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Japa Dog
Categories: Restaurants Hot Dogs Restaurants Food Stands Restaurants Japanese Hot Dogs, Food Stands, Japanese [Edit]
899 Burrard StVancouver, BC V6Z 2K6
Neighbourhood: Downtown
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 11 am - 8:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
509 reviews for Japa Dog
Review Highlights
"The Terimayo hot dog really surpassed my expectations."
(in 216 reviews)
"the wasabi mayo makes it even better."
(in 59 reviews)
"The Okonomi with bonito flakes was so yummy."
(in 37 reviews)
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509 reviews in English
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Review from Rukawa J.
Updated - 1/24/2012 1 photo
this is the revisit of Japadog...
actually, i had my tears when i was eating a japa dog, and it WASN'T the tear of joy. why?
i was thinking what if i have a crave of Japa dog when i am back in Cali? What would i do at that moment? WWJD? Do i really have to visit in laws just to get Japa dog? But, Japa dog is so FLICKing damn good!!
Disclaimer: My in laws treat me really good, i have no problems to visit Vancouver for Japa dog again and again.. i meant visit in laws again and again in Vancouver.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/25/2010
this is got to be the BEST hot dog i ever had.. way much much better than chili dog or salsa dog.
the… Read more »
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Review from Khanhy D.
2/8/2012
This is an interesting place that serves Japanese style hotdogs which includes seaweed, barbeque sauce, mayo, flying fish roe, and other things. DELICIOUS FRIES THO! Salty.
We tried the terimayo,okonomi and the tonkatsu hot dog. Tonkatsu has a crunchy taste, terimayo is more saucy and the okonomi reminds me of the fish crusts on top of sushi... crispy flakes which were salty.
Just pricey for a hog dog but and I am not a fan of eating anything TOO saucy because I get tired of the taste. If you are not a sauce person do not come here. -
Review from Mike L.
2/7/2012
The Japanese know how to do food... their hot dogs are no exception. The signature Terimayo dog is an amazing bite. Sweet sauce, creamy mayo, and a nice pork dog. Okonomi was a nice bite too... Kurobuta (awesome) pork dog and bonito flakes added a little saltiness.
I'm glad this came to NY!
The only downside is the pricing. At $6-7 a dog, I feel bad paying that for a 'snack' -
Review from Kevin L.
Burnaby, BC
2/7/2012
Great unique twist to the classic hotdog. Japanese style! I've tried about 3 different types, and so far all of them have been great. A tad expensive for a hotdog, but recommended eats. One of the better food cart/truck eateries in Downtown Vancouver.
Who needs pictures when you can check out our HD Video review!
http://youtu.be/HBXTnv... -
Review from Mary C.
Richmond Hill, ON
2/5/2012
'm sure at some point in your life, you've had a hot dog, yes? And I'm sure Japanese cuisine is no stranger to most stomaches. Now what about a Japanese hot dog? Japa Dog serves exactly what it's name seems to depict : a Japanese Hot Dog. Japa Dog was the idea of Noriki Tamura when he and his wife moved to Vancouver in 2005 from Japan. He originally had a regular normal hot dog stand, but decided he needed to differentiate to gain more customers. Merging the cuisine from his Japanese background into his hot dogs became a huge success, and now there are six locations with more stores to be opened in the U.S.! Anyways, I finally got to try this out as part of my flight layover between Hong Kong and Toronto. Yes, I left the airport just to go try this legendary hot dog out!
The menu was pretty overwhelming, and everything looked so good I just wanted to try them all! Unfortunately since this was just a snack before dinner, I opted to just have one. Ended up choosing the Kurabuto Terimmayo because of it's awesome description:
"What is Kurabuto? Most valuable pork in Japan."
Now how could one pass up the chance to try that?
