Question about Hot Doug's

I will be in Chicago next weekend and I will have some time by myself to go exploring.  I know that Hot Doug's only serves the duck fat fries on Friday and Saturday but what time do I have to get there to make sure I get some?  Do they run out?  I should be with a group on Friday morning that is going to Ann Sather's but if it is easier that day than Saturday I might try to get out of it.

Thanks for your help. 

Hot Doug's opens at 10:30am both days. Get there before 10:30 on Friday and before 10:00 on Saturday.

CSD 

On our recent  Saveur Magazine themed tour with The Contingent, we made Hot Doug's our first stop knowing that there would be a long wait if we stopped there later in the day.  The first of our group arrived between 9:00 and 9:30am and managed to hold the honorable place of first in line.  We arrived slightly after 10:00am and the line was already wrapped around the building.  By the time we had finished up and were ready to leave for our next stop, around 11:00am, the line snaked past the building and down the block invading the residential neighborhood that abuts Hot Doug's.  Based on what I've read in LTHForum.com and other Chicago based foodie sites, you can count on the line staying at that length for the rest of the day until Doug closes at 4:00pm.  Don't get too put off by that, Doug and his talented crew keep the line moving at a brisk pace.

Now that you know all that, here's the surprise: The duck fat fries are just barely worth it.  This is not to say that the duck fat fries are not good, because quite the contrary they're excellent.  The thing is, Doug's regular fries (the group made a point of sampling both, side by side) are just as good and quite exceptional in their own right.  Plus, they're a couple bucks cheaper per order.

For my money, I would rather splurge on Doug's outstanding gourmet sausages (wild game and other unusual meats accompanied by a unique variety of condiments well beyond the classic Chicago Style Dog toppings) and go for the less expensive, every day fries that are so good anyway.

And yes, they have been known to run out of the duck fat fries.  What time that happens depends entirely on demand on any given day.

Have a great trip,

Buddy

Thanks for the replies.  I will get there too late on Thursday to go on a non-duck fat fry day.  So I'll just have to decide how long I want to wait.  From looking at the pics on yelp that might be a big number.

hatteras04 -

Helpful Hint - Try to drag a few friends along to Hot Doug's as it allows for more sampling.  Doug takes all the orders personally and they will cut any order into 3's or 4's to make it easy to sample and try a lot of the creative combinations.  Have fun..,!!!

BuddyRoadhouse


On our recent  Saveur Magazine themed tour with The Contingent, we made Hot Doug's our first stop knowing that there would be a long wait if we stopped there later in the day.  The first of our group arrived between 9:00 and 9:30am and managed to hold the honorable place of first in line.  We arrived slightly after 10:00am and the line was already wrapped around the building.  By the time we had finished up and were ready to leave for our next stop, around 11:00am, the line snaked past the building and down the block invading the residential neighborhood that abuts Hot Doug's.  Based on what I've read in LTHForum.com and other Chicago based foodie sites, you can count on the line staying at that length for the rest of the day until Doug closes at 4:00pm.  Don't get too put off by that, Doug and his talented crew keep the line moving at a brisk pace.

I'm sorry, but is any hot dog place worth that long a wait? I'm a Chicagoan but have never gone there because I just don't like to wait--not even in an upscale restaurant, and certainly not for sausages. And I just recently read he doesn't even make his own sausages. Plus, I've heard there's some competition, like Fred hots in Glenview.

I understand and empathize with your distaste for long lines.  There is an easy solution though.  Get there early (Doug opens at 10:30am) as we did and be toward the front of the line, or, wait until later in the day (He closes at 4:00pm) when the bulk of the line has died down.  Also, avoid Fridays and Saturdays as the duck fat fries cause a frenzy that doesn't materialize quite so much during the week.

There is some new competition in town, fRedhots (sic) being the first to capitalize on Doug's success with gourmet sausages.  They do a reputable job and definitely should be tried.  Also entering the market is a new place called Chicago's Dog House over in the DePaul neighborhood.  A couple of recent DePaul graduates, inspired by Hot Doug's,  started the place a few months ago.  They are serving a similar menu to Doug's.

The reason Doug's is so popular is because he was the first one to do what he does, break the mold of the typical Chicago Hot Dog stand and serve gourmet sausages with unique and unusual toppings.  Doug is a classicaly trained chef and he brings all that knowledge and talent into his operation.

It's true that he does not currently make his own sausages, but all his siganture items are his recipes, manufactured to his specifications.  What he serves could not be found just by walking into your neighborhood butcher shop and asking for it.  Plus, he is using toppings that exhibit the true extent of his culinary abilities.

Beyond that, If you ain't convinced now, there's not much more I can tell you.

Buddy

Hot Doug's
3324 N California Ave
Chicago, IL 60618-5848
(773) 279-9550
www.hotdougs.com

fRedhots and Fries
1707 Chestnut Ave.
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 657-9200
http://www.fredhots.com/

Chicago's Dog House
816 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, IL  60614-2413
(773) 248-3647[dir="ltr"]

 I drove by Paradise Pup in Des Plaines IL last Sunday at 3:00 pm. There was an army of people standing in line outside- incredible! Sometimes this is the price you pay for good food!

BuddyRoadhouse


It's true that he does not currently make his own sausages, but all his siganture items are his recipes, manufactured to his specifications.  What he serves could not be found just by walking into your neighborhood butcher shop and asking for it.  Plus, he is using toppings that exhibit the true extent of his culinary abilities.

OK, well, see, this is something I didn't know. That certainly changes the tone. I had the impression that he just went and bought something that everyone else could buy.

The topping I mentioned include a variety of exotic cheeses, foie gras, sauteed veggies; stuff that goes way beyond a "through the garden" Chicago Dog.

Seriously, it's good stuff.

Buddy

I have to agree with Buddy.  You should try the Original first