Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs
Permanently Closed
Gourmet dogs with wild game, unique toppings, & late hours
Gourmet dogs with wild game, unique toppings, & late hours
"Watch any food channel's travel shows, and you’re bound to catch a segment on Biker Jim’s at some point, because it’s a TV magnet for its character as well as its food. Named for owner Jim Pittenger, an Alaskan-born ex-repo man with a taste for hogs on wheels and hogs—as well as just about every other animal—in buns, this is a rocking hangout at all hours, complete with burnouts (tire marks) from his own motorcycle on the floor for decoration. If you want a classic taste of Biker Jim’s, get the elk-jalapeño-cheddar dog topped with cream cheese and caramelized onions; after all, it’s what transformed his business from a humble street cart into a whole fleet of them, anchored by this brick-and-mortar institution in the Ballpark neighborhood. A visit here is something of a Denver rite of passage, which means you’ll find a cross-section of the city. Tourists cram between gaggles of Rockies fans en route to Coors Field just a few blocks away; families chow down alongside students; and on weekends, carousers taking a breather from their bar crawls fill every inch of available space." - Ruth Tobias
"Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: A former repo man from Alaska hops off his Harley to open a food cart slinging reindeer sausages in Denver. Oh, and a cream cheese-spewing caulk gun is involved too. This is the reality at Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs. The menu is as unique as the man himself, with ostrich and harissa-roasted cactus, green chile-laced buffalo, and the signature elk jalapeño cheddar dogs—all of which make for a tasty lunch around $10. While you’ll still find Biker Jim’s carts set up around town, the man himself is more likely to be manning his caulk gun at the LoDo brick-and-mortar location." - Allyson Reedy
"Everyone around here knows the story of “Biker Jim” Pittenger, a former repo man from Alaska who turned a sausage-slinging street cart into a citywide fleet plus a brick-and-mortar outlet in Ballpark (with a little help from noted fan Anthony Bourdain). But the elk dog, along with the currently unavailable reindeer dog, is the item that really put the wheels in motion — ideally topped with the classic combo of cream cheese and caramelized onions." - Gigi Sukin, Ruth Tobias
"What started as a street cart that earned a nod from Anthony Bourdain has evolved into a full-service restaurant where you can find signature picks like elk jalapeño cheddar and Alaskan reindeer (not to mention the iconic rattlesnake and pheasant dog). The classic topping is cream cheese and caramelized onions, but options like the Desert—harissa-roasted cactus, Malaysian curry jam scallions, cilantro, and onions—keep things interesting." - Andra Zeppelin, Paul Albani-Burgio
"The brick-and-mortar extension of a downtown street cart allows for an expanded menu of hot dogs and unique sausages, like rattlesnake and pheasant, Alaskan reindeer, and wild boar. Choose from a variety of toppings and sides like charred tahini cauliflower and fried mac and cheese." - Eater Staff
