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Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Where to Find Hot Dogs of All Styles Around D.C.

From traditional wieners to fancier franks full of international flavors

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Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
| Rey Lopez/Eater DC

First things first: This is not a half-smoke map (for that, click here.) This is not a guide to brats or sausages, either. It’s a list of places to go in the Washington area when a craving hits for a tried-and-true hot dog. That’s not to say these hot dogs are boring, though. Flavor inspirations on this map span across regional American styles, with stopovers in Guatemala, Germany, and Japan. No matter the interpretation, the American classic shines at these 15 spots, ordered geographically from north to south.

A number of D.C. area restaurants have resumed dine-in service. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. The Washington Post is tracking coronavirus cases and deaths in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. More information can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Dog Haus Biergarten Bethesda

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L.A.-based gourmet hot dog shop Dog Haus opened its first East Coast location in Bethesda in 2018. Served on grilled King’s Hawaiian Rolls, these all-beef hot dogs are dressed up with ingredients like wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy onions, and spicy basil aioli — the toppings for the “Sooo Cali” dog. The dining room is open at reduced capacity, along with takeout, curbside pickup and delivery options.

Pop's SeaBar

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Adams Morgan welcomes coastal beach vibes at Pop’s. The Jersey Dog includes an all beef dog, Taylor pork roll, pickled peppers, coleslaw, mustard and a side of French fries. Call Pop’s for takeout, order delivery through DoorDash, or reserve a patio table on Resy.

Ben's Chili Bowl (Multiple Locations)

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D.C.’s halfsmoke landmark is back in business for takeout, curbside pickup and delivery. Traditional hot dogs get equal billing at this historic grill. There’s a jumbo beef dog, a jumbo turkey dog, and a veggie dog, too. And all of these options can be topped with Ben’s trademark chili, plus mustard and onion.

Nim Ali Shukos & Antojitos

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Rosario Guzman and Karla Alonzo make shukos, Guatemalan-style hot dogs loaded with every condiment under the sun, out of the kitchen at Jake’s Tavern in Shaw from Thursday through Sunday. The original tops a beef frank with guacamole, cabbage, and squiggles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Call for pickup or delivery. — Gabe Hiatt

Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Ivy and Coney

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Fans of this Shaw dive bar can get food and drink for pickup or delivery using its homegrown DC To-GoGo app. Ketchup is decidedly not an option here, where patrons tend to fall into the Detroit hot dog camp — a Coney dog has beef chili, mustard, onion and possibly cheese — or Chicago dog camp ( pickle spear, green relish, mustard, tomato, onion, peppers, and celery salt). The roof deck reopens Thursday, July 23. For the delayed start of a shortened baseball season, the bar is implementing an “Ivy Club” package that buys unlimited food and beer — Stroh’s or Miller Lite — for four hours during select ballgames. Reserve a table here ($100 per person, minimum four people).

Swizzler

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This food truck’s contribution to the hot dog scene is its signature spiral cut, which increases the topping-to-hot dog ratio. It’s currently making weekly rounds around D.C. and the suburbs. The beefy dogs are flame-grilled and covered with unexpected toppings like whipped herb goat cheese, caramelized onions, candied jalapenos, and black pepper honey. Enterprising home chefs can now also order four-to-eight serving DIY hot dog kits, delivered each weekend.

The Berliner

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There’s lots of sausage on the menu at Berliner, and the airy German beer hall in Georgetown is now back open with outdoor seating. There’s also a currywurst option, incorporating French fries and a frankfurter ground and stuffed on-site.

Vienna Inn

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This 60-year-old dive bar is well-known for its cheese-smothered chili dogs, which are available for curbside pickup or delivery online. There’s also spaced-out seating outside and inside.

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I ❤️ dogs.

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Loeb's NY Deli

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The New York-style deli, a fixture downtown for more than 60 years, sells kosher frankfurters for $4.99. There’s a footlong variety for $7.99. Get one with chili, cheese, and onions, or order the “Coney Island,” a footlong frank wrapped in kosher salami. Call 202-965-5632 for pickup or curbside service. — G.H.

Red Apron Butcher

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Red Apron’s “haute dog” can be ordered from its locations in Penn Quarter and Virginia’s Mosaic district, perhaps with a side of beef fat fries. The dog is dressed simply with mustard, ketchup and chopped onion. It’s also available on the Neighborhood Provisions delivery menu, which offers local service for items from across Neighborhood Restaurant Group.

The Pretzel Bakery

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A freshly baked everything pretzel encases all-beef Hebrew National dog to form the pretzel dogs at Capitol Hill’s beloved Pretzel Bakery. Place pickup orders online.

Trusty's

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It's not fancy (nothing at Trusty's is), but this Capitol Hill dive bar with a heart does a fine job with its all-beef hot dog. A to-go menu with jumbo dogs is available Tuesday through Sunday nights. Limited reservations are now accepted for phase two dining, both indoors and on its patio.

This Navy Yard ramen shop from Daikaya Group offers two varieties of pork and beef hot dogs ($6) stuffed with Japanese toppings. The yakisoba dog comes with shoyu yakisoba noodles, pickled ginger, and kewpie mayo. A mapo dog comes with pork and spicy pork and tofu gravy. Both are served on Martin’s potato rolls. Order takeout or third-party delivery online. There’s also patio seating Wednesday through Sunday. — G.H.

Weenie Beenie

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Times have changed since 1954. But even with all the disruptions of 2020, the Weenie Beanie hot dog stand and its all-beef chili dogs have not. The business is open to serve the hungry people of Arlington and the region.

