I've never been too crazy about hot dogs. When it came to American Fast Food, I was always more of a hamburger gal. My brother on the other hand, could put hot dogs away like nobody's business. I can remember summer dinners growing up vividly: the five of us sitting around the table, passing the big bowl of boiled corn (then rolling the cob through the butter), next the potatoes (either boiled, baked, or mashed), and finally the meat (burgers, grilled chicken, pork chops). Somehow little Joey got to skip all of this and lived off of only Hofmann hot dogs for the first 10 years of his life. Not even a bun made it into this child's stomach. Strictly the meat, cut up into little circles, and quickly dabbed in ketchup. At one point he even a rotisserie hot dog machine for his birthday—you know the ones they use to [not] make the footlongs look appetizing at your local movie theaters and bulk good stores? Yup. My little brother owned one of those. Owns? The kid recently moved out onto his own so I wouldn't be surprised if it made a comeback soon.
So while I've personally never been a huge fan, what kind of big sister would I be if I didn't do my research on where to take him on his biannual visits to the city?
A Brooklyn native, Bark Hot Dogs recently opened their Greenwich Village spot around the corner from my office. I organized the creative team and we ran over to get our fix last week. The hot dog, made from a blend of only New York state meat, was dare I say comparable to a Hofmann? Nothing like those Ball Park jokers. This was the real deal, a combination of only 3 cuts, with no fillers: Pork Belly, Pork Shoulder, and Beef Shoulder. It was still a hot dog, so probably not great for that first Tinder meet and greet. But when your picky little brother comes down for a visit, it won't make you immediately regret your lunch as much as the guy on the corner selling god knows what for $1.
Bark Hot Dogs
155 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Hours:
Sun–Wed: 11am–12am
Thur–Sat: 11am–2am
Good For:
Quick Bite
Food & Drink:
American Fast Food
Hot Dog
Hamburger
Beer & Wine