Happy Dog

First time in there. It was date night Lucked up and there were three bands playing tonight. It was a totally rad experience. The food was good! Can't believe how many toppings there are for hot dogs. We will be back.

Happy Dog is the perfect mix of dive-bar charm and legit good food. They’ve got a huge variety of hot dogs with tons of creative topping choices, plus solid appetizers that hit the spot whether you’re grabbing a late-night bite or settling in for drinks. The cocktail and beer selection is better than you’d expect from a place with this much character, and the prices feel fair for what you get. Add in live music, a cool laid-back crowd, and that classic Cleveland dive atmosphere, and it’s easily one of the most fun spots to hang out on the west side. Will definitely be back.

A laid-back bar with a fun way to order hot dogs and burgers. You can pile on tons of free toppings like meats, veggies, and sauces. Overall, it's a good value.

Best Dogs in town reasonably priced with unlimited toppings and great tots too! I especially like it when Bianca works there she is the best! Make sure to tip the bartenders they are awesome. Good venue to see new musicians as well. Lots of fun Cleveland Classic.

so many delicious options; its actually FUN to order your food here ! its obviously made fresh & delivered fast to your table. Pro Tip: order the KIELBASA, its freakin delicious ! i topped off mine with sauerkraut, black truffle mustard & pineapple chunks (dont laugh!) , it was SO tasty ! How about a fried egg in your tater tots ? SOOO good The Atmosphere at this place is un-believible, the great music, modern cool pinball, the decor, the friendly staff, the outstanding drinks... other places TRY to be this cool, come here for the REAL DEAL.... you wont be dissapointed

In case you guys were wondering… you CAN get happy dog for your late night snack at your wedding and it WILL be a huge hit!! All my guests were so excited for this and they did not disappoint!! Happy dog team prepped and delivered and made everything seamless!! So happy to have them as part of our night, thanks guys:)

The service and the food were tied for the best I've had in Cleveland yet. Our server, Kim, comfortably guided us through all of the sauce and topping options like a professor. The dogs were top tier, both the vegan and beef, and the kielbasa, too, were cooked to perfection, as were the sweet potato fries and tots. We're from out of town and took a guess from online options and I couldn't be happier that we did.

Take yourself back in time in Happy Dog bar. It has a 70s look to it in a good way completely. If you like hot dogs, then this is the place for you. More options than you know what to do with. They are super big and taste amazing also.

Very cool place and an asset to Cleveland! Service is great and it's a cool place to check out or take a guest from out of town! Cheers! A+

I never go to Cleveland without stopping into Happy Dog. In fact, I was just at a soul festival in Los Angeles wearing my Happy Dog hat, and out of thousands of people the coolest couple stopped me and said, "You've been to Cleveland? That's our favorite place!" "Me, too!" Full bar with a great beer selection. They often have really good music, and they pay the bands! They also host salons and think tanks! Chamber orchestra events, trivia, and fundraisers! They are a valuable part of their community. They sell hotdogs, veggie dogs, and tater tots, and about 100 different toppings. I like to get the veggie dog with brie and chili! You don't have to get anything crazy, but you can! In short, this is probably the coolest place in town. Pick a night on the calendar and check it out! You will not be disappointed. You might even meet a cutie there.

We stopped in on a Wednesday for their weekly After School Special. From 4-6 PM hot dogs and draft beers are half off! Bartenders are always super attentive. Bar is comfortable and cozy.

Have wanted to come here for a few years and finally made it in on a late Sunday night. Street parking was east to find. The signage makes the place easy to find. It was pleasantly quiet. Omni and veggie options. Checkbox style menu makes it easy for everyone to get exactly what they want on their hot dogs. Staff was friendly and quick. Great space for eating and drinking. It's an old space, but if the walls could talk...

Cool hole in the wall with the awesome build your own dog toppings! I wish there were more "signature" options showing what to put on the dogs but nonetheless unique and delicious. While the food was good, service seemed unhappy. Overall, will try to make it back for some more yumminess

We really enjoyed the build your own hotdogs. We stopped here after the rock and roll hall of fame for their unique dogs and they did not disappoint. Had a few drinks and everything tasted great. This place is probably a lot of fun when live entertainment is happening, can't wait to stop by again when we are in the area!

