The Clark Street Dog

Amazing! Love this place - the hotdogs, Philly cheesesteak, and gyros are so delicious. The food is always hot and the staff are friendly.

Price was quite pricy. Italian Beef was wet but great! Burgers tenders and fries are also great!

Befitting the surroundings of an urban hot dog stand open past midnight, the onion rings come counter-served, plunked in a white paper bag, jostling for space with the rest of my order, including a plastic cup of ranch. As I settle in on the patio, I realize I’ve actually been here before, but only in passing while killing time waiting for a Gloryhammer/Alestorm concert to start at the nearby Vic Theatre. Unwrapping the bag, I’m almost knocked over by the tantalizing power of the onion aroma, curiously strong given the relatively small size of the onion rings. More than a few of them are cracked, a common hazard for paper bag packaging, but there’s an appealing and consistent color in the batter, albeit a bit on the darker side. Though I strive to be objective in my analysis of onion rings, I still have my preferences, however informed they may be. Larger onion rings are one of them, as is a belief in the superiority of batter versus breading. Though these rings are small, and thus unable to muster a critical mass of onion, they manage to balance the thin slices of flavor with the salty batter. I’m also biased against dryness in onion rings, a scourge I mostly associate with them being frozen or overcooked. The onion rings from Clark Street Dog are quite dry, but the way the batter lightly clings to it makes the overall bite not just palatable, but tasty, and dangerously easy to thoughtlessly devour in the August sun. The watery ranch wasn’t anything special, but it brought just the right level of moisture to the onion rings, and a slight creaminess. These remind me a little bit of the artisanal and overpriced potato chips you would find at a middling brewpub: crunchy, but with a bit of give and a decent chew. Perhaps it’s more like popcorn, something light, crunchy, and easy to eat. In any case, the batter, and its ambivalent hold over the onions, is the dominating textural sensation. The onions, again, are on the small size, but they hold their shape surprisingly well. In essence, they’re exactly the right mouthfeel for the place, time, and situation in which I’m consuming them, a definite plus. Though the portion is large and the quality is above average, these onion rings are a little pricey at $6.95. Moreover, the price is incongruent with the general vibes of Clark Street Dog, though this may just be an unfortunate artifact of inflation and the general cost of living in Chicagoland. They were a fitting re-introduction to the city’s culinary scene, as I had mostly been relying on decade-old memories of a place called “Eggsperience” and that one time I went to Ed Debevic’s in high school. I suspect all three have this in common: more expensive than I would have liked, but still pretty good.

Great place with a super relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for a quick drink or a long snack session. Carson, with the gorgeous hair, behind the bar was an absolute gem. Very personable and kind. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a casual spot with a great bartender.

1 of 2 restaurants I am a regular at. The other is Chicago Bagel Authority on Belmont. They have steamed bagels available for mobile order & pick up. I get the everything bagel with plain cream cheese and a small coffee. Perfect for mornings when I wake up last minute. Coffee stays hot on the red line to work. Unless the train car smells. I dont like to drink it so much then

Everything was delish- great ital beef- get it with both sweet and hot peppers. Fries are delish with tasty potato flavor not grease- yum. Traditional polish- tons of delectable sautéed onions- yum!