This location is now closed.
Following the heads up from readers littleben and ryno below (BTW, I have moved the comments from the old post here for historical purposes), Kim, Kevin and I headed over to Johnny’s Chicago Style Beef and Dogs in Apple Valley, MN for lunch.
I was glad to know ahead of time that their credit card machine wasn’t in, much like what happened at Ronin Sushi Cafe in Lakeville when it first opened, but a handwritten, cardboard sign on the door also notifies you of this before you even walk in the door. littleben said that he was told it would arrive “soon” so YMMV.
We walked in and found the place to be nearly immaculate. Aside from the kitschy shit all over the wall and a gigantic life-sized statue of a Vienna hot dog man in the corner, it looked like a typical diner/hot dog eatery. They had plenty of little things related to Chicago to try and make you feel like you weren’t in a suburban strip mall and were instead in downtown Chicago but it wasn’t doing it for me today.
The menu is sparse and done old-school style, which I liked. After a moment of looking at it confusingly, one of those guys working behind the counter offered a Xeroxed copy of their menu which had subtitles to give you a little more information about what you could order. They have your normal selection of Chicago-style eatery options including hot dogs, hot beef sandwiches (which we later heard a GameStop employee next door say, “I’ve had *a lot* of hot beef sandwiches in my day!” To which I responded by bursting out laughing), fries, soup, random appetizers, and Italian ice. Most of the items were in the $3 to $6.50 range with the majority running under $4.
Kim decided on their Chicago Dog (onions, neon relish, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, celery salt and mustard on a steamed poppy seed bun) which was the most inexpensive main option at a fairly reasonable $2.85. I was surprised by her pick and would have thought she would have picked the Cheese Dog ($3.45) but she shook her head and went what I would consider the “adventurous option” for her. She also picked up a side of cheese fries which are only $2 instead of $2.65 when you order them with something else. I finally settled on the Italian Sausage which the menu claims is great with sweet peppers which set me back $4.25. I figured we’d try the Pizza Puff which is listed as “Johnny’s Favorite! You gotta try it!” and will set you back just under $3. Hey, they said I just had to try it, right? Our total bill came to around $14.50 with only water to drink. Not exactly cheap but definitely reasonable for the amount we ordered.
We went and sat down and I started taking photos and looking around. Plenty of people were streaming in and out of the place and during our visit we saw at least 8 to 10 people come and go with most taking their food out the door with them. They currently don’t offer delivery but they do say on their menu that you can call ahead and they’ll get it all ready for you to pickup (check the hours and telephone number below if you want to go that route). In the meantime Kevin placed his order, quite annoyed that they didn’t have chili especially after they’ve occupied the space since August and knew when they’d be opening.
We all sat down near the front of the restaurant and I found that there was no condiments nearby. They were all down by the cash register which Kim later mentioned to me needed to be moved near the lower counter near the front door. Because of how the line is setup and where the majority of the seating is, it would definitely make sense to rearrange things that way. Kevin was looking for some hot sauce for his hot beef and sausage sandwich that he ordered because they didn’t have chili but they didn’t have any.
Our meals came out and while they forgot our second water, they got everything else correct. Kim really enjoyed her hot dog and Her Three Words (TM) are, “I like it.” She later told me that she could definitely see us returning in the future. Kevin, who spent most of the time while we were waiting for our food saying that he knew exactly what to expect coming here, seemed to also enjoy his meal. Me? Well, I thought the sweet peppers were great and the sausage was fine but the bun was fucking nasty. It was dry and broke apart into a million pieces as I ate. I tried to wet the bun down with a ton of mustard but that did nothing to help the situation. Next time I’ll stick with the Italian Beef sandwiches and probably end up a lot better off. But aside from the bun (which were Vienna’s and stored in a freezer behind the counter), I thought the meal was fine.
Our sides were lame. The cheese fries were soggy and nasty. Both Kevin and I have seen these crispier and I would have expected when they’re going to put chili or cheese on them that that’s exactly what they would have done but alas, not in this case. The Pizza Puff (remember a Johnny’s favorite) was not something I’d order again. It tasted mostly like pizza sauce and I couldn’t see any cheese and it was stuffed with some sort of meat or sausage and as you may know, I do not particularly care for meat on my pizza. If you’re a vegetarian and looking for another option aside from cheese fries, you’ll want to steer clear of this one too.
