Stanley’s Steamers

Being a picky eater about what kind of meat I put in my body, I was in awe to see this stand right outside of Macy’s. I had to get one! It didn’t disappoint, although the bread coulda been a little softer, I enjoyed every bite of it!

I love this hot dog cart in Union Square right outside the main entrance of the Macy’s women’s building. I’m not sure it’s of the same lineage as the ever-​present hot dog carts of my childhood in the city as there was always a hot dog cart or 2 at different outposts in Union Square. But it just might be… I got the jumbo all beef dog. It’s made by Vienna so it’s legit. It’s deliciously steamed and juicy. The toasted sesame bun is also of a good size and doesnt break down. It for sure hits the spot. I added onions and some ketchup that they provide on the side at their condiment station and I was a happy guy. They have other dogs such as their namesake Stanley Steamer which is their popular guilt-​free dog as well as polish dogs, pretzels, drinks and sodas. You cant go wrong… There’s just something about grabbing a dog on the sidewalk while in the city. It’s just one of those things that will always be a good choice.

Stopped by here after checking out the Nike store today and the dogs were just delicious. A bit on the pricey side because of the city, but well worth it especially when your in a hurry. I ordered the Lean Dog and a Polish Dog for my friend. It was absolutely delicious. The buns were super soft and the dog complimented it well. Overall, I had a good experience here and it was very well kept for a sorta street stand/​cart. Definitely, recommend giving these guys a look if your not being picky about being super healthy!

For how good of reviews this got this place is surprisingly not that good at all. I got a pretzel that was ROCK hard and cheese dip that wasn’t melted. Definitely not coming here again. The only thing positive is they are organic, all beef and grass fed.

Stan (long time owner) helped me rent his custom-​built tabletop hot dog «cart» for my son’s birthday party to serve 50 people. It was the hit of the event! It is so refreshing to work with a business that delivers on quality and customer service on a true 5-​star level. Stan made everything easy and delivered on every promise. Reliable and affordable — not to mention delicious! Don’t buy a hot dog downtown from anyone else! Their commissary kitchen in the Union Square garage is spotless and his staff is the best.

Checked it out based on the rave reviews. Not hypeworthy. They have a regular dog for $ 4.25, the organic dog is $ 6.25. No fancy topings, ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, jalapeño. No sauerkraut.
Normal dog is decent. Kinda like a Costco dog, but the bun isn’t soggy.

Had the Lean All Beef Grass Fed Hot Dog. Came in a toasted bun. Excellent hot dog.
Not salty and rich like some other hot dogs. Located outside of Macy’s by the women’s building

I never thought I’d be writing a review for a hot dog cart, no really. Especially not one located in Union Square. But Stanley Steamers definitely surprised me with the quality and juiciness of their hot dogs.
I got one of their regular beef hot dogs and was surprised at how fat and juicy and generous the portions were. Although they serve the dog to you bare, they have a small side counter with all sorts of fresh and yummy toppings like sauerkraut, onions and mustard.
I loaded mine up, took a bite and felt blissfulness explode in my mouth. The hotdog is moist and juicy and downright delicious. Unlike most hot dog stands that serve crappy food to unsuspecting and desperate tourists, Stanley’s Steamers was actually really yummy and you can definitely tell they have high quality stuff when you bite into their hotdogs. I can definitely see myself coming back to buy a dog, or two.
+1 star for serving organic meat! For $ 4, that’s a real steal! :)

I was craving a sausage for days… weeks! I was across the street working at the Nike Marathon tent today and was so excited to run over to grab a sausage for lunch. I asked for a polish sausage, the guy said the garlic one was that. I got it and looked at it, then said that;s not a sausage. He then questioned me on what I thought a sausage was… I love weiners and I know the difference between a sausage and a hotdog! It was an ok hotdog but don’t call it a sausage. I like Annie’s hotdog stand better, they know what a sausage is. Maybe I should of bought one for that guy.

Tried their chicken Italian sausage and it was tasty. Casing had a crisp snap while the sausage itself was moist and meaty. Their condiment area was clean. The guy who helped me was sooo nice. Can’t go wrong for $ 4.75.

Nothing wrong with this hot dog stand. I don’t quite understand the 4 – 5 star ratings for this place. I got the Stanley Steamer hotdog and a Fire dog. They were both decent hot dogs, but the bun was too bread-​like and not soft enough. Both cost about $ 5 each and I was able to select from ketchup, mustard, spicy mustard, onions, jalapenos, and relish for my toppings. Not a bad selection, but certainly not worth 4 – 5 stars. You’ve got to at least serve chili, cheese, and slaw to get that kind of rating out of me! Other reviews mentioned sauerkraut, but there wasn’t any when I went today.

Had my first street dog here in SF since I moved here 3 years ago. I had the chicken Italian sausage, and for how convenient and quick it was, I was very surprised by the quality. Be careful though, as these are quite juicy, and full of flavor, so grab a napkin. The woman working the cart was all smiles as well. Walked across the street and sat down at union square and enjoyed it in the sun. I work in the financial district and was heading that way to see a client, so it was perfect to get in a quick, affordable lunch, and enjoy sitting in the sun and watching the passers by. Will do it again on my next client call around Union Square.

Came through and got a lousy bland pretzel. Let’s not waste words here, Meh, Ive experienced better sums it up well.

