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It's 2am. You're lost on ashland ave, somewhere between lake st and chicago. You're hungry, you're cold, you need something to make you feel like life is worth living. Something to convince you that tomorrow indeed, is worth living for...suddenly you see neon lights and smell fried foods.
It's Duk's!
Just order a dog, everything on it, or a polish everything on it.
The sport peppers will reinvigorate you, the mustard and onions will give you you fortitude, the meat, the energy to persevere. Suddenly, the night is conquerable, because you stopped here. That is duk's and that's all you need to know about the place. Go there and the neighborhood is suddenly yours.
Why so many people hatin' on Duk's?!
If you are a fancypants who can't appreciate a REAL dive that serves down-and-dirty Chicago hot dogs the way they oughta be served, then drive your Beamer over to Hot Doug's and enjoy the recently reinstated foie gras dog while me and my homies grab your table.
Sure, it's dirty. It's unapologetically dirty, but there's a reason it hasn't been shut down--it hasn't violated any health code, bitches! And if you think any restaurant doesn't have some element of what you perceive as Duk's own special filthiness going on behind closed doors, then you've never been behind a counter in your happily-overcharged-for-the-same-shit life.
Good dogs, cheap as hell and the fries come wrapped in the same wax paper as the dog--OLD SCHOOL, and PROPER!
I woke up on a friday morning a few months back after calling off of work at a friends house WAY up north in Jefferson Park. we had gone out the night before, thursday, and really cut loose, we started at sonotheque, then some random bar nearby, neo, bettys blue star, duks, then to her place.
i called off of work the next day and relaxed for a bit. i decided to leave her place around10am to head back to the southside. as i walked to my car, i noticed the rear driver side of my car was way dented. a fucking car smashed my car on the way out of its parking spot it seems. ugh. then i open my passenger door and to my surprise there was Italian Beef and fries everywhere! on the seat and the mats and the dashboard! hahahahahahah!
i could not stop laughing! i went back into my friends place to get some towels to clean up the grease and all that food. apparently my friend has a real hard time eating in the car as i was driving. she couldn't wait to get to her place the night before to eat so she scarfed it in the car. i waited til i got to her place to eat but passed out halfway through. Duks was a great way to top off an insane ass Thursday night out.
im pretty sure ive never had a sober encounter with this place. but when your stomach starts rumbling' and you're drunk and nearby, eff it, head on in and feast. its always a great idea at the time but you might be paying some interest on that drunken ass meal the next day.
Having been to MANY of the Duks (Clark/Ridge, Division/Damen, Ashland across from Jewel), most of which are gone, went to this location (maybe the only one left?) today and grabbed a chili-cheese dog and fries. It was like $3 and the dog was pretty big and delicious, and the crinkle-cut fries were awesome. Yeah, the place is pretty grimy, but it's a hot dog joint with low ceilings and a deep fryer....do you expect it to be sparkly clean? Polite service and a neat retro atmosphere. These lil joints are disappearing quickly, get it while you can....I'll take this over Jimmy's any day.
Not a very sanitary place. A no go in my book at any hour....
Scary!
Threw on the hoodie, grabbed my skateboard and rolled over to Duk's on Ashland. Got a chili cheese dog, fries, and a medium fruit punch for $4.50. Ssay whaaa?? Food was good. I could even roll up to the window on the sidewalk. The lady at the counter ruled, Duk's kicks ass nuff said.
It is rare when a vegetarian does a review for a Red Hot joint but when you offer a huge bag of fries for $2 and have a jukebox you are worthy.
Went here last night, late and was not let down. While the large group I was with had many dogs and other fine offerings from Vienna Beef I was very content with my gigantor bag o fries and lots of ketchup and mustard.
