I'm not a fan since I hate hot dogs but my husband swears by this place.
The problem is the neighborhood. It's all fun, games, and good eats until someone gets shot: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.suntimes.com%2F15117165-761%2Fbloody-two-hours-on-south-side-1-killed-6-hurt-in-shootings.html&s=5ecdd5691b009b59006e16bd85cec6a1d6451ceb382eab153bb4760191b5fc1e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.suntimes.com/…</a>
69th and Western is way too close to Fat Johnnie's. Sorry husband of mine, you're not bringing our 3 year old there.
Wanted a good Chili Dog  so I sought some help from my fellow Yelpers.... This place received some great reviews so I decided to check it out. If you want a good Hot Dog...This place is the real deal. I had the double chili cheese dog with everything and it was one of the best Hot Dog's I've had in a long time. The Chili was just right, not too much..not too little. The bun was soft and tasty, the veggies were bright and flavorful. I even sat and watched a steady stream of people drive up and order their food. The place is truly a hole in the wall but as we foodies know..that is where you can sometimes find some of life's greatest culinary treasures. It will take you 3mins to order, pay and receive your food. I'd reccommend it.
Review Source:Drove past and my food senses went crazy. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a dilapidated old shack with a line in front and a big weiner on the sign. Â It was time for my first Chicago Dog. Being from New York I knew I couldn't order the staple mustard and kraut. I told the fine gentlemen behind the counter that I had faith in their best judgment. If you are ever in Chicago and driving past this place do yourself a favor and pull over. Great dog guys.
Review Source:WARNING! This place is not for the bougie....
For those who say this place looks like a run down shack, I say to them....it is a run down shack and yes it's not only a bad hood.....it's a terrible hood. And yes there's a 2x2 opening where the exchange of food and money happens and the guys making the food are standing atleast 2ft above you so when you look in the opening all you can see are large hands w/ dirty finger nails making awesome fast food. Yeah that's right I said it....awesome food.
From the hotdogs w/ a slice of cucumber instead of a pickle wedge to the mother-in-laws (I get em w/ raw onions and a slice of tomato). Everything here is very simple and good. It's like food at the ballpark. Even though you could buy everything they serve there at your local grocery store, it just tastes better there.
So anyway, it's up there w/ all the other good hotdog joints and definitely a place you should try atleast once.
A pretty good South Side institution. Â I'm a big fan of the tamale sundae but not so much of the mother-in-law because the tamale just wasn't the same in the bun. (did that last bit sound dirty? Â I agree.)
Their hot dogs have that satisfying snap that is part of the eating experience.
There ain't any fries but that ain't no thing because they have grape pop readily available, as well as an outdoor (s)eating area complete with canoes that double as flower pots.
Helpful tip: Parking can be tricky if it's busy because of the limited spots along Western Avenue but you can always temporarily park on the median and put your blinkers on (which is the universal symbol for "It's okay. Â I'm allowed to park here for however long I want.")
This place is literally a shack in a backyard. Â They do have a big sign so you won't miss it. Â I don't know what I was expecting, I mean they serve hot dogs and I don't really care for hot dogs. Â I used to like the Hebrew National dogs from Costco but can only eat half of one maybe once a year. Â I think I was expecting to be blown away and feeling like "Oh, I love hot dogs but only from Fat Jonhhine's" but that didn't happen. Â We went in the afternoon and had no problems (for those weary of the neighborhood).
Review Source:Yep, this place is great!!! I grew up a 1/2 block away from here, quite a bit of my allowance money was spent here as a kid. Hotdogs are amazing and the nachos are pretty good too!
Maybe my addiction to hotdogs started because my mother frequented this place when pregnant with me? Fat Johnnie is a pretty nice guy too, usually was always working back in the day.
Haven't been there in years, yes the neighborhood is sketchy now but don't let that stop you, Western Avenue is super busy and there are usually lines there too.
