Dog Day Afternoon Hot Dogs [closed]

Has anyone ever tried this place? I've driven past it many times over the years and never stopped by.

Here is a few pictures of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eppelheimer/sets/72157594444530225/



Dog Day Afternoon
[WAS: 7183 W Armitage ]
6939 W North Ave, Oak Park

Geez, I live next door to Elmwood Park and I didn't even know this place existed. Did you eat anything there?

David Hammond wrote:Geez, I live next door to Elmwood Park and I didn't even know this place existed. Did you eat anything there?

Nope, not once in all these years. I usually pass it on my way to Gene & Jude's, the Maurice Lennel cookie store or other places along North Harlem. I was going to give it a shot today but it looks like they're closed on Sunday's

Funny, I've never noticed it either, and I drive around there a lot. In that area, I usually go to Harpo's on the north side of Grand, a couple blocks west of Harlem. They have good beefs and Italian ice also.

After not being able to try out the reopening of Connie's Beef due to the opening being pushed back to next Monday I decided to give this place a try.

You would miss this tiny place off of Harlem if you blinked but I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse a few months ago and had a strong desire to give it a try.


Can you spot the hot dog stand in this picture?

Nestled behind a car repair fence and amongst cell phone towers this house trailer with a few small add-ons is certainly cozy enough with a seating area to the east.



Once inside the friendly and attentive staff took my order right away and got down to cooking. Various knick-knacks on the walls, a pair of video games at the end.


Chicago Style Hot Dog

They use Red Hot Chicago dogs. A nice snap with all the traditional toppings. Everything was fresh. A very good Chicago Dog.




Fries and a Supreme Tamale in a corn husk

The fries were thin and well cooked to a nice crunch. As I was eating a lady came in for a meal to go and asked for the fries to be cooked lightly. I like a bit more crunch. Please note the Secret Hot Dog Powder. I didn't notice this until the hot dog was done and applied it to the fries. There is a bit of heat in that powder.



The tamale was a typical Supreme corn roll style but served in a corn husk. When asked the owner mentioned that Supreme has many different type of tamales available and these are more expensive. He feels it is worth the extra cost.

All in all a very good place. Closer to home than Gene and Jude's this will be my goto spot for a good dog. A little less mushy than Parky's and the fries have a different character.



The owner obviously has a deep respect for the Chicago Dog and a love for the business (in business for 20 years). Lots of fun signs up on the fence and is welcoming and easy to talk with. From what I overheard he does have some health issues.


Flamingo Corral


Home of the Top Dog


Good Prices!

Get out of my head, Panther!

I was driving home from Morton Grove yesterday, southbound on Harlem, when I somehow noticed this place for the first time after I don't even know how many years of driving right on by. Had I not just stopped for a gyros at Nick's further north, and had plans to visit the re-opened Khyber Pass soon after, I would have stopped in. Sounds like I'll have to give it a try next time I'm up that way.

I've driven past it a million times. I've actually noticed it because I always seem to miss that light going southbound. But I've never had the urge to try it since they don't serve Vienna dogs.

I really like the pricing board though. You can tell they ran out of '5's and started making the other stuff end in '7'. I get a kick out of that.

What a great name for a hot dog stand.

midas wrote:But I've never had the urge to try it since they don't serve Vienna dogs.

If you've never tried a Red Hot Chicago, give it a shot. I like them better than Vienna. The owner is one the Vienna family that split off to do his own thing.

I tried Dog Day Afternoon today. It's nothing remarkable but serves a perfectly serviceable natural casing dog, though not of the minimalist style. The fries are the same type served at McDonald's, so there's no reason to order them instead of one of the corn husk wrapped Supreme tamales. The corn roll itself tastes pretty much the same as it does in the regular paper wrapped Supreme tamales at every hot dog stand in town, but the husk is a nice novelty for a fast-food style tamale. This place is really tiny, and consists of a trailer fitted out with a kitchen in one end and a couple of narrow window ledge counters at the other. Almost everyone who came in during my visit was a regular who was welcomed by name and asked if they wanted "the usual". I loved it in that regard, but I'm not sure I need to make another special trip to Dog Day Afternoon unless I happen to be close by and the need for a hot dog arises.

ucjames wrote:Get out of my head, Panther!

