Top Dog

I don’t recommend using Top Dog for a private event. The owner doesn’t return calls or respond to emails.

Had the pleasure of sampling food from this truck at a Truckeroo event this past season. I love Truckeroo as it allows me to sample some amazing dishes from trucks like Top Dog.
Because of a strong recommendation from my friend Victoria L., I tried the Sonoran Dog: a «crispy bacon-​wrapped all beef hot dog served in a brioche bun. Topped with pinto beans, caramelized onions, freshly diced tomatoes, lime mayo, mustard, and kickin’ jalapeño sauce.» Boy, was it tasty! The ingredients all meshed together nicely and gave it great flavor. Although, the bacon kind of got lost in the mix… and who doesn’t LOVE bacon?!? I think it could use a thicker piece or, perhaps, double wrap it… *gasp*.
Have a handful of napkins on hand, cuz this ‘dawg’ is messy good!

Top Dog is an orange food truck that services the suburbs of DC. During the week they bounce between Reston and Tyson’s Corner. About one day a week this truck parks outside of my office building and on a couple of favorable reviews from co workers I gave them a shot. They don’t have a very large menu, probably 4 or 5 items. I was instantly drawn to the Sanoran dog. I’ve had sanorans elsewhere and always enjoyed them. First thing you notice is that Top Dog uses brioche buns for all their hot dogs. That’s awesome. The dog is topped with beans, onions, tomatoes, green salsa, with cream sauce and mustard zig zagging a pattern on the top. I found the mustard a little out of place. Despite this being a traditional sanoran topping I would ask to leave it off.
For me Top Dog has one big issue. One dog does not make a whole lunch for me, but I’d hesitate to spend $ 12 on lunch anywhere.

I was able to try these great dogs at the 2013 «Royal Ball» Testy Fest at the Arlington American Legion.
The majority of the dogs are $ 6, but there is a plain-​er option for $ 5 if you dig the basic ketchup and mustard kind of thing. I went for the Chili Cheese Dog which was a delight. Nice and messy with good helpings of chili, cheese, and onions. The real delight of the experience was the brioche bun which they have for all of their buns. Nice a buttery with a melt-​in-​your-​mouth texture that held up surprisingly well with all the toppings.
Chips and drinks are extra unless you buy with a friend; 2 dogs purchased together means free chips and drink.
If I see them around again, I will certainly return!

The sonoran is ridiculous! When they first hit the road they were in Tysons. Even though I work in Reston, I would drive to Tysons for a sonoran! Fortunately they make their way out to Reston now!

The cutest place for hot dogs in DC or the surrounding VA area and the runner up to Suzy D.‘s Hot Dog Crawl 2012.
Top Dog (not to be confused with the *actual* Top Dog
) is a food truck that sells hot dogs out in the burbs. Sounds mediocre at best but it holds a special place in my heart and memories, not just for the crawl, but because it was my first food truck in the DMV.
It all started with the crawl. Paula was leaving and as a farewell we decided to celebrate with one of the foods we share a special bond over: hot dogs. We’ve eaten them in Hawaii. We’ve eaten them in Chicago. It was time we ate them in DC… so we crammed as many as we could into one afternoon and two stomachs.
Due to Top Dog’s less accessible location, we made this our first stop of the day, and what a great way to start the crawl. The young men working in the truck were two of the most enthusiastic and energetic servers I’ve ever had. They fully engaged us in conversation and provided moral support to our cause… expressing their desires to join us, if only they didn’t have to work. These gents were hot dog connoisseurs just as Paula and I are. Truly excellent service and well beyond what I’ve experienced at any other food truck in any city.
For $ 12 we got two dogs, a bag of chips (that was saved for later, there was only belly room for hot dogs) and a drink. The Boss, with its tangy BBQ sauce, onions, banana peppers and a pickle spear, was Paula’s winner of the day. It literally had her moaning and throwing hands in the air. Over the course of the day we tried a total of five hot dogs and this place came out as her winner and my «close second» (my winner:
). The Sonoran (bacon wrapped beef dog, pinto beans, tomatoes and purple onions with sweet, flaky bread) was good but quite sweet due to the combination of sauces (lime-​mayo, mustard and jalapeño sauces). A dog like that would have benefited from more prevalent bacon and jalapeño flavors, not the sweetness.
Top Dog started my 2012 crawl on a good foot and has encouraged me to make it an annual thing. It won’t be the same without my dear Paula with me, but 2013 will have a crawl! Tacos anyone?

