Experience is sometimes worth the stop. This is a cute little place that has the nicest staff. Cute patio. Obviously a local favorite! If you're in the area you will enjoy your experience. They have a unique lil place tucked away close to the train. . We enjoyed a beef and A Chicago Dog on a nice sunny summer afternoon! read more

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They are who the say they are. Very good hot dogs. No indoor seating but plenty of outdoor space. My wife and I both had the Chicago style hot dogs and they were very good. They have a lot of choices so if polish sausage, Italian beef or pork cutlets are more to your liking they have those as well. read more

Love love this place been going there since I was 16 perfect place to stop on your way to the beach, yummy Chicago Dogs‼

Cash-only, outside-only, and a very simple menu, but it's just what the occasion calls for: you can get chicken tenders, Chicago-style hot dogs and polish sausages, all served with a nice handful of golden crispy french fries, with an ice cream sandwich for dessert -- all on a lovely patio surrounded by flower pots with friendly and quick service. It's a nice treat after the Tollseton Dunes Trail (also highly recommended, separately). My one real complaint is the lack of any apparent bathroom. read more

This was the perfect little stop on our way to the beach. It is only open until 6 PM central time and they really mean that. We chose this place because it said it was dog friendly and it was sort of. Essentially they have a lot of space and a decent parking lot but a bunch of signs near the front deck say no dogs allowed in which makes for an awkward ordering experience. I guess I could've left the dogs in the car while I ordered? Good thing there were two of us there. The food was actually super solid and the french fries were delicious my bun was super fresh and there was plenty of cheese sauce to go around. All in all a great lunch. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Hot dog with cheese - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Food was really good hot and tasty. The chili cheese dog was really good. I really recommend this place. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

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I stopped by after a visit to the Indiana Dunes National Park. It's a small restaurant with outside seating. It is cash-only. They have an ATM machine on the premises. I let the cashier know it was my first time in Indiana and first time trying their food. He shared his favorites. I ordered the Depot Dog and the Italian Beef Sandwich. The Depot Dog was delicious. I really like how they salt the tomatoes with celery salt. The Italian Beef Sandwich was great. The meat was perfectly cooked. You definitely need a fork to eat it. The bread soaks in their homemade red sauce. I also loved how they pickle their own peppers and serve them on the side. The fries were also perfectly salted and had a slight crisp which was perfect for me. I will definitely return once I am in the area again. read more

Very cute spot after the beach! Nice forestry area too. Mom and pops shop very affordable. read more

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I have to plop my rating for this place right in the center. It's like a lovely picnic in a well-kept park on a sunny day; quite the unique experience and a great stop for lunch or dinner after coming back from the nearby West Beach. The floral arrangements, birdhouses, railroad decor, and general totally-outdoor dining experience have no equivalent. However, I would not suggest coming here if... * ...the weather is inclement, * ...you really have to pee (there are no bathrooms), * ...it is after October 31st, or it is before April 1st (closed during the winter months), or * ...if it is after 6:00 pm (it is closed then). The fries are pretty good; the hot dogs are about average--at least in my opinion. Also unique in that it serves RC products as its soft drink line, and there aren't many places around that do that. read more

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Awesome little hot dog stand out by the Indiana dunes! Good all beef Vienna hotdogs! Sooo good. Cute little mom and pop stand with good food! read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Chicago dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

When I received my hot dog it had multiple hairs in it the owner had refused to give me a new hot dog and was a complete douche about the whole thing would not recommend. read more

Very convenient lunch spot right outside the West Beach entrance of Indiana Dunes National Park. The outside dining that's dog friendly is a plus. Just be sure to have your dog on leash and sit on the picnic tables on the grass and not the patio. Love the fact that all hot dogs come with fries! This seems to be a common theme in the Chicago area. Not complaining at all because who doesn't love fries with their meals! read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Love this place always look forward to grabbing a Chicago Dog.They are a sign that summer is here...Cash only... read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Depot Dog...Chicago style... - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

