Sam’s Red Hots
2375 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647
Sam’s Red Hots Menu
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Address :
2375 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL, 60647 - Phone
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Lou C.
Standard order: polish w/onions and mustard (fries are included) and tamale My first polish was from Sam's when I was, probably, 10 years old in 1980. Although I'll order a polish at another place if I'm with a group and there is no other choice, no one...NO ONE makes a better polish than Sam's.
(5)Dave K.
Decent Chicago dog at this shack. Great price at $3.45 with fries (menu said $3.15 by whatever). Fast service, probably more of a drunk meal than your typical must-try Chicago. If you're in the mood for a fast take out, away from crowds, easy parking, grub your heart, Sam's Red Hots is a great option C or D.
(3)Edward R.
Been coming here since I was a kid! Love smelling the hot dog smell before you get there, their prices are good on the pockets too. If your in bucktown looking for some great tasting polishes/hotdogs then you need to come here.
(5)Justin B.
$3.30 (that's WITH tax!) for a hot dog and fries? Obviously, Sam's isn't Hot Doug's but if you are just hankering for a dog and some old-skool krinkle-cut fries, it's really hard to beat this deal. The space isn't exactly high on the hygiene scale, but when you do a walk-up window at a dumpy-looking hut, you should know what you are getting into.
(3)Eva G.
Can't beat these prices, and best polish sausage and crinkle fries in town. Yeah it's a little sketchy, but I've been coming here for 25 years never had a bad experience.
(4)Kim J.
This place is awesome! Their polish is the best... We drive from the burbs just to eat here, literally. Don't let the exterior scare you. I don't know why their hot dogs and fries taste so good they just do. Good value for the money as well.
(5)Brenda V.
I love their hot dog w/fries. I've been coming here for a long time. This is the only place that I buy my hot dog. The best thing about getting your hot dog is taking it back to your car and eating it there. I so recommend this place.
(5)Paul S.
No care taken, just get the for our as fast as possible, should be better for price point, they didn't put celery salt on a Chicago dog
(1)Greg H.
I live nearby Sam's Red Hots but choose to walk further to Red Hot Ranch. The hot dogs at Sam's Red Hots are average and judging from the exterior I have concerns about food quality and cleanliness (I've spotted rats quite a few times...). Play it safe and walk to Red Hot Ranch for a better hot dog and some cheesy fries.
(1)Lupe D.
Not gonna lie, I've questioned the whole health issue regarding this hot dog stand myself, and yet we've been going to Sam's pretty much my entire life and I'm still here!! I think there were a few years in between that I stopped going because I got a bad batch of french fries - but I eventually missed those damn hot dogs and now I've returned. I usually get a hot dog from Sam's at least a few times a year. This place is pretty cheap too! Each dog/polish comes with a healthy amount of fries (enough for 2 people if you ask me). The french fries are best when they first come out of the grease (i will not speculate as to the age of the grease). Pizza puffs? Tamales? can't comment as to the taste cause I don't really eat them, but they are your standard hot dog stand type - the puff is deep fried, flaky type pie - tamale is that steamed cornmeal prepackaged deal... Pretty limited menu. Shack or not, for this place to be around for decades has to mean something...I know I keep going back...I'm hooked...or immune to the bacteria. :-D
(3)Mrs. M.
perfection on chicago dogs + crinkle cut fries EVERY DOGGONE TIME!
(5)Christina G.
My husband and I can eat here, be full, and spend about $5.50 total. The portions are generous, the hot dogs are good, and I love those crinkle fries. The menu is limited - hot dog, polish, pizza puff, tamale - but the cheap prices draw me in every time. As some other commenters mentioned, this is literally just a hot dog stand - no inside area for customers to sit. Have yourself a cheap date, grab some hot dogs, and head to Margies Candies just across the street for dessert. Yum.
(5)Ashley F.
I don't know how this place is passing health codes, I see rats creeping in the back door. The staff probably keeps them as pets. Disgusting and not even good food. Go elsewhere.
(1)Cher M.
So it's the middle of the night and my cranky little sister is demanding food as we walk toward the blue line. Then, out of nowhere like a mirage, is Sam's Red Hots! "How about a hot dog?" I asked her, and her face lit up like a freaking Christmas tree. I was so relieved to find food that would get her to chillax for a second...it was like icing on the cake to discover the food was pretty good. It's no Hot Dougs, but worth it. Cheap too. Wouldn't go out of my way to come back here, but if I'm in the neighborhood, you can bet I'll be at Sam's.
(3)Steve J.
Well the downward slide continues. If you're a hardcore thug-gangbanger, Sam's is the place for you. You can chase all your rivals across the street on Western or even hassle some normal neighborhood types. Seriously, the staff is rude, dirty and they all could use some time outside their trailer homes. Place had potential but obviously the owner (who's never around) just doesn't care. I am done giving Sam's any more of my hard-earned money.
