I arrived in New Brunswick by train, which is to say I trusted the machinery of civilization to deliver me to lunch. It did. A short walk later, I found myself at Destination Dogs, a place I had seen in photographs that suggested capaciousness. In reality, it is smaller.  This is not a complaint, just an observation.  I remember once hearing something about the contents of small packages. At 12:30 the place was full. Packed with humanity and appetite. I was seated quickly, as if someone had anticipated my hunger in advance. From the bar came the sound of construction crews discussing their midday rituals. Apparently this is where they come on Fridays, to repair themselves while they repair the city. It explained everything. Service was swift and attentive, a minor miracle given the crowd. I began with a Scotch egg, an item that seemed to have wandered in from another story entirely. I ordered it for that reason. I had always imagined my first Scotch egg would be eaten in an English pub under low ceilings and older regrets. Instead, here it was. Perfectly crisp, warm, and generous. The universe does not ask for permission. Then came the main event. The menu is an atlas of hot dogs. Domestic. International. Proteins in tube form arranged like possibilities. There is even an invitation to build your own, which I accepted. I attempted to recreate a favorite from Crif Dogs, a thing called the Spicy Redneck. Bacon wrapped dog. Pickled jalapenos. Coleslaw. Simple in theory. Destination Dogs improved upon it in every way that matters. The bacon crisped with purpose. The jalapenos spoke clearly. The coleslaw behaved. The hot dog itself seemed proud to be there. All of this, plus a 16 ounce beer, cost me about twenty five dollars with tip. A small price for order in a chaotic universe. Five stars. Not because perfection exists, but because this comes close enough to make the argument. read more

See all

Delicious! Great variety of sausages and toppings to choose from. If it's your first time, I encourage you to pick something off the menu and you won't be disappointed. Service was awesome, walked in 2 mins before happy hour and the waiter took our beer order in record time. He was also very attentive during our entire meal. I ordered the Andouille Armstrong and it was my fav, great snap on the dog and all the flavors complimented each other great, I also had the Si Si Guey, wasn't my favorite but wasn't horrible, I wasn't a fan of the chorizo, I felt the toppings made this hot dog. As for ambiance, it's a bar, has TV, liquor, beer, etc., but clean. If I was local I'd be a regular! read more

Destination Dogs - Si Si Guey- - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

Travel the world through hot dog styles under one roof. Chicago dog relish was outta this world. Sangria was refreshing. The German dog had too much sour cream in my opinion. Service was fast and efficient. Really didn't check out the bar too much but there were a lot of TVs and cocktails being made. read more

See all

Great menu. It updates every so often so you gotta make sure you go enough to get a chance to taste all the dogs! Fun spot!

Fun spot with awesome dogs and great vibes! This place is such a cool restaurant/bar that feels like a local staple for sure. The staff is super friendly and know their way around the (very large) menu. Honestly, they have a hot dog or sausage combo for just about everyone. I let the bartender pick for me, and she nailed it. She chose an all-beef dog that was basically a Big Mac in hot dog form. I was skeptical at first, but wow this hit in all the right ways. Awesome presentation, even better flavor. I could've easily eaten three of these. I also tried the onion rings, the bartender warned me they were just "meh," and she wasn't wrong, lol. For round two, I went with an all-beef dog topped with pastrami this is basically a Reuben-style dog. Another win! Great flavor, great presentation. Overall, I'd totally recommend Destination Dogs if you're in the area. Just a heads up, if there's a game on, it gets loud. Like "can't-hear-your-friend-next-to-you" loud. But if that's your vibe, you'll love it. read more

Destination Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

Good bar & restaurant in the New Brunswick area. They have plenty of TVs so you can catch the game no matter where you are sitting. Food wise, the hotdogs were very good. They are premium hotdogs hence the $10 a dog price. The fries here were surprisingly good especially for $5. Great value !! The bread pudding was very good dessert as well. All around great experience and the staff were very friendly. Only downside , parking in the area is a pain. Best to park near the Rutgers campus meters and walk if downtown is packed. read more

See all

Place still crushes it after all these years. Every hot dog was insanely good. The Cyclone was my favorite. Can't go wrong with the classics. read more

See all

Listen, I have no real complaints. The food was great. The service was great. The atmosphere was good. But I am a fan of constructive criticism. I had the Gandolfi. It was delish but it could be improved with more or larger pepperonis. Also the sausage to bun ratio was off. Either make the sausage bigger or the bun smaller. Bottom line, you'll enjoy your food and beer. read more

