The Dog Pit

I came here the other day since I had a craving for a hot dog. To my disappointment, the place was closed! I saw a sign noting that it is going under new management and will open soon. Whatever that means. I’ll try it once it opens again.

Tasty dogs. Not expensive. What’s not to like?
Pretty straight forward.
Want a dog? Get one here.

It’s all about fusion foods nowadays. The most popular ones I’ve seen are fusion tacos and burritos. So, when I heard about «Asian-​fusion» hot dogs from The Dog Pit, I thought it was interesting and wanted to give it a try. Of course they don’t only offer Asian-​fusion hotdogs, but those are what particularly drew me in (ie: their Tokyo Dog and their Seoul Dog).
The Tokyo Dog has bonito flakes, seaweed, and wasabi aioli. I tried it when it was a special, so it was 50 cents cheaper. Now, I don’t know if it was because the hot dog was a special or because they were running low on ingredients, but my order looked nothing like other Unilocalers’ photos of the Tokyo Dog! There wasn’t a lot of seaweed or bonito flakes, and the hotdog was overall a lot smaller than expected. The wasabi aioli was a nice touch, adding a kick of flavor in every bite. But overall, I was very disappointed with the size and was still hungry afterwards.
On the contrary, the Seoul Dog was much more satisfying. It’s topped with kimchi for mild heat, pickled daikon and carrots for texture, and this «korrake» aioli for some creamy richness. They were very generous with the toppings for this hot dog, as the toppings kept falling out bite after bite.
The Cheese Dog is heavy, especially because there’s four different types of cheeses (cheddar, jack, mozzarella, and parmesan). But surprisingly, even though it was very greasy and heavy, it was not very filling. This hot dog also comes with fresh sliced tomatoes for a little savoriness.
The Baked Italia is another savory hot dog, similar to the Cheese Dog, but not as cheesey. The combination of crushed tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and oregano made me think I was eating a pizza instead of a hot dog.
The Dog Pit just offers hotdogs with a variety of toppings. The links are thin/​skinny, so if ordering from the «Five Buck Favorites» menu, you’re ordering for the toppings, not the dog. If I’m in the neighborhood and along Taraval St, and not craving pizza, shabu, or xiao long baos, I may come back to The Dog Pit for a cheap and decent «snack». I don’t consider their hot dogs a «meal» because portions are so tiny.

My cousin and I wanted a quick lunch. I narrowed it down to the Dog Pit and King of Thai. I chose the Dog Pit because it was walking distance from her house. Yea, I’m lazy, what? Well, my laziness paid off cause the dogs I got were delicious! I got the baked pesto for myself and the chicken apple sausage for my cousin. Of the two, I preferred the baked pesto. Talk about a gourmet hot dog. The chicken apple sausage was good too, but just a little plain compared to my baked pesto. I keep telling myself that I have to return and try the other dogs, but I haven’t had the chance to yet :(

Didn’t even know I was looking for one of these joints, but now that I’ve found one, I want an amazing one! Similar to Top Dog up in Seattle, or the outstanding Hot Diggety Dog over in Guam, this is your usual hot dog joint, but gourmet, with much fancier toppings than your usual ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut.
Choosing from a menu of some ten specialty dogs, I went with the Dirty South Dog [ Photo:
], which was a somewhat generic skinny dog, covered in chili, coleslaw, and BBQ sauce. Nothing really stood out on its own, but, as a whole, it definitely wasn’t bad. Had they used better dogs though (you may be able to swap out the basic dog for one of their higher end sausages, if you ask), I suspect that would have made a significant impact on the overall tastiness.
They do specials/​happy hours on Tuesdays and Thursday I believe, with happy hours landing you a free bag of chips, and the specials including some deep discounts on specific dogs.
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — The seating here is all bar height counters, with bar stool seats, so it is almost guaranteed to be inaccessible. Fortunately, hot dogs aren’t really a food that require a table!
Bathroom — Didn’t check them out, so no comment.

Great place for QUALITY hot dogs. Owner is friendly and goes out of his way for high school students who need a deal for lunch. Great Chicago dog, very authentic!
Taraval needs this type of food joint to mix things up a bit

It’s an interesting place to open a hot dog place. lol I’m not too sure how to describe it.
The server was nice, overall. Accommodating and everything. Good recommendations too.
I remember ordering a Seoul Dog and that was indeed, very interesting. Kimchi with pickled veggies in my hotdog. lol It was different. I’m not too sure about whether I’d order it again though. Haha.
Decent prices and it’s open near a high school.

