Maui Dog

The dogs were okay. By the time they added all the sauce it made the bun soggy and the dog cold. A little more on the sweet side with the sauces than savory.
You could do without the shaved ice. Pure syrup. Shaved ice is hardly «shaved».

Today is a sad day. My partner and I went to Maui Dog for the ALWAYS good dogs and fries. They were already closed. This was one of my top 5 meals in Phoenix. Consistently excellent. We will miss you very much. I hope that you find a new home in central Phoenix! Say, Melrose District?

I’ll admit – I tried this place solely because the reviews were overall very good, and the fact they were closing added a sense of urgency.
Its a quaint little place, has a style of its own, and it certainly original if anything. But that’s where the good pretty much comes and goes. First, price for a hot dog, tater tots and shaved ice is like 11 dollars. Seemed a bit steep but I don’t mind paying for good food. The person working the front counter was 40ish, with blonde hair, and well lets just say she’s been under the knife, a good many times. And well you guessed it, didn’t seem to have a clue what was going on, so it was chaos.
So I ordered a Shaggy Dog which includes chili, slaw and onions. I ordered is sans the slaw. What I got was a blackened beef hot dog, a tasty bun, and something akin to hormel chili. The tots were good if not small a small serving, and the shaved ice was, well shaved ice. I think the problem is their cook was not working that day, so the owner John had to cook instead of work the customers which led to the problems. My friend ordered a turkey burger it arrived with crumbled all over, (menu didn’t indicate it had bacon) so I politely just asked them to take it off. he took about half of it off. At that point we asked just for a refund on the burger (uneaten), so he slams the plate and burger in the trash can and mumbles 6.65 to the cashier? She didn’t hear him so she asked him what he said, and he yelled give them 6.65! From the back kitchen. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

ALERT!!! ALERT!!!
MAUI DOG IS CLOSING ON DECEMBER 29^th.
I had lunch here today and the owner passed along the news. Landlord is hiking rent and he never made a profit so can’t aford to stay and is out of the cash needed to move locations.
A sad day for Phoenix.
I have to say, SHAME on myself and the rest of the Phoenix foodies and Unilocalers out there. We all love this place, so why don’t we go? I work 2 miles from here and have only been three times. AND I LOVE IT. I’ve told people to go. THEY love it.
Alas… Two weeks from today… no more Maui Dog.
Thanks to the owner for his pride and guts with this delicious concept. I hope to see you pop up again somewhere in the valley. If you do, I vow to be more supportive.
I will definitly be back again before you close. EVERYONE should.
You know you have it bookmarked. Change that bookmark to a Check In UnilocalERS!

I was looking for a Hawaiian restaurant near my office in Old Town and Maui Dog came up. What an interesting concept, Hawaiian style hotdogs. I was amazed at the sheer number of positive reviews for this place, yet I’ve never heard of them. So into my Unilocal bookmarks it went for the perfect afternoon to go here. After an amazing visit here (and 2 punches on my regular customer card) I’m hooked.
If you think you’ll leave hungry since it’s just a hot dog, no you’re wrong. I always get a brat and it’s filling! I’ve now had the Island Dog and Hanalei Dog, my lovely date the last time I went had the Island Dog so I was able to have the best of both worlds. I also get the volcano spiced version. It’s has a perfect amount of spice to it, so for the average eater, don’t get it lol!
As for the sides:
I had the tater tots. They are great to share, unless you have an islander sized appetite then get your own.
Shave Ice. They do it right here. We split a crazy concoction where they added a bunch of awesome flavors. They build it right. After adding some flavors, the ice melted down a lil, so they added more. Then top it off with «crack». We had a bunch of funny jokes around it but it’s condensed milk. This place also doesn’t disappoint considering your in AZ.
So if you’re reading this considering to go, make dinner plans tonight, or tomorrow for lunch. They need the biz and your stomach needs the flavor. It’s tired of eating that frozen crap you keep in your office freezer. I hope to fill up my regular customer card sometime soon.

STK. (Saitou to Kaigen)
Red Cream Soda: Foamy Frenzy
Veggie Burger: Pineapple and Spicy Mustard, goodness me…
Shaggy Dog: He wolfed it down in 2.5 minutes. The 2^nd one was 3 minutes, due to the fries.
My cousin enjoyed his Shaggy while I enjoyed a vegetarian burger option. You definitely get what you ask for at Maui Dog. Would give a 4.5, because I want more vegetarian options but I usually stick to what works and it was stellar. Pleasant owner, very cool menu, good char on my burger. Ask and you shall receive. Want to train my cousin up to do the «BIG KAHUNA Challenge»
Culinary Thought: Moderate pricing plus funky condiments = Happy Ninja. Spare no expense, for every penny spent will stretch your face into more of a smile. Simply Good.
Ninja Eating Plan: Could I attempt the BIG KAHUNA CHALLENGE?

