Leo’s Coney Island

Pretty awesome to have one of my favorite detroit coneys open up shop in chicago. Too bad they didn’t bring the detroit prices with them. 13 for a large Greek salad with chicken ouch. Love the chili on the coney dogs.

My fiancé grew up in Detroit and, essentially, from the moment I met him he was talking about the Greek Salad and trivia night at Leo’s.
Leo’s closed very unexpectedly; we heard about it that morning, planned to go there for lunch and the restaurant was already boarded up. It is very unfortunate that more people did not know about this great place.

VERNOR’S GINGER ALE
Ok, so that gives Leo’s a point alone, because vernor’s is delicious (though not exactly hard to find). I also happen to really like hot dogs, hot dogs with mustard, hot dogs with chilli, and hot dogs with mustard AND chilli. I think the flavor combination goes really well together and I dig it. So Leo’s has the coney dog for me and I can get it kosher (not that I keep kosher, I just prefer kosher hot dogs).
You can also get lemon rice soup, which is one of my favorites and it is good. I like it.
The beer is cheap. $ 2 domestics, $ 3 for some nicer beers-it’s worth it. The price is pretty awesome for lakeview and you always want a beer with your hot dog!
There are fries. Curly, Greek, regular-they’re all good if you dig fries.
I dig it. I’m glad I live close. Or is it bad I live close? It’s possible.

The first time I came here, I sat outside by myself with my crosswords, my headphones on, a Shiner ($ 3, Can you say «Amazing»?), Curly fries, and a Chicago Dog.
I was roaming around Southport when I realized this joint and it was fantastic! The hostess was able to immediately sit me outside on the patio, where I got a perfect spot to people judge, I mean people watch. She told me that Shiner was $ 3. Being from The Lone Star State, $ 3 Shiners were very difficult to find in Chicago. I ordered a Shiner immediately, took out my pen and went to work on my Redeye Crossword.
The Chicago Dog came (I went the safe route, although I did come back later with my cousin and had the Detroit Dog — Chilli Cheese Dog — great!). and I snacked on the Curly Fries while I filled in 35 across. I’m not a big fan of the Chicago Dog so I didn’t care for it. It was just filler for my stomach so it would stop growling at me. I would go there for the Curly Fries w\o even thinking next time.
4 Stars. Shiner. Curly Fries. People Watching.
Oh, and the indoor décor is very retro. Love it.

I’m not afraid to admit that I love a good chili dog every so often. I had a serious need for a hotdog or a hamburger and after reviewing a number of hotdog places with reviews, I decided to walk to the end of the street. I know, not very ambitious with my best hotdog search.
BUT, I’m so glad I did. Leo’s Coney Island was perfect. The restaurant is an actual restaurant with nice, large booths, which could seat more than 4 people comfortably. They have nice large tables as well — it’s a big open space like a restaurant you might find in the suburbs which is really hard to find in Chicago. We’re used to being able to listen and gossip about all the conversations going on around us.
The menu is VERY reasonably priced and I decided I’m going for it and getting the chili dog with curly fries. They both hit the spot. I’m accustomed to Cincinnati Chili Dogs so I wasn’t overly excited about the flavoring of the chili but that’s like trying to compare a hotdog to a Portillo’s hotdog — you just shouldn’t do it because we all know, nothing can compare to Portillo’s.
If you’re looking for a solid hotdog that is not expensive — I say give Leo’s a try for sure. It’s good food and the ambiance in the restaurant is pretty relaxing. They were playing cool music and old records decorate the wall.
I will definitely give this place another visit!

Greeter — super cool! It was a beautiful summer night to sit outside and regain some (MANY) of the calories I just worked hard burning off, so why not Leo’s?
You must get a LOOSE. Amazingly this is SYSCO chili (institutional) but they season it in such a way that it is BADASS. I don’t know how they do it but extra points for that. My wife got the greek salad (very good, they put beets in it… I hate beets, but my wife loves ‘em.). Server was friendly and attentive and kept filling our glasses.
Just know when you go: street parking can be tight, and this is not a health food joint so get ready to fill up on bad for you but DELICIOUS.
Also… bring a vinyl record album with you to become part of the history of this cool place, and get a special treat!

