Leeway Franks

I admit I tried Leeway after I moved away from Lawrence because of their Twitter. Now it's one of the spots I have to hit when I'm in Lawrence or passing through ( sorry burger stand). The first thing I tried was the Reuben Dog and I always hope it'll be on the menu again when I'm in town. It was AMAZING. if you're not eating right away, request the wet stuff on the side so you don't get soggy (I don't care and I think it's part of the experience YMMV). This is just a quality beef frank with great flavour. I've tried salad, fries and tots and they're all good. The salad is an experience. It's not your regular side salad and is made with high quality ingredients. Fries I didn't find super exciting. They're hearty, natural tasting and not overly salted. They're definitely not bad--i think I'm not particularly excited about fries in general. Tots are usually a little salty for me but I tend to err on the side of undersalting. They're perfectly cooked and crispy. Again I'm just not excited about tots in general. Packaging is effective and conservative and there is no excess waste. Support Indigenous business and please tip staff!

There are not enough good things I can say about this place! The employees and owner are friendly and helpful. The menu has so many items that I want to try I will have to go back at least 10 times to try them all! I got the Roast Beef and Cheese sandwich, my daughter got the Plain Dog from the kids menu and my mom got the Double Patty Melt. The sandwich was phenomenal, the meat was freshly cooked, well seasoned and the portions were very generous. I got the Poutine fries and they did not disappoint. My daughter can be picky but she ate everything on her plate. Go check this place out, it's a smaller store front and their butcher shop is 2 doors down. All their meats are locally sourced and absolutely worth it!

Went to this place after the basketball game it was amazing. With great fresh burgers and hotdogs. I got a pizza burger which literally tasted like a pizza! A great small cafe that has fresh homemade sausages. This has made the list of places to go when in Lawerence.

The breakfast burrito special on the weekends is 🔥!! It’s so much food, and all delicious. I would love to see a vegetarian option for it, however they obviously specialize in meats so I am glad that they do have a decent vegetarian menu otherwise.

I’ve been craving a hotdog and they are made by their own butcher Lee. This was my first visit. Alec was friendly and shared with me some great blues. The restaurant was spotless and had a modern vibe. My next visit will be a freshly ground hamburger and then the next treat will be posole! I had no idea this place was here. The butcher is next door with fresh meat. Thank you Alec!

Stopped by to check out the Leeway Franks chili dog. I've been traveling around trying out chili dogs for awhile now and I was anxious to try this one. The chili dog had a beef frankfurter, yellow mustard, chili, diced white onion and a bun. The best part of the dish was the all beef frankfurter itself. It had a good skin that snapped when you bit into it. The chili was decent. The onion seemed fresh and the mustard gave the dish that vinegary, mustardy note in the back. Overall a good chili dog! #KCFoodie #CulinaryAdventures #ExploreYourCity #LawrenceKS #NatApproved

They make their Frank's and meat products on site. They are delicious.i have had a frank, a special Cuban beans and cod and today the burger. And lots of tots. The prices seem high, until you consider they grind the meat and make the franks, sausages, brats and hamburgers on site. Not frozen, not cheap meats. Go eat!

Great little place to eat with a big menus. The staff was professional, fun and customer friendly. The food was very good also. Give it a shot

