Yovi’s

This is a cool little place down in a basement… Well actually it’s a garden level spot in Market Square. The kids had a field trip to the theater so we park nearby and stopped in for a quick bite. Not only was the hot dog great (got the Chicago style) but they treated my kids really well. Kids had a hot dog each, fries that looked hand cut and cheese. The service was quick… you can not really much better for a hot dog place. Lots of charm and lots of Chicago influence. Cheap too! Great place for a quick bite!

In a nutshell: small, hidden (Chicago style) hot dog shop in market square.
I didn’t even know this place existed for the longest time. You hear about overrated Franktuary right down the street, but no one ever talks about Yovi’s. Yovi’s isn’t anything fancy and it offers the classic toppings, served with fries if you want. It’s pretty awesome to find a Chicago hot dog right in Pittsburgh. The owner is from Chicago so whether it’s authentic or not, I can’t tell you for sure, but it certainly seems to be. I’ve never had a Chicago dog but Yovi’s version was delicious. I loved all the flavors of the relish, peppers and tomato which gave it such a fresh taste. Yovi’s has a few other sandwiches on the menu that I’m sure are good too, but it’s hard not getting a Chicago dog because where else can you find one in Pittsburgh? This is a great place for a quick lunch and I will definitely be back.

I grew up on the south side of Chicago. Yovi’s is absolutely the real deal. I heard about the place through, of all Pittsburgh things, a Rick Sebak instagram post. Trusting anything Rick says about sandwiches and hot dogs, I was hopeful.
When you walk into Yovi’s, the first two things you see are a life-​size photo of Mike Ditka and a Chicago skyline photo that takes up most of the wall. A good sign. Chicago sports memorabilia is everywhere. This, like any good Chicago hot dog joint, is a simple place too focused on the food to care about any other aesthetics. I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time I was in line.
I was so excited just from being there, but when the food was ready I found another level of bliss. I had a hot dog and an Italian beef with hot giardiniera, and both were a taste of Chicago. The hot dog had all the classic toppings, even down to the poppyseed bun and neon green relish. The beef was juicy, delicious, filling, and piled high on delicious bread. The fries were fresh-​cut, with skin, and done to perfection. Not only did all of it taste like the real thing, they showed that Yovi’s is as good or even better than a lot of places in Chicago itself.
I adore Pittsburgh, but it’s always nice to have an authentic piece of my hometown to visit when the craving hits. Thank you for all of it, Yovi’s. I look forward to many more happy lunches.

The price is right and you get really friendly service by the owner. Very nice selection and the service comes with a smile! Love it!

I had an awesome experience at Yovi’s today. I assume the man that took my order was the owner. Extremely nice and even offered me a holiday shot:)
The food was fantastic as well. The French fries were some of the best I’ve ever had, and the Chicago dog was also very good (very authentic presentation). However, the real star of my meal was the Italian beef sandwich with Giardiniera. The bread was perfect, beef tender and super flavorful. All in all, a fantastic sandwich.
I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for 6 years, and I’ve walked by here numerous times, so glad I finally tried it out. I’ll definitely be back, maybe not tomorrow, but probably the next day:)

First and foremost, Yovi’s is hidden in a basement in Market Square. I almost gave up on getting here when Google Maps led me astray, but Unilocal has the right address.
I was sick of being at work so I decided to go get a hot dog snack. When I walked in, I did think the prices were a bit high. Basically, you can get whatever you want on your hot dog, but they are all $ 3.19 without tax. The hot dogs are regular sized but served on a Sesame seed bun. I decided on a Chili Cheese Hotdog ($ 3.65 w tax). The cheese was nice and hot and the chili was good too. The chili is mild, if that is a concern. I gobbled the whole thing down in two minutes.
The guy who took my order was so friendly that it almost shocked me. I will end up coming back to try a Chicago dog just because he was so nice!

When you Go Downtown Check out This Chicago Style Hot Dog Shop Next To Sienna in Market Square… I LOVE the Itallian Roast Beef And Fresh Cut Fries… Everything is Great, right Down to the AWESOME Pizza Puff’s. The Owner Lee Is Very friendly And Always Helpful … And the Best thing is to Get the Combo Witch INCLUDES Fries AND a Drink… All for Under $ 10 Basically … Also He has the Best Pop Selection Downtown… Coke, Pepsi products, Root Beers, And the Pgh Favorite… Turner Ice Tea And Drinks… I Give It 5 Stars. If Anyone Remembers Downtown in The 1990’s, He Was next to 7 – 11 on liberty For 19 Years before he got this location… ! Check it out !

