Poochies

I would like to nominate Poochie's in Skokie. I've been eating at Poochies for 20+ years and have loved it from the beginning. Great food and great people make this my pick. Below I've included my review Poochies.

By definition a hamburger is a sandwich that consists of a cooked patty made of ground meat and is generally served with various garnish or condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese toppings, placed inside a sliced Hamburger bun. But those who know burgers, know that there's much more that goes into making a burger great! Enter "Poochie's", a hot dog joint I've frequented for much of my life. Most people think you can only find hidden gems in the city, but they would be wrong. Drive past this place, and you're quite possibly passing up burger heaven. If you make the wise choice to check out "Poochies" you'll notice a small place, a store front to be exact, that is making some of Chicagolands best "street food".

Once inside you notice just a handful of tables, most of the eating is done by pulling up a stool and enjoying your food along the counters stretched across the restaurant. Opened in the 1960's, the very relaxed decor includes red and white tiles, red and white paint, and a wall filled with newspaper and magazine clippings singing the praises of this little gem in Skokie. The staff led by owner Chris is friendly and efficient in handling your order. Come often enough and they'll know your name, and trust me, you will come back.

The menu covers the basics such as hot dogs (steamed and charred), polishes, top notch burgers, and fries. Just becuase they cover the basics doen't mean they're not doing it better than most anyone else. While I have sampled much of this menu before, my favorites include the 2/3lb double cheddar burger, char salami, barbecue chicken sandwich, and fries.

The salami is an 8 inch piece of Vienna Beef soft salami that is charred on the grill and served on french bread. I add grilled onions and mustard. This is unlike any salami sandwiches your mother made for you. Slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside make this a sandwich that is truly unique. The chicken sandwich is a large grilled chicken breast that is grilled to a slight char and then basted with their tasty BBQ sauce. It's served on a bun and I add grilled onions, lettuce and tomato. The sandwich is big, juicy, and very flavorful. Before we get to the burger, let's talk fries. The fresh cut fries are served up hot, crisp, and have a very real potato taste to them. Many times fresh cut fries can be greasy, but these are hot steamy nirvana. They are a nice change from the fast food fries many of us are accustomed to.

If you want a true taste of heaven, order up one of their fantastic burgers. All patties are 1/3 lb and can be had in either single or double variety. Opt for the double cheddar, and you get a burger you won't soon forget. "Chef" Jimmy chars mine up to a perfect medium, and it almost seems illegal for a burger to be this good. The big 1/3 lb patties are charred perfectly on the outside, while the beef flavor practically explodes in your mouth! Top this beauty with some fantastic grilled onions, and you're one step from heaven. One bite and you'll have the juices running down your arm, a true sign of greatness.

I have frequented "Poochies" many times before and have found that just about everything on the menu is top notch. Everything from the char salami, skirt steak, polishes, char dogs, and the BBQ chicken sandwich are unbelievable. But, if you're only going to try one thing, then it has to be the burgers.

Pricing is more than fast food chains(well worth it) and lower than a sit down restaurant. Food quality is very high, as is the friendly atmosphere. It's that combination that keeps winning "Poochie's" new fans every day. "Poochie's" in Skokie is worth the trip if you live anywhere in the Chicagoland area.

Location
3602 Dempster St.
Skokie, IL 60076
847-673-0100

I strongly second the nomination of Poochie's. Here's a link to a thread that talks about their signature item (in my opinion), the charred salami sandwich. And here's one that talks about hiring Poochies to come out and cater backyard events.

Gosh, I love Poochies and used to live two blocks away from it!!!! I miss it so much. I strongly support this nomination!!

Poochies fits my idea of a GNR because it's a go-to place for us when we're out at lunch time and are trying to figure what we want. The menu is broad enough, as described above, to fit whatever you have a taste for -- they also have decent IB, Italian sausage and even a Turkey Burger for those who wish to delude themselves about "eating healthy".

And the fries are truly a treat. We like them because they fry in short batches, so there's a good chance that you will get an order right out of the fryer. Also, they have an uncanny ability to include, in one order, big, light-colored pieces and small Cripsies: those dark and well-done scraps with crunch and extra flavor. Great for sharing, as one order is usually enough for both of us.

Nice people + good food + reliable + a neighborhood location = GNR

I also endorse this thoughtful nomination.

=R=

I completely agree with the above except, well, I've never had anything other than the cheddar burger. It's just too good to order anything else. I order it plain with pickle on the side with fries. I've been going there for probably 30 years and it's still great.

Lived mere blocks from Poochies in the past & have been there at least a hundred times. Met Jimmy Carter & Secret Service detail there in the eighties. He actually asked me what should go on his hot dog. I believe his son Chip lived in Evanston around then.

Have never ordered a Char Salami, but may have to now. Do they still have 'Gribness in Season' on the menu? Apparently gribness (correct spelling 'gribbenes') is chicken skin cracklings mixed with schmaltz (chicken fat).

