials looked interesting, but we stuck to the basics. Great decor and friendly staff. Can't wait to return with our 7 year-old!

Expect to wait in line for this sausage hot spot. The Game of the week is always good, but the Italian sausage and hot dogs are below average. The duck fat fries ($3.50) are not worth the money and hardly any different from the already exceptional fresh cut fries. The rest of their sausages however, are real good and defiantely worth the wait and price.

Pros: Inexpensive, Excellent food

Cons: Crowded

I have been fortunate enough to live across the street from Hot Doug's for about two years. It's Roscoe Village's most popular and most fun eaterie. My little brother actually worked there alongside Doug, who is the funniest and most social chef you'll ever meet. Unfortunately, a fire in the apartment behind Doug's has damaged the kitchen so severely that Hot Doug's is closed for the summer. But as soon as he reopens, get yourself down there for the tastiest gourmet sausages on the planet! Doug makes his own condiments (fruit salsas for spicy chicken hot dogs, special mustards) and his french fries are fried in duck fat which makes them so damn tasty.

There is always a line at lunch time, so either get there at opening (11 am) or come after the lunch rush (2-3:30).

I ADORE this place. Doug is a huge sweetheart, the veggie dogs are amazing & there's just nowhere like it. I am fiercely loyal to my Hot Doug's!

Pros: Inexpensive, Great service

Exceptional place, great host and great great prices. Doesn't get better than this!

On a whim, and in light of the positive reviews, I decided to check this place out. I walked in and it was packed to the brim. It was like the people needed Doug's food and were willing to wait. After I tasted a dog all the way and a polish sausage, I instantly knew why. They'll cook it anyway you want, boiled, grilled, whatever. It is the best hot dog I've ever tasted. My only gripe is that they close at 4pm because this would make a divine late-night stop.

Pros: hot dogs, Doug, fun

Cons: hours

This place is the real deal. I drove up to this Roscoe Village joint from the West Loop after reading the rave reviews here. The "game sausage" of the week was Wild Boar. I went for it with "everything" on it. It was fantastic. One of the best hot dogs/sausages I have ever had. If you don't work near the neighborhood, take a long lunch break one day and give it a shot. I'll be back next week

Pros: Tasty, Cheap, Uniqueness

Cons: Closes early

I'm a U of C student living in Hyde Park... yet I still go to Hot Doug's at least once a week. Why? It's not only for the hot dogs, which are superb, every one of them, from the Thuringer to the buffalo sausage. It's not only for the fries, cooked to a crisp and tasting like fresh potatoes. It's not only for Doug himself, the world's friendliest hot-dog cook, who remembers your name after only two visits. It's not only for the great prices...all dogs under $3 (great on a student budget!). It's not even for the ambiance... Britney and Madonna and Elvis, oh my! It's for the combination of all five that make Doug's the best doggery in the city. Go now, even if you live as far away as Milwaukee. Go now. NOW! I don't see you going yet...

Pros: Friendly service, Awesome dogs, Super-cheap

Cons: Not open for dinner, Not in Hyde Park

Hot Doug's rules! After discovering it, I wondered where it had been all my life. Where else can you choose from a classic chicago hot dog, duck sausage with foie gras and port, or rattlesnake sausage? I'd eat there daily but I'd be dead in a month. Hot Doug himself is a really nice guy, the service is the best, and prices are so cheap you wonder how he stays in business. I he'd only open in the evening...

Pros: inexpensive

Incredible food, incredible service, incredible ambiance, and incredible value! You have not had a dog until you have had the char-dog. Mmm... meat-a-licious!

Hot Doug's is a fantastic place. Excellent food at excellent prices. It is not your everyday hot dog place! Hot Doug's has specialty sausages you wont find anywhere else and his fries are outstanding! His special fries fried in goose fat are out of this world! A calorie risk one must take!
Doug himself is a great guy and one you should meet. He really takes pride in his food and has fun with it too.

Pros: Inexpensive

Ain't no better eats than encased meats at Hot Dougs!

Pros: Doug, Doug, Elvis

This cheap eats restuarant is one of the best in my opinion. It has many different varieties of sausages for every whim that you may have. My suggestion is the very tasty and spicy Raquel Welch. It is grilled and served on a fancy version of a hot dog bun.

perfect chicago style hot dogs and exotic sausages for hot dog connoisseurs.

hot doug's is the best. where else can you get wild boar, rattlesnake, and duck sausages? oh yeah, but do they have a viagra clock on the wall? check 'em out...they're fantastic.

Pros: inexpensive, great specials, doug is hilarious

Hot Doug's has great hot dogs and other tasty sausages, even a vegetarian option! Try the specials! The only drawback is the hours - Mon-Sat, 10:30 - 4:00.

Pros: Inexpensive, Hospitable owner