For about 3 bucks you get the best hot dog ever made… biggest bargain on the planet. I used to go there every damn time I went to Berkeley, and finally got around to visiting their SJ location… mmm. I can’t go a week without one now.
Casper’s would be a second choice, but they are no top dog. I’m in the bay area obviously and while I know nobody can ever top top dog around here, name your fave hot dog pl
…ace?
…ease?
Vienna Beef (natch) at Red Hot Lovers in Ann Arbor, MI, the place that nourished my thru 4 years of college. I didn’t go back from 1989 to 2001, but when I went back, the place, the dog, everything was just as it had been. Hope it still is.
The Original Hot Dog Shop, Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA.
In addition to great hot dogs and beer, this place serves 30,000 pounds of french fries every week.
Nathan’s in Coney Island.
Or just about any street vendor selling Sabrett’s (aka ‘dirty water dogs’) in NYC.
We don’t really have a hot dog place up here. The best place to get one would probably be 7-11. Or maybe one of the street vendors at the Wednesday Night Farmer’s Market. I will have to investigate.
Most downtown street hot dog vendors in Toronto make a mean Italian or Polish sausage on a bun. Grilled, hot and tempting as hell. It repeats on me all day but for 3 bucks plus a drink, I can’t think of a better treat. As a student, they were a staple and the guy parked at the main building of my university made them absolutely the best.
Gotta second the OP–Top Dog was a midnight ritual in college (just a block away from where I lived), and I still drop by whenever I’m on southside. There’s even one in my local Long’s now, and it provides a perpetual source of temptation.
I’m going to agree with Mr.Moto. I’m slightly in favor of the Original over Top Dog; even though I’m a Berkeleyite now, I have to admit that the O made going to CMU a highly tempting proposition.
The Doghouse in Janesville, WI
At Costco, believe it or not, you can still get a kosher dog, or polish sausage, and a drink for $1.50.
I’m a big fan of Sabrett hot dogs from street vendors, preferably with spicy brown mustard, kraut, and those cooked onions in the tangy red sauce. But I also like a good coney dog (chili, mustard, and onions), or a West Virginia dog (chili and cole slaw).
Amateurs, the lot of you!
Give me a Vienna beef frank on a poppy seed bun with tomato, pickle, onion, relish, sport peppers, mustard, and celery salt (the true Chicago dog).
It doesn’t really matter who builds it, but if they delivered this far I’d probably order from John’s Pizza on Western Ave, because they have good cheese fries too.
FYI, I found out that it’s really just cooked onions cooked in ketchup. I kid you not. It obviously doesn’t taste like ketchup. But the short order cook at my cafeteria was serving hot dogs with that sauce and I watched him make it. Finally, another known use for ketchup besides as an ingredient in Russian Dressing!
A third vote for Top Dog. My boyfriend and I go there regularly. I’m addicted to the lemon chicken dog.
The best hot dog I have ever had would be from Tommys in NJ. I had the thunder dog, which was a beef dog with mashed potatoes, mustard, baked beans, onions, cheddar, and I can’t even remember what else at the moment. If I lived closer, it would be a staple.