What a fun little establishment. Hot dog were good. Wish they had more of a grilled taste. Almost tasted boiled but the toppings make up for it. No kids menu, but you can customize your dog as you please. Side of chips was a hit for my toddler. Our waitress was nice and made sure we were satisfied read more

See all

Love this place!! It's a fun and causal atmosphere with nice staff that are nice and work quickly. They have so many options for hot dogs or you can make your own with their many toppings. The hot dogs are delicious and the buns are thick and soft! read more

We were in the area and decided to Yelp for recommendations. Glad we found this gem! Everything hot dogs or in the shape of them. They did have salad and chicken sandwiches. Very small pub style place with some parking on the side of the building. We waited about 15 mins for a table. We started with Nachos they have to be the best nachos I have EVER had. The ground beef was seasoned to perfection. All the toppings perfectly spread out and great portion. If you come here you MUST have the nachos you will thank me! We had all different dishes which were all great. Will definitely be back read more

See all

If you are a hot dog enthusiast like I am, walk and don't run to Destination Dogs conveniently located in downtown New Brunswick. There are so many ingenious toppings and creative hot dog concoctions from local specialties like Philly Cheesesteak to Vietnamese Bahn Mi style hot dogs and everything in between. I decided to try the Patatas Ridiculous which are delicious loaded fries with duck confit, bacon, cheese sauce, melted Jack cheese, bacon, gravy and jalapenos. Can you say ooey, gooey & absolutely delicious?!?! For my meal, I opened for the Waco Kid which is a beef dog with chili, cheese sauce, sour cream, scallions & Fritos Scoops. It was as absolutely crunchy, salty, beefy, juicy, cheesy and saucy as it sounds. I completely devoured it. While I did not have room for dessert, I will certainly be coming back go try their seasonal bread pudding. 5 stars of hot dog deliciousness! read more

See all

I came back around to give a shout out to our server, Aline. She was a gem. So genuinely pleasant and helpful. Totally elevated our evening. Oh and food and drinks are on point as usual... loved the fried pickles and Cleo McDowell. read more

Well needed after a long day. Typical American pub and the service was adequate. Both dogs had a slight kick that I really enjoyed and were both very savory. The additional vegetables on the hidden dragon was a nice touch read more

Destination Dogs - Conquistadog, Spain (BCN)* ** Hidden Dragon, China (PEK)* **Hidden - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I've been such a fan of this place for a very long time and recently got to go back after many years away. It still has the same vibe, which is really laid back. The upstairs is quieter than downstairs as expected. I've always loved the variety of dogs and the starters such as the potatoes don't get enough recognition. Definitely a spot worth hanging out after on a Friday night. read more

Never been to a hot dog place &, if you love a good hotdog, DD has a massive array, so diverse & really delicious--great beer selection--fantastic! read more

Visited DG for the 1st time this weekend. It was busy on a Friday night but we were able to snag a table for 2. We ordered the bbq wings to start and they were good. For drink. I got Monk's gone wild & it was good. We ordered 4 hot dogs locations ( NOLA, Newark , Philly ) & a regular basic hotdog. Note your hot dog orders come with a side of potato chip which I loved. I liked the Nola and Newark one. They were larger portion sizes than I realized, so I would recommend ordering 1/person if you don't want to be overwhelmed. read more

Destination Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Always an amazing gastronomical adventure here at D Dogs. They keep the menu fresh and so I had to go with the Gandolfini and it's was exceptionally delicious. The staff are super welcoming and I must say this place has the "Cheers" vibe of New Brunswick but with top notch food as well. Can't say enough about this place. read more

Destination Dogs - Gandolfini - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

Always a crowd here. So many unique sausage combos. Everything I've had has been flavorful and loaded. Would just recco a bit more chips / fresher quality. That is lacking. Otherwise this is a fun spot with nice drinks also. read more

See all

Finally made it in to Destination Dogs in New Brunswick after many suggestions in the comments of my videos. I decided to grab a "cyclone" which is basically an all the way dog with added scallion and a "Newark" which is an Italian dog. The Cyclone had a solid chili sauce and brought onions 3 ways. There was diced onion, scallion, and cooked onions in the chili. The dog (to the best of my knowledge) is from Best Provisions in Newark and it was snappy and delicious. The roll was a New England style top split but it was massive! Same dog and roll for the Newark but add potatoes, peppers, onions, and yellow mustard. I liked that ketchup didn't come standard on their Italian dog. The potatoes were diced and cooked well. Peppers and onions were sautéed well also. Around $14 for the two dogs so I could see people complaining about the price but these were very well crafted. I would say for me personally I'd actually like the bun a bit smaller. The functionality of eating these is a bit off, you need to take a good 2 bites at least to get everything in one mouthful. All in all I'm happy to say they Didn't Suck! read more

