Photos by Nina Cudal
Photos by Nina Cudal.

Munch on the best gourmet dogs in downtown Makati with Wicked Dogs


Get wicked with Wicked Dogs’ vast array of specialty dogs and flavorful appetizers best experienced with friends.


By Benildean Press Corps | Monday, 12 August 2019

Located at the hip and lively neighborhood of Poblacion in Makati, Wicked Dogs changes the game of hotdog sandwiches as they entice customers with their flavorful and one-of-a-kind variety of gourmet dogs. Its bar vibe is best experienced with friends for late night partying or just simply hanging out.

Established on March 2017 and previously owned by Lasallian JB Potenciano, Wicked Dogs had a branch in BF Homes Parañaque but closed down. Current owner Teddy Reyna acquired the place on August 2018. According to Reyna, Potenciano used to franchise a Smokey’s hotdog joint, a premium hotdog brand that lets customers choose their own toppings and try out different combinations, which Wicked Dogs was commonly associated with. When the franchise closed, Potenciano decided to create a “gourmet version” of Smokey’s.

Wicked Dogs does not only offer good food and drinks but also the ambiance and experience. The open air gives off a breezy atmosphere that suits a great conversation between friends, lovers, and perhaps, even for some alone time. The interiors also bring a playground feel that brings out the kid in you. 

In an interview with The Benildean, Reyna pointed out that, “One of the reasons why I’m always here is that I try to make my clients, my customers feel at home.”

A man’s best friend 

Furthermore, Wicked Dogs is not only known for their gourmet style specialty hotdogs but also for the “Teddy’s Going Home” challenge—a drinking game that challenges customers to drink rum, tequila, Jager, and beer but in bizarre and out-of-this-world ways.

“People bring their friends to do the challenge as well. The special thing with the challenge is that if one person does it, especially if it’s their first time, I do it with them… with every business you need to have a product differentiator, for Wicked Dogs, customer service, customer relations. I try to go table-to-table, try to get to know [guests], to make friends with them so that it’s easy for me to make them come back,” Reyna said.

Why hotdogs, one may ask? According to Reyna, they are easy to prepare and don’t require a licensed chef. In an unforeseen event, Reyna ran the whole place by himself and was able to serve drinks as well.

“There aren’t a lot of hotdog pubs in the vicinity…and a very good market to tap into,” Reyna explained.

Top dogs

With the best of the best in their menu, we were greeted with the specialty dogs. First things first, the Wasabi Dog (Php 290) is a Japanese-inspired hotdog topped with wasabi mayo, katsu sauce, and sprinkled with seaweed chips cut into short, thin strips. A unique flavor for a hotdog, wasabi mayo and katsu sauce blend well together, their harmony is emphasized on the spice of the wasabi. On a side note, this dish is unique to Wicked Dogs as it is uncommon in other hotdog places.

Meanwhile, the Tijuana Bacon Dog (Php 290), also known as the “Danger Dog,” originated in Tijuana in the 1950s and has a variety of versions. Wicked Dogs’ version originated from New Jersey and is wrapped in bacon and deep fried to perfection. Topped with cheese sauce, chili con carne, fried egg, the Danger Dog is a great combination of all these delicious toppings.

Meanwhile, the Johnny Sins’ Everything On It Hotdog (Php 190) is everything you could ask for in a hotdog. An ensemble of toppings, chili con carne, bacon, cheese, onions, pickle relish, and salsa fresca may be a better assembly than the Avengers. By far the tastiest dog from the menu, this is definitely a must-try! You get everything from the spice of the chili and salsa and the crunch of the bacon. For first-timers, this is the dog that you should get!

Now with the appetizers, the Chicken Tenders (Php 270) are basically chicken cutlets coated with buffalo glaze sauce partnered with a blue cheese dip. This spicy starter is packed with the rich hot flavor of the buffalo glaze coating that may be too spicy for people who aren’t huge fans of spicy food. However, the blue cheese dip lessens the spice of the chicken tenders which makes it a perfect match.

 

The Cheese Bombs (Php 130), deep fried breaded mozzarella and cheddar, is a must-try for cheese lovers. The mozzarella is oozing to perfection as you can taste the cheese with every bite, all while the golden brown finish that complements the cheddar flavor.

To cap off this scrumptious journey, The Nacho (not) Libre! (Full Php 270 | Half Php 190) is serving all the cheesy and beefy goodness you can get from a nacho platter. Packed with cheese and beef, this is definitely a feast for the barkada as the serving size fits the price. Moreover, the Pork Sisig Rice Bowl (Php 190) perfectly captures the flavor of the Pinoy classic Sisig.

Overall, Wicked Dogs is a great place to hangout with friends that offer worthwhile gourmet hotdogs. The hotdogs live up to their price and with a small market of hotdog pubs in the area, Wicked Dogs is the sure place to go.

When you visit Poblacion, be sure to drop by Wicked Dogs located at 2/F Lokal Hostel, 5769 Ebro Street, Poblacion, Makati City. They’re open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

 

 

 

Last updated: Sunday, 6 June 2021