Puka Dog

My 10yrs old boy loves to eat hot dogs. Everywhere he goes he wants to try it the best dog in town. This was good he says, he still likes his Top Dog in Berkley, CA. My husband and I like hot dog especially the bunch and difference sauces that come with it, we actually like it more than our son

Very unique take on a hot dog. A lot of tropical options combined with their own sauce and mustard. $ 8 is pretty expensive for a dog but I guess you could consider it «gourmet» even with the causal, hot dog stand feel to it. If you like hot dogs then it’s a must try, as it is likely you have not had anything similar to what they offer.

Total let down. Heard about this place on the radio like 5 times a day. The sauces taste like jam. The mustard tasted like custard. The hot dog was too short for the bun so I was basically eating bread and jam…
Never again Puka Dog, never again.

Two times here. For non hot dog person, that says something. It’s soooo good! Got polish dog, mild mongo, once ketchup, once Hawaii mastered.

It’s been a while since I’ve visited this location because there used to be one in Hanalei, but it has since closed.
What I like about this place is all the variety of condiments that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
I also appreciate how you can get lemonade with half, full, or no sugar! Everyone loves choices and there are so many here.
My one complaint is that the hot garlic sauce is not spicy at all. I looooove spicy foods, so that was disappointing. Maybe I’ll try the lava next time.
Definitely make a stop here for specialty hot dogs not found elsewhere!

The polish sausage itself was pretty good and the papaya relish was something a little different, but I was not expecting the blob of secret sauce that was like eating several tablespoons of sweet mayo and a bun that super sweet as well. I could have just done the sausage by itself.

If you love sweet foods and predictable adventures, Puka Dog is the place for you. If you have ever thought, «Gosh, I wish my expensive hotdog tasted a bit more like it was wrapped in a donut and smothered in mayonnaise flavored with melted tropical candy,» this is the place for you.
If are a true lover of hotdogs, you ought to just drive to Costco in Lihue and buy like seven dogs (plus the seven obligatory sodas) for what you’ll pay for one Puka Dog and a lemonade. (The lemonade was quite good and was the clear highlight of the meal.) This was the most touristy fare we had on the island, and it reminded me of why we typically avoid this sort of place.

We went here because we just got done hiking and we were in Poipu. We wanted something quick to eat and wanted something good. To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed with what they served up. It’s a glorified hotdog that cost way too much and heavily covered in their condiments. My wife and I tried it out and this is what we got:
— Polish dog with mild spice, auntie lilikoi special sauce, Kaua’i special.
— Polish dog with mild spice and ketchup.
— lemonade with half sugar.
PRICE = $ 18.00
If you’re looking for somewhere touristy then go here, but if you want to eat what the locals eat. .. Don’t.

These are awesome! Hot dogs served not in a regular bun, but a sleeve of Hawaiian sweet bread. So good!
I had mine with coconut relish, and my wife got mango (mine was better). My only complaint is that the hottest garlic sauce option is not hot, like at all. It would’ve been nice to have some Sriracha to squeeze in the bun as well. I’ll just have to bring some the next time I go!

Puka Dog was definitely worth the try if you’re in Kauai. A quick, easy lunch place that is filling. They have a variety of different fruit relishes like passion fruit, pineapple, and mango along with a garlic lemon sauce that ranges from mild to lava. I am not too much of an adventurous eater. So I went with the puka dog with spicy garlic sauce, no relish, ketchup and Dijon mustard. The best parts about the dog was the fluffy bun that put it and the Dijon mustard! It was really good mustard! The lemonade was not very good fresh squeezed right in front of you which is a nice touch but it tastes pretty watered down. The dog is worth a try though!

This place was amazing! You get two choices: polish sausage or vegetarian, then pick your sauce (tropical flavors of a jam… pineapple or mango/​jalapeño was one). Then you pick a mustard from a few styles and they jam the whole thing in a hole inside a warmed bun. So simple yet delicious and easier to eat than an open hot dog. Nothing falling out. My boyfriend had the fresh lemonade which was refreshing and tasty as well.
It’s an outdoor seating area in a covered/​outdoor mall but really relaxing.
We loved it so much we got home and decided to try replicating on our own. :)

PUKA DOG! A must try in Kauai! My wife and I actually went here twice on our honeymoon because we couldn’t get enough of the Puka Dog! Hot dog has great flavor, we loved that they toasted their buns and the sauces complimented the hot dog in such a way.
Lemonade was also homemade right in front of you which was awesome. Also, its a pretty good price if your not looking to spend too much money and still get a good quality and tasty meal.

I was really excited to try the infamous Puka Dog! I loved the idea of the sausage right in the bread like pigs-​in-​a-​blanket with all these fun toppings. I ordered the polish sausage, hot (jalapeño), mango salsa, and the special house mustard. IT WAS SO SWEET. Like too sweet– like, «is there candy or melted sugar on my hot dog?» sweet. And there was virtually no spice level — I recommend if you want spice get the hottest level you can, because my candy dog had no heat. My husband got the polish sausage, spicy, coconut salsa and regular yellow mustard. I must admit the house mustard added a whole new level of sweetness to the operation and my husband’s choice of yellow mustard was a better call. If sweet is your jam, you will be in sausage heaven. However, I’m more of a Italian sausage with peppers and onions and mustard kind of girl and the Puka Dog just tasted like diabetes.
Service was nice, we went mid afternoon and there was no line — just not for us. Had a couple bites and tossed it.

