The Dogout

Stumbled on this hole in the wall when looking for an Italian beef sandwich. To say quaint is…read morepressing it. There's a counter to order at and 5-6 2 top tables, then one 4 top. Next door with a shared entry is Dear Franks ice cream with similar seating. Food was cooked to order with options to make it your own. Food was good (beef was dry and not served with a dip), and came out hot. Come try this hole in the wall with parking in the back.

I have been coming to Deer Franks since a kid, hands down the best place in Deerfield. Their…read moreconsistent, great tasting food is the reason when I drive home from college I stop there before getting home.

#1 1 Hot Dog combo

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Gene’s & Jude's

4.2(2.7k reviews)

18.6 mi

Looking at fries piled directly on top of a hot dog, my back immediately warned me, "That is a…read moredangerous game to play!" But I had to see what the hype around Gene & Jude's was all about. I caught them at a great time with a short line. Their menu is delightfully simple and typical classic Chicago style with minimalist topping choices (mustard, relish, onion, sport peppers) so ordering was a breeze. A single dog with fries and a medium drink came out to about $9. While waiting, I loved watching their team work like a well-oiled machine behind the counter. Fresh hand-cut potatoes were dropping into the fryer, and the assembly crew was constantly building dogs and piling massive heaps of steaming fries on top. High output, fantastic energy! I even asked one of the prep guys if I could snap a picture, and he was super cool about it. The meal itself was awesome. The fries were piping hot, perfectly salted, and very generous in portion. Once I dug down to the dog, that first bite took me by complete surprise, the snap of the natural casing and the flavor were incredible. Before I knew it, I was clearing the paper wrapper and completely understanding why people order double dogs or multiple single dogs. Be warned it will have your back talking to you too. Lol! Highly recommended legend!

Good Eats! Legendary…read moreHotdogs. A short 15 min or so from Ohare Airport. The fries are good, no ketchup in the building

The inside of the restaurant

Single Hot dog/with Fries

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Nov 2025.

Superdawg Drive-In

3.3(565 reviews)

5.0 mi

Wow, apparently it's been 6 years since my last visit to Superdawg! I was enticed to return because…read morethe restaurant partnered with my local library for a fundraiser that I wanted to support. I'm glad I did, because the food was better than I had remembered. I had the Superfish sandwich which was served with fries, tartar sauce, a green tomato and pickle. The sandwich was large and tasted great. I am particular about fries, and I even liked theirs. Our food took several minutes to be prepared, but we weren't in a rush. We snagged the last table, but the countertop seating was completely unoccupied. I was tempted to try one of the many desserts on the menu, but my meal was plenty filling. I'll have to return for sweets another day.

5 stars! Superdawg was incredible!…read more Got some coffee, Super Shrimp and Super Fish all were amazing! I saw they had some cool looking deserts and their own beer too. Gotta try all those next time for sure! Also loved the 1950's drive in style of the parking lot and the over all vibe way too nostalgic cool! 200% coming back!

Cheers! Supertamales, Superdawg, pineapple shake

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U Dawg U

4.4(125 reviews)

8.3 mi

Great hot dogs and excellent customer service! The staff was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely…read moreseemed to enjoy what they do. Fast service, great food, and a really positive experience. I'll definitely be back!

I wanted to try and authentic Chicago dog so I used ChatGPT to give me the nearest best place from…read morewhere I was at and this location was highly recommended! I'm really glad that I went ahead and gave it a try, from walking in the door to leaving, the customer service was absolutely phenomenal. The gentleman who cooks the dogs up absolutely loves what he does and you can tell because of how excited and happy he was to show us his work. Then we got to chat with the owner for a little while, and he was extremely friendly and welcoming, and just made the whole experience just feel very comfortable and welcoming! If I lived in this area, I would definitely eat here all the time! I highly recommend giving them a try if you've never been here!!!! 5 for sure!!!!

Sweet Potato Fries

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Josh's Hot Dogs

3.9(192 reviews)

4.4 mi

Stopped here on a whim during travel. We really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and the hotdogs…read morewere great!

Order two char dog they were on regular buns, which were hard they were disgusting…read more What happened to poppyseed buns? The staff is rude and unfriendly

A dog dragged through the garden.

