Redhot Ranch
Hot dog stand · Logan Square
2449 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Highlights
Affordable smash burgers, Chicago-style dogs, and hand-cut fries.
Affordable smash burgers, Chicago-style dogs, and hand-cut fries.
"What To Get: Hot dog (Chicago-style) with fries, Depression Dog, a side of cheese sauce for the fries. What To Know: Having opened in 2005, Redhot is one of the city’s newer stands but they brought the Depression Dog (an all-beef dog on a plain bun topped with yellow mustard, onions, and hot sport peppers) back from obscurity. There are multiple cash-only locations, but the Logan Square one is open until midnight every day." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen, veda kilaru
"Red Hot Ranch is one of the best places for a cheap lunch or your last stop after a night out. The counter-service Bucktown location is small and has a couple of picnic tables underneath some train tracks that feel very “Chicago”—assuming your baseline definition is “constantly being serenaded by the Blue Line.” Their burger is smashed thin with crispy edges, and is one of the best in its price range (a double cheeseburger and fries is less than $8). The menu also includes a Depression Dog, as well as milkshakes and fried shrimp by the pound. Just know, it's cash only." - john ringor, adrian kane, nick allen
"Drunken stupors and grease go together like … hot dogs and fries? Unlike ketchup, dumping a pile of potatoes on top of a wiener is something Chicagoans fully support. Get the aforementioned Depression Dog, one of the best burgers in Chicago, jumbo fried shrimp, and more at this beloved no-frills joint. There’s outdoor seating under the “L” tracks. A second outpost is located in Lakeview." - Jeffy Mai
"In a world filled with wagyu burgers, nothing is quite as satisfying as a straightforward burger you can eat with one hand that costs less than $10 and comes with fries. That’s what you’ll find at Red Hot Ranch, which has locations in Lakeview, Bucktown, and on 35th Street. This cash-only spot has a short menu of mostly burgers, and what you want to get is the Red Hot Double. It’s two patties, pickles, LTO, and American cheese on a squishy bun that practically melts in your mouth. And those salty fries will beg you to order a vanilla shake to dip them in, and you should listen." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"Not only does beloved late-night haunt Redhot Ranch sling what many consider to be the most exceptional burgers in town, it also offers one of the biggest bargains. The beef gets smashed down onto the griddle to give it a good sear. Then, modeled after In-N-Out’s commitment to quality, the kitchen adds fresh lettuce, onions, tomato, cheese, and special sauce. A bag of fries is also included with every order. Best of all, a double cheeseburger is less than $7. A second location is in Lakeview, and ownership owns 35th Street Red Hots near Sox Park which has the same menu." - Ashok Selvam
