There’s something magical about a place that hasn’t changed its formula in decades because the formula was perfect from the start.
Paradise Pup in Des Plaines is a time capsule of American dining, the kind of spot that would feel right at home in a 1950s photograph except the food is even better than nostalgia remembers.
This tiny brick building with its cheerful red awning represents everything that was great about classic American eateries before everything became complicated and overthought.
You walk up to a window, you order from a straightforward menu, you wait while your food is prepared fresh, you eat at a picnic table, and you leave happy…