CaliDog

This will be a short review since we only had one item so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and possibly return for their sausages but overall my experience here was very «meh». My friend and I were craving «fancier fries» so we dropped by the market for some garlic fries. The fries were medium thick and topped with a good helping of garlic and herbs. They had a nice crispiness but the interior was dense instead of fluffy. The main issue I had was the garlic itself which I found strangely sour. It didn’t have a raw garlic taste versus it was just plain sour. The ranch they provided helped offset the taste but I definitely will not be getting the garlic fries again. Service was decent, seating was plentiful, but overall I think the market has much better options.
Edit: I was cooking last night and opened up a jar of Trader Joe’s crushed garlic and realized it had the same off putting taste as the garlic from here. The ingredients on the jar listed Citric Acid as one of the ingredients and it seems like this place may use a jarred kind that is also preserved with citric acid. Either way the sourness is offputting on fries.

I always come here to order the Cali Dog and the srirancha tots and they are always so delightfully delicious! The seaweed and the sauce and everything just blend in so well with the hot dog! And of course I can’t resist tator tots with srirancha sauce on them. Sriracha + ranch = best combo ever! This is always an option for me when I come to San Pedro. Love it!

Skip the garlic fries. Somehow there’s visibly lots of garlic, but no garlic flavor. I didn’t even have garlic breath afterwards!!! Five of us didn’t even finish these fries as a side to our dinner, which means there was really something unmotivating about them.
There’s some kind of fish sauce or something mixed in for a bit of «fusion» flavor, but that’s really not what I wanted or expected. There are so many other more promising places to try in San Pedro Square instead!

I’m really picky about my hot dogs, I always read about all the crap they put into them and so I’ve always tried to stay away from hot dogs of questionable quality.
When I ate at Cali dog, I got QUALITY, and could tell that this was a high quality delicious hot dog. The breakfast dog is too bomb, and the people working there are a riot as well. I’ve never had a gourmet hot dog before but I won’t need to get anything else honestly because this place is so damn good!

Wasn’t bad but wasn’t great. Got the calidog since it was my first time and it seemed like their signature meal. Had that with garlic fries. The hot dog was okay, the sauce on the calidog was probably the best part about it. The garlic fries were like typical garlic fries. The fries were more on the crunchier side which isn’t how I like my fries personally. The worker was nice and service was quick but probably not a place I’d come back to

So, the reason that sold me on this place out of all the other food joints is that they actually had personality.
I asked them to sell me on why I should eat here and they said…“we got some of these hotdogs that have stuff on them or you can get them plain. There are also these potato things that we cut up really thin and fry, but we don’t really know what they are called.“
The also told me they have some bomb bottle water or I could just get the tap water for free!
Loving the attitudes! Good job Calidog.
I ordered the Calidog and Sriranch fries.

The hot dogs are OK but nothing special. Just avoid anything with the chili, weirdest tasting chili I’ve ever had.

Great! Delicious chili cheese fries great hot dog and friendly service. Thank goodness cuz the fried place near by sucks.

So my problem might not be CaliDog’s fault, but more just a twist of fate… But the whole time I was eating here, I couldn’t help but think about my trip to Vancouver and eating at Japadog. I couldn’t stop comparing, because honestly… it was very similar.
Flavor-​wise, spot on. The seaweed, with seasame seeds gave a great crunchy/​salty contrast to the carmalized onions and japanese mayo.
But the hot dog didn’t have «snap»… and wasn’t that hot.
The bun, although toasted, felt like it was made of wonderbread, and was mushy.
Apart from Japadog, I might have gone a little easier on it… but Calidog just seemed to pale as Japadog’s ghost haunted my tastebuds.

Me and a few of my friends went to The Market Place in San Jose because it’s a really nice upscale food court and everyone can get what they want to eat. Me, well I chose CaliDog because I love a good hot dog and I wanted something pretty quick because I was going to the auto show in about 30 mins.
We ordered our dogs and I got the Smoked Bratwurst because there is nothing better than a good bratwurst! I got mine with bean-​less chili and grilled onions… sounds good right! Well, I was sorely disappointed.
First, the grilled onions, nothing upsets me more than an alleged grill onion that is actually raw and was just thrown on the grill for two seconds because some cook was lazy! Now, the bratwurst I was shocked that it was kinda soft and gooey and didn’t have that «pop» you look for in a great sausage. The chili was good but I had to wash down the bratwurst with water and I should have follow my first mind and got the fish and chips but hey, live and learn…
CaliDog, you weren’t my cup of tea! Sorry bro…

Pros: Located at trendy spot. Pricing reasonable. Wait time was short/​quick.
Cons: hot dog portion quite small. hotdog was quite salty.
Overall, mediocre experience. :\

TL;DR: Great for snacks. Good tots. Good fries.
This is a nice place to visit if you’re just looking for something small to snack on while you’re in San Pedro Square.
While I haven’t had a hot dog yet, I am a big proponent of their fries and tater tots. They have a small selection unique toppings. I’m a fan of their Breakfast Tater Tots. Crispy tots with white gravy and scrambled eggs on top! Bacon for an extra $ 3. Their mini corn dogs are so pretty good as well.
I also appreciate their selection of mustards; there are bottles of deli style, whole grain, and Dijon on the side once you get your food.

