Tasty 8’s

Creative menu. Good beer selection. Great fries and unique dipping sauces. I had the Tree Hugger. It’s nice to have a veggie option that isn’t just an afterthought on the menu. My friend had The Windy City. Everything he expected for a Chicago dog including the neon green relish. We will definitely come again.

We just stumbled upon this hotdog place during our walk in downtown looking for a quick snack. I had the Chicky Chicky Bahn mi-​chicken apple sausage/​mayo/​cilantro (yummy!) & hubby had Yo Adrian-​with Philly meat/​cheese whiz. Staff were very friendly. This place is good for what it is — a hotdog place that serves good gourmet dogs.

I scoffed at the cost the first time I saw the menu, but when I finally caved and split a dog with my fiancé, we looked at each other like, «Whoa.» If you want a good, cheap dog, go to Snoopy’s (still the best for that), but if you want something exciting, there really isn’t anything else like it. Grab a beer from Paddy’s next door and eat outside. Yum.

I remember getting excited about this late night gourmet hotdog place. My buddy who lives in Raleigh was always raving about it. However when visiting this place came to fruition, there was one word to describe it: meh.
Walking up to the place, they have a sidewalk window which gives it a chill fast food vibe. However since it was cold-​er (November), the window was closed. Inside, there’s ample seating which is unusual for a hotdog place but I guess since it’s «gourmet» they give off that vibe.
Going to the menu, it was relatively simple with ~8 options for hotdogs along with sides and shakes. I didn’t get a shake but I heard they were really good (but then again, I heard this place was really good), but I digress. Anyways going to the food:
+Chicky Chicky Banh Mi — Being asian, I love banh mi, so I went with this full dog and while it tasted pretty good (I was also drunk), the hotdog was way overcooked. Even the mayo sauce couldn’t revive this dog.
+Corndog Whisperer — Full size all the way. This thing was gigantic, however I think the employees tried to get our food out fast and ended up delivering an undercooked corndog. Biting into it, the batter was still raw near the hotdog, so we ended up stripping the corndog to just the dog.
+Belgian Frites — This sounds foreign and fancy but don’t be fooled, it’s just regular fries. I think this was the best part of the meal. Fries were cooked and seasoned well and tasted really good with the green pesto aioli.
Definitely got some good snapchats out of the whole experience but as for recommending it. I would say only go here if this is your only option. Subway is just down the street. Just Sayin.

I stumbled in Halloween evening for a late-​night binge. Unfortunately there wasn’t much binging due to their limited items. I came for the frites, however the moment I approached the counter they stopped selling them. There was a filled plastic bag of them sitting next to the deep fryer. They simply said «We’re out.»
Getting passed the disappointment, the staff was friendly and apologetic despite dealing with (over) consumers’ inhebriation. Segway: It would have been nice to have a system there (911) to get rid of the egregiously rowdy ones. One man in particular sexually assaulted a lady in front of us, bullied countless customers, cut the line, spit on the floor, looked through other people’s food, and stole a fountain drink. I wouldn’t have brought it up here if the staff didn’t treat him as of he comes every week to assault customers. You’re in the late-​night food business: kick idiots out, please. I’ve traversed seedy parts of Paris at 4am and felt more safe.
The dog was amazing, so you redeemed a ton of points. We’re here for the food, after all. I got a Southern Comfort: it took about an hour to get, and about 10 seconds to consume. Not worth the money, but you have a monopoly on late night food for quite a few blocks.
The way the drunk situation was handled and the fry cutoff still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t recommend coming here on a busy, late night.

Tasty 8’s was stop two on my Hot Dog Odyssey to the Triangle. I spent a lot of time in Raleigh a few years ago and it was nice to come back and see this new addition to Fayetteville St.
I love the big roll-​up garage doors that open on to the street. The restaurant itself is fairly small but didn’t feel cramped during my visit.
There were lots of tasty and uncommon hot dogs available but I chose to try out Tasty 8’s version of the classic Carolina Dog which they call the «Southern Comfort.» The dog was good. The chili that comes on it is not what I would consider traditional hot dog chili as it had beans in it. I didn’t taste much of the blue cheese in the blue cheese slaw, either. However, the hot dog was still tasty.
The fries were very good and earned the fourth start for Tasty 8’s. I chose the Bacon Aioli for my dipping sauce and it was a gluttonous treat.
Nice work Tasty 8’s.