Boom Diggity!!! Yovi’s dog is tasty! I was strolling through market square at 1045 AM with a mean craving for some tube steaks. I decided to get a Chicago Style Hot Dog. Never had one before, so my hopes were high. I ordered their polish combo with fries. First off, the fries were fresh cut and delicious. I would come back for just the fries alone. Then the hotdog was the best I’ve had in… forever. The bun /​frank /​and toppings were spot on. I will be returning to this hidden hotdog paradise.

Previously I posted a less than glowing review (below). Because the people at Yovi’s are so nice, I went back to give them another chance. This time I ordered the natural casing dog extra– extra well done. It was a much different — and better– experience! The hot dog was hot, juicy and the casing gave it its «pop.» The balance of the ingredients was much better this time — not too much of one thing and too little of another. The tomatoes were sliced, there were three or four sport peppers, and the onions weren’t piled on. I will definitely be back at least once a week for my Chicago fix!
First review:
I went to Yovi’s today for lunch. I’ve been looking forward to it for long time — there are very few things in life I like as much as a great Chicago style hot dog! Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
The hotdogs were Vienna beef and the buns were poppyseed, just like they’re supposed to be. But the hotdog was VERY small — it didn’t even fill the bun — and not nearly cooked enough! There was one little sport pepper on my hotdog and too much onion. And the tomatoes were in wedges, not slices. It just wasn’t a good representation. You’re supposed to feel a «pop» and some juiciness when you bite into it; not so with this. A great hotdog is supposed to overhang the bun, it’s supposed to be hot and juicy. All of that was missing. I won’t be going back anytime soon.

We had two Chicago hot dogs, the standard stuff, together with fries. They tasted alright but nothing as much as hyped. I don’t understand what the big deal is.

I just started working downtown this week and had a hankering for a hot dog. I searched Unilocal and low and behold this place was good and nearby… you have to be looking to find it as the sign is a paper sign in a basement wondow… go down some steps to a hidden place with an aesthetic similar to an old diner. I went on and ordered my dog, lots of toppings… way beyond your average Sheetz giving a true Chicago style dog. I got a dog and some fries and both were spectacular… the peppers had great flavor on the dog and the bun even had poppy seeds. The fries were good as well not being the stock frozen bag fries they had great flavor and they give you a lot for the money.
If you are downtown looking for a great dog you could do a lot worse… it’s hidden in market square but worth finding this gem

Paul used to have an office downtown and his major regret in giving it up is that he is no longer a block away from this delicious lunch spot. We’ve never been to Chicago, but if it’s half as good as Yovi’s, we need to move there immediately. The owner and his girlfriend are delightful and the food is top notch. Paul is a sucker for the Chicago style beef sandwich. K likes the Chicago dog and the cheese fries are melty, salty perfection. Cash only, so come prepared.

Great food, ordered the polish sausage. Came with cucumber, hot pepper, onion, mustard, tomato, relish. It was great, hot, and the place is very clean. The worker was kind and friendly! Fast service, tasted fresh. Fries are crispy perfection, and that is worth noting. No soggy lifeless fries here!
This «hole-​in-​the-​wall» joint is worth it.

I’m a huge fan of Yovi’s. I’ve been coming off and on for 20 years, including when they were in the now retired Istanbul Grille (which itself moved to the UPMC/​steel building) which is now a 7 – 11.
Real Pittsburghers know that if you want great Chicago-​style hotdogs, great italian beef, fantastic french fries that you’ve got to head towards market square on fifth or Liberty and take the side street where radio shack is on the corner walking towards market square.
The signs are visible in the windows but you’ve got to walk in and down the steps to get there.
If you like spicy, then get the combo beef and sausage which is a thick delicious by itself hot sausage link with shaved italian roast beef piled on top. With celery, carrots, peppers it can’t be beat. Might be the best sandwich here.
The owners are friendly and doing the work. They are friendly and interested to know how they ate doing. No snotty teenagers here.
The food is all real, good, and seasoned.
When you order, step out of your comfort zone, the simple menu can be imposing. Take your time. Or just get the Chicago dog or combo I mentioned above.
Don’t get a hotdog and ketchup like my 4 year old! ;)

I love this place dearly. It’s out of the way in scenic Market Square. There is very little in the way of evidence of a delicious Hot Dog place aside from a colorful sign in a window. Simply put, the food is excellent. The service is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Chicago Hot Dog? Absolutely. Fries? Yes indeed. Even the chicken breast sandwich is excellent. Get some cheese on the side, put some vinegar on the fries and have a short mouth party away from your soul crushing office job. Bring cash, because like all the best Pittsburgh places, they dont deal in plastics.
Yovi’s. Come for the Chicago Style hot dogs, stay for the feeling of finding an underground treasure chest full of delicious wonder.

