The 2 Chicago Hot Dog Joints Anthony Bourdain Absolutely Loved

Chicago has a reputation for serving up some of the nation's most iconic dishes. The Windy City is responsible for bringing the world Chicago-style hot dogs, which holds a special place in the city's foodie hall of fame (up there with Italian beef, deep pan pizza, oh, and Chicago-style popcorn, which is the state's official snack). Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef and travel and food TV host, made no secret about trusting Chicago with his gut and taste buds. There are several Chicago restaurants that earned Bourdain's respect, but the two restaurants that he loved for scarfing down hot dogs were Hot Doug's and Jimmy's Red Hots.

The origins of Chicago dogs spring from the Great Depression, but the dish soon became known for offering heaped ingredients for the city's dwellers to tuck into. While Bourdain's disdain for Chicago's deep pan pizza was known, he held the city's hot dogs in high regard, even going as far as to say that the Chicago hot dog is "the finest hot dog on the planet" in the season opener of "The Layover." What Hot Doug's and Jimmy's Red Hots have in common is what Bourdain loved the most about dining in the city: true big-hearted Chicago spirit in culinary form, locally lauded, with lots of pride in the food born out of the city. 

In an episode of his travel and food documentary "No Reservations," Anthony Bourdain reveals that Hot Doug's was so highly recommended that he felt compelled to try it out, and according to his commentary, it didn't disappoint. The eatery, which is no longer in operation, wasn't just a local favorite, but it also routinely ranked first as offering the city's best hot dogs each year. One of Bourdain's main orders at Hot Doug's was classic Chicago dog with celery salt, tomato slices, pickle spear, diced yellow onion, yellow mustard, neon green relish, topped off with a side of French fries prepared in rendered duck fat. Bourdain also praised the fries at Hot Doug's, commenting in the 2009 episode that they were "cooked in the nectar of the gods." Closing in October 2014, the hot dog stand, which always had a long queue, remains in the memory of Chicagoans as one of the city's most loved spots.

While dining in Chicago, the other legendary hot dog joint that Bourdain enjoyed was Jimmy's Red Hots. It has been a family-owned and operated stand since 1954 and has a strong reputation for making an impression with hot dogs and garnishes alike (no ketchup in sight, just as fancy-ketchup-snubbing Bourdain would've liked it). In fact, the no ketchup rule even applies to fries, which are instead enjoyed with a famous smoky house habanero hot sauce. The standing diner is open from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily and prides itself on its Vienna beef hot dogs topped with the freshest ingredients. A Chicago dog with everything on it was Bourdain's go-to order.