Wolfy's hot dogs bring back great memories

When I was a young child, oh soooo many years ago, it seemed like there was a hot dog stand on every street. They were little shacks where you’d get a dog and fries—and man they were soooo good.

But, in my memory, the two places on the cities north side that were different were Fluky’s and Wolfy’s. You didn’t have to eat in your car at either. Both had tables where you could take your food and dine.

When I got a little older, friends from out of town would come to Chicago and they’d want to try a Chicago hot dog. Again, the two places we’d usually take them would be Fluky’s or Wolfy’s.

Great hot dogs. Great memories.

The Fluky’s, on Western Avenue, closed in 2006. Wolfy’s, which opened in 1967 and owned by Fluky’s in-laws. is still in business, but with different owners. As part of the National Hot Dog Month review, I wanted to see if this was close to what I remembered. My usual order was fairly simple—a hot dog, fries and a drink. That’s exactly what I had on Monday.

Sadly, it wasn’t as good as I remembered. The hot dog was fine, but the poppy seeds on the bun were skimpy. The fries were thin, almost like a shoestring potato. They tasted kind of blah. The best part of the meal was the tomato that came on the hot dog.

One other disappointing thing was that Wolfy’s used to have a piece of red bubble gum that was shaped like a tiny hot dog. I can’t remember what it tasted like—maybe cinnamon—but it was a fun way to end your meal. When I got up to the counter to order, I looked to see if there was any gum. Nope! I asked how long it was discontinued. The answer was about ten years. Wow! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been there in a decade.

While the lunch at Wolfy’s was somewhat of a disappointment, it did bring back a lot of pleasant memories. So it wasn’t a total loss. But, when it comes to hot dogs joints, I’ll find somewhere else to go get me next dog fix.