Uncle Joe's Jerk

Caribbean in Chicago
-Jamaica

We are lucky to have so many different choices of various International cuisines here in Chicago. One of Chicago's popular eats is Jamaican food. This could be due to a pretty high rate of Jamaicans in Evanston and also just due to the cuisine itself being so damn good. The funny thing though is that most of the Jamaican spots are found on or near Howard st (the dividing line between Chicago and Evanston), which is the far northside or on the southside. More spots are opening up in between as the years go on showing how popular Jamaican food is with all races of life. However what you will also find is that most of the spots on Howard st. or in Evanston use a stewed jerk recipe (baked and topped with a jerk sauce) and most places on the southside will smoke a jerked (marinated with jerk paste) chicken and serve a much spicier sauce on the side. One of the popular places for jerk chicken is Uncle Joe's which has a few locations throughout the southside .


In Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood

Every now and then I'll stop in at the Uncle Joe's in Hyde Park for some their chicken and or a beef patty with a bottle of Ting. As someone who's had some pretty good jerk here and there I'm not going to declare Joe's to be the best but I do think its pretty good when hot out the aquarium smoker and chopped up and eaten with a Ting to drink. The sauce is served on the side in a plastic cup and is good but again not great. I wish they would give more but you can always pay a little extra to make sure you have enough. The sides are also nice and along with the professionally smoked bird are the standouts. I like the mac & cheese and the greens. Over at Joe's like many other BBQ places on the southside, they are very good at real BBQ and you can taste it in the tender bird with the perfect hint of smoke. Add a little jerk sauce and you got a good meal. So good to some Judges that they ask defendants for jerk chicken brought back to the courtroom or else they will be given 100 hours of community service. Not hard to see why UJ's is favorite of locals and students from University of Chicago.


After a trip to Harold's, I'll stop at UJ's for a patty and Ting


Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken dinner

Uncle Joe's Jerk
1461 e. Hyde Park blvd
Chicago, IL 60617
773-241-5550

Central Gyros

-Got Beef? (and lamb)
KingT's gyro-tron

Its been a minute since we took a ride on the gyro-tron. So today's stop takes us over to Belmont and Central where Central Gyros has been serving up the neighborhood with Greek favorites since 1979. Its another one of those spots that hasn't changed at all, the waitress' have been there forever and the food has always been good. When it comes to consistency Central Gyros might get the award for best at it. Its one of the better Greek restaurants outside Greektown and has an extensive menu that everyone can find something they like on but more importantly, something they like that's done right. If you love yourself some saganaki like I do then this also the place to get it outside Greektown for when you don't feel like paying for parking just to eat some flaming cheese.

a neighborhood standby

I like Central because its pretty much no frills and good for both a quick dine in dinner and also lunch. I've had a few tasty menu items here and there but I always find myself coming back for the gyros with a starter of saganaki. However every now and then when I'm feeling like some chicken I will get a chicken souvlaki sandwich and that is also very good. The gyros are from one of the city's many cone vendors (Kronos) and on top of getting a good blend of beef, lamb and fat when they order theirs they also know how to work them. Thin and crispy is how I like my gyros when they come off a pre-formed cone and that's how they do them up at Central. I'm guessing that most people like them this way and Central knows this. They've been doing them right since day one which is why they've been able to hang around in a city where you can get gyros on just about every block. The tzatziki is made right as well and the veggies are fresh and the pita always warm. The only average thing about the gyros dinner are the fries which are just frozen steak fries and nothing special. You know the gyros are good when on the day Kronos offered free gyros on them, Central had a line around the block and the wait was over an hour.


Chicken Souvlaki


Gyros from Central

Rating Scale 5/5

Gyro meat: 4
tzatziki: 4
fries: 3
freshness of pita and toppings: 4

Score: 15/20

Central Gyros
3127 North Central Avenue
Chicago, IL 60634-5314
(773) 545-1276
Website

Shepard's Pie...For a King

--Tailgatin' and how to make mofos start playa hatin' (Recipes)

In Chicago the end of the holiday season is the beginning of realizing winter is here. Its during January and February that some of the coldest days of the year come to the second city. So during these months I make up plenty of wintertime meals that are sure to warm up my belly. One of my favorites to make on Mondays (any day is fine though) is Shepard's Pie. Now the reason I like to make it Monday's is because there will usually be mashed potatoes left over from Sunday nights dinner. After all it is believed that Shepard's Pie was invented sometime in the 18th century by peasant housewife's using creative ways to serve leftover meat and potatoes to their families. Its also generally agreed that it originated in the north of England and Scotland where there are many Shepard's. Its an all time favorite of mine that I've learned is usually best made right in your own kitchen. Generally ground lamb is used and if available I will use that but if not ground beef is fine with me. Its still very popular especially in pubs around England.

