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Japa Dog
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Hot Dogs Japanese, Hot Dogs [Edit]
530 Robson StVancouver, BC V6B 2B7
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 809-4333
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 pm - 7 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
134 reviews for Japa Dog
Review Highlights
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"Terimayo means mmm NUM NUM to me." In 38 reviews -
"It helped to add some wasabi mayo, mmmmm." In 19 reviews -
"My Okonomi hot dog was melt-in-your-mouth delicious." In 24 reviews
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134 reviews in English
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Review from Alan And Rick M.
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
So this being a first for the both of us to Vancouver, I went all over the internet trying to find some good grub that would be unique and diverse; I came across an episode of, 'No Reservations' with Bourdain, and seeing that it didn't involve an entire show about him drinking until his ass fell off the chair, or some diatribe about the slow decay of society morals and woes, I trudged thru the hour with him traipsing all over Vancouver, stuffing his inebriated pie hole with late night snacks...(I actually like watching him, but for some reason I also like making fun of him more)!
Click below to read more...
So the Japadog business model started off as a cart, and now they have several mobile units and a brick & mortar store right on Robson street, not even a block from our hotel. So it was kismet, we had to go and try this Japanese version of an American classic.
And from the looks of it, it seems like it's doing very well, with a new outpost in NYC on St. Marks Place, it's concept that still has yet to be uncovered in the States. Well, knowing our fondness (weakness) for Tonkatsu, we had to try the hot dog version: deep fried Tonkatsu marinated in Tonkatsu sauce, Fresh Cabbage and Japanese Mayo on a hot dog bun. Man it was freshly fried and tasted just right.
The next Hot Dog was the Kurobuta Terimayo: Berkshire Pork Sausage with Teriyaki Sauce Japanese Mayo and Seaweed Strips, it's Japadog's most popular and signature Hot Dog. After the first bite, it's not hard to see why -the Kurobuta sausage is crisp and juicy, just like a gourmet hot dog should taste. Add the tangy/creamy Teriyaki-Mayo Sauce with some briny seaweed and you have a savory sandwich that elevates your run-of-the mill Hot Dog to a new level... All I can say is, NYC, watch out! Japadog is gonna give the Sabarett Hot Dog Carts a run for their money!!!!!
So we had to run off and eat at another venue, otherwise, we would have ordered one of each off the menu. I really wanted to try: The Okonomi, The Yakisoba, The Yakiniku Rice, The Croquette and The Ice Age. I wanted to try their Fries as well: particularly the Aonori, Curry and Shichimi & Garlic....
All in all, the whole Hot Dog concept is a simple, yet delicious concept, and good for Japadog for creating this great tasty fusion between American and Japanese fast food......yum......
Ratings (Out od Five Stars)
Food: 3.5
Ambience: 2.75
Service: 3.75 -
Review from Robin M.
5/17/2012
Well hell. Japa Dog got itself a real live sit-down restaurant. Now, I love Japa Dog. I love that they do miso for mustard, bonito flakes for relish. I love each and every single one of their dogs: terimayo, oroshi, okonomi, tonkatsu -- gimme aaaaall the dogs.
But -- and this is important, folks:
A simple and humble thing such as a hotdog requires a grill. Stick to the street vendors if you want the real Japa Dog experience. Then, and only then, will you know what all the fuss is about.Listed in: Oishii Oishii!, Fast Food
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Review from X B.
5/4/2012
had the oroshi --yummy, the daikon and sauce mix was perfect for the bratwurst
wasabi mayo is a nice spicy thing to add
meat lover - yum, this is like a sloppy joe, very tasty -
Review from Ji Y.
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is something unique and after visiting Vancouver, I was excited to try this. It was definitely different but after several bites, I just couldn't eat any more. There is a large selection of toppings for the hotdog but hotdog and japanese toppings just didn't go well together always. I prefer to just stick with my American version of hotdogs. At least I can say I tried it! The french fries was good though!
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Review from Helen W.
5/24/2012
Cheap grub, delicious with a variety of Japadog options. Guaranteed you've never had a hotdog like this before.
