Every time I go to Sioux City, I have to stop into George's No. 1 Hot Dog Shoppe (see map). George's is a chili dog experience extraordinaire. I've been going there since back in the mid-80's when it was known as Milwaukee Wiener House #2.
George's is owned by George Demetroulis, a very friendly little Greek guy with a thick accent. George and his brother, Gus, (who co-owned Milwaukee Wiener House #1 in downtown Sioux City) were in business together at one point and time. In the 90's, Gus retired and the partner's sons took over the downtown hot dog shoppe. George then went out on his own.
In 1999, I hadn't been to Sioux City for about 8 years and I had to go get a chili dog. I then saw that it was now called George's No. 1 Hot Dog Shoppe. George probably wanted it to be No. 1 in hopes of having a No. 2 some time down the road. To my knowledge, he just has one location.
George's hot dogs are all beef and he grilles them on a flat griddle grill, about 50 at time. They aren't all that big, so you can easily eat a couple of 'em at a sitting.
His chili is a bean-less chili that reminds me of Cincinnati-style chili - heavy on the all-spice, and not very spicy hot. Since Cincinnati-style chili comes from Greek immigrants, I'm certain that George's chili is nearly the same.
When you order the chili dogs from George's, everything means chili, mustard and onions. The perfect chili dog.
George's has booths throughout the place. I like to sit at the booth just under a sketch of George, circa 1990. Other than that, the ambiance lends itself to a place to get in and get out, although a number of Greek's in the Sioux City area tend to gravitate to the place in the afternoon after the lunch rush for coffee and baklava.
George's No. 1 Hot Dog Shoppe is only open until 5 p.m. and it's a "must stop" each time I go to Sioux City. But I do need to go to the Milwaukee Wiener House in the downtown area to check them out again. I haven't been there since George split from them. But I'm guessing that George's and Milwaukee Wiener House are interchangeable.
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