Good dogs and good specials. A little pricey for 6 bucks with a small size dog. The Sonoran is a favorite and worth trying, but not sure 12 dollars for two dogs, really means your soda and drink are free.
I will go again but not out of my way like I do for Franks in the OBX.

First let me say, the dogs are very good (I have had the Boss and Sanoran). The taste and flavors of the dogs are unique and recommend trying all of them.
2 small complaints or observations: the actual dog is kind of small (skinny) compared to like a hebrew national, my other comment is that $ 6.00 for a gormet dog is a little pricey. If you buy 2 they give you a Soda and chips, so it is a little better deal.
I know the guys in the truck look at these reviews, so maybe offering some more economical specials would increase traffic. Like the «TopDogtwoFor» 2 dogs, soda and chips for $ 10.00 on Tuesdays or whatever. I know I would visit them more if it was more afordable.
I will be back as the dogs were delicioous, but could be a little friendlier on the budget. for a Hot dog.

Had a Sonoran with no bacon and Boss. They were both great. The Boss is all an all need frank and has a great tangy kick. The Sonoran normally is wrapped in bacon. I skipped the bacon next time I won’t be so foolish. Good eats.
My experience would be better if the prices were a little lower. At $ 6 bucks this better be a legendary dog, and it wasn’t. Good but not great. I’d go there again, but won’t necessarily go out of my way for it.

Just had lunch for the first time at the Top Dog truck. I can say without hesitation that it was truly tops. I ordered the special of the day the «Le Dog», a French inspired Brie covered hot dog with peppers and mustard. It was AMAZING. I also ordered the Sonoran dog, because I’m a sucker for pretty much anything that’s bacon-​wrapped. It was also amazing, though I preferred the Le Dog the best.
The bun was the most delicious hot dog bun I’ve ever had. And both dogs had incredible flavor profiles in their toppings. I pretty much inhaled both. At $ 12 for two dogs, plus a free bag of chips and a soda, I was very pleased with my lunch for the day.
Can’t wait until TD comes rolling through my work area again!

Cons: Limited Menu.
Pros: What is on the menu is gooooooood.
There are hot dogs. And then there are Top Dogs. Top Dogs are high-​quality franks grilled to perfection served in a brioche roll with savory and unique accouterments. If you want a hot dog, got to Nathan’s (or even Costco). When you’re ready to step up to the next level, stop by the Top Dog truck.

Oh I just got told! Everyone has a down day and thankfully I hopped back across the street to get another hot dog from this cute little orange truck. The guys who run the truck are way cool and I kinda wished I could skip work for the rest of the day and just hang… eating all day of course.
This is my first experience with quality brioche bread and I hope its not my last — the sweet, buttery aftertaste it leaves in your mouth is QUITE pleasant. The tomatoes on the Sonoran were nice and sweet also and the snappy hotdog with zip of jalapeño sauce was just what I was hoping for.
I know they’re expanding their menu and I can’t wait to try. I would love to see perhaps a more American/​classic hotdog option on there for those of us less adventorous as well and I wouldn’t say no to a twofer — 2 dogs in one of those buns would be UH-​mazing. Hahahaha there is a fat hungry man inside of me.

$ 6 for a hot dog hits you kind of hard, but it’s good stuff. Definitely worth a once/​week splurge.

