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Nicky's Hot Dogs

4.4 (129 reviews)
InexpensiveHot Dogs
Open • 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Nicky's Hot Dogs Photos

NICKY'S HOT DOGS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Steve S.

Best fries & hot dogs around! Excellent mozzarella sticks also. They've always been generous with the fries! Order at the counter & food is ready pretty quickly.

Milton H.

The roast beef was just "ok". The chili cheese fries were pretty decent. The prices are a bit steep and they charge one dollar for a refill which is completely wrong in my opinion. If it wasn't for that I would have given them four stars.

Hannah H.

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH NICKY'S!!! This gem of a place has been around since the late '60s - this small carry-out place that some counter seating offers hot dogs, burgers, Italian beef, sausages, grilled chicken, steak sandwiches, hoagies, gyros, fried shrimp and fish, and various sides (YES, they even have pizza puffs!). I came here and ordered: +the Big Baby Double Cheeseburger with everything - this was kind of like a smash burger with patties that had crispy edges, loaded with toppings, and super juicy - YUM! +a Gyro sandwich - an amazing gyro sandwich - I asked mine to be well-done/crispy, and it was perfectly delivered! Stuffed to the max in the fresh buttered up pita with fresh toppings +Chili Cheese Fries - probably the best chili fries I've had - the chili was ON POINT, and the cheese was thick and creamy, and not your typical 'thin, plastic-y, nacho cheese' sauce! +a large RC Cola - so refreshing! Everything was made-to-order, piping HOT, and so so so good - I couldn't scarf down the food fast enough, and I was only planning on sampling so that I had room to check other eateries afterwards. It wasn't happening - I couldn't stop! Staff here are very friendly and efficient; they make your food 110% on point! There's a lot adjacent to the place, and it can get tight; super popular with the locals and it gets filled quickly. There's also street parking, too. Check Nicky's out - this is quintessential Chicago eats! LOVE! +delicious food - 110% on point! +amazing chili cheese fries! +yummy gyros! +Big Baby Double Cheeseburger - yas! +friendly staff! +parking lot available

Small fries
Michelle H.

This lil spot is small but mighty. It was hoppin' the entire time we were there. So I wasn't very hungry but wanted a snack until mealtime so I ate a couple of nuggets n fries, hubby got the hot dog special, which I took a bite of...everything de-lish. I'm hoping to bring my appetite back before I leave the city. The small fries are super plentiful but the large fries are sized re-diculous!!

a sign for the restaurant
Anthony D.

The Best spot for the best Burgers and hot dogs ! A little spot on Archer and Austin that's been around forever! Great service by some of the fastest workers around ! The home of the Big Baby ! You will never be disappointed! You have to try their Pizza puffs and Gyros! Highly recommend

Barbara S.

Coming from California Nicky's is on point compared to Tommy's Burgers. Everything was very tasty and yummy. Staff was great, nice.

Y C.

So My Husband and myself Drive from the West Burbs for This Nickys hot dogs "ONLY". We have been to nickys hot dogs on 35th western which we do not like.. Their fries are fat and different. We been to the Nickys on 47th st by cicero and we were NOT Satisfied.. once we find a Great Place to eat we Stick with that place and are Loyal Customers to them. If i could give Nickys 20 stars i would. This Nickys is a Great Franchise to eat at. It is not just some hot dog stand... They are Kind ,Great Customer Service , Fast and safe with serving their food. It is Always Clean. The Employees are Always smiling and just make you Feel like Family. We have met the Father and Son who work their. Very Friendly and welcoming to Everyone. I do not know of Any business that takes care of customers and treats them like Family like Nickys does. We Highly Recommend this Nickys . THEY ARE WORTH THE TRIP. Their food is Always hot and Delicious... The other Nickys are a Disappointment so do not waste your money at those other Nickys come to this one on Archer /Austin You will not be sorry. We Love Supporting This nickys.. Thank You to the Owner & Son and their Staff.. We are Very Pleased with their business.

Beef sausage combination sandwich with hot peppers.

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3 years ago

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29 days ago

Great chili cheese dog, the prices were good and they serve RC Cola. The fires could have been warmer and saltier but I still ate them.

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1 year ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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7 months ago

great food service friendly atmosphere always stop in for the gyro!! everything on the menu is excellent!!

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1 year ago

So good! Must get the hot dogs and Big Baby. Extra onions. Best Chicago style hot dogs and awesome service.

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Nicky's has great Chicago style dishes. The employees create a really friendly environment. Pride of the Southwest Side!!!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Every thing about this small place was outstanding, their service was second to none. Yes I would recommend this place.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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7 years ago

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

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13 years ago

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4 years ago

Always great food and service I have been going to Nicky's for over 27 years ! Place is clean and staff very friendly!

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3 years ago

Great food as always! Friendly employees and great prices. Always has fresh fries and delicious food.

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Page 1 of 4

Ask the Community - Nicky's Hot Dogs

Review Highlights - Nicky's Hot Dogs

“I always get a big baby, fries, and a lemonade, but I would definitely try something else on their menu.”