So many reviews here what else can I say? I enjoyed Puka dog, really enjoyed that we were staying right across the street from it! Have no idea what I ordered, b leave it was the polish sausage, with mild, no mustard. I really enjoyed it. My only complaint is the bun is a little too big, I love bread but I even had to throw some of mine away. Overall good food at a good price.

Every time I told someone on either Kauai, Oahu, or the mainland that I would be staying at Kiahuna Plantation, they would say, «Oh, you’re right across the street from Puka Dog!» So… I had to go, right?
It’s just a stand in the strip mall, but what else do you need. They have instructions to order, but it’s not that complicated.
I went with the Polish Dog, got the Hot Garlic Lemon Secret Sauce (it wasn’t that hot), the Pineapple Relish (with Coconut Beach Relish on the side — can’t decide between relishes, let them know, they’ll set you up), and Aunti Lilikoi’s Hawaiian mustard. The result was phenomenal! It’s a great mix of spicy and sweet. And there was a lot of bun… so there wasn’t a mess, which you’d imagine it would be.
It’s a lot of food and I didn’t feel spectacular afterwards (and either did my husband), but I can’t comment on whether that was due to the portion size or the mix of contents. And it’s not the best dog on the island (for that go to Porky’s), but it was great going down. If you are in the Poipu area, you must at least try it.

Puka dog puts an elevated twist on a standard hot dog. The bun is cooked to perfection then stuffed with your choice of polish or veggie hot dog. I chose the polish and didn’t regret it! To top my puka dog, I added the famous mild lemon garlic sauce, pineapple relish, and lilikoi mustard. It was awesome! They also had other relishes like mango, coconut, papaya, banana, and star fruit. All very unique flavors.
My only complaint was that they put too much pineapple relish that it got everywhere and sometimes overpowered the other flavors.
Service is fast so it’s great to pick up a quick one after sightseeing!

I hadn’t heard of Puka Dog before I was dragged here by a coworker. We were on Kauai for the day and had a very tight window for an opportunity to get a bite to eat
I figured since we were in Lihue we’d checkout some joint in the area. But noooo. He had to drive us half way across the island to Hanalei. While I was annoyed at the distance we traveled for a bite to eat, I was even more perturbed when we arrived and there was a line snaking around the mall. Seriously? For a hot dog?
I begrudgingly waited in line. The restaurant itself is rather small– just a little bigger than a food truck with some picnic tables.
When we got close enough I finally got a glimpse of their menu. It didn’t take a long for me to realize they aren’t serving ballpark hot dogs. They serve the equivalent of the filet mignon of hot dogs.
The concept itself isn’t all that revolutionary. Basically they take a bun and slam it onto a hot metal spike that creates a hole or «puka.» The spike is part of a toaster that warms up the inside just enough to give the bun some body. Then, you have your option of relishes, and its the relishes that make all the difference.
They have mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana, etc. You can also choose a mustard like Lilikoi which must have been created by God himself. I chose a Puka with Coconut and another with Lilikoi. After you choose, they fill the Puka with your selected relish or mustard and then slide in a grilled Polish Sausage or Veggie Dog – I stuck with real meat.
They hand you the Puka Dog in a paper wrapper which keeps any of the relish from dripping out. It works just fine. I also ordered a lemonade to go with my dogs. It’s fresh and was just as good as any lemonade they serve in the deep South.
My first bite into my coconut Puka was nothing short of divine intervention. That dog was like nothing I have ever had and likely will never have except on Kauai. Maybe it’s just the environment or the combination of the lemonade, I do not know. What I do know is before I finished my first one, I got back in line and bought two more for the road. I kept them nice and warm and when I arrived back on Oahu later that evening, I had a second round of goodness.
Best Hotdogs ever. Service was crazy über slow, but with that good of a product it’s worth two times the wait: which it technically was for me since I waited in line twice.
Much kudos

«Wow! I’ve never had a hot dog like that before!» — What I found myself saying after just the 1^st bite of my Puka dog.
This place deserves all the attention it gets! Puka dogs are delicious! I had a Polish sausage dog, with mild garlic lemon secret sauce, Coconut Beach relish, and Auntie Lilikoi’s Hawaiian mustard. Incredible! The hot dog itself was fantastic, but wow! That mustard and relish were fantastic! A puka dog, with my toppings at least, is a very sweet, but extraordinarily delicious treat! Seriously one of my favorite foods I had on my Kauai trip — a hot dog! Who would’ve known?

My favorite quick service restaurant on Kauai. The hot dogs are fantastic, thanks largely to the large selection of island-​inspired relishes. They also have a unique bun with an opening only at the end. They then toast these buns on heated metal spikes to keep the inside of the bun crispy. Overall it’s a terrific hot dog and dining experience for the whole family.
A few additional notes:
— The line gets long around lunchtime (12 – 1)
— The «Lava» sauce is not that spicy, so if you like spicy then definitely go for it.

Had to try this even it seems to be a fad. Love the «fun factor» of this hot dog, but would really only give it 2.5 stars max. It’s in a shopping plaza and lines can be long/​slow/​hot outside. I was lucky to get the Bamboo grill to allow us to get a beer and eat this on their outside ledge area.
The hot dog is tasty, but wow the bun is ridiculously large (in hindsight I could have asked for 2 dogs to be put in that one bun). The bun is grilled and tasty, but just too much of it. I liked the choices in sweet relishes, but the combo of the mustard made it look so mushy and like dessert. There was zero heat factor in the spicy sauce so not sure if they just forgot to add it.
Overall, it was fine, but there are so many more choices (including food trucks) in the vicinity.