(Dedicated to Ignatius Jacques Reilly, Hot Dog Vendor Sans Pareil) I find it just a little scary That this review (my centenary) Is not some careful dissertation Of some chef's cutting-edge creations. But instead, I sing of rockets That don't burn holes in gourmands' pockets This screed is an examination Of classic, lowbrow delectation. Why, you ask would someone blog A paean to the humble dog? No 'Best Friend' would, through its ingestion Engender bouts of indigestion! I'd counter that those with good friends Will come to know that in the end That any friend, however nice Is freighted with incumbent vice We must embrace the total package Just as we do our hot dog snack-age I studied vice --- perhaps, with relish? In NYC --- I don't embellish --- When I declare to you, "Hands down, Dey got da BEST dogs in dat town!" Nathan's and Grey's Papaya claim A transcendant weenie fame But even carts on its dirty streets Will furnish existential treats They're small, they're cheap, they've got some snap They come anointed with standard crap Not like the salads that often cover The meat of a Chicago sausage lover Top Dog comes about as close To giving me a West Coast dose Of New York Heaven (on a bun) So I guess (for here) they're number one Their dogs are thin; they're grilled and hot (I also recommend their Brat). Remember, as the Germans say, When you are over Berkeley way "All things come to an end, it's true: - except the sausage, which has two." "HOT DOGS RULE, YO!" read more

The first time i went to top dog was 2 years ago, when my cousins from san diego visited. You cant miss the place because its right across the street from fraternity/sorority house, but parking is a hassle you gotta find parking on the streets. There are 12 types of hot dogs to choose from. from top dog FRANKFURTER all beef to the veggie hot dog called the wienie. My fave is the polish hot dog kielbasa. i took a bite from my cousin's hot dog and she had the bratwurst and thats very delicious and the smoked chicken apple is good as well. Prices are very reasonable. read more

Last night, Top Dog earned a fifth star from me. I didn't catch the guys name workin last night, but he was hella friendly and chill. I went in last night with my brother and a couple friends last night, pretty late and Top Dog never tasted so good. I don't know if it was the fact that we were all hungry, or that the food just tasted spectacular last night, but it was on point! After we were done eating our food, we were hanging around out front and the guy workin the shop came out and talked with us for a couple of minutes, and was real chill. One of friends was super thirsty, and kept on bugging him for refills, but he was super friendly and laughed about it. It was an all around great TD experience last night. Kudos. read more

Here it is. Hands down, bar none, this place has the best hot dogs in the universe. Sorry you NY transplants and sorry you Pink lovers but they couldn't hold my Top Dog Kielbasa to shake it. 10 years ago I used to get a hot link and a pack of cigarettes. Now, it's the Kielbasa but all their dogs are good and college student priced. read more

Berkeley classic. Have to come here. Things you should know: * Hot links and chicken apple recommended * Perfect for the late night grumbling stomach * The griller/cashier is always loud and has an impeccable memory for each patron's order * The griller/cashier is mostly rude too, which is part of the place's charm * "Butterfly" and they'll cut the dog in half and grill the inside too * Delectably toasted buns * Russian mustard rocks here. Get a lot and pour it on. Your stuffed sinuses will thank me. Go Bears. read more

I've had Top Dog more times than I can count as a Berkeley student. It's one of the best hot dogs I've had. It's consistently good, cheap, and filling. Stopping by Top Dog after a night of drinking/partying is part of the quintessential Cal experience, which you will see by the line that forms every Thurs-Sat night! You can't really go wrong with any of the dogs, and I've had a lot -- chicken apple and garlic are my faves. And don't forgot the TOPPINGS - Love ketchup, deli mustard, onions, and sauerkraut on my hot dog and Top Dog always comes through. read more

fun. small. simple. a local treasure (heard orally). if u want a quick bite from a place that just wants to give u their speciality, who isnt gonna jump through stupid superficial hoops for u, go here. on a street with many other wonderful, entertaining things, after u go thrifting, shopping for watches, or just strolling thru the popular neighborhood, these dogs never gatdamn disappoint. honestly, all of em are solid so i have nothing to add on that c: i do think there is a dog for everyone (spicy, sweet, salty, etc). read more

The guy warming your dogs thinks he's Gordon Ramsay. Listen mate, you can stick your attitude in a bun with some sauerkraut. I get abuse all day at work, I don't need it at lunchtime as well. The food was feeble, like a ballpark, only a bit cheaper. read more

First time trying the place out, and it was very good. It was past midnight, we were hungry, and Top Dog was open. The sausages didn't take long, and while they roasted we watched the batman movie the cook had on. I had the mango habanero and my friend the the calabrese. They were both delicious and the toasted buns are the bomb. I look forward to trying their other offerings. read more