A Cleveland essential. Bring your friends and your fam here for the best bar food, service by your favorite local bartenders, a chill non-fussy ambiance... you can't lose! Grab a bite and see a show here for some weekend fun

Great neighborhood bar. Available parking on street. Selections fun for hot dog lovers. Great music selection playing overhead and great servers. I'll be back for live music. Smells like a bar.

Awesome spot for great hot dogs with a ton of toppings to choose from! Service was very nice and very fast, the food was very hot and was assembled nicely. The pork kielbasa was cooked perfectly, the chorizo chili had great seasoning and spice, the caramelized onions added a nice umami flavor, the bun was perfect for the kielbasa, it was soft but didn't fall apart, the roasted garlic aioli was the perfect sauce, and the fried egg was the perfect touch on top. Awesome food, big portions for a good price, and good vibes. Definitely a cool place for good food.

LOVE! Spaghettios are weirdly something I have hinged on as a childhood experience that I had to fight to try... they are not all that special after all that hype, but to have them as a topping for hot dogs is honestly genius. I had them and added pickled onions and ketchup. Kept it simple and I think it is going to be my signature order

Fantastic hot dog place/live music venue. Amazing hot dogs. Really nice staff. I had a vegan dog with marinated mushrooms, caramelized onion, garlic escarole, Italian giardineira, and roasted garlic aioli. It was AMAZING. Also had some fresh cut fries which were great. Tons of sauces to choose from. Will be back for sure!

The main attraction of this place is the unlimited toppings. Their toppings choices are also great. Just go for that. Just regular bar. On Sat lunch there was a small lunch crowd. The hotdogs do not come quic, take little time. The buns are bigger than hot dog buns - to hold all the toppings. Would love to go often to try different variations of toppings. The lower stars for the bartender that daytime -- she was just happy to see customers. Very impersonal for a bar.

Always a good comfort spot. Solid drink selection, the only place I know of where you can get froot loops on a hot dog, and catch a show or trivia night. It's a staple and I happily spend too much time here.

We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and we're pleasantly surprised by how good the fare was, both the cocktail we had as well as the hot dogs. Alt vibe, very creative, lots of performing artists on schedule in the evening. Service was informed and friendly. This is a little Cleveland gem.

A Coleague and I were supposed to have lunch at Happy Dog, but he ended up feeling under the weather the day we were meant to... but as I had been anticipating checking it out, I decided to order takeout. I'm glad that I did. Happy Dog is a gem! I got a Vegan Dog w/ ballpark mustard, sauerkraut, and a pickle, with cheese fries. My total was about $10.70 and it genuinely shocked me that I was able to get that much food for so little. While the brand of the vegan dog wasn't my favorite, it was VERY good. While I didn't sit down to eat, the energy and overall ambiance of the restaurant was a cool one. There aren't many places where you'll see customers in a three piece suit and others who just came from jogging. I'll definitely be back to try out the rest of the menu.

Poor service, soggy ,wet ,unpleasant hot dogs , as if they poured hotdog water on top as a topping I'm talking drenched like the bun was dipped baby dip yuck... toppings tasted old and cold . Told the bartender and he said ole well it happens. Wouldn't wanna see how these people live or how they keep they kitchen , looking like they been rolling around in grease , I mean it is a hot dog place but sheesh , fuck , damn it mfs.

Food was delish! So many choices, I was overwhelmed with what to pick. We decided on a burger and kielbasa

We came back for dinner again, and loved everything again! The beer cheese, mushroom, onion, bacon, and egg combo continues to be our favorite, but our vegan chili dog with blue cheese coleslaw and nacho cheese also turned out delicious. I have to say that the marinated mushrooms are probably the single best topping we've had. Don't sleep on the mushrooms!!!

