Best hotdog near Midway (or on my route back north)?

My son is coming home from five months in Ecuador tomorrow, and he is feeling very hot dog deprived. He says he wants three hot dogs on the way home from the airport.

If it was O'Hare, we'd stop at the place at Devon and Milwaukee, why am I blocking the name? SuperDawg.

But it's Midway, and I'm clueless, and need your help! We'll go north on Cicero to the Stevenson, and then up the Dan Ryan to the Kennedy to the Edens, getting off at Touhy. But we'll really need some hot dogs before we hit the north side...

We'll get off the path anywhere you suggest, as long as it doesn't take us too far astray.

Thanks for any help you can give!

(We're talking traditional Chicago style hot dogs, by the way, preferably at a hot dog stand, not somewhere fancy.)

1. Go west from Midway on 55th street until it becomes Archer.
2. Archer will swing around and become 1st Avenue. Follow the signs for IL 171 North
3. After North Avenue*, there'll be a left for Des Plaines River Road, take it.
4. Just after Grand Avenue, make a left into Gene N Jude's parking lot.

After having several hot dogs...

1. go east on Grand to Cumberland
2. go north on Cumberland to Devon
3. go east on Devon to Superdawg

Now, all we need is something along 55th, and you're all set. It's really only about 3 miles out of your way (4800 W to 8000 W), and depending on the time of day, may be just as fast as the Ryan/Kennedy.


*Note: You can also surprise him at this point by turning right on North for about 3/4 of a mile to Johnny's and get him a beef sandwich as a bonus.

You could do a side by side taste test at these 2 former Maxwell St stands.

Jim's Original Hot Dog
1250 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL
(312) 733-7820

Express Grill
1236 S Union Ave
Chicago, IL
(312) 738-2112

Or, um, walk down the Southwest concourse to the Superdawg in Midway. It's plenty good. (You'll have to tell the kid to score the dogs, as the stand is past security...)

While it's known for it's Italian Beef , I've always very much enjoyed the hot dogs and fries at Chickie's beef, and it's only slightly out of your way off the Pulaski exit on the Stevenson. Chickie's uses Vienna beef, the hot dogs are always perfectly cooked with a nice snap to them. They are not served on a poppy seed bun, though, and they don't come standard with tomato (nor I think the pickle spear, though I may be wrong). I consider this is a plus, personally. Fries are made from fresh hand-cut potatoes and are the essence of pure potato-y goodness.

Overally, I consider Chickie's among the best dogs on the Southwest Side. This is my neck of the woods and, honestly, I can't think of a better hot dog out here.

Chickie's Beef
2839 S. Pulaski
Chicago, IL 60623

Some good suggestions already but here are a few more. You should have no trouble stuffing him full before you cross Madison.

Why not start him off with a Mighty Dog at Fat Johnnie's? Especially if he likes Chicago corn roll tamales, that ought to put him right in a hurry. The skinless David Bergs may not be the greatest but for gritty old-style hot dog stand atmosphere Fat Johnnie's is unsurpassed. A slight detour south from Midway then over to the Dan Ryan.

O'Malley's, just off the Ryan near Sox Park, does a top-notch fully-dressed Chicago dog. The new building is a little antiseptic but it's an excellent all-around hot dog stand. Should be fun on game day (May 26, 6pm).

When was the last time you had a hot dog from a Chicago street cart? Within a few hours of game time, look for the hot dog lady on Parnell at 37th. She makes a really good homemade giardiniera which goes nicely with the traditional trimmings.

Fat Johnnie's Red Hots
7242 S Western Av
no phone (old number disconnected)

Morrie O'Malley's Hot Dogs
3501 S Union Av (between Dan Ryan & Halsted)
773-247-2700

Hot Dog Lady
37th & S Parnell Av (between Dan Ryan & Halsted)
no phone

I will second the Morrie Omalley's recommendation. Always a stop for me before I go see a White Sox winner. I like that I can get a grilled chicago style hot dog here.

I third the Morrie O'Malley's rec. Char dog with everything.

I will warn that they sometimes seem to close when the game starts... maybe call to check their hours, if you won't be arriving until after 6 or 7. Possibly cash only - I don't recall exactly.

But don't let any of that stop you. One of my favorite dogs in the city, and right off the expressway.

Pull out of Midway and go south on Cicero about half a mile....Maxwell Street Express is on the east side of the street. Total elapsed time of your detour home should be no more than ten minutes.