On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Food, Hot Dogs, Food Stands
3600 S Lamar BlvdAs a thank you I want to offer you a $1.00 any Specialty dog combo and $1.50 off Any Beef Sandwich Combo.
Code word: Yelp Special
Mon. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Loading...
excellent service, excellent trailer, excellent dogs.
keep up the good work, and if you ever need to move, you're welcome to my yard.
talking to the proprietor quickly made me understand why the dogs are so damn good... he really cares about making authentic, fresh, and tasty food. who cares if it isn't a fancy michael hsu designed building, or a downtown location, this dog is a diamond in the rough.
hurrah.
I decided to stop at this dog stand on south lamar on a whim, just to see if they had veggie dogs.... before conversion, I could not stress how much i missed a good vienna beef chicago dog, and the trip to Round Rock to Lucky Dog was well worth it, but just took too long to be practical.
Dog almighty makes a pretty mean chicago veggie dog, but the dog itself is a bit weak. The best part of the real chicago dog is the plump juicy vienna beef base, and the limpy, wimpy veggie dogs at dog almighty dont QUITE cut the mustard. (but til now, were the best thing around, as far as authentic chicago flavor for a veggie)
chris' DOES have a veggie dog, and though its pricier, it's also plumper and seemingly tastier. The dog was outfitted perfectly, and the fries were fantastic.
i dig the hot dog stand and picnic table setup, its very reminiscent of Willie's Weenee Wagon (now johnny's weenee wagon) in Markham, IL... the hot dog stand of my youth, and gold standard to which all other hot dog stands are judged. (see my review!)
As for the reviewers who complain about chili dogs and ants in their flip flops... I say phooey. Chicagoans do not wear flip flops. And Chicagoans do not put chili on their hot dogs. The sign clearly says "Little Chicago" -- Its like ordering a cheeseburger in a sushi restaurant.
I see a lot of reviews that are comparing Frank to Chris' Little Chicago. It's like seeing two beautiful women argue! Girls, girls! You're both pretty! But secretly in my head I'm thinking one of you I like to drink with, relax, have a conversation. The other . . . well . . . how to put this delicately . . . you're just a quickie.
CLC is a nice little spot to stop for 5-10 minutes at their picnic tables for a delicious Chicago Dog. And yes they are DEEEEEEEEELICIOUS! And CLC is a nice little spot to grab a to-go order. Very convenient direction and side of the street for me. Seasoned Fries aren't bad either. Customer service is super-friendly!
I am definitely returning to get an Italian Beef soon!
Be careful parking. Loose rocks and slight dips make it a hazard for some cars. Take it easy when pulling in the lot.
IDEA TIME: Hey CLC, you should have a hot dog eating contest next spring! Charge an entry fee. Give out a T-Shirt!
When you grow up eating Oscar Meyer Wieners that have been boiled on a stove, or nuked in a bowl of water, any other hot dog, cooked any other way, tastes unbelievable! So, Chris' Little Chicago already has that going for it! On top of that, this little hot dog stand took my Chicago-style dog cherry. And while I'm more partial to a good ol' chili dog, the idea of putting fresh veggies and pickles on a dog was so new and different to me, that I couldn't stop thinking about for weeks and weeks and weeks, or maybe a few minutes. But if you've ever tried to hold my attention, you'd understand; a few minutes, is pretty newsworthy.
Service-wise, this place was fast, friendly, and efficient. Taste-wise, very satisfying! I also recommend scraping some change together for the fries which are pretty delish. A really high recommendation for a pit-stop lunch.
Great Chicago Dog!
Crisp pickles, Fresh Tomatoes, celery salt, the whole deal. And the lady that made the sandwhich was super nice. I didnt have to wait very long either. No wonder this place has been around for a while, unlike all these other fly buy night food street vendors. Places that make mediocre food or think they are gunna start rolling in the dough the first few months and don't stick it out when they find out they actually gotta work. What a bunch of twits. I tell you most streetvendors are like a the Feckin plague around Austin, but not this place.
