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American dinerLincoln Park
The Wieners Circle in Chicago is the Lincoln Park late-night hot dog counter on Clark Street, open since 1983, famous for the staff-and-customer banter past.
OrderChar dog with everything; cheese fries on the side. A chocolate milkshake to walk home.
TipThe shouting is the show. If you are not up for the banter, the daytime queue is exactly the same dog without the audience.
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AmericanRiver Grove
Gene & Jude's in River Grove is the 1946 hot-dog stand on River Road, west of Chicago: no ketchup, no tomato, no cheese, no chairs, just dogs.
OrderDouble dog with the works (mustard, relish, onion.
TipFries are tucked into the same paper as the dog. Eat them off the dog as you go, that is the point of the design.
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TaqueriaWicker Park Bucktown
Big Star in Chicago is the One Off Hospitality taco room at Six Corners on Damen, with an outdoor patio, a frozen margarita machine and tacos al pastor.
OrderThree al pastor tacos, a frozen margarita, chips with the smoky tomato salsa.
TipThe patio queue is long in summer. The walk-up window pays out a perfectly good takeaway dinner in five minutes.
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Mexican TaqueriaLittle Village
La Chaparrita in Chicago is the Little Village taqueria off 26th Street with handmade-tortilla tacos from a small storefront counter, run by the Loera family.
OrderSuadero and tripa tacos, with a sip of agua de jamaica.
TipCash only. The salsas at the counter are unmarked; ask which is the hottest and start there.
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BelgianAndersonville
Hopleaf in Chicago is the Andersonville Belgian beer bar on Clark since 1992, with moules frites, a 200-bottle Belgian list and the cashew-butter-and-fig.
OrderMoules frites with the Belgian-frites mayo. CB&J sandwich for the table.
TipThe back dining room takes walk-ups only. Aim for 17:00 on Sunday to land it for dinner without waiting.
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American BBQEast Side
Calumet Fisheries in Chicago is the East Side smokehouse on the 95th Street bridge since 1948, with smoked chub, fried perch and shrimp wrapped in butcher.
OrderSmoked chub by the piece and a fried perch fillet plate.
TipCash only, no seating. Walk to the bridge and eat the chub on the railing watching the boats; that is the meal.