Review: America's Dog, Chicago

Note: This also appears with my reviews over on Yelp.

Overview:
America's Dog was more than I expected, yet didn't seem to be trying to do too much. The menu struck me as a nice balance of focus and variety. Hot dogs are obviously the main event, but there are at least 17 different ways to order one (including a veggie dog). Beyond that you've got burgers, sausages, chicken sandwiches and 4 different salad (!) options.

The restaurant itself is clean, well-lit and features a full wall of photos depicting various American slice-of-life shots. The pictures serve as a nice thematic complement to the menu of wide ranging dog styles hailing from Atlanta to San Francisco with multiple stops in between.



Sure, it isn't the healthiest lunch option, but at least the portions are reasonably sized (talking about the regular hot dog here, not the jumbo). It won't be an everyday affair for me -- although it would be interesting to do a Morgan Spurlock-esque month through the America's Dog menu -- but this will be a nice change of pace when the Quizno's-Burrito Beach-Potbelly's troika seems a little old.

Highlights / Lowlights:

What was great:

- Variety. If you like hot dogs at all, you will have no problem finding something here for you. And even if you don't like hot dogs there's a good shot you'll find something you like.

- Atmosphere. Good colors, good layout - just feels like a good, comfortable place to grab a quick bite.

What wasn't great:

- To-go packaging insulation. I had about a 4 - 5 minute walk back to my desk once I had dog in hand, and by the time I dug in it had cooled just a bit, to the point where you notice but you'll still eat it. It was tasty, and I suppose I could have microwaved it to bring it back to hot. But maybe they could go with a foil-based wrapping technique rather than the kind of skimpy styrofoam dog sleeve they use (which might be more Earth-friendly too, no?).

Scorecard:

The 2 Critical Questions

- Would I eat here again? Yes. Not all the time, but occasionally, yes.

- Did it seem like good value? Yes, it's decent value. I suppose in some ways $2.86 for a regular hot dog might seem a little much. But when even the small sub at Quizno's is north of $5 and a large will set you back $9 or $10, $2.86 is a relative bargain.

Essentials

Food - Good. I got the Kansas City dog (melted swiss cheese with sauerkraut and yellow mustard)

Value - Good.

Amenities

Decor - Very good. Clean, welcoming.