Dat Dog

"There are two good times to go to Dat Dog. The first is before a night out when you want to drink a few beers, enjoy one of their many delicious sausages, and look out over Frenchmen Street as people start to filter in for the night. The other time is a few hours later, when it’s after 1am on a weekend and nothing in the world sounds better than a crawfish etouffee-covered bratwurst. Either is fine and regardless of what hour it is, you’re going to be very pleased with your decision." - chelsea brasted, megan braden perry

"The Frenchmen Street throngs get plenty hungry on the weekends and Dat Dog stays open until midnight during the week and til 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights to oblige. A mess of toppings — andouille sauce! crawfish etouffee! guacamole! — smother beef and pork sausages along dogs made of chicken, seafood, and vegetables. Keto fans can wrap that dog in romaine. The balcony offers the best people-watching views." - Beth D'Addono, Clair Lorell

"All three locations of this budget-friendly, artisan hot dog chain are open on Mardi Gras, but the Frenchmen Street location is arguably the most important for the holiday. It’s open and serving its seriously satisfying grub from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Fat Tuesday." - Clair Lorell

"Before landing at Dat Dog, exhausted, happy—and hungry." - ByNina Compton, as told to Chelsea Brasted

"Dat Dog, the New Orleans-based fast-casual gourmet hot dog chain, has its sights set on Tennessee. According to a press release, the critically acclaimed hot dog joint hasn’t locked down any definite locations yet, but they’re apparently eyeing spaces in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville. Dat Dog currently operates three locations within New Orleans, plus one in Lafayette and in College Station, Texas. The mini-chain is known and well-loved for its innovative take on hot dogs — think sausages made of duck, alligator, and crawfish, along with four vegan options — and a fun list of add-on toppings like blackberry sauce and bleu cheese. Dat Dog CEO Paul Tuennerman believes that Tennessee is an ideal area to open up to two Dat Dog locations in each market. “Tennessee offers an energetic and active food scene, which is perfect for Dat Dog and its exciting environment. As we plan our next growth phase, we look forward to beginning our search for enthusiastic franchise partners to lead Dat Dog’s expansion into Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga,” says Tuennerman." - Delia Jo Ramsey