(1)Sammy S.
Best Hot Dog stand you can find in all the city of chicago! My father introduce us to his favorite place when we were kids and since then I will too take my kids there when I have them. My Dad calls this place and we all do too " The Presidential " it sounds more awesome :) Although its tough to stand and wait for your food in the cold, it adds a cool feeling. Your in the heart of Chicago's West side getting a great Vienna hotdog!!!! nuf said!
(5)Danny W.
I have since returned to Sam's and it was everything I thought it would be. That's to say, I got an assload of food for $2.50.
(5)Jenny z.
Have a raging post election hangover like me and you are stone-cold broke? 2 hangover curing Vienna Beef dogs with mustard, sport peppers, onions and fries? $5.40 cents. It's kind of hard to beat it. Old school, simple condiments, fries rolled up with your dog in wax paper and delivered to the window in about 2 minutes flat...fantastic! Dogs are very tasty, the polish and tamales aren't bad either. Fries are only really good when they are piping hot, but they aren't bad. Open late, friendly staff, a great stop for a quick greasy bite, hungover or not.
(4)Eric H.
o.k. imagine the "beautiful" twin sisters from the Simpson's Cartoon. Only one is fat and the other is crank/ meth skinny and missing teeth. Well, actually don't picture them. Just keep looking forward...... No don't do that! Avert your gaze to the dirty old plastic tiny toy figures piled around the shack's window. Because to look at any thing else- including the ladies preparing your polish- will make you lose your appetite causing you to miss out on one of Chicago's BEST polish sausages!!!! Yes, keep focused on the plastic toys. Don't look that their hands especially the long yellowed talons that both the ladies have, but if you do accidentally , don't throw-up, but consider their usefulness for perhaps spearing your polish before it might fall to the ground of the shack's floor that must be dirtier than the bottom of the deepest most stagnant Louisiana Bayou. Oh and order ketchup on the fries( the packets are too skimpy) and ask for plenty of hot peppers. And don't worry about the Insane Unknowns or their parent gang, the Latin Kings that hang out in the parking lot like the Sopranos hung out at the Bada Bing. The parking lot is neutral ground. The only thing you have to fear is salmonella. But hey, I've been eating here for years and have never had a problem, but then again I'm healthy and I work out. Fat People be warned. And if you can't take it, then go back to the suburbs or to Revolution Brewery( one in the same) where every body uses words like "yummy" , "de-lish" "to-die-for", "awesome!, and "fantastic!"
(5)Jenn D.
I tried giving this place a few tries since I grew up in the nighborhood. My final straw was when I went to order a hot dog & fries & the lady was coughing all over the place while preparing my food ! Ugh... Then when I looked at the hot dog, it had nail indentations from her. Just seems very unclean.
(1)Angie B.
The hot dogs are decent and you get a huge bag of fries. There is a small parking lot next to it but there are huge potholes. Cash only.
(3)Brittany C.
I did not know the name of this place. I can't really say what street it's on expect "Close to my Walgreens: "I can't really describe the place other than "I think it's red and yellowish". I can, however, tell you that the hot dogs are great, the fries are greasy, you get a big bang for your buck, and its open nice and late. Chicago in a bun. Mmmm.
(4)Prashant S.
The dog was ok. I asked for everything and it was still missing the tomato and pickle! A lot of fries, and the fries were good and crispy..
(2)Joe S.
Leaning towards James M. and Harry P. Drove past it a million times...happened to be working across the street. Hot dogs sneak their way into my dietary habits when convenient and when crunched for time. I always hope for at least something that somewhat represents tradition. No...pickle, celery salt, tomato. Yes...crinkle cut fries and (yes) no ketchup packets. Order looked like it was stomped into the bag with a snow boot. Nice piece of real estate it's sitting on for not trying at all.
(1)Jennifer S.
Hot dogs...polish... french fries.. .need I say more?? This place is the best. I have been coming here for years.. Prices are decent and the wait generally isnt that bad..only a few minutes unless they happen to be crowded. Great for a stop to pick up something quick. A must try...
(5)Herminia I.
If you're looking for a true Chicago hot dog go elsewhere. But if you're looking for a good hot dog/polish/pizza puff/fries this is the best place to stop. I will warn you, it looks like a shack, but trust me I have been eating here since I was three years old and I still love coming back! While it may just seem like a boiled Vienna in a regular bun, there's something about how they serve it--i just can't put my finger on it. Maybe its that the bun is so steamed that it sticks to the hot dogs, or how they roll it up with your fries so you always end up with fries in your dog. There is seriously nothing more satisfying than a red hot from Sam's on a cold, dreary day. The fries are always perfectly crisp, and so are the pizza puffs. Seriously, if you're in the area and want a quick, cheap and yummy meal stop at Sam's. But remember it is a shack so be prepared to eat standing or in your car.
