The special Superdawg proprietary all-beef sausage is perfectly complimented by pickled tomatoes. This is a unique Chicago experience that will never be duplicated. There are also locations in Wheeling and Norwood Park.

There's a certain joy driving down Peterson and seeing that iconic Wolfy's sign with the fork and lights. The jumbo char dog is the proper choice here.

Byron's boiled dogs are probably one of the best examples of the Chicago-style dog. The empire may have shrunk—at one time Byron's had locations in front of Wrigley Field and in Lincoln Park where the massive Crate & Barrel store stands. But the hot dogs always deliver a quality bite.

The Depression Dog variant is what makes Gene & Jude's an institution. Stuffed with french fries, this variant gives Chicagoans a reason to visit the suburbs.

Yes, it tops its dogs with ketchup, and uses Royal Hawaiian rolls, but Dog Haus Biergarten only adds to Chicago’s hot dog landscape. There are dozens of gourmet sausages to pick from, but its traditional dog is the best. The casing’s decent enough and all the flavors tend to be sweeter than the average hot dog. The LA import also is available via virtual kitchens.

Red Hot Ranch is no longer a secret with its all-natural sausages with a casing that just has enough bite. The double dog is the way to go, as the sausages are a bit slimmer than at most places. There are locations in Bucktown and Lakeview. On the South Side, the same owners run 35th Street Dogs near Sox Park; it has an identical menu.

Jimmy's, with more than a half a century of slinging sausages, needs to be on this list to ensure completeness.

A love letter to Detroit, Lola’s Coney Island is a small restaurant that imports hot dogs from the Motor City. That includes chili and franks from National Coney Island. It perfectly proportions a Coney’s signature mustard, chili, and onions. The stand also sells traditional Chicago-style red hots.

This classic hot dog spot near UIC and the United Center has been around since 1968. It’s an old-school stand with all the trappings of a Chicago street food spot.

Since 1938, this beloved relic has provided tasty red hots for an affordable price ($3.10). This classic hot dog stand has seen so much Chicago history, it’s worth a visit to get a taste of yesteryear.

Down in Berwyn, Big Guys Sausage Stand abides by the motto "blue collar gourmet food." While the specialty sausages here are delicious, don't let them overshadow the traditional red hot.

While developers continue to reshape 31st Street, much to the chagrin of many locals, Maxwell Street Depot continues to serve diners for 24 hours a day. The Polish and hot dogs still draw late-night crowds.

North Siders cried about Vienna Beef closing its Bucktown headquarters. But those in the know didn’t care. The Vienna Beef Factory Store opened another location in 2016. Enjoy all the classics in Bridgeport.

Known for putting a tamale on a hot dog bun and piling on the fixing, Fat Johnnie’s is an institution high on charm. A visit by Anthony Bourdain brought national attention to the stand.

For around 70 years, this Chicago hot dog stand has been serving the West Chatham community from its humble start as a push cart. They even have a connection to McDonald's founder Ray Kroc. The hot dogs and fixings are a little sweeter than others, but everything is top notch down to the sport pepper at Fred & Jack’s.