Has anyone ever ordered it...and lived?

Just think of gribenes-gribness-gribbenes as Kosher Chicharrones.

Yes -- you can survive after eating gribenes.

No -- some of us cannot survive without eating gribenes.

My favorite use of this marvelous treat is to spread schmaltz (a butter-substitute staple in a kosher kitchen and the other result of rendering chicken fat) on dark, heavy rye bread and add gribenes, chopped onion and chopped radish (preferably white radish). Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! Enjoy!

Thank you, Bubbe Sarah.

HungryZ wrote:If you want a true taste of heaven, order up one of their fantastic burgers. All patties are 1/3 lb and can be had in either single or double variety. Opt for the double cheddar, and you get a burger you won't soon forget. "Chef" Jimmy chars mine up to a perfect medium, and it almost seems illegal for a burger to be this good. The big 1/3 lb patties are charred perfectly on the outside, while the beef flavor practically explodes in your mouth! Top this beauty with some fantastic grilled onions, and you're one step from heaven. One bite and you'll have the juices running down your arm, a true sign of greatness.

Hungry,

I've been to Poochie's any number of times, Char Salami and hot dogs my usual fare, but after today I may just switch to double cheddar burgers, one bite and, as you say, juice was running down my arm, the double really ought to come with a bib. Charred burgers were dead-on med-rare, grilled and raw onion, sport peppers and not bad tomato, this was a nap inducing burger, I barely made a dent in the fries, which are hand cut and delicious.

Double Cheddar Burger



Terrific GNR nomination.

Enjoy,
Gary

I'm all for this nom, but what sort of bun are they using for the burgers these days? I was there about 8 months ago and they had switched from the typical sesame seed-dotted Rosen bun to a thicker potato-esque contraption that I felt intruded on, to quoth Pat Bruno, the "goodness." The meat and cheese were perfect as usual, but the thickness and constitution of the bun threw it out of balance--way too bready, yo.

Them some great fries, though.

chezbrad wrote:I was there about 8 months ago and they had switched from the typical sesame seed-dotted Rosen bun to a thicker potato-esque contraption

Chez,

When I was there Friday Poochie's was using a sesame seed-dotted bun for the char burgers.

Poochie's 9.19.08



Enjoy,
Gary

Gary,

Unless those are really tiny sesame seeds on your hamburger bun, because it looks like coarse cornmeal dusted on your bun instead.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Gary,

Unless those are really tiny sesame seeds on your hamburger bun, because it looks like coarse cornmeal dusted on your bun instead.

Regards,

That looks like the bun I remember, yeah. I found it challah-like in thickness. A minor complaint, but an irrational decision on the part of the Poochie's owners, I thought.

Happy to support this nomination. My son and I have been going to Poochies for 20+ years and always enjoyed the consistently fine dogs, Polishes & fries.

The consistently great food at Poochies makes supporting this nomination a no brainer for me. Weekend trips to irvings in Wilmette and Cookers in Deerfield have reminded me how dreadful a poorly executed hot dog, etc can taste. Poochies has been doing things right for many many years and that is saying something.

I renewed my love affair with the Poochie's Char Salami the other day.

Poochie's Char Salami

Served with mustard, grilled onions and giardiniare.

No-brainer.

I've been going to Poochies for 30+ years and am delighted to see this nomination.

Darren72 wrote:I've been going to Poochies for 30+ years and am delighted to see this nomination.

I've been going to Poochies for 32+ years and support renewal.

Poochies has been there for over 40 years and I think I've been going there almost as long. I don't live close anymore and I no longer work in the area. But if I'm even close, I stop by. What's really bad, usually when I'm in the area it's because I just had dinner at a relatives. But I still have to stop by. Renewal should be a no-brainer.

Yes, renew. It's as fine as ever.

Let me add my praise. I eat at Poochie's often, but rarely post about it anymore. It's such a constantly good place to eat, but everything's already been said. Besides the great dogs and burgers, their grilled salami is still the standard bearer. Interestingly enough, just yesterday I saw my old friend Harvey Bernstein (the original owner of Poochies) at Patty's Diner. He managed to leave while I wasn't looking so I didn't get a chance to say hello, but I thought it was a sign that I should post my strong support for Poochie's renewal.

Edited to correct Harvey's last name

I've only been going to Poochie's for about 3 years, and their fries are not my favorite in that area, but I've loved everything that's come off the grill there, and they're super friendly. I support this renewal.

Poochies is just as great as ever. Poochies and the Dairy Queen on Lake avenue are the the two places on my drive up to Highland Park from downtown at the end of the day that sometime pull me off course with their siren song. I think the fries are as good as anywhere. Support

I will throw in my support for Poochies, especially the char salami, which is a true revelation in eating pleasure. Yum , double YUM.

Solid "Yes" for renewal. I use Poochie's as the benchmark to which all other hot dog stands are judged.