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Byron's Hot Dog Haus
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Hot Dogs American (Traditional), Hot Dogs [Edit]
1701 W Lawrence Ave(between Hermitage Ave & Paulina St)
Chicago, IL 60640
Neighborhood: Ravenswood
(773) 271-0900
- Nearest Transit:
-
Damen-Brown (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 10:30 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
66 reviews for Byron's Hot Dog Haus
Review Highlights
"They even won an award for the best fries in Chicago."
(in 4 reviews)
"I must go back for their specialty Dogzilla."
(in 4 reviews)
"The customer service was all around very good as well."
(in 5 reviews)
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66 reviews in English
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Review from An P.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2011 8 photos
Italian Beef Crawl Stop #7: Byron's Hot Dogs
Byron's, located by Lawrence and Ashland has been around as long as I can remember. The irony of this is that I've only set foot in there once and that was to get a burger (at a hot dog spot). Big mistake! Byron's also serves up some of Chicago's most delicious beefs.
Byron's beef was awesome. Chock full of large hunks of giardiniera you could pick them up and chew them for heat and texture. This dreamy beef was soaked and flowed juices leading me to go into overdrive. When you have beef this good you really just can't put it down. There were piles of sandwiches and beefs as almost all of the beefeaters had their fill.
Not only this but Byron's served us up some crisp shoestring fries and carried another Chicago classi: the almighty Pizza Puff. If you are looking for crazy amounts of fast food, head on to Byron's. Oh did I mention they deliver and are on GrubHub!?
FTMFWListed in: #81 Lawrence Bus, Italian BEEF
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Review from L J.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2012
Ordered a hot dog with everything on it. DIdn't think I had to specify no lettuce, green peppers, or cucumbers. (Cucumbers, really??) I ordered a hot dog, not a salad. Everyone in Chicago knows what "everything" is.
Shame on me for not checking in with Yelp first. Shame on Byron's for serving that. -
Review from Mike B.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The dog was OK. I didn't like the gigantic mound of lettuce they put on top. The cheese dog didn't taste very cheesy.
The fries tasted like McDonalds, but were soggy. That being said, I still ate them all.
Good price, easy parking, free refills. -
Review from Jason C.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2012
Been coming here since I was a kid, and their food is still the bomb in terms of fast food. Fresh tasting, good menu, and yeah their fries are yum. They practically throw an entire salad on every hotdog, burger or polish sausage too.
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Review from Emma F.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
Warm Coffee (but I didn't get a chance to drink it)
Nice dad and his son --- reminded me of the Santa Claus(e)! -
Review from Matt M.
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nothing too impressive on the menu. I've stopped here a couple of times and have always been disappointed. The food is not "bad", but it is certainly forgettable.
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Review from Mike F.
Chicago, IL
8/14/2011
They have a dog called Dogzilla. Nuff said. Ok, I'll say a little more...
Byron's is what it is, and does it very well. It's not Hot Doug's, nor does it aspire to be. It's a no frills place that turns out very good dogs at reasonable prices, even though purists might not like some of the extras (like lettuce) if you get everything on it. The buns don't survive under the weight of the toppings, so if you're a tidy eater, this might not be your place.
I'd give it a 5th star if I liked the fries better. They're served in a paper bag, and often freshly cooked, but they're nothing special -- they taste like McDonald's fries.
Service is attentive, fast and friendly. The small parking lot makes it convenient to pop in on a whim. -
Review from Rachel G.
I have been coming here since I was a little kid. I mean, really... since I was like 7 years old. My dad used to take me and my brother and their foot was always really good.
I just took my husband (from Arizona) here and he had the Dogzilla. Geez, that thing was huge. He tried my Chicago style dog. But his Dogzilla was our dinner entertainment. Ok, ok... we got a bit graphic with the monstrous size dog... we had a "how far can you throat it without gagging contest" - hahaha. I won. (Hey, we're married... we don't mind each others spit, lol.)
Amazing food.
You could close your eyes and pick something randomly off the menu board and it would be delicious. Seriously. I've tried everything. Everything is good.
They even won an award for the best fries in Chicago. Add cheese... yummmmmm. -
Review from Jesse D.
Chicago, IL
6/9/2011
I've only had one thing here - but, i've probably had it about 30 times (srsly). The #4 meal - double cheeseburger, fries and a drink.
the cheeseburger has my favorite meat to cheese consistency in this type of burger joint (greasy spoon).
but, here's the key to this place - they have Green River, and, they have it on tap. I don't know of another place in the city that has this. -
Review from William L.
