my understanding is he only accepts call ins Mon-Fri
i could be mistaken

How long in advance do you need to place an order? Do you just cut in line when you get there, or is there a pick up area?

Thanks!

Hero wrote:my understanding is he only accepts call ins Mon-Fri
i could be mistaken

I'm not sure when it changed, but I think Hero is correct these days and Doug is no longer accepting take out orders on Saturday. Is this a post-Bourdain thing?

I generally phone my order in from my car on the drive over and pick it up 5-10 minutes later when I arrive. Last Friday, facing a lengthy line, I stepped out of line, phoned my order in and asked how soon they could have it ready. They said 5 minutes, so I waited a few, headed in and grabbed my food.

Ursiform wrote:I generally phone my order in from my car on the drive over and pick it up 5-10 minutes later when I arrive. Last Friday, facing a lengthy line, I stepped out of line, phoned my order in and asked how soon they could have it ready. They said 5 minutes, so I waited a few, headed in and grabbed my food.

I've done the same things when faced with a weekday line. Works OK, although I do prefer to eat in the restaurant. I also believe phone orders are now forbidden during peak hours on friday and all day saturday.

gleam wrote:

Ursiform wrote:I generally phone my order in from my car on the drive over and pick it up 5-10 minutes later when I arrive. Last Friday, facing a lengthy line, I stepped out of line, phoned my order in and asked how soon they could have it ready. They said 5 minutes, so I waited a few, headed in and grabbed my food.

I've done the same things when faced with a weekday line. Works OK, although I do prefer to eat in the restaurant. I also believe phone orders are now forbidden during peak hours on friday and all day saturday.

I agree, I'd much rather eat in, it's part of the experience. I haven't encountered a refusal on a Friday yet, though, I hope that isn't becoming S.O.P. If so, I'll see you in line on Duck Fat Fridays!

Heads up, Doug is skiving off again.


"We at Hot Doug's are nothing if not staunch supporters of personal freedom and self-rule. So in protest of April 27th being the 20th anniversary of the mandatory seatbelt law going into effect in Italy . . .


HOT DOUG'S WILL BE CLOSED
MONDAY, APRIL 27 THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 30
We will re-open Friday, May 1"

LTH,

I am flabbergasted, knew people waited in line for Hot Doug's, have done it myself on the rare occasion, but driving past Hot Doug's today around 12:15 I was amazed, the line was at least a half block long!

Maybe it was because Hot Doug's was just back from a short vacation, or maybe the Friday duck fat fries are a bigger draw than I thought, but the end of the line was looking at an easy hour, maybe an hour and a half.

Really all there is to say is Congratulations to Doug Sohn hearts, minds and belly's have been captured and wallets are following.

Please note, there is not a shred of sarcasm in my post, I am a fan of Hot Doug's, even had my moment in the sun as a Celebrity Sausage, but, seriously, waiting an hour and half, or more, strikes me as..........

Enjoy,
Gary

I assume the other factor, besides the mystique of the duck fat fries, is simply that it's easier for people who have real jobs (from what little I remember of what that's like) to take a loooong lunch on Friday. Surely, if you could come on another day and at a slightly off time, the duck fat fries alone would not justify the difference between 5-10 minutes in line and an hour plus for very many folks.

But yeah, that's pretty much every Friday, except in the very worst weather.

I drive past on my way to work every wed-sun around 1:30 (gotta love working 3 blocks away from the place...). Always a line out the door and down the block on Fri. and Sat. Even in the snow. Duck fat fries have to be to blame. Wed-Thu the line is usually just barely out the door (which amounts to about 10-15 people).

Call in orders are not being accepted today.
i foresee this as a recurring trend.

looks like my days of eating at Hot Dougs are over as long as i still work a 9-5 job.
it was a good run.

thanks for ruining my life anthony bourdain.

G Wiv wrote:but driving past Hot Doug's today around 12:15 I was amazed, the line was at least a half block long!

