It’ Dog

Husband and I tried the fried chicken, poutine, and the kimchi hot dog. It just didn’t taste fresh. We were so looking forward to try it, and it has the potential to be great but was quite disappointing. Fries tasted very old. Hotdog tasted as if it was heated in the microwave. Chicken was ok, not as crispy as we would like.

This place is so tasty! Gourmet hot dogs, can’t go wrong. The K-​Pop music videos definitely added to the uniqueness of this place. It’s a little pricey but for the location and service it’s worth it.

I was really excited to try out a gourmet hot dog (one that I didn’t have to make at home) and I have mixed feelings about this place.
I like the theory of unique gourmet hot dogs but I’m not so sure they always work. I got the Mac n’ cheese dog and crispy chicken dog. The Mac n’ cheese just wasn’t right. Maybe it was the soft macaroni or the cheese but it didn’t go with the hot dog :-(the crispy dog wasn’t bad on the other hand, loved the onion on it! I also ordered some fried chicken, which was done right. Just like the Korean fried chicken I like. Finally, the spicy chicken poutine was awesome. I love fries and I especially love spicy fries!
I’d like to come back but maybe go for a simpler dog, nothing too different.

I have always secretly enjoyed hot dogs, but because of my age and increasing needs to watch my health, hot dog consumption was reduced to occasional post-​event snacking. However, with all the trendy-​foodie ventures in augmenting a simple comfort food, it was hard to resist. The following are my observations after walking inside:
1. Completely empty on a Saturday lunch time… Is it just my lucky day of having a restaurant all to myself without annoying lineups; or is it a reflection of its quality?
2. Blown away from the variety of dogs that I can’t recall (peach dog, chicken dog…)
3. Interesting ambience such as the Korean music TV shows and the comic book pictures on the wall.
4. Indifferent quality of service-​Staff were neither overtly rude or overtly friendly… Flat, robotic, and total lack of engagement from the cashier to the line cooks. After taking my order and serving me, they acted like I did not exist.
That being said, I did order the 10 dollar, franchise product IT’ Dog. IT’ did not disappoint. The fried shrimp and bulgogi topping was amazing on its own. The game changer of this dog was the pretzel bun: tasty, excellent texture, and was able to contain the dog; even when biting into it. Although I did not care for the service, I will be going back.

Saw the hype on line and decided to check it out. The dogs were nothing to rave about. I have had far better from other establishments especially Nathan’s. I would think that it would be hard to mess up the formula at a hot dog place but somehow this place did it for me. Will not return.

We were catching a movie across the street, so we decided to duck our heads inside here for a quick bite before the movie.
The place had one other table that was occupied. They had some pretty great Korean pop music videos playing on the TV screens that kept us entertained until our food was ready.
I ordered a peach shrimp dog. I love peach shrimp, one of my favourite Asian dishes in fact. I was rather disappointed when it was presented with pineapple, not peaches. If you had run out of peaches, maybe the menu should reflect that.
They are licensed but they don’t have very much of a beer selection.
I may go back to try the chicken, but I am definitely not a fan of the hot dogs.