Wow, a hot dog has been a staple that I have grown up with ever since I was a kid and so I have literally seen a hot dog at its worst. With just ketchup and a bun, and I've learned through the years to just live with that. I got a hankering today for a hotdog but I didn't feel like making a hotdog at home so I started looking online to see if there was anywhere in the area that had a good hotdog and I came across this place. I read the reviews, but the final decision really comes from my curiosity to find out for myself. I had a hard time finding the place due to it being in sort of a strip mall type area. But when I found it, it was kind of small but I don't judge by the size of a place, so I continued to go in. I was immediately greeted by the smile of a man working behind the counter, who made me feel very welcome. The menu is listed on a chalkboard as soon as you enter, and you get a full view of what they offer. Although the menu is limited the choices, are pleasing to the eye. I didn't have to wait long for my food, and it was delivered to me with a smile and an invitation to return. I ordered the Chicago dog meal. Hoodoggie!!!!! This hotdog was off the chain. Bursting with flavor, condiments on the hotdog were supremely plentiful. Every bite was worth the price and the tots that came along with. It had a pop of flavor that was absolutely phenomenal. I will definitely be back when I'm in the mood for a delicious hotdog. They have taken hot dog to a level that I've never had before. Some people have traveled to Chicago to have an authentic Chicago dog. Some people have traveled to other places who specialize in hot dogs, but I'm from the Midwest we really don't have anything special about hotdogs here, so when I run into a place that can make a hotdog compete with chicken, pizza, and the big burger...then you know they know what they are doin hunni!!!

Food is good; service was nice until covid. The concept of locking patrons sitting on the picnic tables outside of the exit door, necessitating a walk all the way around the building to the main entrance for bathroom, napkins, returning trays, etc seems unfriendly. I loved the food and low-key kitch-y atmosphere but haven't been back due to the door locking issue (asked staff; they refused to accommodate). I might try again one of these days...

Absolutely loved this place. I'm a sucker for a good hot dog and this one did not disappoint. Buddy loved his too. I preferred the tots to the fries. The fries weren't bad but I'm not as big with the fat fries. Tots were perfect.

Service was very good and food was very good. Yes we will go back. Nice to see an restaurant that has good service and good food. I think it's the better in Lawrence. Very good, Very good!!!! Very good!!

For Lawrence, this is the place to go for hot dogs. I walked with my daughter down Mass Ave on a hotdog hunt. We didn't find 1 place with hotdogs. I was delighted to find Leeway Franks on Yelp. Being from Chicago, the Chicago Dog from Leeway Franks is spot on. Good fries as well. I didn't like paying 2 dollars for a tablespoon of cheese sauce though, I just wish I had more of it!

Leeway Franks is in a strip mall. There's not much parking, but you'll probably get your order to go anyway because there isn't much seatint inside. The menu is small, but there are daily specials that don't appear on the regular menu. Everything is made to order so you get it fresh. I tried the chili dog. The frankfurther was good. It was all beef and had a nice snap to it. The chili was decent, but nothing special. The mustard, chopped onion and bun rounded out the dish. O erall it was a decent chili dog, but nothing special. The menu had several other items I'd like to try sometime. #KCFoodie #CulinaryAdventures #ExploreYourCity #LawrenceKS #NatApproved

I was extremely happy to find this place. Lots of great choices for dogs and burgers. He'll, they even do breakfast all day. And before I forget the sauerkraut is frickin good, I mean really crispy, crunchy and the best tasting kraut I've ever eaten. It's all fresh made by Lee and his crew. Fresh and local too, the Brats and Frank's are made from local beef and pork. The cabbage for the slaw is from a local farm. That's why it's so good, because it's just that fresh. This is not a typical hotdog stand type joint. Handmade sausages set it apart. Lee seems like he really cares about making quality homemade eats. Each time I was there my food was hot and prepared right where I could see and smell the entire process. When I'm anywhere close to Leeway's Franks you can bet that I'll be swinging back in. They also have a selection of beers and a drink they call a Bloody Caesar. It's like a bloody Mary but far better.

Authentic Chicago dog made me SUPER happy! Wife got sauerkraut and mustard on hers. INHALED! Kids all enjoyed there's as well. The issues we found was in price. Sides were small and drink options were limited. I choose bottle root beer. Came close to 60$ for everyone to eat and the group includes a 3 and 5 yr old and we're talking hot dogs. Food quality was 4* but price and ambience of the place was a 2* stretching it. Single person lunch once in a while, ABSOLUTELY!