Fat Johnnie's! This is a real south side institution found on the long strip of road that is Western Ave. Bf and I walked on up and got 2 Mighty Dogs (tamale and hot dog) and 2 drinks (one of which was a suicide, a mix of all of their fountain drinks). Its the perfect food for a quick bite, something comfy or something greasy after a few cold ones.
Review Source:Now this is a REAL hot dog place.
I have tried the nachos, which are oh so delish. They serve REAL vienna beef products and the tamales are the BOMB. I have never been upset or dissatisfied with my food with Fat Johnnie's. I guess with a name like Fat Johnnie, you can't make a mistake with food.
Fat Johnnies serves up grade A dogs. I grew up on 77th and Whipple over in Ashburn and Fat Johnnies was the absolute go to for my family for hot dogs. Yes, it's located in a pretty shitty neighborhood and yes, the place looks like a dump, but it can deliver some of the best dogs in the Southside for next to nothing. Â
The mother-in-law is legendary and the good ol' red hots are both delicious and unique as they opt for a slice of cucumber as opposed to a pickle. It hits the good ol' taste buds of a red hot but is considerably Fat Johnnies. It's worth your time and effort to venture in the Southside (and really the neighborhood isn't all that bad if you go in the daylight hours).
Again, the place is dirt cheap. I went with my girlfriend and my dad and we all ate like royalty for $10. He had a Chicago dog as did I and I also had a polish. My girlfriend got the mother-in-law. There is only a bench to sit on and it isn't really shaded. Your best bet is to get your food and enjoy it in your air-conditioned car with a Mexican bottle of coke. There's limited parking in front of the establishment but you could also park at the Popeye's nearby.
If you do go, enjoy a true, unique, and fantastic taste of Chicago hot dog cuisine.
After reading somebody else's review about the sketchy area. I brought a friend during daylight. The drive from the highway isn't so bad; just don't give anybody eye problems and you'll be fine.
Upon reaching destination, it looks like a run down shack. So many years of support and local unions and they're still running.
Alot of their ingredients you can pick up from your local grocer or bulk sales. It is creatively placed together. For example, the mighty dog; hotdog, tamale, chili & cheese, fresh tomato and cucumbers on a poppy seed hot dog bun. That alone is a meal in itself my friends.
I ordered an additional chili dog. Wow, it's real chili.. Not the thin watered down type, but chunky.
I'm willing to come back to try the other selections and nachos.
I forgot to mention.. it's cheap! and no... it does not come with fries.
This place has so much character, the kind of character that comes from people that haven't matured much since selling lemonade as a kid. Picture #2 pretty much says it all, a complete menu list handwritten on a single poster board sheet. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this was an in-house project. The layout, the spacing and most notably, the incredible discipline in not using larger than a size 40 font is certainly masterful. Conveniently, they have reserved the right border column for updating their prices. Save that poster board fellas for as long as you can! As the menu items fade with it's background getting dirtier, the updated price list section gets comparatively brighter.
Ironic, such a complete shit hole, yet is able to deliver. I don't want to think about the cleanliness and what might be crawling around in this trailer trash hurricane ready shack. I just can't do it, I just can't, ordering anything from this place that has chili or cheese on it is simply insect roulette. They practically put chili or cheese on about 95% of their creations, so I'll be missing out. The fact that I can get up the nerve to order anything from this place is a miracle in itself. You'll have to experience it yourself, it goes beyond possessing your typical Chicago hot dog stand cheesiness. I can deal with a place that is run down with some effort in making it presentable. Hell, this place is so distressed that it makes Sanford & Son's store front look good.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1WqazleR3FE&s=dceb32347abf306872dcffa69e60b0b700c9e5cd8851965d3b695ecc45470f66" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
In the summer, the adjacent lot has front yard picnic benches which are cordoned off by a rickety old white picket fence. Don't mind the fact that you are dining in front of someones residence. If that isn't special enough, an old dingy in the parkway has been converted into a planter box. Who cares if only weeds grow in the seemingly out of place vessel.