chibbqking's Shepard's Pie (serves 6-8)

leftover mashed potatoes (2-3 cups)
2.5-3 lb's of ground beef or lamb
1 cup each of diced carrots and onions
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use cheddar)
1/2 cup steak sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
Dashes of salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce
Bottle or can of Guinness (to enjoy with your meal)

Step 1) Start off by sauteing your chopped carrots in butter until nice and soft. Remove the carrots and add the beef and onions and cook until well browned. Drain most of the fat from the pan and use a potato masher to mash up the beef and let it cook another 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots back in along with the peas and chicken broth and let cook for 10 minutes until some of the broth evaporates.


The broth makes it so that its not too dry

Step 2) Make sure your mashed potatoes are fluffy and of not add a little more cream and heat thru on the stove and mix in cheese and mix it up and set it aside while your beef cooks in the broth.

Step 3) Add the steak sauce and dash in the Worcestershire sauce and S&P and mix it around and let it cook thru for three minutes. Turn off your burner and lube up a oven safe casserole dish. Unload the meat mixture evenly into the dish and top with potato spread.


Dish ready for potato topping


Dish ready for the oven

Step 4) Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes checking on it every five and take it out when the top of it looks something like that seen in the video of mine below.



Step 6) Let it rest up for five minutes and then cut into squares and serve in a bowl with some steak sauce at the table. Crack open your Guinness and Enjoy.


a bowl of mash for a cold winters night

I find that the chicken broth make for a much more juicy product and stops the beef mixture from drying out during its time in the oven. The steak sauce adds some flavor element and I always like to add extra when I've made my bowl. I just pour some on top and mix it up into a mashed potatoes with beef and vegetables mixed in.


Goes great with a Guinness


Shepard's Pie-an English favorite

Well if you liked this, there's plenty more to come and if you thought last years Super Bowl Recipe ideas was something, well than just wait for whats coming the first of the month (February). Stay tuned.

Taqueria Los Magueyes

-Got Beef? taco's de carne asada

Our first stop in 2010 is to Taqueria Los Magueyes located on Harlem ave in Bridgeview just across from Toyota Park Stadium (home of the Chicago Fire). Its a place I found not too long ago when cruising down Harlem en route elsewhere. I noticed it because it was in a spot previously vacated and also due to the sign letting it be known they had moved in. On top of a drawing of an al pastor spit they also advertised authentic tacos al carbon. I made the u-turn and headed into the lot to see they also had a drive-in which is from the previous fast food outlet that rented from there.


On Harlem ave in Bridgeview, IL

It was right around noon on my first trip here and when I entered they seemed to be getting ready for a lunch crowd and had some of their own proclaimed famous carne asada searing away on the grill. I took this as a very good sign and looked around for a fresh al pastor spit and only found a spit that was also spiffy and clean. Maybe they have a fresh spit going on the weekends I thought and went with some tacos de carne asada with the usual cilantro and onions. By the time I had placed my order there were three more large groups of people from the local factories, plants and offices stopping in for lunch. I also got to further browse the menu and was pretty overwhelmed with all the choices they offered including many of my traditional favorites.


skirt steak grilling away for taco meat

The dining area was a decent size and they had an extensive menu for family dining so it seemed like it could be an eventual winner. After a short wait my tacos arrived and I could feel the heat from them in the bag. I took them outside to eat on my hood and got a great big whiff of skirt steak from the chimney upon entry outside. I opened my tacos and was greeted by the same sweet smell. The steak was chopped perfectly and had juicy and crispy pieces in it and it all molded into a top notch taco. It was one of the better steak tacos I've had anywhere, from the locally made perfectly steamed tortilla to the fresh veggies and spicy and tangy tomatillo salsa. Its easy to see why these five ingredients make for a fiesta when combined with perfect product and prep like the ones at Magueyes. I could eat them all day.


authentic steak taco from Los Magueyes

Rating Scale 5/5

steak: 5 (when fresh off the grill)
cilantro/onions: 4
tortilla: 5
salsa: 4

Score: 18/20
________________________________

When I was eating my steak tacos on my first visit I noticed this little sign pictured below in the parking lot. As noted from previous posts on this site, I love carne en su jugo and its one of the cities best wintertime eats. I got very excited since I had just had an excellent steak taco with some of the best steak in it I ever had in a taco before from here. I had to go back in and scope this out for future reference. I was also intrigued to see they do a Guadalajara style which is with a green tomatillo based broth. I checked out what the deal was and learned that they offer this Mexican classic on weekends and made a mental note to be back.