Haute Dogs and Fries

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This homegrown chain is back with outdoor seating, carry-out and delivery. The kitchen gets creative with options like the Vietnamese-style banh mi dog or an OBX dog topped with chili, coleslaw and mustard.

Dog Haus Biergarten Bethesda

L.A.-based gourmet hot dog shop Dog Haus opened its first East Coast location in Bethesda in 2018. Served on grilled King’s Hawaiian Rolls, these all-beef hot dogs are dressed up with ingredients like wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy onions, and spicy basil aioli — the toppings for the “Sooo Cali” dog. The dining room is open at reduced capacity, along with takeout, curbside pickup and delivery options.

Pop's SeaBar

Adams Morgan welcomes coastal beach vibes at Pop’s. The Jersey Dog includes an all beef dog, Taylor pork roll, pickled peppers, coleslaw, mustard and a side of French fries. Call Pop’s for takeout, order delivery through DoorDash, or reserve a patio table on Resy.

Ben's Chili Bowl (Multiple Locations)

D.C.’s halfsmoke landmark is back in business for takeout, curbside pickup and delivery. Traditional hot dogs get equal billing at this historic grill. There’s a jumbo beef dog, a jumbo turkey dog, and a veggie dog, too. And all of these options can be topped with Ben’s trademark chili, plus mustard and onion.

Nim Ali Shukos & Antojitos

Rosario Guzman and Karla Alonzo make shukos, Guatemalan-style hot dogs loaded with every condiment under the sun, out of the kitchen at Jake’s Tavern in Shaw from Thursday through Sunday. The original tops a beef frank with guacamole, cabbage, and squiggles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Call for pickup or delivery. — Gabe Hiatt

Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Guatemalan-style shukos from Nim Ali get doused in condiments
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Ivy and Coney

Fans of this Shaw dive bar can get food and drink for pickup or delivery using its homegrown DC To-GoGo app. Ketchup is decidedly not an option here, where patrons tend to fall into the Detroit hot dog camp — a Coney dog has beef chili, mustard, onion and possibly cheese — or Chicago dog camp ( pickle spear, green relish, mustard, tomato, onion, peppers, and celery salt). The roof deck reopens Thursday, July 23. For the delayed start of a shortened baseball season, the bar is implementing an “Ivy Club” package that buys unlimited food and beer — Stroh’s or Miller Lite — for four hours during select ballgames. Reserve a table here ($100 per person, minimum four people).

Swizzler

This food truck’s contribution to the hot dog scene is its signature spiral cut, which increases the topping-to-hot dog ratio. It’s currently making weekly rounds around D.C. and the suburbs. The beefy dogs are flame-grilled and covered with unexpected toppings like whipped herb goat cheese, caramelized onions, candied jalapenos, and black pepper honey. Enterprising home chefs can now also order four-to-eight serving DIY hot dog kits, delivered each weekend.

The Berliner

There’s lots of sausage on the menu at Berliner, and the airy German beer hall in Georgetown is now back open with outdoor seating. There’s also a currywurst option, incorporating French fries and a frankfurter ground and stuffed on-site.

Vienna Inn

This 60-year-old dive bar is well-known for its cheese-smothered chili dogs, which are available for curbside pickup or delivery online. There’s also spaced-out seating outside and inside.

View this post on Instagram

I ❤️ dogs.

A post shared by Burger Days (@burgerdays) on

Loeb's NY Deli

The New York-style deli, a fixture downtown for more than 60 years, sells kosher frankfurters for $4.99. There’s a footlong variety for $7.99. Get one with chili, cheese, and onions, or order the “Coney Island,” a footlong frank wrapped in kosher salami. Call 202-965-5632 for pickup or curbside service. — G.H.

Red Apron Butcher

Red Apron’s “haute dog” can be ordered from its locations in Penn Quarter and Virginia’s Mosaic district, perhaps with a side of beef fat fries. The dog is dressed simply with mustard, ketchup and chopped onion. It’s also available on the Neighborhood Provisions delivery menu, which offers local service for items from across Neighborhood Restaurant Group.

The Pretzel Bakery

A freshly baked everything pretzel encases all-beef Hebrew National dog to form the pretzel dogs at Capitol Hill’s beloved Pretzel Bakery. Place pickup orders online.

Trusty's

It's not fancy (nothing at Trusty's is), but this Capitol Hill dive bar with a heart does a fine job with its all-beef hot dog. A to-go menu with jumbo dogs is available Tuesday through Sunday nights. Limited reservations are now accepted for phase two dining, both indoors and on its patio.

Hatoba

This Navy Yard ramen shop from Daikaya Group offers two varieties of pork and beef hot dogs ($6) stuffed with Japanese toppings. The yakisoba dog comes with shoyu yakisoba noodles, pickled ginger, and kewpie mayo. A mapo dog comes with pork and spicy pork and tofu gravy. Both are served on Martin’s potato rolls. Order takeout or third-party delivery online. There’s also patio seating Wednesday through Sunday. — G.H.

Weenie Beenie

Times have changed since 1954. But even with all the disruptions of 2020, the Weenie Beanie hot dog stand and its all-beef chili dogs have not. The business is open to serve the hungry people of Arlington and the region.

Haute Dogs and Fries

This homegrown chain is back with outdoor seating, carry-out and delivery. The kitchen gets creative with options like the Vietnamese-style banh mi dog or an OBX dog topped with chili, coleslaw and mustard.

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