Best Hot Dogs in Houston: Coney Dogs, Wild Game, and Late Night

The best hot dogs in Houston span a century of history: James Coney Island opened in 1923 and still uses its original chili recipe; Moon Tower Inn serves wild game dogs on a shipping-container lot in Second Ward; and Dirty Dawgs grills halal franks on Hawaiian rolls until 2 a.m. on Westheimer. This list covers 10 verified spots across the city, from a 57-year-old neighborhood counter in Oak Forest to Chicago-style dogs that arrived in 2024.

The quick list

• James Coney Island — classic Houston Coney with chili, mustard and onions, multiple locations
• Moon Tower Inn — wild boar, elk and duck dogs on pretzel buns, Second Ward
• Yoyo's Hot Dog — one perfect bacon-wrapped dog, POST Houston and Washington Ave
• Midwest Coney Connection — authentic Detroit-style Coney, Westchase
• Barnaby's Cafe — half-pound grilled kosher frank at 11 Houston locations
• MytiBurger — $3.39 plain dog since 1967, Oak Forest
• EZ's Liquor Lounge — brisket frank, Houston Press best hot dog 2025, The Heights
• Killen's Burgers — bacon-cheddar-jalapeño deep-fried stuffed dog, Pearland
• Dirty Dawgs — halal frank on a Hawaiian roll, late-night Westheimer
• Portillo's — authentic Chicago dog dragged through the garden, multiple Houston-area locations

How we chose

Each spot had to confirm current hours on its own official website or official social page as of October 2026. We looked for a range of styles — Houston Coney, gourmet wild game, late-night street food, Chicago-style imports — spread across neighborhoods and price points from $3.39 to $10.99. Prices come from each restaurant's own published menu; hours change, so check the source before you go.

James Coney Island

Multiple Houston-area locations · original Houston Coney since 1923

The story most Houstonians do not know: brothers Tom and James Papadakis arrived from Greece with $75 between them and opened a hot dog stand at Walker and Main in downtown Houston in 1923. They flipped a coin to decide whose name would go on the sign. James won. That chili recipe — mustard, house chili sauce, diced onions on a steamed bun — has not changed since that first nickel dog.

Today James Coney Island operates more than 20 Houston-area locations, with the Original Coney starting around $3.09. The Baja dog adds chipotle mayo, guacamole, pico and jalapeños for $6.69. If you are new to the city, the Original Coney is the correct first order. Check the official site for current locations and hours.

Moon Tower Inn

3004 Canal St, Second Ward · open daily

Moon Tower built its kitchen into repurposed shipping containers and carved out one of Houston's most unusual outdoor bar lots. The draw for hot dog people is the rotating selection of wild game tubesteaks on pretzel buns: wild boar, duck with apple brandy, elk, deer, rabbit and pheasant, typically priced at $9 to $9.50 each. The base all-beef Thunderfrank is $7.

Over 60 craft beers on tap make this a full afternoon, not just a snack stop. Moon Tower has been on Houston hot dog shortlists for years because no other spot in the city puts a genuine elk dog on a pretzel bun.

Best for: adventurous eaters, craft beer drinkers, groups who want an outdoor lot.

Yoyo's Hot Dog

401 Franklin St at [POST Houston](/things-to-do/post-houston-guide) · also 5602 Washington Ave

Yoyo's opened in 2010 with a single idea: one hot dog, done right. The menu has never expanded. What you get is a bacon-wrapped frank with grilled onions and sauce for $8. At POST Houston, the stand follows market hours (typically Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.); at Washington Ave, it opens evenings through the early morning on weekends.

Insider tip: the Washington Ave location reportedly runs until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, which means Yoyo's has outlasted dozens of full-service restaurants in the same corridor by simply refusing to compete with them at dinner.

Midwest Coney Connection

11660 Westheimer Rd Suite 103, Westchase · open daily

Detroit and Flint, Michigan each have a specific version of the Coney Island hot dog: a beef frank in natural casing with a snap, topped with a beefy chili sauce, mustard and onions on a steamed bun. Midwest Coney Connection is one of the few places in Texas to do it properly. The Detroit Coney and Flint Coney each run about $8.95. If you grew up in the Midwest, this is the stop you have been looking for. If you did not, it is a worthwhile lesson in how much chili dog traditions vary across the country.

Barnaby's Cafe

Nine or ten Houston locations including The Heights, Midtown and the Museum District

Barnaby's is a dog-themed neighborhood diner that opened in 1993, and its hot dog is a serious commitment: a half-pound, 100-percent all-beef grilled frank in a kosher style, served plain and dry. Chili and cheese are add-ons. With nine or ten locations across the city — including The Heights, Midtown, Museum District and Garden Oaks — it is the most geographically accessible pick on this list. The frank typically runs $9.95 to $10.99 depending on location. Pair dinner with the Heights restaurant guide if you want to make an evening of it.

