Hound Dogs Burgers & Teriyaki

This hole in the wall Mom and Pop place has a great selection of greasy spoon fair along with some Asian dishes. I’m a huge fan of their Bi Bim Bap which is better then any other places near by. Plus the prices are reasonable enough to keep me coming here on a weekly basis.

Hound Dogs isn’t very good, but in the realm of San Francisco throwback restaurants where you can get burgers, chicken teriyaki and a freakin’ egg/​sausage breakfast sandwich – most of which is under $ 5 – Hound Dogs checks the box. Located in a desolate stretch of Grand near Oakley in the West Town area, Hound Dogs stands out mainly because it’s open and there are people walking around here, because for a good stretch of Grand, there’s nothing around. Service was very friendly and fast and the women working in the kitchen were working up a good sweat yesterday when I dropped by. Some seating inside and a picnic table out back.
Average, fine, safe, but not worthy of a second visit.

Other reviewers talk about how unique this place is, and seriously… it’s unique. It’s like a time capsule of a time that never happened. A classic American hotdog /​hamburger joint with a surprising addition of items like egg rolls on the shockingly inexpensive menu.
Everything feels a little old, and dated… from the slightly peeling outdoor signage, to the yellowing backlit menu board, but like I said, it feels like a time capsule. It’s a good feeling. Embrace it. The restaurant itself is REALLY clean. You can tell from the freshly mopped floors to the sparkling flat top grill.
Next up, the Bi Bim Bap. Wait, what? As the sign in the window proclaims, yes they serve Bi Bim Bap, along with breakfast sandwiches «all day» (they close at 3pm) to burgers and doggies! And it’s not ½ bad, considering things are mostly pre-​cooked and finished to order. The Bi Bim Bap was pretty darn delicious, topped with a freshly griddled egg and the price tag was absurdly low. The lack of freshness is made up in the price.
The hotdog and fries I picked up for a friend were also super inexpensive and I’ve been told, were reasonably good. Three stars for crazy quick service, cheap prices and eclectic lunch menu.
I’ve been driving by this place every day for over a year and regret not trying it until today.

This place is one unique find. They had a variety of sandwiches but what got me were the asian dishes. I ordered the Spicy Chicken Stir-​Fry and the Korean Bulgogi. The portions were more than enough and were both delicious. Next time I will try their Bi Bim Bop and Chicken Teriyaki (since it is in their name). The service was quick and very friendly.

get the tuna sandwich on texas toast! it’s a quick and courteous lunch spot where there’s always parking and the owners are so sweet!

Live right by this place and have never seen it open — turns out they close every day before 3… today I ran over for lunch… tried chicken teriyaki — TERRIBLE. It took less then 3 minutes so I sort of figured it was premade — the chicken was very dry and just tasted awful. I may go back for something I can watch them cook — like a burger but its doubtful.

extremely affordable and just-​right portions. i had the #9 today, which consists of a crispy chicken sandwich, fries and a drink = $ 5.25 all in. highly recommend.

I literally drove by this place and had to stop in because it looked so absurd. Haha. It has a hotdog on the logo outside and then in the window they advertise for bimbibop! ??? Haha. The inside is like an old run down fried food unhealthy hot dog joint but they serve a bunch of American and Korean food.
There are like 6 old ass men in here an they seem definitely blue collar. The one guy at the front was literally just leaning over the counter to tell them what to make and I think he was ordering like 12 sandwiches no joke. «No keep the cheese on that one, whatcha making? Yeah ham and cheese and that one too». Haha honestly so weird. It seems like the men in here are familiar with the owner. They seems all very nice.
It’s run by a dad and daughter it seems like. Could this place be a gem? Or a shit hole. Well see. Haha.
/​/​Bulgoki — 6.80 $ — it was pretty average but it does the trick. and for the price, you cant beat it I would definitely go back.
They also have some other strange options. Their coffee is not soo good either. Oh and while I was outside I was approached by a homeless person :-) haha i have him a buck.

