There is a mind-boggling variety in the way of preparing a hot dog. While some people are content with just a squirt of mustard and a bit of relish, others love to play, reinvent, and reimagine what it is to eat a cooked sausage in a sliced bun.
As it turns out, Sin City is home to some of the most daring and delicious hot dogs being prepared in America today.
Here are our top five picks for the tastiest hot dogs in Vegas.
Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs
Buldogis Gourmet Hot Dogs is anything but average, and their hot dogs are as far from run-of-the-mill as you are likely to get.
Each Buldogi hot dog is a one-quarter pound of 100% pure beef and can be topped with a wide variety of traditional and exotic toppings. My favorites include the Banh Mi Hot Dog, which comes topped with a delicious banh mi slaw, herbs, and sriracha. Another favorite is the Gangnam-Style Hot Dog, topped with roast pork belly, cucumber, nori flakes, and Korean chili sauce.
Founded by Chef Boyzie and Mi Sun, Buldogis takes an all-American tradition and infuses it with a meaningful and transformative Asian influence. Above all, Buldogis hot dog offerings are homemade with fresh, high-quality ingredients, so if you are looking for some of the tastiest hot dogs in town, you have to swing by Buldogis.
Haute Doggery
Located within the LINQ promenade, Vegas’ premier open-air retail, dining, and entertainment center, Haute Doggery presents customers with a truly new and exciting take on the American hot dog tradition.
Asides from some tasty burgers and truly delicious shakes (the Frozen Grasshopper is a MUST-TRY), Haute Doggery specializes in two types of hot dogs: Retro Dogs, which are traditional recipes (Chicago, New York, Coney Island) with a touch of Haute Doggery quality, and Haute Dogs, which are all new and, in my humble opinion, worth a visit to Vegas.
Haute Dogs include a delicious Ruben Dog (think spicy mustard, sauerkraut, and pastrami), a sumptuous Longhorn (think smoked brisket, slaw, onion rings, and pickles), a Mac N’ Cheese (think, well, macaroni and cheese, and bacon), and my absolute favorite way to eat a hot dog, the Fun-Ghi, which comes topped with grilled mushrooms, swiss cheese, and truffle aioli.
Dog Haus Biergarten
Dog Haus Biergarten is one of the most critically acclaimed hot dog establishments in Las Vegas. It’s been featured in Food & Wine, ZAGAT, CNN, and even Playboy, and the consensus is that they put out creative spins on tradition, using only the highest-quality ingredients, and elevate the concept of the hot dog to new heights.
Dog Haus specializes in “craft-casual” gourmet dogs (they also serve fantastic burgers/sliders, sausages, and chicken) served on grilled King Hawaiian rolls, paired with highly-refreshing craft-beers.
I strongly urge you to visit Dog Haus Biergarten in Vegas (located at 4480 Paradise Road) and try the Sooo Cali (wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy fried onions, spicy basil aioli), and the Pineapple Express (bacon-wrapped dog, bouillonnaise, sweet ginger glaze, pineapple, scallions, pickled jalapeños, crispy onions).
Dirt Dog
Don’t let the name fool you, Dirt Dog hot dogs are the crème de la crème of Las Vegas hot dog joints!
The menu at Dirt Dog is profoundly inspired by the tantalizing flavors of Mexican street food so prevalent in LA, so expect a flavor explosion with each bite.
My favorite is the Elote Dog: a 100% premium All Beef Nathan’s dog, wrapped in bacon, topped with corn, cotija cheese, chili, cilantro, lime mayo, and bacon bits.
But you shouldn’t stop there, so make sure to try the Red Dog (served with spicy red salsa and some smoky chipotle aioli) and the Green Dog (served with a tangy chimichurri sauce and a rich guacamole spread).
Windy City Beefs-N-Dogs
If the previous entry took care of introducing a bit of LA to Las Vegas, Windy City Beefs-N-Dogs brings some Chicago love to Sin City.
Chicago hot dogs are characterized by their poppy seed buns, all-beef frankfurter, and toppings, which include mustard, white onions, relish, pickle, tomatoes, peppers, and even celery salt.
The folks at Windy City Beefs-N-Dogs are masters at their craft, and while their menu isn’t as daring as some of the other joints on this list, they can execute the Chicago-style “dragged through the garden” hot dog superbly well.