Every hot dog I tried in my quest to find the best in metro Phoenix

This is not a typical top 10 list. And it was never meant to be.

For one thing, there aren’t 10 hot dogs on it. There are 15. And I didn’t rank them. Also, I didn’t have a bad hot dog, because there really isn’t such a thing. Some were better than others, certainly. Maybe I caught one place on a bad day, another on a good one. I didn’t abide by the traditional eat-three-times rule of reviewing a restaurant because, you know, I do have my health to think about.

Also, there were no ground rules, no uniform method to my madness. I didn’t order a chili dog at every place. If a restaurant was known for a Chicago dog, that’s what I got. A Sonoran dog joint? I’ll have one, thanks.

The point was never to list things in order, but to try to get back to that possibly mythical place I was in when my grandmother boiled a hot dog, slid it into a Rainbo bread bun, topped it with mustard, ketchup and diced onions and called it lunch.

I don’t know that I really found that, or if I could. But I had a hell of a time trying. Read all about it here . Or read on for a handy list of really good hot dogs.

Some of the best hot dogs in metro Phoenix

Follow in my footsteps and explore a world of hot dogs in metro Phoenix. Here's where I went:

Ted's Hot Dogs

Footlong hot dog ($6.09).

Details: 1755 E. Broadway Road, Tempe. 480-968-6678, tedshotdogs.com .

El Guero Canelo

Estilo Sonora ($4).

Details: Various locations in Tucson and Phoenix. 520-882-8977, elguerocanelo.com .

El Sabroso Restaurant

Hog dog Sonora Special ($5).

Details: 4216 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 480-760-3127, elsabrosohotdogs.com .

Chicago Hamburger Company

Chicago dog ($7.95).

Details: 3749 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-955-4137, chicagohamburger.com .

Luke's of Chicago

Chicago dog ($8.75).

Details: 1602 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-264-4022, lukesofchicago.com .

Jimmy's Hot Dogs

Chicago dog ($3.65), Sonoran dog ($5.75).

Details: 4022 E. Broadway Road # 101, Phoenix. 602-759-8357, instagram.com/jimmyshotdogs .

Portillo's

Chicago dog ($3.99).

Details: Various locations throughout the Valley. 480-967-7988, portillo's.com .

Detroit Coney Grill

Detroit Coney ($5.85).

Details: 6953 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-597-4300, detroitconeygrill.com .

Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse

Magnolia link ($12).

Details: 4929 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 405, Phoenix. 623-221-2608, sweetmagnoliasmokehouse.com .

Short Leash Hot Dogs

The Lady ($10).

Details: 4221 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-795-2193, shortleashhotdogs.com .

Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers

Deep South dog ($14.50).

Details: Various locations in the Valley. 480-590-6502, coldbeers.com/cheeseburgers .

4th Avenue Deli

T-Dog ($6.25).

Details: 425 N. 4th Ave., Tucson. 520-624-3354, 4thavedelic.com .

Dog Haus

Downtown ($9.49).

Details: Various locations in the Valley. 480-621-6603, doghaus.com .

Costco

Hot dog and drink ($1.50).

Details: Various locations nationwide. 480-496-6651, costco.com .

Read about the quest: Why I spent weeks eating Arizona hot dogs

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com . Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm . X: @goodyk . Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter .

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Every hot dog I tried in my quest to find the best in metro Phoenix