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Review from Dan C.
5/17/2012
I see the draw to this place. Who doesn't like hotdogs? But I have to admit that I never ever thought I would have a hotdog with seaweed or one with bonito flakes on it. Somehow the combinations worked. It's worth a try at least once if you are curious and want to try something different.
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Review from Patricia L.
Vancouver, BC
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a regular haunt on my list of cravings that I must satisfy every few weeks or so. I've tried everything on their menu (my friends don't call me piggy for nothing) and everything is good, but my favourite is the Terimayo Dog.
If I'm at their Sutton Place location then I just stick to that. If I'm at their storefront location on Robson then I combo up my dog with their fanf@hkingtastic Butter Shoyu Fries. Butter and fries - HELLO!
Japa Dog is a perfect savoury treat after a long and hard day of shopping in the downtown core. Life is good!Listed in: I HEART Food!
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Review from Max K.
4/14/2012
Good hot dogs with a variety of Japanese toppings.
I had the terimayo and loved it. Beef dog with teriyaki, seaweed, japanese mayo, and fried onions. Good stuff! I'd avoid the fries, you've had way better, even w/o the novelty seasoning, the only reason they don't get 5 stars is because if the fries.
Read the rest of the reviews for tips, but definitely walk in if you live in or are visiting Vancouver. -
Review from Alex L.
4/6/2012
Look, I'm a sucker for hot dogs. *Good* hot dogs. Read into that however you want and make the obvious jokes because I won't notice; I'm in a heroin-like state oblivion when someone presents me with a Hebrew National on a grilled bun.
That's fair warning that I'm going to be biased towards a place with a good dog. I had never heard of Japa Dog before one of my traveling companions mentioned he saw the place noted on No Reservations but was encouraged by the idea.
We quickly forgot about this suggestion as we hit food joint after food joint walking up and down the shiny rain-soaked streets of Vancouver. But a serendipitous decision to walk up Richards instead of heading back to Granville made this review possible.
The place offered 7 or 8 eight offerings that I could see but I only was able to try the Terimayo, Love Meat and the fries with shoyu and butter. (No worries, because I promise you Japa Dog that I will return to throw money at you.)
My first taste was the Love Meat dog which had meat, cheese and onions seared using a torch. I didn't even know about the torch thing until the girl behind the counter pulled out the mini-flamethrower and went all pyro on my food. Sweet! Taking the first few bites, it tasted more or less what I expected from what was in it. It was okay, but not my favorite.
Then I dug into the terimayo (which also happens to be the most popular). Smiles. Part of it was just the flavor of the seaweed mixing in with some of the other sweeter toppings, and added to that the savoriness of the hotdog itself. I wanted to go back and order two more, and I was eating this right after a lunch and two hours before a dinner and had to put the e-brake on.
Unfortunately the fries were my biggest disappointment. The actual flavor of the shoyo butter reminded me of popcorn because the butter comes out the strongest by far. That's okay with me, but the fries were also soggy and limp (maybe from soaking in butter?) and definitely wasn't on the same level as the hot dogs.
Despite all that, my bias still leads me to drop a 5/5 for Japa Dog. Just stick to the good stuff! -
Review from Nida K.
3/9/2012 2 photos
Walking around Vancouver and I see this place called JapaDog. A name like this was intriguing to me so I just had to see what they had on their menu. I've never had a Japanese hotdog before so of course the foodie in me wanted to give it a try. This location wasn't very crowded, but there were always people in line to order. My boyfriend and I decided to try two different kinds: The most popular Terimayo, which is JAPADOG's Signature Hot Dog: Teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed; and the second most popular Okonomi, which is Juicy Kurobuta sausage topped with bonito flakes.
I usually put fixins like ketchup and relish on my hotdogs, but I didn't know what to do with these. I decided to just eat them as they come since they already had a bunch of stuff on it. The Terimayo had a great presentation with the seaweed on top. The taste of it was interesting. I can't actually remember if I liked it or not so I guess that isn't really a good sign. The Okonomi was recommended to me by a man who worked here and I did not like it at all. It just had an extremely awkward taste that I can't put my finger on.
