Slaw Dogs: Is the Spicy Polish Dog Spicy Enough? Good Fries and Beer Selection

I'm still in search of my fave hot dog -- well charred, juicy and super spicy. Add some sauerkraut, mustard and fresh bun and I'm good to go. It had been Top Dog in Berkeley for some time but a recent visit left me sorely disappointed.

I had heard about Slaw Dogs so checked it out recently. The hot dogs were disappointing but the fries weren't bad and I liked its beer selection that included Allagash, a white ale from Maine and Hitachino, one of my favorite beers of all time.


I first had the spicy Calabrese, and hated it as soon as I bit into it. It was the fennel in the sausage. I asked the guy over the counter if I could swap it for a spicy Polish and he generously gave me a new one.

I added sauerkraut, grilled onions and bbq sauce as toppings that came with it. The dog was not bad but just not excellent like the hot link at that certain Berkeley joint (at least until recently).

I got it charbroiled as opposed to steamed, which is how I like it. The bread was fresh enough and the toppings were fine. The sausage itself just wasn't the same.

The sweet potato and regular fries combo basket was good but nothing mind-blowing.

It's a cute place and maybe I will try the Thai dog or other specialty ones others have raved about. But I much prefer the ambiance at Wurstkuche with the communal tables in Little Tokyo. It is a bit out of the way but maybe good for a quick bite if you're in the area.