Great little gem in Parkside, especially if you are hankering for a hot dog. Even if you aren’t, there are so many flavor choices you are sure to find something to strike your fancy.
I had the Seoul Dog, which had pickled radish and kimchee sauce on it, and it was both beautiful and delicious.
Next time, the Tokyo Dog.
And for when I am feeling homesick, the Chicago style Dog.
Free WIFI and a bright and clean environment, friendly owner, and quality food. Now, that’s a good dog.
*no dogs were harmed in the writing of this review*

Dropped in to try this new hot dog joint in the ‘set.
Pretty swell addition to the hood. Can’t really go wrong (or can you) when you’re around the corner from a police station.
Had the Tokyo Dog which has a wasabi mayo drizzled over it with bonito flakes and tons of seaweed.
Flavor was there, but it needed a little texture. Maybe some furikake? I added onions and that helped.
Also had a side of potato salad ($ 2) It was on the sweet side since it had relish, and that is how I grew up eating it. My grandpa always made potato salad that way (RIP Gramps, you’re still the champ) and to this day, my grandma makes macaroni salad similarly. Dog Pit will have a tender spot in my heart for these sentimental reasons. It’s silly I know.
I want to come back and try the Chicago Dog. I am a pretty big fan of those…
So for now, we’ll sit pretty at 4 stars.
P. S. Download the app Gving. Buy 8 hotdogs, get 1 free!

A friend and I were looking for something to eat for lunch that wouldn’t be too heavy because we were preparing to eat something huge for dinner. I suggested hot dogs.
We made our way over to the Dog Pit. My friend ordered the Tokyo Dog. It took me a while to find a hot dog that I haven’t tried before… I ended up getting the New Yorker dog.
The Tokyo dog was as good as it was the first time I tried it (I took a bite of my friends). The New Yorker dog is considered a New Yorker dog because it is topped with a New York imported «sabretts» sauce which is a type of red onion sauce… not sure how to describe that. It has a tangy, savory, sweet taste. I hoped for the best because I don’t particularly like onions and hoped that this sauce wouldn’t taste raw but… it was good.
Both were $ 5. Not bad. Service is really nice too.

Best Chicago dog I’ve had outside of Chicago. Okay, it wasn’t exactly the same but it was darn good for not having to get on an airplane.
The inside of this shop is fun, like a giant creamsicle, the restroom was clean, the variety of food options was plentiful, the guy behind the counter was nice and the food tasted great. A nice little neighborhood place to check out for a casual, fun meal.

«I’ve never been here before, what’s good?»
«Mmm​.Do you like pizza?»
«DO I!»
«Well then, the Baked Italia tastes just like a pizza in hot dog form.»
…I’ve been a fan ever since. Service is consistently awesome. Definitely not shy about throwing in extra jalepenos (just the way I like it) or any extra condiments you fancy.
Top this off with a large milk tea from Quicklys 2 blocks up and I’ve got myself a very happy and tantalizing afternoon snack :). Do expect a food coma afterwards.
P. S. How can you say no to $ 2 dog Tuesdays?!

You know how some places rob you for every extra add-​ons? Well, this place slaps on the jalapenos & onions for free.
The owner and workers are really friendly, and they make sure your dog is your way.
Never really been a hot dog fan, but I’ll be back, especially with their hearty clever named menu & super clean environment.

Came here on a limb because it was new. Yeah, that’s how they always get you, right? «It’s new, it must be good!» Kind of mentality. Exactly, exactly why I entered this foodie establishment.
My food came out rather quickly. No lines! Hm, I don’t know if that’s good or bad. Anyway, I ordered the «Seoul dog» and got it to go. I was so excited to go home and eat it!
It tasted like a hot dog trying to be a sandwich. With special ingredients and junk. The «Seoul dog» consisted of pickled daikon, carrots, kimchi, and korrake aioli. I don’t know what was on top of the dog, but it was white and there was lots of it mixed with mayo which completely overpowered the entire hot dog itself. I got a few bites of daikon and kimchi here and there. I didn’t even taste the hot dog because of all the other flavors.
Hm, I’m a bit mixed about my hot dog. But it’s going to tie me over until I eat dinner later.