Lots of people seem to be fans so maybe the next time I run across one, I'll give them another shot to impress me. It looks like they're expanding so maybe they'll be one near me soon. Let's hope so, that way I won't have to go so far. -
Review from Audrey C.
3/17/2012 6 photos
My rating is based on the fact that I'm not a HUGE hot dog fan... but there's definitely a fun novelty to Japadog! I had no idea that it even existed until my friends introduced it to me. So I was in Vancouver and we were limited on meals to try different restaurants, but they said that WE HAD to go. They had gone before a few years back, when they were only a cart...so once we finally found the store, we were all like kids in a candy shop...jaws dropped at the awesome menu! Imagine...all of your favorite Japanese foods, on top of a hot dog! Because there were 5 of us, we were able to each order something different and try each other's.
We tried:
- Mochi Minestrone...good, but I could have done without the huge mochi balls. (The mochi balls were the size of the ones that you get in ginataan.)
- Butter & Shoyu Shaked Fries
- Okonomi
- Spicy Cheese Terimayo
- Croquette
The Croquette is definitely really good. But I also liked the Spicy Cheese Terimayo.
If we had more time and I had space for it, I would have ordered one of the Ice Age. I have a soft spot for Black Sesame, so when I saw they had it, I really wanted to get it.
Will there be a next time? Maybe... -
Review from Molly T.
2/19/2012
This place is good to try once while in Vancouver.
First, they do not accept credit cards, US debit cards or bills greater than $50. However they will take US dollars. That's a plus.
Second, order the terimayo dog. Regular beef with their famous mayo. It was good. The okonomi and the 'love meat' were just ok. Both were pork but the texture was a bit tough. The 'love meat' reminded me of a chili dog.
Again worth trying once.Listed in: eh It's Vancouver!
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Review from Chantelle E.
2/14/2012
My husband and I visited Japadog this weekend and we were pretty impressed.
When we arrived the line was out the door and there tiny little dining area was crowded with more people waiting and a few groups at tables.
I have to say I am not much of a "dog" person, but my guy is, so we have had a few over the years. off all the dogs I have encountered, this was by far the best. And I am not really talking about all the unique toppings, i am talking about the actual hot dog. We come from the stated, where super processed disgusting hotdog are the norm. These had a great outer texture (natural casing maybe??) and were cooked to perfection. They were even sliced so you could manage to take a bite without destroying the whole dog.
Then there were the toppings of course, some unfamiliar, but great, and the fries, oooohhhhh the fries, YUM! Its definitely all about the butter and shoyu fries, those are almost worth the drive from seattle on their own! -
Review from Julie L.
4/16/2012
Yummy! There were 2 Japa Dog stands where we were staying (Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel) Yes the hype is all true! Try more than one if you can! They run about $10 per HD.
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Review from Grace C.
Burnaby, BC
3/7/2012
Headed to Japadog after work with a simple plan to bring home a dog to enjoy pre-dinner, so how did I end up getting two? How do you choose between the terimayo and the tonkatsu??
The tonkatsu isn't really a hotdog, as it's not a sausage. It is sausage shaped, but really, it's more like a pork patty, so it is more of a sandwich. Still yummy, I mean, it's pork, and it's deep fried. Memories of bacon come rushing back.
The other one is the Terimayo, their bestseller! A beef dog topped with mayo and teriyaki sauce. Sprinkling of fried onions and shredded seaweed complete the package. I added a bit of wasabi mayo to kick things up a bit, but it's actually pretty mild. I only did the top half of each, just in case it was too spicy. -
Review from Sunny C.
3/7/2012
Delicious, Juicy, and messy. Order the most popular one, you wont regret it. They a;so have side sauces (in the back) which are also yummy. Fries needed a bit more salt.
seating is quite small/limited but enough for a small party. GO try it! -
Review from Cara P.
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stick to the street vendor stands for Japadog. This restaurant version is no where near as good.
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Review from Julio M.
Vancouver, BC
4/5/2012
The hot dogs are awesome, but the fries are to die for! Please extend your hours!