I have been pretty destroyed by the lines at doug's ever since Bourdain's show, but kudo's to Doug. I've been a long time regular of Doug's, absolutely love the place, the employees and obviously the man behind the operation, but I can also say that the ridiculously long lines at Doug's (even on off-days like tuesdays and wednesdays) have gotten me more and more familiar with Kuma's.

I'm reluctant to give the secret away, but at 2:30p every day during the week, you can walk into Kuma's and sit down for a burger. I used to love not having a "real job" (is that what a 9-5 is referred to as?) simply because i would miss every line and wait that every other "real jobber" deals with to enjoy the little things in this city, but Doug's is now not one of them. Selfishly, it sucks.

Waited just over two hours on Saturday afternoon. Had a Hot Doug's virgin with me, and it was totally worth it.

i called over last thursday at around 2. wait was exactly 40 mins. i had the alsacienne bacon sausage - fantastic. like mac + cheese in sausage form.

This past Sunday, CBS Sunday Morning aired a package about Hot Doug's. The line will now be 2-2 1/2 blocks long.
Thanks Charlie.

hoppy2468 wrote:This past Sunday, CBS Sunday Morning aired a package about Hot Doug's. The line will now be 2-2 1/2 blocks long.
Thanks Charlie.

Yes, I suppose now it'll be very popular with field trips from retirement homes.

Honey1 was taking an extra day off from Memorial Day today so I called an audible and rode on up to Hot Doug's. The line was about where I usually see it, out the door, around the side and about halfway down the building. As I got near the front of the line, a couple of ladies came in and asked Doug for permission to do some taping or filming, I didn't hear the details. As I was leaving, one of the ladies was waiting near the end of the line while a crew with a camera was shooting from across the street. I guess it's been about 2 years since the last Hot Doug's media blitz, I guess he's due for another?

Anyway, I had a steamed dog dragged through the garden, which was great, and a very mild veal Weisswurtz with a crumbly white cheese and a mustard made with Goose Island Pere Jacques that was tasty but overpowered both the cheese and the sausage IMO. Still, I enjoyed it.

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:Honey1 was taking an extra day off from Memorial Day today so I called an audible and rode on up to Hot Doug's. The line was about where I usually see it, out the door, around the side and about halfway down the building.

I was in the same situation -- pulled up in front of Honey 1 and saw it closed, and then drove to Hot Doug's. However, I saw the line and kept going -- all the way up to Smoque, where there was no wait and pretty good brisket.

Not that anyone has asked me but I won't wait in a line much past the front door at Hot Doug's or any where else for that matter. I always liked what I've eaten there but I just won't do it. Maybe if I was a teenager with no particular place to go, drivin' along in my automobile, I wouldn't feel this way. Sadly I'm a fat middle ager who needs to eat NOW and then move on my way.

I love the sausages at HD's but I always feel they are a little heavy handed regarding condiments. Am I the only one? I feel the meat and spices get runover by the various raspberry jellies (sauce) and blue cheese and whatnot often accompanying the tube steaks.

Since I've only had four Doug's in my life (so far), one being The Dog, I can't really say much about the over-condimenting. But I'm with you...I won't wait in line for more than 20 minutes, and that goes for Kuma's too, sadly.

Yea, sadly I know I'm missing out in the end but I can't justify more than 20 minutes myself for a sandwich place. Now if HD's could open a bar next door to wait at, I'd be there again happily

I have avoided Kuma's for the same reason. I haven't even been there yet. I love this type of food but I may never bother to go because the reports of waiting, crowds and hipsters ruin my appetite.

God, I've turned into my grumpy old man!

I had a cool Foghat worthy mustache going about 15 years ago. Thought I looked pretty cool until I looked into the mirror one morning and saw a mix between my father and Freddy Mercury staring back at me. Shaved it off immediately.

I'm gonna go and cry into my rusty nail now.

BigDCB wrote:Yea, sadly I know I'm missing out in the end but I can't justify more than 20 minutes myself for a sandwich place. Now if HD's could open a bar next door to wait at, I'd be there again happily

I have avoided Kuma's for the same reason. I haven't even been there yet.