My boyfriend and I were recently touristing it up in Chicago, and met up with a friend here for dinner one night before we went down to Wrigley for the Cubs game.
It was a nice day, so we sat outside to enjoy the weather and the people watching. Leo’s menu had so many delicious sounding items that I had a hard time choosing. I got the tuna pita with some lemon chicken soup, and my boyfriend got the gyro with a Greek salad.
The lemon chicken soup was one of the better versions of it I’ve had, which means it was super extra awesome (or I was really hungry, or both). The tuna pita was very nice and fresh tasting. You can’t go wrong with quality tuna. My boyfriend highly approved of both his gyro and Greek salad. One friend ordered a BLT and was displeased that it was not served with mayonnaise (or any other condiment, how weird) but he was able to get some on the side to put on pretty quickly.
Our friends brought their daughter with them, and say they often take her here because it’s one of the most kid friendly places to eat around. She seemed to enjoy stealing fries from her mother very much.
Service was good, prices were right, and so I’d have to say that I quite enjoyed this place.

Not a true representation of the Detroit Coney Dog. There is a reason why Leo’s is behind in taste to Lafayette, National, American, George’s, and Phoenix Coney Island diners in the Metro Detroit area.
The chili is too watery and doesn’t hold up to the Coney places I mentioned above.
Average at best, the late night window counter is perfect for locals looking for something to eat after a night out on Southport.

People from Detroit are a proud group. Much like folks in England about the Queen, they can insult the D all they want; but if someone who never lived in that region does, it can send them on a rampage. If someone from, say, Chicagoland does cause this reaction, there are only three things that can calm the Detroiter down:
1. Vernors (it even calms down the stomach)
2. The sweet, sweet sounds of Eminem’s «Lose Yourself»
3. An *authentic* Coney Dog
And the third is definitely something that Leo’s can supply — the first («imported from Detroit») as well. The second, not so much, as the soundtrack here is oldies.
But before I continue, I have to clear up a misconception. For those from Chicago, don’t expect it to be a hot dog stand. That’s just plain offensive. In the Detroit area, Coney Islands are a few chains of diners. And most of them just are like any other greasy spoon restaurant except that just happen to serve a special kind of hot dog (and have a large menu of Greek specialties). Just like this place!
With that out of the way, there are some important differences (not all good) in this location. For one, it’s more expensive (almost $ 10 with tip for a dog, fries, and drink) than in the mitten. For two, it’s a bit jazzed up. The records lining the walls for a Motown theme are pretty cool (and there’s a BOB SEGER record in the men’s room for all sort of win) but in general I felt a little like I was in a Detroit theme restaurant and not a Coney. But they do have a liquor license and $ 2 beer (and at $ 1 with a Foursquare check-​in, it’s definitely the cheapest in the neighborhood) which is an improvement over its Detroit brethren.
Now the important part — the food — is pretty much the same. Which means, sadly, it’s average. The veggie coney didn’t have that much taste (even smothered in veggie chili and onions) but it had the absolute correct falling apart, soaking through the bun consistency. The curly fries were amazing because they were crispy to almost the point of being burnt. But this is the slop that feels like home to a native Metro Detroiter like me.
The big secret that few Detroiters let slip is that Coney Islands are not very good to begin with. They’re not meant to be. They’re drunk food for after a hard day’s work or play. Is it classy? Not even slightly. Detroit isn’t about putting on airs, it’s about grittiness. Proudly. And don’t you dare say otherwise and start a rampage!