As I said above, we’ll be returning but it’s not something I’m looking to run right back out the door to try. As it currently stands, if the number of people they had coming through the door today continue, this may end up a successful business. What both Kim and I didn’t really understand is why they had three young kids working today with no obvious owners on site. In this market, at least for the opening few days/weeks, owners should be there daily, working to ensure quality control and to greet customers to try and keep and everlasting impression which will keep their regulars coming back again and again.
Update (1/16/2009):
Kim and I went back today and was much happier with what I received. The bun wasn’t crumbling, the chili was available, and the french fries have improved and are a bit more crispy. They still don’t have hot sauce but I overheard the owner? tell a customer that she was getting that and sauerkraut. She also said she never uses the frozen buns that are in the freezer that will at some point be filled with Italian ice.
As my comment below states, we will be back. again.
—
Have you been to Johnny’s Chicago Style Beef and Dogs in Apple Valley? If so, what did you think about it? Comment on, we’d love to hear what you have to say!
Address:
Johnny’s Chicago Style Beef and Dogs
15465 Cedar Ave
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Phone:
952-236-8475
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
See all the pictures from Johnny’s Chicago Style Beef and Dogs on Flickr here.
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August 13th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I hope that they come up with some more professional window and storefront signage. I’ll gladly throw my hat in the ring for professional design services.
August 13th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Being that they had a bunch of young kids inside (HS aged?) doing the prep work I would guess this is low budget but I’d guess they’ll have some sort of more professional signage available soon.
August 13th, 2008 at 9:35 am
When it comes to burger joints, hot dog stands, cheesesteak places and BBQ holes, crappy handmade decor is often a good sign. Bonus if it’s in a rehabbed gas station.
And sorry for the stupid question, but where exactly is this? I can’t stand Blimpie (or Jimmy John’s or Subway or Quiznos) so I honestly have no idea where these places are around Apple Valley.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Cedar, across from Cub with Jiffy Lube on one end and the STEM elementary school on the other.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I think there used to be a Chicago style hot dog place where Ronin is now? Also, I think there is one at Cliff and 13, although I dont know if its any good.
Hopefully this one works out better than the last one.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Chad,
I don’t remember the hot dog place where Ronin (and the wine bar and Papagayos) stands but I have been to the one in Burnsville. My buddy Kevin really likes (and ended up recommending) Papa T’s Chicago Style Eatery but when Kim and I went there it was more or less average and IMHO wasn’t even worth writing up either way.
Perhaps after Johnny’s opens I will head back to Papa T’s to get a better local comparison though I’m more into “Dirty Water” hot dogs as opposed to Chicago-style dogs so I’m not quite sure I could give an impartial review to either. Only time will tell.
What concerns me is the fact that Blimpie (and many other stores in that strip) cannot seem to survive there. It is an awkward place to get into (requiring you to exit Cedar and drive down the block a bit and back in and around) with limited parking. I really am pulling for them as they aren’t another chain but with the economy so tight I just can’t seem them pulling it off right now where so many others have failed.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:54 am
I would love to see them do well, and I actually love a good Chicago Style Hot Dog, but I agree that the location is really akward.
Thinking back, the previous hot dog place may have been right next to the space Ronin is in. Regardless, it was on that end of the buidling.
I dont remember it being very good, and they are long gone now. I also was not impressed with Papa T’s, however I went shortly after they opened, and they may have improved since then.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Thanks for the exact location. Funny, my son goes to the STEM school and I had no idea there was a Blimpie there.
I’m pretty sure Papa T’s is closed. The signage disappeared several weeks ago and that’s the space Applewood Rustic Grille is moving into (1996 Highway 13 E) according to your other post.
I’m not too upset — Papa T’s wasn’t any good. I get my Chicago dogs up in the city.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“Up in the city” is a bit vague. Are you protecting your source, or an you share some names with those of us who love a Chicago Style DOG!
August 13th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Oh no. I’m all about leading people to great chow. I was trying to avoid going too far off on a tangent. When I want a good Chicago dog, I head to Uncle Franky’s (NE or Plymouth), The Wienery (Cedar Riverside) or The Walkin’ Dog (the Northstar Building in downtown Mpls). The Wienery gets extra credit for fries, atmosphere and many of their other menu items.
