Hot G Dog, Chicago

When legendary Chicago eatery Hot Doug's doled out its last dog in 2014, it left a giant, hot dog-shaped hole in the hearts of countless fans. A few months later, in April 2015, an unassuming hot dog joint named Hot "G" Dog opened in Uptown looking eerily similar to Hot Doug's—and with good reason. With Doug Sohn's blessing, former Hot Doug's cooks Octavio and Juan Carlos Garcia established their own hot dog operation on North Clark St.

Hot "G" Dog—the "G" stands for Garcia—replicates much of Hot Doug's decor, vibe, and menu, right down to the duck-fat fries, which Chicago Reader's Aimee Levitt describes as "crisp on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and magnificent all over." The Garcia brothers have also restored many other Hot Doug's creations, including the popular thuringer with pork, beef, and garlic and the spicy andouille sausage.