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- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- None
931 reviews for Hot Doug's
Review Highlights
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I've been here twice and I love the food. I don't remember what I got the first time...I just remember being overwhelmed with great food. The second time I went, I went in a small group again. We all shared the Ribeye Steak Sausage w/ Crispy Fried Onions & Blue Cheese , the Bacon & Jalapeno Duck Sausage w/ Brie Cheese, and the Foie Gras & Sauternes Duck Sausage. We all enjoyed the food and even though we had to wait in line for an 1.5 hours, it was worth it.
If you go on Fridays and Saturdays, BE PREPARED to wait in longer lines. However, their duck fat fries are awesome, so it's up to you if you have the patience to stand in line.
Go ahead, make all the crude jokes you want, but I am infatuated by Doug Sohn's sausage. Seriously, at almost 1000 reviews you arent going to hear anything new from me that hasn't already been said, but kids, this place is no joke. There is a reason people line up to come here and it ain't for the scenic neighborhood.
If you live within a mile of this place and know about the Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage then I feel sorry for you. Because if I lived any closer half my paycheck would go towards ordering this insane concoction on pretty much a daily basis and my doctor would be having a shit fit over my sudden hardening of the arteries.
I know from now on I will have dreams of that Truffle Aioli, but lest I start looking like an encased meat myself, I know my tryst's with Doug and his magnificent sausage must be few and far between.
Fino a quando ci incontreremo di nuovo il mio amore!
Just go....
A lot of people are deterred because lines can get very long. I regularly wait 2 hours. A good way to get around this is to call ahead Monday through Wednesday and pick up your food. They don;t have duck fat fries, but everything else is spectacular.
I paid $9 for a stomach ache.
Doug does seem like a pro though. Apparently encased meats drowned in foie gras is just not for me.
Sorry to disappoint you Ryan L, I will not be going back.
Also James, I CAN'T handle encased meats. Got it?
Gah I think this is meat heaven. We have friends in town who alerted us to the call ahead option, yeah that rocked.
I made the pilgrammage on our last trip into the city. I came in search of duck fat fries and holy mother of &%@$# were they happy. I could not stop eating them until they were gone.
I had a super garlicy pork sausage with spicy mustard, garlic cloves and horseradish cheddar and a buffalo sausage with serendipity cheese that were possibly the best sausages I have ever eaten, so full of flavor and spice. I am drooling at the memory here. I of course could not eat it all but man was it as good later too, I figured I might as well get both as I could not decide and live 5 hours away.
My husband stuck boring and traditional with cheese fries and a couple of cheesed up brats but they were very tasty as well. He was very happy and actually looked a bit appalled at my choices to be frank.
Yep I will be back. I think it's almost sweeter to live so far away so you can really appreciate them when you are here.
Me and Amisha S. came here on a Friday afternoon at around 3pm. I was surprised that there was a line wrapped around the building at this time of day. I'd see the lines shown on "No Reservations" but figured it was just the lunch time rush. On, the bright side you get to smell the intoxicating duck fat fries wafting from the front door as people slowly get to enter. After waiting a little over an hour, we got to the friendly Doug at the counter who helped us order. I will admit was a bit overwhelmed by all the tube meat choices and didn't want to make a bad choice after all the opportunity cost involved. We ordered the Keira Knightly, The Dog (w/ chili & cheese), an Irish banger special, and the duck fries! I know realize Irish bangers are too bland for my taste, but everything else was yummy.
I'd like to come back if I was in town again to try more offerings, but might not be willing to wait 1+ hrs again. Maybe its not as bad on the days duck fries are not available? 3.5 stars for me!
I wish that Hot Doug's had a larger location, because it really is tough to stand outside smelling the grill and watching other people eat for a half-hour. The line on weekends is rough on a hangover, but the greasy food can cure that hangover right up. The combinations of meat, cheeses, and sauces isn't rivaled anywhere else in the city. The rotation of sausages makes it impossible to have a favorite, although I do try and order any cherry-pork sausages I see rotated onto the menu.
I can't think of anything new to contribute to the other great reviews. The service is excellent, and this place is a real Chicago staple. The duck fat fries kind of go through your system like White Castle sliders, but the taste is something that needs to be experienced!