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Outside

Salerno's Red Hots

4.6(78 reviews)

47.9 mi

My first time here. I just wanted a couple hot dogs. But I was hungry, so I also got a combo wet,…read moresweet, and hot. And all I can say is..... thank goodness. That combo was awesome. The dogs were perfect. But what ever they use to cook the fries in???? they were some of the best fresh cut fries I've ever had, anywhere!! A really great hotdog joint in Yorkville. I'm definitely going back. (I wish I would have taken a photo of the food but it was gone in mins.... all of it. )

First time coming here, I was in the mood for a hot dogs since a few of the other places were…read moreclosed or there was a long wait. Thankfully this place had no wait! The owner was very nice and friendly! He was friendly and attentive. The menu was a bit small but I was so solely in the mood for hot dogs anyways. The prices were a little above average but I couldn't complain about supporting a small business. Wait times were not bad at all. The food was phenomenal! I even took a free hat too as a little souvenir.

Owner is awesome

Italian Beef with sweet and hot peppers and a side of large fries.

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The Mean Wiener

4.0(303 reviews)

2.5 mi

We used to love coming here because the fries were always fresh. After Michael's changed ownership,…read morethe fries there went downhill, and Mean Weiner was one of the few places still doing classic Merkts cheddar fries the right way. Unfortunately, since the switch to the new fries, I don't see myself coming back. I called to ask about the change, and the person I spoke with told me the new fries are "higher quality." In my opinion, that's simply not the case. They are a big step down from what made this place special. The hot dogs are still great, which makes it even more disappointing to see these kinds of changes under the new management. I hope they'll consider bringing the original fries back.

Good cheeseburger, huge menu selection, and the ice cream looked really good. A few things like the…read morefries, the tortilla chips, and the beef empanada definitely missed the mark for us, which was disappointing because we were told they had the best fries - it sounds like they recently switched to a different style. Soda wise they have fountain coke and a bunch of jarritos in bottles, which is always a good combo to see. I'd probably go back for a hot dog but not sure what else.

24.1 mi•River North, Near North Side

Entry area where you order and get your drink.

Rama

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Lobby

Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

3.9(7.4k reviews)

I've been hearing so much about Chicago hot dogs and decided since I was in town why not try one so…read moreI checked out Portilo's & Barnelli's Chicago that so many people told me to try. It is a pretty neat place when went in I saw that they have a lot of memorabilia all around the place. Also famous people have also been there with their autographs on their pictures. This place was quite busy which tells me that it must be good. It was very organized you can order your meal on a kiosk or at the counter. We decided to order it at the counter I ordered a famous Chicago hot dog which is an all beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun topped with chop onions, sweet pickle relish, tomato slices, dill pickle and a small spicy pepper with no ketchup but does have yellow mustard the price you could not bet it was very reasonable my guest ordered an Italian sandwich. After ordering the cashier gives you a receipt with your number on it and you step to the side. Then you wait until your number is called and that's how you get your order. Yes it was crowded but we waited for our two items for at least a half an hour which to me was unacceptable but besides that the place is really neat to try and the hot dog as well as the Italian sandwich was delicious definitely will be back again fingers crossed that we don't have to wait so long but the wait was worth it. They also have lots of seating around the restaurant. There is a second story as well you could sit up there.

i tried the italian beef sandwich with extra gravy and spicy peppers. there was generous portions…read moreof beef and the peppers were actually hot! the bun does get quite soggy if you order extra gravy but think of it as a french dip sandwich. i came here on a saturday and the wait was about 30 minutes to get our food. the staff are very organized and have a good system down to handle the big crowds. the ambiance of the restaurant is pure chicago with the sports banners and decor.

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Dawg Park

4.0(224 reviews)

7.8 mi

I came back with my new pup! He had a chicken and rice bowl which he devoured. So glad they are…read morestill dog friendly here. Love that they still have a play area for humans too. The human menu is kinda large and it was hard to decide what I wanted. I decided on a spicy chicken bowl over potatoes with a side of fried pickles. The food is good but it can be pricey for what you get.

I've never been so confused at an eating establishment…read more There are dogs. I like dogs...I have a dog...but do they never accidentally pee or poop inside? Menu is really big, a bit too many options so I had to stare at it for quite a while. Food is decent. I had a Chicago style dog and chili cheese fries. My son had a cheeseburger and fries. We had two fountain drinks. The total was $40. Inflation or are these particular prices unreasonable? I don't know, but $40 for a burger, a Chicago style hot dog, two fries (to be fair, one was chili cheese fries), and two fountain drinks seems excessive. Service was pleasant. I could see how the concept works for dog people who are dog crazy. Again, food is decent, prices high, service pleasant, decor and concept a bit confusing.

