CLOSED: A Whole Lot of Chicago in a Little Bitty Trailer

Update: Little Chicago is gone - Trailer before trailer was cool, we wish Chris the best in whatever he does next and hope it involves sausage. The best bet for a killer Chicago Dog in Austin is now Frank.

Chicago knows how to eat. Everything from Charlie Trotter’s wine list to Giordano’s Pizza is just a little bit over the top, just a little bit more than it has to be, and a whole lot of good eating.

Case in point: The Chicago Dog. A real Chicago Dog elevates the hot dog into culinary territory other dogs can only wistfully imagine. The formula is immutable, unsubstituable and far greater than the sum of its parts:

• Poppy seed hot dog bun
• All Beef hot dog (Vienna Beef is the gold-standard here)
• Yellow mustard
• Chopped white onion
• Neon Green Relish
• Sport peppers (often overlooked)
• Tomato wedges
• Crisp kosher dill pickle spear
• Celery salt

And here’s where to get one in Austin: Chris’ Little Chicago. Austin actually has a pretty sizable list of places that give the dog a go (Dog Almighty, Lux Café, Lucky Dog), they're all good, but most cut a few corners – no sport peppers, dill relish, missing poppy seeds. Chris cuts no corners. Well, OK, maybe he cuts a few corners on tables-and-chairs, but the dog is out of this world.



Chris’ is housed in a cheery little red trailer at 3600 South Lamar, just before the Brodie Oaks shopping center. The menu is pretty much there on the sign: Chicago Style Hot Dogs and Italian Beef Sandwiches. File this one under niche dining.

The dog itself is on the large side, and Chris is so generous with the toppings, it’s nearly overwhelming.

Because Chris is a Chicago-only place, there’s no attempt at passing non-Chicago relish or buns or tomatoes off in place of the good stuff. It’s all in there. And it’s all good. And while the seating is limited to a couple of plastic chairs at a folding card table out back, the view over Highway 360 and out into the Hill Country is as good a setting as you’re going to get to kick back, pop open an Izzy, and enjoy a little bit of Chicago, right here in Austin.