Redhot Ranch

This little spot is in the same little shack on Western that used to house las Asadas and It's really good. Nothing fancy here, just an old school Chicago style hot dog stand with natural casing dogs and outstanding fresh cut fries. Very much in the style of the lamented Demon dogs (but without the chili/cheese option sad to say). For those not wanting to make the trek to Jimmy's or Gene and Jude's this is a great option closer in. Like DD the dogs are on the small side (maybe#10) , so I'd think about a double. Seems so simple.... Why can't other places get it right like this?

Redhot Ranch
2072 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773-235-5538

Funny, I've been driving by this place since they put the sign up and projecting that it was Red Hot Ranch, a hot dog stand from my youth (on oakton I believe). @ least that's what I saw. Even called an old friend up and told him. Now I realize it was my mistake.

Glad they're worthy of the association. I'll have to check it out. I was going to anyway. wonder how long it would have taken me to notice?

Jazzfood wrote:Funny, I've been driving by this place since they put the sign up and projecting that it was Red Hot Ranch, a hot dog stand from my youth (on oakton I believe). @ least that's what I saw. Even called an old friend up and told him. Now I realize it was my mistake.

Are you thinking of Lippy's Red Hot Ranch on Devon?

That's the name. Thought it resided somewhere else in my childhood. Devon and what? Is it still there or long gone like Flukey's, Big Herm's, Tommy Tucker's and Paul's Umbrella.

3114 W. Devon, just east of Francisco. Long gone.

Actually, Lippy's was between Troy and Albany. They've been closed at least 15-20 years. However, the building is still there. It's been occupied off and on over the years; I think it's currently empty. Even though Wolfy's is fairly close by, I miss Lippy's. A place like that is sorely missed in this neighborhood.

Just stopped by, and it is indeed "Red Hot Ranch". Can we get an edit on this topic title?
Decent dog, great fries.

THE PLOT THICKENS...

Lippy's Red Hot Ranch aka The Ranch, owned by Lipman Bromberg, served a natural casing Vienna Beef hot dog with all the condiments, except tomatoes, although sauerkraut was an option. The limited menu included a spicy, natural casing, "Romanian Delite" and an extremely greasy, deep fried potato pancake. Fries accompanied all the encased meats.

chicagostyledog wrote:Lippy's Red Hot Ranch aka The Ranch, owned by Lipman Bromberg, served a natural casing Vienna Beef hot dog with all the condiments, except tomatoes, although sauerkraut was an option.

Hmmm...today's dog definitely did not have tomatoes...

Red Hot Ranch on Devon, in the 60's, was owned and operated by Al Deutsch, and was well known for the Romanian sausages they served. I remember it well.

Grizzly wrote:Red Hot Ranch on Devon, in the 60's, was owned and operated by Al Deutsch, and was well known for the Romanian sausages they served. I remember it well.

Al Deutsch opened the Red Hot Ranch in 1952. When he sold it Lipman Bromberg, it became Lippy's. Al and his wife, Isabel, opened another location, known as the Ranch Branch on Lincoln, Lawrence, and Western. It was only around for a few years. My first visit to the Ranch was in 56' and the last was in 83'. It was one of my favorite classic Chicago hot dog stands.

Sweetbread wrote:Just stopped by, and it is indeed "Red Hot Ranch". Can we get an edit on this topic title?

Done, though its Redhot Ranch, not Red Hot Ranch, but thanks for the heads up.

Nick Kindelsperger has a Redhot Ranch review up on Serious Eats.

Thanks for the initial post Kuhdo, I can't wait to check the place out.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

Sweetbread wrote:Just stopped by, and it is indeed "Red Hot Ranch". Can we get an edit on this topic title?

Done, though its Redhot Ranch, not Red Hot Ranch, but thanks for the heads up.

Nick Kindelsperger has a Redhot Ranch review up on Serious Eats.

Thanks for the initial post Kuhdo, I can't wait to check the place out.

Enjoy,
Gary

Wow looks identical to 35th st Red Hots near Comiskey, from the sign to the shack to the dog and fries.

Da Beef wrote:Wow looks identical to 35th st Red Hots near Comiskey, from the sign to the shack to the dog and fries.

Same owners.

Finally a good dog in the neighborhood. I always had to drive to Polk and Western. Can't wait to try it out.

kuhdo wrote:Nothing fancy here, just an old school Chicago style hot dog stand with natural casing dogs and outstanding fresh cut fries

Kuhdo,

Thanks ever so much for the LTH heads up on Redhot Ranch, it is exactly as you say, an outstanding example of an Old School Chicago hot dog stand.

Redhot Ranch



Nice snap to the natural casing dogs, terrific house-cut fries, though next time I will ask for extra crisp, and a friendly efficient counter staff.

Redhot Ranch double dog, fries included with hot dogs



In a moment of inspiration Steve Z, who I had the pleasure of lunching with, took a flier on the shrimp. I was a little surprised as I've never had fried shrimp I liked at a hot dog stand, and only occasionally at dedicated fried shrimp houses. House breaded, crisp, greasless, tender, they were the best I've had in a hot dog stand and better than many Shrimp Houses, Lawrence Fisheries on South Canal for example.

Redhot Ranch Fried Shrimp



Though only open a few weeks my first impression of Redhot Ranch is overwhelmingly positive, well managed natural casing dog and fries, reasonable pricing, quite clean and long hours.