A cheap, fast and friendly fast food joint with an expansive menu that includes some Korean items.
I’d guess that the bulk of Hound Dog’s business has long been local factory workers getting breakfast or lunch, so its got that blue collar authenticity that hipsters crave.
I’d give them one more star if they offered breakfast items all day or stayed open later. Or both, ideally.

Good inexpensive food. My friend and I each had the bulgogi, and it was very tasty. Not the best I’ve ever had, but good. For $ 6 it was actually very good. The size of the order is perfect too, enough to satisfy, but not enough to make you fall asleep after lunch.
To summarize, we almost went back the next day to have the same meal!

Ah… America! Land of opportunity… The opportunity to walk into a hot dog stand located essentially in an industrial corridor and get your choice between what many would label «American» fast food, and «ethnic» dishes as well.
Which makes you wonder (or at least a nerd like me) what made some of those American fast food dishes «American» in the first place?
It all was brought over or created by crafty immigrants, or the sons and daughters of immigrants in order to fulfill a need. A need for tasty, satisfying eats at a reasonable price that could be served quickly, sometimes on-​the-​go. Hamburgers– modified recipe originating in Germany and brought over by German immigrants in the 19^th century. Hot Dogs– basically the same thing. Italian Beef/​Sausage/​Combo– pretty much the same thing (though substitute Italian immigrants for German ones).
Hound Dogs fits the American fast-​food labeling perfectly. That description being offering up tasty, satisfying, and cheap food quickly. There are the items we most associate with American fast food– hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, and an assortment of breakfast plates on offer.
What makes Hound Dog unique is their additional items that in my opinion still fit that definition of fast food, but offer up more variety to go along with the low prices.
The owners (of Korean descent) have added things like Teriyaki (duh– it’s in the name of the place!), bi bim bap (that they call «Bee-​Bee-​Bee» out to the kitchen when ordered), bulgogi, and a few other things more loosely labeled «Asian» (which always cracks me up, considering how massive and diverse Asia is).
When you break these things down though, you have to wonder why we don’t see more hot dog stands and fast food burger joints offering up these types of things. Rice will stay hot and fresh in rice cookers for a long period of time. Marinated beef and chicken sits in the marinade until it is ready to cook up on the flat top. Plus, who doesn’t love a fried egg and pickled vegetables served over a bowl of hot rice and nicely charred marinated beef?
The common denominator with what we label «American» fast food and that which is now known by the «Asian» variety is that it can be made up to order fast, cheap, satisfying and tasty.
Hound Dogs and other places like them will hopefully influence places like Portillo’s and maybe even those big Golden Arches guys to have cheap Bee-​Bee-​Bee on their menus some day. It is, after all, becoming more and more «American» all the time.
If the British can claim curry as their national dish, then why can’t we have Bi Bim Bap? U-​S-​A!!! U-​S-​A!!!

Hound Dogs looks a little whatevs on the outside but after I finally went there I was pleasantly surprised. I had the spicy chicken which is from their Korean menu. It was fresh, affordable and tasty. My gf had bulgogi and she enjoyed it as well. We will be back to try the Bi Bim Bop.

The American food is all good and cheap, but they also serve a few Korean dishes. I tried the Bi Bim Bap and it wasn’t the best i’d ever had or anything, but for $ 6 it was yummy and a nice change from italian subs and fast food.
I think they’d do well to play up the ethnic angle a bit more, the asian items aren’t even on the menu board, you have to hunt around on the walls for laser-​printed signs.
I’ve complained in many other reviews that ethnic restaurants outside the traditional neighborhoods (chinatown, devon, etc) are rare and usually expensive, so it’s nice to see cheap Korean outside of the typical Korean areas of the city, just wish they offered a few more asian dishes. I bet if more locals knew it was more than a hot-​dog stand, they’d do better. They have a few small signs that say «Teriyaki» I don’t think that really attracts people that may get excited about Korean food. Maybe they don’t want to alienate their working-​class clientele. (and «Hound Dog» is definitely a bad name for a Korean-​American restaurant, ha!)

fast and friendly, this place is just as the other reviewers noted… no-​nonsense, cost-​effective, and speedy.
it’s not delicious, but if you’re looking for convenience, this may just be the spot!

