Windy City Hot Dog & Grill (CLOSED)

NOTE: Windy City Hot Dog & Grill has since closed. Geana's operated in its location before closing as well. Slices is the current tenant.

Located at 401 Tate St., Windy City offers hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sides. Take out is available.

Up until recently, the corner of Tate St. and Walker Ave. was home to Jibaro, a family-run establishment which offered slightly overpriced but very satisfying Latino fare. Regrettably, Jibaro shut its doors earlier this month, only to reopen as Windy City. The management, the sparse interior and, thankfully, a few of the menu items have carried over, but for anyone who was a fan of pernil and plantain sandwiches, the rebranding will come as a disappointment.

First and foremost, Windy City suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. The name, the Cubs pennants on the wall and the use of Vienna Beef franks are all meant to evoke Chicago, but no one will confuse the Greensboro spot with a Maxwell Street establishment. And while Windy City does offer a Chicago-style hot dog and an Italian beef sandwich, don’t look for deep dish pizza, Vesuvio potatoes or other Chicago fare.

To Windy City’s credit, however, there is more variety here than you’d find at the typical hot dog joint. You can still get Jibaro’s tasty Cuban sandwich and empanadas, as well as fish & chips, chicken, chili and wraps. Oddly enough, the jibarito – a plantain sandwich popular in Chicago – is nowhere to be found.

There is also some variety among the burgers and dogs. You can get them plain, Carolina-style (with chili and slaw) or topped with bacon and cheese, all with your choice of free condiments. The dogs are a decent size and better than those you’d find at say Yum-Yum, but they won’t blow you away. The fries are flavorful, albeit salty.

Where Windy City really falls short is in pricing. A plain hot dog runs $2.79, specialty dogs are 70 cents more, and burgers and sandwiches go for $5 to $7, all without drinks or fries. Try to put together a meal and you’re over $6 easily – no bargain considering the quality of the food.

Because Windy City is a family establishment, it will likely win over supporters who value the personal touch. But from both culinary and economic standpoints, it rates an occasional visit, at best.

6/10