Yanni's Dogs

Relatively new to the area, Yanni's Dogs is a very clean, bright, and friendly environment with not only the traditional Chicago-style food you expect from a hot dog place in Chicago, but a good variety of personal favourites that their owner John has put together.

My wife and I had been wanting to try them for a while, and yet only recently made the effort to do so. In the one week since we tried it out, we've returned yet again only to try more of their food before writing a review. We were so happy with our first visit, we didn't want to taint our review with the "Honeymoon Afterglow" of just one visit. Our recent visit was just as good, and here's why.

Firstly, the ownership. John, owner of the restaurant, is a very friendly person who loves to meet and talk with his customers, and who jumps in on the line when things get busy. He has created an environment that is bright, friendly, and fun to be in, with Chicago-themed decor. The kitchen is right out front, you can watch your food being made, and you can see how involved he is in the entire process. He takes his time with his cooks, checks the orders as they're going out, and still finds time to get to know his customers in the process, making everyone feel welcome. His prices are reasonable, and the amount of food you get with each serving is quite ample. Just remember that everything comes with fries!

Secondly, though not by much, the food. John uses Vienna Beef in his sausage sandwiches, from the classic Chicago-style hot dog to the Maxwell Street polish sausage. A Chicago tradition, certainly. And while some traditionalists may scoff at his having ketchup available on his tables, he says that he would rather have the opportunity to ease newcomers into the tradition of Chicago-style than to make them feel unwelcome because tradition dictates otherwise.

In addition, he doesn't use the Kronos Gyros meat that we're all used to seeing, he uses another brand, which I admit I have forgotten the name of (I don't mind being flawed, I'll update this later with the name), but which is far more delicious. I asked him about the Gyros meat and he said that he didn't want it to be generic and taste like everyone else, who gets the basic, low to medium grade Gyros meat that makes it easy to go from restaurant to restaurant and have the same experience. He wanted to make his place stand out, so he buys the top of the line, out of the grade selections he is offered.

A word about John's Chili: He's been tweaking it for a while in order to get it just right, and finally found the balance that works best for not only a standalone cup, but for his Chili Dogs and Chili Cheese Fries. It is a great balance, he makes it every day, and it just hits the spot. Those of you who know me also know me as a competitive chili cook, and know I am highly critical of the chili I eat. I do admit to this, but also would like to note that there are all types of Chili out there, and when I go to a hot dog stand, I do not want gourmet or competition chili; I want a good tasting, smooth-sauced, ground beef chili that is easy to eat and warms me up, and works well as a topping on a Chili Dog or Chili Cheese Fries.

When I asked John recently about the popularity of his chili, he noted that his biggest contingent of chili consuming customers are the CTA staff that change shifts at the nearby Berwyn Red Line stop and the other local bus lines that do driver changes nearby. "They just can't get enough of it," he said "They want something quick that they can grab between shifts, eat quickly, and feel warmed up and full. They come from the local CTA garage as well, and they're my biggest Chili Dog/Chili Cheese Dog customers."

We've been to Yanni's twice now, once to sample the hot dogs, sausages, and Gyros (and Chili Cheese Fries), and the next time to sample the burgers (and Chili Cheese fries again). I'm happy to say that we've not been disappointed either time. We got to watch John run the place through a lunch rush while we were there, and he never stopped smiling, nor doing any task needed to keep his customers happy. His food keeps hitting a home run for us, and I am happy to write a positive review for this local business that is doing things right. Stop in and say hi to John, relax, and have some wonderful Chicago-style food that won't break the bank. As for my wife and I, we plan to be regulars as long as we live here.

Yanni's is a great addition to the Edgewater neighborhood. The store is clean, the people are friendly and the food is reasonably priced. A new favorite!

Italian beef & sausage combo, Chicago dog, crispy fries...love them all / ordered them all / ate it all. So damn good I'm going back. Excellent food, a fantastic price point and super, super clean restaurant. Can't wait for their upcoming later hours and Sunday openings. Right across from the train!