Connect 4

Coconut Pineapple Shake

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Cheesy Italian Beef

Boss Dawgz

4.6(172 reviews)

30.7 mi

Drive by and decided to stop for a dog! So glad I did - home Made buns and fries! Deliciousread more

Since Johnny's left Lisle - this will be the best dog You get…read more They customize any way You want. They have a brat and a polish as well. I like Ryan the owner. Village of Lisle; give the guy his drive thru window. Helping local business generally helps the community?

The old Chicago

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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

10 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Ben F.

596

24

0

9 years ago

Couple of my friends came into this restaurant or we could call the owner was not pleasant to me and my friends the owner was talking to Bannockburn department. There is other gentleman who is overweight and does not know how to cook foodMe and my friends are not in the come back to his place read more

Jay L.

0

21

0

10 years ago

The worst customer service ever the owner Norm .He used bad language in front of my kids and her friend. i would never come back to this place again.I going to use mcDonald from this point on..... read more

Robert O.

0

6

0

10 years ago

After a few visits they remember you. They will try to accommodate special requests due to special food concerns. Always great products!

Kelly C.

32

10

3

6 years ago

Great food! Loved the friendly atmosphere and personable staff. Will definitely be returning for both the food and friends.

Terry G.

0

7

0

8 months ago

Fantastic food. Great prices and very friendly owners. Been going here for over 30 years.

Stan D.

0

41

4

12 years ago

Let's just say that Jon Taffer's producers would pick this one for a good clean up.

Keighlynn G.

0

5

0

12 years ago

The owners are Really nice and you can't beat the cheese fries!

Kat H.

213

10

0

10 years ago

Keith is great guy he needs to open up his own place

Andrew F.

251

54

8

12 years ago

Great Food and great customer Service

Will R.

2

6

1

17 years ago

Excellent service and great food!

The Dogout - hotdog - Updated September 2026

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Dear Franks of Deerfield

3.8

(146 reviews)

Stumbled on this hole in the wall when looking for an Italian beef sandwich. To say quaint is…read morepressing it. There's a counter to order at and 5-6 2 top tables, then one 4 top. Next door with a shared entry is Dear Franks ice cream with similar seating. Food was cooked to order with options to make it your own. Food was good (beef was dry and not served with a dip), and came out hot. Come try this hole in the wall with parking in the back.

I have been coming to Deer Franks since a kid, hands down the best place in Deerfield. Their…read moreconsistent, great tasting food is the reason when I drive home from college I stop there before getting home.

The Left Bank

3.9

(59 reviews)

Not sure what type of hot dog they're using, but it's awful. Easily the cheapest one! Up your dog…read moregame left bank.

They changed the Sloppy Joe bun from a real Kaiser Roll to a lousy white bread one…read more.. Very disappointing.

Scooters

3.7

(91 reviews)

We were here for lunch a few days ago (had the gyro - it's plentiful and decent) and noticed their…read more$5 breakfast sign. I'm always up for a breakfast bargain (think Dunkin or Denny's Value Menu), so we decided to swing back by and put that $5 everyday breakfast deal to the test. Well, it exceeded our expectations! Those are real eggs and real bacon (actually cooked to order) and sort of real pancakes (larger than their ad suggests but I'm guessing they are microwaved). Even better, the included coffee was larger and better than expected - kind of a cross between McDonald's and Dunkin - meaning drinkable. At just $5 including coffee...breakfast here is a genuine bargain and it's definitely a notch or two in quality above other fast food options in the area.

They're back after being closed for a decade. Brand new digs and a new owner. Actually the cooks…read moreare back from previous owner. They keep the place spotless, was a little shocked that they were doing a deep clean three hours before they close, but that probably helps them getting out of there on time. Perhaps they do another cleaning after they serve breakfast? They don't make their own beef, but Vienna makes a good beef also. My first time back I went with their chili cheese dog. The fresh cut fries were piping, hot and tasty. Perhaps they took note of some of the others who complained. I was bummed they don't have root beer and the Coke seemed to be weak on the syrup. I haven't had a Mountain Dew for decades, but that hit the spot. Surprised to see that they are actually offering breakfast and are open 6 AM and serving breakfast until 10:30 AM every day. The cashier was very friendly and helpful.

