In the SF bay area you have a few decent choices, but the ones I know best are in the east bay (Oakland, Berkeley, Concord). Of course if you have read here a while, my favorite place is Top Dog. IMHO the best grilled dog in the nation (and I do mean that), hell the BEST dog period. Get 2 and before adding any condiments take a bite. You'll never go back! The have a website and several locations:
http://www.topdoghotdogs.com/ Another old time favorite is Original Kasper's on Telegraph in Oakland. Very old time feel and good steamed dogs. The staff can be a bit surly, but it actually adds to the ambience. Been in the same spot since 1929 too!
http://www.originalkaspers.com/home.html Just up the street a bit is Casper's Hot dogs. While there are several Casper's joints around the area, this was always my favorite.
I always got mine with just cheddar cheese. Man was it good! Only drawback is they have no "all beef" dogs. Just beef and pork franks. But according to a lot of foody reviews, this place is the definitive California dog. They even manufacture there own.
http://www.sparsausage.com/ Next door to the Grand Lake theater in Oakland on Grand Ave. is Col. Mustards, serving a pretty fair imitation of a Chicago dog. The red hots are delicious and the presentation is very good. The only reasoin I say imitation, is that they have a fair array of dogs for you to sample, rather than just a Vienna Beef with the trimmings. It's a tad pricey, but definatley worth a look.
Another place serving a Chicago style dog, is in Concord. The place is called Hot Dog Palace. It's on Grant St, and if you really want to make a fun time of it eat luch there look around and get dinner at Spaghetti Factory across the park. Back the last time I was there (2 years ago) they served the best fries in the bay area. And for a few bucks you get an order of "all the fries you can eat" I use to order a pair of Vienna beef dogs, one full Chi style, one with just cheddar and a an order of all yo can eat fries. I was usually uncomfortable with heartburn for a while but it's worth it.
Now it would be real easy to make a trip and hit these joints all at once. Depending on where you are coming from, it's probably best to start at Col. Mustard's, then take Lakeshore west to Telegraph and head north and hit Original Kasper's (on your left about 2/3 mile up), head north again for about 3 or four blocks and hit Casper's, continue north on Telegraph into Bezerkeley, it'll turn one way and then start looking for Durant, make a right 1/2 block and you're at Top Dog. Grab a few and then get back into the car and ask for directions to highway 24 towards Concord. Take it to where it splits to 24/680 and take 680. Exit immediately at Willow Pass Rd. and head east (away from the Sun Valley mall). Go up about a mile until Todos Santos Plaza (a nice park) is on your left, make a left at the light onto Grant and it's at the next corner. While you're in Concord, you can hit Casper's and Top Dog again if you and your stomachs are so inclined. Bring a lot of tums!
Now if you really want to bring some of your fun home, you should hit Miller's Meat packing and buy a 5 pound box of thier beef dogs. Some of the best available (good grilled or steamed, doesn't do as well boiled though), and they are food service so pretty damn reasonably priced too!
