Review - Restaurant - Hot Dogs on Harbor

I have driven by this cute little restaurant so many times, but have never stopped to eat there until today. I sometimes have a hankerin' for a hot dog, especially if I am headed to the movies. So, I had high hopes for this restaurant which specializes in hot dogs.

I ordered a corn dog, and an "old fashion" hot dog, plain. I also added some chips and a soda to round out the "meal". I would have ordered a salad, but the only salad option was cole slaw (not a slaw fan). I ordered my meal to-go and ate the chips while I waited for the dogs. I grabbed some napkins and some ketchup packets and took my dogs home.

Unfortunately, these dogs were a total disappointment. The corndog was not your typical corndog that had been dipped in batter and fried. It was in a cornbread "waffle". Later, I noticed the menu says it is baked. Yuck!! I ended up taking the hotdog out and eating is plain, ketchup couldn't even save this dog. I hoped that my appetite could be sated by the regular hot dog. NOT!! This hot dog had an inedible skin on it, and I kept having to spit out the thick skin before I could finish the bite. The insides tasted good, but it wasn't worth the effort to get the thick skin off!! Besides that, the bun was 2 inches short on each end of the hot dog. Perhaps this is a regional style? Perhaps I should have ordered the "little dog", which was called a Central Coast dog and marketed to kids!!

The restaurant is run by a cute old couple, and I normally love to support small family-run businesses. But, I just can't do it this time. In fact, I am surprised that they haven't gone under yet. I can't remember what was there before, but I think this is a new restaurant. They are a bit off the beaten track, just around the corner from the Gold Tree jewelry store. The lady in front of me didn't get the correct change, so if this happens a lot they may not stay in business long. This is too bad because it is probably their dream shop. Come to think of it, I will go back and see if the other small dog is the typical hot dog, and I should try their french fries ...

Follow-up: Well, I returned later to try their smaller hotdogs and french fries. The same man AGAIN made a mistake and I almost got the wrong hotdog. The hotdog ended up having a slightly less tough skin, but I didn't like it much. The french fries were made from fresh potatoes with their skins on, and the unique touch was the sea salt. They also have a sea salt and vinegar option.Perhaps these folks are from the East Coast?? Unfortunately, I won't be back. I will eat my hotdogs at the Mermaid Cafe on the Embarcadero who serve Nathan's dogs.