Mexican steak soup

I finally convinced a friend to head over there with me one Sunday afternoon to dine in and see what else they had. We arrived around 5:00p and the place was already hopping with tons of families and a party of at least 30 with a bunch of tables put together. I took this as just another good sign and within 5 minutes we were being seated and had chips and salsa waiting for us upon being so. I browsed the menu again even though I had my mind made up. If not for the carne en su jugo I would have gone with another favorite of mine cecina and gotten the dinner platter. Upon further review they also had cecina tacos so I went with a bowl of CESJ and a taco. The chips and salsa were good with the salsa being better than average and diffeent from the red and green ones offered, which were also at the table in plastic squeeze bottles. To go with those they had the traditional jar of pickled jalapenos, cauliflower and carrots and even a few bottled Mexican hot sauces.


Pickled Platter and salsa needs

My steak cecina taco was tasty and I would easily order one next time. The dried beef was full of flavor and the fact that it was just topped with fresh onion and cilantro, that flavor really stood out. I ended up tearing off little piece by piece like you would with beef jerky and eating it straight up. The friend who I convinced to come with me was very, very pleased with the barbacoa tacos and even ordered an extra two to take home. I also made sure to see if they had an al pastor spit going on the weekends. Still a no go.


cecina taco

By this time I had high hopes for the carne en su jugo and they slowly started lowering from the time it arrived. The first problem was they had already dressed the soup instead of serving the usual "toppings" like the radish, grilled onions, fresh onions, cilantro, avocado and dried peppers on the side. Except this bowl didn't come with any of the dried red peppers used to make it spicy the way I like it. It wouldn't have been a huge problem for me had they dressed it prior to serving but just did it with everything I'm used to it coming with. It was so busy I didn't want to wait to fix the problem and hoped it wasn't going to matter.


Carne en su jugo estillo Guadalajara from Taqueria Los Magueyes

I had such high hopes for the CESJ for a few reasons with the biggest being how good the steak in the steak tacos were. They obviously did up the grilled meats particularly well especially the skirt steak. Also because it is offered on weekends only so I figured they must do it up right and make a broth from scratch. But again my biggest hope came from how good the grilled skirt steak was and the thinking they would use this exact same steak in the CESJ which would make a whole lot of sense. However that was not to be the case. The steak was rather nasty and from my guesstimate had been sitting in the soupy broth for a while. It certainly was not fresh grilled chopped up skirt steak the way it is from the best spots. Luckily for me it wasn't my first meal from Magueyes and I know that there are other very good things on the menu. Like those steak tacos, still some of the best I've had from anywhere and the best drive thru tacos in town. If only they used the same steak for the soup.


Close up of the guts of the soup

Taqueria Los Magueyes
7101 South Harlem Avenue
Bridgeview, IL 60455-1133
(708) 924-4550
Website

Aloha Eats!

-Grubbing in Chicago
Where fans of the Aloha State eat.

I saved Aloha Eats in LP for my final post of 2008. Were goin out with a bang and ringing in the new year with a keeper! Lincoln Park is not great but by no means the worst (see: Bucktown) when it comes to good eat neighborhoods. This is for several reasons and one of them is its the home to Aloha Eats, Chicago's only real Hawaiian lunch place. I've never been to Hawaii but it's only a matter of time. It was a few years back when Aloha opened that I realized how much I love Hawaiian food. Its not all fresh fish and sushi (which I also love) and spam on the islands. Aloha Eats does a great job repping this food culture here in Chicago. Its a place I go to in huge bunches, sometimes I'll eat here a few times in a week then not go for a couple weeks then go again and so on.


One of Lincoln Parks best eating options

When I say lunch up above I mean what the locals eat in Hawaii which is plate lunch. Its the signature Hawaiian food item and it consists of two scoops of white rice, a scoop of Hawaiian macaroni salad, cabbage and whatever your meats are, which there will be plenty of. Popular items include teriyaki chicken/beef, katsu chicken, Hawaiian BBQ chicken, beef short ribs, spam, Kahlua pork and many more. Including the almighty loco moco (more on this below). We are talking massive amounts of food here. Its no wonder the Samoans are so big and freakishly athletic and the hottest talent bed in college football these days. Hawaiian food is a classic fusion of Japanese/Chinese/Filipino/Portuguese/American and many more with local ingredients popular and native to the state added in. I always wanted to go to Hawaii but this site here will have gotten me to go. As I have become in love with Hawaiian food I've done alot of websearch and found this sick food site. That there is one of my favorites. Now onto the food at Aloha Eats.