There were a considerable amount of people in line, but the wait time was quite reasonable. It was around 6pm when I was there
Kurobuta Terimmayo ($7.25)
The Kurabuta Terimay is a Kurabuto sausage topped with shredded seaweed, sauteed onions, a savory teriyaki sauce, and mayo. I'm drooling just typing this out! The Kurabuto pork was incredibly juicy. Did it rise to the claim to being the "most valuable pork in Japan?" I don't know if I'm qualified enough on Japanese pork to make that judgement, but I will say it was one damn good hot dog. I loved the savory combination of the seaweed and mayo.
Japa Dog is definitely not your average hot dog, but I wouldn't say it's something that is incredibly hard to recreate yourself. And come to think of it, $7 is quite pricey for a hot dog! Because of those reasons, I don't know how many times I would go out of my way to have it again after the initial novelty wears off. I would still recommend trying it at least once because it is in fact very very good. -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2012
Yes, a bit of a shocker here to other yelpers but to each it's own. Just don't see the hoop la la over truck food, though I admit in general, there's somecool stuff out elsewhere, but to say 4star for just a hot dog, wow...some restaurants who've invested $500,000 to a million are just squirming lol.
I just have to be in a mood for this Japadog, and certainly not during the Olympics where tourists were waiting for 45min. for this!
Recognize the fact that it's pretty popular judging from the lineups during lunch, and they opened their own store too.
But seriously, is it worth waiting for? for even 15min? -
Review from Diana B.
1/16/2012
Everyone should have a Japadog at least once in their life!
Seriously, this is a tourist must do! I bring all of my guests from out of town here and they are always pleased
They have the most amazing dogs here and they are growing... The business, not the hot dogs.
Check it out- seriously- you will not be disappointed! -
Review from Karen L.
1/4/2012 1 photo
Freaking expensive for a hot dog, but so damn good!
A must-try if you like hot dogs and are in Vancouver! I tried the kurobuta terimayo and the BF got the spicy cheese terimayo, and both were super delicious, especially the spicy cheese one. Would I return? Yes. Would I really pay 8 bucks for a hot dog again? Yes.Listed in: Vancouver Eats!
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Review from Miss Bonnie B.
1/5/2012
Mans... they are opening a location in NYC but that's no where near where I am. What's up with that? But then again, if there was one in the Bay Area... that would mean a lot of hot dogs in my future and that's probably not good for dietary reasons.
We ended up eating here for a full dinner one night. It was delicious! My girlfriend even said it was the best meal of the entire trip... and trust me, we ate a LOT.
Check it out... you can thank me later.Listed in: Top Restaurants, Jesse VanCoutren
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Review from Quan H.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2012
Actually, I first tried this when the terimayo was still $4.25. My Japanese friend kept raving about it to me for most of high school and it wasn't until first or second year in university did I finally go try it. I'm not a hot dog person because... thinking about what kind of meat gets squished into those skins... I digress.
First impressions: WOW that's a big price tag for a hot dog... ooh new Japanese street food to try... pretty crowded for a hot dog stand; must be good.
The place offered the normal hot dogs, bratwurst etc, as well as the specialty Japanese ones. At the time there were only terimayo and oroshi. I picked the terimayo cuz it looked safer (and it was cheaper). The dog, teriyaki sauce, and seaweed topping combination of tastes was just right. I don't know how they did it. I like to top it off with wasabi mayo, which is available with the rest of the condiments. It gives the hot dog that extra kick. Took a bite of my friend's oroshi and thought it was a bit too salty. And I wasn't a fan of the sprouts, but I'm sure other people like them.
Next time I went back, the Kurobuta had just come out. Directly translated to "black pig", my friend explained it saying it was the kobe beef version of pork. It tasted good, but I'm not sure if I'd pay for an extra $2 for an already $$ hot dog for that taste. It's still a hot dog.
Conclusion: It tastes good, but I probably wouldn't feel happy about spending so much on a hot dog. And now that I've seen that the prices went up, I'm not sure when I'd be back to try the others. Still trying to find a good but affordable meal in downtown area! -
Review from Chris S.