Do you guys know what the secret is to beat the wait? CALL AHEAD. I've done this several times now, and the dirty looks you get from people waiting in line as you walk right up to the counter to grab your grub are fucking priceless! Their menu is online. Call ahead!!
(Foie gras is soooo good. I would eat it with a spoon).
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/28/2007
Hot Doug's never fails to put a smile on my face :) I pop in about once a month, and what with all… Read more »
Came on a Saturday thinking to grab lunch. Lunch ended up as early dinner as the line took 2.5 hrs!!
By the time we got to the counter, I was starving and wanted to order everything on the menu to make sure I didn't miss out. I couldn't even finish 2 dogs.
I love duck. Foie gras over duck sausage is amazing $9. Might be the most expensive encased meat out there.
Other specialty encased meat is around $7.50 a pop and regular hot dogs are around 2.75. Alligator one was superb. Atomic bomb was pretty high up there on my list. Nice kick that wont burn ur mouth.
Remember to get the duck fat fries offered Fridays and Saturdays!
Get this, I don't even like duck but on a whim on Monday I ordered the duck sausage with sauternes & foie gras and it was freaking unbelievable.
What a GREAT place to go for lunch. I really hesitate writing yet another positive review because I don't want this place to get any more crowded but I really, really loved it. Please expand and /or build another one! Doug is awesome and super nice, your food comes out piping hot and prepared perfectly. The fries, even if not sizzling in duck fat, are great.
One of the best meals I've had in my lifetime and that's pretty darn incredible for an encased meats emporium.
Don't kill for for not giving it five stars... So I took my dad here in February, he had no idea what it was and we waited in line for over an hour. I swore after that I would never go back because it was just OK.... But when a avid foodie friend came to visit he insisted that we needed to go. You would have thought I learned my "line" lesson the first time but no, we ended up waiting almost two hours. I don't know if it was the excitement of my guest, my grumbling stomach or the fact that it was really great but the second time was AMAZING. Almost well worth the wait.
The duck fat fries are wonderful and the dogs are original and delish. The line maybe the only downfall but it can be avoided if you get there early!
Stupid place. Never coming again.
On a rainy Wednesday when I called in sick from work, I ended up having one of the best food experiences of my life.
I woke up this morning with my body feeling like a big fat bruise. I was nauseated and achy. The cold and rainy weather reflected exactly how I felt, Shitty!!!. On this dreary day, I did something that I very rarely do. I called in sick to work. I crawled back into bed for some quiet, blissful sleep. I woke up around noon totally famished. And I was hungry for something that I swore off as a kid. I actually had a craving for a Hot Dog.
You have to understand that I ate so many hot dogs as a kid, that I rarely crave them as an adult. During the summers of my youth, you could find me at one of two places. At one of my little league games, or at Wrigley Field. Needless to say, I ate so many Hot Dogs and Brats that I wanted to name my first born Frankfurter.
We first did a drive by of Hot Doug's to see how long the line was. To our surprise, there was nobody waiting outside. As we entered, the line was about 10 deep. The line moved surprisingly fast. We had our food in 10 minutes. When we got to the counter, we got to meet Hot Doug himself (Doug Sohn). Doug took Carolynne's order and then asked what Derrek Sanderson would like. He obviously noticed my Boston Bruins cap. He made a great first impression by mentioning one of my favorite hockey players of all time. After talking hockey for a few minutes, he took our order. I ordered the Dave Kingman Dog and (one of the daily specials) the Mole, Smoked Chicken Sausage.
The Kingman Dog was a spicy, Chicken Sausage that was packed with Flavor. The Caramelized onions were a nice touch. The Mole Chicken Sausage was out of this world. It was covered with a spicy Mole Sauce with pepper jack cheese. We also split an order of fries. Hot Doug's doesn't offer the fries made in goose oil during the week, but I can't imagine them being much better than the fries that we had. They were hand cut fries that were tender and delicious.
The highlight of the meal for me was sampling some of Carolynne's Foie gras Dog. Other than the controversial ban by the City of Chicago, I had never even heard of the stuff. But the creamy liver sausage blew me away. It was a wonderful slice of decadence.