I always start my order with Aloha Maid Natural Iced Tea (shipped from HA)

I think with the fact that the president is Hawaiian and he vacations there that the food has gotten even more popular on the mainland since his inauguration. As you can see HERE, Aloha has an open invitation to President Obama next time hes in his hometown. When it comes to a fusion of cuisines, well Hawaii is all over the place and its comes out so very good. The most well known food item in Hawaiian cuisine is the loco moco. The website "Whats cooking America" does a great job with regional treats and the history of them. So I will quote them below on its description on the loco moco, which is a favorite of mine. You can get a taste of Hawaii's signature food item at Aloha Eats. Also right below is a picture of Aloha's loco moco, the only one in Chicago.


aloha eats' loco moco plate is a luau in itself

^"The loco moco is Hawaii's original homemade fast food and can be found at just about any fast food joint, roadside diner, mom and pop restaurant or lunch wagon in the Islands. It is truly unique to Hawaii, and it is a comfort food, or "local grind," of the Hawaiian Islands. Local food is not the cuisine that is served in upscale hotels and restaurants of Hawaii. It's basic structure was established soon after World War II - the best fast food or mixture of cuisines from many Pacific rim countries, with a special Hawaiian twist.

Loco Moco is a mountainous meal consisting of a heap of white rice topped with a hamburger patty (2) and a Sunnyside-up egg (2), and then smothered in gravy. This dish is popular for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is a candidate for the Cholesterol Hall of Fame. As you eat, break the egg - then blend the burger, egg, rice, and gravy on your fork for each bite for a real taste of paradise.

There are many people who claim to have invented Loco Moco, but it is generally agreed that around 1949, either the Cafe 100 or the Lincoln Grill (both in Hilo, Hawaii) originated the first dish of Loco Moco. According to the story, the dish was created for teenagers who wanted something different from typical American sandwiches and less time-consuming than Asian food to eat for breakfast. The nickname of the first boy to eat this concoction was Loco ("crazy" in Portuguese and Hawaiian pidgin). Moco rhymed with loco and sounded great, so Loco Moco became the name of the dish." From: What's Cooking America. Good stuff, great description and I couldn't of said it any better.

-The Sammy's of Chi

Aloha Eats also has a pretty good fish sandwich that I order when the hankering for one comes. Since I ate fillet o' fish from McDonalds when I was a kid, I sometimes get the taste for a fishwich similar to it. While Aloha's is similar in that its a fried fish patty with cheese and tartar that's about where the similarities end. Its a mahi-mahi fried patty and rings in at a little over $3 with cheese. I'm a big fan and its the best fishwich in town.


Fish sandwich with fried shrimp shumai on the side

-Got beef?
The burgers of Chi

Just another reason I love Aloha Eats is there above average burgers. Nothing too big here so they aren't really a meal in itself. They do up a fresh hand made patty a little larger than the fast food joints and put lettuce, tomato and onion on top with whatever else you want. Nothing special ingredient wise but the use of fresh meat and a price-tag of around $3 makes this a good well tasting burger in the area.


Da Kine m'aan, good burgers at Aloha

But then then there's the LocoT. Its a burger I had them do up at my requests one day when the thought of it seemed great. I wanted a loco moco burger. So I asked the sweet lady working to make me a cheeseburger with a fried egg and gravy as the toppings. Introducing the LocoT. Its not on the menu but they'll happily make one if you tell them what to do.


LocoT: Cheeseburger with fried egg and gravy (tell them the one on chibbqking)

There's really not much missing when it comes to Hawaiian local lunch favorites over at Aloha. Its great to see that an area like Lincoln Park has opened up to Aloha Eats and it seems to be doing really well. I'm never in there when the place is empty and its really popular with groups of college kids and other young people looking for a taste of home. In case your not dying of hunger and don't feel the need for one of their huge plates, everything is available as a mini plate as well. Except the mini plates aren't too tiny either. At just a little over $5 your going to get a bunch of food and there's a chance you wont finish a small plate upon your first sitting. Pictured below are some of my menu favorites but there's so much more going on over there including musubi, saimin noodle soup and most dishes available with their homemade curry sauce on the side. Oh and of course they got the spam dishes. I find it real hard to go wrong with the menu.