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Review from Christine Y.
3/22/2012
I like me a great hot dog, and I love good spicy food. Cue the Hot Spicy Japa Dog, it was delicious! The sauce was just spicy enough to have a kick (though if you're sensitive to heat, you might not handle it - I'm a fiend), the lettuce was crisp, and the bun was toasted to perfection. My Diet Coke was the perfect accompaniment. Too bad they don't have more seating - this place was packed!
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Review from Michael Y.
Toronto, ON
OMG Where has this place been all my life?! Wanted to try everything and I almost did trying a taste of a bunch of my friends dogs. Uh, that didn't sound right, but I don't care! You can also get just a regular hot dog but I don't know why you would do that. They also had the veggie which my vegetarian wife did not even try. It was like going to vegas - no holds bar.
This tiny little spot where we had squeezed in to order our food, almost felt like we were in Japan. I had the Terimayo and the Croquette with the shichimi & garlic fries. Yes they flavour their fries! You also have to try the Kurogoma ice cream dogs! They're good for you. And the Mochi Minestroni soup is to die for on a cold winters day. The people working there are a blast as well. They look like they love their jobs and always try to be helpful.
I wanted to give this place 4 stars but I had to be honest with myself. This place gave me the experience I want from every restaurant. 5 Stars! -
Review from Tiffany C.
3/17/2012
I'm officially one step closer to death. I think that by consuming one of these you gain probably 1000 calories. ha. Anyways I heard about this from a local and though it was interesting. I got the Terimayo, which was a regular hot dog, but with teriyaki sauce, mayo, and seaweed on top. At first it tasted a bit odd, like the flavors belonged in two distinctly separate categories: east v. west. The bread wasn't your regular hot dog bread but was a bit on the sweeter side. I think that this went well with the other flavors. This dog was a bit messy though. But what's the tagline...if it doesn't get all over the place it doesn't belong in your face?!?
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Review from Adriana R.
3/29/2012
This was my first visit to Vancouver and of course I had to stop by Japa Dog. I just had to try it. So my friends and I braved the crowd and limited space inside of this tiny restaurant. It took about 25 minutes for our food to be ready. It was all worth it! Although, if you are claustrophobic you might want to try one of the food stands instead. I'll definitely stop by here again on my next visit to Vancouver!
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Review from Jessica C.
1/3/2012
I'm not sure which Japadog I went to since I was just visiting..it's either this one or the one on Burrard. Either I'm sure they are the same and both YUMMY!
My cousin and I wanted to grab something quick as we were walking around on Boxing Day when this little place across the street caught our eye. We crossed the street and saw that there were a ton of people inside. We still decided to go in since the menu made our mouth water.
I got the Terimayo, the first one on the menu. It's a beef hot dog with grilled onions (even though it says fried), seaweed, and spicy Japanese mayo. You can also add other condiments like sauerkraut, relish, sriracha, and of course the usual mustard & ketchup.
It reminded me of Best Wurst in Austin but 100000 TIMES BETTER! I wish we had this after an eventful night on 6th Street! -
Review from Bon H.
3/5/2012
This is my favorite hot dog place! Order the okonomi and add some wasabi mayo to the mix. So good that I come here with friends whenever we're in Vancouver! They are quick and nice. The space is small and tight, it tends to be crowded everytime we go but so worth it! Make sure you have cash on hand! :)
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Review from Patrick B.
1/25/2012
Tastes vary when it comes to "street meat" but when I had seen that Anthony Bourdain had visited Japadog on "No Reservations" I felt like that was enough of an endorsement to come try it when I came to visit. I wasn't disappointed.
My selected dog was Okonomi, which was the "Kurobota sausage topped with bonito flakes." I use the quotes because I honestly didn't have any idea what was in it when I ordered, but it looked good. I did the research later to find out what it was that I had eaten. I don't think you can go wrong with this dog, and I enjoyed it through the last bite. I would recommend grabbing a bunch of napkins up front though, as it became progressively more messy as I ate it. I complemented my dog with the Butter Shoyu fries. I admit again that I didn't have any idea what they were going to be like, but when in doubt I usually opt for whatever the most popular or most recommended item to try. They were delicious, and as previously mentioned, they didn't require any sauce for dipping as they were flavorful enough to stand on their own.