Mmmmmmmm, the best late night food stop EVER! Personally, I like to go get the cold dog special: For half the price, they give you the uncooked dogs and buns in a six pack. This place is open till ungodly hours and gets particularly crowded late at night. Also, unless you absolutely need it, I would avoid during game days. Too crowded for my liking. read more

Literally the best hot dog I have ever had. I think about this place often, even though I haven't been in years. If you live in Berkeley or nearby, you owe it to yourself to go. read more

Off the Heezie fo Sheezy... Closest thing to New York Hot Dogs on the West Coast but NYC Sabrett's are Numba One!!! http://www.sabrett.com/ Check out Gray's Papaya in NYC (see: http://www.yelp.com/biz?biz_id=TzfuYZcsxHathtI6NYEBRA&sort_by=date_desc ) There is no greater Dogg in the Bay Area - Bar None! Hmmm...but I do recall a segment on "Bay Area Back Roads" (see: http://www.bayareabackroads.com ) about Rosamunde Sausage Grill that I have yet to try ! ! ! (see: http://kron4.com/Global/story.asp?s=3157151 ) On the UC Berkeley campus. Lots of variety. Great prices (i.e. affordable student pricing). Parking is non-existent. Double park and order... Excellent after a day of sailing with "Cal Sailing" (see: http://www.cal-sailing.org/ ) or http://www.yelp.com/biz/Soz-35lUdP8_giS1MxVX7Q Highly Recommended! Why can't they have a peninsula branch? Hmmm.... I wonder if I can franchise with them??? Gruss... "jimbo guanzOn" read more

Top Dog would be my bottom bitch anytime! A bite of Top Dog's juicy and meaty kielbasa erased all my anxiety and destructive thoughts from failing to find a quick parking spot around the Berkeley campus. Their smoked chicken apple, lemon chicken, calabrese, and spicy link are great too. This is my favorite place to get a great fix when I'm craving a meat injection. read more

I'm not a big fan of hot dogs, but wow Top Dog makes them seem like gourmet food. I haven't tried any of the sausages that I can't pronounce, but I've tried a bunch of their flavored hot dogs. Hehe flavored hot dogs, sounds like they should be different colored too. Anyways, my favorite is the lemon pepper turkey dog. It is so juicy, and the hot dog itself has a bite of a crisp bite outside, so when you bite into it, it goes snap! then smush! I really like the food here, although I hear from my friends at Cal that this is the place where people get into fights and shank each other at night, so if you're out in the area late at night on a weekend, beware! read more

Love their hot dogs and buns! I haven't tried all their flavors, but their original and chicken apple are pretty darn good. You can even buy frozen sausages in bulk for a big discount! Since they actually grill it for you fresh to order, there will be a few minutes of a wait, but their service is always friendly, and they have onion, relish, and sauerkraut toppings! read more

I don't get why everyone raves about this place.... Came here the other night looking to experience an awesome dog. Instead what I got was a crowded cash only place on a seedy street, a dirty (my shoes stuck to the floors) restaurant, and a pretty un-exciting hot dog. The menu makes them sound gourmet, but they don't actually have any toppings. Instead the flavors are of the meat assuage itself, and all there is are ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions. All of which in a really dirty spot. I was afraid to touch the onions, and ever so slowly worked the mustard. The guy running the joint was pretty cool, and this is defiantly a Berkeley vibe to the spot. I'd go here again, but only on the condition that I was pretty drunk. So anyways I hate to say it but Weinersnizel is better than this... read more

Snap. Crackle. Pop. That's exactly what happened in my mouth as soon as I bit into my smoked chicken apple sausage/hotdog/link (idk what to call it), but 'twas that casing I tell ya. The bun used is not your typical measly soft bun. Nope. Tis a French roll I believe. Mine was toasted to perfection. Off to the side are the toppings/condiments. Probably 4 different mustards and ketchup with sauerkraut, relish and onions. I also got to sample my friends' dogs, the lemon chicken and the mango chicken. Both were equally good. I'd come back. read more

Lemon Chicken is hands down my favorite! The Beef Frankfurter is delicious too. Open late nite..what a plus! Great place for toasted Buns and a good size Weiner!! read more

Cheap quality hot dogs in the cold streets of Berkeley = thee life. its not the coffee that keeps me warm, its these hot dogs! No wonder they call it TOP dog! its the best. reviews speak for themselves. Lots of selection. they cook it right off the grill with the buns. Hot dog is juicy and delicious, top it off with some mustard and take a stroll around telegraph... small, no chairs, line out the door... what else is new? :) read more

