Whenever I go back to Hawaii (usually every 6 to 12 months) my friends Dylan and Aaron and I always eat at least one lunch at the affordable local favorite, Hank’s Haute Dogs in Honolulu.
My dad told me about the place a few years ago, and of course after hearing him rave about it I dragged some friends along to check it out. It is in an odd in-between area, right on the edge of downtown but mainly surrounded by commercial warehouses. However, they made a nice effort to offer some space for customers to enjoy their unique creations, and on a hot day (which is pretty much every day in Hawaii, I guess) the umbrellas are a huge plus.
As far as I know, Hank’s is the only place on Oahu to get an authentic Chicago dog (the one I always order), and the owner does it right; he imports the signature poppy-seed buns and alarmingly bright green relish all the way from Chicago!
When Kiyo was in Hawaii with me a few months ago, he ordered the Hawaiian dog: Portuguese sausage with mango mustard and pineapple relish.
Aaron loves the chicken dog, topped with sweet mango relish and lime mustard.
Another only-at-Hank’s item is their delicious and refreshing hibiscus lemonade. On a sunny, hot Hawaiian afternoon it absolutely hits the spot.
Of course, Hank’s skinny natural cut french fries are an absolute must-have side dish. My friends and I cannot resist their homemade garlic aioli, which we dip the fries into (the leftover aioli usually ends up on my Chicago dog).
A recent addition to the menu are double-fried duck fat french fries, so a few weeks ago when I once again found myself at Hank’s with Dylan and Aaron on a sweltering afternoon, we decided to give them a try. We even went out of our comfort zone and tried a different dipping sauce: wasabi tobiko crème. Ok, I admit it; we also ordered the garlic aioli, it’s just too good to pass up. The wasabi crème was interesting and went well with the fries, but I will always be a garlic fan. The duck fat fries were just a bit heavier than the regular ones, but packed a lot more flavor and I really enjoyed the new version.
Hank’s hot dogs, toppings and sides are truly unique and delicious… so much so that they were featured on Food Network!
Hank’s Haute Dogs
Open 7 days a week
Location: 324 Coral St., Honolulu HI 96813 Phone: (808) 532-HANK
They are great! Chicago dog my favorite too! Hank’s little branch in Waikiki in the International Shopping Plaza is also excellent!