Chicago, IL
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has been around since I was a kid and not a whole lot has changed. It's a great place to get a greasy meal or a solid hot dog. Just note, a dog with "everything" has a bit more than the usual: green peppers (+), lettuce (-), cucumbers (+), spicy sliced pickles (+). It's a bit pricey compared to most hot dog joints, but the fact that their tamales are homemade makes it worth the trip.
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Review from George F.
St Charles, IL
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is awesome Chicago fast food. The dogs are insane and the burgers are terrific. Can't go wrong.
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Review from Dave S.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/7/2010 18 Check-ins Here
I added a star for one simple reason: The Punisher.
A double cheese burger topped with a hefty mound of gyros meat. Be still my arrhythmical heart!
I no longer have the dilemma of cheese burger or gyros... now if I can just figure our a way to squeeze an Italian sausage on that bad boy...
:burp:Listed in: A Week Inside a Yelper's Tummy, Burger Love
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/25/2009
This review is NC17: No catsup if you're 17 or older.
If Byron's doesn't get five stars then I'm not… Read more »
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Review from Marissa G.
Chicago, IL
5/22/2011
Everything on your dog at his place include lettuce and green peppers...who does that? Other than that, it was good.
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Review from Dan G.
4/3/2011
Just your basic good greasy hot dog place. Good burgers, killer cheese steak, and vienna hot dogs. Just be warned when you say everything on your dog they put everything on it they include lettuce and cucumbers As my friend said when he got his hot dog, "What is this a ***king salad on my hot dog." So be warned. Good fries, shoestring style, and friendly service. Not much more you can hope for in a hot dog place.
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Review from Lois and Clark G.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2009
After passing this place, allot, me and a few friends ended up eating here after our initial plan went AWOL. I have always been curious of this place but have never had the chance or convenience to stop in and try it out. We walked in and the smell of burners put me at ease knowing that it was simply a place I have been to many times before.
I approached the deli style line and placed my order. I kept it simple. You know, new burger joints/hot dog stands always get the burger test with me. If it passes, then it's a friend for life. So I stepped up to bat and ordered a cheeseburger, no pickle, no mayo (I don't even think this was an optional condiment) and a small fry. While they throw your patty on the grill, you have a chance to take a gander around this place, which on the inside seems much bigger than the it appears from the exterior. It's pretty standard, booth seats, tables, chairs, fountain drink dispensers, miscellaneous hot dog posters. All check out good in my book.
So now you get to watch them prepare the burger. Behind a (bullet proof) glass sneeze guard, the employee never really touches your burger. He grabs the raw meat with tongs, throws it on the grill, lets it kick it on that for a minute, returns back to your bun which is already laid out on a metal tray. When the burger is done grilling, he scoops it up, throws it on the bun, then asks what you want on it. Since everything is already in front of you for you to pick, it makes life easy.
They start with the condiments. A "hearty" dose of mustard and ketchup (I mean they slop that on there proper, this goes for all the condiments), then relish (the bright green kind), onions, lettuce, and finally tomato. Alot of tomato. I mentioned that the burger handler never really touches your burger. At this point he is using tongs to grab the condiments, and when he reaches for those sliced tomatos with that set of tongs, he grabs about 6 slices and tops your burger off with them. After the whole ordeal is done and over with, your looking at about a 5 inch high burger, in a paper doily, in a basket, on a red tray with a paper bag of fries.
The burger on its own was really good. Grilled to perfection, and sizzling with warmth and flavor. And the over abundance of toppings was truly great. This set it apart from what I was used to so I went with it and didn't take anything off. I figured they don't give you that doily for nothing, so I started off by eating the burger within it, and it proved to be a good choice, for my friend who I was with, who ordered a burger, didn't use the doily, and about 1/3 of the way through, he had a mixture of condiments running down his hands and slopping it up all over his tray.
The fries? Yes please. I would take these fries over any, any day, anywhere. they are small crisp and in abundance. The perfect fries to grab 5 of them and slap in some ketchup. Not too salted, and cooked golden brown.
This place passes my test, and I will definitely be returning, bringing other people in tow. Byron's checks out in my book and comes highly recommended, just use the doily when eating the awesome cheeseburger! -
Review from Allan M.
