Hot Doug’s Waiting Line

Tried just about all of their dogs, the only complaint I had with this places was the wait, but if you could get their early it is we’ll worth it.
Update: unfortunately I believe this placed has closed, I’m very surprised.

I cannot believe this is gone?!
I’d like you to know that I would have a page long, gleaming review, sad to see it go, I loved trekking over to that part of town and even waiting in line for this place.

I’ll always wonder why close a place where customers line up virtually a mile away to place an order. Oh well… I’m glad we got to experience this place. The foie gras and rattlesnake dogs were quite tasty. I guess I’ll just have to find another place the next time I visit Chicago that matches Doug’s.

Like most others, I’m sad that Hot Doug’s is closed. Their food was good and Doug was a nice guy. But, waiting in a line for several hours for any reason is dumb and crazy.

Hot Doug’s was good but not 4 plus hour wait good. You’re some crazy ass people!!! Good luck Doug in the future.

Waiting sucks, obviously. But the 7 hour wait went faster than you’d imagine. I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe even though I joked about bringing a shank. I didn’t eat or drink, just listened to Howard Stern on my phone and played on my iPad.
Doug is one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met in my life and I’m so glad I got to support his business, even though I had to sleep for 3 days straight to make up for it. If you get a chance, go wait in line tonight for the last day of business.

I made sure to come back to Chicago to try to get one last dog before this epic meat emporium closed, but the line has been insane. I thought maybe my tattoo would help me to be able to get near the front of the line, but I didn’t try (I figured there were probably already a bunch of other tattoos that tried the same thing) Good luck to Doug, and thank you for making amazing dogs and meals. Now back to California, but at least they have Portillios there and I can get some good dogs there. Rest In Peace!

This is the last week Hot Doug’s will be open so I was expecting a long line — maybe about a 3 hour wait. I got there at 9:30 AM. Hot Doug’s opens at 10:30 AM. I disappointingly got there too late because at the end of the line was a ‘closed’ sign and one of the Hot Doug’s employees turning people away. I was so sad especially because one of the reasons I was in Chicago was Hot Doug’s. Wishing Doug all the best in his next adventure whatever it may be.

On a Foodie Crawl through Chicago last weekend, Hot Doug’s was definitely on our itinerary! I had heard quite a lot of buzz of growing wait times as the closing day drew closer, so we decided to give up some sleep in order to get there pretty early. I know this doesn’t help folks anticipate wait times this week or next, but as a point of reference, last Friday (9/​19, 2 weeks before Doug’s last day), my friend and I joined the end of the line at 8:45am and were ordering at 11:45am, leaving the joint at 12:15pm. For you math-​challenged, that was a 3-​hour wait. We met some lovely locals both ahead and behind us and fell into some fun conversation (s). The time really does pass quickly, and we were lucky that the temperatures were ideal: not too hot, not too cold and by the time it started warming up, we were in the shade of the building.
Definitely bring snacks!!! Friend and I (reminder that we were visiting for a foodie crawl) stopped by Xoco which was close to our hotel and grabbed some churros and empanadas to eat in the line. It was the perfect holdover so we could still enjoy some of the famous «encased meats» by the time we got there :)
It was worth it to me to stand in a 3-​hour line for my first and only taste of Doug’s before it closes forever. It was a Chicago institution, and i can now say I «braved the lines». Not sure our ambitious itinerary could have withstood anything longer than the 3 hours we waited, but lots of luck to the hoards of Chicagoans who are making their last pilgrimage!
Oh, and they are filming a documentary of HD’s last days, so if you do decide to brave the line, you might become famous!!! :)

Stood in this line for six hours today. I met some really cool people and had some very interesting conversations. Waiting in line is defiantly apart of the experience!

Lines don’t get much better than this!
They don’t deliver lines nor can you have take out lines.
Lines can only be had person.
No leftover lines to take home to save for breakfast the next day.
Free line samples daily

I am writing this review in what seems to be my last moments in this world to warn those who are in search of the mystical mini logs of meat. This line tests the patience and endurance of the toughest of the tough. I fear that I myself may not make it to the front. The magical establishment known as Hot Doug’s still looks to be as far as Narnia itself. Rest assured, it is not all for nothing. I have met and conversed with many travelers from all walks of life and learned many things. I even met the love of my life in this line. We spent our days talking and sharing with each other our plans for what we’lI do after our journey is over. We kept each other company and supported each other. So many others quit while we kept each other going. We later fell in love and soon after, she gave birth to two beautiful baby boys, Samuel and Alexander. They are now about to be fathers themselves. As I pondered my life while watching the seasons pass ever so slowly, I always wondered if I have sacrificed too much for this goal. But my mind is getting hazy now and I have forgotten almost everything except this line and the dream. I started this out with so much energy and drive. However, it seems that my children’s children will have to carry on my legacy.

I was hoping this Unilocal might help me gauge my time but didn’t really help so here’s my review.
If you’re in front of the alley, I’m guessing it’s around 2.5 hour wait. (Obviously this depends on if other people are saving spots for their friends or if people order an obnoxious amount of food).
——
Got in line at 10am on a Monday. The line was already about 30 – 40 people past the alley. Once they started letting people in, we got in front of the alley around 10:45am. Decided to leave.
Came back around 1pm to grab our cars after eating and saw the guy behind us just in front of the door (guessing it’s another 20 – 30 minutes from there to ordering).

Don’t think I can give a waiting line more than 3 stars unless there is some sort of entertainment provided. Get in line early. I got there around 9:20, got a pretty decent spot in line, and was able to order by 11:15. If you can get there by 9, you can probably order/​eat by 11:00. If it’s rainy, bring a good umbrella, but not one too heavy or your arm will get tired. You can bring a camping chair, but that can be a little obnoxious (but who cares, right?). Bring a book, music, anything to keep you entertained. And just get in the mood — the mood for encased meats.

Waiting in line definitely makes you feel as though you’ve earned your sausage!

Have you ever had a mystical dream of a magical encased meat coming to you in the future? Well, get in line! The waiting list for such magical drama exists!
First, you will start at the end. I know, I know, not a brethren of a dream boat goal in life– but soon, very close to the like of a sodium bicarbonate covered in a hot fire fume, the line will explode behind you.
Then, conversations start. This is where you meet people from across the country, literally crossing the country, except stopping at Hot Doug’s first. They will be excited as you are personally, while verbally vocalizing their future dreamy Hot Doug destinies.
You probably thought the reason you spent your entire day in line was to eat at Hot Doug’s. Well you were right. But the line, get this, ACTUALLY ADDS to the experience. It adds about three hours, but also friendship and ups and downs and all the things that life is made of.
Waiting in line is more ideally termed as «Positive dreaming of magical consumption is near in your future.» Or perhaps more like a Chinese fortune cookie reading «Big meat logs in buns to come to you soon. 12 4 98 7»
The end