Just met the boys from the show. They were shooting dogs on site and schmoozing w/Bad Dawgs CEO Charles Sayegh (pictured). This shows he stands behind his product. He's not only the owner, he actually eats these things. Lowell's newest hotdog bistro will make the Phantom Gourmet special hotdog edition when it airs in May. Check local listings please. The producer and camera dude have a fun job. They were slicing up the pitbull and Italian Greyhound like it was birthday cake. I tried em both. The pitbull was a runaway hit. Nothing I would normally order (1,000 calories I imagine), loaded w/ baked beans, bacon bits, BBQ sauce, blue cheese crumbles and jalapenos, but a novelty none the less. When you're ready to feed the donkey take the pitbull for a walk. But look out, it's a little bit dangerous!
The Phantom Strikes
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I'm calling foul! How can you blog about food and speculate about the calories in a hot dog? That just isn't right.
Hey, it's almost tank top season, im not gonna suck down a heart-attack fest in April! I'll sample here and there, I'm a grazer. There's lots of tastes to try.
At least somebody got to eat one of their hot dogs.
No wonder they never have any hot dogs - they feed the CEO and the TV people - but not us customers. I've been there 3 times - twice they were out of hog dogs (!?!) - thats like the Lowell Sun (print edition) being out of paper - and the third time I ordered - they said it would be about an hour wait - so I asked for my money back - I don't have all day to wait for a hot dog - no matter how good it is.
I went to Eliots -= got waited on and out the door in 5 minutes. Thats service.
Sadly, these dogs may be headed to the pound. I was "lucky" enough to get catch them with hot dogs on my second try but these dogs just don't bite the way you'd like. They were anemic little things and were served luke-warm at best and the toppings were all stone cold. These guys ought to take a field trip down to Spike's and see what a dog shop can be. I hope they're not contractually commited to what I saw by the parent company because I'd love to have a good dog joint at that location if they can work on the product a bit. Maybe re-brand as a Spike's once their contract is up?
Id hardly say the hotdogs are anemic. If you're looking to be filled up then you should enter the hotdog eating contest they will be having. Bad Dawgs offers a quarter pound dog for only a few cents more than the original size...next time try that out. Bad Dawgs will be a the best hot dog joint around with a little fine tuning. Anyway thats just my two cents..... too be continued
It's easy to see that all the negative comments are being posted by the competition...Jealous of their success!
They ran out of hot dogs on only one day because people love that place so much that the place has been packed everyday. The other places serve you quick because there's no one there...
Ive been there 3 time and got served 3 times...you guys are just babys...spikes is all the way in cambridge!! I LIVE IN LOWELL!!!!...you have to be from spikes!!!...god its only a hot dog joint,(and a good one at that)...if there selling out of hot dogs they must be doing something right.!!! as arnold would say ILL BE BACK!!!
I don't know what you're talking about thumbs, they're the skinniest dogs I've ever seen in my life! Pluuus I kind of knew about the larger dogs from the website but didn't see ANYTHING like that posted anywhwere in the store. They definately have some logistical bugs that need working out, true. But even then, I'm afraid to say I don't think the product itself really stands up. Do youself a favor and check out Spike's next time you're near one. THAT'S a decent chain hot dog concept, and they use a nice bread capable of really standing up to a load of toppings.
Don't get me wrong, I AM pulling for these guys. I'd love to see the place make a go of it. I'm just wondering, of all the delicious hot dogs in the world why do they have those skinny little things and such flimsy bread.
The topping selections rival those of anyplace I've been (even Pink's in LA which is my all-time favorite dog) and the service was very polite and competant. The guys were really trying hard to keep up with the orders.
I'll check back in in a few weeks and try the next four or five dogs on the menu.
Talk about a hot spot! Bad Dawgs is packed all the time. I was there on Wed. and I had to wait about 15 min. for my Chow Chow dogs because there were so many people there, and it was worth the wait. Granted, you can go down the street and really bad dog fast, but you must ask yourself, why are there so many people at Bad Dawgs? Give the guys a little break, it's their 1st week and the crowds have been huge. I can't till they get their beer license next week.
Trust me I am definatley NOT from Spike's. They have their problems too. I walked out once because those jerks won't take credit cards because they don't want to pay the stinking 2% to the credit card company. Then, to add insult to injury those jerks offer you use of THEIR ATM machine and instead of them paying about 8 cents to Visa, they want YOU to pay them $2 to use the ATM. So no, I definately don't work for Spike's and haven't been since that incident.
Don't worry kids, I'll be back to Bad Dawgs, everyone deserves a second, er third, chance.
A few observations about Bad Dawgs in Lowell. I have been there 3 times so far since they opened up shop. First time was an OK experience, the person who took our order was on the cell at the time, after we stood in front of the counter for about 5 minutes and not one word was spoken to us by the 4 people working. I chalked it up to a rookie mistake, hot dogs were nothing special, average at best. Second time, long line but better service, dogs were the same. Third time I called ahead and placed the order, hopefully this would speed things up, was told 20 minutes, so after waiting in the store 30 minutes after the 20 minutes which I called ahead, that was my last and final visit to Bad Dawgs. In my opinion, if you are going to open up a new hot dog restaurant you should 1st, get the hot dogs right, which they haven't, and 2nd, have a system in place to take orders and crank out dogs. Bottom line, this place should not have opened to the public, they are clearly not ready to handle Lowell's food crazy population.
Peter,
You seem to be angry with every restaurant. PErhaps the problem is with you and not any of these restaurants. My kids love Bad Dawgs and the have the XL dog which kicks all other hot dog asses in terms of meat baby!
Lighten up Peter!
Jeez, give Peter a break, he is just offering some constructive criticism for crying out loud. My complaints are pretty much the same, although I like the dogs themselves. Buns could be sturdier, service is pretty slow, although that will hopefully improve with some practice, however some of the help (not the owners) are really indifferent/rude. Waiting is one thing, standing at the counter while people shoot the breeze is another. That said, I think they will do well there and wish them the best, I will be back.
Give me a break lady. That's clearly NOT the case. Like I said, I'm pulling for these guys to make it. If the kids in town love them, then that's great! I think small business owners are some of the most courageous people there are. I'm a big hot dog fan who just didn't care very much for these particular hot dogs.
I heard that Bad Dawgs does not server French Fries. If true that is astounding. What a miss but at least they are getting beer. Been there once, had a chili dog, and like a previous poster said, the chili topping was stone cold. The dog was tasty though.
It would be great if that empty bar next door opened and formed a partnership with BD, kinda like what Angelina's and Hookslides have done.