Chicago's Best Dogs: From a Stand to the Best Dang Things on Earth

I don't know about you, but I find small, family-owned restaurants so much better than franchises. From the customer service to the amount of food you get for one hell of a deal, nothing sounds better to me. In every town I travel to, I always try to find those quaint but packed to the edges with people laughing and eating with smiles drawn across their faces restaurants.

I recently visited my friend in Chicago. She had always raved about Chicago's infamous hot dogs so I had to make her take me to her favorite spot. That is when I fell upon Gene & Jude's Red Hots. One word: fan-freaking-tastic. I mean who thinks to top their hot dogs with french fries and pickles? Gene & Jude do. Never had a Chicago dog? You have to try it. First, you have to have your bun. Next, you have your Vienna Beef hot dog. So then you have your mustard, you have your relish, you have your onions and your tomatoes. Then you have to throw your sport peppers in there. If you don't know what sport peppers are, they're basically small, hot peppers. Now for the grand finale: the fries. Now, they don't place your fries in any ordinary container. They wrap the fries in foil with the hot dog to make it one beautiful, beautiful, meal. Just look at the beauty above. Yum. But one thing...never, I repeat, NEVER ask for ketchup. You'll get kicked out. Almost happened to me. And another thing, there aren't any seats so make sure you wear your comfy shoes.

I'm sure you're eager to hear the story of how Gene & Jude's came about. Well, Gene and his friends went to a game at Wrigley Field in the summer of 1945. He wasn't pleased with the hot dog he ordered so he began experimenting at home. He opened a small stand in downtown Chicago in 1946 and soon became a sensation. In 1950, they relocated to the suburb of River Grove. With nearly no hours off, they are delighted to make the best hot dogs and fries in the United States. Through the powerful concept of word-of-mouth, Gene & Jude's customers have been nothing but loyal, sticking with the small stand all the way up to today's successes. All of this information and more was thrown to me when I asked how Gene & Jude's came to be. They make you feel like family. They make you feel like you've known them for years. Those are the places I love the most. Those are the places I want to spend my money.

For your sake, here is the link to their website. You should really take a couple minutes to check it out  and see the numerous awards they've received if you're not from Chicago!

http://www.geneandjudes.com