Theoretically, this shouldn’t work. A hot dog with pineapples, coconut, spicy mustard and bacon? But I was intrigued by the positive reviews and full-​brunt assault on my senses, that I knew this was a place I had to go for dinner once.
I had an island dog (a brat) with the mustard spicy, and some tots on the side. The tots were perfectly crisp on the outside and hot but creamy on the inside. Now, the dog…
…I’m not really sure how to explain this. The coconut adds creaminess and texture. The pineapple is crushed and turned into a thick syrup with some spices, possibly including paprika, which gives it the tropical flavor. Both act to counter the mustard, but the mustard still lends a welcome heat to the dog. And the bacon is real bacon, chopped. Bacon is always good.
Together, all of it just works. Throw in a Hawaiian shave ice and this becomes one of the most unique fast food places I’ve ever seen. Props to the owner for following through on one heck of a niche concept.

I ate a shaggy dog @mauidogs ! Or a fuzzy dog. I think it was shaggy. It had slaw and all sorts of other stuff on it and I liked it… alot. I could eat another one right now. And I would too, if I weren’t writing this from a hotel in California.
I also had a spam slider. It was good too. I haven’t had spam since I was, well, it’s been a long time.
I like this place… the food, the people, the vibe… nunui!
‘Oe pono he ekahi!

This place needs some love to stay alive!
After passing the place many times, I finally stopped in and was the only patron there. I chatted it up with the owner and his wife, who were super cool people.
I told him that his Unilocal ratings seemed to be pretty good, and it seemed like he definitely had some signature products that put him in a market of his own. He said that The Phoenix New Times told him the same thing, but that business has been extremely slow.
He gave the the lowdown on almost every creation on the menu. This guy created and makes all of his own sauces and dog works of art. It’s places like this that are a true work of art, and a hidden gem. They need love to stay alive and in the market, and in this case that love needs to come in the form of cash money.
He ended up setting me up with the famous Maui Dog creation and a side of fries. I must say, that these dogs actually compete with the Sonoran Style Dogs that you find in the Southwest. Between Maui Dog and all of the Sonoran Hotdog joints in this town, they offer competition to the boring, old school Chicago Dog Market. It’s very important to have culture in a city, and Phoenix needs to allow these different cultures to grow and flourish.
I know that the area isn’t the most lucrative, but these people are some super cool artists, and you don’t want to see this place go under due to a lack of support.
Lets all Unilocal together and save this much needed icon, so if nothing else, we can have one extra spot to keep on Unilocaling about!

My son told me about Maui Dog. He is always trying new places. I like the locally owned restaurants. The experience just seems more personal. There was 6 in our group and we tried a variety of items off the menu. I got the Island dog with tater tots. There was an order of the Spam sliders we shared.
The place is decorated island style. I have been to the Hawaii many times and when you go to the outer islands this is just what you might find. We were there on Saturday and after the lunch hour so the place only had a few people eating. This gave me the opportunity to talk to the owner. He is really a super nice person. He shared how he got the idea from some time spent in Hawaii.
The food. I have eaten at a several places around Phoenix that specialize in hot dogs. I am not going to mention names but they are all well reviewed places. Everything from a hot dog on a bun with fixings to a place that advertised Chicago style hot dogs. Maui Dog was by far better than the rest. It is not just a hot dog or a brat with some fixings. It is a combinations of tastes that make the experience. Who would of thought coconut, mango, pineapple would be good on a hot dog? Yes they are sweet. If you don’t like sweet they can make your hot dog to order just ask. When you eat their hot dog or brat you don’t just taste the hot dog or brat. The mixture of flavors when you bite into one of their hot dogs is what makes this place so unique.
I live in Peoria and it is a 45 min drive to eat at Maui Dog. I will be back to see if they taste as good the second time as the first.
The place was clean. The food was good. The service was good. The price for what you got was good. The location? Need one closer to Peoria. I will be back. If you just want a hot dog. Fix it at home. Yuck! If you like something different see them.

I was looking for a new place to grab some food and was scrolling down the New Times «Best of List» and saw Maui Dog. I was instantly reminded of a visit to Kauai and the amazing Pukka Dog establishment. I checked their menu online and was sold.
The building is quaint and reminiscent of a hot dog shack in Hawaii. There is indoor and outdoor seating. A small TV and Wifi. The Hana dog was amazing: avocado, bacon, pico de gallo, cilantro, and added maui mustard. I can’t wait to go back. Loved the fruit infused mustard and other tropical toppings.
The owner was the cashier and after we finished eating he sat down and chatted with us for a bit. It was our first time dining there, and he welcomed us, and we talked about Pukka dog and his inspiration for his island dogs. Very friendly and welcoming, and it added that extra element that is missing in so many restaurants.
All together it was a solid meal, reasonable prices, and awesome staff. 5 stars all the way. I can’t wait to go back and try another dog.