(5)Kelsey K.
It's a normal, run-of-the-mill hot dog stand. It's cheap, close to my house, and it seems to be relatively clean. The one thing that I would really like to see change about this place is that they boil their dogs and then keep them in a steam chamber. As a person who eats dogs about 2 times a year, I like to save these occasions for the nice, plump, grilled dogs... but I'd still go back here, not gonna lie.
(3)Paula L.
I originally wanted to give this place 3 stars, but took a star away because of the hygiene factor. My husband & I live in the neighborhood and passed by here many times. We were low on groceries so stopped by. Hot dog & fries. Not great, not horrible. What was horrible was the lady that took our order used the same hand to handle the money as well as hold the hot dog bun. I don't even want to think about what else she touched with those hands. We were starving so ate the food anyway.....at least we didn't get food poisoning.
(2)Marshall G.
First time I tried this place the lady wiped her mouth right before preparing the hot dog and I threw it away. The fries were okay but definitely nothing authentic. There was nowhere to sit so I guess you are supposed to eat it on the road or bring it home. I gave this place another try and although the attendant didn't do anything visibly disgusting, the hot dog was definitely nothing special. There's a McDonalds opening up behind it in a few months and I would be surpised if this place is still in business in a year as the only purpose of this place seems to be to provide cheap fast food. The only reason I included more than 1 star is because it is relatively cheap.
(2)Mike P.
Finally someone took the time to put this place on Yelp. Thanks, Nicole R. Sam's is a Bucktown institution, having been in the same spot for 25 years. But for Gene and Jude's in River Grove, Sam's probably has the best dog in Chicago. I don't like the "Chicago Style" dogs as much as I just like a good all beef hot dog, boiled right with a steamed bun, mustard, relish, and peppers. That's what you get at Sam's. It's a solid, solid dog. Also, I don't even like fries, but I eat Sam's fries. Sam's is the perfect example of "simple done right". If you're near there, I recommend grabbing a dog. Beats the Wiener Circle hands down.
(5)Natalie L.
I can't believe no one's rated this place yet! I can't even find a phone number for it. Sam's is on the corner of Milwaukee, Armitage, and Western, and is a little shack of a place with a sliding window for service. It's run by two cool older ladies who really look after you--they gave me advice regarding the fry order size and didn't try to upsell me, they gave me a tamale from the fridge when they didn't have enough warm ones ready, put it in a separate bag and told me how to microwave it when I got home, and told me to look out when this sketchy homeless crackhead guy was hovering around me and I wasn't paying attention. I really felt like they cared, which is so rare in the service industry nowadays. As for the hot dogs--they are, hands down, the best I've had in Chicago, full of flavor and done up just the right way. The fries are great and keep well on the walk home--plus they give you a boatload with each hot dog for the low price of something like $2.25. The tamales are good for the premade kind, and the pizza puffs are the best ever, flaky and tasty. It's even open pretty late, 12:30 on the weekends (not sure about weekdays). This is the quintessential Chicago hot dog stand. I can't recommend it more highly.
(5)Greg F.
SAM'S - your one-stop for french fries take a quick pit stop in their little lot (driving through the McDonalds lot to get to it demonstrating priorities) and say as i do to the lady sliding open the window--large order of fries you'll get a positively huge hot paper bag, pay but a pittance, that'll keep you reaching in for another after another, until about this time tomorrow there's no better deep-fried carbohydrate & sodium chloride fix known to man alternate proven method: roll-up to SAM'S on your 2-wheeler, have handlebar basket at the ready to deposit product, eat a fry or 2 every block riding and continue pedaling until all calories put to good use
(4)Ernie C.
My favorite polish sausage/french fries in all Chicago. I've been coming here since I was a kid and it is located just a block away from the Western Avenue Blue Line stop. I am not the grilled onions type, so I love my polish sausage with raw onions, relish and mustard. They always hit the spot whether I am tipsy or just craving one of their famous polish sausage. I forgot to mention the crinkle cut french fries, to die for. Most people may not agree about the "best polish sausage" remark, but you do have to admit, they are delicious.
(5)Brian S.