I was driving home from Morton Grove yesterday, southbound on Harlem, when I somehow noticed this place for the first time after I don't even know how many years of driving right on by. Had I not just stopped for a gyros at Nick's further north, and had plans to visit the re-opened Khyber Pass soon after, I would have stopped in. Sounds like I'll have to give it a try next time I'm up that way.

Funny. I was driving from Oak Park to Caputo's about a week ago and spotted it for the first time, too.

Cogito wrote:If you've never tried a Red Hot Chicago, give it a shot. I like them better than Vienna. The owner is one the Vienna family that split off to do his own thing.

I've had them a few times. I don't remember anything exceptionally good or bad about them. But, and I know I'll offend someone with this, I've usually found them at places that appear to be trying to get by on the cheap. Unfortunately, in my mind, you are judged by the company you keep.

midas wrote:

Cogito wrote:If you've never tried a Red Hot Chicago, give it a shot. I like them better than Vienna. The owner is one the Vienna family that split off to do his own thing.

I've had them a few times. I don't remember anything exceptionally good or bad about them. But, and I know I'll offend someone with this, I've usually found them at places that appear to be trying to get by on the cheap. Unfortunately, in my mind, you are judged by the company you keep.

I have worked at hot dog joints that bought Vienna because they were cheaper. So much for that theory.

Cogito wrote:I have worked at hot dog joints that bought Vienna because they were cheaper. So much for that theory.

Didn't say it was a theory. It's just a feeling I've gotten at the few places I've been to.

And this place is a good example. That sign hasn't been painted in at least 10 years. He'd rather have his prices end in a 7 so he doesn't have to buy more 5's. That doesn't make it a bad place or the owner a bad guy. I mean, he did say he's paying more for the corn husk tamales. But you look at the place and if you don't get a cheap vibe, well sorry, I do.

Different cheap vibes for different people I guess. I admire a small place that has been in business for a longer time than some of the the many other resturants I know. Would an old, upainted sign over a trailer turn me away from a new place? No. Would a bright, shiny new diner turn me away from their place? No. I will try each place and make my own decision. That is what my foodie life is about. Cheap vibe is what you make of it and you are entitled.

midas wrote:But you look at the place and if you don't get a cheap vibe, well sorry, I do.

To each their own. I make my judgments based on the food. At least in a place like that you can bet that nobody was drawn in by flashy decor, so probably the food must be decent.

Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Two of my favorite places, Gina's in Bensenville and Mr. D's on Diversey, are some of the ugliest places you'd ever want to see. I was commenting WHY I've never tried the place even though I've passed by there a million times. I'm not saying that I WOULDN'T try it. There's a big difference.

midas wrote:And this place is a good example. That sign hasn't been painted in at least 10 years. He'd rather have his prices end in a 7 so he doesn't have to buy more 5's. That doesn't make it a bad place or the owner a bad guy. I mean, he did say he's paying more for the corn husk tamales. But you look at the place and if you don't get a cheap vibe, well sorry, I do.

One advantage of the $2.27 price is that when you add 10.25% tax the total comes to $2.50 even. The $4.08 beef comes to $4.50, and the $2.86 brat comes to $3.15.

Just saying.

Someone figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!! The pricing. Not too cheap to by the 5's but a very convienient way to price with the customer in mind. I love it.

smitty208 wrote:Someone figured it out!!!!!!!!!!!! The pricing. Not too cheap to by the 5's but a very convienient way to price with the customer in mind. I love it.