I am late to the hot dog game in town. Yes, I’ve known about It’ Dog and The Dog since they’ve opened a few months ago but both haven’t been on my priority list to check out. A few friends have gone previously and their impressions were lukewarm. Well, I’m always in the Whyte Ave area these days and after 4.5 hours of straight tennis, I needed something to eat before I passed out from a lack of carbs consumed.
We decided to check out It’ Dog on a Friday evening (around 9:30pm) and the place was pretty deserted. What I like about them is that they have legit, late night hours (open till midnight everyday). That’s right, one of the few places in the city actually open late.
The menu is pretty straightforward with options of hot dogs, KFC and poutine. Order at the counter and wait for your name/​order to be called to pickup your food. The first thing that popped into my mind is that this place is the Korean version of the infamous Japadog.
— It’ hot dog ($ 10.00) — grilled sausage, bulgogi, tempura shrimp, mushroom, caramelized onion, mozzarella cheese, green onion and sweet wasabi mayo. We figured we should go with their signature dog for the first time. My favourite part about the hot dog was the pretzel bun itself, which was soft and warm. The toppings were okay but I felt everything blended together and didn’t give the dog any distinguishing flavours. The beef dog itself wasn’t anything special. Not bad but in no ways does it justify a $ 10.00 price point. Not when Dadeo’s po boys are around the corner for the same price…
— Sweet and spicy chicken ($ 13.00) — five pieces of delicious KFC. These definitely give Wing Chicx and Coco Deep Fried Chicken a run for their money. The chicken came out piping hot (we had to wait a few minutes to let it cool down) and the sweet and spicy sauce was finger lickin’ good (more on the sweet side and sticky). Be prepared to get your fingers coated in sauce but it’s totally worth the effort! The chicken was super crunchy, well seasoned and tender inside. All the things you look for when you have a hankering for some KFC.
Go to It’ Dog for their Korean fried chicken. It’s the perfect place to grab a quick bite and satisfy those late night eats. Even better that you can do it everyday of the week! I’ll be back again when I need my KFC fix.

The location is very good it’s located on whyte avenue. The to go packaging is simple and easy to carry. Tried this place twice, it was just okay, nothing too crazy. The buns were soft, but the ingredients on it weren’t as flavorful as I thought. I tried the Mac and cheese and spicy chicken dog. I also find it quite expensive for a hot dog.

Wanting to try something different while strolling around Whyte, we made the trek down 109 to finally give this joint a try.
First off — I love a good dog. Whether it’s the cheap but giant dogs at Costco or some fancy ones on the grill at home, nothing says summer like a great smokie.
Well, it was really summer-​ish when we walked down, and It’Dog really hit the spot. I enjoyed the Crispy Chicken Dog. I found it a good choice ’cause I could pick the chicken off the top and save the actual dog for dessert (I’m weird like that). The chicken was tasty, but mostly batter, less meat — but as a topper, it was good. The dog itself was tasty and the bun was soft and chewy — perfect!
My wife had the chicken deal which said 2 pieces but came with 3. She said it was pretty good, but quite greasy — we went through quite a few napkins. I’ll stick to dogs on my next few visits.

I liked it! Like, really liked it. I popped in for a super late dinner after an event that was very lacking on food — the reviews have not been the greatest so I didn’t expect to be wowed, but I was. My Mac N Cheese hot dog was freaking amazing! So so yummy. The bun was soft, fresh and tasty. The dog itself was juicy and flavourful, and then there was the ooey, gooey, cheesy mac on top of it all with spicy jalapeños. Hot dog perfection! I’m a It’ Dog believer ya’ll. And full disclosure, I take hot dogs VERY seriously… I have been to over 25 NFL and MLB stadiums and have a hot dog ranking scale of the best dogs in America. So, ya, I kind of know what I’m talking about. Just Sayin’

In this last month or so, I’ve had the chance to eat KFC from a variety of different places… Coco’a Deep Fried Chicken, Yum Yum Chicken & BBQ Korean Cuisine (In Calgary, post to come), and the chicken from It’ Dog, so I’ve really had a good chance to compare them. It first opened up a few months back, and since then I’ve had the chance to go here a few times now with a variety of different people (I lost some pictures, so I kept having excuses to go back). Since being here, I’ve also had the chance to go to The Dog so I can really compare the hot dogs from both places.
Anyways, it’s located near the University. There is some parking immediately north of the building, but there’s much more in the back. It might be hard to get to from the north, but coming from the south going up 109^th, it’s not so bad. It’s a small location, and the inside is pretty simple. The occasions that I’ve been here, they always had the K-​pop blasting. It’s a little bit on the loud side, so I’d recommend trying to sit away from the TVs. On this occasion, I went with my sister and we got one hot dog each, and their sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken.
She decided to go with the Hardcore dog. It’s described as a grilled sausage with jalapeño, spicy ground beef, spicy sauce, pickled thai chili, and cucumber. If you really like spicy, then I suggest you go with this one. Since my first visit, they’ve really improved on their sausage. When they first opened, I thought the texture of their hot dog was really off. It had too much binding and it was very chew-​ey and had an almost gummy-​like texture. Now, they are actually pretty good and the texture is way better. My favourite part of their hot dogs would be the pretzel bun. It’s nice a fluffy and makes for a nice addition to the hot dog. These hot dogs are slightly bigger than the ones at The Dog on 118 ave. I think they are both pretty comparable now, it just depends on what kind of toppings you want, either western toppings or more Asiatic toppings, but they are both decent!
The other hot dog we got was the Peach Shrimp Dog. This had three deep fried shrimp ton top, covered in a peach mayo sauce, diced pineapples, green onions, and cucumber. I wasn’t too sold on this hot dog…