2.1.10





Enjoy,
Gary

Gwiv,
Good eye! I noticed the Pepsi sign with hours, but didn't take careful notice. I have spent too many nights at Arturo's on a belly full of booze, and on more than one occasion I've drunkenly pleaded with the servers at Sam's Red Hots to "just throw another dog in the water". This changes everything, as Bucktown just got a whole lot beefier!

i know where i'm going to lunch tomorrow... do they cut the fries when you order them, like the 35th street redhot stand does?? theirs are fantastic. justjoan

justjoan wrote:i know where i'm going to lunch tomorrow... do they cut the fries when you order them, like the 35th street redhot stand does?? theirs are fantastic. justjoan

Ours weren't cut to order, but they do have a Gene & Judes style cutter mounted on the wall and they definitely make them fairly often. It's not a very big place and there's really nowhere to hold pre-cut potatoes. I wouldn't be too surprised if they were cut to order more often than not when the place is busy (which it wasn't today, but I predict it soon will be). The fries at Redhot Ranch are slightly thinner than those served at Jimmy's or Gene & Judes and IIRC, are very similar to the ones at 35th Street Redhots.

stevez wrote:Ours weren't cut to order, but they do have a Gene & Judes style cutter mounted on the wall and they definitely make them fairly often.

Fries were not cut to order, but judging from the whole potato, just below the fry cutter handle, they don't cut very far in advance. Either way the fries were very good.

Redhot Ranch

Oops . Sorry about the mix up on the name in the initial post (now fixed, thanks Gary). Appreciate the word on the shrimp. I was eyeing those last time I was there. Next time for sure.

LTH,

I'll echo the good words for Red Hot Ranch. We both had double dogs and they were great. Snappy natural casing frankfurter, very juicy, full of flavor, very crisp fries.

Our new go to hot dog!

chicagostyledog wrote:Al Deutsch opened the Red Hot Ranch in 1952. When he sold it Lipman Bromberg, it became Lippy's. Al and his wife, Isabel, opened another location, known as the Ranch Branch on Lincoln, Lawrence, and Western. It was only around for a few years. My first visit to the Ranch was in 56' and the last was in 83'. It was one of my favorite classic Chicago hot dog stands.

Thanks for filling in the blanks and dates CSD. I didn't realize that the 'Ranch endured in to the '80s, nor that Deutsch opened it in '52, 5 years before I was born. My mom once worked for Al at his "day job". I believe his wife ran the 'Ranch for the most part, if I remember correctly.

Mom would take me there for a Romanian or a hot dog, and I thought it was one of the better treats of my childhood.

Cheers!

Stopped in today for a double and they're just as good as they are at 35th which is my favorite. It was even the same guy that used to work at the other location making up the dogs and fries at this one. My main problem with Jimmy's is their sport peppers, sometimes the things are bigger than full grown jalapenos. My only problem with Gene & Judes is every other time I go the fries are undercooked due to a long line and overflow of traffic, they dont cook them crisp. If you've ever been to Nanas in Streamwood, they have a great old school dog but dont include sport peppers. Gina's down the block from Nana's uses neon relish.

Over the last year or so 35th became my favorite Chicago style dog of the minimalist variety with Chicago style fries-gotta have the potato cutter visible-because they do everything right. Good to have a 35th Street North (Redhot Ranch) and they're open late. Not to mention that shrimp is some my favorite too. I too now have a new go to dog spot. Only because its alot closer to LP than Bridgeport and there's alot less Sox fans. But it still just doesnt feel like an authentic old school Chicago style hot dog unless I'm listening to "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago while chowing down on it listening to the red line trains roll above me. Damn the city for taking away Demon Dogs...

Just stopped in today for lunch, and the verdict is: yummy! cheap! go there! This place is dangerous because it's on my way home from just about everywhere and I can see myself stopping in late night post-party.

As a non-native Chicagoan, I am sad to say that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to fully get behind the Chicago-style hot dog. I just prefer them a bit charred on the grill. However, this was a solid hot dog and the fries were outstanding. I just wish the servings were slightly bigger (should've gone with the double), but when your food costs less than $3.00, you can't really complain too much.

Had lunch at the Red Hot Ranch today and concur with the above reviews. Snappy dog with excellent fresh cut fries. The fried shrimp was absolutely outstanding with a fountain Orange Crush. I couldn't get the scent of the mustard, relish, and onions off my fingers after a few washings and that was good thing.

Tried the shrimp tonite. They are indeed excellent. I still have a slight preference for Goose Island Jumbos, but those have denser breading which might not be to everyone's taste. Anyway,these are really good. Half a pound and a double dog made for an outstanding dinner (and for just over$10). Such a deal.

I also tried the shrimp and a double yesterday. We almost walked out with just the dogs, but when we asked about the shrimp, we we're told that they were "shelled, deveined, and breaded on premises...everything is homemade". I guess we have to get an order. Texture and balance of flavors were spot on, and the hot dipping sauce had a nice zing.

The kids had been good about tolerating whatever oddball things Dad felt like making them eat over the last few days, so today we went to Redhot Ranch.

It is, indeed, a spot-on classic Chicago dog place like 35th Street Redhots. The problem is, this isn't 35th street...

"You don't have cheese dogs?"
"Do you have pickles? No?"
"You don't have tacos no more?"
"I'll have it with mustard, relish and cheese-- what? No cheese?"
"No hamburgers?"

In the time that my kids and I stood there eating our canonically perfect Chicago minimalist dogs and fries, five customers came in asking those questions, and only two of the five stayed to order something. The beyond-spartan lineup on the board may be admirable but I'm not sure it's going to be sustainable as a business model....