Gluttonous. Indisputably American. Challenging to photograph. And when done right, intensely satisfying.
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Behold, the hot dog.
What’s not to love? Whether tucked into a bun or served in its more portable corn-dog form, the hot dog remains one of summertime’s preferred eats, found at dedicated frankfurter specialists, beachside stands, county fairs and the occasional restaurant. You want a classic chili-cheese dog? A spot in Buena Park has one of the very best. You yearn for one topped with aioli and served with tortilla chips? Head to Salt Creek in Dana Point. You want to try one of Chicago’s most famous wieners? Bypass John Wayne and make a beeline to Orange.
While Orange County offers hog dogs aplenty, here are six to put on your glizzy radar this summer.
Jim’s Original (Orange)
214 N. Tustin St., Orange; jimsoriginal.com
A Chicago hot dog staple since 1939, Jim’s Original opened its second location — ever — in Orange this past June. And with that kind of history comes an equally storied offering: the Maxwell Street Polish, a Chicago-born classic with enough devotion to warrant its own Wikipedia page. The order comes with a grilled or fried Polish sausage, piled with grilled-caramelized onions, yellow mustard and an optional pickled sport pepper. The Chicago Sun-Times bills it as one of “the classic foods synonymous with Chicago,” and you can find it right on Tustin Street.
Myungrang Hot Dog
The Source OC, 6970 Beach Blvd., F-111, Buena Park; 8935 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove; myungrangamerica.com
The potato corn dog at Myungrang is a textual, heterogeneous thrill, a Korean-style hot dog battered, armored in potato cubes (think mini square tater tots) and fried until the whole thing becomes a golden, craggy crunch that is both crispy and slightly chewy. You can go full sausage dog or full mozzarella or half-and-half, which offers the best of both worlds. Be sure to get a couple of sauces for dunking, like the honey mustard, sweet chili or cheese mustard.
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ALSO SEE: 6 places serving the best hot dogs in Los Angeles County
Portillo’s
8390 La Palma Ave., Buena Park; portillos.com
Another Windy City entry on this list — Chicago and hot dogs go together with near-religious zealotry, no ketchup, thank you very much — is this chili and cheese topped thrill. A snappy all-beef frank gets tucked into a poppy seed bun, then buried under a warm chili and cheese sauce. It’s not an elegant dog, but what it lacks in photogenicity, it more than makes up for in flavor.
ALSO SEE: 5 hot dogs to try in the Inland Empre for National Hot Dog Day
Sumo Dog
440 S. Anaheim Blvd, Suite 207, Anaheim; 31856 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano; eatsumodog.com
One of Orange County’s newest entrants into the hot dog game is Sumo Dog, a onetime pop-up that got its start at the Coachella music festival, then opened its first brick-and-mortar in Los Angeles’ Koreatown in 2017. While chef Jeffrey Lunak’s frank spot offers a bevy of options, all with a Japanese bent, I’d crown the Godzilla Dog as, well, top dog. The foot-long all-beef frank comes loaded with spicy miso beef chili, togarashi cheese sauce, wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo, and teriyaki sauce, all of which gets flecked with furikake, onion, jalapeño and umami-rich kizami nori. Best of all you now have two Orange County locations from which to choose: Anaheim Packing District and its upcoming space inside River Street Marketplace’s dedicated food hall in San Juan Capistrano, officially opening Friday, July 10.
Wursthaus
305 E Fourth St., Ste. 106, Santa Ana; instagram.com/wursthausdtsa
The smoked cheddar bratwurst at Wusrthaus, the German gastropub in downtown Santa Ana, has the right idea with its take that features a pretzel roll and melted cheese. The brat has also received praise from food critic Brad A. Johnson, who wrote that “the dogs are made with really great sausages” and, just as crucial, the hand-cut fries are “insanely good.” He was not wrong. Order the fries.
Young’s Beach Shack
33521 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point; youngsbeachshack.com
Hot dogs and beaches are an iconic pairing, which I’ve always found odd, what with the meeting of hot meat, blistering sun and sand. But here we are. One of the best franks found along Orange County’s much-ballyhooed coastline can be uncovered at Young’s Beach Shack at Salt Creek Beach. The hot dog here comes with caramelized onions, bacon and, if you insist, garlic aioli tucked inside a plush toasted brioche bun. Mine came with a side of tortilla chips for added crunch. Not for nothing, the surfers taking on Salt Creek’s famed break mere steps away provide some of the best mealtime viewing in Orange County.
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Honorable mentions:
Pacific Coast Hot Dogs (Orange)
Crocker’s The Well Dressed Frank (Newport Beach)
Mustard’s Chicago Style Eatery (Los Alamitos)
Just Hot Dogs (Westminster)