OH MAN HAPPY DOG!!!!! I am SOOO glad it opened back up after COVID. I actually had never been here before, but every time I'd be in Cleveland, it was on my Yelp bookmark CLE list, so I'd look to see if they were open and they never seemed to be. I for sure was starting to think they'd become a COVID casualty. Even though I had never been, I had heard from so many locals how great this place was, so I wanted to try it out. You can only imagine my delight when I was in CLE in August for my sister's baby shower and saw that Happy Dog was officially back open for business! My brother-in-law and I went on a Sunday night. They had the Indians game on and we chose a spot at the bar to watch the rest of the game. I really enjoyed the vibe in here. There wasn't live music that night (which is a good thing for me because I wouldn't have wanted to deal with your noises). But it has a great dive bar feel. We had a few bartenders taking care of us. They were all really friendly. Initially I was apprehensive because they didn't have any "recommended" speciality dogs. I felt like that was a missed opportunity. But the bartender basically said "Just get what sounds good to you!" I opted for a classic dog with just mustard and ketchup (my fave!) and then I went with something that sounded good to me.... I call it the "Pasta Dog." It's a hot dog with Spaghettio's and Mac & Cheese! I was super nervous about how it would taste but DAMN it was good!! I actually really enjoyed both hot dogs and really cannot wait to get back. We also got an order of tots with cheese and Sloppy Joe sauce on it. They was also a definitive win. All told, I'm SO excited Happy Dog finally reopened and that I was able to make it there on one of my CLE visits. I for sure want to get back sometime soon. A new fave for sure!

I came to Happy Dog prior to a Yelp Elite event at the insistence of one of my friends. Happy Dog is a simple bar/restaurant that offers hot dogs with unlimited toppings (many of which are very bizarre) and tater tots/fries with unlimited sauces (you can also get toppings on your potato of choice for an extra fee). We specifically came here because Happy Dog has Froot Loops as a topping option. This was quite frightening to me, but my friend insisted that it was life changing, so we came so she could get her Froot Loop-peanut butter-bacon hot dog. I made myself a more tame "breakfast themed" hot dog with an egg, peppers and onions, and sauerkraut. Our other friend also did a more subdued "quiche" themed hot dog, and we shared tater tots with a variety of sauces. I was too scared to try the Froot Loop hot dog, but it sparked a lot of joy in my friend. Her only complaint was that it came with slightly too much peanut butter, but otherwise she really enjoyed her experience. To my surprise, she ate the whole thing and it actually really boosted her mood after a long week. Our other hot dogs were solid and tasted like exactly what you would expect. Although they weren't that special, it was our own creations so I can't really complain. I am not usually a tater tot person but enjoyed our shared tots (probably ate more than my fair share of them!) The sauces we picked were ketchup, black truffle honey mustard, garlic aioli, Korean bbq, and yum yum sauce. The black truffle honey mustard and yum yum were for sure my favorites! I would pass on the Korean bbq next time but it's nice that you can order unlimited sauces so everyone in your party can be satisfied. After much reflecting, I have decided that this is obviously a fun spot in Cleveland, especially if you're adventurous and like quirky offerings. If you need a spot to fulfill a hot dog craving, maybe check it out! Hopefully my friend will be proud that I am sharing her Froot Loop on hot dog vision, even though I'm still spooked by it!

A must-go restaurant whenever visiting Cleveland. I love the freedom and flexibility in building up unique hotdogs. After first visit of Happy Dog a few years ago, all other "normal" hotdog places have lost their attractiveness to me. So fun to eat here. Happy!

SAVE HAPPY DOG!!! You'll be glad you did. I saw you on the news this morning talking about how difficult it has become to stay in business. I was really bummed out because Happy Dog is one my wife and my favorite places. Here is an idea that could really turn the corner for you. It has made a big difference in over 200 bars nationwide so far. Take a look at this website. https://kingtrivia.com/

Rented the room downstairs for surprise party for my husband. Private bartender included! Such an excellent experience, thank you!

Excellent vegan dog! Stopped here for a late lunch on Saturday and got seated right away. The place can get pretty loud with music playing or a band. So, I'm glad we went earlier so we could actually hear ourselves talk. The music was still playing a bit loud, but it was bearable. Seating ranges from booths, to tables, and bar seating. I'd suggest sitting a little away from the door as cold air tends to come through every time someone enters. The concept is similar to Barrio. You fill out a paper form where you pencil in type of dog, all the toppings, and choose dipping sauces to have with tater tots or fries. I was happy to find a vegan dog and many vegetarian friendly toppings like the veggie chili and coleslaw. What's great is you can choose as many items as you like. The same goes for the dipping sauces. So we got tots and five sauces to try. So good! Service is a bit slow, but overall friendly. There is a tiny parking lot, which fills up quick so you'll likely need to find street parking to dine here. Good food, decent pricing, and many options for vegetarians! A must do if you are near Ohio City/Detroit Shoreway. Bonus: Brewnuts (donuts) is a five minute walk away if you want desert afterward.