Stopped by this place on sunday. We were starving. Unfortunately the credit card machine was down, and between my husband and I, we could only scrape up 11 dollars. tear tear ;(
We were able to buy 2 chicago dogs and an order of fries. Each dog was 3.75 and the fries were 2 dollars.
The dogs were AMAZING. I was soooo sad I could only eat one. Waaah. The fries were tasty. Crispy and Hot.
Let's just say we liked this place sooo much, we were tempted to take a hit of 3 dollars in fees at the ATM for more.
Unfortunately, they closed at 5 on sundays and it was already 4:45.
TIL NEXT TIME!! and there will be a next time for sure!!
Strangely enough, when I think the "perfect" Chicago-style hot dog, the first thing that comes to mind is a McDonald's cheeseburger.
The reason is simple: The ingredients and preparation of a cheeseburger from McDonald's is so down to a science that the taste should be the exact same whether it's at the location down the street or across the world.
The Chicago style hot dog is similar in that regard. It has a number of ingredients (like the use of Vienna beef dogs, poppy seed buns, celery salt, etc.) that have been perfected to the point that the less variation the better. Ask any self respecting hot dog restaurant in Chicago and they'll tell you the same.
Well, I have to say that I've seen some pretty sad "interpretations" in Austin of what a true Chicago-style hot dog should be, but Chris' Little Chicago is certainly not one of those places. If you want a true taste of the Windy City, you won't do any better than this.
I like it and it's close to where I work. I don't know if it was Chris who was working there, but he is a really nice guy . Everyone I saw there was a regular and the guy knew them all.
Three minutes after ordering, I had a veggie dog in my hand. The hot dog wasn't the tastiest veggie dog that I have eaten, but it was just fine. I look forward to trying some other toppings. I got fries too, but I was still hungry $6 later.
I had the best hot dog today from Chris' Little Chicago!! I had "The Austinite" which is a Chicago style hot dog with mango salsa and avocado!! It was DELISH!!! I HIGHLY recommend trying it if you are ever in the mood for a hot dog!! And the staff were very friendly and "quirky"
I finally stopped in to Chris' Little Chicago stand today for lunch. I was really hoping to offer a better rating, hopefully on my next visit I can. Yes, I will be back again because so many others have had such great experiences!
The customer service was very friendly and prompt. The price, very nice. Our food was ready in about five minutes.
I ordered the Classic Chile Dog and my husband had the Italian Beef sandwich. (I will add in here that my husband gives the rating of 4 stars.) One of the reasons I can't say the same is because of the chili on my hot dog. It tasted like canned sloppy joe. So, I'm thinking the next time I'll have to just stay away from the chile. The bread was very fresh and the meat itself had great flavor. The fries were good too.
The other issue is there were a lot of ants surrounding the tables. Don't bring your flip-flops here! My dog and I both left with many ant bites.
I was first introduced to Chicago style hot dogs at my beloved Red Hot Lovers in Ann Arbor, where I went to college. It was love at first bite; the big, juicy dogs smothered in toppings I'd never even heard of (hello, sport peppers and celery salt) took my breath away. And the waffle fries...ohhhh, those perfect, perfect waffle fries...
But I digress.
Since moving to Austin, I have many times bemoaned the fact that there aren't any good Chicago dogs to be found here (or Jewish deli sandwiches...what is up with that?). So when I heard about Chris' Little Chicago, I hurried down for a visit just as quickly as I could.
Chris' Little Chicago is just a little red trailer in the middle of a totally overgrown field off S. Lamar. There are a couple of ramshackle tables surrounding it...definitely not an upscale dining experience.