1/7/2012
Looks like everyone and their Canadian friend who talks incessantly about Canada has been here, so there's not much I can add. Great hot dog quality and awesome Japanese toppings makes for a very delicious meal (which you eat standing in front of a wine store - CLASSY).
Basically, they put mayonnaise on hotdogs. And some other stuff, but really it's the mayo. Pretty genius move.
Prices are high for a hot dog (~$6/hatdug), but low for a meal downtown. What you do with that information will say a lot about what type of person you are. Think about that. -
Review from Carol L.
1/5/2012 8 photos
Recommended to me by a couple people and seen in pictures, and I knew I had to try it. We went twice! I tried the Okonomi, the Yakiniku, and the Kurobuta Terimayo. The Okonomi and Kurobuta Terimayo were better than the Yakiniku.
I took a picture of their menu board while I was there, so here are your hot dog options:
- TERIMAYO: beef with teriyaki sauce, seaweed, Japanese mayo, fried onion.
- KUROBATA TERIMAYO: same as above but with a kurobata pork dog. http://s3-media2.ak.ye...
- OROCHI: Bratwurst with grilled radish, green onions, and special spy sauce.
- NEGIMISO: Turkey with special miso sauce, green onion, fried cabbage.
- OKONOMI: Kurobota (pork) with special Japanese sauce, Japanese mayo, bonito flakes, and fried cabbage. http://s3-media1.ak.ye...
- TONKATSU: Deep fried pork cutlet marinated in tonkatsu sauce with fresh cabbage.
- CROQUETTE: Arabiki sausage, fried cabbage, Japanese fried roll containing mashed potatoes.
- LOVE MEAT: Arabiki Pork sausage, cheese, and sauteed beef and pork.
- HOT SPICY: Beef with special spicy sauce and lettuce.
- YAKINIKU RICE: Arabiki pork with special rice and grilled beef. http://s3-media4.ak.ye...
We also tried their age ice (pronounced ah-geh ice). "Age" means "fried" in Japanese, not old heehee. Deep fried buns dipped in sugar and filled with three scoops of ice cream -- tastes like ice cream on a fluffy donut! Surprisingly doesn't taste as heavy as it sounds! I highly recommend the kurogama (black sesame) flavor ice cream! See these age ice photos:
http://s3-media3.ak.ye...
http://s3-media1.ak.ye...
http://s3-media1.ak.ye...
http://s3-media4.ak.ye...
Definitely a fun place to eat in Vancouver -- it looks overly crowded but no worries, the line moves very fast!Listed in: Vancouver Eats
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Review from Diana C.
Burnaby, BC
12/26/2011 2 photos
Very popular for tourists and locals! During peak hours the line ups can be quite long.
It's also cash only, but there are banks close by.
I personally like the Okonomi and terimayo. Those are probably the most popular choices.
Also, they have some condiments on the side of the cart you can add onto the japadog and the wasabi mayo is a MUST! -
Review from Kelly H.
12/21/2011
Spicy Cheese was my favorite! We ordered 4 different japadogs and they all tasted awesome. (And after a few bites, all the same..haha.) Juicy sausages and fun toppings! I'm craving some as I type this. Kind of pricey for a food cart hot dog, but I guess they're kind of special.
I also got a kick out of looking at their posters. Ice Cube loves Japa Dog...TEN TIMES! win. -
Review from Jia min C.
12/16/2011
I don't tend to buy street hot dogs as sometimes the carts look super-sketch, but I was intrigued by the sheer number of hot dog stands in this area of Vancouver and especially by this stand and this idea. My friends and I were up for a vacation and staying at a hotel nearby. Vancouver as a general matter is a pricey city so I was hoping for a cheap but good dinner option.
While my vegetarian friends got their dinner at the market, I headed over to Japa Dog. I later learned that they tend to have long lines, and maybe it was because I went so late (around 9pm?) that there was no line. I got the spicy cheese terimayo, basing my choice purely on the pictures on the menu. I met back up with my friends and headed back to the hotel. As I'd been starving, I proceeded to sit on the floor with my japadog and inhale that sucker. My friends made fun of me for making happy food noises the whole time. I loved how the Japanese mayonnaise went with the hot dog and I loved the roasted seaweed on top.