I’m a Chicago dog guy first, but I truly love any kind of hot dog — I just had my first Sonoran dog down in Tucson a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing.
Anyway, my 3-​star review isn’t based on the fact that it isn’t a Chicago dog — that’s what I’m trying to say. It just wasn’t all that spectacular. The sausage itself was decent, as was the chili, and they actually went well together with the mustard and onions.
My complaint is with the package as a whole. It isn’t a hot dog «stand» — it’s more of a sit down restaurant. But it’s as if the decorators couldn’t decide on a theme — so it’s sort of a mish-​mash of different styles. There was 80’s hair metal on the jukebox, Motown records on the wall, a sort of brushed aluminum décor throughout, and TVs turned to ESPN mounted on the walls. Pick a direction and go with it.
Because it’s a sit-​down place, I think the food is a little overpriced for what you’re getting. Our server was friendly and attentive — no complaints there. The whole experience just didn’t mesh all that well for me.
I feel like an opportunity was missed here and this place could be a real gem… but the overall concept needs a little work.

Sometimes, a Bloomfield ex-​pat needs to satisfy a Leo’s craving, and luckily, a visit to Chicago will oblige! And with sweet potato fries, to boot!
This location is clean, friendly, and with great service. The food is everything you remember loving from lunches after half days of school or almost every day if you live near Maple/​Tele. Mmmm beanless chili, classic.
If you’re confused about what to get, just order the kosher coney with fries, mustard and onions, and be happy. Or Greek salad is always good, too. Or breakfast. Really, you just can’t go wrong here.

Leo’s Coney Island is a place where I was pleasantly surprised. Their dogs are amazing, and their burgers are excellent. Actually I’ve had some absolutely FANTASTIC burgers there. It is a little inconsistent however the food is never poor or even fair… it’s either good, or excellent. I absolutely LOVE their sweet potato fries. They are reasonably priced and the portions are perfect, leaning on the heavier side but not overwhelming.
There is a young female manager there whom I would hire for my business in a heartbeat. She is consistently friendly, warm, and concerned for your food and service. She gave me my next meal free because my last meal I ordered for take-​out was sub-​par. She offered to make it right, absolutely no questions asked.

I walked into Leo’s with an open mind. I have heard some mixed reviews about Leo’s. But when I stopped by one random day I was going to let myself decide if I like Leo’s or not. When I arrived at the door I was nicely greeted and quickly seated in a cozy booth. The place was clean, spotless, and all the servers were smiling as they quickly took everyone’s order. I was told by a friend to get the Vernor’s Ginger Soda and the Coney Combo. After looking over the menu I saw that the combo consisted of a Coney Island hot dog, fries and a small Greek salad. When my server asked what I wanted to order, I told her I wanted just that.
A minute or two later, the server brought out the the Vernor’s ginger soda and the Greek Salad. The ginger soda was good. It was crisp with a subtle ginger taste. The mini Greek Salad wasn’t so mini after all. A plate full of crunchy romaine, beets, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, chickpeas and feta all tossedd in their famous tangy Greek dressing. I enjoyed it, it was good.
Then a couple minutes later Leo’s famous Coney Dog and fries arrived. The Coney Dog was a redhot in a bun layered with onions, a stripe of mustard and topped with chili. The fries were hot and seasoned well. I felt the dog was just mediocre, good, but nothing out of the ordinary. The service was prompt, the restaurant is very clean and food was A-​Ok.
I will be back to Leo’s to further explore their extensive menu.

Sigh. I was so disappointed by Leo’s Coney Island, especially after wanting to eat there for so long. But after a meal of the best Leo’s has to offer, my boyfriend and I are in full agreement that it’s the worst meal we’ve ever had together.
I had the Greek Salad, about which I’d heard so much. I was super excited, because I love greek salads and am always looking for the best place to have one. This was not it. First of all, I’m not sure greek people put pickled beets on their salads. Second, the feta was weirdish. Third, bad lettuce-​to-​topping ratio. I ended up eating just the toasty pita bread dipped in dressing, which were both delish, but uh, I can do that at home.
My date ordered the chili dog (coney dog?) and fries. That hot dog was not delicious. It was gloppy and had a weird mushy bun. I’ll admit that I’m biased, as I was raised on chili dogs from the Varsity in Atlanta, where the Chili dog is king and has been perfected, but this was just a mess.
I really wanted to like it at Leo’s. The service was great and super friendly, and it’s so close to my house that I hoped to add it to my normal rotation. But, uh, no thanks. Sorry Leo, whoever you are.

