Sitting on a beautiful Lake Michigan beach in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago you will find the former "Loyola Beach House" which has been converted to an amazing hot dog stand called Ropa Cabana. The name is a play on words off of Barry Manilow's song "Copa Cabana" which is a fitting name
because the structure and its setting looks almost tropical and really sets the tone for the delightful an experience you are about to have.

Usually beachside hot dog stands need to be judged to lower standards but Ropa Cabana dares to serve a full spread of hot dog varieties and all
can be made as vegetarian too. But they don't stop there! This tiny shack packs a lot into its space such as a full espresso bar, extensive drink menu including
non-alcoholic handmade mocktails, ice cream, many home-made specialty items and even freshly made beignets! The menu reads like a sit-down bistro and the
food reaches beyond your expectations with fresh ingredients and made-from-scratch recipies. It's hard to believe they can have everything on the menu boards
but we spot-checked and confirmed they had everything available. Amazing!

The scene is just as savory as the dogs with the lake by your side, outside tables, bean bag chairs in the sand and even some donated pianos that we believe
people might play if the mood strikes them. One of the pianos was covered to protect it but the other one looks like it has succumbed to the weather and
is now on its way to Davy Jones' locker.

Regarding the dogs themselves the Vienna sausages come out hot and fresh and our vegetarian reviewer said the veggie dogs are legit, not the frumpy "deflated"
dogs he gets at other places. The variations include Chicago style, Danish, Seattle, German, Chili Dogs and even a special "Jimmy Carter's Dog" which we're going
to make you ask about so as to not spoil the surprise. You can also double-dog it for two bucks and get two wieners on your bun.

Some of the specials when we were there included ginger-carrot soup, goulash (or is it gulasch?) and a breakfast sandwich called the "Sleepy Dog" which we're going
to try next time. And don't forget the "dogs for dogs" which they hand out free for those that have a pup in tow.

If there's one primary standard we like to measure against it's whether we would consider a given establishment a "destination" hot dog place. Ropa Cabana is
without a doubt above the bar in this regard; a visit here is worth the drive and won't disappoint. Just make sure to check the website for their seasonal operating hours.
This is a beach in Chicago after all, so anything can happen.

We don't normally put links directly in our reviews but we wanted you to learn more about the interesting couple that put their hearts, muscles and dollars into this
hyper-local business. There is so much character and integrity showing through in what they have created, putting so much care into the food and amenities, that
we really wanted to mention

this BlockClub article

about how it all came together. We can't wait to go back again and again!