They actually have vegetarian options too, so FYI to the veggies out there. I can't speak to the quality of the vegetarian japadogs, but I have faith that it is probably pretty delicious as well. However, I certainly would never take a vegetarian option when there is meat available.
This place is a great option if you don't want to spend too much on food and also a great option if you like eating. If you are at all in Vancouver, even briefly, you should make it a point to get something from this place. I know that if I lived in Vancouver, I would probably eat there every day. Well... maybe at least once a week. I know that they opened one in New York, but I'm crossing my fingers that they will expand to San Francisco as well.
These hot dogs are the epitome of gourmet hot dogs! -
Review from Shelley B.
Vancouver, BC
11/16/2011
It doesn't matter the time of day, I am always craving Japadog.
Their motto is: MAKING THE WORLD HAPPY AND ALIVE THROUGH HOTDOGS! -
Review from Joyce H.
12/26/2011
I ate Japa Dog everyday for 3 days straight when I was in Vancouver for a conference. I couldn't get over how good it was! My favorite was the terimayo with all the fixings - japanese mayo, seaweed flakes, some strange delicious sweet sauce, etc. I still dream about Japa Dog, and if you are in the area, you absolutely 100% must come try these hot dogs.
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Review from Emily S.
10/31/2011
WOW. Japa Dog! You guys need to open one here in the US! It says on your website that you're coming here in 2011! Time is ticking!!
I've never heard of Japa Dog before... however while I was there my friends wanted to try it. They know all the good spots to eat. Japa Dog was on their list of things to have while in Canada. That, dim sum and poutine.
If you only had to choose one meal between the three, I would suggest you choose Japa Dog.
I had the Kurobuta Pork hot dog... Terimayo style. It was good. Really good. Better than the bacon covered hot dogs we have here. The hot dog was thick. There were tons of toppings. Their spicy wasabi mayo was good. I don't know what else was on it... but it all went together well.
If you go, get two of these bad boys! If you only get one, you will regret it! :D -
Review from Amy C.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Did the famous Japa Dog stand live up to its name?
Based off the one hot dog I tried, yes.
I got the #3 which is a turkey hot dog with green onions, cabbage and some special soy sauce. The dog was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Two thumbs up!
At $5, it was quite pricey for a hot dog. I had a bite of my friend's terimayo and it was pretty good as well, albeit a bit heavy.
No line when we arrived, but after we ordered around 6 people showed up. See? We got Japa Dog some business! hahaha jk.
I would definitely go back because I wanna try the other hot dogs.
I heard it's coming to LA, but no idea when or where. -
Review from Berkley C.
12/4/2011
I don't like hot dogs. This was good. Probably the best hot dog I've ever had. I don't remember what mine was called but I think it was number 6. We tried a bunch of them and they were all pretty good. There was one with daikon that was surprisingly good. I'd go back to Japadog. And, that's saying a lot because I don't like hot dogs!
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Review from pauline c.
Updated - 8/30/2011 2 photos
STILL. THE EFFING BOMB!
I'm pretty sure you have to get the okonomiyaki dog, at least once in your life. The flavor is spectacular, and awakens taste buds you didn't quite know you had. Savory, a little bit of sweet, and very very scrumptious.Listed in: For you, I will., I found you through Yelp
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/1/2009
What do you do after eating breakfast and lunch shortly after? Well, you gorge yourself with a hot… Read more »
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Review from Eat F.
Vancouver, BC
11/23/2011
Personal Remarks: I came here before they opened all the chains and it was so much better before. I'm thankful that with all the growth and expansion this little company is having they their hot dogs did not get smaller with the price increase. No matter which hot dog you try they are all tasty and it might time a few visits to find out which is your favorite. My favorite is the Terimayo and I like to pile on the wasabi mayo. You HAVE TO TRY THE WASABI MAYO!!!! it's so unique and makes your already tasty hot dog 10 times more tasty! Despite their growth, the taste is still the same hasn't changed. If you do get the chance to go visit their Rosbon store, I recommend trying their skinny fries, it's not great, but it's seasoned well and worth a try. Split the cost with some friends, or be nice and treat them. Japadog will be a staple in Vancouver. There is too much hype and it is starting to get overrated, but life is too short, so go try one.