This is a great place if you love hot dogs. Even if you don't, the toppings might make you change your mind. There are so many toppings and sauce options. Toppings include pulled pork, chorizo, Brie cheese, white cheddar fondue, carmelized onions, pimento Mac n cheese, sauerkraut, onions, aoli, Korean bbq sauce, peanut butter, fruit loops, and a lot more! I usually get the regular hot dog with pulled pork, bacon, Brie cheese, carmelized onions, pimento Mac n cheese, and roasted garlic aoli with tater tots. It was soo good and filling. They let you order as many sauces with your tater tots as you want so you can try them all. Their drinks are also very affordable. I have only tried their Amaretto sour and it did not taste very strong.

My husband and I tried to come to Happy Dog last Tuesday. Note! They are closed on Tuesday. So back we went on Wednesday. You can seat yourself here and I really dig the vibe. It's a former dive bar that has a wrap around bar as it's centerpiece. Happy Dog also hosts music and stand up here which is a delight - I can imagine loving watching a stand up show from a seat at the bar munching on some tater tots and a cold one. When we came, it was early dinner time and so no shows were going on. The idea here is hot dogs with tons of combinations of toppings to choose from. I got a regular frank with chorizo chili, relish, hot pickles onions, and garlic aioli. My husband got one with pork & beans, sauerkraut, and mustard. Truly the combination possibilities are endless. We also got a basket of tots each with sauces including the white bbq, Japanese yum yum sauce, and the secret sauce. The tots were fantastic and we had great service - making sure we had beers we liked and that our water was topped off. The reason I'm a three here is because my hot dog must've sat while they were making others. By the time it got to me, the hot dog itself was lukewarm, and the chili sat on the bun long enough that one side of the bun had essentially dissolved. It went from being Happy Dog to Happy Sog. Yuck! It was unappetizing enough that I ended up not finishing my hot dog as things cooled down and got mushy further. I'm willing to give it another go because I love the concept and hot dogs so much and will cross my fingers that it comes out hot.

The Hot Dogs are unique and decent, a little pricey but hey you get music most nights and a cover charge so it's bar food!

Holy amazing hotdogs Batman! I love the vibes of this restaurant/bar. It is a Laid back and unpretentious dive bar. They were setting up for a live band while we were there. You get to make your own hot dog, burger, tots and/or fries. My husbands was the most impressive flavor profile out of all of ours even though it looked like . It was actually delicious so don't let the look of it fool you. He called his the "Big Al" and it had the following: Classic all beef dog House made peanut butter Habanero pickled red onions A little bit of Heinz ketchup A little bit of traditional yellow mustard Sweet baby rays bbq sauce All of the rest of our orders are in the photo comments. Our 9 year olds choice was exactly what you would expect a 9 year old boy to make! However, he ate the whole thing! (His is the one with the fruit loops! ) The only thing that was a miss for all of us was the white cheese fondue. It just wasn't our thing. The hotdogs were extremely filling and delicious. We can't wait to go back and try more combinations. Thank you for a great dinner!

We went to happy dog at Progressive Field. The staff was so nice absolutely amazing! As a Mets fan eating at another stadium, I felt welcomed! But in all seriousness, the "Killer Kilbane" hot dog with the peanut butter, sriracha, and alien pickle relish was literally one of the most delicious and interesting things I have ever eaten! We also tried the "Wild Thing" hot dog with chili, cheese, and flamin' hot cheetos. That number was tasty, but my god did not compare to the Killer Kilbane. Next time we're in Cleveland at a Guardians game, you bet your bottom dollar that we will be getting some Happy Dogs!

There used to be a location right by the Case Western campus, but since it moved I haven't been able to go until recently. It has a chill bar atmosphere with occasional live music events. They specialize in hot dogs and burgers, but while their main menu isn't expansive, their topping list is. They've got nearly every type of topping from fruit loops to pimento mac and cheese, giving you the chance to really customize your hot dogs. They got options for hot dogs as well including beef, vegan, and pork. Even though I'm not a vegan, I regularly have gotten vegan dogs because they are spiced and cooked well. They also have fries and tater tots as sides, which also can be ordered with toppings. This is a great place to come and have hot dogs and beer with a group of friends!

