601385 Thu Mar 05 11:36:33 -0800 2009 9 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4476621 That's the sign in the parking lot. Sac's has been in business since 1976 and is a little like Caspars. They only serve steamed foot-long Schwarz hot dogs and the a spicy hot link. The cheese dog ($3.55) is just the Tasty Dog ($2.95) with lots of finely shredded cheddar on top. The dogs come with mustard, relish, onion (choice of sliced or chopped), tomato. The cajun dog ($3.55) has the same condiments as the tasty dog. The basic chili dog just has chili and onions on top ($4.05). Chili Cheese dog ($4.65) adds cheese to that. The super chili cheese dog adds tomato, relish and mustard ($5.25) A bowl of chili is $2.55 and it is excellent chili designed for a hot dog. It is a thick bean chili sort of the consistancy of refried beans with ground beef and whole beans mixed in. There's a touch light touch of cayanne, but it is not spicy. It is so well-made for a hot dog because it is not runny and will stay on the dog ... stay ... stay. The buns are classic hot dog buns that aren't grilled just au natural. There's the option for other additions ... jalepenos, dill pickles or saurkraut. Squeeze bottles of spicy mustard, mayo and ketchup sit on the counter for anyone who prefers that on the dog. On a side counter are bottles of hot sauce. Chips, candy, icees, soda, coffe and tea complete the menu. If you order a large Coke, it comes in a plastic version of the classic Coca Cola glass. That's it. I asked if the saurkraut was heated and the owner or manager said no and gave their thoughts about kraut. They keep it room temperature and will steam it on request but feel that heating it makes it too watery for the dog. You gotta like a place with a sauerkraut philosophy. It is a small shop with some plastic tables with low stools and a counter on either side with four stools each. Get in a single line, place order and pay at the register. It is covered in all sorts of old advertising signs with a surfboard hanging from one corner of the ceiling and an American flag covering the other part of the ceiling. There are some outdoor picnic tables. Thu Mar 05 11:36:33 -0800 2009 10264 rworange 1 4500209 I posted foodie porn pix here: http://myculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/ Immediately after reading this review, I knew that I had to go here. I thought that the perfect time would be when I was returning to Napa after my vegan cooking class and lunch in Oakland (I like to seek redemption before I give into temptation). I started off with the Original Tasty Dog with mustard, relish, onion (chopped), and tomato. I really wanted to get cheese on it but I was trying to practice some sort of restraint since I knew that I was also going to get a chili cheese dog. I loved this hot dog. The dog itself had really good snap! and I really liked how all of the accoutrements worked together. It really didn't need cheese but that is not going to stop me from ordering it with next time! Next was the chili cheese dog. Oh man, I got so excited when I saw the gobs 'o' cheese that went on the dog. My only complaint was that the chili that day tasty a bit pasty/grainy. I miss the days when fast food chili was emulsified by thick orange grease instead of the low-fat thickeners. Despite that, this was one great chili cheese dog. Thanks for the rec, rworange! Thu Mar 12 21:22:15 -0700 2009 4476621 42600 Bon Vivant 2 4502924 Great blog. Fri Mar 13 16:49:47 -0700 2009 4500209 43515 adrienne156 1 4502909 Sacs is a Vallejo institution and locals swear by it with lines going out the door on any given day. My friends tell me how good the hot dogs are, but I'm just not a big hot dog person. If, on those few occasions, I'm in the mood for a dog, I like it grilled and in a natural casing that snaps when you bite into it. Also, several blocks from Sacs on Springs Road, there's a Red Onion hamburger place. Their burgers are good, better than Bud's or Nation's, in my opinion. Good fries, onion rings and thick milkshakes. They also serve breakfast, sandwiches, salads, & dessert. The only problem I have with the place is that a good portion of the menu items are fried and not too healthy. Fri Mar 13 16:42:52 -0700 2009 4476621 266027 ricebowl 2 4503142 I'm more of a grilled hot dog person myself. At the Vallejo farmers market and the Martinez farmers market there is Meyer's BBQ which makes one of my favorite grilled dogs in the Bay Area. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/544409 http://www.chow.com/places/34822 I realized that although I commented on the chili, I never really said how I liked the dog itself. I think they are a bit better than the Caspar's chain. I do think that Hot Dog Depot in Martinez does a better dog and it uses Schwartz as well. The odd thing about Sacs was that the dog had less snap than most Schwartz dogs. Maybe they are steamed too long. Also they put a little too much relish on. It is odd, but there is something about taking real care with a hot dog that translates to taste. Hot Dog City is really careful about assembling that frank. There's a better balance of condiments. Yet no one has ever matched Big Harry of Original Kaspar's on Telegraph. I swear his spirit was there with me at Sacs and I mourned his passing once again. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/17311 Harry never would reveal his hot dog source. You needed to stand in line and wait while Harry put together the perfect dog. The onions sliced by hand for each dog and not ready-sliced or chopped and waiting. Ditto on the tomatoes. In all the years I ate at Kaspars I never had a tomato that didn't taste like something from someone's back yard. The only choice was salt on it or no salt ... and Harry knew how much to salt. The link above mentions cheddar, but that happened when Harry's son took over after his stroke. The big choice was all the wonderful types of sodas available. While you waited, for the hot dog, you could contemplate which soft drink to order. To attest to the art that went into this hot dog, I was new from the East Coast when I first tried Kaspar's and from a state known for good hot dogs ... Connecticut. The thought of a tomato on a hot dog and no kraut seemed like heresey to me. Those crazy Californians. The first bite of the Kaspar's dog made me an immediate lifelong fan. I miss it. Oddly, the website is still up after all these years. http://www.originalkaspers.com/home.html Fri Mar 13 18:27:39 -0700 2009 4502909 10264 rworange 3 4503326 Where and when is the Vallejo farmers market? Fri Mar 13 19:50:27 -0700 2009 4503142 42600 Bon Vivant 4 4503335 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/469807 Fri Mar 13 19:55:23 -0700 2009 4503326 105235 wolfe 3 4503345 Any idea if anyone else in the Bay Area makes a good, no-frills grilled dog? (if you've ever tried Gray's Papaya or Papaya King in NYC, I'm wondering if a similar dog can be found here...) Fri Mar 13 19:59:36 -0700 2009 4503142 11816 Agent 510 4 4503373 This looks like a grill to me. http://www.topdoghotdogs.com/themenu.html Fri Mar 13 20:08:59 -0700 2009 4503345 105235 wolfe 5 4503382 My bad - I take Top Dog (and its "clones": Fatt Dog, The Dog-Out, etc.) for granted that I forgot to say "besides Top Dog et al." Fri Mar 13 20:12:35 -0700 2009 4503373 11816 Agent 510