Killer Hawaiian BBQ beef

^It was in the 19th century when John Parker brought Mexican cowboys to Hawaii to teach the Hawaiians in cattle ranching. It wasn't long before it grew rapidly and beef became a part of the Hawaiian diet. The Parker ranch in Waimea on Hawaii's big island is one of Americas largest and most historic ranches in the country. A very popular beef dish is Hawaiian BBQ beef. Its basically tender thin slices of beef marinated in teriyaki and cooked to a nice crispy but tender texture. Its great stuff with the white rice and mac salad.


Chicken Katsu is real Hawaiian kau kau

^Here we have one of the many marks left on Hawaiian cuisine by other countries. Chicken katsu is Japanese fried chicken. Usually consisting of a cutlet breaded with a mixture of flour, beaten egg and panko bread crumbs its fried and then cut into bite size pieces. like everything else in Hawaii its served with rice and mac and also available with green Hawaiian curry sauce on top.It can be found in all the Hawaiian diners and fast food joints on the island and is also done with pork and duck.


Hawaiian BBQ chicken: In one word "ono"

^Hawaii also happens to have a BBQ culture including the fabulous luaus with Kalua pork roasting away. They also do alot of grilling and like to grill up some BBQ chicken. Teriyaki is again a popular choice for Hawaiian barbecued chicken as well as distinctly Hawaiian bbq sauces. Pictured above is Aloha's chicken which is also available with white meat but then it wouldn't be nearly as good or as close to authentic to what they eat in America's 50th state. It ranks much, much higher than 50 when it comes to the 50 US states regional cuisines however. Get over there and give it a try and if you went to Hawaii and loved the food then Aloha is for you.

Aloha Eats Hawaiian Grill
2534 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-6828
Website

Alma Pita

-Oh Yeah, I've been there too...
Alma Pita in Uptown

Welcome to the newest ongoing series at chibbqking: "Oh yeah, I've been there to". Quick run downs of places that I also happen to have been too along the way on the great Chicago eating trail.

Neighborhood: Uptown
Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean
Price Range: $7-$10
Would I go again? Yes if I was in the hood and felt like this type of food, definitely.


Unnassuming on the outside but good stuff from within

Alma pita is a tiny little family owned storefront that I went to over a year ago and quite enjoyed for what it was. Since I just drove by it along Wilson ave and was in the mood for something light that night I decided to give it a try. It had some regulars talking it up with the owners and it looked like a popular neighborhood spot. The menu had the usual stuff seen on a Lebanese menu and I opted for the combination plate with two types of beef including kifta kebab and one type of chicken. That came with a salad and lentil soup. Next time I'm there and there will be one, I hope to further explore the menu but will again be getting some lentil soup. It was quite tasty and quite comforting during the winter. Healthy too I assume. Service was extra friendly and prices were great. All in all it was a very good experience.


lentil soup from Alma Pita


Combination Plate

Alma Pita
4600 North Magnolia Avenue
(entrance on Wilson ave)
Chicago, IL 60640-5083
(773) 561-2787

Chicago's Chili Cheese Dogs

-The Chase for Chicago's Finest Chili Cheese Dog

Welcome to the first ever installment in the chase for Chicago's finest chili cheese dog. Its been a two month long trek to ten places that I had heard, read or was told had good chili cheese dogs in Chicago. Some places won best of lists, others were told to me by friends and some came from the internet. All I know is I will be taking an indefinite break from chili cheese dogs for the next few months. Much like Eldrick Woods I need to recognize my transgressions and realize that Chicago style minimalist hot dogs are my true love and I need to remain in a monogamous relationship with them. However every winter I have this problem that's hard to control and I just need me some chili cheese dogs with onions on top and fries on the side to feel good. Here is the list of my ten mistresses (these are all of 'em, I swear) which will be graded accordingly. Some of them have already been featured here on chibbqking and are linked up to the previous post about that place.

Note: This is just my first installment. If I missed a place or you have a spot that you love for chili cheese dogs in Chicagoland then please post about it in the comments section and let us know. Good Looks.

Index (abc order)

Branko's
Chickie's
Franksville
Huey's
Lulu's
Mr. D's
Pop's Beef
Portillo's
Tore's
Whats the Beef?

So I visited all the places listed above and scored them below. In the last two months I have tried a chili cheese dog from each one. It was my hope to find a replacement for my first chili cheese dog love from Demon Dog's (RIP). I graded the CCDs in four categories. Here is how it was setup.