Service was extremely friendly, and I was able to place my order very quickly and with little fuss. I had eyes only for the Chicago style dog - an all-beef Vienna dog covered in tomato wedges, a pickle spear, day-glo-green relish, chopped onion, mustard, sport peppers, and celery salt. The sweet woman working there told me that Chris went through 25 bags of fries before he found the right ones, so I had to order a side of those, as well. The combo - dog, drink (canned soda or bottled water), and fries - cost $6.50.
I thought the dog was very good. The toppings were perfect, really; my only minor beef (rimshot) was with the dog itself. It was a little on the small side and kind of watery - I really like my hot dogs to have a firmer, more dense texture. The fries were perfectly cooked and tasted great, as advertised, although I'll admit that I personally prefer plain fries to seasoned fries, particularly with a very flavorful dog (like those waffle fries at Red Hot Lovers...ohhhhhh). But if you like seasoned fries, these were a nice representation of that genre.
The dogs at Chris' Little Chicago don't quite live up to the Chicago dogs I hold so dear in my memories, but they're about as good as any you'll get in Austin.
One of my favorite places to eat. You have to wait sometimes depending on what you order or what the person in front of you orders, but it is WORTH it! This isn't fast food but good food. I am, by the way, not a friend of the owner and find it more than a little insulting to assume that everyone is just because one person had a bad experience. Enough on that.
I first tried this place because it was A) down the road from where I work and B) not the same old same old. I had a Chicago dog. WOW. It was amazing! You have everything you need right there including neon green relish. I've had a dog in Chicago and this was as good if not better.
My personal favorite is the New Yorker with deli. I love kraut! :) The Austinite is also tasty although my first try of this didn't convince me. I wasn't ready for the cold salsa with the hot dog. Tried it again and loved it.
The Italian beef is so good but I do not recommend it if you want to go back to work clean. Laughing.
But you will find me down at Chris' often. Hey, I even bought a t-shirt. Now that's die-hard.
Yeah, I get mine sweet, hot and wet at Chris'.
This dog is of the caliber that even if the service was surly, I'd still be it's bitch. Yum! Vienna Beef Chicago Dog!
The service is most definitely not surly, though, it's super friendly. I can't wait to go back!
Man. I wish I had 20 minutes to write about this place. I am not a Chicago Dog or Chicago anything fan. But this dog won me over a head-to-head taste-off with a chili-dog. That's a lot of hyphens and a lot of tasting. And I have to say the Chicago dog won!
Went over to tell the staff and the owner popped his head out and said simply, "I created that dog because I was hungry". Amen.
Not only that, but you can order a beef sandwich, "hot, wet and sweet". I have no idea what any of that means since I just overheard a phone order .. but need I say more? This place is for people on the run who love to eat quality food in quantity.
A Chicago-style hot dog that beats a chili-dog? Incredible and true.
I found the cart in the midst of a slew of Austin's finest police cars. The hot dog stand was surrounded with hungry dog people. I had my childhood favorite A hot dog drugged through the garden. It was a second chance! I then had a real Italian beef with peppers, sweet and hot.. I remember the taste. It was the real thing. I will be back. I will trade for pizza anytime Chris is worthy of the Chicago hot dog stand he serves from.
thank you
we will be back!
I am a Vienna Beef hot dog nut. I try them everywhere I can find them. I am passionate about them. I can eat them plain, with ketchup (yes I know, a sin), or all the way Chicago style. It's all about the beef for me.
The best thing about this little hot dog stand is that they sell the natural casing Vienna Beef hot dog, and it's the larger dog variety. The old Lucky Dog on Spicewood Springs sold the plastic casing dog and they were the smaller thinner versions (for more than $2 if I recall.) But Chris opts for the real deal. They are always crisp and juicy and NEVER soft and mushy. The beef is pure perfection, every time.
I have been to this stand many times (20+ visits) and I consider these the best Chicago dogs that I have ever tasted. I grew up in Florida and there were a lot of Chicago hot dog places, but none as good as this little trailer.
The bun for this little marvel is imported from Vienna Beef company, with the poppy seeds...the real deal. I'm not sure if they are steamed as well as I would like, but are usually very soft. I would cut the pickle a little thinner, just my taste.