Mixed feelings on this one…
Decided to go here instead of Franktuary when a coworker suggested they had the better Chicago Style dog. I had been meaning to stop by for a Hot Italian Beef sandwich, so I figured the dog would be a good litmus test for a future visit.
Yovi’s is pretty small inside, just a counter with some bench stools and a few tables with two seats each. Despite the size, I had to actually look for the window to order.
I ordered two Chicago dogs and they came out almost immediately. While the steamed bun was on point, the dog itself was bland and the toppings were mediocre… while its the closest interpretation I’ve seen in PGH to the original, it just simply failed in execution.
On a positive note, my coworker let me try some of his fries and they were deadly good. I’m assuming blanched then fried a second time given the thick crusty exterior and pretty smooth interior. You can get some nacho cheese on the side and you’re good to go.
Overall, I’ll probably stop back at some other time to try the Italian Beef, but I was actually surprise by the price (over $ 6 for two simple hot dogs) and it was cash only (luckily I had some on me).

I was looking for a new place for some quick dinner on a late workday (subs and Mexican gets old after a while) and found Yovi’s on the Downtown Pittsburgh website. I thought it would be worth a try and it definitely was.
I had the two Chicago dog combo with fries and a Coke (relish, mustard, pickle, and tomato on one, relish and ketchup on the other). The toppings were fresh and the buns were great. The hot dogs were delicious.
The real winner is the fries. I would have never expected a hot dog place to have such good fries, but believe it, they are the best I’ve had downtown. They have that fresh «Potato Patch» taste to them.

Love that Yovi’s is back! And so close to work, downtown. Awesome, authentic, Chicago-​style dogs (described appropriately throughout this profile), and fresh-​cut fries… awesome. So glad he’s back, and love to support this small, independently-​owned business, rather than some chain. Cheers!

Sitting on an alley (Graeme Street) on Market Square, this little hot Dog shop is a four step-​walk-​down harkening to the corner lunch place from the 60s (minus the racism).
You walk in, and while it is clean, there is little flair to this establishment. The dogs are pried pretty well, although a combo gets a little pricier than I think jsut a dog and fries and drink should be. Still, it isn’t in the expensive category at all.
I wanted a dog with just mustard and made the mistake of ordering the «Chicago Style Dog» that was at the top of the list. This was on me, and it came with relish (very fresh) jalapenos, mustard and a pickle on it.
The dog was underwhelming. Not too plump, and not hot. The bun was good, and the relish (though i scraped it off) was fresh and tasty, if i do say so myself. The Pickel, on the other hand, wasn’t quite a pickle yet. It was somewhere between cucmber and pickle. Maybe that is how is is meant to be? I wouldn’t say it was «bad» just «not done soaking» maybe.
The guy behind the window was really nice and, even though i didn’t ask for the combo, he threw in some fries (I’m assuming so i could try them.)
So I don’t know… I had a better hotdog from the cart on the sidewalk just a half block over on Liberty and Fifth, but they were super nice and you feel like you are in a big city going into this (almost literally) hole-​in-​the-​wall place.
Try it for yourself and see.

This is my first review that is under 4 stars. But do not be alarmed, sole person who reads this.
I’m firmly in the «if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say it» camp when it comes to reviews. And there’s some good stuff to talk about with Yovi’s, and realistically, this is a 3.5 star review… but Unilocal refuses to acknowledge my need for fractions.
Yovi’s Chicago Style Hot Dog’s…that’s about as completely honest a restaurant name as you can get. They do hot dogs. Chicago style. And some other stuff. But you’re not there for the tamale… unless you are. But you’re a weird guy to look for tamales at a hot dog shop that makes no mention of tamales in their name. Freak.
For those new to the game, Chicago style, or stizz-​ile if you’re Canadian and ten years in the past, is an all beef dog, mustard, diced onions, electric green relish, «sport peppers,» tomato slices, celery salt, and a pickle spear, all squeezed into a poppy seed bun. It’s called «run through the garden» for a reason.
Now, I’m a bit picky when it comes to hot dogs. And this isn’t a bad one. But Pittsburgh is quickly becoming a Hot Dog Mecca, with places like Packs N’ Dogs, Franktuary, Station Street Hot Dogs, and even the Rowdy Buck on Carson Street is getting into the mix. So, a good dog doesn’t quite live up to a 4 star rating.
The all beef frank was solid, but nothing special, and all the toppings were fresh and tasty, but fairly pedestrian. And for around $ 8 you get a 2 dog combo, with fries and a drink. You’ll be full, but you won’t be chomping at the bit to come back. I think the biggest problem, for me at least, was that the poppy seed bun was a let down. Less of the Chicago original, and more of a Giant Eagle bun with some seeds on it.
I’m not hating on Yovi’s. It was a good deal, really good fries, and a good dog. All the Chicago nostalgia on the walls was like stepping through the looking glass in comparison to the «all Pittsburgh all the time» that is the norm in the city. But next time, I might try the tamale.