I’ve been back here two times since my first visit and neither time was very good… at all. The first time was at about 11am on a Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day. I remember two things– 1) The service was HORRIBLE and 2) Four people at our table got fries– three of them got old, brown luke warm fries and the other person got fresh hot fries. If you to give everybody at the table the same thing, come on now!
Then– I went back just the other day for take out– I ordered a burger and fries. I saw the two differently priced burgers on the menu but just ordered «A burger» and the person who rang me up decided to just give me the expensive one, so my burger and fries ended up being nearly $ 10! I would have gone to McDonald’s but I was in no mood to walk the extra 6 blocks. Food was OK again, but nothing special.
I really wanted to like this place a lot.

Being from the Detroit area, I’m genetically predisposed to love Coney Island restaurants. I was ecstatic to learn that one was coming to a neighborhood near me.
This review is complicated. First and foremost, the food is spot on Coney Island grub. Tastes just like back home. No complaints there.
On the downside, being the newest restaurant on Southport means it’s going to be perpetually crowded. Combine this with the high number of Michigan natives in the area and the joint is always jumping. Didn’t like the fact that my friend and I had to wait for a small table to open up rather than being seated at a large table. Two dudes aren’t going to linger and talk after. We’ll pay the check and leave, so please seat us without the attitude.
As for the sass we received, it was mild at best. The owners and staff here are good people. This one experience will not stop me from going.
Only thing Leo’s is missing is a long counter to dine at. To my knowledge every Coney Island I’ve been to back home has this along with a cranky old Greek dude hustling you along. You won’t really miss either at Leo’s.

Definitley go try a coney and a diet vernors, trust me… or the antipasto salad if your feeling healthy !!
I will start this off saying, I am from Michigan, though not Metro Detroit. I had never been to Leos or any other Coney Island before but the excitment of all my Metro Detroit friends did have me excited !!
I have been here twice now, and gotten take out once. I will not judge the first day I was here because it was there opening day, the wait was over 2 hrs, food was not hot, and the service was not really good.
I grabbed a small greek salad, cup of lemon rice soup, and an original coney to go for lunch the other day. Salad was almost all FETA, luckily I was at home so I could add more lettuce. The soup was really thick, hot, and good, and I also really liked the coney !
Went back today and had the Antipasto salad, it was really good, and really big !! I saw some other salads pass by me and they were HUGE also. Our Waitress was attentive and nice but the food came really slow from the kitchen, especially considering I had a salad that was all raw and just needed to be put in a bowl.
The owners have been there working all the times I have been there, and he heard I was upset about the time our food was taking, he came over and calmed us down with some humor.

So I walk in and there are about 20 people standing around in the front of the restraurant. There are tons of tables open so I walk to one, take my coat off and sit down. I get the feeling that people are looking at me so I ask the table next to me what the deal is and why there are so many people standing and waiting. Turns out that this place is a «wait to be seated» place. There was a sign that said so but it was totally covered. It was so bad that I couldn’t even find the hostess counter. I had NO clue what to do and where to go.
I finally get to put my name down and the hostess says the wait is 30−45mins. My friends and I say fine, we’ll wait. We waited around for about 40 minutes and our name was called. When we were about to get seated, the hostess says to us, when we get seated, it’ll probably be about another hour or so to get our food because they are backed up. Uhhh backed up making hot dogs??? How hard is it to make hot dogs and chilli?
Now me and my friends are at a boiling point. This isn’t a fancy restaurant where it takes time and precision to make a delicious full course meal… they are making HOT DOGS!
We ended up leaving… not even wanting to experience the dogs. Never had an experience like this EVER. We left and went to Hot Dogs where we had our food in 20 mins.

I live in Detroit. I grew up in Detroit. Why would anyone seek out a Detroit style coney dog in Chicago? Bland and tasteless, Leo’s is not even a very good Detrot style coney dog.
Save your money folks and head to Hot Doug’s, Wolfys or even «gasp» Portillos.

Ok