Helpful and kind service. The food was excellent! The chili on the chili dog is a little spicier than I would expect, but not bad. The poutine was a little bland. Having said that the party melt and choppy fry were packed with flavor. The choppy fry is like a deconstructed big mac on top of fries, but soo much better than the big mac. The secret sauce is like mac sauce and goes well with fresh lettuce and crispy flat iron burger. The patty melt simply put is the best one I have ever had. If you have seen me you would know that means something since I didn't get my belly by not enjoying a goodly amount of burgers. The burgers patties were perfectly cooked flat iron burgers with crispy caramelized edges. The rest of the sandwich melded perfectly with the burger patties from the russian dressing to the cheese and onions to create a party in my mouth! Would definitely go there again if for nothing but the fantastic patty melt!

Went to Leeway Franks for the first time with my boyfriend. We have been craving it every day since. By far the best of everything.

Grabbed pick up the other week from here. I heard a lot of good reviews and decided to try this place out! Boy I was not disappointed! I ended up getting the brat and a Chicago dog. Both meals were super yummy! The portion was perfect and toppings were delicious! I also ordered some fries with cheese and boy the fries with cheese were super yummy too! Definitely will come back and order more from here!

I enjoyed my first trip to Leeway Franks. I was hungry for an extra good hot dog to take home and watch the Royals double-header on TV. I had the Leeway Frank with grilled onions, tater tots and topped it off with a Dr. Pepper in a classically designed glass bottle. Love the memories of the 10 2 4 logo. It was an extra treat. I am glad that I finally made it to this original, local small business in Lawrence.

Nice simple/delicious menu! Bratwurst and hotdogs. The brats and dogs are big restaurant sized ones and are made to order. You can have a Tots or fries. They also have burgers and other specials. Definitely recommend this place. The food is really delicious and the service is very nice. It's a small space. So beware if they are busy you may want to get it to go. Regardless, definitely check it out!!! **update** I went again. It was amazing. I got the Leeway Burger. It was worth every penny!!!!!! This place is amazing!!!

Read in a FB article this was best Hotdog in KS. Did a 5 mile hike on the trails to work up a hunger. Place is a throwback looking little place. Bench seating along the walls with 2 person tables Spears out along bench's. Menu is on chalkboards with some good selections. My wife wanted a burger and I had to have the best hotdog in KS. The burger was 2-1/4 lb patties with American cheese and the fixings. The pickles were homemade I believe and very good. It was an excellent burger. I had the chili dog and I loved the pan fried dog but didn't love the chili. Should've had a plain dog. The tots came with the dog. We shared some poutine fries and they were maybe the best I've had because that gravy was the bomb. Overall great place but knocked down a bit for the chili and pretty $$$ for dogs and burgers.

Really fantastic food, maybe one of the best burgers I have every had, every time. I should try more things on the menu, but honestly the burger is so good that I just keep coming back to it. Tots are amazing as well. It's so nice to have a butcher in Lawrence that is fresh, local, and attached to a restaurant. This place is really special!

Went to this place after the basketball game it was amazing. With great fresh burgers and hotdogs. I got a pizza burger which literally tasted like a pizza! A great small cafe that has fresh homemade sausages. This has made the list of places to go when in Lawerence.

Truly great and special place! Even if you don't like hot dogs, they have so many delicious and lovingly made items that you must go here. I feel like their specials just get me. Some great ones I've had are the chicken salad and the Cuban sandwich. They've also had homemade bologna and homemade chicken patties. Their ham is just like beyond. I am not like a super meat-loving person, but I could eat about 90 lbs of that shit. And their fries are awesome! They might be the best fries in Lawrence, even better than Burger Stand. They are chunky and crispy and have never once been greasy. You must try the choppy fries, which are topped with a cheeseburger, pickles, lettuce & Russian dressing. Speaking of their burgers, they are delicious as well.