With a city full of these lil red hot joints Duks is a place that stands out from the rest. They even have places to sit inside and out; great patio!
if i could give it 0 stars, i would.
max and i went there about a week ago with our friend josh. we had been out at chipp inn for a few drinks and wanted something to eat, late night.
i yelped places in the area and found duk's. it got decent reviews and i had driven past it before. it looked like a kinda cheesy greasy spoon that i might just end up loving.
far from it.
the fries were possibly the worst i've ever tasted. they were bland, unsalted, and soggy. absolutely disgusting.
i didn't think it was possible to make a bad hot dog. but somehow duk's has managed to.
max and josh had burgers that were almost equally as gross. although, i have to say, if you are being forced to eat there, i would probably recommend the burger. of the things we tried it was the lesser evil.
the only thing i can say positive about it is that the actual building is freakin cool. old school lighted sign. outdoor seating. a true hot dog stand throwback.
bottom line, i would not recommend going here. if you're looking for late night eats, go up ashland a bit farther and try la pasadita. its great.
As a teenager growing up a couple blocks away I always loved a late night Duks Double Bacon Burger and a pizza puff.20 years later and I live in FL but every couple years I manage to get up to Chi. and I always try to hit Duks. I also had the pleasure of turning my kids on to the place. Always was an adventure in there at the wee hours.Gotta love the hillbilly staff. For a while there was another Duks that opened up further N. on Ashland. Anyone out there remember Mr.Onion at Chicago and Ashland??
Duk's isn't trying to impress anyone, they serve cheap eats at all hours of the day. I ordered up a hot dog with everything, fries and a small pepsi for $4. The dog rocked, it was a pretty solid Chicago dog. The fries tasted kind of freezer burnt but still hit the spot. For the price, you really can't ask for much more.
Just wanted to add another star. I have to admit that I eat at Duks at least every other weekend in the wee hours after the bars close. Damn good polish, cheese fries and hotdogs. No denying that. It's still dirty, and so is the staff.
I would only recomend this place after hours when you are drunk. This place is dirty, but the food… Read more »
Duk's is a trashy place I love. The food isn't very remarkable, but Duk's has a unique atmosphere I come for. Everything is filthy. The grease coated walls and blinking lights offer a full encompassing experience that help you forget about your day and the staff frequently add to your conversations like you know them personally. It's a great down to earth place to start or end the night.
Fast Food. Fast Pace. Eat Fast.
Good food. It's good to see it being made in front of you, but also bad if you're a germophobe. but still good nonetheless. i love the food myself but i do get grossed out by the nasty patio and ugly people who stand outside everyday.
So me, my brother and other fellow cast members headed to Chicago for the 2004 Children's Film Festival to discuss, before thousands of kids, "Gettin' Grown," a movie about a child coming of age. The movie was an entry in the film festival and as cast members we had to be present. Anywhoo afterward we all were hungry and we came across this small hot dog joint called DONALD DUK'S.... DUK'S??? Do they know how to SPELL? After noticing the misspell we see depictions of Donald Duck... or more like a GENERIC, MODIFIED version of the Disney character so you COULD say that it was DONALD DUK rather than DONALD DUCK, anywhoo we entered the restaurant which was small and business was run by those of Mexican origin, which puzzled me because I was told that our location was like a Ukrainian Village neighborhood but I see no Ukrainians.... hm well nevertheless I ordered a CHILLI CHEESE BURGER WITH ONION RINGS and a drink. I must say the food is definitely SIMPLE yet DELICIOUS. I easily pardoned the bad attempt at avoiding a lawsuit from Disney generic business naming by this joint. Simple, local, not at all fancy but one of those down to earth joints your friends can just stop by and have simple fun. Get a bite.
Let's play "Fun with Mike Time"! My gf's lil' brother came in town late Friday nighte, a simple kid from the country, wanting to experience city life. He's the kind of kid who gets excited by airplanes and homeless people. So it was late and we figured we'd give him a real taste of Chicago by going to Duk's. Their burgers are amazing and simple, which the kid loved. They even made some funky creation of a grilled cheese for my gf. We both ordered a cheeseburger and we were told we were getting bacon double cheeseburgers. okay. The kid loved his meal, along with the stories of violnce and gun play in the neighborhood and the drunken co-eds from UIC that tried to order food. But what made the trip worthwhile was the fact the owner was selling coffee cakes for $1. But she had a half of coffee cake at the bottom, it had been there all day, half-eaten, on sale for 50 cents. Wow.