MytiBurger

2211 W 43rd St, Oak Forest · open daily, weekends from 7 a.m.

MytiBurger has served a plain hot dog for $2.59 since 1967, and the price has not kept pace with inflation in the best possible way. It opens at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, which makes it a legitimate breakfast stop if your morning requires a hot dog. For more budget-friendly options nearby, see the cheap eats in Houston guide.

EZ's Liquor Lounge

3302 White Oak Dr, The Heights · open daily

EZ's is primarily a Heights bar, but in 2025 the Houston Press named it the best hot dog in Houston. The EZ Dog is a quarter-pound brisket frank in a soft roll dusted with garlic celery spice. The Caliente version adds jalapeño cheese, onion and habanero honey mustard. EZ's is operated by Agricole Hospitality — the same group behind Revival Market — so the sourcing is taken seriously even in a bar setting. No standalone website; find current hours and the menu through their ordering page or a quick search.

Killen's Burgers

2804 S Main St, Pearland · south of Houston proper

Killen's Burgers sits about 20 miles south of downtown in Pearland. Pit-master Ronnie Killen takes a beef frank, stuffs it with bacon, cheddar and jalapeño, and deep-fries it until the casing blisters and cracks open. The result costs $6.50 and looks unlike any other hot dog on this list. The plain hot dog is $5. The broader Killen's empire — including the celebrated barbecue restaurant — is covered in our best BBQ in Houston guide.

Dirty Dawgs

8384 Westheimer Rd, Briargrove area · typically open from 2 p.m. daily

Dirty Dawgs uses 100-percent halal beef franks, griddled split-face so the casing chars and opens for texture, served on Hawaiian rolls. The signature Dirty Dawg gets cream cheese, fried onions, sriracha, curry ketchup and honey mayo. The Tokio Dawg uses gochujang and Asian toppings. Hours run until 2 to 2:30 a.m. on weeknights, making this one of the few spots to get a genuinely good hot dog after midnight in Houston. Confirm current hours at @eatdirtydawgs on Instagram before you go. For more late-night mobile food options, see the best food trucks in Houston guide.

Portillo's

Multiple Houston-area locations including Willowbrook and Katy

The Chicago dog — poppy seed bun, all-beef frank, yellow mustard, neon relish, chopped onion, tomato wedge, celery salt, kosher pickle spear, sport peppers, absolutely no ketchup — is a genuinely regional food that is hard to find outside Illinois. Portillo's arrived in the Houston area in 2024 and now has multiple locations across the metro. Prices are typically in the $5 to $6 range for the dog; check the official menu for current pricing. This is also the place to add an Italian beef sandwich to the order if you want the full Chicago experience.

Save this: the Houston hot dog checklist

• For the original Houston Coney: James Coney Island, Original Coney, starting around $3.09
• For the most unusual order: Moon Tower Inn, elk or wild boar on a pretzel bun, ~$9
• For late-night: Dirty Dawgs (until 2–3 a.m.) or Yoyo's Washington Ave (until 3 a.m. Fri–Sat)
• For the lowest price: MytiBurger, plain dog $2.59 since 1967
• For Chicago-style: Portillo's, dragged through the garden, no ketchup ever
• For Detroit/Midwest-style: Midwest Coney Connection, beefy natural-snap Coney on Westheimer
• For the award winner: EZ's Liquor Lounge, Houston Press best hot dog 2025
• Pair with: best burgers in Houston or best BBQ in Houston for a full downtown food crawl

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is Houston's oldest hot dog restaurant?

James Coney Island, founded in 1923 by brothers Tom and James Papadakis, is Houston's oldest hot dog institution. They opened their first stand at Walker and Main in downtown Houston and the original chili recipe has not changed since.

What is a Houston Coney dog?

A Houston Coney is a steamed beef frank topped with house chili sauce, yellow mustard and diced onions, served on a steamed bun. James Coney Island has made this specific style since 1923.

Where can I find late-night hot dogs in Houston?

Dirty Dawgs at 8384 Westheimer Rd stays open until 2–2:30 a.m. most nights. Yoyo's Hot Dog at 5602 Washington Ave is reportedly open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Can I find Chicago-style hot dogs in Houston?

Yes. Portillo's, which arrived in Houston in 2024, serves an authentic Chicago dog: poppy seed bun, all-beef frank, yellow mustard, neon relish, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, celery salt, and absolutely no ketchup. There are multiple Houston-area locations; check portillos.com for the current list.

What is the cheapest hot dog in Houston?

MytiBurger at 2211 W 43rd St in Oak Forest has served a plain hot dog for $3.39 since 1967. It is open daily, including from 7 a.m. on weekends.

Where can I get wild game hot dogs in Houston?

Moon Tower Inn at 3004 Canal St in the Second Ward rotates wild game tubesteaks on pretzel buns, including wild boar, elk, duck with apple brandy, deer, rabbit and pheasant, typically priced at $9 to $9.50 each.