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    Top Dog

    4.0 (443 reviews)
    InexpensiveFast Food, Hot Dogs
    Open 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Top Dog Photos

    TOP DOG ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Top Dog

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    Reviews With Photos

    Nadav M.

    For what it is and dormir to be a signature establishment in Berkeley it does the job very well. I don't know much of the history and the origins but I was told to get these hotdogs before, during my time as a student, and after. While I was a student I did go several times but it wasn't like it was before. Now that the food scene is huge in downtown and the south side of campus, it feels more on the basic side but this is the place for hot dogs with flavour and local flare. I usually have the classic and at times the veggie and the times I've gone I've never had a complaint. The customer service is on point and staff members are more than glad to whip you a frankfurter. The condiments are fresh and add an extra layer to the Berkeley experience either as a late snack or visiting.

    Menu inside
    Winnie T.

    The restaurant is on the smaller side and the menu is very simple and easy. The seating is minimal with a couple of smaller circular tables and a bench table at the window overlooking the street. Ordering is very quick and simple and the prices were very affordable, I believe 1 hotdog for $4.50 We ordered the garlic frankfurter and the hot link. They took only a couple minutes to heat up and they did not disappoint, very juicy and full of flavor! Also, the buns were much better than a standard hotdog bun that always seems to split in the middle. These were more like a soft baguette cut to length and sliced in the middle, so much better than a standard hotdog bun in my opinion. The self service condiment bar also had a nice selection of mustards as well as the standard onions, relish, ketchup, and sauerkraut. This place puts all those hotdog street vendors to shame. So much more delicious at half the cost. Whenever I am in the mood for hotdogs now, I know where to go: Top Dog!

    Jason G.

    It's simple and yet all that you need to enjoy a good hot dog, sausage, or hot link. It doesn't take very long to get your order. The hot link was served on a simple toasted bread for a bun and was nicely spiced and not too hot.

    One juicy dog!!
    Audrey I.

    After a visit to Top Dog, it's no wonder why this joint has remained a Cal institution for decades. Upon entry, I was greeted by a friendly man working both the register and grill. After placing my order (a Kielbasa dog with a fountain drink), it would only be another five minutes until I'm united with my delicious dog. Just by looking at the photos, you can TELL this dog is juicy. The bun was also reminiscent of a toasted baguette, but it was still delightfully soft and slightly crunchy. I also like how their topping bar is self-serve and has lots of variety (i.e., way more selection than just your typical ketchup mustard relish combination as they had three different types of mustards PLUS kraut)! The Kielbasa might also be the best I've had, and I'll definitely have to come back to try their other sausage offerings. The whole experience was amazing, but I do have to dock off a star since the employee cooked and handed out the dogs with his bare hands. It was a bit disarming to see since we're not quite out of the pandemic just yet...

    Menu on center street
    Robert H.

    Parking - heinous as usual. Be prepared to walk. Food - bringing back the memories. Ate at both this spot and the one on Durant back in the day. Old school dog made the way they should be. Kiel and Cal just the way I remember it. Garlic frank is also delicious. Self serve condiments - mustard, kraut, and ketchup available as always. This place is an institution for the locals and kids that go to school nearby. No stinking veggie Wienies for this reviewer. Rejoice in all the pork and beef goodness my friends.

    Top Dog with FREEDOM MUSTARD
    Marc L.

    It's a good dog but I'm not sure it's my top dog. Top Dog's reputation precedes itself and is definitely a local fixture in Berkeley. However, now that there is a well-developed local food scene all over Shattuck, University, Center Street, and Oxford Avenue, I'm wondering if Top Dog is more nostalgia than anything? I stopped by for a regular ol' Top Dog frankfurter and apple juice... strange combination I know. For a $4 hot dog and a $2.75 cup of juice, it feels a little expensive for a late night college snack. The dog itself is good, with the char from the grill a nice touch, but not something I'd go out of my way to stick out. What was more fascinating to me is the wall of libertarian flyers... nothing says you're in Berkeley better than a wall of slogans!

    Inside
    Marc B.

    I haven't explored North/West Berkeley in forever. Found a "new to me" Top Dog that's been there since '09, I think. Same menu as the Southside Top Dog, just more spacious. Same great Smoked Chicken Apple and hot dog buns.

    Garlic  Frank
    Alexa A.

    The guy behind the counter has SUPERB customer service skills and definitely deserves all the tips you can give him. The dog? Delicious. The service? Amazing. The condiments? Perfection. GO HERE FOR YOUR HOT DOG FIX! Or if you're happening to be missing Costco polish dogs :)

    Doggie Bag Special: your choice of sausage, chips, soda ($5.95, 9/12/18)
    Olivia C.

