River Dogs-1010 east 1st

[loftguy]

Waitin on the wife to get home - headed down there TOOOO_DAYYYY!!!
This place better live up to the reputation it has on this board! 
(which by the way, I still don't have my keys back to...)

Sportster
...will post review when face is clean of mustard

If you can ACTUALLY make it this time and post a tender review, your status is likely secure.
Remember, don't listen to the cheap mexican sirens as you drive by Taco Bell.  You're on a mission, man!

[Sportster]

And a FINE mission it was too - was good to meet you!

OK -= Its Good Friday, and I just ate enough meat, fried no less, to float me for quite a while! Does that make me a heathen?
Who the hell cares!!! It was worth it!

As for the food - [shadow=red,left]DAYUM!!!!![/shadow]
I had the pork tender - fully dressed, added fries. It came in a styrofoam box and the damn thing was smothered with fries. (I'm not complainin!) One bite o this behemoth - which by the way was the size of a toddler's head, I'm here to tell you - it ranks a close second to the ones we get from Passantino's Sun Fresh at 23rd & Sterling - the ones we hand pound and hand bread, then fry in an iron skillet.
It was nice and thick and actually had flavor! Holy cow!!!

You could easily get boxed in down there given the routing of the RR trax - good excuse for a long, freight train lunch!

My wife had the NY Dog - very impressed with it. Good flavor, again, twice the size of the bun. Split open, onions and stuff all over it.
One thing - and this isn't a complaint - next time, I'll ask for extra onions. I know as a food preparer, he's gotta be aware that not everyone thinks onions are a food group like I do. 

John Bruno owns the joint - he's retired KCFD. (35 years) He cooked on the department as well. Had a side business as well - Metro Pick Up (If I remember right) He used to live on St. John,very near where I live now.

Loftguy - great to meet you - will see you again sometime. Thanks for sharing some of your old Northeast stories as well!
Feel free to contribute a few of those!

V/MC are accepted.

Sportster
...time for a nap now

[geeman68]

Is this joint cash only or do they also take debit and credit cards?

[loftguy]

We have confirmation that credit cards are accepted.  Debit?.....don't know.

[supastudio]

Do they serve fountain drinks or is it by the can/bottle?

[loftguy]

All I have seen are 20 oz. bottles of coke products.

Today, I had the tender, too.  Really good.  Two normal meals for me and again with a pound of fries crammed in the box. 

I'm taking a break.  I had to let my belt out a notch.

[Sportster]

We ate there at about 1:00 pm this afternoon.
I'm still a lil full.
I too will be taking a break.
But DAMN what a great tenderloin!! It hurt so good!!!

Sportster
...definitely worth the trip

[jabbster]

The menu board was put up before he opened the joint his chicago dog is exactly like they make in chi town mustard, relish, onion, tomato wedges, 2 spears and peppers. They take all major credit and debit cards. The drinks are the 20 oz size, heks trying to get various kinds I asked for dr pepper and he had it the next day.

[geeman68]

The menu board was put up before he opened the joint his chicago dog is exactly like they make in chi town mustard, relish, onion, tomato wedges, 2 spears and peppers. They take all major credit and debit cards. The drinks are the 20 oz size, heks trying to get various kinds I asked for dr pepper and he had it the next day.

You know the hours of operations for the joint too? 

[PumpkinStalker]

they're open Mon thru fri 10-2

[KCFutbol]

Going back today for the second time. Chicago Dog or Pork Tenderloin?

Choices, choices, choices.

[AJoD]

his chicago dog is exactly like they make in chi town mustard, relish, onion, tomato wedges, 2 spears and peppers.

Though no celery salt or poppy seed bun.  The tomatoes were surprisingly good, though, not sure how.

Tried the KC and Chicago dog both and a mess of fries.  I'd prefer a more normal portion, can't really fault the taste, just not what I want in a hot dog so much.  I look forward to trying more of the menu.

Really surprised by the area, I don't know if "pleasantly surprised" is the right word, but I found it extremely enjoyable.

(Some lengthier reflections and a small dose of hot dog esoterica here.)

[chrizow]

bahua and i went to river dogs today at noon.  they were out of everything except burgers and snoots.  there was a group of four guys there who had been waiting a very long time for their order and they weren't very happy about it b/c they were going to only have about three minutes to eat before they had to be back at work.  cool location though, it's really not as isolated as i thought it was going to be. 

we went to woodswether cafe instead, which was good and extremely filling.

[PumpkinStalker]

bahua and i went to river dogs today at noon.  they were out of everything except burgers and snoots.  there was a group of four guys there who had been waiting a very long time for their order and they weren't very happy about it b/c they were going to only have about three minutes to eat before they had to be back at work.  cool location though, it's really not as isolated as i thought it was going to be. 

we went to woodswether cafe instead, which was good and extremely filling.

I just missed you. I arrived to hear another guy saying he would buy the orders of the ones that left. He didn't even know what they ordered, but he was on a tight schedule and ate whatever was cooked!  Apparently the hot dog vender didn't show up, nor did his help. After his mad rush he came out to chat with me and gave me a free bottle of sprite for being patient. He was definitely overwhelmed today but the tenderloin was fantastic as usual.  FTR he gets his special made hotdogs from Frtiz's. 

[KCFutbol]

I got there about 11:40 and had to wait much longer than last week. There were two people already eating on the picnic benches and three more came right after I did.

Tried the Chicago Dog this week which was good but very messy.

[Sportster]

Well SHIT!
Haven't confirmed this with my own eyes but my sales rep came back today and said...IT WAS CLOSED!!!!!!!!!
Apparently all the signs were down and a big "CLOSED" sign was in the ordering window.
This ain't good news I can tell you.

Sportster
...sad sad day for hot dog lovers in the big town

[PumpkinStalker]

What?!?!  They seemed like they were dominating the lunch hour. Bloody hell someone else confirm.

[scooterj]

NO!!!!!!    I never got a chance to make it down there! 

[Sportster]

Well - confirm it - dammit.  :x
Rode down there today on the way to the office. BIG makeshift, hand lettered sign hanging outside the order window. "CLOSED!"
There was a guy down there - I'm assuming he lived in one of those old trailers on the west side of the building, indicated they were indeed closed. When asked why, he indicated "couldn't get no help". All of the plastic wsigns are off the building as well, including the "River Dogs" one.
Which to me begs the economic question, with hours like 10a - 2p, your "help" is looking at an 8-10 hour day MAX, daylight, weekday hours, slingin dogs, fries and soda in a known "dive" location, catering to happy customers who really want your product -  WTF?
(on a number of levels)

Just put it up on Bunny's Blog at www.northeastnews.net

Sportster
...not a happy camper today

[ignatius]

Sad sad.  Does appear to be permanently closed. 

Wasn't difficult to realize that location was too out of the way, but that in itself was part of the appeal.