Nick K. W.
Yelp
( This is the last of five reviews I've prepared for describing some of the food I ate while I was out in Phoenix, Arizona. )
One of the commonalities I noticed about both Las Vegas and Phoenix is that they both have very vibrant food scenes ranging from the eclectic to the upscale, and everything in between. And yet, even with such a diverse range of offerings, sometimes, you just want a simple burger or hot dog. That was what inevitably drew me back to Tempe Town Lake, especially when I saw this place among the restaurants there!
Dog Haus is a fast-casual joint that specializes in hot dogs and sausages, though they also have burgers and chicken sandwiches on offer. This place is special to me, though -- I actually remember several years back when Dog Haus made their ill-fated venture into Las Vegas, and was absolutely gutted when they closed. Thus, when I saw this place while I was at Sweet Republic the day before, I just knew that I had to come out here and treat myself.
It's as great as I remember -- as a restaurant and biergarten, the Dog Haus is set up kind of like a sports bar, complete with the decor to match. Think exposed steel beams, wooden tables, metal barrels and a industrial-looking bar with TV screens mounted all over. The food, though, is something else entirely; they have all manner of hot dogs and sausages on offer that you can't go wrong with whatever you order. (They even have vegetarian and vegan-friendly dogs!)
I ended up going with my classic order of the Chili Idol, the Fonz, and cheese fries; after several years of not having them, they tasted just as good as I remembered! Of course, they also have burgers and chicken on the menu, so you're guaranteed a great meal regardless. I just picked those because that was what I always ordered from the Dog Haus in Vegas back when they were open! One thing that sets them apart, too, is their use of Hawaiian sweet rolls for the bread instead of the usual white burger and hot dog buns; as a fan of Hawaiian sweet rolls, Dog Haus immediately shot up to the top of my favorite fast casual joints back in the day.
I'd recommend this place to anyone who wants good old-fashioned burgers and hot dogs, and it's not because I missed this place -- the food here is genuinely good. Here's to hoping they decide to try again and come out here to Vegas, because I think they're ready for their take on hot dogs! Until then, I'll just sit here and think about if and when I come back to Phoenix, lol.
Please, if you're in the area, do yourself a favor and come out here. You won't regret it.
( Thank you for those of you who read through all five of my reviews from the Phoenix area. If you're a local, please, cherish your food scene and support them. You won't regret it. )