I am addressing some comments from many people:
"Superdawg is too expensive!"Superdawg has their own secret recipe for their Superdawgs, which are 6 to a pound hot dogs. No other hot dog stand, anywhere, serves a Superdawg. It's one-of-a-kind and is 100% pure beef.
Other famous hot dog joints like Gene & Jude's use Vienna's mass-produced hot dogs and are 12 to a pound. Half the weight of a Superdawg. I've heard people over the years saying that Superdawg is too expensive... so I personally called a dozen famous Vienna hot dog joints in the Chicago area (North, South, East, West and some suburbs) and they all use 12 to a pound dogs.
Considering that you would need to buy two hot dogs or one double dog from Gene & Jude's to equal one Superdawg, it makes Superdawg a few cents cheaper! Don't forget that Superdawg also includes an order of fries, as do some other hot dog joints, but not all of the ones I called did.
FYI: Vienna NEVER produced Superdawg's Hot Dogs.
Steaming a hot dog is the original and only way to cook a Vienna Chicago Hot Dog.
A Chicago-style hot dog doesn't dictate how the hot dog is cooked. As long as the hot dog contains ALL of these ingredients:
An all-beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun, top with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, fresh tomato slices or wedges, sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt.
NOTE: Superdawg DOES NOT serve the traditional "Chicago Dog." It's missing the celery salt and has a pickled green tomato wedge instead of fresh red tomato slices.
ABOUT SUPERDAWG
Drive in, park, and order from your car. You press the button on the menu board, and the control tower inside will answer to take your food order. When the meal is ready, a carhop comes out and delivers your food to your car on a tray that hangs from the glass of your side windows that is partially opened. It's just some awesome fun. Of course, "rookies" can go inside to order and then sit at a table inside or at one of the canopy tables outside.
When you are finished eating and wish to have the tray and your garbage taken away so you can leave, you flip a switch on the menu board, and the car-hop comes back to get the tray. I personally tip the carhop when my food order is brought out to my car, ensuring a quick tray pickup.
On most weekends, you'll find antique, vintage, and old muscle cars parked in the lot. Totally worth the trip!
Superdawg brings a red ketchup squeeze bottle on their tray and salt and napkins to your car's window.
When you are finished eating and wish to have the tray and your garbage taken away so you can leave, you flip a switch on the menu board, and the car-hop comes back to get the tray. I personally tip the carhop when my food order is brought out to my car, ensuring a quick tray pickup.
On most weekends, you'll find antique, vintage, and old muscle cars parked in the lot. Totally worth the trip!
Superdawg brings a red ketchup squeeze bottle on their tray and salt and napkins to your car's window.
THE HISTORY OF SUPERDAWG
In May of 1948, Superdawg was established at the corner of Milwaukee, Devon, and Nagle in Chicago. Superdawg continues to be family-owned and operated in the same location today.
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Superdawg was under construction in 1948. |
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Maurie & Flaurie |
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Superdawg - August 20, 1963. |




It was not a wiener — not a frankfurter — not a red hot — but their own exclusive SUPERDAWG. On a poppy seed bun, they place the hot dog {no pork, no veal, no cereal, no fillers}, formally dressed with all the trimmings {golden mustard, tangy piccalilli, kosher dill pickle, sour green tomato wedge, chopped Spanish onions and memorable hot peppers}, escorted by their often imitated, but never equaled, Superfries.In 1948, the Milwaukee and Devon store opened at the end of the streetcar line. The forest preserve and Whealan Pool across the street made the area a great destination for swimming families and cruising teens. Kids could ride the streetcar for a nickel and stop at Superdawg, where a Superdawg sandwich and drink cost only 32¢. On their way home, they often stop and ask what they could buy for a dime. If they were a few cents short, Maurie and Flaurie would give them what they wanted and tell them to bring the money back the next time they stopped, which they never failed to do.