For the Italian beef, again, Uncle Franky’s or Brianno’s in Eagan, which does what I call a slightly upscale version.
People really like Chris & Rob’s (formerly known as “Joey D’s” South Mpls and W 7th St in St. Paul) but I’ve been disappointed with everything I’ve tried there.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Thank you for the guidance. I am a fan of Brianno’s, although we dont get there often. I will have to give a few of the others a try.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
[...] to let me out of his sights for one minute, and began looking for a place to eat lunch. I swung by Johnny’s for a look-see but found nothing of interest to write about (no one was even there) so I moved on [...]
September 11th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Still no changes other than a new paint job that Kim said are “hot dog colors” (yellow, red).
October 12th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
[...] has been closed in Apple Valley but it has been at least a year and while we are still waiting for Johnny’s Chicago Style Beef and Hotdogs to open in its place, it’s a little strange that the Verizon Yellow Pages would list this [...]
November 17th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I’m from the Chicago area, and I’d really like to see someone get this right.
I miss a good Portillo’s hot dog, or their Italian beef… or their ‘Maxwell Street’ polish (yum). There are plenty of hot-dog/Italian beef businesses, in northern Illinois that make great dogs and fries. Why can’t this food be exported???
November 18th, 2008 at 11:01 am
It appears that they now have tables and chairs inside and the Blimpie sign has finally come down. I saw someone inside last night — perhaps they are getting closer but at this point (3 months of rent, no income) I really feel that this will end up another La Luz.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
At least La Luz actually opened their doors.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:46 am
They have professional signage up (as of Saturday I believe) but they still have the “coming soon” sheet in the window. We’re over 4 months along since they first occupied the storefront.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
4 months rent is a lot of hot dogs I would think.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
And it’s not like January is the time of the year that people crave hot dogs…
December 18th, 2008 at 7:28 am
It appears that the coming soon sign is down and a electronic open sign is now in its place. I’ll be in there soon. Anyone else planning on going?
December 18th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I will probably go. I like that type of food. I used to like Papa T’s, but thier service was never that great, and the food went downhill after a while. We stopped going about the time they couldn’t get a taco pizza right. There was no consistency to the food anymore. They are now closed, and I really don’t miss them.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I spoke with the owner on Wednesday, the 17th, and they said that they would be open after the new year. Of course, that gives them 360 odd days to do that.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Thanks for the heads up littleben.
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
My kids and I stopped into Johnny’s for a hot dog but they did not have a credit card machine (they said that it will arrive soon), and I had no cash, so we will return tomorrow for lunch. We will let you know what we think. Damn, that placed smelled great!
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:25 pm
I stopped in there today (first day open), and had cash so I was able to have lunch today. I must say, its the same thing as you would find at any other Chicago style eatery, but with 1/2 the items. I like Chris and Robs up in Minneapolis a little better, and here is why. I ordered the Italian Beef with Mozzarella and giardiniera peppers like I always do and these type of places. My bun was ice cold and didn’t get that much beef or mozzarella on it. And usually they melt the Mozzarella first and then pour it on to the sandwich. Here they just sprinkled a tiny bit on and called it good. They also need to sell Chicago style Gyros here. Isn’t every Chicago style joint suppose to have Gyros?? So that was also a disappointment. But beggers here in Apple Valley can’t be choosy. Plus we need to enjoy this Chicago style eatery before it closes in less than a year like everything else here in Apple Valley. ex: Jan’s Brown Bag, Fajitas, Two Guys from Italy, La Luz, etc.
