If you’ve scrolled through social media, chances are good that you’ve seen influencers touting the yums-on-a-stick that are Korean corn dogs. This new-to-America street food combines savory and sweet for a delicious flavor profile that is wowing foodies everywhere.
We recently visited the new Kong Dog restaurant in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood at 1424 W. Taylor Street to get the full Korean corn dog experience. From choosing what to put on (and IN) our corn dog, to enjoying every hot and fresh morsel, we know that we’re going to be going back for more. And more. And MORE!
Find out why there’s something for everyone at Kong Dog!
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How Are Korean Corn Dogs Different Than American Corn Dogs?
Most Americans are familiar with corn dogs. The American corn dog, as one might glean from its name, consists of a hot dog that is deep fried in cornmeal batter and served on a stick. This portable meal is a favorite at carnivals, amusement parks and state fairs, not only for being convenient to eat on-the-go with one hand, but for being a relatively inexpensive meal that is both filling and delicious.
Korean corn dogs share a few of these characteristics with their American cousins. They are a favorite street food on a stick that originated in Seoul, South Korea. Korean corn dogs, also called gamja hot dogs, make a delicious but inexpensive lunch or dinner that is conducive to munching while in transit. But that’s where the similarities between American and Korean corn dogs end.
While the ingredients of American corn dogs are pretty straightforward, Korean corn dogs thrive on a variety of ingredients and taste combinations. Instead of always finding a hot dog at the center, Korean corn dogs can feature a hot dog or sausage, cheese, rice cake, fish, squid, potatoes, or a combination. The batter blanketing each sticked creation is made with rice flour, resulting in a crispier, sweeter casing. Most Korean corn dogs are also sprinkled in sugar, and many are topped with sauces or crumbles.
If I had to summarize the difference between American and Korean corn dogs succinctly, I’d say that American corn dogs embrace a savory, slightly salty flavor profile. On the other hand, Korean corn dogs blend elements of sweet and savory, resulting in a more diverse taste.
What is Kong Dog?
Kong Dog is a unique fast food-style restaurant where hungry diners can feast on ten varieties of Korean corn dogs. There are currently five Kong Dog locations nationwide, three of which are in the Chicago area: Glenview, Little Italy, and Chinatown. We visited the Little Italy location at 1424 West Taylor Street.
The small, clean storefront, situated next to a peaceful courtyard, belied the constant hustle and bustle taking place inside. We took our place in line and had plenty of time to read the menu and the “How to Order” instructions above the cashier. A long line is to be expected at Kong Dog, as each dog is made to order, with an average waiting time of fifteen minutes.
It took us about ten minutes to reach the front of the line to place our order. Despite us being what seemed like the cashier’s millionth order, she was still smiling, friendly and helpful as we stumbled through what we wanted: the outer flavors, the filling, and whether we wanted sauce or not. I was so grateful for her friendly directions as this is still a new culinary experience for me!
After we were given our order number, we joined the throngs of people at the rear of the store to await our drinks and dogs. Our drinks came first, and we had to really listen hard to hear our number called out over the upbeat music. It took about fifteen minutes for our food number to be flashed on the digital screen, and we were VERY ready to eat!
Indoor seating is limited at the Taylor Street location, but their rear door exits to a beautiful plaza where people can linger. If you choose to eat there (as we did), keep in mind that this is a city space, not a restaurant space. It’s best to be polite and bring your tray back into the restaurant when you are finished.
The Menu at Kong Dog
The menu at Kong Dog is truly something to behold, especially the first time you see it. The creativity of these corn dogs is just amazing, almost as if they were inspired by a small child or a harried mom on clean-out-the-refrigerator day. Cereal pieces, snack food, sugar, and potatoes are just a few of the crazy ingredients you can get on a Korean corn dog.
Plus, you can choose what you’d like inside your dog! Currently, the Taylor Street offers a beef hot dog, a stick of mozzarella cheese, or a combination of the two. Some other Kong Dog locations offer chicken sausage, plant-based sausage, or cheddar cheese.
The menu at Kong Dog does change fairly often, with certain combinations rolling in and out for variety. However, there are a few that I’ve seen on the menu often enough to make me believe that they’re here to stay. Check these out and see if you’d like to try one:
- “The Original” Kong Dog ($5) is a must-try for anyone who has never had a Korean corn dog before. The plain batter, rolled in panko and sprinkled with sugar allows first-timers to truly taste the difference that rice batter makes on a corn dog! It reminds me of a not-too-sweet sugar donut around my dog, which is mouthwateringly delicious… much more than I would have imagined!
- The Spaghetti Kong Dog ($6) is so fitting for this location in Little Italy! The sweet batter is rolled in broken noodles before it’s deep fried. Then it’s drizzled with marinara sauce and dusted with Parmesan cheese, merging cuisine from two cultures into one.
- The Sweet Chili Doritos Kong Dog ($6) reminds me of elementary school lunches. I used to crunch up Doritos and sprinkle them inside my lunchmeat sandwich to give it a little pizazz, and here we are decades later and crushed Doritos are decorating my corn dog! The corn tortilla taste and zesty flavor really do put a fun spin on the Korean corn dog, giving it a little of that corn taste that American corn dogs have. This Dorito-loving girl really enjoys this one!
- The Hot Cheetos Kong Dog ($6) is a customer favorite at this location. While I was a little nervous of the spiciness of hot Cheetos, I found that the sweet batter takes the spicy down a notch or two, resulting in surprisingly delicious flavor. When I think about Kong Dog, THIS is the dog I think of… and want to get again!
Don’t Forget a Drink!
While Kong Dog does offer cans of soft drinks and bottles of water, they have a wonderful selection of hand crafted bubble milk teas, matcha lattes, and fruity lemonades. On this visit, I enjoyed a cold 22 ounce brown sugar bubble milk tea ($5.95) with my dogs. It was creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness for my palate. I loved the big straw that allowed me to suck up my bobas, and it did the job to stir my ice around, too. While it seemed expensive, especially in relation to the $5 and $6 corn dogs, I considered it a treat and happily slurped away.
On past visits, I’ve also enjoyed Kong Dog’s blueberry lemonade ($4). While being less expensive than the milk teas, the lemonade is every bit as delicious and perhaps even more refreshing. At the time of my visit, mango, peach, and pink lemonade varieties were offered, for the same price as the blueberry. As the hot Chicago summer approaches, I am definitely going to have to go back to try the peach lemonade to beat the heat!
Visit Kong Dog
Since Kong Dog opened its first two locations in Glenview and on Taylor Street in Chicago in 2021, the chain has been growing, even branching out to other states. Currently, there are five Kong Dog locations, including Chinatown Chicago; Silver Spring, Maryland; and Albany, New York. Seven more locations are slated to open soon in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York.
If you’re near any of these locations, jump into line and find out how delicious Korean corn dogs are. To preview the varieties at the location near you, be sure to check out the Kong Dog website at https://kongdog.us/.
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