And yet, the likely most ordered item on the menu, the hot dog and fry (I guess you only get 1 ) is $2.82 with tax.

Sorry, I'm not buying it.

midas wrote:Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. Two of my favorite places, Gina's in Bensenville and Mr. D's on Diversey, are some of the ugliest places you'd ever want to see. I was commenting WHY I've never tried the place even though I've passed by there a million times. I'm not saying that I WOULDN'T try it. There's a big difference.

Appreciate the explanation. Gina's is ok, never tried Mr D's. Susie's is an excellent example of ugly and I love it.

midas wrote:...the likely most ordered item on the menu, the hot dog and fry (I guess you only get 1 )...

They ran out of IES.

Stopped by today with My Bride so she could give it a try. She likes it! She also enjoyed the word puzzles on the wall. The fries were cooked a little lighter today, almost exactly like McD's if you like that sort of thing and I do.

Kevin, the owner, regaled us with a story of how Red Hot Chicago got their recipe for their hot dogs (Kevin is a friend of the owner). When there was the controversy over red dye #5 and Vienna was tinkering with the recipe to take the dye out they had several recipes and one they did not use and locked it in the safe.

When the current owner of RHC left to start on his own he used the recipe that was locked in the safe.

When Kevin was evaluating RHC dogs he did a blind taste test on customers (with their permission) that were buying 2 dogs or more and the majority preferred RHC over Vienna.

Kevin does enjoy talking to his customers. When we arrived he was involved in a conversation with a young man (in his 20's?) about the job market, self employment and buying and trading stocks. Conversation was still continuing as we left.

Gave him one of the LTH cards.

Is Kevin the guy with the mustache? So much about this place is appealing. Down to the (politically incorrect) Camel Cigarettes day-and-date (which has the correct day and date on it). The outdoor tables with the umbrellas might make it a nice place to go when it gets a little warmer. I never have occasion to be anywhere near there but you never know what fancy might overtake me one of these days.

riddlemay wrote:Is Kevin the guy with the mustache?

Yup. That's him. Genuinely nice guy.

riddlemay wrote:Is Kevin the guy with the mustache?

So you've been?

DD Afternoon is high on my list as I am a fan of Red Hot Chicago dogs.

Nice Post Mr. Panther, great pics.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

riddlemay wrote:Is Kevin the guy with the mustache?

So you've been?

Nope. Only learned of the place yesterday, reading this thread. My question was based on Panther's pics, which I agree with you are excellent and give me a real sense of "place."

I'm honestly surprised that so many of the regulars apparently missed this place over the years. I used to wonder about it all the time, but figured no one posted on it here because it wasn't worth posting on (like most hot dog stands). Then again, nothing written here has convinced me to try it now, either, so perhaps I was both right and wrong.

They have finally reopened (3 weeks ago) at their new location. Has it been 2 years already? Found out that the owner Kevin passed away from cancer 3 years ago. Cancer Sucks!


Went simple...(Note: The addition of a cucumber slice)

I was also going to have a tamale (they used to serve the unique cornroll in a corn husk!) but it was mentioned that they were disallowed to have a microwave and that was how they would steam them.

The Hotdog tasted fine but it gave me resistance!?! The bun wasn’t fresh, the skin on the dog was fighting back and even the skin on the sport pepper was somewhat tough?!?

I didn’t get it. Oh, well.


Asking about the ‘Famous’ Polish (it was mentioned in a couple of places) and he said it’s just that people really like it.

I’m probably more interested in trying their other sausages.

Hopefully business will pick up and things will be a little fresher?

Dog Day Afternoon
6939 W North Ave, Oak Park

Closed.

I had stopped by a couple of weeks ago during posted hours, wasn’t open and it didn’t look good.

Driving by today confirmed. Tables and chairs gone, office furniture stacked by the window.

‘Twas a quirky place when in the trailer on Armitage, not so much on North Ave.

Had some unusual sausages.

The title of this thread can be changed to reflect.