Tasty 8s has a great concept– delicious gourmet hot dogs, good (local) craft beer, and a great atmosphere… and they’re open late on weekends for late night munchies! Located at the intersection of Fayetteville & Hargett St in downtown Raleigh, their takeout window makes it quite easy to snag a dog on the way to a meeting (or a bar if its late).
My favorite dog is the El Perro, an all-​beef dog topped with queso, guac, & chipotle crema. I usually get the combo with a drink and sweet potato fries. The combo is $ 9.88 (recently raised prices by $ 1) which is a pretty good deal for the good ingredients in this meal! A second favorite is the bahn mi chicken dog. They usually have like 8 regulars plus one special dog of the month. I love all the sauces they have to choose from for your fries!
For a different experience, scrumptious gourmet hot dogs, and a good selection of local craft beer, find your way over to Tasty 8’s for a great meal :)

8 dollars for an effing hotdog?
They have «local and fresh toppings» on effing HOT DOGS. They charge $ 8 for tube meat with fresh dickweed on top.
I am morally opposed to this place. The woman I talked to told me that they have customers who will pay $ 10.56 for their HOT DOGS.
If I owned this place, I would lmao at all of the weak ass folks that were willing to pay $ 8 for an effing HOT DOG.

There’s a lack of late-​night food options in downtown Raleigh. Tasty 8’s is definitely filling a need, but they always let me down somehow.
On my last visit to their sidewalk window, they didn’t seem to remotely care about my order. Not surprisingly, they didn’t get it right. They have gourmet prices with a fast food attitude. Maybe some employees have been tainted by bros wandering by from Coglins or The Architect.
The full size hot dogs are very large, and are a decent alternative to the «street meat» from the hot dog carts. At 2am, the dogs will definitely help balance out the alcohol. They’re pretty tasty and I’m a fan of The National (pimento/​okra/​chow chow) and El Perro (Mexican dog). They’ve changed up the menu a bit since they’ve opened, testing new dogs as specials. They introduced a «puppy dog», which is about the size any normal person should ever need.
I think the shakes are the best, and most consistent, part of Tasty 8’s; they are only rivaled in quality by Chuck’s. The entire shakes menu is fantastic, but I’ll never order the strawberry shortcake (ugh). Momma Wells’ Tasty Treat and the Salty Dog are safe bets.
I’m sure I’ll stop by Tasty 8’s again soon and it’ll probably a snap decision at 2am. They get a benefit-​of-​the-​doubt three stars, because I expect that their service experience will evolve like the menu. Good luck to them.

My first visit since our Unilocal event. (Hey, I’m not downtown often!)
I like the clever concept of Tasty 8’s: Eight hot dog choices, Eight dipping sauces, Eight shakes, and 88’s in the pricing.
In the average hot dog place a choice means what condiments do you want on the one type of hot dog. Not here! Hot Dogs are make of Certified Angus Beef, Continental Sausage or Vegetarian Sausage. Topping combinations are creative and tasty. I like that the hot dogs are cut lengthwise with the center turned towards the inside of the bun — help the hot dog be more stable in the bun!
I ordered the Windy City Weenie minus the raw onion and peppers, so it was a poppy seed bun, neon relish, tomato, celery salt, dill pickle & mustard on a ¼ lb. certified angus beef hot dog. With this I ordered fries with honey mustard dipping sauce.
Loved the presentation. Great flavor on both the hot dog and the fries. If you are used to eating 2 or 3 regular hot dogs to fill you up, know that one hot dog and fries here is an ample meal.
Not a cheap hot dog meal in price or quality, but as in most things, a quality product does cost more.

No complaints here. I went during lunch and put in a to-​go order. The blue cheese and chili dog was great, and so were the fries with choice of sauce. The wait was on the longer side, but only because it was so busy and someone in front of me ordered a dozen for the office. I suggest going during a low traffic time as well, because parking was not a blast. However, pretty decent gourmet hot dog joint.