In an effort to show trhe gf all things Chicago, we went to Duk's before having a couch/movie nite.… Read more »
I enjoy going to Duk's when I want some cheap greasy hot dog stand food. I go there mostly for the cheese fries because they don't hold back on the cheese application. The other food is good but nothing spectacular, but I still love it.
Gotta love spending no more than $5 on a complete meal!
This place rocks!
I have gone here at 1am to order cheese fries and hot dogs as well as during the weekend afternoon. Where else can you find a dog and fries for $2.49?
Its a dive and honestly I like it that way. I don't need any frills when all I want is a good dog.
I like eating inside or outside. The staff is decently friendly and service is pretty quick.
If I was stuck on a stranded Island and could only bring three things.....
1. Duk's Bacon Double Cheesburger
2. My best friend (because he would bring his own Duk's Bacon Double, and not finish it, so I would get it.)
3. Mmmmh - maybe a regular Duk's Double Cheesburger (sometimes you just don't feel like bacon, you know?)
Okay, so yeah this is the dirtiest place on earth, but unless you're eating raw food, the hot grill and grease kill anything that might cause you harm anyway! Plus, that's what gives this place it's unique and addictive flavor. I don't think they clean anything.
I've only eaten the burgers, fries, hot dogs, beefs, sausages and milkshakes, never breakfast. But they're awesome, and I think the best greasy food of that kind in the city. Seriously, I've searched for something as good or better, but I always come back to this place for whatever reason. I've had Max's "ghetto fries," Burger Baron, The Lighthouse, Jim's Polish, Devil Dogs, Gold Coast Dogs...can't think of all the others, and this dirty-ass, grease pit with really fat women cooks does it for me all the time. Just go and order the Bacon Double with everything - you'll see what I'm talking about.
I wouldn't hang out there too long, because it's one of those places you smell like for days afterwards. Get it to go!
Three stars ... THREE STARS!?!? Duks deserves an anthem ... $2.90 burger and fries ... great chocolate milkshakes ... open all night during the weekend. This place even has a bathroom when all that alcohol you just consumed wants to come out ... not saying it is a great bathroom, but it is open.
The fries come with no salt, so be warned. But the service is friendly the people are cool and it is a neighborhood spot for those of us who appreciate a cheap burger and some drunken antics.
Also, if you want to double your fat intake, get the big burger with the bacon. It comes highly recommended by many.
It can be scary. It can be gross. You will (especially in the summer) wonder why the health dept hasn't shut them down.
The good and the bad is that they cook everything right in front of you...so you know where it's been...
It's a handy joint to hit up when I am in a lazy mood at the BF's house. I have never gotten sick from here. So far.
I love Duk's! I wish it was closer ... or maybe actually I don't since I'd eat there way too much. Yeah, its not classy. It is what it is and it does it well. This is the real deal fast food. This ain't a crappy mcdonald's or a burger king. This stuff tastes way better and is still extremely cheap. I adore their cheeseburgers and cheese fries and can't seem to stray from that option, but I've had friends who have ordered other things and really liked them. I've taken a sip of a shake before too and it was pretty darn tasty.
One of the reasons I love living in this city is the awesome little fast food joints that aren't chains.
The outside seating is pretty nice too when its warm out. I would never want to actually sit inside of Duks and eat.
It's 3 AM and you desperately want a greasy spoon burger. You want it cheap. You want it now. Better yet, you don't want to drive through, but you want to bike through. You have found your perfect match.
Double cheese burger with fries is $3.00. It really is that cheap, but you know what else? It's so delicious. It's a straight fried beef patty and if you order bacon, that gets deep fried which means the fries are also sort of deep fried in bacon.