8:27 pm… On a Friday night. The biggest and busiest possible night for a restaurant… And they’re «closed»… Because they needed a break?
Amazing concept. Amazing food. Literally the only reason I come to Dan Pedro Market. And yet the woot managed business in the mix.
I’ve seen Denny’s and IHOPs managed better!
I’m assuming it won’t be too long until another concept replaces then. Very sad.

They serve some pretty good dogs, but in the end they are the same price as a full meal and so not quite worth getting. I’ve tried their breakfast dog, which was very mild in taste, surprisingly. Would have wanted more flavor out of it. Their most interesting menu item looks like shaking beef, which I would try next if I ever came here again.
The garlic fries were terrible; although skinny, they were among the soggiest fries I have ever eaten, plus the garlic was pickled. Humongous disappointment.

Really didn’t find anything that special about these hot dogs. I went in for lunch last week and tried both the chili dog and the western dog. The chili dog had cheese on top that was barely melted and the hot dogs just tasted like they were typical store bought. The western dog was pretty good, but for $ 6.00 I couldn’t help but to feel a bit ripped off.
I wasn’t very impressed with the service either. It didn’t take long to get my food, but none of the employees even gave me a friendly greeting, just a «what can I get you». I’ll have to try some of the other food items to fairly judge Cali Dogs, but as it stands right now I wouldn’t go back.

Simply the best!!! If you ever go here expect nothing but professional and compassionate service. They truly care about each guest having a nice hot dog experience.
Thank you for reading :-)

If your’e vegetarian — they have a soy-​based hotdog!
Also Check-​in to get 10% off!
The soy hot dog looks like a real sauasage… I was a little nervous to eat it at first, but I had a carnivore taste test it for me real quick before I took a bite! Overall it was pretty good! I had another soy hotdog earlier this summer in Portland and it had a similar taste (interesting texture, only to get overwhelmed by the strong taste of sauerkraut).
I recommend giving it a try if you’re a curious vegetarian. It’s a pretty interesting experience and I may come back at some point to try some of their «premium» toppings. Grab one and go sit outside in the outdoor seating area!

Food was what one would expect from a $ 5 or $ 6 sausage dog though neither dog that I had tasted much different from the other. The food though is not truly why I’m giving a poor review. It’s the entitlement and attitude given by the worker taking the orders. As the main girl stepped away to do something a young man replaced her. He was sullen from the beginning. He asked me what I wanted, I told him the 2 dogs I had already decided on. Easy peazy. He then told me the amount. At that point it occurred to me I would like cheese on one. So I nicely asked… could I get cheese on the bratwurst. Instead of just saying yes he promptly looked me in the eye and rudely stated… next time ask before I ring it up as I have to go back and add it back in, or something to that effect.
Frankly dude, I don’t give a darn how hard it is for you to go back and add cheese (it’s really not). I don’t need a lecture. Just say yes no problem and ring it up. That 10 sec interaction had me so pissed off it was all I could do to not cancel my order and walk off. Needless to say I won’t be back anytime soon.

I ordered the CaliDog bunless, and it was alright. The sausage was a little salty for my tastes, but the sauces paired well! The srirancha fries were delicious! My friends nearly stole all of them, despite me ordering a large. I wish they put more sauce on the fries though.

These Calidogs are pretty much your average hotdog piled on with random Asian inspired toppings and then re-​served with the usual condiments (ketchup, mustard, relish)
The end result? A hotdog that is much too salty and a disastrous cuisine mismatch. Couldn’t stomach the flavor clash and ended up eating the sushi toppings separately before moving on the hotdog below.
I usually love any type of fusion food but this combo just didn’t do it for me.

I’m not big on hot dogs, but this place was calling my name. The gal at the register was friendly and patient with me when it came to figuring out what I wanted to order. I customized my own dog. I got a jalapeño sausage dog wrapped in bacon, with grilled onions and topped with jalapeños. It was delicious down to the very last bite. No more plain boring dogs for me. I will definitely return and try some of their signature dogs. I do recommend this spot to any hot dog or sausage lovers.

What’s bacon jam? Is that like toe jam?
Okay I’m being gross, but the bacon jam looked like spit up Bacon on my bun.
The CaliDog itself was rather tasty. It had a very Asian ramen flavor to it, which sounds weird, but it works with this hot dog.
This hot dog was on the pricey side, but it was a good try.
10% discount given for a Unilocal check-​in.