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog:
chili:
cheese:
fries:

best score: 20

How the Scoring was Judged

So as far as the hot dog went, as long as you weren't using Oscar Mayer or some other childish brand you would score a 3 or 4. Almost all these places used Vienna Beef (this is a good thing) if not all of them. However different scores were given because there are different styles of tubes from Vienna Beef (all HDs from VB are all beef) and each place used different ones. My favorite CCD from the extinct Demon Dog's used a 8 to a pound natural casing wiener. I think these are the best way to go for them. The chili used didn't need to be an award winning secret recipe from Texas but it did need to blend well with the rest of the elements. Too much beans is still a no no for a good CCD as is a soupy-runny brew. I decided I like slices of melted American cheese best for a CCD. The melted nacho cheese wasn't nearly as good and made them too sloppy when used freely. If a place used too much cheese that wasn't a good thing. There needs to be a balance. The fries were easy, if they were fresh cut and fried up nice you did well, if they were frozen you got a three if not lower. Consider a score of three to be average. Anything below is not so good and anything above was one of the better batches of fries from anywhere in the city. Now onto to the food.

2009's Contenders (abc order)

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Branko's


In Chicago's Lincoln Park/Depaul neighborhood

Its funny that I found Branko's when doing a little websearch on the city's best CCDs. Its funny because this is a place I grew up right near and I've been in there an insane amount of times since the early 90's. However my whole reason for this chase is because Demon Dog's, formerly under the Fullerton El stop, is no more. I used to go to DD's whenever I wanted a CCD and they were my favorite. So I had never had a CCD from Branko's that I can remember until I found a nomination for it from a very credible source. It turned out to be a contender from the get go.

Branko's is in the Vienna Beef Hall of Fame and deservedly so. You have the option of a jumbo Vienna dog or a regular for your CCD. I went regular which is my preference. It was at Branko's I realized I like slices of melted American cheese used for CCD. Not as sloppy and works better for me. They also use a pretty good homemade chili but it all comes together really well. I've never liked the fries at Branko's but you cant complain when they come with all dogs and sandwiches.


chili cheese dog from Branko's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 4
cheese: 5
fries: 2

Score: 15/20

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Chickie's


In Chicago's Lawndale neighborhood

Next up was a spot who's Italian beef I love. I also had a hankering that since they use the natural casing wieners and are a first rate grease shack that maybe they did up a good CCD. Well guess what? I was right. In fact this was the closest thing I have found to Demon Dogs as far as taste. I thought it was from there. The only difference was the poppy seed bun and the fries. At Chickie's the fries are more like another long gone favorite of mine for beef and fries-Fazzio's which was at 2801 N Lincoln. The fries at Demon Dog's are your standard Chicago style fries like those found at 35th street, Gene & Jude's, Jimmy's.

Chickie's scored perfect on the hot dog since they used my favorite kind, the NC 8-10 a pound from Vienna Beef. As far as the cheese goes this was also the closest thing to Demon Dogs I had. Yes it is processed nacho cheese but as you can see in the picture its a certain type. Its different then your typical baseball stadium nacho cheese which many places use. I thought the chili was good and went great with the dog and cheese. The fries at Chickie's always deserve mention when the best in city are discussed.


chili cheese dog from Chickie's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 5
chili: 4
cheese: 4
fries: 5

Score: 18/20

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Franksville


In Chicago's Portage Park/Dunning neighborhood

I hadn't been to Franksville since my days of summer work with the sheriff's department. We used to go there every now and then when we were patrolling Portage Park but I don't remember anything too special about it. However I saw somewhere that they were on a best chili cheese dog in Chicago list. The people mentioned they have a good spicy chili sauce they use and included a few spots I knew about and thought were good so I decided to try.

I saw Fransville's banner for induction into the Vienna Beef HOF so I know they use Vienna hot dogs. However as you can see from the photo this is a different dog than many others used. I'm not sure which type of tube this is but its not a natural casing. The chili was pretty good, actually some of the better chili topping I remember but as you can see in the pic its baseball stadium nacho cheese and they used alot of it. Nothing to say about the fries which were average.


chili cheese dog from Franksville

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 3
chili: 4
cheese: 2 (too much)
fries: 3

Score: 12/20

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Huey's Hot Dogs


In Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood

Huey's is another spot where I had seen on a best of list. I believe it was in Newcity's best of Chicago list which it was listed as having Chicago's best CCD. I had heard about this somewhat new hot dog stand here and there but never made the trek north up Clark to try the place out. Its your typical ever increasing in popularity "Gourmet Fast food" shack. Meaning to compare the places like this to your regular old dog and burger shacks is a disservice. In a city like Chicago you have to do the bare essentials really good or step it up a notch. They take hot dogs and hamburgers up another level. Nothing too fancy just attention to detail and good ingredients. They have a nice looking menu but I was there for the CCD.

