Dog Haus, the celebrated craft casual concept known for its gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations, will open its first franchise location on the East Coast in Bethesda on Friday, April 13. Located at 7904 Woodmont Avenue, this will be franchisee Faizan Khan’s first location with the brand, which was founded in 2010 by Partners Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz, and André Vener to recapture the nostalgic childhood experience of eating a hot dog. To commemorate its arrival in the Bethesda area, Khan will invite locals to celebrate its grand opening and swing by for a free Haus Dog on Saturday, April 21.

“We are thrilled to be opening in downtown Bethesda and can’t wait to introduce Dog Haus to the community,” says Faizan Khan, Dog Haus Bethesda owner. “The wait is finally over, we look forward to showing residents the Dog Haus way with our innovative twist on hot dogs, sausages, burgers and more, and our commitment to giving back to the local community.”

As part of its introduction to the community, guests can stop by from 11am-Midnight on Saturday, April 21, to enjoy a free Haus Dog from a selection of Dog Haus’ seven signature hot dog creations featuring signature all beef, hormone- and antibiotic-free, no added nitrate dogs served up on grilled King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Options include fan favorites like Sooo Cali, with wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy onions and spicy basil aioli; Downtown Dog, featuring a smoked bacon wrapped dog topped with caramelized onions, pickled peppers, mayo, mustard and ketchup; and Chili Idol an all-beef dog topped with haus chili, cheddar cheese sauce and onions.

In addition to Haus Dogs, Dog Haus’ full menu includes gourmet dogs, sausages, burgers, corn dogs, a fried chicken sandwich, sides, beer, cocktails and shakes. Sausage favorites include The Fonz, which partners a spicy Italian sausage with pastrami and cheddar cheese sauce; and Das Brat, which features a bratwurst topped with caramelized onions, sauerkraut, and spicy brown mustard. All sausages are nitrate-free and made with hormone- and antibiotic-free meat. Haus Burgers feature 100 percent genetically tested, humanely raised Black Angus beef using no hormones and no antibiotics—never ever—in one-of-a-kind creations like The Freiburger, with white American cheese, fries, haus slaw, a fried egg and mayo and Holy Aioli, with white American cheese, caramelized onions, smoked bacon and garlic aioli. The Bad Mutha Clucka rounds out the menu offering guests a crispy fried or grilled chicken sandwich served with lettuce, pickles and miso ranch.

Lighter eaters and kids can indulge in smaller-sized portions—the hot dog slider is made with an all-beef mini dog, haus made cheddar cheese sauce, and smoked bacon; the cheeseburger slider has just the right amount of caramelized onions, white American cheese, and mayo; and the corn dog slider features an all-beef mini dog dipped in haus made root beer batter. Equal attention is paid to the quality-driven sides, like chili cheese tots or fries with haus made cheddar cheese sauce, shredded cheddar, haus chili and green onions; and beer-battered onion rings. Save room for dessert and finish off the meal with a Fosselman’s premium ice cream milkshake or soft serve.

Diners can complement their meals with a can of red or white wine, imbibe from a selection of 24 local craft beers on tap and canned beer options, sip on hand-crafted cocktails or enjoy frozen rosé slushies, a summertime staple, all year round. Each canned brew will be served in a Dog Haus koozie, a nod to backyard BBQs; alternatively, all those with a classic PBR craving can get their lager fix with a brown paper bag-wrapped can.

The craft-casual concept, designed to elevate the hot dog and burger-eating experience, serves up its quality meals within the contemporary aesthetic of a modern industrial space. After ordering at the counter, diners can grab a barstool at the communal tables, take a bench seat at one of the reclaimed wood and steel tables or step outside to the welcoming patio.

The new restaurant, located at 7904 Woodmont Avenue, will be open for lunch and dinner daily from 11am to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am to 2am on Friday and Saturday with happy hour every day from 3 to 6pm.