Hot Dog Zen

Along the north Lakefront at the entrance to the Leone Park Beach stands a relative Chicago rarity, an honest to goodness hot-dog cart. It is a throwback to the days when hundreds of such carts plied the streets of the city. By park district regulations, the stand sells only Vienna Beef products including dogs and polishes along with Tom-Tom Tamales (even though Romanian Kosher is in close vicinity). Unfortunately the dogs are all skinless (customers' preference, however if enough people ask for natural casings, they are willing to include them), but they do a heck of a job serving a traditional Chicago Style Red Hot, "dragged through the garden", with freshly cut ingredients including nice sweet ripe tomatoes, cool crisp pickle spears, chopped onions, yellow mustard, celery salt, neon relish, and sport peppers served on a soft Rosen poppy seed bun (For non-traditionalists catsup is also available). The dogs are cooked perfectly and not at all mushy. The owners actually throw the sausages and condiments away when they sit around too long. Whenever possible, the veggies are cut fresh for each order. Although I prefer natural skin dogs, I have been eating at least 2-3 of these puppies a week. Not only do the proprietors pay close attention to quality, but they are really nice guys too. More than that, the Red Hots are only $2 each including tax (Tom-Toms are $1).

The stand doesn't only serve up a pretty tasty Chicago Style Dog, but there is quite a bit to be said for eating an authentic Chicago Red Hot along the Lake Michigan shore (the stand also recently added 2 umbrella tables). The beach itself, is arguably the prettiest in Chicago and is also the training center for the Chicago Park District Lifeguards (with optional Baywatch-esque eye candy). If you are feeling really adventurous, Kayak rentals are also available. Anyhow, the next time you are sweating it out in traffic along far north Sheridan Road, do yourself a favor and stop into the parking lot at the end of Touhy Ave. and treat yourself to a great example of a great Chicago tradition. While enjoying your snack, take a walk out onto the break-water and enjoy the cool breeze and a panoramic view of the lake and city. It really is the quintessential Chicago experience, and the best $2 you will have spent in a while ($3 with a cold pop). Too bad the Park district makes it too costly and burdensome for more of these establishments to exist. In fact, these gentlemen don't make a profit, but operate the business simply because they enjoy the experience and the company of their customers. Besides, shouldn't the city that invented hot-dog carts have at least a few still in operation?


edited for spelling and grammar

What a vision! I'm ready to sprint out the door for my bike right now.

For those not familiar with the RP beaches:

Leone Beach Park (c/o Loyola Park)
1222 W. Touhy Ave.
Chicago, IL 60626
Phone: 773.262.8605

Here's a map

sundevilpeg wrote:For those not familiar with the RP beaches:

Leone Beach Park (c/o Loyola Park)
1222 W. Touhy Ave
Chicago, IL 60626

Interestingly, when the stand first opened, the owner of the Heartland Cafe, who owns a much larger snack-shack further down the beach, tried to have them ejected, but because the parking lot is actually in Leone Park and not Loyola Park, he was unable to do so. Now I think he has grown to appreciate a little friendly competition, and realizes that a tiny cart which only peddles red hots,tamales and chips, is hardly competition. Besides, the park district asks them for such a huge concessionaire's fee, they can't possibly be making a profit. All the more reason to support them. In the couple of months it has been open, the stand has already become a gathering place for neighborhood residents. (I wonder if my Wi-Fi can be reached from there. Maybe I will try mounting an antenna on my roof.)

BTW, the hours are from about 10:30 am until sunset (weather permitting). Just listen for the guy shouting "Red Hots! Get your Red Hots!"

I love having a Chicago-Style attraction like Danny's Red-Hot cart just down the street from my house. I thought I would share some photos of one of the few hot-dog carts existing within the city limits of Chicago with the forum, so I sent my nephew out to play Jimmy Olson when he picked up our lunch the other day. I think he did a pretty good job. It was hard to choose which pics to use. I love the way the bright primary colors of the Vienna Beef signage enhance and blend with the colors of the dogs themselves.


There are no anti-ketchup snobs here. Danny considers adding the blood of the devil to one of his creations.


Danny has been experimenting with different buns. You can see a package of Turano's, Gonnella's and of course, the traditional Rosen "Mary Ann" buns.


Danny's Red Hot stand is an extremely frugal lunch option for hard times. Many of the employees and residents of the local long term care and physical rehabilitation centers are regular customers.


Sno Kones are a new addition to Danny's repertoire. I don't know how he hitches it all up to his car for the drive down to the beach each day.


Danny inspects his handiwork.


One fine looking Chicago style Red Hot with all the requisite ingredients.

Has Danny shut up shop for the season (post-Labor Day)?

I drove down that way yesterday (mid-afternoon) with a taste for a hot dog and a view of the lake, but the cart was not in its usual location.

tarte tatin wrote:Has Danny shut up shop for the season (post-Labor Day)?

I drove down that way yesterday (mid-afternoon) with a taste for a hot dog and a view of the lake, but the cart was not in its usual location.

Chicago beaches officialy close the day after Labor Day every year. That probably extends to the vendors as well.

Yeah, unfortunately that seems to be the case. Maybe he will be there on some weekends. If I notice anything different (or find they have a winter location), I will post about it here. I got pretty used to getting a decent dog so close to the house. Chicago really needs to increase its food-cart presence. The carts are either totally illegal or taxed and regulated to the point that they are unprofitable. I think a certain amount of risk is assumed by the consumer when eating from a cart. But I think I'd rather watch my meal being prepared from start to finish right in front of me, than in a backroom somewhere. I am sure ChicagoStyleDog has some opinions on the subject, Anyhow, I hope Dannny is back next year. A lot of people enjoyed having him around this Summer. I would also seriously like to find out what a person can do to encourage the proliferation of such carts. There must be an organization that promotes cart ownership and lobbies the City Council to make ownership more reasonable.

stevez wrote:

tarte tatin wrote:Has Danny shut up shop for the season (post-Labor Day)?

I drove down that way yesterday (mid-afternoon) with a taste for a hot dog and a view of the lake, but the cart was not in its usual location.

Chicago beaches officialy close the day after Labor Day every year. That probably extends to the vendors as well.

The license is valid April-October. However, high winds, especially near the lake, prevent cart vending.