The first question asked when you order a CCD is if you want it charred or steamed? Well interesting because when I make CCD at home I like to grill the dogs but I also know that most places don't grill them up like I do. As you can see from HERE, I like to slit them up. I ordered mine charred and surely they didn't cut it up. Nonetheless it was still good but what was lacking in this CCD was the chili. It was rather soupy and I really didn't get much flavor from it. The cheese was nacho like but they added a good amount and the fries were home cut and pretty damn good.


chili cheese dog from Huey's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 2
cheese: 3
fries: 4

Score: 13/20

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Lulu's


In Chicago's University Village neighborhood

Lulu's got the call due to a tipper from a sheriff I know. Although it wasn't for their CCD but just as his favorite lunchtime joint. I have been to Lulu's a few times but not recently and I never had a CCD from there. However I always see the homemade chili sign when driving by and it got the call in the 1st installment in the quest for the CCD here. Its a very popular lunch spot with the UIC medical crowd and Cook County Sheriff's department and correctional officers and has been around for a while now.

Well this ones on me. You don't have to get a CCD should you visit Lulu or you do but always get something else. I like the regular dogs at Lulu's just fine. Its not the city's best hot dog but if I was working near Id have one now and then. But for whatever reason the hot dog I got in my CCD was damn near decomposed. It looked like a convenience store hot dog after a 3 day crack binge. They have the signs from Vienna Beef everywhere and I'm guessing this was a VB dog but it had been around a little too long I think. Its skin was wrinklier than your Grandma Bessie's. It didn't get much better with the chili which was more like beans. I count over 15 in this picture. They did get the cheese right with it being slices of American but the fries were your average frozen brand.


chili cheese dog from Lulu's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 2
chili: 2
cheese: 5
fries: 2

Score: 11/20

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Mr. D's


In Chicago's Montclare neighborhood

Mr. D's was a spot I had wanted to try a CCD from on many occasions. I'm already a big fan of this as you already know from HERE. When I was talking to a buddy from CPD at a bar one night we were talking about Mr. D's and he mentioned he always gets a cheeseburger in summer and CCD over winter. It was all I needed to give trying one a go since I had already known they make their own chili and everything is pretty much good if not great here. Its one of Chicago's best "Chicago Style fast food" joints. What does that mean? they do what they do, really good. Lots of other places have the same things but most of them don't do it like Mr. D's. Which is the right way.

Mr. D's comes thru again and at this point I'm used too it. Its easy to see why this place has constant traffic and gets busy at lunchtime. The hot dog was a perfectly steamed Vienna that went great with Mr. D's homemade chili. Ok so there were a few beans in it but not too many and they also use the slices of American cheese melted down real well. You already know about the fries right? Well in case you missed it, these are some of if not the best fries in the city. Done to perfection each and every visit I've had and that's turning into quite a few. I'm betting Mr. D's does a mean chili cheese fries. Even though this turned out as one of the better CCDs, It's hard to ever pass on that shish kebab sandwich.


chili cheese dog from Mr. D's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 4
cheese: 5
fries: 5

Score: 18/20

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Pop's Beef


In Chicago's Mt. Greenwood neighborhood

Next stop is Pop's which has a few locations on the southside which are all very consistent. I have also been to Pop's countless amount of times and love their Italian beef. They got one of the better beefs in the city and my favorite hot peppers. I was also tipped off by a friend when talking about their IB that they also have a really good CCD and I needed to try that one day too. So it was only a matter of time before I tried one and its time came for this chase.

