Chicago, IL (The Joy of Food) — If you grew up in the midwest in the 1980s, your family probably had allegiances to all sorts of food places that bordered on cult-level. Everybody had their favorite in the pantheon: the best beef sandwich, best burger, best pizza, and best hot dog. You know what I mean.
For me, Superdawg was a wonderland, a place where memories of the iconic Chicago dog begin and end. It’s tiny, this place, literally a small stand in the middle of a crowded three-way intersection in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood, with a few seats inside and giant-sized Mr. and Mrs. Superdawg mascots (also known as Maurie and Flaurie) waving and smiling from their perch on the roof.
But eating inside is a rookie move. The real appeal is outside, where Superdawg serves as Chicago’s last remaining drive-in, a nostalgic beacon of neon lights, vintage speakers, and carhops. The trick is to have your window rolled half-way up so they can hook your tray to it. Loud music blasts and makes you yearn for the days of Grease, Happy Days, The Wonder Years, and maybe even the Bob Hope show.
Superdawg was founded by Maurie and Flaurie Berman in 1948, who served a twist on Chicago-style dogs using thick, spicy, house-made beef sausages instead of Vienna franks. Unlike the ‘salad on the bun’ featured on traditional Chicago dogs, Superdawg takes a simpler approach with yellow mustard, relish, and chopped Spanish onions. Every Superdawg also comes with a signature pickled green tomato, another deviation from the classic Chicago dog style. The dawg served here would be instantly distinguishable in a blind taste test.
It’s a beautiful thing to see your Superdawg arrive, distinctly packaged in a cardboard box that helps retain heat. By the time you bite into it, you’ll find the dawg was cooked exactly the right amount of time to give it the right snap, the right bite in your mouth — not too soft and not too hard. Superfries come nestled with any order, crinkle-cut, fresh-cut, and perfectly crisp.
They also have a following for their burgers, called things like Whooperburger and Supercheesie, and the milk shakes, particularly the malts, are first-rate. The path of least resistance often involves trying all of the above.
And like any good Chicago hot dog purveyor, Superdawg subscribes to the theory that ketchup is a disgrace, though they do stock bottles of the stuff for the fries and for young children who don’t know any better.
Written by Joy
Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.
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Wow! I’ve never been to Chicago. Now I know what I’m missing.
Chicago is one of the world’s great cities. Excellent food, worthwhile culture, and some decent sports to boot. I do wish my family had stayed there and never moved away, or that I’d gone back there for college. I highly recommend a visit at some point.
How’s the bbq there?
From my experience it’s pretty solid but you really have to go into the suburbs. It’s a nice mix of several midwest/southern traditions.
Especially good Polish can be found around the neighborhoods too, if you haven’t had that. Lots of hidden gems everywhere in and surrounding the city.
Superdawg is a favorite of the Missus…so much so, that she requested that I buy a dog and fly it home to San Diego:
https://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2011/11/chicago-johnnies-beef-arlington-heights-again-mr-beef.html
It was hilarious.
Ha! A completely reasonable and delicious request, soggy bun and all. If you close your eyes while you eat it it’s like you’re there practically sort of kind of lol. 😂