The Mean Wiener - Highwood, IL + Arlington Heights

Hi,

In what was once a repair garage in front Il Mulino - Maria's Bakery, the Once Upon a Bagel family of restaurants has opened The Mean Wiener. Actually this is their second business concept at this location, last summer they opened "Catering by Once Upon." A narrative on The Mean Wiener's take-out menu offers an explanation:

To our friends ...

With the closing of "Catering by Once Upon" due to a weak economy, we were left with a fully equipped facility in a beautiful building in a great community.

A decision was made to create a special eatery for friends, neighbors and visitors.

Our goal is to satisfy your tastebuds in an atmosphere that is fun, friendly and fast.

We will serve you in a manner that will make you want to return and bring your friends with you.

Thank you!

The Mean Wiener

I had walked in once to "Catering By Once Upon," to find it was selling food available to take home to reheat. Some of the sleepiness I sensed may have been a business that wasn't taking off as hoped. Their reworking the concept to ride out the tide during this period is quite reasonable.

I stopped by Mean Wiener for lunch today. I ordered their signature, "The Mean Wiener," a foot long 100% Black Angus Sirloin 1/2 pound hot dog with Chicago style fixings. There were options to have it with cheese, with chili or chili and cheese.


The hot dog was quite flavorful, though no snap. If this hot dog was simmered, it didn't seem like it. It was either cooked on a griddle or on those rollers you see in gas stations. The kitchen is enclosed, thus any visual hints on its preparation were not available.

The condiments need some tweaking. What appears to be large sport pepper in the middle is really a pickle half. For a foot long hot dog, I would have hoped for at least two pickle spears. Instead of tomato wedges, there were chopped tomatoes. The onions were not chopped, instead they were tattered onion bits similar to onions over-processed in a food processor. Most of the condiments were in the middle, I redistributed them to the edges before eating.



The onion rings were pretty good with real onion inside with a light, crispy batter. I didn't try their fries, which they menu advises are fresh cut.



The Mean Wiener is still finding its footing. They have dropped the price of buffalo wings, which were pretty high. In their take out menu, 18 pieces were priced at $16.99. I recall from their in-house signage, you could get 50 pieces for approximately $29.99. Wednesday is 50 cent wings or 50 pieces for $25.

They offer a homemade tamale with or without chili. It is quite reasonable to create your own Mother-in-Law once you explain what you want.

The Mean Wiener
"Sandwiches that destroy all others ..."
532 Sheridan Road
Highwood, IL
Tel: 847/433-3701
Fax: 847/433-3703
Mon-Thurs: 11 AM to 8 PM
Fri - Sat: 11 AM to 10 PM
Sunday: Closed

847 Wilke Road
Arlington Heights, IL
847/255-1411

Regards,

Nice to have another hot dog option in the 'hood. How do the prices compare to Michael's or Stashs's?

Now that Passover is almost over, I can resume my normal dining habits.

Hi,

The 1/2 pound Mean Wiener was $4.95, with cheese or chili $5.70, and both cheese & chili $6.45. I split the Mean Wiener with a friend. Whereas the 1/4 pound Not So Mean Wiener is $3.25. Buying the big guy and sharing is the way to go.

Polish is $3.95, Philly Cheesesteak $6.95, Philly Cheese Chicken Breast $6.50. Italian beef $4.95. Regular burger (size unknown) is $3.59, though the Mighty Burger (size unknown) is $4.69. Fresh cut fries $1.95. Soft drinks $1.60.

Their most immediate competition is Buffo's. I don't go to Stash's or Michael's with any frequency to comment on their prices.

Regards,

I wonder how their cheesesteak will compare to Hoagie Hut's, which is excellent. You didnt happen to see them make one did you? I will have to give it a try, though it will be tough to beat the Hut for weenie-stand food, rudely served.

-Will

WillG wrote:I wonder how their cheesesteak will compare to Hoagie Hut's, which is excellent. You didnt happen to see them make one did you? I will have to give it a try, though it will be tough to beat the Hut for weenie-stand food, rudely served.

-Will

The kitchen is enclosed in the rear. No chance to see a thing from the public area.