Johnnies is about the same distance on the south side from downtown as Fluky's was on the north side, kinda like hot dog stand bookmarks on the longest street in the world. This place looks like it needs to be torn down while the Fluky's that was taken over by U(n) Lucky Dawg remains closed. Now Johnnies won't be serving up a Vienna dog and a David Berg will have to do. That's all right, at least Vienna owns the company.
Great, great little shack in Englewood. It's not in the greatest neighborhood but don't be scared though, nothing's gonna happen. It's on a main street anyways.
Been here a couple times now and the mother in law and the mighty dog are certainly the way to go. And you must have a suicide which is hit or miss depending on how the guy goes with it when filling it up. Literally this place is like a shack and there's a picnic table about 50 feet away I always end up sitting there and eating. Who knows if it's even a part of Johnnie's but who cares really when you're so gratified with the food you're ingesting.
If you aren't afraid of sitting outside on picnic tables no matter the weather while eating a hot dog wrapped in a tamale with cheese and possibly chilli, then this is your spot. I had a couple of dogs, both the mighty dog (minus the chilli) and a regular dog with everything (including the tasty cucumber spiced with celery salt). I also tried the "suicide" drink which basically tasted like dr pepper or root beer which I probably would never get again. Otherwise this is a great classic spot that everyone should check out at least once if you like any of the above...
Review Source:this is not a place for the weak stomach. you might want to do some calisthenics before you go. it is delicious though. who ever thought a hot dog, wrapped in a tamale topped with cheese sauce, chili, a cucumber and celery salt would be good? but it is. and i would highly recommend going all out for the mighty dog if you go. the place is pretty shabby and not necessarily clean looking but very tasty.
must try: mighty dog
1 hour and 10 minutes of Public Transportation and walking was worth it. Â That's how good it is. Â The "mother-in-law" was by far my favorite one. Â I have been dying to try the tamale dog since I learned it was a Chicago South Side staple. Â I loved it. Â It was covered with the most incredible chili I've ever tasted and came complete with all the usual Chicago dog trimmings. (tomato, green relish, pickle, onion, mustard). Â It was so good that I then tried a father-in-law, which is the same as the mother-in-law, but comes with melted cheese. Â It was even better. Â Then, I tried a polish sausage and it was unbelievable. Â I hope this place never goes away. Â It's been open for like 4 decades already and is a truly positive experience in the South Side culture.
Review Source:Inarguably, the best overall hot dog in Chicago. I'm not sure what this man does with the chili, but damn. The chili/cheese combination on a hot dog, polish, or tamale is a truly life changing experience. Everything is done to perfection at this place. I have been here several times and each time seems to be getting better and better. Do yourself a favor and visit this joint, if you are a hot dog enthusiast this is a must. HOWEVER, as of 5/23 they are closed for remodeling, don't know when they are opening back up.
Review Source:Classic Chicago dog. Would HIGHLY recommend it, and for all of the folks who are "doggin'" the South Side, get over yourselves. Â Yeah, it's on South Western Avenue; no, there aren't any drive-bys or people waiting to mug you. Â If you're that insecure, you can take comfort in knowing that Fat Johnnie's has about a cop-an-hour ratio for customers.
The area is about as banged up as the one around Fat Willy's Rib Shack by Western and Fullerton.
This is the second stop of my own "No Reservations- Chicago" trip. After Calumet Fisheries we came here to try their tamales. Since it was on a weekday afternoon, we didn't have any problem finding parking and parked right in front of the store.
Nothing on the menu was more than $5, which I appreciate. My friend and I shared the Mother In Law, Tamale with cheese, and a plain tamale. The MIL was a bit messy but definitely good. My friend liked the food but said she thought the best tamale she's had was homemade.