I was actually driving down Taraval to get a burrito at EBX for lunch, BUT i saw The Dog Pit for the first time and I pulled over and walked in. Not enough good hot dog places!
First off the place is really nice and clean. They have their cool logo on their tables and have a big, easy to read menu. The Dog Pit has a lot of meal deals for $ 4 or $ 5 and combos on certain days for cheap so if you have $ 4-​$ 5 and some change in your pocket you can get a good deal here. This place is great for lunch or grabbing a dog as a snack.
I ordered the Bratwurst combo deal for $ 5 (drink and chips) and it was good; tasted exactly how a bratwurst should taste. Definitely coming back to try out more of their specialty dogs.

Welcome to the hood Yo!
NOW TAKE THAT Cole Slaw off Da Dirty South before it gets REAL up in here.
Nobody from my old hood in the South where we make that real deal chili puts Cole Slaw on it. NOBODY. So some boys in N. Carolina thought it was a cool idea but it ain’t doing it for me. Here is what I suggest we add:
Cheese Yes, Onions OK, Peppers Si, Fritos Now we’re talking but Cole Slaw NO.

Good quick stop for some delicious hot dogs! Their hot dogs have a nice snap/​casing to them, which I love. I hate those hot dogs that are your average «let’s buy at the grocery store». Like everyone before me, I recommend the Chilli Cheese Dog and the Baked Italia Dog. Both are über good, and have distinct flavors. The chilli cheese dog is a bit heartier, and the baked italia is a little lighter (I think the tomatoes help keep it healthy).
Their specialty dogs are $ 5. $ 3.5 for their signature plain hot dog aka «pit dog.» On Tuesdays their pit dog is only $ 2 STEAL! And on Friday a pit dog meal (chips and soda) is $ 5.
I would like to see a bacon wrapped hotdog on their menu — I don’t think there was one.
I’ll be back in the future!

After the first visit, I had to get another fix of this great tasting place.
The first dog I ordered this time was the tokyo dog, which is a hotdog with seaweed, bonito flakes, and wasabi sauce on it. I didn’t really like this one since it wasn’t that great. I had a better tokyo dog before that was bacon wrapped and had some coleslaw on it.
The second dog was the baked italia, which is a hotdog with tomato sauce, baked cheese, onions, garlic, and oregano. This one was just awesome and tasted like heaven. It had the right amount of everything and they all melded great with each other.

I like this place. It is a good addition on Taraval; something new and a little different. The dogs are great and they have some interesting combos on the menu that I’m looking forward to trying. This time I went for the classic chili cheese dog with a soda and coleslaw. My boyfriend had the Dirty South with chili, coleslaw and bbq sauce, and added jalapenos and onions. Both were really yummy. However, I wasn’t sold on the coleslaw on its own, even though it was pretty good on the dirty south dog.
For two of the «Favorites» dogs, two sodas, and a side of coleslaw the total was ~$ 15. The service was really friendly. I will be back soon to try the bangers!

Creative hot dogs seem to be the next big trend and it’s a trend that I generally like. The Dog Pit offers specialty dogs (the Five Buck Favorites, includes Baked Pesto, Seoul Dog with kimchi, New Yorker, Chicago style, Baked Italia), sausages (Kielbasa, tofu, hot link, chicken apple, bratwurst) that you can add toppings to, sandwiches, deli salads and drinks.
* Tokyo dog ($ 5): starts with a long thin 8 inch beef frankfurter on a soft white hot dog bun, topped with bonito flakes, very thin nori strips and a tasty sweet wasabi aioli. I liked the flavors but prefer a better bun and a grilled dog.
The dog would have benefitted from something crunchy (slaw?). Also, they didn’t put much in the dog and it would be better if they paired sausages with specialty toppings (all the Five Buck Favorites feature the 8 inch beef frankfurter though you can substitute a sausage for a $ 1 extra).
The complimentary toppings bar had the usual — relish, 2 kinds of mustard, ketchup, onions, kraut and jalapenos. The walls are a blinding bright orange, probably an homage to the SF Giants.