The home of the hot dog, America has some of the tastiest sausage and bun creations across the globe. But which are top dog? Read on as we reveal the best hot dog joints across the States, from down-home hole-in-the-wall stops to hip places whipping up creative offerings.
The International House of Hot Dogs is loved by Anchorage locals thanks to the easily customizable options and wide range of dogs and toppings. But there's one must-order: the specialty here is the reindeer Polish sausage, dressed with sautéed onions and the joint's secret chipotle sauce. Other tasty options include the bacon-wrapped beef Polish and chicken hot dogs.
Gourmet hot dogs, craft beer and house-made brioche donuts are the order of the day at this hot dog restaurant in Phoenix. There’s a long list of hot dogs to try, from all-beef and bratwurst to veggie and spicy link, which are unconventionally served in naan bread with a range of toppings. Customers love the Oliver hot dog, which is a mix of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a thousand island dressing, and the Poutine Dog, smothered with French fries, cheese curds and gravy.
It's Wurstküche that steals the show in the Golden State. It remains an LA staple thanks to its inventive sausages, excellent craft beer selection and eclectic vibe. With three separate sausage menus – classics, gourmet and exotics – there's plenty to choose from. If you're up for trying something a bit different, the Rattlesnake & Rabbit Dog with Jalapeño Peppers comes highly recommended.
Featured on Anthony Bourdain's hit TV show No Reservations, Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Denver's Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs has received plenty of attention. It also gets lots of praise from customers. The restaurant serves incredible hot dogs made from beef, pork, boar, veal and reindeer, as well as ostrich and rattlesnake and rabbit (depending on availability).
A legend in Miami, Sweet Dogs is known for its outstanding service and the fact the dogs are named after sports teams. The most popular is the Miami Heat with beef chili, Cheddar, tomato, guacamole, jalapeños and corn chips. For something out of the ordinary, the Florida Panthers, with grilled ham, sautéed peppers, sweet and sour sauce, and crispy noodles, also comes highly recommended.
Say aloha to one of the best hot dogs you'll ever try. This Hawaiian-style hot dog is called a puka dog, after the unique bun which is baked with a hole running through the middle. Pick your dog (Polish or veggie), how hot you want the garlic lemon sauce (either mild, spicy, hot or lava) and the type of relish (the mango is a big hit). People go crazy for its Aunty Lilikoi's Hawaiian Mustard.
Chicago is known for its all-beef hot dogs served in a poppy seed bun. And while plenty of vendors sell them, Portillo’s is the place to go. It would be rude not to get the classic Jumbo Hot Dog with mustard, relish, chopped onions, sliced ripe tomato, sport peppers and pickles in a poppy seed bun.
Claiming to be the oldest coney stand in America, Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Island Wiener Stand opened in 1913 and is still going strong. Its menu has barely changed in the past hundred years and customers love the classic coney dogs. A grilled sausage is served in a steamed bun with homemade coney sauce, mustard and chopped onions. The joint is so popular that apparently around a million hot dogs are served here every year.
Red Top in Louisville has a great atmosphere and serves all-beef and wild game sausages, including wild boar, wagyu and bison, with creative toppings. There's Nirvana – a combo of roasted garlic cream cheese, jalapeños, fried onions and jalapeño jam – and the customer favorite Black & Blue, with blue cheese spread, grilled onions, smoked bacon and local blackberry jelly packed onto your choice of sausage.
With three locations in New Orleans, there's no excuse to miss Dat Dog when in Louisiana. There are 10 specialty dogs on the menu, and both the sausages and the toppings vary from classic to out there (think alligator and crawfish sausages). But customers say you can't go wrong with anything you choose. Guests also love the vegan and vegetarian options like the Vegan Banger, with vegan-friendly bratwurst, sauerkraut, dill relish, onions, tomatoes and mustard.
There's nothing but compliments for Simones' Hot Dog Stand – customers say it's a Maine institution and has the best steamed hot dogs in the world. The bright red sausages come in a split-top bun, lobster roll-style (this is Maine after all), and friendly staff serve them however you like – loaded with meaty chili and melted cheese, or simply with onions, mustard and ketchup.
Established in 2010, Stuggy's has become well-known for its quality all-beef, turkey and vegan dogs which are served with creative toppings. The Big Papi and Crab Mac hot dogs are standout menu choices. The former comes with bacon, pickled veggies and Thai basil, and the latter is topped with mac 'n' cheese, lump crab and a sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning.
Casey's 10-stool dining car has been serving customers since 1922 and people still come today to experience a slice of history and try the famous steamed hot dogs. Locals and visitors alike love the spot and recommend the hot dog “all around”, with relish, onions and mustard.
A hot dog in a steamed bun, coated in chili sauce and topped with mustard and onions, that's a classic Michigan coney dog. They're served across the state but you'll find the finest at American Coney Island – customers say the chili has a deep, rich, meaty flavor. They also do a mean coney dog next door at Lafayette: the two have been rivals for decades.
If you like your food messy but finger-licking good, Uncle Franky's won't disappoint. The must-order is the Chicago Dog which people claim is the best outside of the Windy City. It's loaded with yellow mustard, a pickle spear, onion, Chicago-style green relish, tomatoes, pickled peppers and the joint's secret seasoning. People praise the atmosphere and friendly staff too.