12:47pm/66°F sunny
Purpose: Drove down to get a contract ink, new opening in the south bay. Afterwards I was starving headed over San Pedro Square. Every eatery spot had long wait time due to peak lunch hour. I was impatient, looking for place with shortest line. That’ll be what I’ll eat from, press for time on the go.
Ambiance: Located inside San Pedro Square market share with many other eateries. CD was all the way in the inner back were you can’t go any further. There wasn’t anyone in line or standing nearby, looks deserted. I went up to see if they were close or open just, then couple of people started forming line. Nothing much to say about CD just a place that sells hot dogs of various kinds. Mini beverage fridge, iPad, tip jar, menu holder, specials of day posted. Back area heatlamp for food, prep counter, janitorial supplies, sink, towels dispenser.
Staff: A guy about mid 20s looks like he wanted to fight someone. Didn’t make eye contact with me as, I thought it was odd. I don’t know or seen him before. Realized it wasn’t just me as he did that to others as well. He seems piss and upset about something. That something, I don’t know and certainly don’t want to know. The whole deal feels weird when someone does that. Word to the wise, I know you don’t want to be there, but bills have to be pay.
Cleanliness: Grade A, impeccable. Kept to its standarda. Servsafe certification posted along with SJ mandate health score.
Eats/​Drinks: Shaking dog $ 7.50 seems a lot to pay for a dog less than a foot long. I was pretty excited that the pictures looks good. Upon receiving it that wasn’t the case. Here’s my findings about CD. They use simple cheap out of package standard buns. No effort to grilled, toast, or warm it up, it was like biting into a 3M sponge pad bland and flavorless. Listed ingredients were there as, I was more concerned about the meat part. Vietnamese shaking beef were sizzling hot and delicious resting on top of kobe beef dog. Flavors were there and portions for the meat is excellent. Not a bad deal considering time and preparation to cook beef. Could’ve have use the time waiting for beef to finish cooking. Use it on grilling/​toasting my buns heh buddy?
Main Features: Claims their breakfast and Shaking dog are best sellers. It also happens to be the most priciest on list. Go figure!
Products/​Services: Plain dogs-​american, smoked bratwurst, smoked kielbasa, jalapeño pepper jack, Louisiana hot, turkey frank, veggie dog are all $ 5. Mini chicken corndog ranges from 5−20pc. Signature dogs-​calidog $.6.5, chili $ 6.5, street $ 7, western $ 7, shaking $ 7.5, breakfast $ 8. Fresh cut fries one size from $ 3 – 4.5. Bottle cold drinks $ 2 – 2.5, fresh lemonade $ 3 – 3.5. Can sodas $ 1.50. Find them on FB, twitter, Instagram and Unilocal.Catering and special events available. Check in with Unilocal and safe 10% off order.
Punch Lines: Pricey, takes plastic, snooty staff, vibrating pager, shaking beef tasty, spotty service, share seating, styrofoam use, cold hard buns, nothing out of the ordinary, a twist on traditional favorite, off putting, loud and busy (seating area).
Tradeoffs: For over $ 8 after taxes you’re better off going to Weinerschnitzel. Get 5 – 6 dogs at $ 1.59 each with warmer buns, still have chump change left.
Final Thoughts: I’ll admit, I fell for CD without reading others review. For that, I pay dearly with wallet. No wonder during peak hour this place was so dead. Other places have well over 15 people lining up and more walking up. Pictures also shows different buns used to that of actual type. This experience left me hungry and $ 8 poorer. Not a good deal by a long shot. Going with 2.5 stars.

This place has catered at my work before, but this is my first time actually visiting the store. Paid with paypal and received $ 5 off the signature Cali Dog, so that was a sweet deal.
I love the fried crispy seaweed and teriyaki onion topping. It is a bit pricey, but I think the signature Cali Dog is worth trying at least once.

4 stars for the BreakfastDog & bacon jam, but 2 stars for the fries. The food here is a little pricey, but at least you get 10% by checking in on Unilocal.There was only a short line around 7pm on a Friday, and it took about 10 minutes to get my order:
–BreakfastDog (House Made Bacon Jam, Bratwurst, Bacon Topped w/​Over Easy Egg and House Made Gravy, $ 8) & SriRanchaFries (w/​Sriracha, Ranch & Cilantro, $ 4) [
: I actually ordered the Breakfast dog without gravy on it, which was perfect for me since I don’t like gravy, and it wasn’t as messy to eat. The bacon jam really made the hot dog, since it was a perfect combination of sweet and savory, and I would definitely order this hot dog again and also consider getting a jar of bacon jam (which they sell). However, I was a little annoyed that my egg was overcooked. The fries on the other hand were very bland/​boring side, and I wouldn’t order these again.
Overall, I will definitely be back for my breakfast dog and more bacon jam, but skip the fries.

1^st impression … awesome!
I rarely give 4 stars after 1 visit, but these guys impressed me!
I got the American Kobe beef hot dog. 1^st bite, best hot dog I have ever tasted!
Service was fast & friendly, we were during there“off” hours, about 230pm. They have a pager that lets you know when order is ready. I’m sure they get busy!
Clean, open kitchen.
I’be back!
Check in for 15% off!

Got the Kobe Beef Hot Dog and was not impressed!
Nothing special whatsoever. Tasted literally like a hot dog that I buy anywhere else.
No worth paying over $ 5 for it…
They also raised their prices for everything Total rip off!