What to Know
- The first Hot Dog on a Stick stand opened on Muscle Beach in Santa Monica in 1946
- The building was demolished in early 2022, with the goal of creating an updated stand that recreates the retro feel of the original structure
- The company, which has over 50 locations around the country, is known for its batter-dipped hot dogs, cheese on a stick, and hand-stomped lemonade
In recent years, naming a scrumptious snack followed by the words "on a stick" has become shorthand for "I'm outside, in a lively location, devouring the sort of fun foodstuff that doesn't require utensils or even a plate."
And sticking to its own celebrated on-a-stick-ness is a place that's been synonymous with the phrase for over 75 years: Hot Dog on a Stick, making it that rare restaurant that cites a particular food's conveyance device in its name.
It's a quirk that has helped to win the company the allegiance of enthusiasts of batter-dipped hot dogs over several savory decades, as well as beverage buffs who are understandably enamored with the tart lemonade. (The tasty concoction is "hand-stomped" in-house, which is surely one of the offering's understandable draws.)
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Now the lemonade, the hand-dipped dogs, and the other stick-based snacks fans adore are all back on Muscle Beach, the first home of the original Hot Dog on a Stick stand.
The building was demolished in early 2022. A "full rebuild" soon followed, with the company working to "keep the nostalgic look and feel of the original location" while modernizing a number of the eatery's features.
Now the new Santa Monica stand, which boasts a familiar retro-style boxiness and red-hued pop, is ready for its re-debut, which officially begins on Thursday, Oct. 27.
In short: The beloved Hotdoggers are still hand-stomping, dog-dipping, and welcoming tourists and locals who are eager to savor a skewered, super-golden goodie while roaming nearby Santa Monica Pier.
