Chicago's 'Most Notorious Hot Dog Stand' Serves Unbelievably Tasty Street Food And Lots Of Profanity

Chicago is full of famous foods. While deep-dish pizzas and Italian beef sandwiches are among its most iconic, no trip to the Windy City is complete without biting into a delicious Chicago-style dog. Of course, with a minefield of tourist traps to avoid in Chicago, and over 1,800 hot dog stands to choose from within its city limits, the hunt for the perfect hot dog spot may be overwhelming. However, there's one spot that stands out among the rest.

Tucked into Chicago's most sought after neighborhood, Lincoln Park, The Wieners Circle is one of the city's most unique hot dog institutions, serving mouthwatering food with a side of sailor-mouthed charm. The decades-old hot dog stand is just as famous for hurling insults at customers as it is for its charred dogs and cheddar-smothered fries. Don't worry, it's all bark and no bite as the workers only dish out playful profanities — unless you try to order ketchup on your hot dog.

Whether it's the smell of freshly-charred hot dogs or the echoes of verbal abuse wafting through the air, The Wieners Circle has been luring in a steady stream of hungry, perhaps slightly masochistic, patrons for decades. Opened in 1983, the inspiration for the hot dog stand's signature sassy service was ignited one evening in 1992 after owner Larry Gold yelled an unserious profanity to get a customer's attention. Since then, the staff's hot-headed antics have heated up the stand's popularity.

While you may not want to bring your pearl-clutching grandmother along, be prepared to be greeted with a generous helping of expletives from the moment you step up to order. It's nothing personal, each insult is served with a smile, and spicy comebacks are always welcome. While the filthy lingo used to be reserved for the debaucherous late night crowd, due to popular demand, the profanities fly freely all day, Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

If you can stomach the insults, biting into The Wieners Circle's delicious dogs is definitely worth the public shaming. Most popular is the Char Dog, an expertly-blackened hot dog straight from the grill, topped with classic Chicago-style fixings including yellow mustard, diced onions, fresh tomatoes, hot peppers, pickle spears, and relish inside a poppy seed bun. If you're not feeling a dog, opt for a juicy Char Burger, or a cheesy basket of Cheddar Fries. They also have vegetarian meat options like the Char Beyond Burger and the Char Beyond Sausage if that's more your style.

For a little liquid courage to fuel your heckling comebacks, you can sip from their selection of beer, seltzers, and mixed drinks. Cocktail offerings include a signature bourbon-based Wiener Slammer, and a classic Chicago Style Dirty Martini to pair with the dirty comments flying from the stand. To keep the drinks flowing, head over to Rainbo Club, a dive bar embodying the essence of Chicago's nightlife as effortlessly as The Wiener Circle embodies the city's thriving hot dog stand scene.