See all

Love the gourmet hotdogs here today I got the REUBEN STUDDARD. It was great it was a corned beef reuben on top of a hot dog. It was great mashup. The service is pretty good I have always been seated quickly and had my order taken fast and brought out in a timely manner. The place has a mini game room and a old bar type design but very clean and welcoming read more

Destination Dogs - REUBEN STUDDARD - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Looking for a casual date night? Or just some crazy unique hot dogs? They even have regular dogs for those wanting to satisfy that craving. Destination dogs has the $40 dollar deal that I did with a friend. You get a shareable appetizer, two glizzies, dessert, and if I remember a drink (non-alcoholic). Food wise, it's an experience to try these experimental hot dogs you would get NO WHERE ELSE. 5 stars for me along with the good service and cleanliness. I highly recommend the Bahn mi, it's SO GOOD, flavorful and reminds you of a classic bahn in a hot dog form. Place is rather spacious and kept pretty clean. Service is straight forward and were friendly when I went! It does function as a partial bar but has areas where you can be seated away from it on the upper level. You can check the menu online for really good pictures of them. read more

See all

Stopped in while visiting the area and had a great time sitting at the bar. The menu is creative and fun, and everything we ordered was both well cooked and nicely presented. * Guten Dog (Germany) - Bratwurst with beer-braised onions, sauerkraut, spicy mustard, sour cream, dill, all on a pretzel bun. Classic and hearty. * Wayfinder (Motunui) - Deep-fried bacon-wrapped hot dog topped with teriyaki, grilled pineapple, honey mustard, sesame, and scallions. A playful combo with big flavor. * Build Your Own - Beef dog with chili, cheese sauce, and grilled onions. Comfort food done right. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the layout didn't feel overcrowded, which made the whole visit comfortable. Overall, an excellent experience. Creative menu, good execution, and great service. We'd definitely love to come back again. read more

Came back for another restaurant week. We have been back a few times since my last review but I figured I am long overdue for an update. They had their Restaurant Week special menu for $37 for two that included two individual apps or a large app to share, Two hot dogs, One side order to share, a dessert to share, and two fountain drinks. For apps we got the soft pretzel that comes with cheese sauce and spicy mustard and Deviled eggs which is a serving of four halves. We've had this before and they are both great. The pretzel is soft and freshly baked and the eggs have a great flavor. For the hotdogs I always get the same one, the Kansas City Beefs which is a Beef hotdog w/ pulled pork, coleslaw, and scallions. I really like how this combo goes together, it's a great flavor combination. My husband always tries something different so today he went with the Waco Kid which is a Beef hotdog w/ Chili, Cheese sauce, Fritos, Pickled jalapeños, sour cream, and scallions. That's a little bit much for my taste but he enjoyed it. We got Cheese fries for our side order. For dessert we had the Raspberry doughnut cheesecake. Everything was delicious as usual and the service was great. It also happened to be Marvel Superheroes night so there were quite a few people dressed in their costumes so that was cool. They also had a special themed menu to go along with that as well. All in all another great evening at Destination Dogs... read more

See all

100/10 awesome place. Was in the area and stopped in for the hot dogs. The food is amazing. I had the build your own- bratwurst and Bun Mi. So much flavor and possibilities. The atmosphere is poppin. Great staff, DJ, and drinks. AND prices surprisingly low. Might have to make the 1.5 hour trip again sooner rather than later. read more

Service and food were excellent . My son loved everything. Our server and the manager went above and beyond. Truly amazing.

Love the deviled eggs appetizer. The fried chicken sandwiches are great and they have excellent cocktails.

Fun place with Interesting hot dogs. I recommend. Good service, good food, good location with some parking.

Dogs were pretty good but this is a very loud college bar kind of vibe. Wasn't ideal for a family dinner but we made the best of it.

