Dog Haus, the celebrated craft casual concept known for its gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations, is slated to open at 2464 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Park in late February. This will be Jesse Koontz and Toni Siprut’s first Dog Haus location, 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.
“We are ecstatic to be bringing the first-ever Dog Haus location to the city of Chicago,” says Koontz. “This restaurant has been in the works for months and is so close to becoming part of the Lincoln Park community.”
“Dog Haus is not the typical kind of hot dog you find here in Chicago,” says Siprut. “Our West Coast take on gourmet hot dogs and sausages and our all-natural clean meats bring a completely new style of hot dog to the Chicago marketplace. We are incredibly excited to bring Dog Haus’ unique California flavors to the heart of the Midwest.”
Dog Haus offers seven Haus 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% genetically tested, humanely raised Black Angus beef using no hormones and no antibiotics 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, smoked bacon, caramelized onions 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, haus chili, and green onions; and beer-battered onion rings. Save room for dessert and finish off the meal with a Fosselman’s (a California favorite) 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 draft and canned craft beer options, or sip on hand-crafted cocktails. 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 fast-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.