I told my friend how good Top Dog was and she said "I wouldn't peg you as being a hot dog person." That's the thing - I'm not, but I still really like this place. The bread is different and the hot dogs are excellently flavored. My favorite is chicken apple (but I've only tried chicken apple, hot link and lemon chicken). I want to try the original 'top dog' b/c I saw a lot of people ordering that last time. Next on my list! read more

Top Dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I am not big on American food....really! But, here is another big weiner!!!! Five stars!!!! I came to the other Top Dog location long ago with the hipster bearded wonder Fabio and enjoyed it. I knew that this location was the popular one and I wanted to come here but Fabio wanted to avoid the crowds.This time was the dogs were as tasty as the first. Great hot dogs!!!! I had the Smoked Chicken Apple dog. My friend Balle had a Veggie Dog. She said it was very flavorful. Yes, they have dogs for veg heads here! I thoroughly enjoyed my dog! The taste is a bit subtle I must admit but it is tasty still! I probably should have gotten another flavor like the linguica ( I think that's what it's called). They even have special dogs. Today they had a chicken mango habanero dog....wow!!!! This place is tiny! There isn't enough room for all the cool stuff they put on the walls of the other location. Nevertheless, this place has some cool stuff to read and look at on the walls. The service is great. The guy at the grill is a hard worker. I'm really glad I came here! I highly recommend this place! read more

This used to be a pretty awesome place, or rather it seemed like it when I was in college. Now, all I've seen to notice is how rude the guy is, how dirty everything is and how it really isn't all that tasty. You can pretty much get any similar tasting sausage in any grocery store or deli. The guy wouldn't take my money from my hand and asked that I place it on the counter. Then he picked it up with bare hands and went straight to handling the food. Right above the rood and register was about 30 flies just circulating and hovering over the food. SO GROSS. I was excited to have some TOP DOG only to be disappointed, maybe I'm just spoiled living in Koreatown LA...everything's delish! read more

Ordered the top dog today, but decided to get my money back since the cashier was the cook and after taking my money proceeded to prepare my food. Something about touching money and then touching food grosses me out. Gloves would have been nice. Would've been a 1 star, but the employee didn't argue with me about getting my money back. read more

Top Dog, as you may all know or have heard, is a Berkeley establishment. You should also know that it's KINDA overrated. I mean, $3 for a hot dog? Let alone a hot dog with nothing to jazz it up a la Pink's. I've had the hot link, lemon chicken and chicken apple. They were all really good. Bonus points for toasting the bread. But the minor chink in my wallet from paying $3 for a hot dog left me feeling unsatisfied. Don't get me wrong, Top Dog is a great place late at night if you're hungry for a bite on the drunken walk back home. I also understand that Top Dog has earned its rep for its witty cooks behind the counter, giving you the "Top Dog" experience. But I feel like the experience is a rather overrated one, with a slightly overpriced cost of admission. read more

Moving to Berkeley and finding this place after growing up in a suburb is a childhood dream come true. I loved hot dogs growing up, and where I'm from, if I wanted hot dogs I either had to buy them at the store and make them myself, or go to 7-11, Sam's Club, Costco, or Wienerschnitzel. Those hot dogs do not even compare to Top Dog. Top Dog uses a french roll that does not overpower the flavor of the dog when you are eating it, and the shape and crispiness of the french roll also makes the hot dog fit firmly in your hand. Both the dog and the roll are evenly cooked as well. I have tried three menu items so far, the Top Dog, the Calabrese, and the Bockwurst. If you are going here for the first time I'd say get the Top Dog, which is just a basic all beef hot dog. The calabrese is a bit on the spicier side, but it still tastes amazing. The bockwurst is softer than the other two that I have tried, probably because it contains veal, and also seems a bit stubbier than the other two, but overall it tastes great. I'm going to be living here for the next four years so I will definitely be making a lot of stops at this place whenever I want quick snack. I love the libertarian "propergander" on the wall, me being a libertarian myself. read more

Hot dog and sausage heaven. So good right off the grill, and the buns are good too. For all the thousands of hamburger places, there are very few, to none, hot dog ones. Come here when you are sick of hamburgers. read more

Is it late? Are you in the area? Did you hit the bars? Do you have the drunchies? Only thing you want to do is grab a bite to eat and then head home? You should probably do yourself a favor and stop by. A good friend of mine recommended the Keilbasa and I haven't looked back since. Also, mad props to the man behind the counter! Every time I've been here, he's the one taking the orders, cooking the hot dogs, and handing them out to customers. Remembered everyone. lol shit. To be honest, I don't think I've been here in the daylight haha read more

Chicken and Apple was absolutely delish! I would bart up from Fremont to Berkeley just to get one and then bart back! I am truly amazed by the person taking our orders, he managed to remember 10 people's orders at a time. Amazing! Wish they would somehow be more organized with the influx of people going in and out! read more

