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10 Hot Dogs to Eat in San Diego This Summer

The best between two buns.

by Candice Woo
3 comments / new
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Shutterstock
by Candice Woo
3 comments / new

Hot dogs, or "meat in tube form" as Anthony Bourdain fondly likes to call them, are a summertime staple. If you don't get your fill during trips to the ballpark this summer, here's where you can enjoy great renditions of these handheld wonders around town.

Note: map points are not ranked.

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Coin-Op Game Room

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Gamers at this arcade bar have one hand on their joysticks while the other hand is left free to clutch one of Coin-Ops gourmet dogs; we recommend the wild boar dog, which comes with a fried egg, crispy onions and mustard aioli or the German and Baywatch-inspired Hasselhoff, a pork dog topped with sauerkraut, chopped onion, horseradish aioli and IPA mustard.

3926 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 564-6924
(619) 564-6924

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S&M Sausage & Meat

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The shipping container wonderland that is the East Village's Quartyard holds a satellite of S&M Sausage & Meat; try the Coney Island 2.0, a housemade wagyu frank topped with pork chili, cheddar and diced onion.

1102 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Delux Dogs

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This island destination is a hot dog specialist, offering top-it-yourself bacon-wrapped hot dogs or grass-fed beef franks, plus signature concoctions like The Tokyo, which glazes the dog with teriyaki sauce and piles on Asian condiments, including Kewpie mayo, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and Sriracha.

943 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 319-5338
(619) 319-5338

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

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Both Lefty's locations (Mission Hills and North Park) serve the best local versions of the iconic Chicago dog, a classic Vienna Beef hot dog, steamed and tucked into a poppy seed bun with all the essential toppings — mustard, onion, pickle, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and tomato.

4030 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 299-4030
(619) 299-4030

Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle

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This pier perch and craft beer oasis on Shelter Island does several hot dog variations, but justly, the most popular is their Explodo Dog, a bacon-wrapped frank with pepper jack cheese, mustard, and admirable housemade kimchi.

1776 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 222-5835
(619) 222-5835

Also featured in:

La Puerta

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The standard TJ Dawg plate at La Puerta includes two bacon-wrapped turkey hot dogs smothered in diced tomatoes, grilled onion and poblano, jalapeños, ketchup and mayo, plus fries, for $9.99, but regulars know that TJ dogs are just $2 each from 3 p.m. to close every Taco Tuesday.

560 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 696-3466
(619) 696-3466

Daddy's Hotdogs

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This no-frills joint specializes in sassy service and nothing but hot dogs. Go Tuesday, when hot dogs are $1 off and try the El “Cubano”, a hot dog/Cuban sandwich hybrid that tops a beef dog with bacon, grilled onions, ham, melted Swiss cheese and a pickle spear. [Photo via Yelp]

1281 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 545-4711
(619) 545-4711

The Blind Burro

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The secret to The Blind Burro's TJ Dogs are the candied jalapeños that top each bacon-wrapped, all-beef hot dog. Pair it with a side of hot sauce-spiked, crema-enriched street corn and you're golden.

639 J St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 795-7880
(619) 795-7880

Also featured in:

Salt & Cleaver

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You could try a different meat in tube form every day of the week at this sausage-centric eatery, where chef Carlos Anthony tops a classic frank with roasted tomato and bean chili, cheddar, creme fraiche and green onions.

3805 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 756-6677
(619) 756-6677

Also featured in:

Craft & Commerce

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Technically, the sausages used for C&C's famous mini corn dogs are bacon-wrapped, cheddar-studded bratwurst and not the traditional franks, but these squat sausage pops, served with spicy cheese fondue and stone ground mustard, are such an upgrade that you'll forget about the original mall favorite.

675 W Beech St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 269-2202
(619) 269-2202

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Coin-Op Game Room

3926 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104

Gamers at this arcade bar have one hand on their joysticks while the other hand is left free to clutch one of Coin-Ops gourmet dogs; we recommend the wild boar dog, which comes with a fried egg, crispy onions and mustard aioli or the German and Baywatch-inspired Hasselhoff, a pork dog topped with sauerkraut, chopped onion, horseradish aioli and IPA mustard.

3926 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 564-6924
(619) 564-6924

S&M Sausage & Meat

1102 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92101

The shipping container wonderland that is the East Village's Quartyard holds a satellite of S&M Sausage & Meat; try the Coney Island 2.0, a housemade wagyu frank topped with pork chili, cheddar and diced onion.

1102 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Delux Dogs

943 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118

This island destination is a hot dog specialist, offering top-it-yourself bacon-wrapped hot dogs or grass-fed beef franks, plus signature concoctions like The Tokyo, which glazes the dog with teriyaki sauce and piles on Asian condiments, including Kewpie mayo, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and Sriracha.

943 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 319-5338
(619) 319-5338

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

4030 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA 92103

Both Lefty's locations (Mission Hills and North Park) serve the best local versions of the iconic Chicago dog, a classic Vienna Beef hot dog, steamed and tucked into a poppy seed bun with all the essential toppings — mustard, onion, pickle, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and tomato.

4030 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 299-4030
(619) 299-4030

Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle

1776 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106

This pier perch and craft beer oasis on Shelter Island does several hot dog variations, but justly, the most popular is their Explodo Dog, a bacon-wrapped frank with pepper jack cheese, mustard, and admirable housemade kimchi.

1776 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 222-5835
(619) 222-5835

La Puerta

560 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

The standard TJ Dawg plate at La Puerta includes two bacon-wrapped turkey hot dogs smothered in diced tomatoes, grilled onion and poblano, jalapeños, ketchup and mayo, plus fries, for $9.99, but regulars know that TJ dogs are just $2 each from 3 p.m. to close every Taco Tuesday.

560 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 696-3466
(619) 696-3466

Daddy's Hotdogs

1281 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

This no-frills joint specializes in sassy service and nothing but hot dogs. Go Tuesday, when hot dogs are $1 off and try the El “Cubano”, a hot dog/Cuban sandwich hybrid that tops a beef dog with bacon, grilled onions, ham, melted Swiss cheese and a pickle spear. [Photo via Yelp]

1281 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 545-4711
(619) 545-4711

The Blind Burro

639 J St, San Diego, CA 92101

The secret to The Blind Burro's TJ Dogs are the candied jalapeños that top each bacon-wrapped, all-beef hot dog. Pair it with a side of hot sauce-spiked, crema-enriched street corn and you're golden.

639 J St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 795-7880
(619) 795-7880

Salt & Cleaver

3805 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

You could try a different meat in tube form every day of the week at this sausage-centric eatery, where chef Carlos Anthony tops a classic frank with roasted tomato and bean chili, cheddar, creme fraiche and green onions.

3805 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 756-6677
(619) 756-6677

Craft & Commerce

675 W Beech St, San Diego, CA 92101

Technically, the sausages used for C&C's famous mini corn dogs are bacon-wrapped, cheddar-studded bratwurst and not the traditional franks, but these squat sausage pops, served with spicy cheese fondue and stone ground mustard, are such an upgrade that you'll forget about the original mall favorite.

675 W Beech St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 269-2202
(619) 269-2202

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