Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Holly, Thanks so much for adding that link to a photo of Ezra "Speed" Anderson. I'm sure it will bring a smile to many long time fans of the man and his hot dog legacy.

BRAINZ!

@MsHumpal: It's my understanding that virtually everyone who has lived in Mundelein or the surrounding parts of Lake County in the last five decades has been to Bill's. I'm guessing your dad has some good memories of the place.

@Mad Ernie: Thanks. I don't know about Pyramid Pizza, but Beau Jo's has a considerably larger and denser crust than the Double Decker at Bill's.

@steelcity: Every kind of pizza is my kind of pizza! I looked at the website for Bill's in NC and the pizza looked very Midwestern to me (square cut, lots of cheese). Then I read the history section and it all made sense - the people who started it moved there from Indiana. I am very intrigued by the Carolina influence of the place though - they offer a mustard pizza sauce?

@DinnerDuJour and hookrilla: Glad you approve of my description of your local pizzeria. It really was a fun place to visit.

This is crazy cheesy! I would enjoy but I'm allergic to mushrooms :(

Funny about the name, I used to eat at a Bill's Pizza Pub in NC growing up. Daniel, I think it would be your kind of pizza... I actually submitted a review to Adam but he hasn't posted it yet. Hassle him so you can get a look at the pictures!

The pastrami burger that Lexalpha mentioned has been refined to perfection in the Salt Lake City area, where one-off restaurants and local chains started by Greek immigrants have made it their signature specialty. No hamburger aficionado has truly lived until he/she has experienced a Crown Burger.

also you can check out Flo, Toast, and Over Easy... All do a pretty good job. Have fun!

Wow Mr. Nagrant you really got some stones thrown at you in the comment section. While I have only lived in Chicago for two years I think your review is really exceptional. The mentioning of pequod's, Al's and GEPPERTHS! I think you really got it down, awesome summary!

Please note indigenous Chicagoans there is no mention of LouMalnatis here. Mostly because its not good.

What a collection!!! I'm partial to steakhouse, kobe and fast food. Quite the variety, I know. :)

Looks like a burger to me...

This is a really good post but... can we stick to burgers?

I am looking for a best breakfast place in Chicago . Funkyness encouraged since I am of the Friendly Toast, Portsmouth, NH school.

I am still looking for top steakhouses. What comes to mind is Smith and Wollensky, Chicago Chophouse, Gibsons, and Gene and Georgetti. Any others that I should consider?

King T,

I agree that Flo's can hardly be considered the best in the country. We all have our tastes and opinions, and it's said that the best hot dog is the one you like best. While taste is subjective, other parameters can be used in judging whether a hot dog is a quality dog or not. Such as ingredients and spicing. A quality hot dog is made from whole cuts of beef and/or beef and pork. I know the Vienna beef dog is a quality dog, made from bull meat. But so is Best's from New Jersey. Not to be confused with the Best's popular in Chicago that was made by Sara Lee and is now gone. Vastly inferior to New Jersey's Best. I've had both.

While you're probably a fan of Vienna Beef hot dogs (since it is used at approximately 85% of Chicago hot dog establishments), in my opinion there is a hot dog in Chicago that is better than Vienna, Best's, Sinai 48, Red Hot Chicago, Leon's, David Berg, or any other hot dog brand from Chicago that I've sampled. And that is the hot dog from the Romanian Kosher Sausage Company. And I wouldn't even consider that the best all beef hot dog in the country. Have you had Best's from New Jersey? Usinger's from Milwaukee? Sabrett's from New Jersey/New York? Boars Head? All with more flavor and in my opinion better than Vienna Beef.

I guess it's hard to be objective if you've grown up in Chicago and Vienna Beef is what you're exposed to with little variation. We have much more variety in the East; especially in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. There you will find not only top of the line beef dogs, but German style pork and beef dogs, which to most Chicagoans is anathema. But many in other regions of the U.S. as well as Europe (specifically Germany) would argue that the beef and pork dog is the more traditional.

Brands like Thumann's and Schickhaus from New Jersey, Sahlen's, Hofmann's, Zweigle's,and Hartmann's from upstate New York, and Hummel's, Mucke's, and Grote & Weigel from Connecticut are excellent examples of delicious, traditional European or German style franks. Not to mention the homemade franks produced at small Pork Stores and European butchers.

Hot dogs are regional and I would say that most areas produce mediocre franks where the focus is on the stuff you put on the dog rather than the actual meat itself. While I enjoy an authentic Chicago style hot dog (my preference would be for the minimalist version at Gene & Judes), I prefer to have a hot dog most of the time with just mustard. A good one doesn't need all the crap that is piled on some dogs served in Chicago. Namely Byron's. Lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers? Not on my dog. And even the spicy sports peppers mask rather than enhance the flavor of a hot dog.

And for all the complaining Chicagoans do about ketchup on a hot dog (I too think this is an abomination), why do you put sweet relish on a spicy, garlicky beef hot dog? That's inconsistent if you ask me. The only time I put relish on a hot dog would be when I go to a place called Rutt's Hut here in N.J. The relish is unique and goes well with their mild pork based hot dog.

Chicago is just one area of the country known for good hot dogs. And known for one particular style. As I mentioned earlier, most of the country serves cheap mediocre hot dogs. Quality hot dogs can be found in the East; mainly New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Michigan. Other areas with a good hot dog culture are Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Try some of the offerings in these areas. You might change your mind about what is best.