Vienna Beef is always $2 for plain, $3 and change for Chicago style. The company has high prices for its vendors, that's jsut the way it is. So Chris' prices are in line with other Vienna Beef places I've tried. It is worth every penny in my book!
Finally! Chicago hot dogs in Austin!! I lived in Chicago for 4 years and goodness do I miss my hot dogs and italian beef!!! AND this little spot is within walking distance from me! I'm in HEAVEN!
Chris - I love you man.
Well...I guess I have to disagree with some of these other reviewers. I can only assume most of these folks are friends of the owner--or maybe I just happened upon this little trailer on a bad day.
I ordered when there were 3 people waiting for their food that had already ordered. It took almost 9 minutes of standing in the sun to get mine! The owner was polite enough, but I couldn't understand how it can take so long to throw an already-cooked hot dog into a bun? The three orders in front of me each took a while, and none were large orders. I think it's reasonable to expect and assume a trailer serving lunch is going to be fast and convenient. Having one person take orders and one person fulfill orders obviously isn't sufficient.
Now the food. It was good. Not great. I've enjoyed Burger House on Spicewood Springs or Dog Almighty on South Lamar as much or more. No complaints about the quality of Little Chicago's food, but if it were mind-blowing enough, I might have shrugged off the long wait in the sun. Fries were good. Dog was average. Only small selection of canned sodas that weren't very cold. The price was not sky high, but not a bargain either. About $7.50 for a small hot dog, fries, and a can of Coke.
So all in all? It'll probably be quite a while before I bother going back. I'm always rooting for the "little guy" over the corporate biggies, but in this case I wasn't impressed.
I like this place, the food is always good and its really cheap ( compared to Dog Almighty) Also, the guy who owns the place is super friendly and welcoming. The only thing on my wish list for this place is some seating thats cooler.
Win - real chicago style hot-dog in Austin. Dang Tasty!
Fail - $3.75 for the hot-dog. That's sit down restaurant pricing for street food from a trailer. Somewhere between $2-3 would be reasonable (and in line with what you might pay in Chicago), but $3.75?
Fail - $2 for a seriously tiny order of fries
I still give them 4 stars for doing the food right. I will even check back again for an Italian Beef sandwich, but next time I get the hankerin for chicago dogs, I might just import some Vienna Beef Red Hots and make em myself.
These hot dogs are so so good!
I was a fan of dog almighty for a very long time until I tried this little trailer. Perfect dogs, great ingredients and the owner is *always* there, ready to talk to you and always with a smile.
It is always busy when I go - today I showed up and within the 15 minutes of being there saw at least 7 people get dogs. But the wait is never long to get your dog!
Having only been to Chicago and New York I cannot accurately compare these to the real thing. So let me just tell you about my experience with a Chicago and New York style hot dog.
Imagine a plump hot dog smothered in onions, relish, sport peppers, two heafty slices of tomato, and a quartered slice of dill pickle. Glorious and splendid indeed! This was excellent.
The New York was just a hot dog, brown mustard, and a healthy layer of sauerkraut. So I started on the New York hot dog... and I think I momentarily transcended to a blissful place as I bit into the oh-so-juicy hot dog and the bitter yet sweet taste of the sauerkraut both hit my taste buds.
Excellent I tell you. While it may seem a bit pricey you have to understand the limited business places like these get in Austin. I just finished and am full and satisfied.
My standards for hot dogs are a bit high --- if on the W. Coast then its Top Dog by far --- and on the East Coast then Grey's Papaya ----
Unfortunately, down South --- i rather just get a James Coney Hot Dog.
Chris' Little Chicago isn't bad but its not anything out of this world. On top of that - two hot dogs and fries will cost $9 dollars. I believe you can still get two dogs and a papaya for $5 these days and thats in NYC.