I used to go to this place when I worked in Portage many years ago and I was excited to go back today. The hotdogs and side items are excellent! The Depot Dog is my favorite, Chicago Style. I will definitely be back for more. FYI, it's a cash only business. ATM available. read more

I live in Las Vegas and I visit my family in Ogden Dunes, Indiana. Every time I visit, I must stop here and get the Chicago style hot dog. It's delicious! The people are so nice and a dog and fries is about 5 bucks. Great deal considering I pay so much for stuff in Vegas. It's cash only. Nice outdoor seating area unless it's raining. They brought me an umbrella so I could wait for my food. Maybe it's that midwestern kindness I'm not used to in Nevada. Maybe it's just a special place. read more

This food and picnic table establishment is bare bones with traditional hot dogs and undersized polish. Other than the cheese spread nothing innovative here to be seen. Fries are needy of size and context. Bread was fresh. read more

What 1 pepper on my Chicago dogs. Been eating Chicago dogs for 5-0 years and you always put at least 2 sport peppers on not to mention your Vienna sign shows 2 read more

Sad the season is over and they don't open until close to memorial day. Best damn dogs in the region. The Depot Dog hotdog is better than anyone's Chicago Dog as far as I'm concerned. See you in the spring! read more

Came back to da region for a visit heard about their Italian beefs... I devoured it in my car! So delicious I'll be back...

The chili cheese dog was very good and they give you a small order of fries. It's just a small outside little dog joint but the food and prices at great. read more

Got the depot dog, chicago style hot dog. Just ok. The hot dog super small. It came with fries, did not bother trying them as they did not give you salt and pepper or ketchup, I did not notice til I sat down. So for 5$ no thanks. Not very friendly staff either. read more

Ambiance-4 Stars Prices- 3 Stars Portion - 2.5 Stars Flavor - 2.5 Stars Service - 1 Star Menu - 3 Stars The Yelp directions were accurate and the fire red caboose with yellow trim is easy enough to spot. With a little luck, you should be eating juicy hot dogs in no time! This is a lovely location to eat a Depot dog! Their version of the iconic Chicago dog. Beautiful lush green lawn, lots of huge shade trees and flowering plants. More than enough tables and seating for a large crowd of people at lunch or dinner time. Hopefully your hot dog and a beverage do not run through you to quickly because... There are no restroom services for the public. All of the tips from the previous reviewers are accurate. 1) It is cash only 2) Be prepared to place your order 3) Be prompt to pick up your order... They get cranky! 4) it is your pleasure to eat there... Not their pleasure to serve you. The caboose is adorable! The grounds surrounding the caboose are charming and well cared for, but the owners are brusque and their are just not enough personal touches to make it special. If you are on your way to the beach or hot and tired after a long day of fun... This is a handy, quick fix for your wiener craving! Just remember to have your cash and your order ready and run when they call your number. read more

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First time here, atmosphere was good, no public bathroom, customer service was really non existent. But because the food and outside setting was nice I give it 4 stars read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Great value! Great meal. Great dogs! Fries are awesome! We visit about once a month. Miss it in the winter. Fun for kids. Pretty grounds! Worth the stop! read more

Stopped in at Depot Dogs the other day after reading some good Yelp! reviews. Got a dog and some chili cheese fries. The dog was good and the fries were OK. They are basiclly fries with cheese and beans on them, not a lot of meat in the chili! They have good outdoor seating. Cash only! I would go back if I was in the area and wanted a hot dog. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Depot Dog and Chili Cheese Fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

As of 9/25/20, it's closed until next season. I stopped a few times the past month. Pork tenderloin was not very good. The other time I got corn dog and fries. Can't mess up a corn dog, but fries were so greasy and undercooked. I wouldn't get either again. Seems like they get a lot of traffic from the beaches. It is the only places to stop to eat if you're going back to 80-94. It is a nice place to self seat yourself---nice setup outside for that. read more

Best hot dog's I have ever had...period. Owners are really nice to, I go every time I come back to Indiana. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - The Maxwell - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Definitely a great end to a great beach day. Let's you sink into that "I'm on summer vacation" feeling just a little bit more. Excellent dogs, great price and nice outdoor seating. read more