Mentioned in 38 reviews

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Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

3.9(7.4k reviews)
10.0 mi•River North, Near North Side
•$$

Number 7, now you are closer to heaven; pick your order…read more I will never forget the poetic server who called you to pick up your order. It's a shame I didn't get his name, but how can you have a bad day listening to him create lines back-to-back with such calm? The ambiance is lively, the decoration has a Midwestern theme full of famous individuals who have visited Portillo's. The hot dog hit the spot, and for less than $5 (Chicago hot dog) one can't complain.

Kari's Rating 8/10…read more As someone who is always at This Portillo is considering it's very close to where I live, it was decently busy this Sunday evening around 7:30. There was a large cluster of individuals in line to use the kiosk because they seem too scared to talk to a human-even though there's absolutely no line to talk to the women up front. It's kind of sad realize how antisocial people have become but also, I know it's beneficial to use a kiosk for the company because they're getting really fast data results, people tend to add more of their order because they're not being watched and they're able to do it in an antisocial way. Honestly, it's actually really fascinating. This place is always busy so as normal, we waited for about 20 minutes. It's OK, it looked like they were a little bit short staffed as 95% of the population of the restaurant was waiting in line. It's usually backed up at this location as it's super busy and very popular but tonight, I can't tell if it's because they're just backed up, or if no one can hear the number because they use those funny one liners after each number which makes it harder to hear the actual number called. I think this location-as it is mostly a tourist spot-is usually very clean. Tonight, it was not. I think it might've just been that one table around us, but whoever sat there before the fries were all strewn about and the sauces were all over the table cloths and there were napkins everywhere, and it just looked kind of bad. Since it's not normally like this, I figured it just was a one off or it might've just happened.

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Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago
Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago
Portillo's & Barnelli's Chicago

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Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

4.4(312 reviews)
10.3 mi•Near North Side
Locally owned & operated
Outdoor seating

In the moment review : Sweet Orange vanilla shake: 3.5/5…read moreBlue demon dog: 3.5/5 Solid, soggy bread , spicy mustard was good added the peppers Hot chile dog: 2/5 Soggy bread, chili was bland In retrospect: It's good for what it is, a hype hot dog spot with cool and unique menu items that can sometimes be extreme. I knew my shake was over the top so I should've expected really bold flavoring, it was just a bit too intense for me. I also don't recall being able to choose a size and this amount of shake is wayyy too much even for two people. My boyfriend and I shared and still couldn't finish it. The hot dogs I guess should be consumed there and in the moment. Ours were wrapped all of 5 minutes and the bread was already soggy. The chili dog was underwhelming. The little peppers they sell on the side and in some Dawgs are fire!!!! Best thing I had was their onion rings. Super good rings here. Crunchy and tasty. They come with a sauce. I don't remember which one I got but it tasted like raw seasoning. Also wayyyy too heavy. I was super bloated after this meal. Def a one n done for me. I enjoyed it but wouldn't go back.

Small entry way but you don't need much to order food. They have seating outside as well if you're…read moreinterested. You have the option of placing an order at the kiosk or with an employee. Being a newbie I wasn't sure where to start as the menu is a lot to take in. I settled on: Double backyard burger no cheese or tomato - 7/10 - I like my doubles a little thinner, not a slight to them just what I was expecting. I could've definitely did one burger and been satisfied. Burger was seasoned decent and the pickles were really good. Icelandic dog (no honey mustard, added relish). -10/10 - I loved everything about this dog. The bite, the spice, the toppings.

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Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast
Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast
Devil Dawgs-Gold Coast

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Jim's Original - Polish Sausage Sandwich

Jim's Original

4.2(803 reviews)
8.2 mi•University Village
•$

A LOCAL CLASSIC! I…read moreloved this spot so much I ended up coming back twice. It has that classic late night comfort food vibe and feels like one of those staple spots you have to try at least once. First night I ordered a polish hot dog with everything on it and a fish sandwich w/ extra grilled onions. Super cool that your order comes with fries and I added a cheese cup both times. In my opinion the fries were mid the first go around, but second time they were better. Definitely tasted better dipped in cheese. They were kinda airy in texture, if that makes sense. Polish hot dog was around a 6.5-7/10 for me. It did taste better warmed up the next day. What I was most obsessed with was the double cheeseburger and fish sandwich! both were easily a 10/10. Super good prices and worth the money. Also, the chile peppers were sooo bomb and hotter than I expected ! I wanted to eat them all, but they were packing some serious heat! The lemon Italian ice is where it's at, make sure to order one! You can also mix it with strawberry, but both times people recommended the lemon and now I see why. The line gets super active and busy past 10-11pm, but during the daytime it's way less crowded. Even when it gets packed the line moves pretty quick. They stay open late and close at 1am which is nice.