Another useful tip from a legit source. The hot dog was just fine and your normal above average dog your going to get in Chicago. The chili was also pretty good and I had no complaints about it but also nothing that made we say WOW! More places used American slices on this chase than I thought and Pop's is included in that list. While Pop's does use frozen fries they are also my favorite frozen fries from anywhere that uses them. They are the thinner McDonald's size variety and are much like Mickey D's and they fry them up nicely at Pop's.


chili cheese dog from Pop's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 3
cheese: 5
fries: 3

Score: 15/20

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Portillo's


Locations throughout Chicagoland and California

Next up is the popular Chicago fast food place Portillo's. Its the type of place where you can see the American dream. What started out as a tiny hot dog shack on North ave in Villa Park has grown into a full blown restaurant group with Portillo's being the driver. Although they are technically a fast food place and have all the usual's like a drive thru, large menu etc...This is why there's fast food and "Chicago style fast food" Portillo's has it down to an art. It might not be the best for everything hut its perfectly acceptable and better than average with all of its menu items. Its also been my go to spot for a CCD since Demon Dog's closed. Portillo's has locations throughout Chicagoland and a couple in California. I always go to the near downtown location on Clark and parking is hard but they have a drive-thru.

I knew the CCDs were good at Portillo's but I wasn't sure if they are Chicago's best. I'm still not going to say they are the very best but as I already knew they are one of the city's best. Its always been one of their most popular items right after the Chicago style dogs, Italian beef and hamburgers. The hot dogs are very nice and I think they now have their own recipe made and I think its still from Vienna. The chili at Portillo's is also one of the restaurants popular items and it works really good on a chili cheese dog. Its better on the dog than it is in a cup or bowl. They don't use melted American slices but they like Chickie's above use a decent melted brand. The fries at Portillo's while unique to the restaurant are still frozen and just ok. I always get onion rings.


chili cheese dog from Portillo's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 5
cheese: 4
fries: 3

Score: 16/20

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Tore's


In Chicago's neighborhood

Tore's was the wild card in this years bunch. I never had one from here but have heard a few people ordering them when I was stopping in for a meatball or Italian beef. I haven't gotten around to it yet over at "beef with hot" but Tore's does both the beef and meatball sandwiches pretty well. They also have good hot dogs and great fries. I figured why not a good CCD?

Well it wasn't one of the best but again not one of the worst. It was a middle of the pack runner. The hot dog was good but the chili had a few too many beans although it also had an alright taste and so it wasn't the worst just not the best. The cheese was nacho like and they piled both it and the chili on top. The dog fell apart about the second bite in and if I wanted to finish eating the thing it was get dirty or get nothing. Everything blended together made for an ok CCD despite the mess. I did very much enjoy mopping the leftovers that fell thru with their top notch french fries. They made for some good chili cheese fries.


chili cheese dog from Tore's

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 3
cheese: 2 (too much)
fries: 5

Score: 14/20

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Whats the Beef


In Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood

Another spot I've been to a few times, not too many, but never had a chili cheese dog at is Whats the. I decided to add this to the list when I saw they made their own homemade chili and knew they did a few other things well, even if Italian beef isn't one of them. Its one of those rare places where I would take a pass on the namesake menu item and order something else like a char chicken or burger or charred Polish sausage or something like that.

Well they shouldn't call it "Chilly's Cheese Dog's" or anything like that either. Just like Tore's above they loaded everything onto this CCD and it became damn near impossible to pick up. The dog was good and the chili was ok but not bad for a CCD but the cheese was baseball nacho and they poured it on. The fries at WTB are some of the better fries in the city and again the fall thru chili and cheese mess made for a good batch of chili cheese fries.


chili cheese dog from Whats the Beef

Rating Scale 5/5

hot dog: 4
chili: 3
cheese: 2 (too much)
fries: 5

Score: 14/20

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So there you have it folks, the first lap is over. That there is ten different chili cheese dogs from spots located around the city. Here is how Group A finished when everything was ate and done and the Rolaid's were popping.

Best Chili Cheese Dog w/ fries

Tie-Chickie's and Mr. D's (18/20)

Best Chili Cheese Dog's (fries not scored)

Branko's (13/15)
Chickie's (13/15)
Mr. D's (13/15)
Portillo's (13/15)

Pop's (12/15)
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Branko's Sandwich Shop
1118 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 472-4873

Chickie's
2839 S Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 277-2333

Franksville
3550 N Harlem Avenue
Chicago, IL 60634-3629
(773) 237-5848

Huey's
1507 W Balmoral Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640-1207
(773) 293-4800

Lulu's Hot Dogs

1000 S Leavitt St

Chicago, IL 60612-4214

Get Directions

(312) 243-3444

Mr. D's Shish Kebob's
6656 W Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60707
773-637-0042

Pop's Italian Beef and Sausage
10337 S Kedzie Ave
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 239-1243
Website

Portillo's
100 W Ontario
Chicago, IL
(312) 587-8910
locations throughout Chicagoland
Website

Tore's Beef & Pizza
2804 N Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 486-2600

Whats the Beef
1863 N Clybourn Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-7200