College Staple - Late Night Gold There's just something about a college town spot like this. After a night out, you end up at Chicago Cafe like it was meant to happen. This food is excellent and honestly one of a kind for what it is. Prices are dirt cheap, but the quality is way better than you'd expect. If you go, get the classic sweet heat dog, the meat lovers pizza with ranch, and a Pepsi Zero. That combo doesn't miss. It's the perfect place for lunch, a midnight snack, or just hanging with friends. Seating is limited, but you can usually find a spot. Overall: 5/5 this place has my heart. read more

See all

Fantastic little hole in the wall! I had a special hotdog with a tasty Mediterranean pickled salad on top and my son had the chili cheese dogs. The hotdog is literally to die for!!!! So salty and yummy with a great seeded bun! Also, great service! read more

See all

Awesome place, awesome staff. My visit was on 9-5-25 during a busy first Friday. They moved through orders quickly and tactfully handled a very disruptive customer during a rush. read more

Omg Fabulous!! Can't say enough good about this little hole in the wall place. Good quality, fresh ingredients. We tried the Hawaiian Cajun chicken , and the vege with sausage, then topped it off with a Chicago brat.!!! Wow!!! Prices are good too! In the old town section of Florence. Cudos to you!!! read more

Very rude safe!! Which is a huge disappointment because the food is great. Had to wait an hour and a half for 1 pizza, Ridiculous! Would not recommend especially to girls. I felt extremely unsafe. read more

A Florence must! Favorite hot dog joint of all time! The hot dog of the month is usually so creative and a surprise to the tastebuds. A little hole in the wall of a place that captures your eye immediately. read more

Dropped in on a whim and SO glad I did! If you love cracker crispy crust- this is your place. Could not have been happier! read more

The Chicago Cafe - The Works - Hot Dogs Near Me - Florence, Alabama

I got the Italian beef sandwich for myself and a sausage flatbread pizza for my son. My beef sandwich was delicious and the pizza was perfect for my son and he really enjoyed. This is an authentic little Chicago style joint that is off the beaten path in Florence. read more

We absolutely devoured here. Best fast food we've had in a while!! An awesome hole in the wall downtown Florence. Made me Anthony Bourdain fr, shoutout to those greasy skaters and poser theater kids in there read more

The Chicago Cafe - J and our drinks - Hot Dogs Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Driving through the area, always in search of good Chicago food we decided to stop here. First off, there's not much to look at. A little hole in the wall type place that you could walk past and not even see it. The decor is old and bland. We ordered a Chicago dog and an Italian beef. The hotdog left a lot to be desired. It definitely was NOT a Chicago hotdog. They didn't use Vienna dogs. The Italian beef was surprisingly pretty good! I've definitely had worse beef sandwiches. I'd give it a 6.5/10. Staff was friendly and helpful. I'd give it 4 stars if the ambiance was updated a little bit. read more

Walking down a cobblestone street and through an ivy-covered entrance into a small but quaint burrow may sound like an adventure only dreamed up in a Tolkien novel, but here we are in river-town Florence, Alabama doing exactly this. One hot dog joint to rule them all, one Google search to find them, adding pizza and sandwiches to bring them all, and on East Mobile Street bind them. read more

I had the Italian and Chicago dog, both delicious!! I think any of the hotdogs would be good!! Great atmosphere! Highly recommend :) read more

The Chicago Cafe - Italian Dog & Chicago Dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Florence, Alabama

I love Chicago café. I love the pizzas and I love the hotdogs also love the Italian beef sandwiches also love the cute little business inside they have a bunch of art which is so cute. The peppers that come on Italian beef arethe best I could literally eat those plain. I also love How they are open till like 2 AM if you could go there when you're drunk, there's a bar next-door super super cozy love love love love Chicago café. read more

This place was fantastic for what it is. Low cost good tasting college type little place. I had the Chicago beef and thought it tasted fantastic. Service was awesome and was just an incredibly easy experience and a good value. read more

Love this little spot. Great hot dogs made to order. They have flatbread pizza and hot sandwiches as well. Prices are great for any budget but it is really nice for the college kid budget. Just minutes from UNA campus. We always stop in here when we visit Florence. read more

See all

Has to be one of my all time favorite hotdogs. Dirt Dogs in LA will always be #1 for all dogs and Devil Dogs in that back alley in Chicago for the authentic Chi Town dog are at the top. This was an unexpected gem in a small town. Next time I am here to visit my daughter at UNA I will be back. read more

The Chicago Cafe - Chili Dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Florence, Alabama

See all

Quick today, professional. Decor is the same, throwback on the music scene. Service is speedy and the place is clean. Good outside seating, as well as some indoor. A paint job is needed in several areas, would help the overall look. read more

See all

Yum!!! Friendly staff and delicious hot dogs! We loved sitting outside and admiring the quaint street in downtown. So glad we took time to visit this place while we visited the area. read more

See all

This place is my LIFESAVER during finals week!! Open super late and the staff are always friendly. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

Sweet lunch stop if you like dogs or sandwiches made to order. Locally owned with quick a d friendly service always. A must see in the shoals read more

A very small cafe located amongst several bars that stays open until 2-3am. I stopped in looking for a quick supper. They specialize in Chicago style hot dogs but I went with the pesto chicken sandwich with kettle chips. The sandwich was a large portion & staff, Donnie & Tyler were both very friendly & helpful. I sat inside but they also had outdoor seating. Prices were very reasonable & service was fast. read more

