Hot Dawgs!

Great dog joint, different than dirty franks. As a family eatery it’s top notch. I lived in chitown and this place is good.

We’re very happy that HD! is here in Grove City, as we need more non-​chains in town. That being said, the food is just… I mean, it’s pretty good. Not bad at all. But not great. I have never looked at my husband and said, by god, we HAVE to go to Hot Dawgs!
The dogs come in different sizes. I usually get the mom size, although I recently had the dad size which seemed sort of… a bit underwhelming and mushy. This is probably because we eat quite a bit of natural casing brats and dogs at home, so going to a non-​natural casing dog will usually seem mushy. We spoke to the owner about natural casing, and he says they don’t sell, because it grosses people out. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE.
Their dogs are also a mix (I believe pork and beef) which also gets downgraded in my book. You can, however, buy an all-​beef Nathan’s.
It’s a reasonable price and the toppings are decent. You won’t get as many as some of the other dog places in town, but it’s still a nice selection.
We tried tater tots (not bad) and mac & cheese wedges (really good — would recommend!).
The soda fountain is behind the counter which is kind of a bummer. You can get refills, you just gotta ask.
Worth a try, and good enough that we’ll come here instead of Dirty Frank’s just due to how close it is and we don’t have to sell our soul for a parking spot.

I’m giving Hot Dawgs the benefit of the waffling and going 4 stars. I’ve been here a few times now and I dig it for the most part! I like their second city best (their version of a Chicago dog). I think they do a great job cooking the Nathan’s they serve here. And their fried mac and cheese? It is glorious, friends. I did that thing once where I ate them all and Boyfriend got none (I have no idea why the man stays with me).
I did have a couple concerns though. The menu is really hard to understand, and I don’t think I’m an idiot. It’s laid out funny where you kind of don’t know where to look and you don’t exactly know what your options are. Also, the owner was talking to us at one point about the hot dog special of the day and we had trouble even locating where it was on the menu. It shouldn’t be so confusing just to order hot dogs. That’s why hot dogs are so great.
The other thing may be mostly a personal preference, but one of the times we came, one of the employees came out and was just dropping a lot of behind the scenes knowledge on us: a local business that said they were coming in and then didn’t, how hard it is to lose food to the time/​storage/​expiration date quandry, even said something not great about another Columbus hot dog place. I was not into this noise. Listen, dude, I am at your restaurant. I am having a good experience. But it makes me like you less when you show me the man behind the curtain and put down other places. It just makes me sad! So I think the way to avoid this is to be completely and totally immersed in the conversation you’re having with the person you’re with.

I bought a Groupon for Hot Dawgs because I frequently make trips to shop around Stringtown Rd and I’m always looking for fast, cheap meals in the area. I live in the Grandview area, so it’s only about a 10 – 15 minute drive. I’ll be back again, even without a Groupon.
The food at Hot Dawgs is perfect. First, they have several types and sizes of dogs, ranging from small to one-​pound, and all-​beef, sausage, brats, veggie, and pork-​beef blends. They serve Nathan’s Famous dogs as well, which are giant, delicious, all-​beef dogs. To top off your choice of dog, they have a wide variety of toppings, many of which are free. There are a few pre-​made combos of toppings or you can personalize and make your own creation.
To accompany your dog, there are quite a few side which are AMAZING! Everything was cooked up after we ordered, including the fries which were the perfect texture. Thick cut, but still nice and crunchy on the outside. I also had the mac n cheese bites, which were pretty standard, but good.
Hot Dawgs would be great for kids too. They cut dogs into cute octopus shapes for kids and the whole menu is definitely kid-​friendly.
Most impressive was the prices. Even without a Groupon, this place is VERY reasonably priced, considering the quality of ingredients. A fully loaded all-​beef dog costs under $ 4 and the sides cost $ 2.50.
The staff was pleasant and helpful, while we figured out our order. The interior is nothing special, but it has the feel of a retro diner, which is impressive considering it’s located in a strip mall.
All in all, this place is great. Maybe not worth a 30 minute drive, but if you’re in the area and looking for a cheap, tasty hot dog meal, it’s just perfect.

We had seen this place during our shopping trips to the plaza its in, but it was their groupon that finally got us to stop in… it was great! The lady working was extra nice, the hot dogs were delicious, and the atmoshpere was casual. We’ll be back!

This place has some real potential, but something’s holding them back. I don’t think it’s the best dog in C’bus, but it’s close enough to be one of the best dog restaurants in the capital city. I had a really good «second city» (Chicago) dog tonight. They suggested having it with the Nathan’s all beef dog, which was a great suggestion, even though I’m not usually a huge fan of beef dogs. I love their flat cut seasoned fries. They could use a little more seasoning though. My onion rings were also flat, but in taste instead of geometric structure. Not sure what happened there.
The problem is largely in the attitude of the staff and the ambiance of the restaurant. Something fun and exciting like crazy kinds of hotdogs needs a fun and excited staff! Not some guy who seems worn out arguing with his staff about what may or may not have told them. Every time I come in here, there are patrons, but it seems so subdued. Basically like that crappy Chinese restaurant that everyone uses for take out, but sometimes you have a few people eat there. I think because of the layout of the tables and chairs (basically some big round cheap tables in the middle and smaller also cheap tables on the outside of the room) you end up just wandering to the register instead of being led to it, and it just doesn’t do anything for the feel of the place. How about some diner booths? Instead of TV’s how about some fun oldies or something. Come on, there’s a bar right next door if someone wants to see the game. You can’t sit and watch anything in the time you eat a hot dog anyways. You eat, enjoy, and move on.
Alright, I’ve ranted enough.
Altogether, he’s got some great things going down here, he just needs to take it to the next step. Abandon what isn’t working and challenge himself to take it up a notch.