The name of this hot dog joint gives away its Irish pub atmosphere. The menu at O'Doggy's includes all-beef dogs served with everything from chili and cheese to pineapple and Fritos. There are bratwursts and vegetarian options too. Customers particularly love the Jalapeño Popper Dog with cream cheese, bacon pieces and, of course, jalapeños.
While it might look like an unassuming hole-in-the-wall, joint Mr. Hot Dogs is anything but. In fact, it's a real gem of a place. People say it serves the best hot dogs they've ever had. Made from Montana beef and buffalo, the hot dogs are all superb, but it's the Butte Dog that stands out, dressed with bacon, blue cheese, onion, mozzarella and tangy steak sauce.
Love this? Follow our Pinterest page for more food inspiration
There's just one place to go for hot dogs in Nevada and it's Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs in Las Vegas. The name is a play on the traditional Korean beef dish bulgogi and lots of the menu items are inspired by Korean and Vietnamese flavors, like the Banh Mi with bacon, banh mi slaw, herb blend and sriracha aioli. But the customer favorite is Angry Kimchi with spicy pork bulgogi, Asian slaw, jalapeños and fiery aioli. Service is consistently outstanding too.
Known for its deep-fried hot dogs called "rippers" (because the casings split during the deep-frying process), Rutt's Hut has made several notable TV appearances, from the Food Network to the Travel Channel. Customers love the joint too and suggest ordering a side of chili to cover the dog.
Serving some of America's most creative hot dogs, the Urban Hotdog Company has a menu long enough to please everyone. Potato-wrapped sausage, Polish sausage, Guinness-soaked bratwurst – they've got it all. Don't forget to order the superb fried Onion Strings with chipotle mayo to go with your dog.
Now a country-wide chain, Nathan's Famous had humble beginnings. Set up in 1916 by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker, it is now one of the most popular and famous places on the New York City food map. It gets glowing reviews for its friendly staff, fast service and mind-blowing hot dogs. We think it's best to keep it simple with mustard and a pickle.
Like your hot dogs with a bit of ketchup? It's too bad if you've come to The Roast Grill, because owner George Poniros serves just one thing and one thing only – a sausage, perfectly grilled to a slight char, covered in chili or slaw (or both) and that's it. Don't ask for mayo, cheese or fries because you won't get those either. He's doing something right because it gets a big thumbs up from customers.
Hot wieners, also known as New York System dogs, are a Rhode Island specialty and what better place to sample them than at the James Beard America's Classic award-winner Olneyville New York System in Providence. It's the original place to try a hot wiener and toppings are an interesting cross between those of classic Chicago and Detroit hot dogs, with celery salt, mustard, meat sauce and onions.
For classic, consistently good hot dogs, look no further than Jack's Cosmic Dogs, owned by local businessman Jack Hurley. The Morph Slaw Dog is the must-order item, made with sweet mustard and house special slaw, which has a bit of a kick from the added blue cheese. The smiley staff and kitsch decor complete the experience – it's a local institution and very popular with families.
This hot dog place does exactly what its name suggests: hot dogs and ice cream, plus burgers too. Go for classic, old-school dogs or pimped-up options like the Wagon with bacon, chili, fried potatoes, sour cream, onions and cheese. People rate the fast service. And while the joint has a strong local following, reviewers come from miles around.
Not your ordinary hot dog stand, T-Loc's serves Tucson Local hot dogs, originally from the Mexican state of Sonora. The joint aims to bring an authentic taste of the Sonoran dog to Texas and the special buns are flown in all the way from Tucson weekly. The bolillo bread – Mexican white bread similar to a baguette – is filled with a sausage and variety of toppings, including beans, jalapeño sauce, mustard and tomatoes. It certainly gets some of the most enthusiastic reviews we've come across.
Once a vast chain of fast-food restaurants, Weenie Beenie has just one remaining location now. Come here for the nostalgia and stay for the exceptional half-smokes. A delicacy in DC and the surrounding area, it's a coarsely ground meat sausage that's smoked and served under a thick layer of chili.
The real go-to spot in Washington right now is Cycle Dogs, a vegetarian and vegan hot dog stand in the beer garden of Peddler Brewing Co. Customers say it's much more than just a food truck – it's a destination in itself. The Eloté, a frankfurter with grilled street corn, mayo, cayenne pepper, green onion and lime, is a favorite. To try a classic Seattle-style dog with cream cheese, head to Al's Gourmet Sausage instead.
You won't have trouble finding Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lesage – you can't miss the giant hot dog sign that sits roadside. It's not just a gimmick though: people love the extensive and inventive hot dog menu with dishes like Scott's Man on Fire with fired-up habanero sauce and the Ala Cheesy Beefy Weenie with American cheese, nacho cheese, bacon, mac 'n' cheese and chili sauce. The hospitality is warm, and the decor is eclectic, which cements the joint as a must-visit pit stop.
Cool but casual, The Vanguard is an embodiment of Milwaukee – chilled out, unpretentious and great. People like the variety of sausage options, but you're in Wisconsin after all so there's just one thing to order – the city's namesake dog. The Milwaukee is a classic sausage served in a fresh roll, topped with cheese curds, Cheddar and Cheez Whiz.
Now take a look at the best sandwich joint in your state and DC