Been here twice now and tried two different dogs and two sides. Nothing was disappointing. I have tried both the sweet and spicy dog and the hana dog. Both dogs were great and had very distinct high points. The sweet and spicy does something very rare for me and actually gets me to enjoy pineapple mixed with other foods. I this dog had great flavors all over including the dog itself which was perfectly cooked and the right amount of heat. The hana was just a stack of messy amazingness that had a real mexican flair. The bacon is the real standout adding the great bacon flavor and a crunch that gives the textures some depth.
The sides were good to. The chili is not some canned stuff and is good. The tater tots are just awesome though and nice crispy outside and that soft pillowy inside you crave.
If you want a gourmet hot dog this place is not going to let you down.

It’s no surprise I write this, but I love independent restaurants. Don’t worry, I’m not going to get on my soap box and preach about how they help the local economy by keeping more of their revenues in the communities they serve. Nor will I go on about the way they support other small businesses by sourcing ingredients and supplies locally. What I love most of all, they take risks that many corporation restaurants wouldn’t dare.
Take Maui Dog for instance, l mean really, who opens a restaurant specializing in Hawaiian style hot dogs? Ask owner John Stamatakis, who started his hot dog venture last year in the building that housed Ricky’s Philly. The tiny structure has gotten the island treatment with tiki torches, bright colors and a warm friendly vibe. What they don’t have in square footage they make up for in charm and of course menu offerings.
The menu boasts a series of hot dogs, sliders and some serious toppings. There is one nagging question though, what’s a Hawaiian hot dog? To be honest, I had no idea until I did some research. Ends up Hawaiian hot dogs are just like any other hot dog except for a slightly sweetened bun, some variation of garlic mayo and a laundry list of tropical flavors including passion fruit infused mustard to chopped banana and coconut.
Before I go on about the food, I have to give you one bit of advice, ask them to make sure they steam the buns! On my visit this crucial detail wasn’t fulfilled so what I ended up with were slightly dry and mostly stale buns. I made mention of this to the owner who quickly offered to replace the order, this is what I call great customer service.
On first bite I felt deep love for MD’s Lava Dog Shaggy Style ($ 5.50). Its a beef hot dog slather in lava, which is their house made chili, then topped with cheese and coleslaw, the later making it shaggy. I went further and ordered it Maui style, which means that it will additionally be topped with chipotle garlic mayo, Maui mustard, coconut and pineapple. I had no idea you could pile so much on one hot dog and still have it work. It’s a whole lot of flavor but melds so well together. Fortunately the heat from the chili and hot dog also managed to make the extremely soft and what I love saying, squishy.
Okay canned meat has a really bad wrap, nothing like congealed animal parts to make a person run for the hills. So bear with me when I say go ahead and try a Spam Slider ($ 1.25). Ordinarily I would have never ordered one but the lady at the counter assured me it was worth a taste. My only experience with Spam was my mothers doing, Span sandwiches, come on, you’ve had them too! Anyway, once you top a slice of grilled Spam with sweet mustard, coconut and pineapple, Maui style, I think you might have a different impression, sweet and salty is a great combo.
If Spam isn’t your bag, go for the Teriyaki Slider ($ 1.25), Maui style of course. This version replaces the Spam with a tender ground beef patty and a smothering of teriyaki sauce.
If you love potatoes with your hot dogs and sliders, be sure to order a basket of MD’s hand cut French Fries ($ 1.75). These are the real deal, tender with a slight crisp. If you want sheer crunch good times order up the Tater Tots ($ 1.75). These little chubs of shredded potato come out super crispy and well seasoned.
Judging by the steady stream of diners, it seems like this indie resto is a hit with the locals. Just be sure to get those buns steamed.

For those who have experienced a Hawaiian ‘puka dog’ this is a welcome site. Actually, I’m pretty surprised that it has taken this long for the concept to reach the mainland. This place proves that you can make a hot dog as sweet as sugar cane and still get away with it.
My only complaint was that the dog was as messy as a night out with Charlie Sheen.
All hail to Indian School. The new Valley hot dog hot spot.