They also offer up standard diner fare including hot dogs, and Italian beef, but this is not for the fickle of palate. This is the road-side stuff that'll make you die faster than playing 30-day McDonald's diet. For serious.
They have a walk-up window which is definitely excellent for a biker, and they have sit down space outside. It's also 24 hours. Everything comes with fries.
More importantly, they have a jukebox with Guns N' Roses on it.
Not recommended for displaced yuppies "slumming it" off the blue line, and I'm a little baffled by "vegetarians" like Girl C. reviewing a place where everything is cooked with bacon fat and tallow and uh, hot dogs are green with one of Chicago's more famous hot dog toppings - emerald green relish.
I guess you could always take vegetarians accounts of a meat-establishment seriously and "risk your life", but I try not to buy the panic stories.
Yelp says one star means Eek! Methinks not.
Methinks not!!! DON'T DO IT!
I'm a member in good standing of the Clean Plate Club. I finish my food even when I'm uncomfortably full. I threw this shit in the trash after one bite. And I was HUNGRY. Going home and eating a bowl of Corn Pops was a better alternative people.
To be fair, although I'm not sure why I'm bothering, the one and only one time I ate here was last summer (2007). Maybe they've cleaned up their act since then...doubtful...
Having lived just down the street from this place, I can't let a five star ranking for this stand. At 3 am, it's delicious, at 4 am probably even better, but during the light of day it's a real grease pit. Still the shakes and burgers are good and cheap if you're willing to brave it, but sometimes, even when I wanted a burger during broad daylight I wouldn't want to confront the grossness of this place. As a point of comparison, in my previous 'hood, I went to the local dog stand finicky's, which was nice and clean and also cheap, on many an afternoon. Sadly, it was not open after hours.
If you're in the mood for a burger or shake and in the area, definitely try it.
my hot dog w/ everything didn't have tomato! :(
aside from that, it was late, the dog was tasty, the fries were fresh, there was a seat at the counter and that was enough for me!
No, no, no, NO!
Don't go in there...don't even look at it!
I can't imagine why this place hasn't been shut down. We're talking bugs, unwashed hands, grease traps that have obviously turned into the people working here.
Here's a trick with finding good dogs...if a couple cop cars are parked in front, it's good. Check out Jimmy's on Grand/Pulaski if you want to test my theory.
Duk's is a tasty trip into a vintage style hot dog stand. I love the counter and the clientele , a little bit of everybody. Cant beat the prices and the sign.
Last time I went there they had the 69 Jr. Cheeseburger.
Greasy spoon joint that's definitely cheap and yummy. It's grimy.. the place, but not the food.
They also have shakes here.
Go if you're in the hood and are a bit hungry...at 3am.
Duks you made me fat, your food is greasy and horrible for me yet I cant quit you. I hope you come to my funeral but don't feel to guilty.
You don't go to Duk's because it's a classy joint, you go to Duk's because it's 90 degrees outside, you're drunk as fuck and you want a delicious hot dog. You think getting a hotdog at a Cub's game is going to be passed through the most immaculate conditions? Or even at the Taste? Okay, so you know what you're getting upfront: questionable meat and fries fresh from the deep fryer. This place is convenient, fast and has a nice little outdoor seating area. And the reason it hasn't been shut down is the health code officials probably eat here too and love it.
i am going to be so beyond honest here, it won't even be funny.
i don't give two shits HOW desperate you may just be. this place is absolutely nasty. there is nothing sanitary about it. i'm actually really, really surprised that the department of health hasn't shut this shithole down yet. would you like to know why? i will tell you!
first of all, the "cooks" are a bunch of "ladies" with bad (*bad meaning VILE*) hygiene, who cough and sneeze all over the grills while they are cooking. they serve "hot dogs", which have an interesting GREEN hue to them. if you drive by at 3am like another yelper wrote? yeah - you'll be really intrigued. why?
they keep the side door of the place OPEN while they COOK your FOOD. does that sound wrong to anyone else here? they have a door which is right off of an alley, which they keep open.