Regards,

I'll be checking out The Mean Wiener as well, thanks Cathy. I used to go to Buffo's quite often but things changed a little over the years. Though I admit I never cared for having a hot dog there. Always nice to have another place to check out close to home.

Always good to see another vendor use the radioactive relish!
I'll have to try that spot when I'm in the area.

You cannot miss a hot dog stand with such graphics:



I could envision some sensitive children choosing not to go inside.

Regards,

A little over a week ago, I went for lunch at The Mean Wiener. I noted they have a bratwurst sandwich so I ordered it. The sausage came with sauerkraut and brown mustard on a French roll. The brat was tasteless and they slathered too much mustard on the sandwich. I also ordered the fries with cheese. The fries were soggy and the cheese barely covered the fries.

As mentioned above, the sandwiches are made in the rear enclosed kitchen so one doesn't have the opportunity to "build their own sandwich" like you can at Micheal's and Stash's. I like to be able to ask for a few more grilled onions on my polish and the folks at these two establishments are quite accommodating.

I think maybe that Once Upon a Bagel folks have over extended themselves (again). Other restaurants in the chain that didn't make it included a chicken place in Port Clinton, Once Upon a Sub and Casa del Gordo in two locations.

I've thought about trying them again, but Cathy's comment that the hot dogs don't have a bite back from the casing means that I probably won't return.

I guess I'm partial to Vienna hot dogs and don't recall seeing anything about TMW using Chicago's most famous hot dog brand.

Grandpa Bob

Grandpa Bob wrote:I think maybe that Once Upon a Bagel folks have over extended themselves (again). Other restaurants in the chain that didn't make it included a chicken place in Port Clinton, Once Upon a Sub and Casa del Gordo in two locations.

Frankly (no pun intended), I don't think their flagship restaurant is so great, either. I've tolerated it over the years because it's relatively nearby and those hard-working counter guys really bust their rumps to serve customers. But my last trip there, about a year ago, was a horrible experience at which the bagels literally had the texture of mushy kaiser rolls. Those bagels were among the worst I've ever had. Period. Just because you're slammed doesn't mean you should serve crappy product. I haven't been back since.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Frankly (no pun intended), I don't think their flagship restaurant is so great, either.

While I would rate the bagels as a little better then servicable, I think the deli itself is pretty good. The egg white salad and grandma's tuna salad are the best egg white and tuna salad I have ever had. New york Bagel? Sadly it is not.

iblock9 wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Frankly (no pun intended), I don't think their flagship restaurant is so great, either.

While I would rate the bagels as a little better then servicable, I think the deli itself is pretty good. The egg white salad and grandma's tuna salad are the best egg white and tuna salad I have ever had. New york Bagel? Sadly it is not.

Can't argue with you there. Their salads -- including the whitefish, which you did not mention -- are arguably their best offerings.

I admit that my feelings of negativity about OUaB may prevent me from trying The Mean Wiener anytime soon. Not saying it's right, just sayin'.

=R=

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

The 1/2 pound Mean Wiener was $4.95, with cheese or chili $5.70, and both cheese & chili $6.45. I split the Mean Wiener with a friend. Whereas the 1/4 pound Not So Mean Wiener is $3.25. Buying the big guy and sharing is the way to go.

Polish is $3.95, Philly Cheesesteak $6.95, Philly Cheese Chicken Breast $6.50. Italian beef $4.95. Regular burger (size unknown) is $3.59, though the Mighty Burger (size unknown) is $4.69. Fresh cut fries $1.95. Soft drinks $1.60.

Their most immediate competition is Buffo's. I don't go to Stash's or Michael's with any frequency to comment on their prices.

Regards,

Mention "What's Happening" and get a free order of fries with your sandwich purchase. One per visit. Offer expires October 1st.

I went by last week to try the cheesesteak, and it was ok, with good fries. they use the classic thin sliced steak, but with mozzarella cheese. It wasnt very flavorful, and was light on the sauteed onions and peppers, but the cup of gardinera they brought for free took care of that. I didnt really like the roll, but my friend did...not chewy enough for my taste. I think that the cheesesteak at the Hut is much better.

