Bites Nearby: New Hot Dog Company Serves Chicago-Style Dogs, Gyros

I could tell you that The Hot Dog Company is located behind , which, by the way is owned by the same owners of this place, but when I tell you it’s nestled in the parking lot, you get a better idea of where they’re located. Any place in downtown La Grange that has parking right in front of their store is always a plus!

The Hot Dog Company (76 S. LaGrange Road, La Grange) is the newest addition to the neighborhood. Open just shy of two months ago, it is your typical fast food place if you’re looking for a quick bite and you’re not on a strict diet.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll immediately notice a wall of bottles. At first glance, you think it’s their homage to the classic road trip song “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”, but it’s actually their wide variety of old fashioned sodas and root beers. It's a  very eclectic selection—from the Route 66 Root Beer, to The Sopranos Limonvello Soda and Jack Black’s Blue Cream Soda. They even have Bubble Up, which I haven’t seen since I was a kid … nice touch!

They have a wall of fame that is fun to look at while you wait for your food. The twist here is that these photos of celebrities were taken by the paparazzi while they’re eating, usually in mid-bite. I think it’s safe to say, no one looks good while taking a bite of their food, from President Barack Obama to Jack Nicholson.

They offer a simple and fairly small menu, but it seems to cover all the bases when it comes to what people generally like at fast-food places. They have the classic Chicago hot dogs (steamed or grilled) but also have a deep fried hot dog called “The Ripper.” They make their beef in-house for the Italian beef and the standard favorites like hamburgers and Italian sausage round out the menu.

They have a few salads, but I don’t see the point in ordering a salad at a place that has “hot dog” in its name. They also offer gyros, which seems to have filled a void in town because I cannot think of any other place in downtown La Grange that serves Gyros. And they make sure to tell you that the tzatziki sauce is homemade and it’s pretty tasty.

The staff is friendly, the prices are reasonable, the portions are generous and you get free refills on fountain drinks. Not a bad addition to an area with many dining choices, plus it’s a great place to take the kids!