I would normally feel ripped off buying two hotdogs, a drink, and a bag of chips for $ 12, but these are not your typical tiny hotdog in a bland bun. The Sonoran is a good-​sized hotdog on a giant (and tasty) brioche bun, topped with a heaping pile of pinto beans, onions, and tomatoes. At a typical backyard barbecue I will polish off two or three hotdogs, but one of these was plenty filling. I only wish that I worked someplace that food trucks like this one would be able to make money visiting…

Caught them on Solutions Dr (near the Booz Allen and SAIC buildings — those lucky dogs can just walk!) — I had to drive over, but thankfully there is a big parking lot near where the truck was parked, so it worked out just fine
I got the sonoran dog — hot dog wrapped in bacon (mmmm, bacon-​wrapped things … need I say more?), topped with beans, fresh diced tomatoes, some white stuff and mustard — I could do without the mustard, but that’s just my personal preference. still, you have to try something the way it’s meant to be before you go about making it better (sorry top dog — I am sure you have mustard fans on your side)
It took a few minutes for them to make, which was fine — I like my food cooked fresh to order. my mistake was in trying to eat out of the back of my car — the sonoran is a little unwieldy (in a good way — big dog with overflowing toppings) and i ended up with mustard all over my black pants (another reason to go sans mustard!)
if you are in the area, you have to give this place a try — better than the same ol’ at the food courts! waaaaaaay better!

OK, forget about the health care plan or the 401K match, having a food truck stop right in front of my new office twice a week, is the real selling point that they should have put in the benefits package!
I had screwed up my direct deposit at my new company because I’m an imbecil. So, today, I received an actual check (something I have not encountered in far too long… couldn’t they just have paypal’d my paycheck to me?), and had to leave the sanctuary of my office to deposit said check. As I was grumbling about leaving my awesome parking spot… and having to deal with Tyson’s lunch traffic, I turned the corner of the parking garage to see a line.
Before I could even register what the line was for, I was hit with a glorious waft of yummy. And then it hit me. Out here, even in the lonely ‘burbs of Virginia… was…a food truck (queue the sound of angels singing).
I immediately pulled over (and nearly ran over a couple of coworkers… sorry guys!), and hopped into line. As I was perusing the offerings of the Top Dog Truck, the three people before me all ordered «the Boss». I didn’t even care what was in it at this point — I knew that this was the dog for me.
Sweet, and spicy, the juicy dog was a caraway sausage (something I normally do not care for), that was lovingly drenched in a sweet BBQ sauce. Topped with onions, banana peppers and a pickle spear, the brioch bun that had just enough firmness to hold all the wet and sloppy toppings from sliding onto my dry-​clean only suit (that itself was a one star bump up). With just a touch of tingly spicy heat, the dog came together very nicely; the dog had just enough «snap», and the toppings paired surprisingly well with the caraway. My only negative was that the sweet sauce was just a little too sweet for me, overpowering the otherwise perfect balance that the toppings had with the sausage.
However, I still look forward to the next visit by Top Dog Truck… which comes to my new office twice a week — every Wednesday and Friday. Seriously… why was this not covered in our orientation class?!? These are the things that I really need to know!!!
P. S. I never did make it to the bank. D’oh!

I had been waiting and looking for a food truck that came out to Tyson’s Corner. Lo and behold one day I was looking at the DC Food Trucker Tracker and there was Top Dog, right outside my office building.
Every hot dog I have had from the Top Dog food truck has been super delicious. I appreciate that even with all of the toppings, like beans and lime mayo on The Sonoran, the brioche bun doesn’t get soggy.
Every week they have a special dog. Last week I had the All-​American Double, and even after eating two kosher dogs on a bun I didn’t feel like I was overwhelmingly stuffed. Plus, it came with pretty classic toppings done just right, with a bit of a twist.
I like that they accept credit cards now and that their cash box is a wooden pecan pie box from Goode Company BBQ.
I am looking forward to when they serve desserts, too.

Hot diggety dog, we have a winner! It’s about time it struck someone that Tysons Corner is just teeming with office buildings but more importantly, hungry office dwellers. With Top Dog, making lunch mobile was just the solution to the humdrum dining options in Tysons.
Here are a few tips for any potential Top Dog patrons:
– First off– bring cash. It’s a food truck and you’d be surprised, but when I came by, there were people asking if they took credit card (noobs!).
– Secondly, don’t visit the truck right at noon. Come a bit before or after the lunch rush– they don’t call it a «lunch rush» for nothing.
– Thirdly: if you’re watching your weight/​on the Atkins diet/​on any diet of any sort: don’t come. Fair warning: there’s a bacon wrapped hot dog (the Sonoran! I had it and it is delicious). Yes, there are lots of toppings. And yea, there may be a vegetarian hot dog option but it’s probably not any better for you. If you try and order something plain, light on the (insert condiment here), best to go elsewhere for lunch.
I am definitely coming back for a second visit! I knocked off a star because the logistics needed some work (we waited in line for quite a while– people who came after us got served before we did). No doubt that in time, things will run like a well-​oiled machine, er, hot dog truck.

