Irving’s For Red Hot Lovers

I’ve come here a few times and I’ve never been impressed by the red hots. Any decent place in Chicago blows this out of the water. I attempted some of the unknown items like the Italian beef. The beef didn’t have any taste and the bread didn’t stand a chance as it fell apart and became soupy like. I did enjoy the Oreo shake though! Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll ever come back due to the condition of the food and location.

Best cheese fries and cheese dogs you’ll ever eat.

I like Irving’s a lot. I really do. I’m a local to the North Shore, and it’s a go-​to spot. I was in recently and sat next to Tom Ricketts (owner of the Chicago Cubs), and a guy in overalls covered in plaster. The place gets all kinds of people looking for a tasty hot dog. They have decent food, prices are great, but unfortunately I have to agree with other reviewers. The place is FILTHY. Someone said «40 years of grease filthy» and I agree 100%. They place needs to be deep cleaned, hazmat style :/​I’ve stopped going because it’s just too gross. If they clean up, I’ll be back.
Please Irving’s, clean your shop!

Best dog dog joint in town! Hot dog, fries and 24 oz refill for under $ 6! Can’t beat. Place is clean, guys friendly, tv turned to the latest sports, food hot and made to order, you can’t go wrong.

I was on the hotdog Memory Lane trip today and had to come back to Irving’s. They have been here for 40 years and I remember when they opened. I was so disappointed to learn they no longer carry Vienna beef hotdogs. Apparently, they haven’t for years but I didn’t know because I usually order a Polish sausage.
I did not realize this was another brand until I was three bites into my hotdog and could not figure out why it wasn’t fabulous. I nearly wept and stopped eating. It wasn’t good enough to finish.
I read other comments about the place looking like it could use a good cleaning. I agree. It needs a thorough washing and spiffing up.
The three stars is generous and solely graded on today. The person next to me said his char cheddar Polish was to die for. I was relieved to hear that but I am afraid I am done.
The staff remains friendly, enthusiastic and efficient but that I am no longer in love with Irving’s. This is a devastating break up.

I haven’t been here for years and made the mistake of ordering a gyro combo meal. The gyro came with more tziki sauce than meat which is disappointing for a $ 8+tax combo meal. The fries also were not fresh, even though I came early in their lunch rush. In retrospect I should have had their hot dog as they are great Chicago style dogs. Overall they are a bit overpriced as the $ 3 dog doesn’t come with fries. For a long time they had no competition, but with 5 guys opening down the street you get a lot more food for similar prices.

Late this morning, Mrs B. asked me to accompany her to Old Orchard and stop off for a little lunch along the way.
«Whoa,» said I, «If we go out we must find a promotion, or coupon, or Groupon, or sumpin’ that ends with the letter ‘N’,» I exclaimed. We checked our file of discount deals and found an Entertanment coupon for Irving’s. Otherwise, I was prepared to dumpster dive somewhere between Glenview and Skokie.
Ahh, Irving’s! I recall Irving’s (…for Red Hot Lovers) in the flower of my youth, when I resided a mere mile from the shop. It was one of the classic hot dog joints that migrated from Chicago to Wilmette in the mid-​1970s, as I recall. I would go there with my first wife who liked junk food more than she liked me.
With the exception of higher prices, it looked much the same as I recalled it from forty years ago, although the place looked a bit grimy and in need of a good cleaning and modernization. It still had tables and chairs along the hallway to the rest rooms (very charming), and lots of unhealthy hot dogs and the like. Oh yeah, I think they were no longer offering Vienna brand hot dogs: they had some other supplier.
Our Entertainment coupon was a two-​fer for chicken sandwiches, so we did not try their hot dogs. Interestingly, as we walked in with a visible coupon in the wife’s hand, the counter clerk shouted out, «Do you want your chicken on a pita bread or a bun?» This was BEFORE we even made it to the counter! So, I ordered pita and she ordered a bun. They put the chicken on a grill, added my choice of condiments — and it was ready in just a few minutes.
Everything tasted pretty good, and the cooking area looked clean, so I did not feel grossed out or concerned about hygiene as others had written.
Irving’s is a local Wilmette tradition, and I believe that they still sponsor some Little League teams and support local charities, all of which are good.
I don’t get around Wilmette very often, having lived in Glenview for almost 40 years, but I think that I would visit Irving’s again if I lived nearby. I would recommend that they really remodel and clean up the place so I could award it a four-​star rating.

I am really sad, but the last 2 times I have been there the food was terrible. Today… a lunch hour, dry burger, old bun and cold ff. really. I won’t be returning. Too bad. :(

I went to high school a few blocks from here so I have been stopping by for about five or ten years now. Really great little hot dog place. Love their cheese fries. What more is there to say!

