San Antonio’s best hot dog spots
San Antonio has its share of restaurants where you can grab a Chicago-style dog or a gourmet creation beyond the holy grail of chili and cheese. In this list, we’ve compiled some of the best hot dog joints in the city, from Stone Oak to the Southside.
Let’s dig.
the thick one
Debuting in 2021, this Southside hot dog haven draws inspiration from both Mexican and Texas-style hot dogs. The restaurant draws on early 20th century iconography for its aesthetic, including its cartoon-inspired mascot from the 1930s. Some top dogs at El Chunky include the Chunky Fajita and Chunky Street, a beef sausage, wrapped in bacon and topped with tomato, grilled onion, grilled jalapeño, ketchup, mustard and mayo. You can get your late-night hot dog fix at this spot, which is open until 2 a.m. Thursday through Monday.
Find him: 2620 S. Presa St., San Antonio, TX 78210
Wrigleyville Grill
This baseball-themed barbecue restaurant focuses on Chicago-style street food, which earned it an appearance on the Guy Fieri TV show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. If you dare, try the Chicago Fire hot dog, which is topped with a homemade chili sauce.
Find him: 602 NW Loop 410 #146, San Antonio, TX 78216
Curry Boys BBQ
You’ll find a nice combination of Texas and Southeast Asian flavors at Curry Boys BBQ, and it’s executed with pizzazz in the curry queso hot dog. A house-smoked pork sausage acts as the star of the show, with a side cast of fried shallots, cilantro, white onions and a healthy sprinkle of queso. It’s decadent, it’s flavorful, it’s Texas the way it should be in every bite. Find it at the new curry and mortar Curry Boys which officially opened in February 2023.
Find him: 536 E. Courtland Place, San Antonio, TX 78212
The Dog’s Father
Most locals know this gourmet hot dog place located right in front of Bang Bang Bar. A fan of Frito Pie? Dogfather thought outside the box for his Frito Pie dog, topped with chili, cheddar, Fritos, jalapeños and sour cream. Since we last checked in, The Dogfather has had a sequel, The Dogfather II, which you can visit in the northeast part of town.
Find him: 6211 St. Peter Ave., St. Anthony, TX 78216; 13032 Nacogdoches Road #201, San Antonio, TX
RockerDogz Gourmet Street Dogz
RockerDogz is the reigning Southside Hot Dog Champion. Consider the 13-ingredient Thai Kick Boxer or the bacon-wrapped hot dog topped with a pickle spear, pico de gallo, jalapeños and mustard.
Find him: 3014 Roosevelt Ave., San Antonio, TX 78214
The dog house
Dog Haus is a more popular California chain. While you can’t catch a Chicago-style dog, Dog Haus’ honest creations sit in a grilled Hawaiian bun. The Old Town Dog with smoked bacon, caramelized onions, chipotle aioli, pickled jalapeños and cotija cheese sounds pretty good. A third location is in the works on Potranco, according to the company’s website.
Find him: 20907 Stone Oak Pkwy., San Antonio, TX 78258; 11710 Quincy Lee Drive, San Antonio, TX 78250
Shack
The Shack offers comfort food in the form of burgers and hot dogs. This restaurant offers basic hot dogs with toppings upon request if that’s what you want. Or you could be adventurous and go for the Mexican Dog, which is an all-beef hot dog topped with mayo, pico de gallo, bacon and avocado.
Find him: 7431 NW Loop 410, Suite 115, San Antonio, TX 78245