Wrigley Field!!! You have got to be kidding. I think maybe you love the place etc. and it has hypnotized your taste buds. And bratwurst are not hot dogs. The hot dogs are ok at the ballparks but they are not fractionly as good as most stands in Chicago. Chicago Magazine has rated hundreds several times and the ball parks don't even rate for the finals. Plus the ones at the ball park don't have the condiments added and the buns are just marginal. The first time I saw the onion dispenser (liquified and running all over the place) I laughed that some one could have imagined that it would
replace freshly diced onions.

To be a true chicago hot dog it must be a vienna hot dog no substitutions.
To the poster about bozo's the last I knew they didn't use vienna but may have switched, I hope so because I could never stand bozo's & to the person who said brats you must be from wisconsin(nothing wrong with that).

Has anyone here ever had the pleasure of stopping at "Hot Dog Johnny's"? It's near the Delaware Water Gap in NJ (on the way to Pennsylvania). It's been there for decades.

Right on the river, with hot dogs on the grill, tap root beer, and frozen custard.

Can't be beat (okay....those Chicago dogs are also pretty great!!!).

Does anyone know if Simcoes by the Bridge..outside Boston( near Mattapan, I think) is still around.

It has been a very long time, but they had great "foot longs"

Chili dog on the beach at Daytona from a little stand about 1961....

The 1/2 pounder at the Edgewater, and the one ounder at the Pioneer in Laughlin, NV aren't too shabby.

Hot Dog Annie's in Leicester, MA. The service isn't the best anymore, but - the dogs can't be beat.

Jack's Cosmic Dogs in Mt Pleasant SC- just 13 miles north of Charleston on HWY 17 N- Boars Head brand all beef dogs with home made toppings and the ambiance is 50's retro meets the Jetsons!! great fresh cut fries, draft root beer in frosted mugs and frozen ice cream custard- nothin' no fat here! just great dogs in a fun road side attraction- TRY IT!

Jack's Cosmic Dogs near Charleston SC- on the way to the beach at Isle of Palms, this is where the surfers go to re-fuel! unreal!

Well, for years and years we thought Chicago...yum yum yum. However, about 3 years ago we traveled to Toronto, Canada. We now consider "smog" dogs from the street vendors in Toronto to be the best. It's the bread that really, really makes them extra extra special.....

Manush, 21st and I Streets, NW, Washington, D.C. Manush is a street vendor, parked in front of Tower Records, and a legend at George Washington University. Ask for a Manush dog (cheese and ketchup). I went recently after having not visited Manush for more than 6 years (and 30 pounds), and the guy remembered my name.

Dick, to the best of my knowledge Simcoes by the Bridge is still there. It had a fire a number of years ago, but it reopened. I've only been there a few times, and it's certainly not in an area where a tourist would go, but it sure has local history. My favorite local dogs are Pearl dogs, though I have to grill them myself.

Just about anywhere in Chicago. I love Wally's in Central but it isn't quite downtown I also love Duck's but they burned down a year ago. Go just about anywhere, but the ballpark - yes they're better than in most cities but they just don't compare to a Wally (or any other hot dog stand) dog. My tip would be to look for the more run down, family owned places, those seem to be ther best, the only chain that I like is Portillo's - especially their cheece fries. I have to disagree with a previous poster, you can get any condiments you want without getting groaned at. I have lived here my whole life and have eaten at more hot dog stands than I can remember - I have never been groaned at when I ask for my usual Ketchup, Tomato, cucumber/pickles and celery. Yes it's not the traditional Chicago condiments but honestly most people that I know don't like all those condiments and usually order something different. I think Chicagoans are just very particular about their hot dogs and the condiments that are put on them whereas tourists get the usual for the sake of eating a "traditional" chicago hot dog. There's nothing like a Chicago Vienna beef hot dog (There are a couple of other brands that I like as well) in one of those fresh buns and an order of cheese fries. Oh and you can't beat Johnny's Italian beef sandwiches - simply the best as noted by their ever present line that goes all the way around the building. Anyway, that's just my $.02.

Kristy

Any "Umbrella Room" NYC jargon for the street corner hot dogs stands. My Father called them 'dirty water" dogs!!
Best anywhere....Can't go by a stand, smell the onions and sauerkraut and not want one! My mouth waters....YUM!!!

The street meat in Toronto is called a hot dog but actually resembles a sausage and it is delicious. My favorite stand, a block from Gretzky's, grills the dog and puts it on a chewy bun. They have about 25 different toppings laid out that you can spoon on yourself. I couldn't get enough of them.

I wouldn't say that this is the BEST hot dog I've ever had, but it sticks out in my mind-- at Fenway Park in Boston, I got a "Fenway Dog", which was on what looked like a slice of Wonder bread engineered to hold a dog- it was great- not so much bun to interfere with all of the hot dogg-y goodness!

And maybe it's because I'm a Chicagoan, but I am definitely a no ketchup person- my ideal dog has lots of mustard, onions, a dill pickle spear, chopped tomatoes and some hot peppers.

Max's foot long hot dogs in Long Branch, NJ by the shore. Incredible

I agree with the Fenway Frank. I would also add to the list a New Orleans Lucky Dog with mustard, relish and onions - best when eaten in Jackson Square.

If you're ever near Pittsburgh, try a Jim's hotdog in West Mifflin. It's been there about 75 years, and the secret's in Jim's sauce.

Nathans in NY by far