You do realize that Kuma's is a bar. You don't even have to go next door to wait.

I'm aware Kumas is a bar. That being said, it is or has turned into a Burger joint with bar seating. 27 pages and counting on LTH, I think I get the picture. I'm sure if I sat there and ordered lunch, ate it, and wanted to stay for an afternoon session, it would be discouraged by the waitstaff and the people breathing down my neck waiting for a seat. No thanks. Nothing against Kumas or those who frequent there, it's just not my bag.

BigDCB wrote:...I may never bother to go because the reports of waiting, crowds and hipsters ruin my appetite.

God, I've turned into my grumpy old man!

Not so! I think the same way! But don't worry, when winter comes around again, you can order takeout and avoid the crowds.

I'm sure if I sat there and ordered lunch, ate it, and wanted to stay for an afternoon session, it would be discouraged by the waitstaff and the people breathing down my neck waiting for a seat.

That hasn't been my experience at all. Granted, I've only gone during off hours (between 2pm and 4pm), but I've had no problem finding a seat at the bar and I wouldn't feel at all rushed or unwelcome if I wanted to sit and nurse a beer or two for a while.

elakin wrote:That hasn't been my experience at all. Granted, I've only gone during off hours (between 2pm and 4pm), but I've had no problem finding a seat at the bar and I wouldn't feel at all rushed or unwelcome if I wanted to sit and nurse a beer or two for a while.

Agree, I've never felt rushed or unwelcome at Kuma's.

BigDCB wrote:I'm sure if I sat there and ordered lunch, ate it, and wanted to stay for an afternoon session, it would be discouraged by the waitstaff and the people breathing down my neck waiting for a seat. No thanks. Nothing against Kumas or those who frequent there, it's just not my bag.

As others have said, I don't think you would be discouraged. This is one of the reasons the wait for a table can be so long.

Back to Hot Doug's: my wife and I live near Hot Doug's and are similarly amazed at the length of the line sometimes. For those who have the flexibility to eat there on a weekday, the line tends to be short - or nonexistant - on weekdays, especially outside of the prime lunch hour. Perhaps Fridays are an exception to this.

Kuma's: Crushed, yes. Rushed, no.

If tattoo's aren't required, there's hope for me yet.

BigDCB wrote:wanted to stay for an afternoon session, it would be discouraged by the waitstaff and the people breathing down my neck waiting for a seat. No thanks. Nothing against Kumas or those who frequent there, it's just not my bag.

As the others said, I have never felt pressured to give up my seat at Kuma's by the staff. I have felt some icy stares by other customers waiting in line for my table if we were just sitting around after our meal. At lunch, I usually sit at the bar and eat so this isn't much of an issue. I haven't had the slightest feeling I was lingering too long at the bar from anyone.

Arriving at 11AM on the Friday of a big holiday weekend meant a shocking 2.5 hour wait at Hot Doug's! That's not something I do, but the stars aligned, the cooler of beers arrived, and at 1:45 I was eating blueberry infused venison sausage, Catalonian pork with a saffron rouille, foie gras-topped duck sausage, and wild boar with red pepper sauce, pistacchio and pecorino. Everything was as fantastic as I'd remembered from my last visit to Hot Doug's, over a year ago. It'll be a while before I return, but Hot Doug's continues to be a Chicago treasure.

Red Bell Pepper Wild Boar Sausage with Sun-Dried Tomato Mustard and Pistachio Pecorino:

What a coincidence - I was there with a friend on Friday also. Except we got there at 10:10am and were "only" 40th or 50th in line, and got to the counter around 10:50 or so. It was a hell of a brunch though:


Clockwise from left: duck sausage w/ fois gras; Doug's BLT; jalapeño-cheddar pork sausage; another duck sausage w/ fois gras; duck fat fries in the center

It was a great way to start out a beautiful day off work. Not so great for the friend I was with though...two rich sausages & half an order of duck fat fries aren't the best thing to have immediately before one's wedding dress fitting