A Gallery of Hot Dog Statuary on Chicago’s North Side
April 3rd, 2007 by Brian
My affinity for the hot dog stand is a well known fact. I commented this weekend that I have all of the Portillo’s Hot Dogs locations memorized. It may have been perceived as a joke but it was actually a boast. Hell, I even wrote the Wikipedia entry for Portillo’s when I noticed that they didn’t have one.
In Chicago, a hot dog stand is generally an independently owned fast food-type restaurant that serves hamburgers, italian beef, polish sausage, and sometimes gyros in addition to Vienna hot dogs (or their own home made recipe.) There are an ass-ton of these places all around the city and suburbs and they all pretty much serve the same kind of food so competition is fierce. This competition has, over the years, spawned what I like to call “hot dog statuary.” This is where I stop babbling and start posting some pictures so you can see some examples for yourself.
The Superdawg characters at Superdawg. Their eyes do, indeed, glow. The establishment over which they pose is a bona fide drive-in hot dog stand with carhops and everything. It’s been there on the corner of Milwaukee and Devon for over 50 years. They represent the struggle of cured meat people in a prehistoric/50’s fusion society. Someday they will overcome.
Wolfy’s on Peterson. A textbook example of the “hot dog on a fork” method which appears in various iconography throughout the city. It represents a hot dog on a fork in the classical style.
This guy resides at U Lucky Dawg on Western just north of Pratt. The outdoor sign of the place is actually similar to Wolfy’s but this guy keeps a mighty watch on the inside. I’m a little disturbed by the imagery here. Not only is the hot dog hastening his own demise by applying condiments to his forehead; he is applying ketchup which is not generally accepted as something you would put on a Chicago style dog. This piece is clearly a statement of outright disillusionment. The subject wants to be consumed in disgrace. He’s not a Vienna dog as you can see from the shade of his skin so perhaps discrimination is what has caused his breakdown. The artist is unknown so we’ll probably never know.
Great pics! IF you ask me it seems as though you folks in Chicago are way more advanced in your culinary leanings than I had suspected.
I would SO dig having just one crappy hot dog stand here in our neck of the woods, they would not even have to post adorable idols outside to get me enticed into their menu.
We have a chain called James Coney Island, the ONLY time I went there, I had a chili-cheese dawg (My dogs are festooned according to my mood - sometimes relish, onions, and mustard - sometimes just mayo) ANYWAY, they put that nasty canned cheese garbage on top… you know the cheese that is in a constant state of goooeyness…YUCK! I was mortally offended and never went back.
Back in the early 80’s there used to be a Der Wienerschnitzel off Westheimer in Houston… now as far as Dawgs go in Houston, they were the bomb! (well, at least my fading memory likes to have me think so)
Alas, the rest of Houston just didn’t embrace them like I did and *poof* they were gone. I have actually pointed out to people I was showing around the area: “Look! that is where the Der Wienerschnitzel used to be.”
Don’t suppose you would consider overnighting one of those tasty little Chicago dawgs down this a way now wouldjya?
I think you can order Portillos to be shipped anywhere in the country. http://www.portillos.com
It’s a bit on the pricey side, as far as food goes, but it’s really the only option.