Taste: 5 Creativity/Authenticity: 5…read moreAtmosphere: 3 Service: 5 Bang for your buck: 4 Chicago known for hotdogs, pizza, Italian beef and popcorn!! I didn't get it but after a long night that hotdog killed it!! Got the polish original and the all beef and both were banging!! And the fries wth is up with Chicago and their amazing fries!? Service here as good as it gets fast and easy. And price man worth it!!

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Jim's Original - Short line today

Short line today

Jim's Original - Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich

Before.... Polish Sausage Sandwich

Jim's Original - Sign from around the corner.

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Sign from around the corner.

Devil Dawgs -  South State

Devil Dawgs - South State

4.0(1.1k reviews)
9.2 mi•South Loop
•$
Locally owned & operated
Vegan friendly

Great place for a hot dog! This location is a short walk from the Field Museum. I had the Chicago…read moredog and tots, and it was good! You can't go wrong with a classic. Service is counter only, and you have to order at a kiosk. The interior is what you would expect for this type of establishment. Cool framed photos and memorabilia. I'll definitely return next time I'm in Chicago again.

We went to Devil Dawgs after doing the architecture tour because we needed something to put in our…read morestomachs. My husband suggested it, so we went. At first, I was like, "Hey, get me a sandwich." But when we got there, it looked divey, so I said, you know what, let's see! We grabbed a high-top table, but listen: seating is limited, okay? Don't come in there thinking you finna have a whole big, huge party! It is a small space, but we were able to secure our seats, watch the cooks do their thing, and order our food. Everything came out relatively quickly. The whole place has a fun vibe. Pictures on the ceiling, bright colors. Of course, the name Devil Dawgs made me think about the Marine Corps. If you know, you know! I had the Dragonfruit Shake, and oh my goodness. My husband had the Maxwell Street Polish, which I absolutely loved seeing because I grew up eating them. I used to get mine off 95th & Dan Ryan.. so that brought back some memories. And Hubs tore that thing down! Now, my hot dog? Listen, the picture is diabolical, okay? But it was EV-ER-Y-THING! I need to sound it out phonetically because it was literally everything, okay?! It was loaded, messy, and doing exactly what it needed to do. And listen, I am perfectly fine with a messy dog as long as it is good, and it absolutely was! The food came out quick, fast, and in a hurry. You won't be sitting around waiting forever. If you need to catch a plane, train, automobile, or whatever else, you are going to get where you need to go because that food is coming out, okay? If we ever come back to the area, we are definitely hitting up Devil Dawgs again. For sure!

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Devil Dawgs -  South State
Devil Dawgs -  South State
Devil Dawgs -  South State

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Fatso's Last Stand - Char dog, depression style, fries, side of Merkts cheddar sauce.

Fatso's Last Stand

4.1(992 reviews)
8.3 mi•Ukrainian Village, West Town
•$$

I had read about how Fatso's does the char dog. I made this my last meal in Chicago…read more I went with a char dog, depression style, an order of fries, and a side of the Merkts cheddar. How was it? Fries- Delicious! Fresh cut fries, made right in front of you. They were great! Huge portion, too! Merkts Cheddar Sauce- Hell yeah! Give me a gallon of this, and I will chug it! Such a tasty cheese sauce. Loved dipping my fries in it. Great combo! Char Dog- This dog was delicious! Great char, great toppings. My only beef would be the bun. It definitely could have been more soft/steamed and fresh. It held up pretty well, but there were a couple bites where it broke and flaked apart. Hate when that happens. Still...didn't ruin the overall experience. Had a great last meal in Chicago before I headed to the airport.

Fatso's Last Stand delivers exactly what its name promises: unapologetically indulgent, old-school…read morecomfort food done right. The burgers are the shining stars -- juicy, generously sized, and cooked to perfection with toppings that strike the perfect balance of classic and creative. Whether you go for a stacked cheeseburger, bacon-loaded option, or a specialty creation, the patties are flavorful and satisfyingly beefy, with a great char and use of quality ingredients that keeps diners coming back. Beyond burgers, the menu also features hearty eats like crispy fries, loaded sandwiches, and thick milkshakes, all served with a no-frills attitude that lets the food speak for itself. Service at Fatso's Last Stand matches the laid-back but attentive vibe of the restaurant -- staff are friendly, efficient, and know regulars by name, creating a welcoming, neighborhood-favorite energy. While the pace can get lively during peak hours, especially on weekends, the team handles the rush with good humor and keeps orders moving. The ambiance is casual and retro in all the right ways, with diner-style seating and a comfortable, unpretentious environment that makes it perfect for relaxed lunches, casual dinners with friends, or late-night burger runs. It's not fancy, but when your focus is on big, delicious burgers and familiar comfort food, Fatso's delivers exactly what you're craving.

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Fatso's Last Stand
Fatso's Last Stand - Merkts Cheddar.

Merkts Cheddar.

Fatso's Last Stand - Double Fatso with Cheese + Fries

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Double Fatso with Cheese + Fries

Nicky's Hot Dogs - hotdog - Updated October 2026

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