January 3rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I have moved all the comments under the new post, as I have mentioned above, for historical purposes following our actual visit. The original post about Johnny’s has been archived.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I enjoyed the food, but I knew I would. I’ve noticed the Chicago style dog places with the Vienna beef signs all have pretty much the same
Menus with the food quality and taste being fairly predictable. It’s like ordering a big mac at mcdonald’s. You know what you are going to get. That being said, the cheese fries appeared to be underdone. I also noticed the lack of gyros on the menu. I settled on a chili dog. Alas, they did not have chili. They apologized, and I settled for the Italian sausage and beef combo sandwich. It was good. Plenty of tender meat without a lot of fat and gristle. The bun was nice and soft too. Many times, these are served on a stiff roll that you can’t get your mouth around. Not the case here. Over all, the food was what I expected, and I like that type of food.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I was surprised to see another hot dog place in the area after the last one only lasted a couple months. I think the last one was called Chicago Johnny’s, so it might have been slightly different. Maybe this location will be better as the transit station is going up right across Cedar this year. I think there will even be a walkway that will dump folks right on top of this place….if anyone uses it. The last one was in the strip mall of doom at 160th and Cedar. Carbones does well, but everything else is usually gone after just a few months.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 pm
The food looks good, I can probably talk Mr Marcos into trying an Italian sausage with peppers. He’s still getting over being served “Italian sausage with peppers” at the State Fair…it was a bratwurst with raw green peppers on it. I thought he was going to throw up or throw the brat at the workers.
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Yes I remember the moment when they handed me that stubby, white, raw-salad-topped brat at the fair. I was taught not to waste food, but….sorry mom….this was barely worthy of the garbage can I threw it in.
I was mildly interested when I drove by Johhny’s, but if they don’t know how to treat their bread I’ll probably skip it. I think I have some sausage in the freezer, and I know how to burn the peppers like grandma used to do.
I grew up in Rochester NY where pretty much anywhere, including the grocery stores, you can get this tasty hunk of mystery meat called a “white hot” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_hot) Bring that to Minnesota and we’ll talk.
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:24 pm
They sound like good dogs. Thanks for the review. I’d like to try one sometime, but I just don’t see myself making any trips to AV any time soon….
I really like Chris & Rob’s. Uncle Franky’s is a great place for dogs, too.
As for The Wienery….. ugh… I’ve been once and found the “atmosphere” (a.k.a. grease, dirt, and dust EVERYWHERE) to be a major turnoff. I won’t return.
January 4th, 2009 at 4:59 am
Seems pretty clear that some places are licensed by the Vienna Beef company, or whatever it is.
There’s also a Chris and Rob’s on West Seventh in St. Paul. Nice guys, righteous fries, and it beats burger chains that cost only a bit less.
January 4th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
I’m interested to give this place a try soon, I really enjoy The Wienery (for the food, not the atmosphere) but don’t get around that way all that often. Hopefully this will fill the need.
January 7th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Tried it yesterday for lunch. It’s no Portillos, but any hot dog joint is better than no hot dog joint. The Chicago Dog was right on, everything it should be, fresh ingredients and good bun. The Maxwell Street Polish wasn’t quite what I expected, the dog wasn’t grilled or not grilled enough or something, still good but just not what I expected. Overall, I will be going back. Good to have a hot dog joint in the neighborhood!
January 9th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
well, we gave it a try for lunch today, aaaaaaannnnnnnd, i’ll have to say i was disappointed. the bun and condiments were good, fries fresh, the dog itself was almost cool to the touch. you get what you pay for i guess. i may try them again. when she asked how it was, i told her. i also ate the whole thing.
bb
January 10th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Hey Thats my families shop and I’ll have you know its pretty good. Give it a try it’s awesome! This shop it’s supposed to make you feel like your back in the 50′s!-And it does! That’s not Sh!t on the wall, it’s art!
January 10th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Its interesting that you choose to respond about your families shop, however you ignored several comments about various items people were unhappy with.
If you want your families shop to stay in business you will pay attention to what people are typing. The fact that people are taking time to give feedback here is truly a priceless gift that you should be taking to the bank.
The place is new, things wont always be perfect, but nearly every single visitor had a complaint of some kind, and when you couple this with the fact that some visitors did not see any sort of management/adult supervision would lead one to jump to the conclusion that someone does not take this very seriously. Your response above would reinforce that opinion.
January 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
It seems like Nikki may be a younger family member, given the typing and unwillingness to out and out swear. I’d assume she has no real power, but it would still behoove her to pass things along.
January 10th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I know for a fact ‘Nikki’ is a younger family member of the owners, she looks to be no older than 13, so as for her comments, it’d be less rude to simply over-look them.
I’ve been in Johnny’s numerous times in the past week & have noticed the place to be pouring in and out with customers.
I have yet to leave unsatisfied from this cute/quirky mom & pop shop.
It seems they’ve been working their asses off as well because every time I’ve come in, things seem to get better at being the right tempurature or texture.