    Now that high school is back in session, it's time to find restaurants that are quick and not as crowded. Bryan and I noticed the Doggie Bag Special (sausage, chips, refillable soda) for $5.95 and decided to stop in. It has been awhile since either of us have been to a Top Dog location. We ordered our meals; I chose the chicken apple sausage and Bryan got the mango habanero and then waited until they called out our orders. The sausages were plump and tasty. The only downside of my order was that the root beer I got was extremely sweet and seemed a bit flat for soda. A solid 3.5 stars but I'd come back and get a different sausage to try and definitely a different drink option.

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    18 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Good spot. A quintessential spot in Berkeley. Fast service, recently started taking card so that's a plus. Get their hotlink!

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    6 years ago

    A Berkeley institution. For a reason. Delicious dogs, a great quality product, at a reasonable price.

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    Page 3 of 12

    Ask the Community - Top Dog

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    Five Guys - A Five Guys cheeseburger, milkshake and regular order of fries sits on a table inside a Five Guys restaurant.

    Five Guys

    3.9(19 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    Ordered online, arrived & door dash app didn't show order completed yet Inquired, then they dropped…read morethe fries that then joined the awaiting burger. Drove twenty minutes away, fries & burger were still hot, and very fresh. The big cheeseburger cost $15+, however, they really cooked it well exactly to my specifications online. I had not visited this location in several months, but will surely return frequently in the future. Staff was polite, and welcoming upon me entering the restaurant. It was money well spent, I felt as though I had eaten a good steak dinner, with potatoes.

    Good food but is it that much better than In n Out or a locally owned burger place? $9 for a small…read morehamburger? $5 for a small order of fries? $4 fountain drinks? $7 milkshakes? A family of four is going to spend $100 in here. Is it because of Oakland's onerous anti-business climate? No, this is in Emeryville. Is it their high labor costs? No, there are only 5 people (lol of course) working on Saturday. High quality ingredients? In n out uses similar quality stuff and their prices are still reasonable. The food is good but not that great. They don't even melt the cheese, and then don't care if you order for here. They thrust a bag at you: here's your food, sucker, now get out. It's greed, pure and simple. Greed will kill our civilization. Go somewhere else.

    Photos
    Five Guys - High menu prices, low labor costs, relatively cheap ingredients. This is what greed looks like.

    High menu prices, low labor costs, relatively cheap ingredients. This is what greed looks like.

    Five Guys - A photograph of the contents of a Five Guys burger bowl, which include two ground beef patties, tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce ...

    A photograph of the contents of a Five Guys burger bowl, which include two ground beef patties, tomatoes, jalapenos, lettuce ...

    Five Guys - A Five Guys hot dog sits on the counter in a Five Guys restaurant.

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    A Five Guys hot dog sits on the counter in a Five Guys restaurant.

    A+ Burger - California Burger

    A+ Burger

    4.3(971 reviews)
    1.6 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Family-owned & operated

    My wife and I tried A+ Burger last Friday for dinner. I'd read good reviews, so we gave it a try…read more Wife decided on the fish burger and I went straight for the A+ burger! The fish burger was crispy yet juicy and savory. The bun was soft, but not bready. Not a fillet-o-fish sandwich, but it stood on its own and the portion was enormous! What can I add about the A+ burger that has not already been said? It's the complete burger...and the fried eggplant is its secret weapon! Thankfully I was hungry when I ordered it because by the time I took my last bite, I was extremely full, yet satisfied! And I MUST add that the service here is exemplary! Courteous does not begin to explain how nice the order taking experience was for me as a customer. It was nice, accommodating, and genuine. I love this level of service. Washed down a side a French fried bean with a cold Coke. What a meal!

    Ordered the crispy onion BBQ burger, garlic fries, and the oreo cookie and creme milkshake online…read morefor pickup. There's street parking in front and a parking lot in the back. I ordered the food knowing I would be there in 20 minutes and low and behold the food was scheduled to be ready right around the time I got there. The food was coming out as I got there. Quick service. I didn't eat outside but there's a few tables there. Nonetheless, I ate my food and it was good. The garlic fries weren't oily or soggy. The burger was massive, though I would suggest not playing the piece of lettuce on the bottom. The shake was good too. I'll be back soon to try out other menu items.