Chicago, IL
6/14/2009
Another fast food place that has aged well over the years for me. Very wide menu, decent variety of combos, and the prices are all worth it. They always are very generous with the fries here, and I think the other reviews sum it up better than anything I could say. So damn strange I've never heard about the Dog Zilla after all my years of eating here, though! I think they're down to 3 locations today, which is here, Irving/Sheridan, and the Madison Ave. location in Forest Park.
Fifth star for all the childhood memories I've had eating here, their outdoor patio, and for serving GREEN RIVER! -
Review from Kathleen C.
IL
4/9/2007
Good hot dogs, pizza puffs and fries made in front of you.
I used to frequent the Lakeview location until I moved a little farther north. And I am SO LUCKY that this location is here! Although I did like the Irving Park location, this place has inside seating, outside seating and there were 5 guys taking our order and making our food so quickly! It was fantastic.
Great, greasy food at great prices.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Dogs...
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Review from Aaron S.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2007
These guys do a great combo--really spicy sausage and they give you a ton of beef. No fries needed--the sandwich alone will stuff you. Scott's right about having to repeat your order, though I never noticed before today (must be newer staff). What's also nice is they accept credit cards with no minimum.
*burp*. I'm going to sleep now at my desk. -
Review from Clint E.
Chicago, IL
4/28/2007
Ordered a jumbo dog combo and got everything on it. Very good chicago-style dog with literally everything: radioactive relish, cucumbers, lettuce, pickles, peppers, celery salt, onions, mustard and NO KETCHUP.
The fries were great too. -1 for a $7 dog/fries combo, but what are you gonna do? Plenty of places to sit and they had "Green River" soda which was fun but kinda grossed me out after half a cup ;) -
Review from David R.
10/20/2008
Don't pay any attention to the excessive use of bare hands by the cooking staff. It's all worth it for the character working the grill. This guy was full of mumbly, heavily accented quips and self-narration which kept me smiling the entire time. I ordered an Italian beef with sweet peppers; he disappeared in the back and returned with a handful--a bare handful--of spices and dumped it on the grill onto the cooking peppers. When he wrapped up the sandwich he leaned toward me conspiratorially: "Garlic powder and black pepper--makes it great with sweet peppers." Awesome. My lovely Lawrence Avenue concierge ordered a gyro, and this dude went in the back again to get the "special" onions. I love that guy.
The Italian beef was a tad dry but, surprisingly, still piping hot ten minutes later back in the kitchen. And he was right about the extra spices in the pepper mixture--tasty. The hot dog was standard but good, and the underwhelming shoestring fries were a-ok with some Sweet Baby Ray's (not provided by Byron's). This joint is near my new lady friend's home, so hopefully I'll be seeing that nutty cook again. Combo specials are a good deal; I'll try the polish sausage next. -
Review from Natalie S.
Chicago, IL
8/21/2009 8 Check-ins Here
Do I heart Byron's because the food is delicious or because it is practically in my backyard and my husband and I can walk out our door and be there in less than a minute?
Probably both.
Best fries in America according to GQ? Really? I dunno if I would go that far... but they are delicious. My favorite is the gyros. The meat is pre-sliced so when you order it, they bust out an individual sized portion and throw it on the grill. It comes out so nice and crispy... I'm salivating just thinking about it... -
Review from Erica I.
Chicago, IL
11/4/2009 1 Check-in Here
I almost had to be rolled home because I was so full from this place! I always wondered what the food tasted like here because it looks a little different from your normal fast food chain, but don't let the looks deceive you! I had the cheeseburger meal, with fries and a drink. It was better than Wendy's or McDonalds for sure, but probably WAY worse for your poor little heart. Why is the good stuff always bad for you?
The fries are served in a little paper bag, and you can see how it gets spotted from all the grease. The cheeseburger is pretty big, and you just tell the guy what you want on it and he loads it up! I definitely got way more food than I could eat, but tried my best to finish.
The only bad thing were the prices. A cheeseburger meal was about $6.50, but I guess it is a little bit more food than any other fast food combo meals. They also had cake and pies and stuff in the cooler, but there's no way I could've fit that in my tummy. I was also pleased to learn they deliver! Crazy! -
Review from Abe D.
Cook, IL
7/16/2009
Why is it every time I come into this place I end up with an over cooked shriveling hot dog? I can still tell even though they try and hide it by putting all that crap on it. After the first bite attempt, I perpetually brush aside some of the toppings and look at a sad discolored dog that has been bathing to long in the water. Should the only way for me to overcome this be a lunch time visit?
I remember when this Byron location was fresh and clean, it has not stayed this way over the years.
Why is it that the "Help" always gives off the appearance of being the ex or future con type?