Quite honestly I will not be returning to eat their hot dogs. I might try their fried chicken, but the hot dog that I tried, the It Dog, was exceedingly bland which is strange given the assortment of flavours on it! You would think that with shrimp, sweet wasabi mayo, beef, a pretzel bun, cheese, and caramelized onions that these distinct flavours would be tasted. Alas, it all seemed bland mixed together. In fact I had to go to Remedy for chai just to get my stomach settled and wash away that bland bizarre flavour.
That said this location seemed rather busy and I would be willing to try the fried chicken at some point because it looks decent. The comic book art on the walls was a nice touch.

I finally had a chance to try It’ Dog this past weekend. I was quite happy when I heard Edmonton was finally getting a fancy hot-​dog place as we have been to Tubby Dog in Calgary and quite enjoyed it.
I tried The Dog a few weeks ago and now that I have tried It’ Dog I have a good comparison to go by.
First off I think It’ Dog and The Dog are in two different leagues of hot dog places. The Dog I would describe as a more upscale hot dog place where they make their own bread, condiments, sausage, etc. It’ Dog I would describe as more of a fancy fast food hot dog place. They are both good in their own right but very different products. There are things I really like about both places and I think my choice of which place to go to would just depend on how am I feeling that day; Do I want a quick and fancy hot dog (It’ Dog) or something a bit more elevated than that (The Dog).
I really like the buns at It’ Dog. The pretzel bun was very good and something a bit different. I have only been there once so far and I tried the Bulgogi Dog. Lots of meat on it too. Fries were nice and crispy and they have some great spicy salt you can put on them at the condiment bar!
There is lots on the menu to try so I am sure I will be back for more and will have to update my review. Fried chicken! Poutine! I’m in for more.

Heard mix reviews about this place so I decided to try it. Tried the hardcore dog, cause I do enjoy spicy food, I was honestly a quite disappointed.
The hot dog itself tasted a bit bland and it was not as spicy as I thought it would be considering it has jalapeño, chile peppers and Sriracha sauce. I do like, however, the pretzel/​sweet bun they use for their dogs.
I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious their fried chicken is. Very crunchy skin and moist chicken on the inside.
Would go back to try different dogs and chicken on their menu.

Tried the chili cheese dog that was solid, with a quality wiener and a bit of kick in te chili, it could use a little more bit
What that lacks which is little is compensated for by the pretzel bun an the fun options on the menu like the bulgogi dog and the peach shrimp dog. Come for the hot dog, stay for the Korean Fried Chicken and K-​pop!