I was fairly happy with Tasty 8’s, but did not leave infatuated with the place.
Adamant to find a mind-​blowing hot dog, my travels led me to this newer restaurant in the heart of Downtown Raleigh. I came here due to the suggestions of a friend and was impressed by looking at their menu prior to my visit.
I went with some friend and ordered two hot dogs — El Perro & National and a milkshake — Mama Wells Tasty Treat. The El Perro is something I’d order again, but the National failed to impress. As for size. the hot dogs were pretty big, but if I was a bit hungrier, or a bigger dude with a bigger appetite, I could’ve maybe eaten a 3^rd. The shake was good, but I can’t really remember what it tasted like. My biggest gripe is that my whole meal cost me somewhere near $ 20 — yikes
I’d come by here for a late bite in Raleigh, but I’m not sure if I’d make a conscious effort to come back. They do stay open ’til 3am on the weekends and serve draft beers, but their prices are not kind to us hungry folk. For a $ 7 hot dog, I’d want just a little bit more.

While Spize Café will be missed in my heart, it’s great to see the new Tasty 8’s take over its space. Totally redone with wood planking on the outside and a cool dining bar and garage door, the long space takes a bit getting used to. Order counter to the right, you’ve got your choice of 8 gourmet dogs, dipping sauces and milk shakes.
I was able to try out two, the Yo Adrian a dog with steak and cheese along with the Perro (jalapeño-​cheddar brat). Both were beautiful and well-​plated with a nice set of fries to the side. Lots of sauces to try, there is some creativity here. And I thought the dogs were tasty but not exceptional. They looked better than they tasted and most of the flavor came from the toppings.
So overall while I like the concept, I’m not as much a fan of Tasty 8’s space and food. Everything looks pretty good but falls a bit short on taste for the price. I’ll have to get back for a return visit and see if I feel the same way…

I was at a business function recently one weekday evening and realized I was close to Tasty 8’s, so I decided to check it out since there are a lot of good reviews on Unilocal.
The place was almost completely empty when I walked in, and I wasn’t even sure they were open since no-​one was at the counter. Eventually someone did come to assist me with my order (They must do most of their business during lunch). I ordered the dog with the chili and slaw, with fries and a drink. The dog was good, and filling. I liked the fries also and the dipping sauce idea is a good one. The reason for only three stars is I am just not one to have a gourmet dog, and at $ 12+ this is just not a place I would seek out.
Not sure if they will survive. Seems like quite a bit of competition for hot dog seekers, and personally I am a-​ok with a $ 3 dog from the street vendor when I am craving hot dogs.

If you are downtown and craving a hot dog — forget the street-​meat! Tasty-8’s is phenomenal!!!
Its a small restaurant — you walk up to the counter and place your order — they call your name when your dog is ready. Cool atmosphere — includes a walk up window outside!
I personally love a corn-dog…so naturally the fair is my favorite time of the year. With Tasty 8’s now open I can get an amazing gourmet corn-​dog any day of the year! They are cooked perfectly and rather large which is perfect for my love of corn-​dogs! Try dipping it in ANY of the wonderful (8) sauces, you really cant go wrong!
Like a lot of people have said, it is a little pricey for a hot-​dog. However, you are getting a gourmet hot-​dog (and the combo includes the dog, fries, dipping sauce and fountain drink). AND WELL WORTH THE PRICE!
Perfect for a late night snack if you are downtown on a weekend — they stay open til 3 am for you late-​nighters (just be prepared to stand in line at these hours.)

I’ve had two pleasant experiences with tasty 8s. The first being some friends and I stopped in for milkshakes while checking out a festival downtown one Saturday afternoon. It is a small area, but they make good use of their space and can seat a lot of people. Very casual with the menu dis played on chalkboards up at the front. Milkshakes were good and thick (my fav) and they have more favors than somewhere like Chucks a few blocks down. I’d be back for the milkshakes alone.
The second time I experienced tasty 8s was when they were sampling out hotdogs at a Unilocal event. The hot got was on a potato bun with bacon and slaw (and probably some other stuff but these were the dominant flavors). The hotdog was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside (yum). The slaw was creamy and the bun was fresh. I’m not a huge hit dog fan but I was really impressed. It definitely peaked my interest and I want to go back to try more items in their menu.