    Photos
    A+ Burger
    A+ Burger - California Burger

    California Burger

    A+ Burger - The mozzarella jalapeño burger with fries

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    McDonald's - McChicken

    McDonald's

    1.9(154 reviews)
    1.8 miNorth Oakland
    $

    Morning arrives gently at the Emeryville McDonald's, not with drama but with permission. There is…read moreno line, no anxious choreography of cars jockeying for position, no sense that one has arrived late to one's own life. The parking lot is clean in a way that feels intentional, as if someone cared enough to reset the space overnight. The sun reflects off the windows without accusation. You pull in and feel, briefly, that things might be in order. Inside, the employees smile, and not the trained, defensive smile of obligation, but the open kind that risks sincerity. Juanita greets me as though my arrival matters, asks how my morning is going so far, and waits for the answer. This alone feels almost excessive. Her delight is unguarded, and in it there is a quiet suggestion that work does not have to erase the person doing it. Conversation flows easily, a few seconds of shared presence that asks for nothing more than attention. The space itself hums with brightness. Not sterile, not overproduced, but clean and awake. Tables wiped, floors swept, the air carrying the faint promise of coffee and something savory. It feels like a place prepared for people, not merely for transactions. In a small way, this matters. Then there is the steak egg and cheese bagel sandwich, which deserves more reverence than it usually receives. It arrives warm, substantial, almost improbably generous. The bagel is soft but grounded, the steak rich without being aggressive, the egg folded neatly like a quiet affirmation. Melted cheese binds everything together with a patience that feels practiced. Eating it is not hurried. It invites attention. It rewards it. There is something quietly Eucharistic about the act, though no one announces it as such. Ordinary food, taken seriously, becomes more than fuel. It becomes a moment of gratitude disguised as breakfast. You sit, you eat, you are sustained. Nothing mystical is forced upon you, yet something is given. The sandwich does not transcend its ingredients, but it gathers them into something whole. This McDonald's does not pretend to be salvation. It offers something smaller and more attainable: a morning that works. A place where light fills the room, where people speak kindly, where food tastes like care rather than compromise. You leave unburdened, not because your problems have vanished, but because for a short while the world did not resist you. Driving away, the day feels possible. Not perfect. Possible. And sometimes that is more than enough.

    I give the new Big Arch burger 2.5 out of 5. Wasn't bad, wasn't great. Maybe a 3 if they did not…read morejust put one dot of the sauce in the very middle and didn't spread it around. Sauce is slightly mustardy but ok. I don't think I'm a fan of two 1/4 pound patties, I think I prefer the 1/4 pound like it is .. ketchup mustard onion and pickle. The smaller burgers go better with lettuce and sauces different than ketchup and mustard .. I prefer the daily double with two of the smaller patties and LTM

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    McDonald's
    McDonald's - Chicken Big Mac

    Chicken Big Mac

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    Southside Station - Garlic Noodle

    Southside Station

    4.5(359 reviews)
    0.5 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$

    I ordered the combo to sliders with fries and added garlic.Noodles…read more The chicken sandwich slider had a unique slaw.That was different than others.But it did not disappoint the garlic noodles were some of the best that i've had in a very long time.Also ordered the lychee martini no ice for easy transporting.And it was really good flavor I can't wait to try to recreate it

    Three words: FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH! It was absolutely the…read morefavorite of the night. Chicken was seasoned and crisped to perfection and the fluffy bun, sauce and slaw brought it all together. The wings were also another favorite. Very crispy and well seasoned. We also had the Combo Thai Curry Chicken Katsu Rice Plate. Chicken was okay here. Not as crisp as the sandwich or wings so it fell short from the "katsu" category. The curry was really flavorful and the Brussels sprouts were good too! Garlic noodles were a little oilier than average but had good flavor. There are a few tables to dine in but not many. You order at a window and go pick up from there too so there's no table service and if you need anything you need to go ask and wait in the same line people are ordering in. We ended up being told they were closing early so we ended up rushing through our meal. More like a 3.5/5 but the chicken sandwich earns it the 4 stars.

    Photos
    Southside Station - Interior

    Interior

    Southside Station - Combo Fried Chicken Sandwich Set - IG: @phuoodwithvicks

    Combo Fried Chicken Sandwich Set - IG: @phuoodwithvicks

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    bb.q Chicken Oakland

    bb.q Chicken Oakland

    4.6(116 reviews)
    2.4 miNorth Oakland
    $$

    I'm a big fan of bb.q chicken and I'm so glad there's one a bit closer to my third spaces! Quality…read moremeets price in a very good way. Connie, the front of the house, is incredibly kind and provides great service. I had a few questions about some beverages they offered and she was thoughtful in her answers. The shop's footprint is a bit intimate with some counter seating. The outside also had a good handful of two top tables. If you're a big fan of Korean fried chicken, this place is surely going to be your go-to.

    My little family and I tried bb.q chicken for the first time. We had seen a video on IG about it…read moreand since we were in Oakland... why not?! We dined-in. They have a few chairs inside, but most of their seating is outdoor seating. We ate inside. The girl who works the front is so sweet and I was so impressed that she was taking the time to wipe off each canned drink before putting them in the refrigerator!!! We got our food between 10-15 minutes. French fries were so good and crunchy. We got the original spicy chicken, soy garlic and the chicken mayo rice plate with Galbi. My husband was honestly let down with the original spicy chicken. It had a nice crunch but lacked flavor and it wasn't very spicy. The soy garlic chicken, again had a nice crunch, but there was barely any flavor/sauce on them. The chicken Mayo rice plate what is the total opposite, if anything we felt like it had too much sauce/mayo. The portions are nice tho, and the chicken is cooked nicely - just lacked flavor. I'd rate the food itself a 3, and adding another star for the service.

    Photos
    bb.q Chicken Oakland
    bb.q Chicken Oakland
    bb.q Chicken Oakland

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    Top Dog - hotdogs - Updated May 2026

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