-Will

I agree with the comments about OUAB. Great salads (I really like the poultry salad), and the Lox. Not crazy about the beagles. I was really excited when the Mean Weiner opened, as I love hot dogs and live nearby. I have to say I was disappointed. The dog was overcooked, and the cheese sauce was over-salty and tasteless. Fries were OK, but not as good as the Stash’s gold standard. On the other hand, my 14-year old daughter liked it a lot, and I’m going back to try the wings. All in all, I don’t think Michael’s or Stash’s need to worry.

Went to the Mean Weiner about two weeks ago. If ever there was a case of mass confusion that was it. Ordered a dog , drink and fries. The fries were to be free if you mentioned that you had seen their ad in a local paper. They charged about $4.00. I waited about 30 minutes, during which time nothing came out of the kitchen. Meanwhile, the place kept filling up with new customers also not getting any food. Since I had to leave for another appointment I asked for my money back. I told them what I had ordered and they said here's $6.00. No, I said, that too much. They insisted that I take it. Hope their service and accounting has improved since then.

Hi,

Driving through Highwood this evening, I saw new signage on Mean Wiener. Not quite catching it all, I drove back to find an additional sign, "Pizza Mexicali available soon."

They are not yet offering pizza, because they are waiting for the pizza over installation. They did show me their new menu. One of the pizzas offered will have chorizo. The others I cannot recall specifically all had Mexican-style pizza dressings.

I will at least give them points for offering unique pizzas. I'll keep my fingers crossed on the execution.

Regards,

Hi,

Stopped in to check on their pizzas. They are temporarily withdrawn, because they want to change the crust.

The take-out menu has all the pizzas priced at $4.95 except for the cheese pizza at $3.95. This suggests they are personal sized pizza. The choices are:

- Traditional cheese pizza
- Zesty BBQ chicken
- Sizzling chorizo
- Beef chili
- Hearty veggie

I saw on the menu they now have an Arlington Heights location. I updated the original post to include this address.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Stopped in to check on their pizzas. They are temporarily withdrawn, because they want to change the crust.

The take-out menu has all the pizzas priced at $4.95 except for the cheese pizza at $3.95. This suggests they are personal sized pizza. The choices are:

- Traditional cheese pizza
- Zesty BBQ chicken
- Sizzling chorizo
- Beef chili
- Hearty veggie

Hi,

Pizzas have been pulled from the menu because of lack of interest. It wasn't explained as lack of interest, more bluntly stated, "Nobody was buying them."

Recently they have added new signage to the building: Panini/Tortas. Their menu offers classic Mexican tortas. I saw nothing stated about Panini, though maybe they will press them?

A sign in the window proclaims, "We have! "Jefe" Burgers." Alright, I took the bait and went in to learn what is a "Jefe" burger. The counter people could not explain what made a "Jefe" burger unique. One person helpfully suggested they mix in extra herbs into the meat. "What kind of herbs?" "I don't know, I never saw it being made."

I ordered a "Jefe" hoping to learn for myself. Still not sure what I received beyond a hamburger and fries. I have pictures, though they offer no real information.

Curiosity is what brings me to them, unfortunately Mean Wiener offers very little to satisfy.

Regards,

Cathy,

My favorite burger can be found in the meat department at the Highland Park Sunset Foods. It's made by Niman Ranch. Niman Ranch 80/20 is used by Pearl's Phat Burger in Mill Valley, Ca to make their bacon cheddar burger. Any trip to San Francisco is worth a visit to one of Pearl's restaurants. The Mill Valley location is our favorite. One can replicate this at home with some sharp cheddar and Nueske's bacon. Bacon must be crisp and burger must be flat grilled, rare. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mZ9mJNKTs8

http://www.pearlsdeluxe.com

A new sign being hung at mean wiener as I drove by after our LTH North picnic today....."Italian Steak." Not sure if they mean Italian Beef, or Cheese Steak or what. I guess I will have to take one for the team in the name of research.

-Will

I work close to the one in Arlington Heights. I really want to like it, really. But, while Cathy noted no snap on the dog, the one I had did have a pretty good snap. Good dog, not great. Another trip, I tried the Reuben after seeing someone eating one. It was really fatty, almost to a point of more fat than meat. Tried an italian beef on a different trip which was God awful. Think arby's meats buddig beef. Really horrible. The tacos are totally blah. I think I am officially over trying to like the Mean Weaner...