Outdoor seating - Hot. Cash only - Annoying. Restrooms - Nah. Customer Service - Nah. Chicken sandwich - Disgusting. Tasted like freezer food. Portions - Tiny. Hot dogs - Maybe my hot dog palate is not sophisticated enough. These taste nothing like hot dogs I'm used to at ballparks, cook outs, etc. They were almost game-y tasting, and the casing was very hard to bite through. read more

Best hotdog joint around. Nice picnic grounds to enjoy your food too. Chicago dog is my favorite. Going to try the chili cheese polish next! Yummy! read more

Decent Chicago dog with fries for good price on the last stop before the Indiana Dunes State Park. Cash only, no restrooms. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - 2 Chicago Dogs with fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Wow, I forgot about this until recently. First, I'll give a bit of background: I started going to the Depot Dog when I was young. it's on the way to the beach, so it's a traditional stop for many many local beach goers. Over time, i forgot about the Depot Dog (unfortunately) until I ended up dating the owner's daughter. Well....skip ahead a few years, I'm not with her anymore and I'm always afraid that her parents hate me. I didn't do anything bad or anything, it just wasn't working for us. So yeah, back to the subject, Depot Dogs. The holy grail...the holy grail that I CAN'T HAVE ANYMORE! I drive past it often, but I can never get it, it's sort of like torture, because the parents run and operate the place all by themselves, so I'm pretty much guaranteed to have some sort of awkward moment. The dogs are top notch, you really can't get more Chicago than the Depot Dog in this area. They're incredible...juicy, skinned (you get that patented *snap* when you bite into them), and they make their Chicago dogs as authentic as you can get, and damn are they good. I haven't had much of anything else but the dogs, but they're very reasonably priced, and the outdoor dining next to the tracks and the box-car shaped ordering booth is really neat. Seriously, if you're ever in the area, get Depot dogs. Even if I can't. They're delicious. read more

Definitely one of the best hot dog stands in the Duneland area. Other than SodaDog in Michigan City, it's probably the only one I go out of my way for. Simple, quality ingredients, put together just right. Very few places are able to follow that simple formula. Keep up the good work Depot Dog. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

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Since it opened, I've been a fan of Depot Dogs. Not complicated, just the best Chicago Hot Dog. Every time! My daughters have grown up and moved away. They say they come back to visit me but we always end up having Depot Dogs! And, where can ya find a Green River? Depot Dogs read more

Darling train car - with beautiful outdoor seating with plenty of shade - and Perfect Chicago dogs, chili cheese fries, polish sausage... What a treat at great Prices but cash only! read more

Totally charming hot dog stand. Vienna beef hot dogs cooked well, check. Nice picnic tables in the shade, check. Right on freight train tracks, check (if you're a little boy who loves trains). I'll go back here every time I'm in the area. It's everything a hot dog stand should be in the summer. Cash only. read more

We just had two Chicago style hot dogs which usually are pretty good. This time the skin on the hot dog was so tough it was hard to even bite off. I called the owner and asked if he changed brands of product and he said no. Always Vienna Beef. I told him how tough they were and he said "that happens" I said we come there all the time but that we may be back. He said "ok, by" I guess customer service is not at all important to this business. read more

Ok Chicago style hot dogs. Last hot dog I had was chewy, gummy. The salt and ketchup containers are pretty gross. They don't wipe them down like ever. They also could give more fries for what they charge. Come on guys stop being cheap. Also I add today that even though I go today here the owners look miserable. read more

So good. Only down side is it's seasonal. But gives you a treaty to look forward to in the spring/summer. If your in Northwest Indiana, you have to stop here. read more

Depot Hot Dogs - Full menu at Depot Dog! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Portage, Indiana

Everything was extremely oversalted, the hot dogs were dry and gross, and the drinks were more than 80% ice. I couldn't even finish my Chicago dog. It was my first time trying a Chicago dog, and I was thoroughly disappointed, I really hope that this isn't what a real Chicago dog tastes like. I'm never coming back again read more