As some of you may know, a couple of days ago a new eatery opened up on the Main Street of the Tower District.  It’s called Tower Dogs and it’s located right next to the Tower Theatre on Olive Avenue! The wait is finally over :-)

Tower Dogs

It’s a nice looking place; bright and fun.

 

The location is great (between the Tower Bike Shop and the Tower Theatre at 809 E. Olive Ave.),

the friendly staff add to the experience,

the minimal, but fun assortment of hot dogs is intriguing (The Mexi Dog includes chorizo, jalapenos, onions, and nacho cheese),

and the fact that you can customize your dog the way you like it is a definite plus…

also, the hours (M-Th, 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat, 11am-3am the following day) are great!

 

I haven’t yet written a full review of this exciting new restaurant (although I’ve already been there twice) because I want to give them a chance to really get things going and develop their strong points.

 

I’ll take this time to address a few early concerns…

 

The value of their product could be greatly improved if they added:

  • A better chili - The chili that is served at Tower Dogs is kinda bland and not very saucy. Something a little less viscous and with a little more zing would be great.

  • Larger helpings or lower prices - They really should increase the serving sizes or knock off about $0.75 cents from the price of each item… I really could buy 2 hot dogs there and end up spending over $8 bucks, with no drink or sides.

  • Warm cheese, aside from the nacho variety - If you don’t order nacho cheese, the shredded topping comes a bit cold and noticeably lowers the temp of your “hot” dog.

  • French fries as a side, rather than chips - Maybe they could add some shoestring fries to the menu.  They’d be a perfect side option/alternative and as chili fries, would probably be a more popular item than the Tower (Frito) Boat. - Personal note: I had the Tower Boat and I felt it was basically a serving of chips. My shredded cheese was slightly melted (a plus), but the meager amount of chili was a big disappointment.

  • Mayonnaise - Mayo should really be added as a possible topping as I’m pretty sure quite a few people would gladly use it to top off their dog.  I know I’m not the only one who’s enjoyed mayo as a regular topping on a hot dog or link.

 

As they are, Tower Dogs is a welcomed addition to the shops on Olive Avenue - but throw in the above mentioned items, some upbeat music, and the option of having your dog served in a napkin or wax paper, rather than a box (which should be reserved for bagged to-go orders) and this place would be an excellent regular stop for a quick bite in the Tower.

 

Here’s to Tower Dogs and their success! We’ll be back for more soon :-)

 

~559rell

FresnoFusion.com