South of Wrigley — Restaurant in Lexington

After discovering that my good buddy Grizz had never had a Chicago dog, the Fat Man and Grizz finally head to South of Wrigley for a Chicago beef and hot dog fix.

I had an Italian Beef sandwich. This came on a 7-inch roll with hot giardiniera and I had it soaked. The roll was thoroughly soaked, as ordered. The peppers brought great heat and added texture to the sandwich. The beef had good flavor and was sliced thin, but the meat was dry and made the chew challenging.

I also tried a Chicago Dog. This was made with Chicago’s own Vienna All-beef dog on a poppy-seed bun with toppings offered the Chicago way – mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle spear, sport pepper, and celery salt. It had a great snap on the dog. The bun was very fresh, as were the veggies. The peppers added heat, while the tomato and super bright green relish added a touch of sweetness and cooling to the bite. The mustard added tang, and the celery salt brought everything into balance. It was perfect.

To round things off, I wanted to try their Chili Cheese Fries. The fries were cooked and seasoned well. The cheese was melted, but there could be a touch more, plus the cheese was under the chili versus on top. The chili was meaty, with decent beef and salt flavor but the fries could have used a little more chili. The dish was topped with onions and diced tomatoes. The onions added a good crunch but the tomatoes added an extra liquid that threw off the texture.

Grizz also tried the Chili dog. He said that the chili had good flavor and taste, but there was a lot of chili that made it hard to eat and overwhelmed the dog. The bun was fresh, and the cheese was melted well to add saltiness and texture to the onions, which added crunch.

South of Wrigley offers a full menu of dishes from the Chicago area, including hot dogs, Italian beef, sausages, red-line fry boxes, and even some vegan options. They serve a few beer options as well. The Fat Man says that South of Wrigley is Fat Man Approved...

I have seen a few people recently that I know well that have called out how great this place is. So here we go. First of all the hours are very limited you have Tue-Sat 11a-2p to get your fix. I was going to have lunch with my cousin and we decided to try this place out. We got there right at noon on a Wednesday and there was a decent line to the door and a full house on the inside. Space is also very limited with the inside able to seat about 24 people pretty tightly and there were 2 picnic tables outside that unfortunately were pretty wet from an early rain for another 8 or so. So no big parties unless you are bringing to go easily. The special was the Philly Cheese steak (pic provided) for $14 and I added the French Fries for another $3.25 you could also bundle the fries with a fountain drink for $4.50. so this isn't an inexpensive meal. The ambience while waiting is a little crowded and if you are fortunate enough to find a seat also pretty tight. It is a tough place to enjoy good conversation because it is also very loud inside as they call out and prepare orders. The sandwich itself was well made and a good size with a good bun and fresh hot ingredients. The fries although a good portion were just a bit oversalted but also good and extra crispy which I really liked. I tried to order another Philly to go at about 12:30p and they were already sold out so I ordered the Italian Beef sandwich and they kind of made it a Philly by adding peppers and cheese for my wife and she also enjoyed the sandwich. Overall good experience. Pros - the Food was great tasting and good size portions Cons - the place is crowded, very loud and a little expensive. Plus if you are in a hurry it may not meet your needs. I will be back again to give another sandwich a try and will definitely try the Sausage/Hot...

Ladies and gentlemen, step up to the plate!!! AUTHENTIC CHICAGO DOGS, Italian beef sandwiches, pub fries with toppings, etc... it's ALL great!!! They always say the best food is found in a hole in the wall, out of the way, privately owned restaurant and this is one of those places! This is NOT a cute bistro focusing on trendy decor or obscure ingredients no one can pronounce or find locally. This IS an small, old fashioned, get in-get out hot dog diner with 5-6 tables and a few counter seats delivering some of the best down home food I've seen in Lexington for years. These are not tiny cocktail weenies covered in watered down chili and a haystack of cheese-ish product. These dogs are large (including a foot long on the menu), meaty, fresh, and covered with tasty toppings meant to trickle down your chin. Variety of combinations are available and they are generous with the choices. The pub fries (whether covered with chili, cheese, plain, or with some personal combo) are a perfect foil for lunch. Beer is also available. There is also a humongous sandwich, not for the faint of heart, for those who just want to pig out and swing away at a home run. Check out the menu for yourself - whether basic dogs, Chicago dogs, or something special - and feel like lunch is not just a 30 minute hustle to get the same old stuff. Plan ahead - there is often a line, but it moves fairly quickly (all cooked to order). If you can't get to a great American pastime for lunch, this is by far a wonderful...