Good stuff, if perhaps a little pricey for what you get. I'd definitely go again. -
Review from Michael W.
12/25/2011
PROS:
+ unique flavor combinations for hot dogs
+ unique fries
CONS:
- a bit pricey for what you get
Heard about this place and came here to check out what the commotion is about. Here is what I had and my thoughts:
Terimayo - JAPADog's signature hot dog (beef hot dog, teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed) I thought it was a neat idea. The dog itself is a little lack luster and not as flavorful as, say a Nathan's dog(New York Style). The sauce terimayo(teriyaki and mayo sauces) and seaweed provides a new flavor profile for the hot dog. I thinks okay, but I am not sure that the hot dog pairs well with the sweet sauce.
Kurobuta Terimayo - Pork sausage version of the above dog. The texture is softer, it was flavorful, but I didn't like the texture.
Shake fries Butter Shoyu - Excellent flavor, great new spin on traditional flavor of fries. No additional condiments needed to eat these fries. Though the flavor can get a little too rich and I had to stop about half way into my bag.
Shake Fries Shichimi & Garlic - Nice flavor, I like the shake fries idea, but this one's flavor profile is still very much like normal fries.
I am still not sure what I feel about this place. I would try it again to form a more solid opinion. -
Review from Cathy S.
11/1/2011
For my 200th overall review and the final review in the 30 Reviews in 30 Days Challenge I decided I would finally try the perennial Yelp favourite Japa Dog, and unfortunately I was less than impressed.
I have never been a huge fan of finely emulsified offal in a casing, aka the hot dog, so I thought the big chance to convert me to a hot dog lover would be to try the fan favourite Terimayo. Well, it looked pretty but as for taste, I'm still not a hot dog convert.
I did not taste any soy at all in the teriyaki, only an undefined sweetness. The dog itself was quite dry and somewhat rubbery. There was an overabundance of Japanese mayo. The onions were soupy and undercooked and turned the toasted bun soggy by the time I was 2/3 done. A lot of my nori blew off the top of my dog when a gust whistled in from the open front door so I maybe got 1/2 the quantity I was supposed to.
I am told that the Japa Dog stand on Burrard serves a better quality product. Maybe for my 300th review I will consider a revisit. I'm just not drinking the Anthony Bourdain Kool-aid right now.Listed in: 30-Day Yelp Challenge, Better Than BP Medication
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Review from Ellen L.
10/28/2011
I don't consider myself a particularly critical or picky eater. I love me some hot dogs once in a while. However, I will say I tend to prefer foods done the traditional way. So, this mentality probably plays a factor here.
Sorry to rock the boat, but I think Japa Dog is the most overhyped overrated thing in Vancouver. I have had a couple of varieties of their Terimayo. Sure the Japanese flare is visually interesting, but I didn't think it was anything special or tasty. Also, the weiner is TINY (lol) and wayyyyy too salty. Not to mention the line! The price you pay is also kind of ridiculous. I'd take a big hearty dog with just ketchup and relish over this any day! I guess if you're tourists in town and want to try something that's unique to Vancouver, hit up Japa Dog. Otherwise, I don't see its appeal.
However, their fries are good, especially that one with the dried seaweed bits on it (don't remember the name). -
Review from Jennifer W.
9/7/2011 4 photos
Anthony Bourdain, Japa Dog isn't worth the hype. The dogs were too overcooked, chewy and rubbery. The dogs were bland too. The only thing that saved the dogs were the condiment bar with wasabi mayo. http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
The fries were nice; you pick a flavor and they shake it in a paper bag for you. Reminded me of one of my visits to Hong Kong when McDonalds offers those types of fries.
Every table and chair was sticky. Need I say more?
Btw - they don't accept credit cards, $100 bills, or $50 bills (US) http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
Next time I pay this much for a hot dog, it'll be at Dog Haus in Pasadena. Thanks. http://www.yelp.ca/biz... -
Review from Bobbin W.