The people are ridiculously friendly though - they might just be the reason that i am a repeat customer. If you arent a huge hot dog connoisseur then this place is perfect for you.
I got really excited about this place after I saw all the five star reviews here. You see, I've just come back from spending 3 months in Chicago. And it's my fault for expecting a dog like Hot Doug's.
With that said, I tried the Chicago style (classic) and the Italian beef. There was a combo option to get a dog, fries, and a drink for 6.50 and the italian beef itself was 6. The price was on the high side but its still inside the reasonable range. The dogs had quality ingredients, good buns, and, of course, vienna beef. Overall it had all the elements, but it just didn't hit the spot. It was just OK from start to finish.
This is probably the closest thing to a real chicago dog in austin. It's too bad because I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't built up my expectations leading up to the visit.
Here's to missing Hot Doug's even more.
From the poppy-seed bun to the sport peppers and pickles, purely authentic chi-town goodness. Went with the Italian Sausage sandwich and was not disappointed- lots of flavor in the link combined with explosions of sweet and spicy put a smile on my face.
My girl had the 'original' with fries (very good seasoned variety, btw) and is now in love with sport peppers.
They lose a star for not offering any recycling bins- I know Chicago is a green city so no excuses here. Get with it!
I'm slowly coming around to the idea of good food from a trailer. Not only does this little trailer dish up delicious hot dogs, but it's cleaner and better-maintained than many restaurants.
Chris, the owner, really makes this place an absolute gem. He's super-nice the first time you stop by, and after that, he treats you like an old friend. I always leave smiling.
I especially like the Italian Beef sandwiches. They're delicious, moist little bombs of tender seasoned beef and hot peppers. Top tip: if you're getting it to go, ask for the jus on the side. Otherwise, the bread will be too soggy by the time you get it home.
I stopped here this afternoon after being reminded about it by a guy at the Lube Pit on S. Lamar. I got two Chicago dogs, dragged through the garden, and an order of fries. They were truly wonderful. I chatted a bit with Chris while he was preparing the order and we compared Chicago neighborhoods where we had both lived, and agreed we won't miss the cold winter wind coming off Lake Michigan.
Next time I'm going to try the Italian beef sandwich.
Small world, this: Little Chicago right here in our city, home to such delights at Little Mexico and Little Tina. Some days you never know what you're gonna find in this here world. That said, bully for the yelpers that sussed out the existence of this cool little comfort food trailer on South Lamar.
I stopped in today and lucked into meeting the proprietor: he's a Chicagoland expat who fell in love with Austin but missed the comfort food of his rearing years, and, well, decided that he'd just bring the two worlds together. And having spent my fair share of time in the Windy City, cool that he did. Because right here during Austin's trailer eatery renaissance, cool to see we have yet another option for tasty accessible food on the go. Thanks Chris: I'll be back, appetite in tow. And in town.
OK, I have put my bias up front here: my husband and I are originally from Indiana. For Midwesterners like us, this trailer is basically a legalized crackhouse. But you don't have to be one to enjoy the fabulous food.
My favorite is the Italian Beef--tender meat on an awesome roll. If you have the typical Austin TexMex-trained palate, I suggest ordering it "hot and wet" (dipped in au jus and dressed with hot peppers). The Chicago dogs are also fab, and you can get your dog dressed in other ways as well.
Ack, now I'm jonesin' again and have to wait a couple of hours for lunch ...
Far and away the best hot dogs in Austin. Lots of folks claim to be "Chicago Style," and usually miss the mark. Is it on par with Hot Doug's, considered the pinnacle of hot doggery in Chicago? Nah -- but he's also operating out of a tiny stand on Lamar, and working with Austin suppliers. Hot Doug's aside, I'd rank Chris' grub up there with any food from the local joints back home.
If I had to knock him for anything, it'd be that he's gotta swap out that Sox hat for a Cubs hat . . .
