Henry's Hot Dogs — Local services in Denver

Henry's Hot Dogs is a neighborhood institution, even if Henry Rubinchik himself demurs the point. This neighborhood institution, remarkably, is surviving in a neighborhood given to real estate hyperdrive, after all, with old businesses fleeing and new buildings rising high in every direction. What's his secret?

Consistency, of course. Henry's been at the corner of 3rd and Milwaukee for over 27 years, every day from 10:30-5:30 (closing at 4:00 on Saturday, and not open at all on Sundays). His cart takes it's place at the beginning of May and doesn't close for the season until November 26th, every year.

Adaptation is key. Henry's menu has grown and changed with the times, keeping up with the fancier hot dog innovations around town. To his mainstay, Sabrett's New York all-beef dogs, he's added Polish sausages (regular or spicy), bratwurst (buffalo or elk), and most recently, Honey-Sweet Bourbon Sausage. He's got combo deals, and the pièce de résistance, his special specialty, is 100% Natural Frozen Lemonade, made fresh daily.

Location, location, location. Henry's cart is right across the street from the Ross-Cherry Creek Library, perhaps the last cultural mainstay in the entire neighborhood. It's next to a fountain with pleasing statuary. Children love to visit, and it's always more fun with a hot dog or a bag of chips in hand. (He's not too far from the local elementary school, either!)

Creativity is part of the secret, too. Henry has signature moves when he decorates his dogs - that's right, decorates. Wavy lines for the main condiments, punctuated by polka-dots, with garnishes in waves along the sides. Patrons love these artistic gestures, and if there's time, Henry's art gets positively Expressionist! Or maybe he's from the Symbolist school. Ah, no matter - it's just fun.

There you have it, then! Consistency, adaptation, location, creativity. Those are four ingredients that contribute to Henry's success. Other factors surely must include the good dogs that are so tasty and well made... and Henry's own pleasant personality. It's no wonder that children and their parents love Henry's Hot Dogs. Everyone does, from executives to shop clerks, from construction workers to delivery drivers... not to mention random pedestrians that come by.

For a very good article on Henry, see "Small Business Spotlight: Henry's Hot Dogs," searchable at Cherry Creek North's website. He's probably slightly embarrassed by it, but the rest of us know it offers an...

Love Henry!!! Stop a few times a week especially during the summer.

For those who haven’t been, Henry is right on the corner of 3rd and Milwaukee. Sometimes his big red van is easier to spot than he is depending on the day but he’s usually within eyeshot of his stand. All sorts of dogs, the sabrett is my go to but I spice it up with some polish every once in a while.

Henry will put a smile on your face as he dresses and tops your dog. If you didn’t catch my drift , don’t touch his condiments. I think his feelings would be hurt more than anything. Henry takes the time to do it the way you like it and connects with his customers this way.

Also, the frozen pink lemonade is the absolute best. Nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day. Bring cash or you’ll be charged the processing fee with...

Wow, I was not expecting to be blown away by this small hot dog stand, but here we are. I came to Denver to visit and saw all of the amazing reviews about this place. Was not disappointed. Henry has a wide variety of enticing hot dog options, as others have listed, ranging from honey bourbon to spicy polish dogs to just regular beef hot dogs. I went with the spicy polish dog and it was delicious: the casing had the perfect “snap,” the polish dog was seasoned to perfection, and the bun was just melt-in-your-mouth soft. Henry also had the OG Sriracha sauce that’s been in shortage for the past year or so. My only regret is that I only got to try one hot dog :( Amazing hot dogs and delicious food delivered with a smile on Henry’s face, what more could you want? A must stop for anybody...