One of my favorite places in the world! Back to being amazing. A great finish to a fun night with friends

I first found out about Happy Dog from attending a Cleveland Indians baseball game (well, I actually worked as a Brand Ambassador at the game but that's besides the point). Happy Dog has a concession stand at the stadium so I walked over to check it out. I didn't buy anything then because it was too expensive. I visited Happy Dog's physical location for the first time on 10 September 2019. My friend, Ami P., and I went to the Happy Dog for the City Club of Cleveland's Kashmir event discussion. I came here again in mid-September 2019 for dinner with my 2 friends (Ami and Henna). FOOD -- GET ALL THE TOPPINGS. So, at my first visit here, I was not hungry so I just ordered their sweet potato fries but I did not load it with any toppings. Bad idea because this is what everyone loves about Happy Dog, their endless toppings. I still got to taste their toppings because my friend Ami's fries (regular fries) was loaded with so many toppings; for example, she added an egg, chilli, and other toppings. Her order of fries were delicious but so was mine. -- The VEGAN HOT DOG did not taste great, in my opinion. I tried it during my 2nd visit to Happy Dog. I only had one small bite but I felt bad to ask for something else to eat since I personally ordered the hot dog. Some people may like the taste but I did not. I do not know what it is made out of but it is produced by Field Roast. The vegan hot dogs are not made out of beans, at least that's what I think. The taste was very strange to me especially since I love different types of vegetarian and plant based foods. You'll have to try the vegan hot dogs for yourself. BAR -- The bar is designed where there are chairs surrounding the immediate outside of the bar in a circular pattern.So the bar is in the center and tables and chairs surround it. MUSIC and EVENTS -- they apparently have live music here but I haven't experienced that. I have experienced one of their speaker series events. I'm unsure why the City Club of Cleveland would host speaker events here because the bar setting is just loud. I could barely hear the speakers during the Kashmir (Pakistan) event. Overall, this is a fun spot to hangout with friends but the food is average. I don't drink alcohol but they have drinks available. **** - 139 total reviews in 2019 - 348 total overall Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 20 November 2019

My favorite hot dogs! The endless combinations make it hard to get the same thing every time you come in. The food and drinks are very cheap which is hard to find nowadays. I love the old bar too.

This is probably my favorite eatery/bar in the whole world (RIP Bar 23 in Columbus). I load the hot dogs up with whatever my high ass is feeling that day, and crush some old school blue collar steel mill beers along the ride. You want Cheetos on your dog? Do it. You want pulled pork? Go for it you dumb bitcc. How about topping it with nacho cheese? The world is your oyster and happy dog is the fisherman. My girlfriend says the vegan dogs aren't good (weirdly homogeneous in texture?) but she still loves the fries and the millions of sauces that come with them. The vibe is out of this world. Shitty wood booths from a different era, barstools around a 360 bar, just enough TVs if you wanna catch a cavs game without them being a distraction. The music played there isn't my bag and my allbirds yuppie cuck fit probably doesn't vibe with the Carhardt crowd who haven't bathed since 2022. they're chill and like me just wanna crush some beers and talk to the people they came with. This is the one bar where if it was going out of business, I would empty my bank account to keep it alive. Long live the Happy Dog

Once you get inside it's like a little corner, neighborhood bar. We come for the hotdogs and tots; they are wonderful and have many toppings to choose from. The service is fast and our meal has always been delivered quickly and correctly. If it were closer I'd eat here more often for sure. Enjoy!

Happy dog is a perfect place for a good time. Build your own tots with unlimited sauces have changed my life. The truffle honey mustard is definitely a highlight sauce. They have trivia Monday's and it is a hipster paradise with very niche prizes-- guaranteed good time. It is a casual place. The staff is always friendly. There is a small parking lot available with additional street parking.

As far as I'm concerned, this is the best hot dog place in Cleveland. There are so many options for topping your dog. The staff is friendly and will help if you need direction. Of course the vintage decor always makes for a fun relaxing time. There are lots of beers on tap and the drinks are great.

A bar with hot dogs and live music. What more could you ask for? Plus you can top your hot dog with whatever you want. We went in the evening. At that time, you have to order your food at the bar. We shared loaded tater tot's and each got a hotdog. They have vegetarian options. The tater tot and hotdog toppings are plentiful and free. They only charge extra for a handful of things like an egg. It all was yummy and so worth the calories.

