Japadog

We love this place! It was a good quick bite to eat even though it was raining a little bit. The #1 is the best one on their menu. So much flavor in one bite!

Kurobuta Terimayo is the way to go! The mix of mayo, seaweed, and onions made it a pretty damn good dog. It was hot and steamy and eating it in 30°F made it even better.

OH NOM NOM. There’s nothing better than a Japadog. Their signature dog is pretty damn good with their sausage being the best one available. The Kim-​Chi dog though has that nice mix of delicious sausage and that Kim Chi crunch that I absolutely love. We ended up getting ⁵⁄₆ of the dogs and I would rate those as my two favorites.
I personally loved the Daikon dog but I just love Daikon.

Okay, okay, so maybe Japadog isn’t the height of amazing, but it’s darn tasty and definitely worth a stop! My husband and I shared one as an appetizer on our way to dinner… because that’s how we roll.
We opted for the most popular option, the #1 – kurobuta terimayo. It’s a pork dog topped with grilled onions, teriyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, and shredded nori.
The bun is your standard grocery-​store style white bun, but the dog itself is no run-​of-​the-​mill wiener. It’s juicy and flavorful, with a casing that snaps. They load it with teriyaki sauce, so if you’re not into the whole sweet-​and-​savory combo, this dog is not for you. No idea what makes the mayo Japanese… but the shredded nori is all Asian, and is a nice umami balance to the teriyaki.
This hot dog was tasty and different, but definitely needed spice… grab the sriracha!

Sorry Japadog, I don’t understand your hype. I’m not really a hot dog enthusiast but I don’t usually have anything against eating them, and I love brats and sausages.
We shared a kurobata dog which was a pork hotdog topped with japasauce, shredded nori, sesame, and onions maybe? I can’t remember. That one was ok but extremely heavy. We also ordered a salmon dog, which had a very distinct salmon flavor but it just wasn’t very cohesive as a hot dog with the toppings (and I love salmon).
I can see why Japadog might be enjoyed as a drunk good, but even then it would have too much going on to be enjoyed. I prefer almost any hot dog over Japadog, even Costco’s $ 1.50 hotdog or an SF dirty dog.

Due to my crazy bout of bronchitis during my first trip to VanCity, I was only able to experience one legit foodie stop and it was here at JAPADOG.
Boy am I glad we made it here the day before I flew home! I’m so not a hot dog person (unless it’s the $ 1.50 Costco hot dog deal) but JAPADOG has revolutionized what a hot dog should really taste like!
I believe I gobbled up the KUROBUTA TERIMAYO hot dog. It comes with a juicy kurobuta sausage with this amazing terimayo sauce. Seriously… hot dog heaven in my mouf. And I have no shame in my game eating it quite «sexually». :P
Line wasn’t long whatsoever that fine Tuesday we walked over to JAPADOG. Service is somewhat slow but it’s just cause of the quality and time they put into preparing your hot dog heavenly experience.
Video footage of my JAPADOG experience:

Not a big fan of hotdogs, but still managed to take a gander!
Hotdog: Super tasty. Very good quality pork, plump and tasty! They added some sauces, onions and seaweed. At first you’ll think, what the heck am I about to eat. Don’t think twice, just take the first bite and you wont look back. The mesh of different toppings/​sauces all compliment one another.
Service: Very friendly folks despite the long lines.
Price: Fair, because the flavor is great and quality of the meat is as well.
Overall: Long line, but it moves quickly. This place is unlike anything I’ve ever had, but then again, i never ever have hot dogs. Good taste, nice employees and fairly priced. I don’t regret it at all.

Costco buns + some Japanese toppings. Cheap ingredients. Not sure why it is the most popular of all places on Unilocal Vancouver– sad!

Japadog gotta do it!!! Ordered the top seller h– terimayo at least I think that’s what it’s called…
Fantastic plump pork sausage with cooked onion and teriyaki sauce and seaweed strips and some mayo. And the bun is amazing and nothing like the typical doughy buns you usually get. It’s like a Krispy Kreme donut in a hot dog shape but with a bit of a crispy exterior.
Omg if I had one of these where I lived I would come by at least once a month, seriously.

Absolutely delicious! I had the pork one. And I added a bit of wasabi mayo.
In terms of price, it could be cheaper. Paid $ 8 for pork option.

So I should’ve looked at the Unilocal pictures for this JAPADOG location because I didn’t know it was just a stand and we were looking everywhere for brick&mortar type of establishment. We found parking in a garage across the street and walked on over (after walking the opposite direction for a couple mins). It’s pretty simple process once you arrive. You order on the left side of the cart and it’s pretty much only two people manning the biz.
I ordered the Terimayo and my bf ordered the Okonomi which is like the Japanese pancake but in hotdog form. He actually liked mines a lot more so FYI for all ya’ll. The Terimayo is the #1 seller on the menu so you can’t really go wrong, right? It’s a beef hotdog with mayo, seaweed, fried onions, and teriyaki sauce. So simple yet so delicious. This is a MUST if you visit Vancity. And I hear that the stand tastes better than their brick&mortar locations.
I know they have locations in America, including LA where I used to live but I’m glad my first time going was at the OG spot.