As for the best fry rating, I think the GQ reviewer(s) never had anything else than McDonald's. What an insult to all the places in Chicago and throughout the country that have fresh cut fries done right. I smell a Chicago fix and has anyone actually seen this review.
Seriously, their reputation as a "Great Hot dog Stand" doesn't even come anywhere close to the actually reality. Lettuce, green pepper, cucumber, foot-long, fries, meatloaf, ..., an extra star for their debatable innovativeness.
I think that putting lettuce on a hot dog is even worse than ketchup. It is only Chicago and a few other places that avoid the use of ketchup and how many places throughout the world put on lettuce, coleslaw doesn't count? Through the garden my arse, it's a salad.Listed in: Hot Dogs, Red Hots, Encased…
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Review from John S.
Chicago, IL
9/17/2010
I live just around the corner from this place. Staff is always friendly and quick. Everything is cooked fresh when you order it making for hot and delicious food. I like their burgers. They have a sign that says GQ called them the best fries in America. Looked up the article, it basically says they have better fries than the other 8-10 hot dog places in Chicago. Taste like McDonald's fries to me.
Overall it's fine food, not mind blowing by any stretch of the imagination. Good, fresh, and cheap. -
Review from Brendan S.
Chicago, IL
9/22/2009
It only took me over 2 years to finally eat here on a whim.
Here's why I'll be back. The Chili Cheese Fries were served as three separate sides. This allows you to mix whatever amount of cheese you want into the chili with the fries. Me? I just throw it all together in the end, but it's really tasty. The chili was thick and hearty and not overdone in the slightest.
The service was a little slow, but really friendly. There were a few people in line. Get the Byron dog with everything. It's the right choice.Listed in: Raven It
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Review from Hoyne L.
Chicago, IL
5/26/2011
Great amount of food for the price. Got a beef with sweet peppers. Unfortunately, they seemed to have sacrificed quality for quantity here. The fries and sweet peppers just look and taste sad. I'd maybe give their hot dog a try, but definitely wouldn't stop here for a beef again, when Chicago's got too many other spots that take pride in the beef!
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Review from Rory B.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
Byron's doesn't mess around. Everything means everything... lettuce, cukes, might as well throw a wrench in there too.
If yer a traditionalist, just say Chicago style and yel be fine.
Chili dog: top notch
Fries: awesome, add salt & pepper
One day when my appetite warrants, I'm going to try the burger with the gyro meat on it... Some day. -
Review from Matthew T.
Chicago, IL
7/29/2010
5 stars because for fast food delivery, this is as good as it gets. I ordered online at http://chitownmenus.com and used that BLUE10 promotional code to get 10% off my order.
I got the gyro sandwich and the fish sandwich, and made the mistake of assuming that since the fish sandwich was so cheap, that it was also small, so when my order arrived i was overwhelmed at the amount of food i was facing. The fish tasted fresh, or as fresh as fried fish can taste, and had all the fixins. The gyro had so much meat on it that i should have ordered an extra pita to make the meal a little less messy, but it was still delicious. Everything traveled unusually well for fast food, no soggy fries, buns, or pitas and i got an extra soda with my order, all for less than 15 bucks. I will do it again. -
Review from kap n.
Philadelphia, PA
6/21/2010
I love this place. Last time i was in chicago we got dogs from a truck right outside the aquarium, they were good too, but this place blew that place out of the water. They loaded it up with both ketchup and mustard, and then followed that up with lettuce, onions, pickles, salt, oregano, pepper, and some magical stuff that made it taste freakin' good!
I got the dog with some fries. I thought the dog was awesome, the fries... not so much. -
Review from Allison G.
Chicago, IL
2/24/2008
Cheeseburgers: YUMMY. FRIES: SUPER YUMMY. (Isn't it amazing how difficult it is to find crispy, salty, delicious fries...they got um'!!)
Hands down, the best hangover food in Chicago. -
Review from Rick M.
Grand Rapids, MI
5/7/2009
Before I start the review of the actual food, I need to give a nod to Byron's for having Green River in their soda machine. This neon green beverage looks like something the Toxic Avenger would drink at the gym, but trust me, it's delicious. It has that lime freeze-pop flavor that seems to go oh so well with a dog.
