Five No-Frills Cincinnati Hot Dog Stands Serving Classic Street Meat in a Bun

Hot dogs and summertime go hand in hand. The classic bite — smothered in ketchup and mustard and snug in a bun — is perfect for those on-the-go taking in what the summer season has to offer: sports games, pool parties and backyard barbecues. Eating a hot dog is (usually) a one-handed operation; use that other hand to pet an actual dog nearby or lift a drink to your mouth. 

Cincinnati has plenty of hot dogs to choose from, some traditional and others more extravagant. We sent our CityBeat editorial interns out to test out some of the Queen City’s most classic spots to grab a hot dog and and report back with their recommendations. These aren’t fancy gourmet sausages delicately topped with fried egg or kimchi — these are real wieners: no-frills torpedoes of meat, hugged by a white-bread bun and smothered with a hot dog’s best companions: chili, cheese, ketchup and/or sport peppers. OK. There may be some coleslaw in there, too.