Basic food fast. If you're looking for the true Chicago style dog you won't find it here. "Everything" at Sam's equals mustard, relish, onion and sport peppers. Tomato, pickle, celery salt and poppy seed buns aren't part of the equation. It's still a solid, boiled Vienna Beef hot dog, but I think their Polish is better (if you don't mind chopped raw onions instead of grilled). It has a pretty nice snap to it. Fries come with the dog or Polish, and are wrapped in wax paper with your sausage. They're the crinkle cut variety and the quality varies. Sometimes they'll be extra crisp, other days they'll be a bit limp and soggy. Due to the fries being rolled up with the dog the presentation is lacking. The bun ends up getting smashed a bit and some of the condiments end up falling off the dog when you unroll the wrapper, but again this is basic street food. Hot Doug's is a couple miles up the road if you want a high end sausage. Their pizza puff is actually my favorite menu item. Deep fried and flaky, the paper sleeve it comes in is always spotted with grease. The lady always says "it's gonna be five minutes for da puff, is dat OK wit chu?". Yes, yes it is. There's usually at least one or two cars idling out front, but a tiny parking lot behind Sam's has enough room for 4 or 5 vehicles. There's no seating here, not even a high counter to lean on like they have down at Jim's Original by UIC, so be prepared to eat your food while sitting on the trunk of your car or just take it home.
(3)Andrew M.
So incredibly, sadly, almost unbelievably disappointing. I love small food stands, I've had some incredible food from them. But "Sam's Red Hots" can't even get a hot dog right - and that's pretty much all they do. This place wouldn't even measure up to a Little League concession stand. This is Chicago, there are two iconic sausages associated with our city: the Chicago Dog and the Maxwell Street Polish. Sam's menu consists of a hot dog, a polish (both come with fries) and a tamale. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE PROPER INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A CHICAGO DOG OR A MAXWELL ST POLISH!!! No tomatoes, no pickle, no sport peppers, no celery salt, no grilled onions.... And their buns are mushy and plain, no poppy seeds. Lastly, their fries. Ugh. Those fat crinkle cut frozen things. Very under cooked and even under seasoned. It kills me when fast food joints can't get fries right, almost worse than screwing up an egg. If you only do a couple of things you have to do it right.
(1)Steve D.
This is the hot dog stand I mentioned in my first review of the Map Room. I did not know its name until Wednesday. (This is understandable. Any venue named "Sam's" could be in the scope of the big-budget bullies from Arkansas, which thinks it has a copyright on the name.) (I also think the address is wrong. I believe it is actually 2345 W. I will communicate with Yelp administration.) This time, I had the polish. Sam's uses Vienna Beef for *all* of its sausages, including the polish. The Vienna polish is average. In my vista, a polish should not merely be a larger size (this was an eight). It should have some spicing in it (cumin?). But the sausage itself is well-cooked. It is chewy without being too taut. I tend to agree with our Yelper who opined that the crinkle-cut french fries are Ore-Ida [a store brand]. You will not eat all of them, regardless of whether you like them soft or crunchy. They're that variable. I would give Sam's a 3 1/2-star rating if I could because it is a good, filling base at a reasonable price for your imminent beer consumption at the Map Room. Re: "Outdoor Seating": It is *all* outdoors, but there is no seating. Transit options: You're within staggering distance from the Blue Line "L" Western station. The #49 Western bus also runs all the time. The #56 Milwaukee bus runs northbound until 1:54 am. The #X49 runs weekday daylight hours. The #73 Armitage bus runs until 10:00 pm.
(3)Sam M.
Pass. Does'nt even resemble a chicago dog. Fries were terrible. Just go to Redhot Ranch if your in this area. It's not a Chicago dog, but it kills this place.
(2)Mr. T.
I grew up on Sam's hot dogs! Even though I'm vegan now, I still like to go for the fries occasionally. There is nothing else like them... and they'll do 'em extra crispy (and even without salt) on request. One of these days, I'm going to take my own Smart Dog veggie frank and ask them to dress it for me... They do hot dogs right -- just mustard, onions (raw), relish and asport peppers. Simple and classic.
(5)Cindy D.
ehhh - just ok pizza puff. Deep fried way too much, but overall good value I guess.
(3)Ann J.
My favorite hot dog joint in the neighborhood.
(5)Lizzie M.
My family and I grew up in Bucktown and been coming to this place for over 40 years. I would get out of school everyday and get a bag of fries and share with my bestie or get a polish and fries and share. Now that I'm in my 30's and no longer living in the midwest, everytime I come into town the first stop I make is Sam's. I love this place and it has the best dogs, polish, pizza puffs, and tamales. But no ketchup at this place. That's a east coast thing (I live in the east coast now lol) I hate ketchup. lol You must try this place and trust that you won't be disappointed.
(5)Jess S.
What can you really say about a hot dog stand? Not too much. Hot dogs - mmm. Fries - mmmm. Grease late at night - mmmm. What is special: I always seem to witness drug deals on the sidewalk behind the place. Not surprising for that Armitage/Western/Milwaukee area (if anyone remembers what it used to resemble). Yay drugs!
(3)