I first had Japadog in New York and it was a great culinary experience. I did not realize that the first one started in Vancouver, BC in 2005.
For some reason, I like how it isn’t a brick & mortar. Grabbing a hot dog from a stand has a quaint/​classic feel. I went around noon on a Monday and there wasn’t a long line, thankfully. I couldn’t not go with #1 (Terimayo). If you read every other reviews, they talk about #1. It’s tasty, filling, and the presentation is great. If you’re in a group of friends, I’d recommend getting different ingredient combinations to share. The prices are decent and the 2 employees there were pleasant.
You must visit this hot dog stand if/​when you’re in the heart of Vancouver. Ice Cube did – there is a picture of him on the stand. If you just stand/​sit around you’ll notice it’s also a decent place to people-​watch while enjoying your meal.

When in Vancouver it is always a good idea to indulge yourself at Japadog! I had the Oroshi and thought it was really tasty. It was enough to fill me up. Next time I’m back in Vancouver I’m going to try a different one.

I ordered the #1, and it was delicious. They surpassed my expectations and set a good role model for what a hot dog should taste like. It has that Takoyaki — like sauce to their hot dogs — that’s a plus.
Free sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi. I really enjoyed that they provided this.
The chef asked what condiments and toppings I wanted on my order before she handed it to me. Customer service was great.
Compared to other hot dog stands, Japadog goes beyond standards. The price is fair even though it may be a little pricier than other hot dog stands. Totally worth it.
I like how they designed their cart too, showing pictures of celebrities that have visited in the past.
The crowd it attracts must show that they are doing something right. I will definitely come visit another time when I revisit Canada.

So hmmm yeaaa lucky we came across this japadog and wanted to give it a try which was nothing special imo. There was barely a line when we ordered our own Kurobuta Terimayo. It was good but not mouthwatering good.
Been there done that!

For me to eat here would be a treat. When they first open on burrard it was $ 3 to $ 3.50. So it was reasonable. Now its like $ 10.
I love their terimayo hotdog but for the price. I think, I will have it only on special occasion. Lol.
I had other hotdog similar to what japadog offers but its incomparable to them and that;s for sure. But for me to justify the price with hotdog is quite difficult.

I was told that this place is a «must try» while in Vancouver. So I tries it last nite. that was soooo off the mark! I had the Spicy-​Smoky-​Cheesy Sausage dog with the Butter fries.
I think the owners must be smokers cause the salt was off the charts! My tongue burned with every bite & I regretted my decision to eat here. The place was dirty, dingy & the seats were so small that I needed to sit sideways to fit at the table!
This is clearly a teenager/​young adult hangout. No self respecting adult would go here more then once!

Japadog was on the top of my list during our Vancouver trip. We stopped by the cart and stuck with the basics.
February 2012
*Spicy cheese terimayo & Kurobuto terimayo
I got the spicy cheese and the roommate got the kurobuto. Sooo good! My dog had three types of cheese inside the dog with just a hint of spiciness. And the combination of the terimayo and seaweed just brought it to another level. I squeezed a little sriracha on it to give it more of a kick.
We both loved Japadog so much, we visited the storefront to try more dogs. Definitely as good as it gets!

Food: Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like hot-​dogs, I never eat hot dogs except Japadog! So simple ingredients yet a little fusion twist that leads to incredible flavors exploding in your mouth! Hot-​dogs cooked upon order, but it is definitely worth the wait.
Service: Staff is very friendly.
Value: Fair price.
Ambiance: May have a line-​up but usually served pretty quickly, since it’s a hot-​dog stand, it’a a great on-​to-​go option when in DT.

You already know about Japadog so let’s keep this baby short and sweet. Couple locations along with a spot in NYC now (impressive!). Great spot to share a quick, light snack.
Keep yourself entertained by browsing all the famous celebrities (Bourdain) that have dropped by their kiosk. Your dog will take a few minutes to cook but it’s worth the wait — you know they’re cooking them up fresh, to order.
There’s 12 different hot dog options to choose from. I’ve tried a few flavours from my last few trips so I decided to try out their newest creation, the Salmon Dog. It’s 100% salmon and comes straight from Hokkaido, Japan.
— Salmon (#8) ($ 5.25) — simple and filling. I don’t normally eat hot dogs but I’ll make an exception for Japadogs! If lived here, I probably wouldn’t come here that often (if you think about it, it’s overpriced for a hot dog with a few unique toppings) but as a tourist, it’s worth a try. Plus it’s in a prime location so how can you say no?