I have always believed that there was a fine line between Genius and Insanity. The strange combination of sausages and toppings at Hot Doug's walks that line. I have always been amazed by how some Chefs can come up with different combinations of food that you would never even dream of. And the great ones can turn it into a delicacy. If there was a Nobel Prize for Cased Meat, Hot Doug's gets my nomination.
The Bottom line is this. If you have not been to Hot Doug's, get your ass over there. What have you been waiting for? Don't worry about the line, it moves faster than you think. You will not get a better dining experience for your hard earned dollar. This place is a Gem, and a must visit for any foodie in Chicago.
These hot dogs owned me.
The specialty dogs are so rich and full of flavor I almost couldn't handle it. I ate two bites, and had to take a break. Even the regular dogs are yum.
-1 for the long wait (2 hours on a Saturday).
+1 for Doug manning the counter (awww you care!)
Dang. I just had it yesterday, but I'm already craving it again...
A.D.I.D.A.H.D.
All day i dream about hot dougs.
Hot Doug's has the best encased meats I can remember. Try everything here, it's good! I think they only have them Saturday so you have to come at least once on Saturday and try the duck fat fries, yum.
Line gets pretty ridiculous, but you can call ahead.
This place makes me miss Chicago.
I'm just going to echo what 900 other reviews have already said. Hot Doug's actually lives up to all the hype.
1) Got there right when they opened on Saturday AM and I didn't expect a 40 min wait, mostly outside in the rain and cold. I kept asking myself, "Who [else] eats hot dogs at 10:30AM?!" And then I realized that these were my kind of people, in my kind of town. God I love hot dogs.
2) Hot Doug's excels at both the bread and butter dog and the gourmet. Best Chicago Dog ever! Had mine deep-fried (!!!) and it had perfect snap with fresh, high-quality toppings. The wild boar sausage was fantastically tender and well-paired with the smoked gouda
3) If possible, avoid sitting at the counter facing cold, starving patrons waiting in line. It made me feel truly gluttonous to be inhaling my duck fries and multiple hot dogs with people literally going hungry right before my eyes.
we waited 1.5 hours for this. great reviews on yelp and heard from some other folks that this was the place to be. here's what we ordered:
foie gras and sauternes duck sausage w/truffile aioli, foie gras mousse and sel gris --- tasty sausage. i'd give it a 7 out of 10.
smoked applewurst pork sausage w/sweet curry mustard and tomme de savoie cheese - tastier, slightly sweet. i'd give it a 9 out of 10.
corn dog - basic corn dog. it took me beyond full at this point. nothing special, but at least it was only $1.50
fries - we got two kinds: regular with cheese on it (it was good, not great). and fries that are fried in duckfat. to be honest, i could tell the difference in terms of richness in the duck fat fries, and the fries were good, but nothing spectacular like holy shit i gotta grab a handful of them and jack off w/them. the richness you get with the duck fat isn't worth the premium price or the bad cholesterol.
all in all, glad we did it. it lived up to its hype and it was certainly the best hot dog i've ever had. however, it wasn't at all the best $9 meal i've ever had, you know what i mean?
i wouldn't eat there again. i like gourmet burgers, but when it comes to hotdogs, i guess basic ones are best. they didn't have the greatest buns, just plain, unwarm, and pretty dense -- delivering a concussion to your self-consciousness.
Arrived at Doug's on a Saturday morning and we were greeted with a long line out front. We waited for a total of 2 hours to get our food. Sounds crazy right? But I'm telling you it was worth every minute. The anticipation to get your hands on the famous duck fat fries and the Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage. This was the weird part for me, I knew the food was going to be so bad for me, yet I was willing and able to scarf it all down. The great mystery of the universe I suppose.
Ok, onto the food, first things first make sure you bring cash, cash is king here, no credit. Good thing my buddy had cash ready to go. Now here comes the hardest part, deciding what to order. There are plenty of choices ready for you and your stomach is limited. I had the duck fat fries, the Uber Garlic Pork Sausage with Chili-Garlic Mustard, and the Mole and Chipotle Smoked Chicken Sausage. I was most intrigued by the duck fat fries, they taste like regular fries but they are heavy and make you full real quick. O by the way, my heart stopped for a second or two eating them. I thought I needed a defibrillator to get my heart going again. The quality of the sausages are top notch, very succulent and plenty of flavors. I really like the garlic pork sausage and I will also try the foie gras next time I'm in town.