Maui wowee! This place rocks.
Thanks to a few trips to the islands, I’m a major hawaiian food junkie. A plate lunch makes me a happy girl. And while Maui Dog goes island style in a different way it’s totally ono!
There is a place in Hawaii called Puka Dog. Maui Dog is like it’s Arizona cousin. The taste was almost exactly the same. You pick what kind of dog you want, what kind of garlic mayo and your fruit relish. It sounds kinda gross but it’s fantastic! The combo just works somehow.
I got a regular hot dog with mild garlic mayo and mango. So, so good. The mayo still had a bit of kick to it even though it was mild and the fruit relish was sweet and tasty. The perfect balance. The dog itself was huge and had a good beefy flavor. And the bun was nice and fresh which can really make or break a hot dog. They also serve tots and fries. Awesome!
I can’t wait to get back and get another maui dog, this time with multiple fruits. I might even have to get a spam slider.
Mahalo, Maui Dog!

This place was REALLY good. Very unique. I had the 3 teriyaki sliders with tater tots which were amazinggggg. This place is all about what you choose to get on it and I chose chipotle garlic mayo, coconut and spicy mustard. Never had a coconut burger before!
My buddy had a very large hot dog that he said was really good, plus tried the sliders with 1 of them as spam… spam wasnt that great, wouldnt recommend. But I have never liked spam so dont listen to me if you like spam at all heh. The sliders were a lil over cooked which is why I give them a 4 and not a 5, 4.5 would be perfect but I guess you cant do a 4.5. Easily fixed next time I go in.
Over all I would have to say if u have not tried a coconut burger before I’d say go over there and get one!

Wow.

CAUTION: Maui Dog is Highly Addictive.
The above statement should be printed on the menu, by the way.
My friend has been raving about this place for weeks now… and last night I finally stopped in only to find myself waking up this morning CRAVING it again! Yikes. And it’s on my commute home from work. I think I am in trouble…
By my friends recommendation, I had the Lava Dog, Shaggy Style. Basically, an all beef hot dog, chili («lava») — monterey jack cheese — Maui cole slaw («shaggy»). The slight sweetness of the bun, bit of salt with the dog and chili topped with the crispness and freshness of the maui slaw creates the perfect balance. Now it’s a «taste explosion» at a hot dog ‘stand’? Better believe it.
Next time, I want to try something different… like the Brat dog or Spam slider. They offer unique toppings for all dogs — maui style — chipotle garlic mayo, maui mustard, coconut and pineapple topping to name a few. I am going to have to go for the shaved ice next time too, especially Amy’s recommendation of the «Tiger’s Blood»
Some inside SCOOP on this place, because I asked the owner John (who’s super nice) a million questions. The Chili is Vegetarian. The buns are AMA-​ZING and it’s his own recipe. The buns are baked fresh locally. The brats are made especially for him as well. He was inspired by a place he visited all of the time in Hawaii — while he was surfing! A good enough reason for us Phoenicians to welcome a little ALOHA in our lives.
SOME OTHER THINGS I LIKE?
— They DO take debit cards, it’s NOT cash only.
— THEY ARE PET FRIENDLY (Patio, obviously)
— I love the surfboard painted out front, makes for some entertaining photo shoots for kids, pets and hey… even adults!
I’m glad to support a locally-​owned, unique business that offers a fantastic product. Mahalo!!!

Drove all the way downtown from Gilbert to try this place out (we were just in Maui for the first time and loved the Hawaiian spin on food). Upon arriving, we caught the tail end of another customer’s order and the employee at the register said «I’m supposed to make fun of you for ordering that because it’s a Haole Dog, which is what they call the locals or something». It was kind of funny because she pronounced haole wrong, and it’s actually a negative term that the locals use for the mainlanders. If they want to use these sort of gimmicks, it’d be nice if the employees knew a little about what they were instructed to say.
I ordered an all-​beef hot dog, with medium spice and mango salsa. The hot dog itself was cooked well, but I though the bun was a little too large and took away from the good flavor of the hot dog with the sweet mango salsa. The medium spice was pretty tame (and I’m not a spice eater), but I could tell it was there.
I’d go again if I were in the area.

I can’t say that I’m a hotdog connoisseur but every once and a while I do get the craving for a good hot dog. I don’t eat beef or pork, so I can only eat chicken, turkey or vegetarian hotdogs. My friend John and I were on our way to meet our friend to go bowling and I decided to stop by Maui Dogs and Slider.
They just had a soft opening, but I wanted to review them right away so people can find out about this place.
The atmosphere, is very hawaiian and they have all kinds of fruit relish with different combination of mango, coconut, pineapple or banana. They have a signature mustard being flavored with passionfruit. I tried their turkey hotdog with avocado and some sweet and spicy relish. It was pretty good.
The only way it could get better is if they had beer on tap. Maui Dog is definitely a winner in the wiener category!
Update: (6÷9÷2011) I’ve stopped eating chicken & turkey for 8 months now, so I haven’t been back.