Funky LA Hot Dog and Sausage Chain Arrives This Week

Dog Haus, a growing LA-based gourmet hot dog and sausage chain that dresses up meats with funky ingredients and names, will open its first East Coast location in Bethesda, Maryland on Friday, April 13.

Owner and local franchisee Faizan Khan tells Eater he plans to open more than ten locations across Maryland and D.C. over the next few years. The first, at 7904 Woodmont Avenue, will play up booze big time; the restaurant is projected to to stay open until 2 a.m. on weekends and run a daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with wines, 24 local beers, and rosé slushies. Each canned brew comes in a Dog Haus koozie, while PBRs arrive wrapped in a brown paper bag.

Dog creations — all served on grilled King’s Hawaiian Rolls — include a “Sooo Cali” (wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy onions and spicy basil aioli) and a “Chili Idol” (an all-beef dog topped with haus chili, cheddar cheese sauce and onions). Its 100 percent-beef products (“no hormones, nitrates, or antibiotics,” brags the brand) are made on the West Coast under the eye of celebrity chef and Food Network star Adam Gertler. The eight-year-old company, now in full-on franchising mode, is also on a big expansion kick in markets like Chicago.

Other edible options include corn dogs, a fried chicken sandwich (dubbed “Bad Mutha Clucka”), and sausages like “The Fonz” (a spicy Italian sausage with pastrami and cheddar cheese sauce). Hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and corn dogs are also available in smaller slider portions. Sides include chili cheese tots, loaded fries, and beer-battered onion rings. For dessert there’s milkshakes and soft serve ice cream.

The industrial space, which formerly functioned as a tequila bar, is stocked with communal tables, reclaimed wood and steel elements, and an outdoor patio. To mark its East Coast debut, customers can snag a free Haus Dog from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, April 21

Status: Projected to open at 11 a.m. on April 13. 7904 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, Md.; website.

• Downing Every Dog from Dog Haus in Pasadena [ELA]