As far as the hot dogs go, they are everything you've come to love in a Chicago Dog. Evidently, they're even in the Vienna Beef Hall of Fame! Be advised though, if you get everything on your dog make sure to grab a lot of napkins...they really load the toppings on. The fries were hot and fresh, and I thought a "small" bag of them was plenty to split between me and my out-of-town relative. All in all a great spot for a classic hot dog. The guys who waited on us were great, very friendly and quick about getting our order together. The atmosphere is probably one notch above your average hot dog stand, as they have comfy booths and an outdoor patio. I will definitely be back! -
Review from Edward P.
Chicago, IL
5/2/2010
Another gut-bomb lunch on a Sunday afternoon. I've had most things on the menu over the past year or so, and I've always left stuffed and happy. Well, except for the burgers...whatever.
Today, I went for the italian beef. Biggest. Ever. Only complaint is that the beef was a little well for my liking . Quick word on the fries. They come advertised as "Best in the U.S." by GQ magazine. I don't know about the best, but they are pretty damn good.
Here's a bonus - ample seating and parking.
Love the place, but if my health insurance company knew about it, I'd be dropped. -
Review from Lizz M.
2/5/2010
I've been to Byron's about three times in my life. I like to try a place a few times before I post a Yelp review for consistency purposes, and all three times I've been to Byron's, it's been "meh".
Their food is really subpar. Their kitchen looks really sloppy and not like something they clean all too much. I've had their hot dog and fries; both of which are soggy. They leave their fries under a heating lamp. Not only is the food mediocre, but they definitely overcharge for what you're getting.
The staff looks annoyed every time you walk in. Oh, sorry I'm interrupting your day to do your job!
Do yourself a favor and walk over to Budacki's! -
Review from Tracy K.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 1/16/2009
I order from here pretty often, and I always get the same thing.
More than once, they have goofed and instead of giving me the veggie burger I ordered, they have given me beef or turkey burgers. That kind of thing happens sure, but its annoying. If not for their stellar customer service skills, I would not be ordering from there anymore. I have learned to order the veggie burger and then be sure to clarify with them that it is the one with no meat.
Now that I am something of a regular, they are that much more friendly with me when I come in.
And damn, but they have some good, greasy fries!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/26/2007
I was hoping to find another local joint that had veggie dogs, and Byron's does not. They do,… Read more »
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Review from James N.
Chicago, IL
4/22/2008
I have never had a Byron's dog until recently. I used to park right next to the one by Wrigley Field so I was pretty amped to finally see what their dogs are like.
I ordered a hot dog (with everything , just to see what they consider everything), fries, and a large coke.
They loaded the shit out of this hot dog with Everything you could imagine. Since when does a hot dog come with lettuce and a green pepper ? Anyways, they gave me my dog and cup for soda and this dude told me my fries would be ready in a second and he will bring them to me...
About 10 minutes, one hot dog, and one large Green River later I still didn't have any fries. They guy then came out (to start eating his own lunch) and was like "Oh nobody gave you your fries?"
He walked over to where you order and said something to the chef dude and then came back and said "sorry about that"... I thought, it's cool no big deal. I got up to go pee, came back and still no fries. So i just left. I was also left with the feeling that "this place sucks".
The hot dog itself was pretty fucking good and I thought about it all day... I doubt I will go back though. Ok maybe once or twice. -
Review from Rich S.
Aurora, IL
4/30/2011
Best Dog and Burger joint in the city - Hands Down!
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Review from Derrick M.
Chicago, IL
7/14/2010
It's Byron's. Pretty good hog dogs, Polishes, burgers, gyros, fries, and such. Quick and good service.
Nothing more to say. -
Review from Rick V.
1/23/2006
The original Chicago style dog; the "salad on a bun". The true test of a real Chicago style hot dog? Celery salt!
I used to crave the triple cheeseburgers here when I was a teenager, but I don't think I could eat them now. Good fries and shakes, too. -
Review from Jacob Y.
10/3/2009
Ok...this fast food joint, although greasy, serves an awesome $12 large pepperoni, sausage and jalapeno pizza...can't BEAT IT.
The hot dogs are also excellent. And so are the burgers. And the fries.
I sometimes wish they were open until midnight. -
Review from Eduardo M.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Ah, Byron's... this place is two blocks from the office, and on cold days when the cabin fever hits record highs, it's high time to hit this haven of spoon's so greasy.
Now, I generally get a burger here - I like hot dogs with ketchup and mayo (yeah, yeah, I'm from california, shut up), and they look like they'd give me grief for asking for it like that.
regardless. I can get my burger with no pickles and no onions, and they never mess it up. That's all I need out of a greasy spoon.
this place is a keeper. I recommend.