Do you like hot dogs? Do you like the idea of stuffing your face with humanely-raised, non-mass manufactured goodness? Do you sometimes dream of being on top of Mt. Everest, with your shirt off, mead and meat juice dripping onto your chest, with a satchel filled with golden coins in one hand and a potato sack with the heads of your enemies in the other? No, you say? Well that's fine. Spend your hard earned cash at Leeway Franks. Seriously. You won't be disappointed. If you are, well then it's probably because you have defective taste buds.

Yes sir, I'm a believer after my first stop in here. If you're running a hot dog place in this dreary little strip mall area across the way from a health foods grocery you'd better know what you're doing. Our spicy pork kielbasa and bratwurst were several notches above what you might expect. Snappy skins, the real deal, lots of flavor and an interesting build on poppy seed bun. My Kielbasa was topped with cole slaw and then crunched up potato chips. Bam! We got in and out for under $20 and that included a cream soda. Tater tots and fries are done quite nicely as well. Believe the fries come in seasoned salt. What can I say but, lets do that again. Interior is a bit dreary but tolerable. Noisy for sure. They have beer, and with this food, the perfect match. Good service, too. Nice addition to the Lawrence dining scene and I'm already thinking about taking some dogs home to cook myself.

This place is is heaven! I'm very much pregnant and was craving bratwurst. Ended up ordering a bratwurst, Chicago dog, and a leeway burger and my husband and I destroyed it all. The Chicago dog was my favorite! We were born and raised there so it was nice to find a little taste of home here in Lawrence. Definitely going back, probably every single day until I have one of everything on the menu!

Take out lunch - great lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Called in our order. It traveled well, still hot when we got home. We split the Patty Melt with tots. The tots were crispy, as usual. The burger was cooked just right and the cheese was melty. Definitely recommend trying their take out if you can't eat in.

Just went and tried this for the first time. We got a classic, a coney, a bratwurst & a chili dog and all were delicious! They were very generous with the tater tots and they were fresh and crispy. Fair warning: the chili and BBQ sauce were a bit zippy - not too much for an adult but it might be too spicy for a child. The restaurant was very clean with lots of booth space. The beer selection looked pretty good with lots of standard and micro-brew choices. Excellent location too!

Solid 3.5 stars Stopped in for dinner after bowling a couple games To start the hotdogs/ wieners themselves are delicious. Great snap, meaty, and smokey. The tots have a crispy outside and tender inside. I openly admit I love hotdogs and tots. I ordered a Chicago dog with tots. The husband a chili dog with tots. My order was beautiful. No, really visibly pretty. The wiener perfect, however the toppings & condiments turned the poppy seed bun to a mound of mush. Everything great until I picked up my dog and took a bite. The bun sort of dissolved. I will say the toppings tasty, especially the sliced tomato. But I ended up nibbling on each bite separate from the wiener since I lost the carriage. My husbands chili dog and bun faired better & stayed intact. However he commented it being only ok and wished he would have chosen the German style dog, since the chili was meh. I'm sure we'll stop again sometime and I may be having an overly sensitive reaction to my bun debacle. From what I read they offer breakfast as well so I'll definitely have to check it out

Great friendly staff. I was greeted as I walked in and they demonstrated excitement about the food they served. After eating, I understood why...the food was great!

BEST BURGER IN LAWRENCE! Love this place so much! The burger is amazing and the hotdogs are even better! Sauerkraut is homemade and delicious and all the employees are so sweet! Perfect date spot!

I went for lunch with friends and boy was I impressed! Homemade but not diner style...I mean, QUALITY!!! The hotdog was HUGE and the burgers were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The fries. The tots. The extra spicy chili and REAL CHEESE SAUCE! Real food...nothing artificial. Made to order. The price is a bit on the steeper side but I definitely think it's worth every penny!! Go now. Run. Order one of everything. I promise you won't be disappointed!