Top Dog is what makes Berkeley, Berkeley. If you are a visitor, you cannot leave Berkeley without grabbing a hot dog. Personally I would recommend the: 1) Lemon Chicken, healthy alternative with juicy link, crispy buns, since there is a bit of lemon, makes processed food tastes a little bit fresher. And 3 buckaroos! Yes Please! 2) Chicken Apple, another crowd-pleaser. I was obsessed with the chicken apple until I discovered the lemon chicken. This link is a bit on the sweet side. 3) Regular Hot dog, Plain and simple. 'nuff said! All their dogs are 3 bucks! Not bad for a quick snack, or if you have a petite appetite, lunch. read more

This is a great find.....It is run by one single man...... He does the cooking, serving, cash register, and I am impressed. the line gets long, but he moves right through it... He has all types of sausages, so stop by read more

There was quite a line even around 2 in the morning !! Wow !! My friend and I grabed two dogs, very tasty indeed ^ ^ Each dog was only $3 ^ ^ Good Deal ^ ^ of course it doesn't beat costco hotdog deal,but hey this place is GOod~ especially with onions, i love onions hehe YumMmy ~ Great place for a late night snack ^ ^ Love the lemon chicken , smoked chicken apple and their hot link. DrOols~ read more

A Certain Someone has raved about Top Dog for a while. It's not that I have any issues with Top Dog, but really could a hot dog be that good? So I finally went to day - and the answer is: I guess. I had the Bockwurst with russian mustard. It was very good. Did it live up to the completely mythic stories...not so much. But it was very good read more

Overall (7/10) food (6/10) - I think the bockworst did a number to my stomach. atmosphere (8/10) - great college crowd Went to this place on the recontamination of a friend. I'm sure it has fond memories for many locals, but honestly it is just a hot dog stand that has frozen hotdogs shipped to it and grilled up. Late night sure, its a great place to come and grab something to eat and hang out, but strictly food wise, I have had better hotdogs. The community around it is great though. Would I come back? yes, there are other dogs to eat and review may change. read more

Overrated. Went here reading the reviews thinking we where getting a gourmet hotdog. What we got was 3 undersized dogs, a dick head employee and sloppy put together place. The dogs where small, tasted just like an average dog, condiments where rough half full, messy and just dirty all around. The guy made a couple comments after he had messed up two people's orders, saying typical Saturday night customers like it was there fault which it wasn't. Save some time and a couple bucks go grab something where people appreciate your business. read more

Top Dog - Hot link and calbesa - Hot Dogs Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is an amazing Berkeley icon. You walk in to what amounts to a closet with a grill and short counter, and are immediately hit with the savory aromas of grilled gourmet sausages and a chaotic visual hodge podge of lefty radical cartoons and articles plastered over every square inch of the tiny shack's wall space. Its open very late, and you can always count on a hot grilled German Frankfurter or original classic Top Dog in the wee morning hours. Just walk up and hollar, "gimme a top!" read more

Top Dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Free extra "cash flavored" hot links thanks to the busy hands from the one man shop/cashier/cook. I wish Joshua L had posted his post earlier. I wish I had read his review before hitting this place. I wish I had some "pink drinks" handy. Kidding on the pink stuff, but the shadow of knowing that I had "Cash flavored" hot links lingered. The choices of dogs are good. Like the crunch and casing on the hot link. The dogs were above average. But, I really didn't like the one man show that handles both cash and food without showing any concerns. I had recently visited an One Man shop (Garden Sushi). Eventhough I didn't like that place much, but at least Garden Sushi kept it clean, and made sure that I don't taste "Cash Flavored" Sushi. read more

Great hot dog -- they toasted the bun nicely!! The sausage has the right amount of kick in it! It is a little hole in the wall kind of place, but it was packed even in middle of a night! read more

Nice little late night snack. Interesting crowd at 11pm. Wish the guy washed his hands after handling the cash before touching the raw hot dogs. Oh well read more

Its the whole in the wall places that have the best tasting foods!!!! In this case, the best hot dogs ever! I went to visit my friend that is attending the university up there and she was raving about this place (since I love hotdogs). We came here and the line was out the door, given the fact that once your inside, you order and get out :) Not a place to sit down and eat. I got a hot link. One bite. That was enough to know that I should have gotten a 2d or 3rd one. It was juicy and plump. Just the way I like it!!! :D My friend told me that this was the spot to go after a night out. I say... its a place to go any time of the day!!!! The only con I see is that the hot dogs are too small :( read more

Top Dog serves the top dogs. Hot links are great for your mouth on the way in... not so great on the way out. Pretty much any dog here is great. They grill the buns right when you order. And there's plenty of different toppings to put on. Always a great go-to place, when in Berkeley. read more