I have worked pretty close to HD for a couple years and every time I go by I get a smile on my face… how many other places have signs that say burgers and teriyaki?
Anyway as others pointed out it is owned by Koreans which is why I usually get the bi bim bop or the bulgogi… it is decent, but the meat is not high quality by any means… very stringy… gets points for the name and because the owners are amiable,

I went to this place based on the recommnedations of other reviewers. I must say it certainly isn’t bad. Unusual combination of American fast food and Chinese food, but I can’t complain. The menu boards are somewhat old and could use updating. They serve breakfast and lunch and close around 3:30 daily.
I had a cheeseburger. Not bad. Skinny patty but bigger than McD’s or White Castle. The onions, lettuce and other toppings made it pretty decent. The fries seemed pale to me but actually tasted very fresh and flavorful. Onion rings were very oniony-​tasting but I wish they served more. Definitely not bland either. My son had a plain Vienna Beef hot dog and probably gave them the best compliment for his age when he said «It was yummy» as he left the place. The 3 of us ate for less than $ 8 so it is pretty cheap. Service was quick too.
Nothing spectacular, but a good spot for a quick lunch at a great price.

Ok, for all the other reviewers, the owners and food are KOREAN. not Chinese.
Now, the Korean food is really good and it is authentic. The prices are really good, considering Korean food is typically pretty pricey.
There are also burgers, hotdogs and other fast food items on the menu.
Overall, everything on the menu here is really good! The staff and owners are really nice and friendly and the place is super clean. If you are ever in the area give it a try!

Ingrid says «You won’t be crying all the time if you stop by the Hound Dog Grill on Grand!» (That’s my check please intro – sorry, couldn’t resist…) HD’s has been at the corner of Grand and Oakley since I was knee high to an urban pioneer taking the shortcut down Oakley to Juvenile court. I had often passed by, but never ventured in. My recent Korean food obsession compelled me to stop here today and try the Bi Bim Bop. If the litmus test for a good restaurant is being popular with streets and san guys, then we have a winner. Kind of a no-​nonsense place. They turn out the food really quick. Mostly hot dogs and beefs. But then you have the Asian angle which is cool! Also, the place is spotless. Also, cheap cheap breakfast sandwiches!

I’ve been trying to review this bizarre Chicago hot dog stand for many months but couldn’t figure out what the place was called even… The sign doesn’t seem to be on the front. I only noticed today that the sign in the private lot says Hound Dog (I usually just pull up scootsie in the street).
I’ve only been for breakfast, not lunch or anything. It’s pretty cheap, which I guess is it’s appeal. I have had the steak sandwich, which while cheap was just kinda ehh. But again, really cheap.
I think the owners are Chinese, so they also have a few Chinese food items thrown into the menu.
They seem to attract area blue collar worker types.
It’s a bit strange, but if you’re looking for cheap eats maybe this is the place. The food alone is probably closer to 2 or 3 stars but the price helps.

I suspect the reason Hound Dog’s went into the location it did was to solely serve the employees in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor just south of Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. Knowing this, they designed the menu around what your average Joe wants for lunch. The guy who runs the place is Asian and he knows Asian cuisine, so he had to throw that on the menu.
What you get is an impressive variety of selections to choose from. A whole menu of Asian food and a whole menu of pure American food. Oh yeah, and he offers the food REALLY CHEAP.
The staff is nice and the food is decent and plentiful, especially considering the prices, which I have yet to see matched at any other hot dog or asian cuisine place in Chicago. (Less than $ 4 for a gyro? Less than $ 5 for Chicken Teriyaki and white rice??)
I can’t really think of anything negative about this place other than the hours are limited (only open until 3:30pm). Check this place OUT!