I’ll be going back (:
see you all there I hope!
January 12th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Tried to go to Johnny’s for lunch yesterday but we were there at 11:45am and they didn’t open until noon. I know it was Sunday, but you’d think that if you are going to be open for lunch, you’d open at 11am.
January 14th, 2009 at 7:49 am
My family and I went to Johnny’s on sunday for lunch .We ordered the Italian Beef and the Chicago Dog . They were both great but I really favor the Beef. I work in Mape Grove and try to get to Frankies for an Italian Beef but now will stop at Johnny’s as much as I can.they have a good selection for the size of there store and the people ther are nice.
January 16th, 2009 at 8:40 am
I am from the southern suburbs of Chicago and cannot wait to go to Johnny’s again. This kind of great food is hard to find out here as it’s not appreciated by many Minnesotians. Back in Chicago, the small hole-in-the-wall (non-chain) joints have the best food. Thank you, Johnny’s, for returning to the area – see you tonight!!!
January 16th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Kim and I went back tonight and tried it again and I was much happier tonight. While the kids are still working, their mother (owner?) is here with them. The buns were soft and I overheard her tell someone she never uses frozen buns (apparently the workers didn’t know that two weeks ago).
Definitely a place we’ll come again. I’m glad some of the issues I mentioned now seem to be cleared up.
January 18th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Yep, I took My daughter to lunch there yesterday. Everything was great. The customer service was very good despite the fact that there was one person handling the lunchcrowd solo. (the two helpers she was expecting were having car trouble.). She handled the rush gracefully, and without sacrificing quality customer attention. I was impressed. I also saw why the fries appear a little different. It appears they are baked rather than deep fried. That has to be better for me.
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Had an interersting experience tonight. I was off of work, and decided to try Johnny’s out with my family. Haven’t had a good Chicago dog in years. I had alterior motives, as my company has monthly gatherings (between 150-350 people typically), and we bring in food and try to spread the wealth between Mom & Pop’s and family owned est.s.
We stop at GameStop next door, so my kid can look for a Wii game. She’s six, so when she had to go to the bathroom, we were in a pinch. No biff in GameStop, but they sent my wife and daughter next door to Johnny’s. Figured we’d be dropping dinner in there tonight and lord know’s how much during our monthly work gatherings.
wife & daughter walk out of the biff to come get me and Johnny’s wife starts giving her grief. Very condescending–to the point my daughter was crying by the time she got back. Obviously we didn’t eat there, but I did go in to try to explain that we were referred there by the folks next door. Didn’t get a chance to explain we would be eating there later, because about 7 workers…Johnny’s wife, a couple stoners and other high schoolers descend to defend their weather-beaten maiden’s honor.
Mrs. Johnny explains she didn’t say anything–it was my wife (and, I guess my 6 year old) who were rude. One particularly droopy-eyed dropout asked me “what, are you going to take us all outside?” Confrontational, she sticks her knarled finger in my face, and it appears
The whole pack of roaches continued to talk smack, so I left…why bother. But if you cater one good meal to a group of 350, you’ve got lifetime success. Instead, went home, cooked a steak…best one in weeks. Oh, and started surfing restaurant review sites. I figure, if you can’t even show a tiny bit of respect to a mom and her daughter, ta hell with ya…. I suspect if it wasn’t for side buisiness of the herbal variety, this place would be bust in two months. 7 workers, 2 customers–During prime time friday dinner crowd.
Next time I step foot in there, I’ll have 10 rats in my pocket.
January 26th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Attention Johnny’s Restaurant Owners/Workers/Friends/Family:
I do not permit astroturfing comments on this website. If you continue, you will be permanently banned by any and all IPs (I know your current one) and I will be sure to tell everyone I know that you’re trying to alter the reality of your review by posting false comments.
Understand?
January 26th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I have been in twice to Johnny’s and had good experiences both times. I cant say that this is really my kind of food, but it was good and the people were friendly to me.
I really am disappointed when I read things like this, because people should look at every chance to interact with the public as a chance for free exposure. If someone walks in and uses your bathroom, be gracious, you never know when they will be a paying customer, or talk to a paying customer.
January 27th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I am no longer in any hurry to try this place.
