CityScape and other big projects in the core of the downtown Phoenix business district are usually defined first in terms of their anchor tenants, whether a contemporary hotel like the Kimpton Palomar or an essential amenity like the Fry's grocery at Block 23. In the smaller pockets of these developments, however, are numerous opportunities for more fine-grained retail and restaurant development. One spot at CityScape, a corner space at the intersection of Central and Washington, is the venue for a resurrected franchise of Dog Haus Biergarten.
T Mex with tots
Dog Haus is a small but growing chain. Based in California, its Arizona presence was until recently limited to a shop in Yuma that most Phoenicians might experience only on the way to San Diego. Now, Dog Haus has multiple locations throughout the metropolitan area in association with local franchisees. The CityScape location opened a few years ago, closed for a while, and has reopened with a new franchisee who also operates the restaurant in Chandler. With the change in ownership, there has also been a transformation to a full service model.
Bad Mutha Clucka with onions rings
The compact dining room features a small bar and wooden tables, but anyplace with "biergarten" in its name should include a patio. The small one at Dog Haug offers a view of the Downtown hub where the original light rail tracks will meet new extensions to South Phoenix and the Arizona State Capitol. For now, the closest light rail platforms are nearby at Washington/Central (westbound) and Jefferson/1st Avenue (eastbound). The nearest bike racks are in the CityScape courtyard near the CVS drugstore or around the block on First Street.
Das Brat with fries
The entrance is on Washington Street, right at the corner of that thoroughfare and Central Avenue, a rare case of a street address at CityScape aligning with an establishment's actual location. The "dog" in the restaurant's name refers to hot dogs, a quintessential food to enjoy with beer, and one of the mainstays of the restaurant's menu. Customers can order their own custom creations based on a foundation of all-beef hot dogs, or they can choose from several thematic menu items designed with the restaurant's own creative assemblages of toppings.
Hot Chick with sweet potato fries
There is some variation among the menus at various Dog Haus franchises, but the downtown Phoenix location sticks to the classics, along with a few bolder and more imaginative items in the spectrum of the brand's offerings. Regular choices include the Sooo Cali with arugula, avocado, tomato, and onions topped with a drizzle of spicy basil aioli and the Downtown, in which a hot dog is wrapped with bacon, accessorized with caramelized onions and pickled peppers, and then topped with a condiment trifecta of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
Ringer burger and coleslaw
Of course, the hot dog is a subspecies of a broader category of sausages, and Dog Haus also offers bratwurst and other types of cylindrical meat in both a build-your-own format and in colorful creations. Das Brat is a classic coarsely texture sausage served with abundant sauerkraut and plenty of spicy mustard. The Fonz salutes the Happy Days character with a slightly spicy Italian sausage topped with pastrami and mozzarella. The T Mex adds a Southwestern touch with its own specialty sausage formulated from chorizo and jack cheese.
chili and slider
The buns here house not only cylindrical hot dogs and sausages, but also chicken sandwiches, full-size burgers, and more diminutive sliders. The Bad Mutha Clucka is a satisfying fried chicken sandwich, and the Hot Chick echoes the current Nashville trend. Among the burgers, the Ringer takes a side dish, onion rings, and makes them into a topping that pairs well with the BBQ sauce inside the bun. Although multiple options are listed for each menu category, there are even more choices available via a not-so-secret menu based on popular customer requests.
Love Boat
All sausages and sandwiches are served in King's Hawaiian buns. These starchy pillows might seem at first glance almost too sweet and pliant to work with a flavorful dog, but Dog Haus grills the bread to give it a bit of char and structure. For customers who would rather forego the carbohydrates, a bowl with sliced sausage and toppings over a bed of greens is a possibility. There are also chicken wings and tenders with assorted sauces for dipping, and the mildly seasoned ground beef chili that tops some of the hot dogs can also be enjoyed on its own.
triple chocolate cookie
The entrees at Dog Haus are all served a la carte, but the sides are a worthwhile addition. The fries, both regular and sweet potato, are crisp, and the coleslaw is fresh. The tots are good for dipping in any of the sauces, and the onion rings are probably the most filling of all the essential sides. Three different sides can be combined into one meal via a dish called "The Love Boat," which layers fries or tots with chili and slaw. Dessert is packaged cookies sold at the counter. They're described as triple chocolate: milk, dark, and chocolate all in one combination.
Boom Box beer
Not to be forgotten, the "bier" in biergarten is realized via a chalkboard listing craft beers, many of them local. Options range from "Cold & Cheap" an honest description of Huss' Arizona Light Lager to Beer Research Institute's Tropical Boom Box sour ale. There is also a listing of cocktails with names lke "El Guapo," a blend of tequila and dark rum. Dog Haus is nowhere near as big and bustling as a typical biergarten in a German city, but its extensive selection of beer and well-matched food fills this corner spot in between the big tenants that surround it.
1 E. Washington St., Phoenix AZ 85004
https://downtownphoenix.doghaus.com
