Happy National Hot Dog Day! In honor of this sacred calendar event, I wanted to share some of my favorite hot dog joints. My list is in no way meant to be definitive (no need to say with outrage, “No Gene & Jude’s? No Wolfy’s? No Red Hot Ranch? What’s wrong with you?”)… just think of this as a conversation-starter.

POOCHIE’S (3602 Dempster St, Skokie, IL 60076)
The Char Dog and Char Polish are the dogs to get at Poochie’s, and the fresh-cut fries are ridiculous. I’ve been going to Poochie’s since I was a kid, and in true “circle of life” fashion, I now take my kids there.

VIENNA BEEF FACTORY STORE & CAFE (2501 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647)
Chicago dogs that look like they came off the pages of a hot dog catalog; there’s no better place to find a textbook Chicago-style dog. And there’s something kind of awesome about sharing the cafe space with the employees and factory workers.

SUPERDAWG (6363 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60646)
Still consistent after all these decades. I love getting my hot dog box stuffed with Superfries delivered to my car window. Once you’ve graduated beyond the Superdawg, go for the Whoopskidawg, a Polish tucked into a delicious roll, basted in sauce and covered in grilled onions.

FATSO’S LAST STAND (2258 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622)
Fatso’s is glorious. Get your double char dog with deep fried pickle chips or cheesy tater tots on the side. Then go back at a later date for the “Double Fatso with Cheese.”

JIM’S ORIGINAL (1250 S Union Ave, Chicago, IL 60607)
You can’t get your car near the place at peak hours, but the prices and Polish at Jim’s are worth driving around the block a few times.

BYRON’s (1701 W Lawrence Ave Chicago, IL 60640)
I’m pretty sure I spent most of the summer of 2015 at Byron’s. Classic Chicago dogs.

HOME DEPOT (various)
I have friends who swear by “Depot Dogs.” I’m not convinced, but they sure are a nice reward after walking through Home Depot’s aisles looking for a specific paint color and sink hose.