You know the saying «you get what you pay for»…so true here! If you want a cheap no-telling-what-it’s-made-of dog with questionable-​quality-​toppings, this is not it! It’s also not fast-​food. You order at the counter, give them a name and it’s prepared fresh. They call your name when ready and you pick it up.
Sure our dogs were $ 6.88 each. With two bucks more for fries and a dipping sauce. Add in two fountain drinks and a shared fries, it was $ 19.01. That would have been too expensive had it not been for the QUALITY. Husband and I both chose the El Perro: Continental Sausage All-​Natural Jalapeño-​Cheddar Buffalo Brat, Queso con Chorizo, Guacamole, Mexican Crema, Salsa & Jalapenos. This was spicy-​dog-​perfection! Messy but in a finger-​licking way, not a falling-​apart way. They have so perfected the perfect bite from one end to the other. Some places have toppings to cover up cheap dogs… not here… the sausage dog itself was juicy and spicy and full of flavor. The toppings were all fresh and flavorful. They compliment each other perfectly!
Belgian Frites were also delicious. Our choice of Jalapeño Buttermilk Ranch dipping sauce was just the right amount of creamy kick. They also have ketchup, mustard, hot sauces and other condiments you can add yourself if you want.
We didn’t venture into the shake realm here, but all of them on the blackboard sure sounded good, as did the other dogs. Will have to go back to try more!
There are ordinary dogs and then there are doggone extraordinary ones. These are the latter and worth every penny.

We decided to try Tasty 8’s at 8pm on a Saturday night. It was fun to get downtown to a new place and not have to wait in any lines. It’s fun and new but, not many people choose hot dogs for their 8pm dinners downtown — it was refreshing not to have to wait. It was also nice to spend a little under $ 20 for the two of us too. We enjoyed our time at Tasty’s 8’s and will defnitely be back.
We both ordered the $ 8.88 combo which includes one hot dog, one bag of fries, one of their gourmet dipping sauces and a fountain drink. I chose the El Perro dog and my husband ordered the Yo Adrian. The El Perro had a Jalapeño Cheddar Buffalo Brat with queso, guac, Mexican crema, salsa and jalapenos. It had a little kick to it but, it’s definitely not as spicy as it might sound. I definitely felt as though I had the better dog of the two that we ordered. The Yo Adrian had cheesesteak meat on top of the hot dog with cheese above and below. It’s just not my thing — so I probably won’t order it ever. I do hope to try the Windy City dog on my next trip though.
Fry wise, we both got the traditional fries. The star of the show were the dipping sauces. They have quite a few to choose from. I am typically a ranch dressing french fry dipper so, I didn’t stray too far from that — I ordered the Jalapeño ranch. This was actually the spicier than my hot dog. It also had a bit of a lime flavor to it too. My husband asked the clerk for his recommendations and he suggested the Dijon Aioli. That sauce hit the mark — I will definitely order it next time. It’s not overly mustardy at all. It just has a great flavor that pairs well with the fries.
Next time, we hope to try a milkshake. Unfortunately, they were sold out. Great job Tasty 8’s — a great way to get downtown on a weekend night, not spend a fortune and not have a long line to dine. Our service was great and I enjoyed the ambience and branding too. Oh — they also have a nice selection of local microbrews on draft too.

I will forever miss Spize, but Tasty 8’s is a pretty decent addition to Fayetteville St. so I won’t be too bitter!
We stopped in this Friday night for a quick, cheap bite on our way to a SparkCON event. It was definitely quick, but wasn’t really that cheap. For two dogs, fries and beers it was a little over $ 30. That’s a little steep for hotdogs… Granted everything was very good, but it’s painful to pay that much for something that’s usually a couple of bucks (think Roast Grill a few blocks away).
Service was quick and effective, and the restaurant looks great (they did a great job with the space) but for what they offer it’s not totally worth the high price tag. I may be back, but unfortunately it won’t be a regular lunch spot unless they cut the prices a bit!

Tasty 8’s opened this past Friday and the line to their take out window was crazy long! To avoid the wait, my boyfriend and I decided to try them out on Saturday when they opened at 11am.
I ordered the Southern Comfort with sweet potato fries and honey mustard sauce. He ordered the El Perro with belgian frites and bbq sauce.
The actually dog was split down the middle into two slices which was different. My dog was beef and his dog was a buffalo brat. The brat was harder to bite into, but it is a good quality, unique meat for a hot dog.
These dogs are loaded with toppings! Very messy to eat.
The fries were average. I did not like the honey mustard sauce, it needed to be sweeter.
I would like to come back and try the Momma Wells’ Tasty Treat — peanut butter, fudge, and banana shake. And maybe a corndog.
Yes, this place is expensive for a hot dog but I suppose the quality meats are what jack the price up. I like that is is open late hours — 3am on Thursday through Saturday. It will be satisfying for everyone with drunchies on Fayetteville St!