This place is delicious! Fresh made. You can tell they take pride in their food. The breakfast sandwich on Texas toast is amazing!

the menu is limited and the execution of the hot dog is not good. I went for the first time today and was not satisified. The hotdog was good, but the bun was soggy and I had to eat it with a fork. they need to toast the buns if they plan to put wet ingredients under the hotdog. the ingredients need to be cut down to size to fit in the hotdog too. Great ideal, but the execution, to me, is all wrong. I probably won't be back. I ordered the bratwurst for my little brother and the Chicago dog for myself. I will stick with doing it my way at home and keep my $$ in my pocket!!

Followed up with two more visits, which is a sign of addiction. Had an amazing bratwurst the next day. And today, finally, their famous hot dog. Specifically, I ordered the Chicago dog. It was a work of art. Beautiful snap from the natural casing, authentically dressed with the traditional neon green relish, tiny chili pepper, mustard, onions, and ripe tomato (in March!!). The bun was heavenly soft. And I love their fries, lightly cooked in canola oil. A real tribute to the potato. Unfortunately I have to go back to California and likely not visit Lawrence in the near future. I feel like I had the perfect hot dog for the first time in my life. My life is ruined for other hot dogs.

Their daily specials always look tempting but so far I've stuck to the main menu. I've tried the burger, a Chicago dog, and the breakfast burrito, and I've liked all of it. They have a kids menu, too, which has grilled cheese or hot dogs with fries or tots for $5. They also have happy hour specials on food and beer.

Was shopping in Lawrence with my 5 year old. Wanted hot dogs and came upon this place. Menu had great choices. Local ingredients. Tater tots cooked to a perfect crispy. Handmade and in house made items you expect in Lawrence. I should mention the great selection of beer too. Check them out, maybe I'll see you when I go back to try the Poutine.

What a wonderful little hidden jewel! Such nice, friendly, and FAST service. And the food is amazing. First time going and got the bratwurst with the home style fries--AMAZING. Will definitely be going on the regular now :)

Can't say enough good things about this place. Great food, great menu. All hot dogs and sausages prepared in-house! Delicious!!!

It must have been an off day for this place. My friend called in an order and it was to be ready when I arrived. I was told it would be "a couple of minutes" which turned into at least 30 before I got it. I'm from Chicago and ordered the Chicago Dog. It was NOT a Chicago Dog as it had a bratwurst instead of an all beef dog. Everyone else had a wonderful experience so I'll try it again. Everyone has a bad day!

The hotdogs are awesome! I had the chili dog, my husband had the coney. Both of us were very happy with our meal. I've seen people commenting that the portion was small, this was not the case in my opinion (I actually couldn't finish my meal). The price is a little high, but you are getting a local beef farm raised beef hotdog. I'll pay extra for that any day. One word of advice: poke your dog with a fork first. Mine was so juicy and hot that my first bite splattered extremely hot hot dog juice everywhere.

Wow these were good. Place inside was small and honestly should be $$$ ($11 for brat with a small side of fries) but it's worth it. I had the state fair brat. Wife had state fair tater tots pie. Kids had chicken tenders. Honestly everything was some of the best I've had. Everything was clearly made in house(except maybe the tater tots) and you could tell how much of a difference that made.

Be prepared to get your weenie on! Homemade brats and dogs that are simply devine! Brown gravy on your tots? Only way to eat them. Had the Hot Link and the addition of coleslaw was perfect. Love this place. They even take cards using Square.

Chicago dog was great (and done correctly! Props to the chef) and the fries were excellent. Good drink selection, but don't expect fountain drinks or anything on tap. Glass and cans only, which they recycle! Extra props. Thanks for the great food

This place is awesome. Everything we have gotten has been amazing. I especially love their breakfast burrito. Highly recommend.

Absolutely the best Frank's I have ever tried. These are made from scratch, big, delicious Frank's. I usually get the Leeway original which comes with sauerkraut and brown mustard, and some great fries to complete the meal. They have recently opened a shop so patrons can take home Frank's or brats or other homemade delectibles. The restaurant menu is long and varied. You can't go wrong here, if you can find it. Well worth the journey.

