Maybe I'm biased, but I always thought that the best hot dogs were from Chicago. Having grown up there, I can honestly say that Chicago-style pizza is far and away better than any other pizza on this planet. I'm a firm believer in the mantra that, "Pizza isn't real pizza unless you have to eat it with a fork." Just as Chicago-style pizza is known for it's deep-dish style and obnoxious amounts of cheese and sauce, Chicago-style hot dogs are known for containing almost every topping under the sun. I say "almost" because O'Betty's in Athens, OH has seemingly transformed the world of your traditional hot dog toppings. Up until coming to Ohio University, I considered Chicago-style hot dogs to be the best. O'Betty's, however, has since become top dog.
A traditional Chicago-style hot dog consists of mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, diced tomato, diced green pepper, and celery salt, but NEVER ketchup. Putting ketchup on a hot dog in Chicago is a cardinal sin. When my little sister and I order our hot dogs with ketchup, my dad gives us this look as if for a brief second he thought about disowning us from the family, but of course my father would never do that. So, what would my father say about a hot dog covered in...cole slaw? Jalapenos? Sour cream? He'd probably think I was joking, but at O'Betty's all of this is possible and let me tell you, I love it!
O'Betty's has been a favorite between my friends and I since I was a freshman. Upon entering the small establishment, you'd think you were in a hippie hangout or a museum dedicated to the twentieth century burlesque era, rather than a hot dog restaurant. The restaurant is so small that I'd be willing to bet that it seats 20-25 people at full capacity.
Despite its small size, O'Betty's has a very inviting environment. The cooks and clerks are as friendly as they come. Everytime I'm in there, they are always talking to me and asking me about my day, while cooking my food.
My roommate goes there practically two times a week, and by now he's established himself as one of the regulars.
"I go there so much that the workers know that I'm ordering a Dixie with fries before I even open my mouth," he said. "O'Betty's is by far my favorite restaurant in Athens."
The walls are lined with photos that pay homage to great burlesque stars. In fact, each hot dog is named after a burlesque star. Names range from Syra, Dixie, Lily, Varla, and many more. They also have a section that is a hot dog museum of sorts. The hot dog museum contains hundreds upon hundreds of historical hot dog items.
(Photo credit: http://obettys.com/) The Hot Dog Museum
On my trip to O'Betty's earlier this evening, I decided to try something different. My go-to hot dog is the Mata Hari, a hot dog smothered in cole slaw and chili sauce. It's delicious, and it was tough to try something new, but I was feeling rather adventurous. I went with the Tempest. The Tempest is a prime example of how O'Betty's is not your average hot dog place. It is a hot dog covered in jalapenos, hot habanero salsa, sour cream, and sharp cheddar cheese. These are two of the many outrageous combinations that O'Betty's features on its menu. Other toppings include sauteed mushrooms, mayo, swiss cheese, baked beans, bacon, and many more. Don't worry all of you traditional hot dog lovers out there, they offer "normal" hot dogs as well. The fries are also some of the best fries I've ever had, and the chili-cheese fries look like a meal rather than a snack. The food is affordable, too, ranging from $2.50 to $3.25 for a hot dog, and $2 to $3.50 for fries depending on the size and the type.
So, there you have it. O'Betty's is delicious, affordable, and a great overall dining experience. I'm not the only one who thinks so either. O'Betty's has won numerous awards and gained acclaim from other food bloggers such as CMH Gourmand. Trust me, if you're ever in the mood to try something new or exotic, or if you simply just love hot dogs, check out O'Betty's. They have such a wide variety of toppings that something on the menu ought to catch your eye. Hell, maybe I'll even convince my dad to try a hot dog covered in jalapenos. Nah. Probably not. He can stick to his guns and order a Salome. It's O'Betty's code name for a Chicago-style hot dog.
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