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| - I came to the Happy Dog by way of their identity as a music venue, but stayed for the hot dogs, tater tots, and dipping sauces. In 2010 I saw a good chunk of shows at the Happy Dog -- the cover charge for shows is inexpensive (typically $5-7) and they bring in a variety of local and touring bands. The Happy Dog has a simple menu, serving quarter pound all-beef hot dogs, vegan field roast sausages (these are spiced like sausages and tend to have a drier texture, they're not your typical Yves or Morningstar veggie dog), french fries, and tater tots. The real variety comes with their 50+ toppings -- my favorites include the saffron aioli, alien pickle relish, and house made ketchup (the ketchup is not for everyone, though, it has almost nothing in common with traditional bottled ketchup and is more sweet than vinegary with a rustic texture.) My partner favors the Oaxacan mole and Kansas City bbq sauce.
The decor of the Happy Dog reminds me of Al's from Happy Days, if Al had decked out his join in photos of The Replacements and Elvis Costello. There's ample seating (tables, booths, and a bar), pinball machines, a jukebox with a great selection, and a Ms. PacMan/Galaga table. The waitstaff is friendly, but fast-moving. If it's later in the night or if there's a band playing, you may have to be assertive in flagging someone down. The fact that you place your food orders by filling out a card simplified the ordering process and cuts down on the chance that a confused/overextended member of the waitstaff might get your order mixed up.
If you're a vegan, be sure to ask a member of the waitstaff about which toppings are vegan as they're not marked on the menu. Some things that might seem vegan (like the thai chile and garlic sauce, for example) actually aren't due to the inclusion of gelatin. They do keep their Facebook page updated with a list of their vegan toppings, so if you're vegan, it may be worth your time to scope that list out before dining.
It can get crowded and loud at night (especially if there's a band playing), so if you want a quieter dining experience you may want to plan to eat there earlier in the day. You can also check the calendar on the website to make sure that there isn't anything going on. Though I love seeing bands and eating at the same time, there are some nights where I just want to have a quiet, cheap meal, so it's nice that they have an up-to-date calendar available.
I've generally had very good experiences at the Happy Dog -- the only blip I can think of is that in the past my partner has noticed odd charges on his debit card after dining there (we think that someone else's order may have been attributed to his tab.) Since then, we've tried to stick to keeping things simple by paying in cash.
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