Ambiance: Great in the Summer, Bad in the Rain and Cold
Seating/Wait time: Peak Hours = Bad, expect to wait at least 10 minutes.
Dress Code: No shoes, no shirt, you still will get service!
Crowd: Anyone
Meal:
Okonomi $6.75
Terimayo $7.25
Value: 3/5 -
Review from Ha T.
9/25/2011
I really, really want to like Japadog. The Berkshire sausage is juicy, fatty and has none of that weird aftertaste I've come to associate with some American hot dogs. Sweet terimayo is a tasty novelty, which I love. Too bad the dry bun and stale nori ruined it for me.
Love it or not, it's a unique and tourist-y kind of thing that should be tried at least once. -
Review from Jewel Y.
Personally I'm not particularly fond of hot dogs but after hearing so much hype about this Japanized hot dog stand, I had to try it myself. Because I went there during the off-peak time (4pm), the queue was short. The variety of toppings was overwhelming and made me indecisive, so I asked the Japanese guy at the cashier what's his recommendation. Of course he suggested the most expensive "kurobuta terimayo" ($6.75), but I decided to try it anyway upon learning that Anthony Boudain also tried the same one.
Kurobuta terimayo was pretty good, mayo, nori, and teriyaki sauce definitely appealed to my typical Japanese obsession with condiments. The pork sausage made of Kurobuta (Japanese black hog considered as the "kobe beef" of pork) was juicy and flavorful but $6.75 seems to me a bit overpriced for a mere hot dog. Oh well. I'm really curious about other flavors like "veggie oroshi", "okonomi", "spicy cheese terimayo", and "ume".... they all sound very intriguing!! I wanna try all of them!!!
I found out that Japadog will open a chain in East Village in Nov. 2011!!! I bet it will blow out!!!Listed in: Vancouver
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Review from Iris T.
9/9/2011 1 photo
I knew when I planned a trip to Vancouver that I HAD to stop by Japa Dog. I feel like it's just as major an attraction as Stanley Park (.. okay, well maybe just for foodies!).
Anyway, after lusting after every hotdog on the menu, I decided on the Okonumi: Kurobuta Pork + Special Okonomiyaki Sauce + Bonito Flakes + Fried Cabbage + Japanese Mayo.
It was love at first bite! I was wary of all the sauces overpowering the Kurobuta Pork but everything on that dog complemented each other very well.
Next visit back to Van-City, you better believe I'll be back at Japa Dog and try NOT to eat every meal there! -
Review from Anna B.
10/19/2011
I visited Van City over the weekend and had to start yelping places to eat!
This was one establishment everyone had recommended me to try!
Boy was I in for a treat. We went in the afternoon after a bike ride and there was already a line. Not enough chairs for people to sit but definitely worth it!
We ordered the Terimayo and Okinomi and they were both amazing!!! It was super good and tasty!!! It almost didn't taste like a hot dog anymore. Their fries came in 6 different seasonings of your choice and comes in a shake bag.
If you're ever visiting Vancouver, this is a must have! -
Review from Min V.
10/16/2011
This place was so satisfying after a day of walking all over downtown and Granville Island the whole day in the rain and cold, and we were lucky to make it just before they shutdown for the night.
I ordered the Spicy Cheese Terimayo and my friends ordered a Terimayo and Korubuta Pork. The Spicy Cheese Terimayo had subtle hints of spiciness blended with the sweetness of the terimayo. It was just perfect. We traded bites of each others dog, and the Korobuta was the business as well.