Josh's Hot Dogs

3.9

(192 reviews)

Stopped here on a whim during travel. We really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and the hotdogs…read morewere great!

Order two char dog they were on regular buns, which were hard they were disgusting…read more What happened to poppyseed buns? The staff is rude and unfriendly

The Mean Wiener

4.0

(303 reviews)

We used to love coming here because the fries were always fresh. After Michael's changed ownership,…read morethe fries there went downhill, and Mean Weiner was one of the few places still doing classic Merkts cheddar fries the right way. Unfortunately, since the switch to the new fries, I don't see myself coming back. I called to ask about the change, and the person I spoke with told me the new fries are "higher quality." In my opinion, that's simply not the case. They are a big step down from what made this place special. The hot dogs are still great, which makes it even more disappointing to see these kinds of changes under the new management. I hope they'll consider bringing the original fries back.

Good cheeseburger, huge menu selection, and the ice cream looked really good. A few things like the…read morefries, the tortilla chips, and the beef empanada definitely missed the mark for us, which was disappointing because we were told they had the best fries - it sounds like they recently switched to a different style. Soda wise they have fountain coke and a bunch of jarritos in bottles, which is always a good combo to see. I'd probably go back for a hot dog but not sure what else.

U Dawg U

4.4

(125 reviews)

Great hot dogs and excellent customer service! The staff was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely…read moreseemed to enjoy what they do. Fast service, great food, and a really positive experience. I'll definitely be back!

I wanted to try and authentic Chicago dog so I used ChatGPT to give me the nearest best place from…read morewhere I was at and this location was highly recommended! I'm really glad that I went ahead and gave it a try, from walking in the door to leaving, the customer service was absolutely phenomenal. The gentleman who cooks the dogs up absolutely loves what he does and you can tell because of how excited and happy he was to show us his work. Then we got to chat with the owner for a little while, and he was extremely friendly and welcoming, and just made the whole experience just feel very comfortable and welcoming! If I lived in this area, I would definitely eat here all the time! I highly recommend giving them a try if you've never been here!!!! 5 for sure!!!!

Michael's

3.1

(286 reviews)

Incredible burgers and Grilled Chicken sandwich in town! Wish their fries were a little better, but…read morethe service is great! Decent outdoor seating if you can get it! Parking sometimes is a little tough but there is an underground garage with 3 hour free parking!

Here's what I don't understand. Michael's has a nice selection, the food is very good, and it's…read morebeen a regular stop for us since we moved to Highland Park 35 years ago. But the prices have become awfully hard to justify. A baked potato with teriyaki sauce and about five small chunks of chicken is $12.95. Add just a few dollars and you're approaching the price of an entrée at a sit-down restaurant with table service. Thirteen dollars for a baked potato with five cubes of chicken on top? In my opinion, that's greedflation. At some point, customers have to decide when the price simply doesn't match what's on the plate. If we keep paying prices like these without objecting, we're also telling restaurants we're willing to pay whatever you want, and again when prices go up once more. I'm guessing the actual food cost to the restaurateur for that baked potato is likely between $1.00 and $2.00, max. That's a hell of a profit Michael's.

Dog Walk

4.4

(58 reviews)

This place is definitely a neighborhood spot. I saw people walk in and greeted with "Do you want…read morethe same?" This place is ran by a joyful husband and wife duo that is super friendly. I ordered my usual, but they didn't have a 2 hot dog special, so I just did the one hot dog special with an extra dog. My food was ready quickly. First the hot dog was a beefy bun length dog that filled the steamed seedless bun perfectly. The topping was all fresh and the peppers had a little heat. The fries are shoestring type fries they were hot and crispy. Shoestring fries aren't my favorite but were really good. This place had a counter to eat at and a couple of table and chairs. The place was clean and I love that they sell little toys.

Their chicken terayaki and egg rolls are the best in town can't get enough of it! Home cooking at…read moreits best a definite must try! You will be hooked. Already had the hot dog hamburger gyro fries etc pizza puff tuna melt shrimp basket is all great too but the new items have to stay on the menuI would give them 10/10 you must try!

The Peanut Gallery

4.5

(81 reviews)