Personally, being a north suburban Asian female, it was a bit scary to be sitting outside eating in the far south side neighborhood. But the people there were very nice and friendly, which made the experience that much more enjoyable.
I would definitely go back....but man, it's far.
my boyfriend and i came here after we watch Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations...
wow this place is like really south its not even in the city anymore lol.
I got the mother in law (tamale on a bun with chili and the works), the bf got the mighty dog (tamale, hot dog, chili, and cheese and the works). its very messy, and kind of repulsive to eat in a way, but it was quite an experience. Very cheap, it costs about $2-$3 depending on what you order. Oh and we didnt try the drink suicide (basically all the fountain drinks mixed together)...we forgot about that one!
As a non-native Chicagoan, I didn't care to seek out a "true" Chicago hot dog (boiled or steamed) but rather, I went is search of which wiener had the best overall mouthfeel, taste and presentation.
Fat Johnnies is worth the trip to the sketchy south side. Â It's in a sketchy neighborhood - but I felt relatively safe when I was there during the day. Â I also had a crew of three others with me for the ride.
We tried five different things from here but I'll start with the red hot Chicago Style. Â Delicious. Â I couldn't see how this was prepared but I suspect it was cooked on a flat top grill. Â The red hot was juicy and tasty. Â A good amount of spices. Â The fresh cucumbers atop all the other traditional fixings were delicious! Â
One other item you may want to try while you're there is certainly the MIGHTY DOG - a hot dog & tamale & chili & processed gooey cheese all served up in a hot dog bun with all the traditional fixings & CUCUMBERS. Â This is a knock out buffet in a bun!
Note there is NO PARKING but according to Fat Johnnie, you can park over at Popeye's next door to hop out and get your food.
Ooooh, how weird! Â I was just thinking about FJ's and see that your review came in just a couple weeks ago. Â Â
Many moons ago I lived in the 7200 block of S. Artesian. Â It took all of about 30 paces for me to get to FJ's if I cut through the alley. Â Â
Those dogs...oh those dogs! Â A double chili-cheese with onions was my messy favorite. Â
I was driving on Western just last week, and when I saw the new Popeye's, my heart sank thinking that it had replaced one of the last mainstays from when I lived there. Â I was really glad to see that tacky little trailer still there! Â It's a real straight up south side dive of a place that would definitely be a hit were it located on the north side. Â I consider it a slice of vanishing Chicago, like the corner tavern and Tastee-Freeze. Â (or the Midget Bar--are you old enough to remember the Midget Bar on 63rd Street?)
The neighborhood's definitely a lot rougher and dirtier than it was back in the day, but If any of you sophisticated yelpers ever find yourselves in that part of town craving a hot dog, it's definitely worth stopping. Â Just be aware of everything going on around you, exercise commons sense, and you'll be fine...and full.
Am I really the first person to review Fat Johnnie's? Â Really?
I.. Â I'm truly honored. Â And a little disappointed that no one has raved about one of (if not THE) finest hot dog shacks that Chicago has to offer. Â In fact, I'm fairly certain that Chicago getting the Olympic nod had something to do with a suitcase full of hot dogs from Fat Johnnie's. Â
I was fortunate enough to grow up a few blocks from here, and even now, I will happily make the trek from north to south side with any friend who I can entice.  Yes, the neighborhood is sketchy, but it's really nothing to be afraid of, and it's well worth it for the dogs.  It's really easy to pass Fat Johnnie's, as it is just a small hot dog shack along the line of car dealerships on south Western Ave., but it's worth the search.  Nothing as fancy as Hot Doug's, but if you want a hot  dog done cheap and right, this is your place.  A Fat One?  A Double Dog?  A Chili Cheese Dog?  Whatever suits ya!  They're open year round..  but it's probably a good idea to call and see what time they're open to on a given day, as it changes seasonally.
You cannot be a hot dog lover dwelling in or visiting Chicago without paying Fat Johnnie's a visit.
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