This was my first visit. The owner was very nice. I ordered the New York dog and the Second City (Chicago) Dog. Both were excellent! I’ll be back next time I want a hot dog!

Saw information in COLUMBUS DISPATCH. Checked Unilocal. Decided to
go and get my dog there. I was expecting a much older, cool place. It is clean and modern in the format of plain. Friendly people. Reading their menu was a bit confusing. Information were sorta spread out. I couldnt find CHICAGO DOG. I settled for a different one, cant even recall what I got. Ordered TATER TOT. It was good. However, hours afterward, there sere taste of fish. I didnt see any fish on the menu. Bun were good and soft. While eating, I note another choice that was away from teh main menu for itlaian dawgs. SHEEZ!!! Looking for DAWGS? Check other local DAWGS before this one

I’ve tried this place twice now and really, I would expect much better from a place that only serves Hot Dogs. The first time my Dad size dog had the texture of a hot dog that had boiled for about two hours. It was not good. The last time I went the tater tots were horrible. They were soggy and tasted like that had sat around for hours. I had the Nathans all beef hot dog with chili and cheese and it was decent. The corn dog was also good. My wife had the Italian Sausage and it tasted really bad.

OH MY LORD! TOUCHDOWN! Okay I am so impressed by this place its not funny. We just wanted to give it a go because we’ve had a hard time finding GOOD coney dogs around here. (Before everyone mails me, yes we’ve been to DF’s downtown, not impressed) We got 2 Greyhounds (chili dogs) — I got the mom sized, he got the dad sized. We got a kid sized onion and mustard only to split. For sides we got tater tots and the mac and cheese wedges which aren’t listed on the website but are in store. All of that and 2 drinks for $ 16.
The people here are so nice and make you feel like family. They were talking to 2 guys who had just gotten a Dawg Pound (1 lb hot dog) and told him it was 3000 calories! I don’t think the guy cared. A couple came in and he was explaining each dog and apparently there is a 10 year old boy in me that comes out via giggle as he told them «the bigger you go the longer and thicker they get.» The chili dog was perfect. It’s so hard to find good chili for chili dogs any more that isn’t either runny or looks like Alpo. The mac and cheese wedges were awesome and perfectly cooked. I was kind of concerned about getting tots since others seemed to not have luck but ours were cooked perfectly and better yet, NO SALT! Most places that serve tots salt them beyond being edible. It’s sad I was so excited to see this but this is all we run into now at restaurants. Little nuggets o’ salt licks.
My only complaint is actually my own fault. I like my dogs grilled or more of a char on the outside and these weren’t. They were boiled with a slight grill. So I asked before we left if they are able to do them grilled and he said whatever the customer wants, the customer gets. He can grill it or fry it if you want a ripper and went into why the turkey dog is the best to use for a ripper and explained that hot dogs split because of fillers and was just knowledgeable as hell about his all beef products as well as others who use cheaper quality. They hand shred their cheese too. I applauded him on the lack of salt on the tots. He said people oversalt the tots because the salt retains heat longer every time they reheat and these are made to order and there’s salt on the table if you want it. For what I would’ve taken off for the lack of a crust on the dog, I have to add back for sheer customer service and knowledge of the product. WAY better than the pretentious place downtown if you know how to order them. Whatever you want, this place will happily do for you. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore!

I went down for lunch today. That’s quite a drive from the north end of Columbus, but hey, it’s hot dogs! LOL
Anyway, I had a Chicago dog with their sweet potato fries, then an Atlanta dog and for dessert, I had a piece of pie. That was more than I needed but, hey, it’s new years eve!

Very friendly service and short wait. The poppyseed bun from the Chicago dog is the bun to order. Didn’t care for neon green relish, color is weird and I just didn’t notice a particularly noteworthy flavor to it over a non neon version. Suppose children like it. Otherwise good portions and cheap price really!
Tater Tots side order at $ 2.00 seemed a little skimpy to me and over cooked, tots should not have hard edges. Slaw side $ 2.00 was tasty, fresh made in kitchen using Marzetti dressing. Definitely get that.
Would have like to see some Snapple or real juice blend types drinks offered not just sodas.
I will definitely be back to experiment with all those great toppings! Yum!

I came across these guys after hearing that a hot dog joint had opened up in Grove City. A hot dog joint in Grovetucky? I must admit, I was a bit incredulous when I finally got a chance to give them a shot.
Boy am I glad that I did. I tried the New York style, and the Chicago style… Clearly, this man has travelled… because unlike pretty much every hot dog establishment I’ve ever been to… the Chicago dog was pretty much a straight replica of a Demon Dog on DePaul campus… and the New York dog was authentic as well. I was floored.
The food is great, the family that runs it is VERY friendly… If you’re a fan of hot dogs and find yourself in Grovetucky… give ‘em a shot. Good food… horrible location. =)
Oh… and try the sweet potato french fries with all the fixins… mmm.