It was pretty filling and the only reason why I'm not giving it a full five stars is because other locations had different menu items that I wish that we could have tried as well. Either way, make sure to make this place a priority for your visit! I love you, Vancouver! -
Review from Dustin H.
9/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay, here's the thing... I LOVE hotdogs. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. That being said, I'm a traditionalist when it comes to these sinfuly little sticks of condensed meat, so a lot of what I saw on the menu at Japa Dog were things I would never touch in a million years. That being said, any time I see a street vendor with a lineup like the one these guys had, I know I gotta stop by and see what all the fuss is about... and boy am I glad I did.
Even though I just went for the traditional, straight up "all beef hotdog", which really should be no different than what you get anywhere else, it was... and it was AMAZING. I don't know it was the quality of the meat, the way they cut it (allowing the condiments to get sort of inside the dog, which let the falvors spread out more evenly which was awesome) or WHAT it was, but this was hands down the greatest hotdog I've ever had. Not just the best street vendor one, or the best one in Vancouver, but THE best hot dog. Period.
Call me crazy, but when I go back to Vancouver in a couple of months, one of the things I look forward to the most, right up there with seeing friends, the concert I'm going to, and all of that, is the chance to go back to Japa Dog.
Wow. -
Review from Jodie M.
Vancouver, BC
1/21/2012
What an interesting concept! I love Japanese foods and was delighted when I first heard about this store. I've eaten here a few times, I love the Tonkatsu dog. The Minestrone soup with moshi was interesting, I actually left a bit of the moshi behind but the minestrone was quite delicious! They also have the street carts too with photos of celebrities who have eaten at them. It's such a cool concept that regardless of your preference to Japanese sauces you must try one of these dogs!
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Review from Greg B.
8/9/2011
460 reviews.
A two-line system to handle the long crowds.
Friendly, smiling asian guys serving up the goods.
What can I add to this except that the pig did not die in vain. it is a glorious experience eating one of these fine dogs. I can think of no higher purpose in life. -
Review from Abi B.
7/26/2011
Whenever I'm in downtown Vancouver and I crave a hot dog, I head to the nearest Japadog.
My favourite is the Beef Terimayo. The terimayo tastes great on the beef hot dog and the nori adds a nice, crisp texture.
Sometimes there's a bit of a wait, but it's worth it.Listed in: Vancouver Street Eats
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Review from Phung D.
9/20/2011
As much as I love you Japa Dog, I also hate you for not having one in the US!! If anything, this would a be good reason for me to comeback to BC! It was REALLY that good that I came back for the second day while I was there. I actually hesitated to try this out at first because I thought it was a tad weird mixing hot dog with "sushi" ingredients but nope! It was the best food I had in Canada!!
Food Stand: I was looking for the actual restaurant at first only to find out it was a food stand. That's pretty awesome.
Location: Corner of Burrad & Smithe (next to the hotel). They have few other locations too and I think it would be less crowded since this is downtown
- Beef Teriyamo: I just wanted to try something simple first so I got the beef teriyamo and it was good! It has seaweed and some other sauce on it.
- OKONOMI: Kurobuta pork with bonito flakes & fried cabbage. I thought the flake was okay but the sauce they put on this hot dog was SUPER TASTY!!! My favorite from them.
(The hot dog iself were both good and not so chewy) -
Review from Stephene C.
Vancouver, BC
8/31/2011
These are some damn gourmet dogs. I have to say hot dogs were gone from my life for quite some time, until someone told me about these bad boys. Leave it to the Japanese to make an American classic a hundred times better!
I've tried a few of them, but my all time fav is the beef terimayo. It is so damn good! A 100% beef dog, warm toasted bun, with delicious sauteed onions, strips of seaweed and just the right amount of mayo with some sort of seasoning.
When I first bit into one, I was in hot dog heaven.
St3Fin -
Review from Amy T.
8/6/2011
I really do love a regular hot dog every now and then, but if you want to give your tastebuds a hard shove, then I suggest going with a Japadog!