this may explain why there are always bugs flying around and crawling on the floor. and this may explain why the local homeless people of westtown are always in our area - how can you beat the prices of a place that doesn't use any of their money to pay for sanitation, and therefore can keep their prices on food low? you can't.
so when you see stinky, homeless joe sitting at one of their picnic tables, scratching his balls and shoving his face with a hotdog, rethink your decision to take some of these reviews seriously and eat there.
trust me. i live less than three blocks from this place. their grease stinks worse than the shit floating in the sewer in my alley.
and i'm sorry for my vulgarity in this review - but that's the only way that i can accurately describe this nasty hellhole. and if you ever notice that they're boarded up and closed one random day? that either means that someone got e-coli from their undercooked and germ-filled food, or i called the department of health and had them shut down.
rock on with your bad self.
this place is cheapie mc-cheaperson.
it is what it is. late night burger/dogs/beefs and CHHHHHEEEESSSEEEE fries.
i feel dirty just knowing that i have chowed on this grease pit food in the last month! but, when did feeling bad about something ever stop me!?!?
Duk's is a classic hot dog stand. I usually get the Polish sausage with everything, the peppers are nice and hot and the fries come rolled up in the same paper as the sausage. I've heard good things about the burgers. They have tacos as well but I haven't tried those yet. People talk about how dirty it is, that doesn't bother me. It tastes good and it' is cheap, what more could you want in a hot dog stand.
Let me start by saying anyone here who has sanitation complaints quite obviously has never worked any sort of service position in their lives. Having a door open doesnt effect the sanitation of your food, nor does the homeless guy on the street nearby. Its the city, there are homeless people. Accept it. I do find it amusing that people went to Duks expecting a 5-star dining experience. Its quite obvious from the get-go exactly what this place is about. Its about good CHEAP food. And thats why we love it. Its great if you have spare cash in your pocket after work & just want a good burger and cheese fries or a chili dog. It is also probably the best hangover food in the city. It is the ONLY thing that can get all my hungover friends off my couch for any length of time.
So:
If you want really good food at an insanely reasonable price with no frills and friendly family-owned neighborhood service try duks, its awesome.
If you want a fancy schmancy dinner with a waiter you have to tip and kitchen staff you never have to see, this is certainly not the place for you.
Also, dont trust these posts about sanitation. If a place had any reasonable, rational sanitation issues ofcourse it would be closed. Thank god such things are left to people with an education & not uptight yuppies.
If you've lived in Chicago for a while, you should be quite aware of the Duks fast food locations. Newcomers may not know this but all of the Duks locations seem to be in high gang-crime areas! Some of these areas have since become safer, of course. Someone I grew up with was shot in the Duks on Fullerton(don't know if it's still there). The Duks on ashland served as a hangout for the local street gangs for years. I honestly have never tasted their food... I didn't want to "catch a hot one" in the leg just for trying out their foot long hot dog.
Greasy spoon heaven.....!
Really nice and cheap sliders (mini hamburgers). This place just reeks of Chicago... and thats why its cool. I can just see people raging here at all hours of the day. Fear the name because Disney cracked down on them being called Donald Ducks... ahahhaha DUKS#@!$
eck when I moved into this neighborhood our landlord told of us all the fine dining hot spots including this one. We were young and naive and decided to check it out on a late night of girls only fun. I'm surprised this place isn't shut down for health code violations. There was money on the cutting surfaces of the prep area and the cook looked like the judge out of the john candy movie, nothing but trouble. I'm sure that my friend enjoyed her chocolate milkshake but i was way to grossed out to finish my cheeseburger.
I don't know how this place passes health inspections...but thank god it does (or someone isn't checking). This is a great place to get VERY cheap food - Chicago style. They have dogs, Polish, burgers. For fun...watch who's touching the money AND the food! hehehe.
scary and gross, you're putting your life in your hands by even attempting to eat this "food"
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Category: Restaurants
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