Chicago Hotdog and Sausage Company plus Pizza — Restaurant in Knoxville

It was incredibly disappointing, longing for a taste of home only to be met with what I can only describe as an amateurs attempt to authentic Chicago beef and sausage. The only thing I found to be authentic was the Chicago style hotdog which can only be made with a Vienna beef dog but even then it wasn't served on a poppy seed bun. The fries were still raw, oily and soggy which tells me that the fryer isn't hot enough to fry them. The sausage was burnt and looked to be like the ones you buy at aldi. I being born and raised in Chicago and lived there for 35 of my 37 years, never ever did I get a beef combo with a sausage like that which makes me question the name of the business because it does say sausage company in it so if they indeed are made here I'd rather buy aldis and make them at home. The beef was definitely not authentic Italian beef like back home and the amount I got on my sandwich was 3 stringy strips of it which was upsetting because the price of the food was outrageous. It was $16 for a 5inch beef, soggy, oily raw fries and a can of coke. If I ever decide to come back it will only be for the Chicago style dog and that's a big if because I can just make it at home by buying the ingredients myself. The only reason I believe the Chicago dog was good is because you don't need a good recipe to make it just the standard Chicago ingredients which are yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled sport peppers and celery salt on a poppy seed bun and of course the Vienna beef dog. I will not recommend this place as authentic Chicago food but will tell someone if they want to try a Chicago style dog this would be as close as they can get to a real one. But that would be it. Just a hotdog, anything else you would just be wasting money on...

Chicago Hot Dog & Sausage Company, east side of Knoxville, off I-40 exit 392. Walk inside, it's an old-looking place, was previously a take-out spot, it seems, but now classed up with all sorts of Chicago sports flags and memorabilia and a giant Vienna Beef neon on the wall behind the counter. But you don't go to a restaurant to admire the decor, you go there to eat, and eat I did. Italian beef, dipped, with provolone, that was my order, with fries and a pop...well, they had mozzarella, close enough. Beef was tender, the right amount and type of spicy, bread was completely soaked in juice, as I requested. Fries were hot and crisp, and not overly salty. Price was reasonable, especially considering the portions and the taste. It's absolutely the real thing, 100%, and WELL worth the 90 miles or so drive from Cleveland (especially since the last time I had a good beef sandwich, I was in Chicago when the Cubs were in the World Series in 2016). Only things that could've made it better? A few vastly superficial things like fountain drinks, a Cubs game on TV (it was that time of the afternoon, after all, if the Cubs were at home right now), and maybe Mike Ditka himself sitting down at the bar and scarfing down a hot dog. This is a real Knoxville gem, and I hope it's around forever. A rare 9.8/10. Will be making the hour-plus drive again, and encouraging my people down here in Cleveland to do...

We have been wanting to try since they opened but wasn’t able to get there. When we saw on Facebook the owner had a medical incident and his team was covering, we made time. It was worth us making the time. This is old school set up. Your order is taken and written on a bag, no fancy computers. Totals are added up on a calculator. The menu has a good assortment of food. We went traditional Chicago on this trip. My wife got Chicago dog and I got Italian beef and Chicago dog. We both got fries, this was all they had left for sides on this day. They did have a freezer go down and with the owner out, I’m sure their business picked supporting them. The Chicago dog was perfect to what I have had at many Chicago hot dog spots in Chicago. The Italian beef was also perfect. You can get it with sweet or spicy peppers. I’m a wimp and went with sweet. Also, you can get dry, dipped or wet. IYKYK I went wet. Seating is light if they get a crowd, two three tops and about 10 stools at bar height counters. This is a must go. The only down side is location. We are in Hardin Valley, so it’s a drive. Just wish it were closer and we would be...