I’ll keep this review short and sweet. I am a big-​time food truck junkie and Top Dog is simply one of the best — I’d say top 3 in the Washington area.
I’ve been blessed to have had both the Sonoran and the Boss and I can’t tell you which one is better because they’re both incredible. The Sonoran is a bacon-​wrapped dog topped with pinto beans, tomatoes (yes, they were are as red as the pictures show) and this AWESOME jalapeño sauce that is a perfect blend of spice — not too much but just enough. The Boss is a whole ‘nother dog! Awesome sausage topped with peppers, onions and pickles.
Look folks, drop the bland wannabe hot dogs and get yourself a real TOP DOG. You will not regret it.

First off, thanks to Justin C for letting me know about Top Dog as I had zippy idea that it had been hanging around my office, close enough for a quick escape.
Despite the fact that I wasn’t able to snap up the FTR for this food truck, I still decided to pay them a visit. Quickly and quietly hopping outta the office with my coworker David D, we headed down the road and easily found the bright orange Top Dog truck parked off of Greensboro Dr in McLean. Excitement was in the air and despite the cold wind, we were eager to try out Top Dog’s offerings.
Because we were a bit short on time and eager to get back to the office (before anyone noticed we left), we placed our orders for the following dogs:
1 — Sonoran Dog:
«Crispy bacon-​wrapped all beef hot dog served in a brioche bun. Topped with pinto beans, caramelized onions, freshly diced tomatoes, lime mayo, mustard, and kickin’ jalapeño sauce.»
1– The Boss:
«Local red pepper caraway sausage w/​smoky sweet sauce served in a brioche bun. Topped with onions, peppers, and a pickle spear.»
(BTW, the dog descriptions were lifted directly from the Top Dog website)
While we waited, we chatted with the a Top Dog staff member who was very friendly and happily explained each of the hot dog offerings. She told us that the sausage for «The Boss» was from a local farm made with locally raised meat. I had initially only ordered one dog, but then was informed that they had a 2 hot dogs for $ 10 special that I just couldn’t pass up. This was a nice deal as each dog will run you about $ 6 each.
So here’s my quick thoughts about both dogs:
The Sonoran — Tasty all beef hot dog that’s simply BEAUTIFUL to look at… almost too pretty to eat. I have no idea where they got their tomatoes, but they are the REDDEST and the sweetest tomatoes I’ve EVER eaten! I liked the flavor of everything, but for me it needed a little bit more of «POW!» to really bring all the flavors together.
Maybe I’m just a spice lover but I was left wanting something «bold» be it a bit more spiciness or something acidic to cut through the all-​meaty-​goodness of the Sonoran’s all beef hot dog and bacon. I’d give this dog an average of 3.5 stars for both appearance and flavor.
Now of the two dogs I sampled the winner was The Boss. I’ll just let you know that since I ate that dog I’ve been thinking about it much like a 13 year old girl thinks about Justin Bieber… yeah, like that. This dog was THE perfect combination of flavor, texture and spice. The Sonoran’s sausage had a perfect blend of seasoning, flavor and had that great *snap* when biting through the skin. But that’s not the best part.
All of the Boss’ toppings work well with the sausage as they compliment the flavor and add an amazing texture (and crunch) to each bite. The special sauce was sweet and combined perfectly while the raw white onions, the yellow banana peppers and the pickle making every single bite a treat.
I really really LOVED the Boss and if I have the chance to go back to Top Dog will just order two of these suckers.
**wipes away drool**
It’s great to have these guys so close to my office and I really wish them all the best. If you’re in the TyCo area and happen to see these guys, stop the car and get your dog on. You really can’t beat the 2 for $ 10 price for such tasty dogs. Oh yeah, make sure to bring cash as they’re a cash-​only business.