See all

I love hotdogs but always considered it a party food, never a place I'd go to if I was hungry. I decided to try this place out after hearing so much about it and was seriously not disappointed! I came at a not so busy time so my order came right out. I tried the sweet heat dog which had sriracha mayo, sweet peppers, and a Cajun spice. It also comes with a bag of chips and a drink. Let me tell you, you need to try it. It was so delicious ! The ambiance has a hipster feel to it and it's small and cozy. The workers are so friendly too. I did not notice any particular Covid-19 protocols in place but they have online ordering if one would prefer it. Overall, it was such a great experience and I definitely will go again. read more

Absolutely delicious. I am thrilled that I will be able to go back there next week as I will be back in town again for work and cannot wait to order something else from this restaurant. It was a little difficult to find as it was right next-door to busy Tavern. No worries I did find it and my food was absolutely flavorful and exactly the right portion. If you are in Florence for lunch or dinner or multiple days please visit here often. Also they sell very comfortable T-shirts. read more

This place may look suspecting from the outside but the food is incredible. The chili dog is top notch and the buns are always perfectly toasted. My only complaint is the past 2 times I been there they have had no bratwurst which I feel pair best with some is the dogs. read more

My 1st visit was on 4-28-2021 I was very disappointed. The hot dogs were burnt and shriveled up. I will not be back. Employees were very nice. read more

The Chicago Cafe is definitely a go to place after leaving the bars. There is a large option of perfectly sized pizzas and dogs.

Who knew a hot dog place could be so popular? Stationed next to Wildwood, they compliment each other perfectly. I've ordered the hot wing flat bread pizza and the bartenders (Seth) choice wiener. Both were delicious. My wiener didn't want to stay in the bun, so you may wanna ask for a knife and fork unless you don't mind getting your hands dirty. read more

It's not fancy or expensive, but they can throw together a good hot dog! I really liked "Da Dirty Dog" (bbq sauce, grilled onion, and cheddar cheese), and I don't even like hot dogs! Will definitely be back. So, if you're a hot dog fan, or even of you're not , give them a try. I dont think you'll be disappointed! Oh, and another plus, they have vanilla coke.. it's a dessert in a bottle! So get one of those too! read more

So I ate here last night. Was in town for a training. Was on my way to another spot but this place caught my eye. I thought a Chicago dog in Alabama ... this must be tried. Pretty good. The place is a hole in the wall classic college town hang out but low key. Also cheap 2 dogs for like 6 bucks. read more

Great Chicago dogs and Italian beef sandwiches!!! I've ordered almost everything on the menu and they've all been excellent!!!

Great for a grab and go lunch! The hot dogs are delicious and always made fresh. It doesn't look like much from the outside but don't let that fool you, this is definitely a hidden gem! read more

Went in to order a pizza that I have gotten there probably 15-20 times before. Was told that they could not make it here I have to go next door to order it so they could make it. Told the guy that I had ordered it here many times before and he straight up told me no you haven't. Then asked me who made it for me like I'm on a first name basis with people that work there. Anyways, I ordered a different pizza and sat down to wait. The guy that took my order then proceeded to talk crap about me and my fiancée with another coworker. Calling me entitled bc I tried to order a pizza that I have there many times before... will NEVER set foot in this place again. Pizza tasted like cardboard. read more

Once upon a time, a company created a new profile to try and get away from a negative review. Sometimes people notice. Once upon a time, this was a wonderful place, but it changed owners, and boy did it change. If you can manage to time travel and go there in 2012, do it, if not don't even go. Tonight is the last time I will ever step foot in this restaurant. Maybe theys think it's funny that they can't be bothered to offer enough of your menu for people to pick something. I don't. Of the 8 times I've been in the place, my order has been screwed up, burnt, or they literally haven't known what went on it. I've tried having honest conversations about that. Never once was I offered any recompense other than next time it will be right. And it wasn't and never is. I've eaten the food I actually ordered in the condition I ordered it once. 1 time. I'm done. read more

Some of the best Dogs I had ever eaten. I tried the atomic and chili dog. Loved the atomic dog with the spicy peppers. It definitely was my favorite of the two. The chili dog was overwhelming and very thick. Probably won't get that again but still not a bad dog. Being from out of state can't wait to come back. Perhaps I overlooked it but an option to have a custom hotdog would be amazing as well. Also an addition of french fries or tots would be another great add on aoption. read more

Had the New York Dog, which was loaded with mustard and sauerkraut (be aware, it's pretty wrong stuff). Cool vibe, super cheap. Wish I lived closer... read more

Looked like a neat place to stop and eat. Ordered the hot dog sliders , in bratwurst, the Dixie and another one, they were very very good. Waitress was awesome, friendly, fast. Will go back next time I come to Florence. read more

A great place for an Amazing Dog! Small place, but don't let the size fool you, as the multitude of dog choices pack a Huge Bite! Sweet and Heat, Chili and Cheese and the Chicago are some of my favs. read more

The Chicago Cafe - Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Chili and cheese! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Look for Wildwood Travel . The Chicago hot dog is right there besides it. The best dog I have had for a lot time. No regrets we stopped there. Great personality stuff, good food with home made sauce. Loved it and wish we had one in Birmingham AL. read more

This is absolutely an awesome spot to have some awesome hotdogs. Lots of unique and delicious dogs! Highly recommend the loaded chips and a doggie bites plate! read more

Not great, but it's located conveniently in the middle of all the bars and it's open late; you do the math it's pretty cheap, so if you're looking for a late night snack after a night out, I'd suggest the Italian dog read more