February 18th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
I just had lunch with my two daughters and their two friends at Johnny’s on Monday. The food was great and the people there were more than friendly. I’m really surprised about the experience that Jay’s wife and daughter had. I had completely the opposite experience.
We entered and made a beeline to the bathroom immediately. After exiting we were greeted enthusiastically and politely. The four girls decided to split two orders of mini-pups and two orders of mac-n-cheese. The staff very graciously split the mac-n-cheese into four smaller individual cups. I was also told that instead of using small hotdogs for their mini-pups, they actually cut a large dog in half. The woman talking to me said she didn’t like the small size dogs because they had no flavor. I had to agree with her on that because I tried the mini-dog at the American Girl Store and was sorely disappointed.
I ordered the Chicago Dog without the onions and sport peppers. It was great! The kids meal comes with a juice box and was supposed to come with applesauce but I think they were out because they offered them chocolate chunk cookies instead. My five year old said “This cookie Rocks!” She shared a piece with me and I had to agree. It was really soft and tasty, I ended up buying three more to go.
I thought the decor was really fun. It was kitschy with black tile floors and red and yellow walls. The tables are the old style formica with chrome legs and red and white vinyl upholstery. It did remind me of a 50′s diner. And yes, there were lots of pictures of Chicago on the walls that added to the effect.
We got there about 1:30 in the afternoon and they did have several other customers come and go while we were there. Another diner ordered the beef sandwich and I am definitely going to try that the next time we go.
The girl behind the counter even recognized my girls from a couple weeks prior when my husband had brought them in. I thought that was nice. The kids meals also come with a Vienna Beef paper hat so the girls thought that was cool. Overall we had a great experience and I’m definitely going back. I love hot dogs and always make a point of eating Chicago dogs when I get the opportunity. Glad to see the reviews on some other establishments as well.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants some tasty food. Four kids meals, one chicago dog and a soda came out less than $15. Very family friendly. They even came out and offered free soda refills.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
i live within a stones throw & didn’t know they were in apple valley. will be there tonight for my dinner.
August 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
My family just moved to Apple Valley this year. We recently started seeing the commercial’s for Johnny’s. So we decided to try it out, something different than the normal hamburgers and chinese food stops. We loved it!!! The location is a lil odd, but hey its across the street from a movie theatre, not too shaby. The Chicago dog is awesome. I normally dont like alot on my dog..but YUMMY!!!! We’ve gone about 4 times this month. They totally have our business. Good luck to them.
August 3rd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Tried the food at Johnny’s for the first time. Had Chicago Dogs- they were fresh and tasty. Clean restaurant with nice folks working. If you like hot dogs this place is worth checking out. Will try the Italian beef sandwiches next time too. Place should be kickin when the transit station open’s across the street! Will definitely be ordering some take out food for football season ala Viking Game Day Specials-whaddayathink Johnny? Especially when we play Duh Bears!!!
August 9th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
any idiot who can fallow directions can find this place, i have spent alot of time in chicago and its nice to see a resturant like this in the twin cities. traditionaly these small out of the way places are the best, try going to chicago and you find the best food there, also detroit has several out of the way small places that have the best food. take for example in mn one of the best bbq places is scott ja mamas in minneapolis.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
BBBBBZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!
Sorry Chris. I’m sure you had something helpful to say but you lost me right off the bat. My magic run-on sentence, spelling, capitalization and punctuation decoder ring is in the shop. Maybe next time.
August 10th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I’ve been going to Johnny’s ever since they opened and have always loved the food. Last weekend I went to Chicago for the first time and thought I’d try an “authentic” Chicago dog…. it’s not all I thought it would be. I don’t know why people rave about Portillo’s… the hot dog itself didn’t have much flavor just the toppings and the beef sandwich had alot of gnarl in it! Very disappointed. I did try another chicago dog place named “Johnnie’s”! It was in a suburb and it was much better. So comparing the two Johnny’s I’d say that our Johnny’s in Apple Valley is pretty authentic. So, now I don’t have to wonder anymore!!
August 10th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Brenda, a quick recap so that we’re all clear:
1. You tried Johnny’s in Apple Valley and liked the food–which is basically the same that you’re going to get any other “Chicago-style eatery because they all serve the same foods created by a distributor.