Love this place. It's a must stop when in CLE. The Hot Dogs are always the best. You can choose pretty much any topping. Great beers on tap. Love the classic feel inside and there's usually a good band playing at night

this place is gas yo, every time i'm here you can call me the glizzy gobbler. yuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmm

Great place! Live music, cold beers, mixed drinks. Good food includes several hot dog choices with more toppings than you can imagine. Also a trivia night. Very attentive, friendly staff.

If you ever feel like ending your life by burger this is the place for you. We came here Saturday night hoping for a chill live music bar and a nice bite to eat. We certainly got the first part and possibly more than we bargained for on the second! They have an awesome beer selection at reasonable prices, the live music was good and wasn't so loud that you couldn't have a conversation. Vibrant crowd but there were always a few seats open, in terms of atmosphere and drinks it was exactly what we were looking for. We were blown away when we saw how many options there were for our burgers. You can really customize them to a super wide spectrum of tastes. I asked our server what he thought went well with the crunchy peanut butter and he recommended going for some Asian chili options since those dishes often use nuts. The burger came out great! All of the ingredients went nicely together and I didn't hate myself afterwards. Overall, would recommend coming here for a night out for some music or even for a treat yourself kind of burger.

This place was cool. They have a full bar and on certain days they have bands. I ordered one of their dogs. They give you an order sheet and you tailor your meal from the type of meat, cheese, condiments... You even customized your sides. I got the red hot dog with sloppy joe and cream cheese. MMMMMM. You could literally eat here thousands of times and not have the same meal. the price of the food is very reasonable and it comes out very quick. The staff was very attentive and the dog was pretty good. This place has my stamp of approval. They have ample street parking if you are driving and it is located in a trendy area of town with tons of bars, restaurants and desert shops.

Vegans- vegetarians- the hot dog/ sausage option tastes like Italian sausage. I wish I would have known that before I added the toppings that I added on mine. What kind of gross. But, noted. Boyfriend was happy with his order, tots were great . Next time I'll go with the burger.

I love this place. It's kind of divey, and the music selection is eclectic and very fun. I stopped here once on a road trip a couple of years ago, and the chimichurri sauce has been etched in my deepest food memories ever since. I'm obsessed with it. It is so good. This trip I slid up to the bar and started marking up the order sheet. The bartender stopped by to take my drink order and was kind enough to seek out their dietary restriction sheet. The sheet was unfortunately a little outdated, and I wish they would just add the symbols to the menu, so we wouldn't have to ask for it. But it's helpful and there are lots of vegan toppings for your vegan burger, dog, or fries. This time I got the field roast vegan dog with vegan chili, roasted mushrooms, habanero pickled onions, and a pickle spear, and the fries with all of the chimichurri sauce plus some Korean bbq sauce for variety. The food was ready super quickly, and everything was correct and delicious. Especially the chimichurri sauce. I do wish that the sauces weren't served in disposable plastic containers - this is probably my main/only complaint visit. Awesome spot if you're in the mood for a (veggie) burger or dog.

I really enjoyed my experience and the atmosphere at the Happy Dog. I ordered two hotdogs and tots. It was WAY to much food. The cool part at this restaurant is you can choose your own hotdog toppings from a list of conventional and unconventional things. It took a minute for the waitress to make her way to us and explain how everything worked.

UNHAPPY DOG should be the name. I never made it past the front entrance. We came a half hour before the band we weren't interested in but we were forced to pay $10 cover to get in even tho we were there before the time they mentioned on the website. The bouncer at the door nearly tripped me to stop me from entering. The smell of smoke nearly knocked me out as they said we couldn't go in and eat without paying the cover, the rude guy at the front was smoking. I do not understand how this place has high ratings, it's disgusting and the staff is extremely rude. If you think cigarette smoke and food is a good mix, give it a try! Maybe one of the interesting toppings on their hot dogs is cigarette ashes?

Happy dog had a very deliscious menu.. amazing sauces. And great fun beer selection ... enjoy yiur hot dogs!

Oh man what a great place. So much yum and hotdogs or burgers buried in whatever you want. Amazing bartenders and music was awesome