DAMNED GOOD STREET HOT DOGS!
Micro-​review:
+ :
1-​Great Nieman Ranch Beef (Nieman Marcus-​like quality & (BOO-​HOO) price) used with a snappy casing texture with every bite.
2-​NO MSG… I HATE MSG.
3-​Extremely fast & great location to help fuel your Manic Shopping BInge in Union Square.
4-​On par with the better NYC Hot-​Dog street vendors.
5-​Good Kraut & mustard.
6-​Far far better than the MSG crappy COSTCO crap-​dog! For those who like the COSTCO dog better, you got to be taking some amazing drugs that I wish I was on. Keep eating the cheap $ 1.50 crap-​dog, and it will melt your brain into mush! IMHO anyway.
7-​Clean stand with pleasant service
…nicer than NYC style («What da F duh u wannt on yo dog… dog»).
8-​They are NOT anywhere near where I live, so the God-​awful temptation to have a NYC style stand Hot-​Dog is removed. I loved these stands as a ignorant young kid playing Paddleball all day in NYC parks.
YES, boys & girls… decades ago in many NYC parks you had multiple carts/​or dealers cruising thru various parks selling Hot-​Dogs, Ice-​Cream, or Drugs!
— :
1-​They are not anywhere where I live, or will ever live (I think).
2-​Hot Dogs are still full of FAT FAT & MORE FAT & no matter what BS they say about them (e.g. — natural, organic, inorganic, orgasmic), they are still really really bad for you!
3-​Of course they cannot compete with good old Nathan’s seared franks with a toasted bun in good old Coney Island Amusement Park with a side of wondrous fries… but then again, that was 3,000 miles away & a million moons ago!
4-​It is not a fringing Steamer, but a damned Hot-​Dog!
5-​Yes, it is a phallic symbol, but so is your nose, digits, pen, etc… The bun on the other hand is… CENSORED!!!

HOT DOOOOOOOOOGS!!!
It’s no secret I love hot dogs. It’s such a horrible guilty pleasure. For some reason every time I say I’m craving a hot dog people glare at me. Either they think it’s some sexual innuendo (it ain’t) or well… I’m not sure. Why do hot dogs have a bad rap?
I like my dogs big and slathered in mayo and mustard. Stay back ketchup you have no place on my dawg.
When I saw Stanley’s I knew I had to grab one. I have been craving a hot dog for awhile but kept getting burgers. The hot dogs here were pretty decent. 5 bucks for a dog isn’t too bad for SF. They are with all natural meat so that’s a big plus! They even gave me mayo for my dog without those «OMG YOU FREAK» glares I normally get. Can’t say that much for my boyfriend…

I spotted this food stand a couple of nights ago at Union Square, SF and was dying for a pretzel, so why not?
Unfortunately, the pretzel was quite disappointing. It was dry, hard, and pretty much flavorless. Thank god for the spicy mustard that I doused it in. Hate to be a proponent of chains, but I really missed Auntie Anne’s at that moment.
However, the SF hot dog did save this rating. The bite I stole from my sister was perfection. Real sausage, not that processed stuff, and perfectly warm and delicious with some onions and spicy mustard.
My tip – go for teh dogs, and save your pretzel craving for the mall food court.

I know it’s just a street vendor, how good can it gets right? Stanley’s Steamers actually serve delicious hot dogs; probably the best street vendor hot dogs I’ve ever gotten.
The «No Guilt» Hot Dog — Niman Ranch Angus breeds of cattle grown grown on pasture & finished on all-​vegetarian feed. It’s made entirely from 100% domestic beef raised in healthy, uncrowded conditions & never given antibiotics or hormone.
I think they do make a difference. The meat has great flavor & it’s a bit crispy on the outside. They have bunch of toppings that you can add (sauerkraut, relish, jalapenos, onions, ketchup & mustard). I’d definitely get this again!

Fantastic hotdogs! The snap from the casing of the Stanley Steamer is simply devine, for all you hotdog connoisseurs out there. The meat itself also has a great flavor. Also, apparently it’s Niman Ranch beef– can’t go wrong there.
Also, they have sauerkraut, relish, onions and jalapenos… holy toppings batman!
I’d also like to add how fast they are… you can’t get food in less than 30 minutes in Union Square, so if you want a quick and tasty meal… well, how about in less than 2 minutes? That’s what these guys do.

My choice Hot Dog Stand because,
1) Jumbo dog for 4.25 is actually jumbo.
2) Ketchup, Mustard, Onion, and Jalapeño toppings.
3) They take extra care when handling cash and food.
4) I can quickly cross the street to Union Square to post up.

So why is a San Francisco local and Unilocal Elite eating at a touristy hot dog cart in Union Square? Partly because I’m running out of new places to Unilocal near my office, but mainly because of a post-​dentist appointment time crunch heading back to the office. The food may be ho-​hum, but I’m not gonna pull the sticker shock card like others since I never have nor ever will step foot into a Costco no matter how much cheaper their dogs are! I did have to take my rating from just ok, down a notch because I believe they are «green washing» their product which always is sure to annoy me…
The Stanley Steamer — The «No Guilt» Hot Dog: Pretty much every happy beef buzzword is used except for «USDA Organic». Tasted like a typical hot dog to me, except thicker. For all their «No Guilt» buzzwords they still used the large factory produced non-​organic ketchup and mustard toppings laden with corn syrup served on some Wonderbread-​like bun. The dog itself was kind of bland, not grilled so no flavorful char marks. Might have been boiled too long since it was a bit rubbery.
The Fire Dog: Just like the above, but with a slightly spicy (and simple) kick. So subtle was the spice that I had to focus really hard to remember which one was the Fire Dog.