9/19/2011
My junior high track coach always told me to give 110%. If you're going to do something, why not go all out? Unfortunately, I forgot this important mantra when I ordered the Negi Miso turkey dog at Japa Dog. The special miso sauce, fried cabbage and green onion couldn't mask the frank's rubbery texture. My attempt to eat slightly healthy failed.
My boyfriend, however, gave it his digestive all with the Terimayo, a beef frank topped with teriyaki sauce, seaweed, Japanese mayo and fried onion.
I have learned a hard lesson. -
Review from Eva B.
10/21/2011
I sometimes stop and grab a Japa dog from the cart before a movie. Well if the line up isn't ridiculously long I do. As far as street food goes it is worth the coin. My favorites are the Okonomi featuring bonito flakes and the Terimayo with dried seaweed sprinkles and mayonnaise. The toppings are all so original and tasty. You really can't go wrong with which one you choose.
When they announced they were opening a store front only blocks from my house I couldn't wait. Since they have opened I have only been here twice. For some reason the dogs are not the same. They seem a little dried out, a little too chewy. Maybe the street BBQ holds in the moisture better than the open grill. However, I am not an expert in these matters, I just know that I don't like over masticating my food.
New additions offered at the store front include ice cream fried hot dog buns and flavoured fries. I have not tried the ice cream dogs yet. I did try the fries and they were pretty good. If you get a combo it comes with fries a drink and a dog for under $9. Not the healthiest of meal options, but it is an option if you want something tasty in a hurry. -
Review from Marcie C.
2/20/2012
This was our first time visiting the brick and mortar shop and we were quite pleased we didn't have to eat in the rain! Their shoyu and butter fries are out of this world! I would definitely recommend them! Some of the hot dogs have a whole lotta toppings, so it makes it difficult to eat without a knife and fork. This location doesn't have the yakisoba one, which made me sad. Very delicious though!
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Review from Ema S.
9/7/2011
If your visiting Vancouver this place is a must!
Who the hell puts Ice cream in a hotdog?? Japadog does!!!
I played it safe when I came here.....they hotdogs were just way too crazy looking lol I ordered the meat juice and cheese one...or something like that. Yup, greasy goodness...yum!!!
The cool thing is that each location has a different menu!!
Definitely a place to try! -
Review from Smitcha B.
8/3/2011 7 photos
My first day in Vancouver and this was the first treat of the trip. She wanted to show me the infamous hot dog which of course there was no hesitation on my part. "Japa Dog," the first thing that popped in my mind was that this sure sounded like a racist name. I was expecting to see some white sheet hooded rednecks behind the counter. To my surprise, they were these 5'1 Japanese girls straight from the land of the rising sun. Passing English spoken but flawless Japanese preferred.
A good sign that this was going to be a good experience was the fact that this tiny restaurant was filled with bodies and there was a short line out the door. Don't be afraid of the line, it moves quickly and plus you do not want to pass up this meal. The short wait actually gives you time to decide which style hot dog you want to attack. We were lucky to find some seats on the counter because I have no idea how you can eat this messy meal standing on the street.
I've been told that if you eat at Japa Dogs off the carts in the city, they do not have fries available. So if you find yourself at this location, might as well tact them onto your order. We had the Shichimi & Garlic (Japanese spices & garlic) Fries which I found to be very light. The awesome part is that they have plenty of condiments so you have an array of sauces to dip your fries and juicy wieners with. If you're into it, try the wasabi Japanese mayo; it's the only light green one on the counter.
I ordered the Okonomi which is made with pork (kurobuta), bonito flakes, fried cabbage, Japanese mayo, and special okonomiyaki sauce. I have to say this hot dog tastes as great as it looks. The bonito flakes make it look alive. My Godzilla bite was filled with utter satisfaction and a sense of pride and honor in my fellow aZn peeps. I believe she had the Terimayo (beef with teriyaki sauce, seaweed, Japanese Mayo, and fried onion) which I didn't think was as good as my Okonomi but was still tasty and a bona fide choice.
