What happens when you smear a bun with cream cheese, add a hot dog, and top it all off with a pile of grilled onions? This surprising combo isn’t a culinary myth, but actually a Seattle invention through and through. As the story goes, the “Seattle dog” was born in 1988 when a bagel shop employee in Pioneer Square, the Seattle neighborhood next to the city’s sports stadiums, got permission to set up a hot dog stand. Before long, the shop’s bagel fixings started crossing over, and cream cheese found its way onto the dogs, creating an unexpected but undeniably delicious twist.
It is not uncommon for a city or region to throw its own obscure twist on the beloved hot dog. Whether you’re in the Southwest trying the unique bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dog, or hustling around Chicago trying to find the best place to order a Chicago hot dog so you can taste its tangy relish, it seems like every place claims their hot dog is the best and most iconic. Seattle’s version might sound odd at first, but it’s the kind of thing you have to try to fully get. You could attempt one at home with just a couple of ingredients, but nothing beats tasting it at the source. We put together a list of the five best hot dog spots in Seattle with the best reviews where you can get this legendary creation and taste it for yourself.
1. Al’s Gourmet Sausages
When you’re searching for the best of any regional food, it makes sense to start at its roots. Hot dogs are classic game day fare, and in Seattle, some of the city’s top options sit right outside the stadiums. One of the most notable is Al’s Gourmet Sausages, posted up near both T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field. It’s one of the best spots to grab a Seattle dog before a Seahawks game (or anytime you find yourself in the neighborhood), and the team behind Al’s even caters events for fans who want their signature dogs beyond game day.
Al’s Gourmet Sausages is such an iconic spot that locals know it simply as “the yellow tent,” according to Reddit. Al’s keeps things simple, allowing you to first pick your hot dog base: beef dog, kielbasa, or even veggie dog, and then top it to your liking. Every dog comes with grilled onions, and from there you can decide whether to go for the signature cream cheese or add extras like mushrooms and peppers. Al’s prides itself on quality and on catering to the city’s diverse tastes. By offering options for everyone, including health-conscious and vegetarian eaters, and serving consistently delicious sausages, Al’s has earned its status as a fan favorite in the Seattle dog world.
2. Hawk Dogs
A close second to the stadium hot dog experience is the late-night, slightly tipsy hot dog experience. After a night out in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, the perfect nightcap is a Seattle dog from Hawk Dogs. Set up in the parking lot of a 76 gas station, Hawk Dogs isn’t trying to be fancy or curated. Still, it’s scrappy, dependable, and exactly where you want to end up at 1:45 a.m…