Think regular hot dog with Japanese ingredients piled high on top... that's a Japadog. I believe most people like the Spicey Cheese Terimayo Dog, but if you're feeling a little bit adventurous, try the Oroshi - that's my favorite. The Oroshi is a Bratwurst with grated raddish, green onions and soy sauce.
For a quick and low budget meal, Japadog's the way to go!Listed in: Lunchin' Downtown, Budget Dining Downtown
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Review from Nathania Y.
11/14/2011
I have been wanting to try japadog since a friend of mine said that it is the signature dish of Vancouver. The japadog stand was like so small, and I could not find any parking near it and since I was not familiar with streets in Vancouver, I went around and around the area for about 10 minutes for street parking. And finally, when I tried it, it was not worth it. I think Costco's hotdog is much better than japadog.
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Review from Suie C.
8/10/2011 8 photos
First japadog experience and it was quite tasty. The hot dogs they have here seem to be lighter than normal and I can actually eat them without feeling guilty about eating they typically greasy hot dogs. I don't know if they're actually any healthier than normal dogs, but they taste like it. They have a variety of toppings and interesting flavors.
The wait for one was a bit longer than normal hot dog stands, but the ppl who work here take care in creating the hot dogs.
Overall, tasty and interesting, but a bit pricey. I got the #6 and I think I paid $7 for it. -
Review from Tori T.
8/31/2011
Wow, this place is all the rage! Every person who knew I was vacationing in Vancouver told me , "You MUSTget a Japadog!" I understood that this was a street vendor and wasn't really going to replace a nice sit-down meal while on vacation so we decided to stop and Japa Dog early, see a sight, and then go to La Belle Patat for poutine.
The Japa Dog concept is very cool, yet a bit funky- Japanese food meets hot dog (very easy context clues!) I'm an adventurous eater so i don't need to know what every single ingredient is but I'm glad they had pics to somewhat explain what it was that I was ordering. My beau got a different dog so we could try each others. Honestly, while the dog was decent, I'm gonna have to stick to my good ol' American dog. Mustard, pickles, relish, and onions, please! At least they were cheap... -
Review from Mark L.
Edmonton, AB
8/6/2011 1 photo
I went to this location even more than Ice Cube! Though Japa Dog is no longer my favorite food truck (that honour may belong to Fresh, Local, Wild) but it is my standby. I stick to the vegetarian dogs: Miso Mayo (which seems to not be on the menu anymore), terimayo, and orishi (a bit too much radish).
Admittedly, Japa Dog is very gimmicky, but it's a gimmick that tastes great. The veggie dogs are just standard store bought fare; it's the toppings that make it work. I'd buy a bun stuffed with some terimayo sauce and seaweed if I could. It'd probably still cost more than $5 though.
Despite the lengthy lines, particularly in the summer, the staff is efficient and always extremely friendly. -
Review from gretchen c.
Vancouver, BC
9/13/2011
Japadog is a hotdog stand located on the corner of Smithe and Burrard in downtown Vancouver that stands out more than any other hotdog stand in town because of its unique and novel hotdog creations.
"The JAPA DOG comes in three perkily perfect versions: the Terimayo is smothered in Japanese mayo, nori, teriyaki sauce, and fried onions: the Oroshi is a bratwurst laden with special soy sauce, green onions, and daikon: Misomayo is turkey smokie laden with special miso sauce, Kaiware, and Japanese mayo."
Slightly more expensive than your local hotdog stand, and usually a stand with a line-up that goes all down the block. With its increasing popularity, this stand actually evolved into a shop on Robson street, still with the same line-ups out the door.
Juicy hotdogs that are topped with interesting and delicious sauces that deviate from the traditional ketchup, mustard, and relish combination. Definitely a must-try in Vancouver. -
Review from Matt B.
Victoria, BC
6/27/2011
I have to admit that most of my interest in trying this came from watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. I had combo #1 (a hot dog with teriyaki sauce, seaweed strips and Japanese mayo) and it was both original and delicious.
Extra points for elevating hot dogs of all things.