These simple inspired Japanese hot dogs are equivalent to what you would find at those import car shows. Classic Hondas and other import rice rockets transformed into something you can't even tell what the hell it is anymore. One difference however, it's not just show only, it's a go too. The items here at Japa Dog are nitrous drifting, monstrous creations.
Make sure to conquer these before you leave Van City. -
Review from Betty T.
Ordered a okonomi hot dog combo...the shaked fries in butter and shoyu.. And the shaked fries in shichimi and garlic. Sure, it tasted good... but the hot dog itself is nothing special. I had to smear the wasabe mayo all over the hot dog to taste something.
1 extra star off for not allowing me to use their WIFI. I mean... Fine, it's ok. But the way the waitress said "NO" completely ticked me off!! -
Review from Mark F.
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
While I've never seen a hotdog in Japan, this local favorite puts a nice spin on things. Open late and full format it, what you won't get is frills. More like a hole in the wall. But, like many dives, the quality is what it's about. With a little over a dozen choices, I opted for a beloved Japanese meal, Okonomi, there's no Maki but the cabbage, mayo, sauce and Bonita flakes will leave your mouth watering and wishing for more. I made mine a meal with fries and a beverage. The French fries done up with garlic were ok but came out too soft and mushy. I'll pass on the side next time.
The point here is there will be a next time.
I love you Japadog and look forward to your expansion. Keep up the solid work. -
Review from Jane L.
12/3/2011
On a short trip to Vancouver, my friend took me to Japadog. She told me that the hot dogs were really good and a bit different from the usual hot dog. It sounded intriguing...and always up to try something a little different, I was more than happy to try it out. I have to say... the hot dog was delicious!
I ordered the Okonomi Hot Dog combo, which came with an order of shaken fries and drink of my choice (Ginger Ale). The hot dog was steaming hot on a toasted bun. The hot dog was VERY juicy w/ a nice snap to it... just like the NY hot dogs. Shaken fries come in 6 different flavors-- I picked the Butter & Shoyu flavor (since it was the most popular). It was good... but a bit too buttery and way too salty for me. If I get a chance next time, I might try to curry flavored shaken fries.
All in all...good hot dog... mmm :) I'd come back! -
Review from Alan W.
Vancouver, BC
12/8/2011
Expensive and over rated. Staff does not speak English which is frustrating. They can say 5 or 6 things in English and that's about it.
The restaurant is unheated which is not very pleasant in the winter.
It takes too long for them to cook the hot dog and prices are expensive.
People, what is the big deal about this place?
Worth trying just once to say you did it. -
Review from Vanessa P.
Edmonton, AB
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
After hearing many people rave about it, I decided to head to Vancouver and make it my goal to try a Japadog. I ordered the terimayo and the boyfriend ordered the love meat.
I must say, I think I hyped it up way too much, because I was expecting "amazingly incredible", but I got "ooh, that's good."
Otherwise, I'd say it was a really different, but good experience. The actual hot dogs were quite juicy. I wasn't a big fan of the Love Meat because I felt it the cheese was a little burnt, but the meat sauce was tasty though.
The fries are delish! I had the garlic shichimi and my cousins had the butter shoyu. Mine had a kick to them and my cousins had a little sweet/lightly salty flavor.
I feel like I need to head back and try all the other kinds.Listed in: 30 Day Yelp Challenge
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Review from Mark L.
8/11/2011 1 photo
It's everything you love about Japa Dog, but crowded into a tiny little room that's invariably full. There are a few pluses to the restaurant style Japa Dog. There is seating. Technically, you can sit in front of Sutton Place Hotel if you're at the food cart Japa, but I hear they (i.e., the Sutton Place Hotel staff) don't like it.
Another plus is that you can pay with plastic at this location. I don't carry cash much, so going to a food cart Japa Dog requires an extraordinary amount of pre-planning for me.
The last plus is the shake fries. I don't know about you, but the idea of shaking a bag full of fries is very appealing to me. I like the shoyu butter seasoning best.Listed in: 30 day challenge