Doug's is a great outing and the quality and uniqueness can't be beat. Now it's time to run 20 miles to burn off one duck fat fry.
36 min in line. No seats. $16 for a hot dog, fries and a drink. Ate outside on the curb.
MAN!
... Well worth it. Man I miss Chi.
Well worth the wait, will say that off the bat because their usually is a wait. If you are a hot dog enthusiast this is a place to visit at least once. I usually get the Dave Kingman (Chicken Sausage) and a regular dog, but there is a pretty good menu including some exotic choices you are not likely to find elsewhere. It's the kind of place I try to take as many people to who haven't tried it before. Not keeping this a secret, since the secrets already out (Travel Channel).
I'm not a big hot dog person but I gotta admit..I like this place :)
I had the Salma Hayek, too bad it's not as spicy as I hoped. My friends had The Dog & The Keira Knightley and they loved it. It can get pretty expensive...$8 for a hot dog? :O
I met a guy while waiting in line here last week who told me that he recommended Hot Dougs to his dad for a small business lunch and that it was the best piece of advice he had ever given anyone, bar none. Interpret that how you will.
Visiting Hot Doug's provided the best culinary experience I had during my recent trip to Chicago. I was standing in (an arguably short by some NYC standards) line with hungry anticipation and saw the "cash only" sign. I dug through my pockets to see what I had: 15 dollars to feed both myself and a friend. "Not a problem," I thought.
Technically it wasn't: I got up to the counter and order a grilled Portuguese Linguica accompanied with a saffron rouille and 12-yearManchego cheese. My friend ordered a The Dog and a small fountain soda. We had some money left so I asked the gentleman behind the counter (Doug?) for a recommendation. "The Thuringer," he said.
Heaven. The linguica in particular was one of the best things I have ever eaten...and my round belly can attest to many things consumed. My only regret was that we didn't have any more money to try anything else on the menu and that it wasn't Friday or Saturday so I could get fries cooked in duck fat.
Writing this I can't help but think, "Can they ship one to me right now?"
Are you all out of your minds? It's a flippin hot dog stand!!! I've tried most of the regular dogs and a few specialty sausages and they are good but certainly not worth waiting in line for more than 10 minutes let alone an hour. And yes I've had the duck fat fries(a few years ago early and only waited 10 minutes). Are the fries good? I guess but it's a flippin french fry.
Don't get me wrong, I like the place and Doug is really nice but something is going on in Avondale.
I think it's something in the water making you fools wait in line for an hour for sausages and burgers from Kuma's.
O to the M to the G. Finally made it to this mecca of hot dog joints on a cold October morning. Showed up at 12pm on a Saturday (bad idea)...waited for 1.5 hours in shorts (just came from a run to lessen the absurd amount of calories I was about to devour). By the way, great crowd of people to wait in line with-friendly, hilarious & hungry. The group behind us brought a six pack of beer-very smart people...I'll be stealing that idea on my next Doug run.
In my tummy!...ordered the Dave Kingman (Sante Fe chicken sausage-little bit of a kick to it!), the B.L.T. (who knew bacon sausage even existed?!), and a corndog. I loved the corndog-great breading & perfectly deep fried. (Can't beat it for $1.50!) The B.L.T. had the perfect mix of coleslaw & cherry tomatoes but I didn't really get that "bacony" taste. The duck fat fries were yummy...perfect ratio of crunch to soggy! Doug was even there to take our order!
I like this place so much that I break my 2 "I will never" statements about buying food.
I Never #1 - I will never go get cash special for a restaurant. They should take credit/debit cards.
For Hot Dougs, I will ATM it without even blinking,
I never #2 - I'm not going to wait in a long line for food. This is Chicago and there are too many places that have delicious food.
For Hot Dougs, I break this rule except when it's below 0 and that's where I draw the line. The line moves Ok - but it's is so worth what's inside.