Today I had a wonderful Italian Beef with sweet peppers. Chris takes me back to Chicago everytime I go there. It was hard deciding between the beef and the wonderful Chicago Dog.
As I was driving away it dawned on me that the reason for the baloons ---it's his first year anniversary and what a great year of eating it has been at this little red trailer.
Keep up the good work we love you here in Austin.
if you're looking for the real Chicago deal you need to seek out Chris' Lil Chicago. Vienna hot… Read more »
OH, Chicago dog - how I love you. Very extensive hot dog menu, great flavor. The owner is super friendly and the food is good, GO.
I've only had the italian beef sandwich, but it was the real thing. It holds its own against any other beef sandwich I've had in Chicago (including Johnnie's), and it comes from a cart! Amazing. Also, it's the first time I had real giardinera outside of Chicago.
I got to say coming from the Chi ( chicago for you not in the know) I always look for really good Chicago style anything (except pizza NY style rules) and this place does it .
Great Chicago style hot dogs and real Italian Beefs Woohoo!! Chris just opened this place and I know it will win you over if you give it a try , I know it did it for me . I'm goin to be nice ( completely out of character) and post his current hours too -
lunch on Mondays and 10:30 - 7 Tuesday- Saturday
stop by say hello to chris and spread the word as its not everyday a place this good for the comfort food we all crave comes along .
-p.s I love AUSTIN the Cabela's there sells 50 cal. sniper rifles , ya know for oil well drillin the fun way or defending your home from those darn space aliens ........o.O
Lord, South Austin street food strikes again. I went expecting to get a Chicago style hot dog, and then basically lost my %^& when I saw he had Italian beef. Chris the owner couldn't have been more friendly and excited about the food. After chatting with him for a few minutes, I was already pretty sure it was going to be excellent. It was. I tried both the beef sandwich (hot, sweet, and wet, of course) and one of the Chicago dogs. They were both delicious, even after the drive back to my house. Please put this one on your list, you won't regret it.
Tried the 'Wet, Hot & Sweet' Italian Beef sandwich today at Chris' on S. Lamar. Great stuff. The giardinara relish was good and the roll sopped up the 'wetness' well (although it failed the final test: ultimate disintegration 1/2 through my meal). The fries were really good, hot and crispy. And the view is stellar. Think I still prefer the dog with the wonderful chili on it, but the Italian beef will be my 'stand-by.' Great place.
Great hot dogs but I was AMAZED by the chili on the chilidog. It has kind of a sweet mixed up with… Read more »
Hands down, this guy was the nicest hot dog vendor I have ever met. We showed up a little late, after closing in fact. It was dark and cold out, but he plugged in some christmas lights over a little canopy and brought us some chicago dogs that warmed our cockles. That's right.
Two visits on two different days. Had the Chicago Dog and the Italian Beef sandwich, wet. First off, great food. I've been to the city of Chicago many a times on food adventures and he gets the namesake dog right. All the right ingredients, quality tomato, etc.
If Chris would float some $0.50 off or $0.75 coupons I'd be happier (5th star), as I think $3.75 for a Chicago Dog is a little high compared to Best Wurst selling an Italian Sausage with fixings for the same price.
Recommended!
Got the Chicago dog to verify authenticity. Being a South Sider (well, Hyde Park) and now in Austin for 5 years, I crave a good dog like nobody's business. The Vienna Beef, neon relish, poppy seed bun, sport pepper, etc transported me. Every Chicagoan needs to try this place, plus, Chris is extremely welcoming and I had a nice time swapping stories. Now, I gotta go try the Italian Beef, it is lunch time...
This place is great. I had never had a chili dog before and after today, I've been converted. The food is great, it's a teensy pricey, but the service was fabulous and it's within walking distance for me. Full of taste!
Free Delivery
Neighborhood: University of Texas
20% of your order!
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Category: Hot Dogs
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Hot Dogs
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
Category: Food Stands
Austin, TX
Category: Desserts
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Hot Dogs
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