Best cheese fries and cheese dogs you’ll ever eat. The burgers are also top quality, way above what you’d expect for a fast food establishment. I’d have to recommend coming with your friends, kids, uncle and grandma. They’ll all find something delicious on the menu to enjoy!

I had a char cheddar dog and cheddar fries recently and it was a Classic Chicago Dog experience. My sons had cheddar burgers and loved them. One had chili cheese fries and the other had sweet potato fries. All good!

Always great food when I visit Irving’s as it is all about quality! Starting with people who enjoy serving to the flavor that is present in every bite. I have always rated Chicago dogs by the polish they serve. It takes a great more car to serve a perfect polish and Irving’s never missed a step!
Thanks Again! Another perfect polish for me!

Great staff great food always a satisfying meal when you eat at Irving’s. I have been going here my whole life it is a staple for hot dogs and burgers in the north shore. Andy the owner does a great job with this place it’s clean and just a joy to eat at. I cannot speak any more highly of this hot dog heaven than I already have. They have been around for 35+ years and still going that says a lot!!!

This food was mediocre at best. The cheese fries were nasty. The tables were dirty, the bathroom was disgustingly filthy.
I will never return.
The ONLY plus was the man behind the counter was very friendly.
Suggestion: wash your hands after handling money and then food.
Not enough seating either…

Great food, love the staff, and my daughter thinks they have the best hotdogs ever! I like the menu it has more then one would think, even good meal salads! Always fresh!

Some of the best hot dogs I’ve ever had. Their burgers are great too. Only 5 min away from me yet I haven’t been here for a few years. Will have to make it a point to go back soon.

Listen, this place has perhaps the most awesome chili cheese dog (with onions) I have ever experienced in my entire life. Do you call them Coney dogs? Whatever you call this dog I call ‘em delicious! The other food was standard fare. The place needs some updating and a good cleaning but I will be back repeatedly for that chili cheese masterpiece.
Side note: while I was inside Irving’s 4 red hot lovers a manager from the nearby restaurant Trifecta (you can find my review if you like) charged at me. She said that many people are mad and cursing me over my Unilocal review. However, she said she really appreciated my honesty. She was aggressive but we had a very nice conversation. I believe that Unilocal helps restaurants get better and saves foodies money and wasted time.

Finally, I can cross Chicago hotdogs off my Foodie must do list. This small bustling place was fun, super fast and mostly frequented by locals, which is always a great sign. It was all delish:
Jumbo bacon hot dog — awesome juicy dog, crispy bacon, two slices of tomato, pickle.
Polish sausage — very very good
Kids burger meal came with yummy fries and 12 oz drink
Beer battered fried Mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce– the bomb.
We washed it all down with cold root beer.
It’s the kind of local fast food place where you call out your order and find a stool to sit on while you just happily munch on your hot goodies.
Next time I want to try the grilled salami sandwiches…
Just wish they offered deep fried cheese jalapeños.
Can’t wait to come back!

The best hot dog in Chicago. The crew of employees has been the same for the last decade. The service is top notch and the cheese fries are AWSOME. This is a staple of my culinary indulgences. The price is up there, but it’s a North Shore location.
Extra bonus is if a game is on, it’s on the TV. Even the Sox.

Maybe two decades and some years back Chicago had it’s own Irving’s location till they moved. Bleh! I remember walking there with my old man and getting all sorts of delicious char foods. For my young age I never understood what the heck, «for red hot lovers» meant but assumed it had to do with dating. «So this is where I could take chicks» (I was under ten, alright) Obviously it’s meaning is for those that love red hots or hot diggity dogs as my Ma so lovingly likes to call them.
Irving’s is a char house, so most of your favorites you would love. Full staff with many working the line so you get your food pretty quickly. This place is tiny compared to the store they once had in Peterson Park. Weekday afternoons are usually busy with service folk and local corporate types. They are found in a strip mall with ample parking. Seating is the curved wooden booth style and they have booths for two and up to four.
During Lent or when I feel like it, I’ll stop by and have their fried fish (cod) sandwich. Shredded lettuce, tartar the way it should be and a thick slice of sandwich style tomato. Hits the spot, but just for (reminiscing) I’ll have a red hot also. Not the best when following each other. A perfect order with some friends would be a few char favorites and definitely some cheese fries. Their food isn’t heavy, so you can leave feeling satisfied and not bloated. Always made fresh to order.
Recently Irving’s had an offer through Groupon, so thank you Irving’s for offering them, I made great use of those and probably stopped over more often than I have in the not so recent past.