2. You never had an authentic Chicago-style dog before so you went to Chicago and tried two places to see how Johnny’s in Apple Valley compared.
3. Portillo’s downtown had no flavor and thus wasn’t what you expected so then you went to another place, this time in the suburbs and named Johnnie’s (like Johnny’s in Apple Valley) and thought it was so much better?
—
Am I correct?
August 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
1. I guess Portillos’ uses a differnet distributor then.
2. It’s not like I went there for this express purpose but while I was in the area…yeah. The second place was just on our way out of town.
3. Yes
September 8th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I think Johnny’s is terrific. The help has always been great for me there, and the food has been excellent each of the more than 10 times I have been there. I have tried the all beef hot dog, the italian, and the hot beef and all are worth repeating again.
I would encourage readers to try it for themselves, and it is too bad Jay had a bad experience. A good place like this deserves to be successful so us south of the river folks have a tasteful alternative to the fast food haunts.
January 5th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Last night I was driving down Cedar Ave saw this place and decided that I had to give it a shot. So today on my way home from work I stopped in. No stoners or young kids working just two nice ladies behind the counter. My service was prompt and I have to say my Italian sandwich tasted exactly as I thought it would. I will be returning soon.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Mrs. Mooses and I ate here tonight after I was jonesing for a dog for two solid days. Tried the jalapeno fire dog, Chicago style — OK, I had two of them — with fries and a Diet Coke. Mrs. Mooses had the Polish sausage value meal. The two guys behind the counter were very helpful and didn’t seem annoyed at all that we strolled in 15 minutes before closing to eat. My dogs were excellent and I was delighted to see them garnished with actual hot peppers, rather than something bland. The fries were really excellent, even after I smothered them in what I thought was pepper, but turned out to be celery salt. Hmmm. New taste sensation. Mrs. Mooses and I agreed: we’ll be back. Our total bill came to $20, with a tip for the counter guys.
April 27th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Gamestop, then chili cheese dogs. Great combo for a rainy day.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Tried Johnny’s for the first time today. I spent the first 30 years of my life on the west side of Chicago. If you want Chicago style fast food this is about as good as you will find in the Twin Cities area (Chris and Rob’s is about the same). However, Johnny’s and C&R’s would be near the bottom compared to the real Chicago style fast food joints back in Chicago.
August 3rd, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Longtime reader, first time commenter here.
I really liked Johnny’s and decided to stop there today. Sign said they close at 2pm due to construction but there was also a For Sale sign in the window. Sad to see them being affected by the new bus lane construction.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:06 am
TKM,
Thanks for the heads up. I saw that it was closed yesterday when I stepped off the bus but I figured it had to do with the water main being shut off earlier in the day as well as the construction out front. I had no idea about the For Sale sign.
With all the recent sellouts of other local businesses (Ramy’s, Ronin, and now possibly Johnny’s), does anyone else wonder what’s going on? Apparently business is good enough for places to open and remain open but are they only eeking by because of landlords allowing them to stay nearly rent free? Any other reason you can think of that restaurant owners would want to get out all at the same time for businesses that seemed to have “good enough” business?
August 4th, 2011 at 9:50 am
Bill asked: “Apparently business is good enough for places to open and remain open but are they only eeking by because of landlords allowing them to stay nearly rent free?”
I would be shocked if this business was nearly “rent free”. The landlord may have cut a deal to reduce rent and CAM charges in order to keep a renter and keep the place from sitting vacant for months or years. Smart landlord. Especially in this real estate climate. Bottom line is, the renter is at least paying taxes, CAM, triple nets, and SOME rent to cover building maintenance and depreciation.
However, you never know how much money is going out the door for not only rent, but the myriad of other costs that go into the business. For instance, how much did they borrow from the bank to get this business up and running? The space had to be built out, and equipment purchased. Even if the hot dog sales are slow, the debt service notes keep coming from the bank every month. Business loans are usually a 7-year note, so the monthly payments are significant. People always see the stream of customers going in and out of a business and think “wow, this place must be a gold mine!”, but never see the stream of cash going OUT.
Many, many businesses are in this situation right now. Nobody wants to work 7-days a week to break even or lose money.
Does anyone remember the sign the Blimpie owners put on the door when they closed?
