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A Cheesy Experience Like No Other

Each location has its respective owner, but the CEO, Sang Shin, who likes to refer to everyone as the “Kong Dog Team” began the business as it is known today.

Their far reaching locations have soared throughout the nation in such a short time including, but not limited to places like Silver Spring, MD, Albany, NY, Pennsylvania, and Somerville, MA.

With the most locations being in Illinois, you can have your choice of six Kong Dogs just in one state.

And the fun doesn’t stop there. Plans to open in other locations are already in the works, I’m told by their marketing manager, Emily, who says, “We have so many more to come”. Exciting news for all of the fans of the already popular and much loved cult-like following of Kong Dog.

Could This Be the Next Big Thing?

Let’s be real here. Kong Dog may very well become the latest zeitgeist in western culture. It is at the threshold of becoming the newest and coolest fad to be a part of in terms of eateries and the who’s who (or I guess in this case, the what’s what) of must-go-to places to chow down.

Corn dogs have always been a popular food item for people on the go who want something tasty, quick and cheap. But Kong Dog hits a particularly fine niche of people. Those who are interested in a more exotic take on corn dogs.

But unlike other fads, this one might just last long-term. After all, it’s apparently a sensational hit over in South Korea, and just like Anime in Japan made its way over the ocean, this easy grab-and-go might just become the newest American staple to come around.

Fast food is fast, sure, but Kong Dog is something a little bit more than just your typical “junk food”. It’s almost an expression of art, and let me just say – a whole heck of a lot of fun.

The Instagram-Worthy Experience

The majority of their corn dogs (though you can custom order each individual dog to your preference) has an oversized mozzarella stick stuffed inside. So that when you bite down into the corn dog and start pulling it away from your mouth you have a gigantic cheese pull. The type of cheese pull that you may even need a second person to help you with – as I did.

The cheese pulls are so much fun in fact, that they have a contest going on effective December 1 of 2022. In honor of the one year anniversary of having opened, guests are welcome to order their preferred corn dog, do a cheese pull in front of their mascot cardboard standee (which is of King Kong) and post it on your social media, you can then enter a raffle. The grand prize winner of this raffle will go home with $10,000.

I think everyone just got hungrier for some cheese.

Menu Highlights & What to Order

But enough about where it came from, the games they play and the money you could win – although that last one might be pretty interesting for some lucky guy or gal. Let’s talk about the actual food, and why it’s so much fun to eat!

Not for nothing, but corn dogs are not my bag, generally speaking. But Kong Dog…well you just have to try it to understand it. The whole vibe, the different types of corn dogs…well, like I said, you just gotta taste it to understand it.

When asked how many different types of “Kong dogs” there are, Emily tells me, “We have 10 different corn dogs in total and 3 types of fries. Drinks can vary depending on location. (We currently have boba, lemonade, lattes, slushies, hot drinks, and regular can drinks).”

Must-Try Beverages

And speaking of those canned drinks, I have to pontificate a little bit about one of them in particular before we get to the actual corn dogs.

They have the most amazing South Korean soda that I didn’t know existed, and am now obsessed with. I must find this in my own town, because it was insanely delicious. Similar to a Hungarian apple juice I used to drink as a kid, this soda, called Mikis, is the bomb, and comes in different flavors – not just apple. The long and the short of it is, you must try it while you’re here.

Corn Dog Varieties Worth Trying

And, now, let’s really get to the food.

Flaming Hot Cheetos Corn Dog

First up let’s talk about the Flaming Hot Cheetos. An example of what I mean when I say teenagers are more than likely the prime demographic here for the establishment, I know no one else in America that eats Flaming Hot Cheetos than teenagers. Now, perhaps I am not hanging around the right type of attorneys or sales brokers, but my guess is that teenagers are the ones scooping up the Cheetos in the grocery stores more so than their parents are.

But dang, was this one good. Messy, dangerous when it spilled all over my clothes – but good.

The Kong Dog Experience

The corn dogs are deep fried, with either a hot dog in the center, a vegan-friendly plant-based “hot dog”, or just simply cheesy goodness, followed by smothering the already deep fried substance in something else – whatever that may be.

The most bizarre one, in my humble opinion, was the one in condensed milk. Not one that I would go out of my way to invent – but then most of these are not recipes I would have ever thought of on my own…and that is why I am a writer, and not a corn dog chef.

The most popular one with the content creators – eh-hem- is apparently their fruity pebble cereal. Again, not something I personally would have ever concocted in my spare time, but you know, God bless the people who think these things up – creativity is a talent.

My Personal Favorites:

Potato-Crusted Traditional Corn Dog
My favorite of the most popular items they have was a rather classic take on the corn dog – just a regular old hot dog, deep fried with french fried potatoes as the crust. I know it sounds like carnival fare, but oh my goodness was it yummy.

Marinara & Cheddar Cheese
I’m pretty sure the most genius one of all though, was the marinara with cheddar cheese. If you’ve ever wondered what a corn dog would taste like if it were made in Italy, this is about as close as you’re going to get. No, seriously though – super creative and clever on this one. Loved it, and next to the potato crusted more traditional corn dog, this was my close second favorite.

Who Should Visit Kong Dog

Now, while I had a great deal of fun here, and would most certainly go back again, this isn’t a place that you might find the average thirty something year old frequenting. I could totally picture myself coming here when I was fifteen, and my suspicion is that this is where the bulk of their demographic would lie. Having said that, I feel like this place could be so perfect for twenty-year olds after a night of drinking at the bar.

And according to Emily, twenty-somethings are the ones who visit the chain most often. So I’m not too far off with the notion of shots, then dogs.

In fact – who’s to say Kong Dog couldn’t serve alcohol…hmm?

But I digress.

A Must-Visit Chicago Food Experience

So what is it that makes Kong Dog the latest and greatest sensation in not just the Chicago area, but all over the U.S? The ingenuity and uniqueness of the style of corn dog keeps people flocking to this newly discovered gem, that will surely be even more popular in the months and years to come than it already is.

It’s possible then that Kong Dog won’t just be a passing phase, after all. And I think everyone can agree, we all hope it isn’t.

So the next time you’re in the mood for some Korean-style corn dogs, make sure to stop in to Kong Dog and try them out. Just don’t forget to let them know Lisa sent you!