In the early 1950s, the "carhop in a wire" electronic speaker system was installed, and Maurie designed the glowing blue "control tower" where the carhop sits to answer the switchboard and take orders. As Superdawg grew into a successful business, Maurie and Flaurie found time to raise their family of three children (although not on Whoopercheesies alone).
Superdawg Drive-In opened a restaurant at 5110 N Western, Chicago in the 1950.
The Superdawg trademark was registered in 1984. Throughout the years, small changes have been made to the menu, like the addition of the Whoopskidawg in 1989 and the Superchic in 1991. However, the Superdawg recipe, the original trademark figures (continuing to flirtatiously wink at each other), and the drive-in concept have not changed. Customers can still order from their car and have a carhop deliver their order on a tray. Maurie and Flaurie's attention to quality products and service, preparing each customer's meal to order, affirming the belief that the customer is always right, and insisting that the customer should always be treated like family, continues today.
In 1999, Superdawg underwent a makeover while retaining the original building and spirit. The classic '40s drive-in was updated with the addition of neon-studded canopies across the parking lot, a crisp new speaker system, and a cozy indoor dining room. The original rooftop figures were refurbished to continue serving as a Chicago landmark for years to come.
In May of 2009, the ground was broken for a second location 11 miles north on Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling, IL. Every effort was taken to recreate the look and feel of the Milwaukee and Devon location. The blue tower, the canopies on the parking lot, the ordering speakers, the neon and diamonds along the building and canopies, the tile inside and most importantly, the trademark Maurie and Flaurie figures on the roof all were painstakingly incorporated into the plans. Much of the equipment was custom-built as well. Over the next six months, anticipation grew for a new Superdawg to open. In January 2010, Maurie, Flaurie, and the rest of the family were proud to open the Wheeling, Illinois, restaurant.
Since 1948, Maurie, Flaurie, their children and grandchildren have scrupulously adhered to one goal: "always to serve you in a manner that will make you want to return – and bring your friends, and new generations, with you." From the bottom of our pure beef hearts... THANKS FOR STOPPING®.
Maurie Berman died from heart issues on May 17, 2015, at 89 years old.

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Even the Oscar Meyer guys know where to get the best hot dogs! |





Maurie Berman died from heart issues on May 17, 2015, at 89 years old.
Superdawg Chicago on the Travel Channel's Hot Dog Paradise
by Superdawg
Edited by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
Edited by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
Our go to place for hot dogs. Its the best!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful post, Neil! As a third generation member of the Superdawg family, thank you, and thanks for stopping! I do need to correct an important point..our Superdawg is not made by Vienna Beef. It is 6 to a pound, all beef, and made to our special proprietary recipe, and of course, you can’t eat one anywhere else but at our Chicago or Wheeling stand. Thanks again, from the bottom of our pure beef heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura for your assistance. I removed the portion that was incorrect. BTW... I have your wonderful sweatshirt. Everytime I wear it, here in the Illinois Metro - St. Louis Area, People keep asking me about Superdawg.
DeleteIf we remember correctly, from back when I 1st worked there, the original Flukey's hotdog, circa 1967, was 8 to the pound.
ReplyDeleteI have a t-shirt that I put on in my town of Carlsbad Ca. Always get a thumbs up from a past Chicagoan
ReplyDeleteWhen I was active on Yelp, Superdawg got a 3-star rating from me. I stopped in with my dad [R.I.P.] after one of his regular medical appointments at Resurrection Hospital's Professional Building.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the larger size of the hot dog, but had the feeling that patrons here were not here for the hot dog. Being quite familiar with 'exploitation moviemakers', I perceived this was a still-existing adaptation of “Selling the sizzle, not the steak” {| sausage}. There were | are places out here offering better hot dogs. But I certainly cannot criticize Superdawg for being successful with this scheme.
When you have a blind taste test; a Superdawg vs. Vienna, Superdawg has taste, and Vienna doesn't, no matter how it is prepared, steamed, boiled, char-broiled, or other methods.
DeleteThanks Neil for the thorough description and review of Superdawg. Always a pleasure visiting your web site.
ReplyDeleteAh, Superdawg. We didn't live in the neighborhood, but our family doctor was on Milwaukee, and if we were very good (didn't make a fuss about getting a shot), Mom would take us there, after a visit. Loved 'em then, love 'em now.
ReplyDeleteOne thing, though: I swear that when I was a kid, Maurie was dressed in a Superman costume. When I came back, years later, he was dressed as he is now. Was that real, or a figment of my childish imagination?
My dad Rudy worked there in 1982-84 and it was and still is a legendary story in his life. Mustard, relish, onion, pickle, pepper.. we grew up saying that!
ReplyDelete