August 4th, 2011 at 10:00 am
“It’s the economy, stupid” unfortunately. Small niche restaurant businesses now are struggling… lower overall spending from consumers, but in past 2 years higher food/fuel costs, add in structural difficulties like road construction and it really makes things worse.
its terrible to see it, but Sean hits the nail on the head… why work 24/7 to barely meet ends?
August 4th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Its the tip of the iceberg.
Why work 24/7 to barely make ends meet. Why work 24/7 to support lazy people who dont want to work. Why work 24/7 to watch your money get spent on pet projects and pay down govt debt.
August 4th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I think the age of these places has a lot to do with it — they all opened within a year of each other, didn’t they?
August 4th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Could it be that the product wasn’t very good? I visited that place several months ago as I was actually in the mood for a chili dog and cheese. Well it was marginal at best, the fries were kind of soggy but not intolerable and the chili was blah, so much so that I scraped most of it off and just ate the “Vienna beef” dog.
While I liked that it was not a chain, I was disappointed that it acted like one. BTW this was lunch hour and their were only about 2 other patrons in there. So I figured it wasn’t long before it would die.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Nurd52,
It’s very possible. I never thought they were bringing anything more than ‘average’ to the plate–even recently although we have eaten there several times (my wife likes it for whatever reason).
Based on a very recent experience eating Chicago-style hot dogs in Iowa City and the quality of everything there, I’m guessing that the Chicago-style diehards were only visiting Johnny’s because there’s nothing else in close proximity.
Me? I like their Apple Valley dog (chili, coleslaw) and the friendly service but agree that their fries are generally soggy and that it’s just not that great. Clearly others, including my wife, don’t agree with me.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
FWIW, I hear that Giusseppe’s on CR42 in Burnsville also changed hands sometime within the past few months.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
The real question is why are they even selling. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them are virtually given away for free, or even being paid to take it. In the restaurant game, I have seen it too many times where an owner has to give away the business in order to save his house. Sad.
September 7th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
This location is now closed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessekunze/6111456644/
September 8th, 2011 at 11:19 am
That’s too bad. They weren’t a great hot dog joint, but at least they were a hot dog joint. Where do I get my Chicago dog fix now?
September 8th, 2011 at 11:22 am
MM,
MSPD’s response a long time ago, way up in the thread will answer that for you: http://www.lazylightning.org/johnnys-chicago-style-beef-and-hotdogs-apple-valley-mn#comment-7876
September 8th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Red’s Savoy in Burnsville’s HOC has a sign in their window advertising Chicago dogs. I’m not tempted by it, but it’s probably as good as Johnny’s was.
November 14th, 2011 at 8:12 am
[...] everything from Chicago dogs up through super spicy hot dogs and burgers with homemade fries. Without a hot dog joint in Apple Valley any longer, and being a big Chicago dog fan, The Wife noted she wanted to try it and [...]
October 25th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
not sure if it is Johnny’s or not since they do not have any signage other than a now open sign hanging from the top of the building but it is a hot dog joint in Rosemount in the strip mall next to Great Clips.
October 25th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
These people must have gone to the Dan Gustafson School of Business.
October 25th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
after digging around:
It is called Panini. They sell hot dogs and panini sandwiches. They opened a week ago.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Might not be to bad. Before the transit station location and arrangement there made it unlikely many customers waiting for a bus would stop in. With the bridge, I bet they may see some additional clients from folks waiting for transit.
October 25th, 2012 at 8:48 pm
Not the same location. This one is in Rosemount a block from 42.
October 26th, 2012 at 8:15 am
Oh, well with panini sandwiches that’s a different story. I find myself constantly thinking, “if only I could find a place that offers $7 sandwiches, soups, and chips” before I resort to fast food.
On uniqueness alone, this place should be drawing curious foodies from all over the upper-Midwest.
October 26th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
http://www.rosemounttownpages.com/event/article/id/31356/
October 26th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
I just can’t see how this lasts more than a year. I’ll never understand it.
October 26th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
(and I hope I’m 100% wrong, by the way)
October 26th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
MSPD,
You’re probably right but they make their fries and dipping sauces from scratch (no frozen fries) and the giardineria was hot. The owner was nice and directly involved with the running of the place. She rents a small spot (three tables), used tables and chairs, and no useless frills.
Ill have more up on Monday in a full review.