Everyone loves Destination Dogs! This bar/restaurant is very popular around town, and all my friends and neighbors go here too. It's a great spot for lunch hour, happy hour, dinner, or the middle of the night. They've got amazing and creative hotdogs and bratwursts, with great flavors themed from places around the world. Reading the puns on the menu is entertaining! Staff is personable, friendly, helpful, and welcoming. This restaurant has a few designated free parking spots and there are also paid public lots nearby. I used to come to this location when it housed a bar called Doll's Place and I liked seeing the old wooden placard from that bar hanging up inside. When you eat here, be sure to check out the foosball and other arcade games in the side room. read more

Destination Dogs - Sept 2023 happy hour menu - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

Always delicious! My family and I come here after going to Rutgers lacrosse games and it's super busy and super tasty every time. They don't take reservations and we usually have to wait at least 30 minutes but they have a game room with ski ball, a few old fashioned video game machines, and a foosball table- which keeps the kids happy and a bar for the adults! They have a good selection of cocktails and beer on tap. Over the years, we've tried loads of their hot dogs and they are all tasty. Their nachos are really good and so are their truffle fries. The staff is always nice. It's an awesome spot! read more

If you want to try some unique hot dogs, this is the place to go. This was a casual place for my friends and me to catch up for lunch. Seating did not take long. We sat at a table with nice lighting. There are many options to try. One of the exotic ones would be Andouille Armstrong, which is alligator and fried shrimp. I love how they created international flavors in their hot dog. Worth a try if you enjoy trying something different from your standard meal. read more

Love stopping in here when I'm in the area. Place has a variety of hot dogs, cute menu, nice atmosphere with 2 floors and service is descent. Great place for lunch and cocktails. read more

See all

One of my favorite casual restaurants in the NB area where weirdly the hot dogs are my least favorite of all the things they offer. The hot dog menu is very unique and they are definitely good, but the drinks, appetizers, and environment are even better additions to something already great. My only complaint is the bread buns they use for the hot dogs aren't quite proportionate to the sausage, maybe if they were half their current size. As someone who no longer drinks, the strawberry lemonade is a must. And the caesar salad for the price, the size is amazing. I love coming here and trying a new hot dog every time! Service has always been pretty prompt and kind. read more

See all

This place was amazing! To start, the service was spot on excellent the whole time. The server was super cool and offered some good suggestions. I can't tell you the name of each hot dog, but they all looked to be amazing. My favorite was definitely the Rocky Balboa and the Deviled eggs. I will be making mine like that next time. I high recommend that you trying this place out. read more

See all

We came on a Saturday afternoon and were seated right away. Super cold inside, so we had to go grab jackets from the car, even though it was over 80 degrees outside. Even so, I was cold. We ordered and our food came out quickly. Food was good, albeit a bit messy. I'm glad they have vegan meat options! Our waiter didn't even check up on us once and we waited about a half hour after finishing to get our bill. read more

Destination Dogs - Vegan The Chicago Bull Illinois - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Had a great time! This was my first time here and I loved the theme. The restaurant was clean and had lots of unique hotdogs options! The hotdog was a little hard to eat but tasty delicious, I am excited to try more when I come back! The server was very nice but inattentive. We found ourselves constantly waiting to get their attention and it did deter from the meal. First we had to wait to put in our entrees for at least 30min after our appetizer came out then had to track them down for utensils. All in all, I would definitely come back just hope to have more efficient service next time! read more

See all

Delicious! I had the Ganondorf (something like that) hot dog and it was amazing. It was really well put together and I already wanna go back soon! Let's frickin go Mets! read more

Destination Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Staff quality has dropped immensely since COVID. Items forgotten for multiple tables tonight. Inattentive waiter. Kane Head High Beer brought to table with no head. Sodas brought after being reminded after we got our meals . Even was asked to name styles of beer I liked when I just asked for a craft list. I even offered to go read the blackboard if it was difficult. Normally I get a few beers or cocktails when I come here. The pour wasn't great on the first one read more

A creative restaurant mainly offers hot dogs from all over the world. It can't go wrong with hot dogs and beer! We went there during the New Brunswick restaurant week. For $38, $4 extra because of what we ordered, we got beef nachos, an Italian dog, an Oscar dog, Cole slaw, chocolate mosaic cake, and two fountain drinks. There're so much food, we took 1/2 the nachos and the cake home. The nachos were loaded with cheese, tomatoes, guacamole, and ground beef; it was more than enough for two people. The Italian dog was topped with delicious broccoli rabe, the Oscar was tasty. read more

See all