First things first, I am a fan of It’ Dog.
Every dog I’ve tried from there has been exceedingly good. The Hardcore Dog was a favourite; lots of peppers, nice and spicy and very flavourful. The pretzel bun was a nice touch, but towards the end, a little hard on the jaw muscles, chewing-​wise. The It’ Dog and Sweet & Spicy fried chicken were both very nice, as well.
I quite enjoyed both the Bulgogi poutine and the Truffle Mac n’ Cheese Dog and would consider ordering both again. (…after the Hardcore Dog)
The only issue I have with It’ Dog is I thought that they were a little overpriced. I have a problem with hot dogs costing between $ 7 and $ 10. (depending on the dog) Iif they were maybe a dollar or two cheaper, the expense would be much easier to swallow. (no pun intended) The Bulgogi poutine was only half-​full (or half-​empty, if you’re more of a pessimist) for it’s $ 7 price tag. A few more fries or a buck or two cheaper would actually have me rushing back to It’ Dog.
If I’m in the area and if Original Joe’s is too busy, I may drop back in to It’ Dog for a quality hot dog and/​or fried chicken.
As of right now, there will be no rushing.

Listen, I could write a long review like these jabronis, but why bother?
I’ll get right to it. This place is expensive. This place isn’t good.
I can stand one or the other, but both? Guys, come on.
Anyhow, just wait for Fat Frank’s to open back up in the summer and go there.
PS: What the heck is the apostrophe for?
PPS: If it was on the other side, it would be for «shit.»

Tried It’ Dog twice this past weekend after reading the reviews and we happened to be practically next door at the Jube on both Saturday and Sunday.
Unfortunately, on both visits at least half of our items were missing ingredients listed on the menu like green onions, sesame seeds, etc.
On our first visit, the hubs and I shared the Hardcore Dog ($ 8) and a 5 piece order of Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken ($ 13).
The Hardcore Dog was probably the best of any of the items we tried over our two visits but as mentioned by another reviewer, the bun itself was difficult for me to chew and swallow — literally. It was spicy — as noted — and full of flavour.
The 5 Piece Sweet & Spicy Chicken disappointed in quality and flavour. It was gooey mess of syrup poured over their standard fried chicken. Some pieces of the chicken were standard like a drumstick or a breast but 2 of the 5 pieces were very odd and breakoff wing pieces that were quite small.
Our second visit was with the whole fam jam in tote after a kiddo showing of Mike the Knight. We shared The Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese Dog ($ 9), the IT’ Dog ($ 10), an order of Bulgogi Poutine ($ 7), and a side of plain fries ($ 3).
The dogs are by far the best value here. The IT’ Dog was missing 2 of the listed ingredients and they were completely swamped so I didn’t ask for them to be added. We had to ask several times for our requested glasses of water.
The Truffle Mac ‘n Cheese sounded like a great idea and the thinly sliced jalapenos on top were a nice touch but it lacked the true flavour of cheese I was looking for.
My daughter loved the Bulgogi poutine, but for $ 7 even a tad more food would be good. I’d rather pay a dollar more or slightly less but a small box half full wasn’t enough for her. My son has allergies to oh so many things so he had a plain side of fries which was about ¹⁄₃ of the small box filled — I uploaded pics as well.
My kids totally dug the décor here and spent a lot of time looking at the various comic book themed wall mountings. And we’re not just stalking Spider Man and Captain America, but the nitty gritty like Night Crawler as my 3 year old pointed out to me.
All in all, I’d come back if I was in the area and it was late at night but for the same price, I’d much rather go across the street to Original Joe’s or to Three Boar’s if they have space and enjoy the quality and atmosphere more so for almost the same price or slightly more.
There is some parking along the side of the restaurant as well as out back but it’s a tricky space in the winter to say the least. The IT’ Dog is where Bad Ass Jack’s used to be if that helps you find it and you’ll recognize the colour and décor of Bad Ass in side as well as Jack himself in the washroom mural.