Ok - now the inside.... it's the Mecca of encased meats. A dozen or so celebrity named sausages.... my favorite is the Marty Allen - Beef, Pork, and Garlic, Grilled....with my favorite toppings and a side of Duck fries! Damn... I've made myself hungry....
Then there's the specials - They've got a specials menu that's about as large as the regular menu, but it's headlined by a Celeb of the week, and a game of the week. The selections are amazing, and totally worth straying from your normal favorite..
All (hot) dogs go to heaven because these are simply well...divine!
The line is always out the door but it's cool because your iPhone will keep you busy. Doug actually has worked there every time I have been and he's a pretty interesting character. Try the foie gras dog and while you are at it, get the duck fat fries (drooling over the memory of that absolutely sinful treat) but they are only available on Friday and Saturday.
There is absolutely nothing like a Chicago hot dog and these are the best. The skin breaks as you bite in making that gentle snapping sound that warns you of the meaty, juicy, warm flavors about to assault your taste buds. You will need to take a moment after your first bite and just be in the moment - you literally won't be able to talk because you are so overwhelmed and happy.
When I come back to Chicago, it's definitely a place that I make every effort to eat at and die of happiness for a little while.
http://jimandbrittneye.../
Still on our quest to make our way through the Á la Card list, we decided to take an afternoon off for Jim to experience some serious sausage. Even though it was 1pm on a February weekday, the line still wrapped around the building, as usual. But we weren't swayed.
The first time Brittney went to Hot Doug's, she was still eating meat. And visions of ostrich sausage and duck fat fries danced in her head. This was going to be interesting...
When we finally reached the counter after 45 minutes of taking turns to be in the sunlight and rubbing our denim-clad jeans with our hands, I approached Doug with a plea. "It's great to see you again, Doug. Kate says hi. So... well... um, last time I visited, I still ate meat, but now I don't. Is there any way I can order one of the special sausages but get a veggie dog instead? I'll pay the price for the special!" Without hesitation, the ever-friendly Doug replied, "Why would you do that? You can pay the price of a veggie dog. What would you like?" The Pete Shelley (AKA veggie) is only $2.75. Doug is a saint!
After some friendly hassling from Doug about "when I'd be coming back over from the dark side," I ordered the Pete Shelley with apple chutney and manchego cheese.
Although I did miss the heartiness of a real-meat sausage, these ingredients could make anything taste like heaven. Whether this was meant to be boar, rabbit, or dinosaur, it likely would've been a little juicier with some animal fat, but the cheese and chutney were really tasty.
I also ordered the Pete Shelley with Chipotle Dijonnaise and Burning Nettles Smoked Gouda Cheese.
Again, a veggie dog is a little slight for such a big bun, but I paid under $3 for some awesome ingredients. Good show, old chap.
...and of course, cheese fries (minus the duck fat). These chips are cooked in, um, regular fat?
My heart might have stopped momentarily after ingesting maybe half of these, but that didn't stop them from being delicious.
Jim, being the meat fanatic that he is, was like a kid in a candy store... Or like a man in a sausage store. He ordered the Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris.
In honor of this great city, he also ordered a traditional Chicago dog... and how could he resist the duck fat fries?
Hot Doug's is a serious must for all that call themselves Chicagoans. It's not in the most convenient location in the city, and there will definitely be a wait, but it's well worth it. Hot Doug's never disappoints.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/27/2008
This place is a serious gem. Based on a few pushes from an old flame and a coworker who actually… Read more »
As with everyone else...this place rocks. Went here for the first time last week and was fortunate that the chill in the air seemed to scare off the line.
There were 6 of us which with the seating in there can be a challenge. We were in line for about 10 minutes, ordered and took an open table. About 5 min later out came the food.
The Weisswurst I had was excellent as were the cheese fries I shoveled into my pie hole.
I will be back to try more things. The BF has yet to be there so I am sure when they return from vacation at the end of Oct, we both will be there to great them.
Side note: the service was excellent!! Not rushed and everything was explained well. For example: I was one of 2 Americans in the group; the other 4 were not fluent in English but this did not deter the workers.