Finally, someone knows what a true hotdog is supposed to be. The flavor is there, the snap is there (important) and a steamed bun. Tots are great, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Not over salted or over seasoned. Though I have to get there sooner, seems like it's popular and like a good bbq joint, the food isn't held over to the next day. Decor is simple and clean. Decent selection of beers, from Schlitz tall boys to Boulevard cans. More coming per the owner. It's not fine dining, and that's the point. Good food at a reasonable price. Some people say portions are small, not my experience. Sausages are plump and tots are fried to order, not sitting around. Pork chop sandwich is pounder thin and has a great breading that stays crisp while the meat is still juicy. Get there early, specials seem to go quick.

The place is a bit off the beaten path for a snack stand, and you can't even drive up. It's over in a strip mall by the Merc & Muncher's Bakery. I got a basic coney and tots. The frank was huge, at least a 1/4lb by itself, and was covered in fresh kraut and pickles. The casing had a nice snap to it, indicating a natural casing. The weiner was VERY meaty. You are getting way more meat per sausage than almost any I've ever had. The meat was nicely smoked and the spices accentuated the smoke and pork flavor rather than covering them. In combination with the fresh, crisp toppings and a fine bun, you get a wonderful burst of flavor with each bite. The tots were good, and had a nice crispy shell, but were over-salted. There were ~15 of them. I was starving when I went in, but ended up not being able to finish my tots. To me, this justifies the $10/lb franks, but I think with the $7 meal, you should get a fountain drink. This would add a lot of perceived value to the meal while being of negligible cost to the shop. I would knock it down to 4 stars because of that, but since its probably the best in class frank I've ever had, they get the bump. I also would HIGHLY recommend putting out a refrigerated case with meats and condiments for sale. When people hear it is a "Nose to Tail" kitchen, and they walk in and don't see any sign of meat, except a little chalk board, it doesn't inspire like it could.

I am obsessed with Hot Dogs! Seriously, whenever I run into someone who knew me as a kid they are always like "gee you reallly loved hot dogs" and I'm all LETS CHANGE THE SUBJECT. I tried the Curry Dog yesteday and It was DEELISH TO THE MAX! Also the fries are mighty nice, somewhere in the wedge-cut variety, which we all know is best. When I want to eat a hot dog but still feel like an adult, this is where I will be going!

This place is done right. The menu isn't huge, instead the focus on maintaining a high quality for the items they do have. it's simple yet delicious. Hands down best franks in LFK. Best place for a quick lunch.

Best Patty melt of all time. Great hole in the wall right next to KU campus. They are also known for hot dogs but I didn't get one, however I'm sure they are all good as well.

The decor is industrial and nice. The price is good at $7 for a regular coney and tots but I could have used more than 11 tots. The drink prices are what get you though. My can of Diet Coke was $2. I don't drink alcohol so I don't know if their selection and prices are any good for that. The dogs casing was tough but the flavor was fine, nothing special. The bun was soggy. Overall just eh I tried it.

I heard about Leeway from the folks at Red Lyon & everything sounded great. Finally got to try them today. I had the burrito (which I couldn't totally finish) w/the breakfast potatoes (OMG SOOO GOOD!) I have no idea what they fry them in but whatever they do to them, makes them delish! My hubby had the bacon chili cheese dog with tots. That was also awesome! (I stole a bite or two!) We will be back! Love that everything is local & soda in bottles, something that brings in that nostalgia factor!

I went to lunch with a friend and she suggested Leeway Frank's, so I said sure why not since I like hot dogs. When I noticed they had poutine fries, I just had to order them. They were so delicious. I got the curry brat and it was delicious. Can't wait to try the other options they have on their menu.

I've been to a few sausage/frank focused restaurants lately, and this was thoroughly disappointing. The bread/buns could be seriously improved. They quickly became soggy in a bad way with any moisture from the toppings or sausage.