I’m ready to hit the road running with my first Unilocal post of 2015! It’ Dog, Edmonton’s newest Korean fusion hotdog and fried chicken eatery had a strong opening last Tuesday, and was packed full on the Wednesday evening when Joe and I went.
It’ Dog, brought to you by the same owners as It’ Sushi in Spruce Grove, now occupies the space that was previously Badass Jack’s on 109 St and 86 Avenue, sharing its parking space with Remedy Café and the Movie Studios. The location is sure to be a hit with university students, those craving a bite to eat for lunch or dinner or even a late night snack. I know I would have gone in between study sessions if it were open years ago! A bonus: they’re open until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights, perfect for post-​bar/​club eats. They even have beer on tap to keep the party going!
Menu options are simple enough, you’ve got your hotdogs and your chicken, and for those who are a little more patriotic, a poutine. Those who have tried a Japadog on the streets of Vancouver will get a warm fuzzy feeling when reading the menu and those who have not, might be a little overwhelmed! Talk about a loaded hotdog! Not going to lie, it was hard to choose only one Korean-​inspired hotdog. So naturally, I told Joe to get his own and planned for some takeout for my lunch the next day.
All orders are taken at the counter and tables are seat yourself. The space isn’t overwhelming large, seating enough for dozen or so. We decided on the sweet and spicy fried chicken (Korean fried chicken, KFC) because to not order it would be a crime. Designated KFC eats such as Wing Chicx and Coco Deep Fried Chicken are just so far south for some of us! I’m glad to see another KFC option closer to home. And guess what? It’ Dog does not disappoint. LEGIT. More on the sweeter side than on the spicy, although well balanced in my opinion. The best part of the chicken was the batter: nice and light, crispy, and perfect. Honestly, I preferred this over all other Edmonton alternatives but a direct comparison is hard when I have fried chicken so spaced apart. A must order. Pricing is on point, 5 pieces for $ 13 and we somehow got a bonus piece! Most exceeerreent.
I ended up getting the «It’ Hot Dog», although the toppings didn’t nearly appeal to me as some of their other options. But as it was my first time there, I figured to order their signature dog, non? An all beef hotdog, grilled and served up on a toasted pretzel bun and topped with thinly sliced soy beef (bulgogi), tempura shrimp, mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella cheese, green onions, and a sweet wasabi mayo. Holy heart attack. Talk about a New Year’s resolution killer! But well worth it. The pretzel bun is on the sweeter side and if you normally don’t get full off of a hotdog, this bun will sure do it for you. The bulgogi by itself was nicely marinated, the tempura batter crunchy and perfectly done. Together in one bite, it was a good use of textures and flavors, although predominately sweet — true to most Korean dishes. I’m not the biggest fan of wasabi, but the sauce was more on the sweet side and just a hint of wasabi. Deeeeelicious!
Joe got the «Hardcore Dog», the name appealing to most guys I would think. Something about saying «I got the Hardcore Dog» when somebody asks, what did you get? Toppings included fresh jalapenos, spicy ground beef, a spicy sauce, pickled Thai chili, and cucumber. The cucumber was beyond tasting because the whole hotdog was just hot. Spicy spicy spicy! Talk about hardcore. Even Joe found his mouth burning and he has a pretty high tolerance for heat. He seemed to enjoy the burn though, munching happily away at the Thai chili in between bites.
On my next visit, I want to try the spicy chicken dog if for some reason I’m unable to order a hotdog and fried chicken again! The best of both worlds? Or perhaps the beef rib dog. Or the peach shrimp dog? There’s just so many to try! You can even upgrade your sausage to a smokie or a bratwurst for an extra $ 1, or switch to a baguette or naan bread base for a measly fifty cents. It’ Dog is definitely a hit for me, with unique Korean fusion hot dogs and fried chicken (and beer!). So happy Edmonton finally has an Asian-​inspired hot dog eatery and can’t wait to come back for more!

This place opened up in the second week of January 2015, with much anticipation from my husband and I. Almost every day we would see the bright yellow It Dog sign and our curiosity would be piqued.
When it was open, I went by myself, and just had an order or 5 pieces of Fried Chicken. Whoa. SOOOO GOOD!!!
The second time I went (which was the next day with my husband) we each got a hotdog (mine was the mushroom dog, his was the truffle mac and cheese) and again, fried chicken. Delicious!!! I am a big fan of the pretzel buns they have. If there was any critique I would have is, I would like the bun toasted. Also, if they had some sides like fries and gravy or coleslaw. But, the chicken. I will go there time and time again for the chicken!