I'm not a huge hot dog fan, but Hot Doug's is pretty amazing. I would recommend not going on a weekend unless you are in line when they open the doors. Our first attempt was foiled after waiting for an hour and only moving maybe 5 people deep in the line.
We went back on a Monday morning before noon. I couldn't believe a line was already forming on a week day. After eating here, I can see why. Doug is really great about explaining what extras should put on your hot dog selection to guarantee an explosion in your mouth. While the Chicago style hot dog is an easy choice, don't neglect the specials board. Everything our table ordered was delicious. For a hot dog joint, I was really impressed.
I give four stars only because the wait was so insane the first time we went.
And did I mention how cheap the food is? Three of us ate for less than $15. It was ridiculous.
The dogs are worth the wait. Don't let the long line discourage you. I will definitely come back and try some more of their interesting hot dog combinations.
Who gave this one star? Maybe they waited too long. It doesn't matter though. I went today at around one and really only waited fifteen minutes. I got a Fire Dog (which I refuse to call Kiera Knightly, because I don't think she's hot) and the game of the week: three chili wild boar sausage with chipotle dijonnaise and smoked gouda. And it was delicious. I tried to the foie gras and duck sausage, which was also delicious. As it was my first time getting boar, I was nervous (which I shouldn't have been because I love meat) but when I ordered, Doug was very excited that I did and said "Good, because it's really delicious." And that's when I knew that I had made the right decision.
The fire dog was delicious too; the fact that you can hear the casing snap is awesome. I love it for sure.
I don't think there really can be anything else to be said. I'm sure you've been told to go. So go. If you don't like waiting in line, forego the weekend and skip the duck fat fries. Go at the off times. Just do it. It's delicious and well worth it.
My fiancé and I used to go to Hot Doug's when it was on the other side of the river on Roscoe and Western. We would go 3X a week for lunch when we were in high school. After the fire, we were incredibly disappointed because Hot Doug's seriously has some amazing dogs!
A few years ago however, I was back on break and randomly driving down California when I had discovered that Hot Doug's had risen from the ashes! Whenever i'm in the area I always try to stop in, especially for the duck fat fries--YUM!
The only bummer: be prepared to wait in uber-long lines. Hot Doug's has become quite the celebrity among chicago hot dog places. Not entirely worth the wait if you're just getting a chicago dog, but definitely worth it if you're going to try one of the specialty sausages and meats.
After watching Anthony Bourdain rave about Hot Doug's, I booke a flight and flew to Chicago to see what all the hype was about....It was good, but not great.
I gave it a fair chance though. I tried 5 different hot dogs & the duck fat fries:
The Chicago Style Hot Dog
The Keira Knightly - fire dog
Paul Kelly - bratwurst soaked in beer
The Dave Kingman - chicken sausage sante fe style
The Elvis - polish sausage
The BEST was by far the Paul Kelly & Keira Knightly....full of flavor! The others just tasted like boring Oscar Meyer weiners you could buy at your local grocery store. The duck fat fries were delicious though. Then again anything fried in fat & has the ability to clog your arteries is always happy on the taste buds.
The line is super long ( I waited 45min), but it should be expected.
Overall it was good, but not great.
Not much to write that already hasn't been written. I will say that I stopped by here on a Monday at 12:30 pm while out running errands. The line was already inside the door and I was in and out (got my order to go) in 15 mins.
Great stuff ... I was this place on travel channel on a couple of their shows ....
So good! I enjoyed it a lot. The best part is the unique game hotdogs, these are hotdogs you probably won't find anywhere else, everything from kangaroo to rattlesnake hotdogs.
I myself had the kangaroo, when i was there, and boy was it worth the wait. Doug, himself, was there and greated me with a warm welcome, just like he did on the tv! TRY THE FRIES!!!!!
So if you are in the mood for something out of the ordinary, DEFINATELY GO HERE!!!
There is nothing I can say about Doug that has not already been said.
Hot Doug's is a one-in-a-billion hot dog shop, and Doug is a hero in the food world.
I hope Hot Doug's continues to be an iconic beacon for the reinvention of comfort food and American cuisine.
I broke vegetarian for this place. Not disappointed in the least.
I don't know when this place is not busy.
But go. Just go.

