Gourmet Killer Dogs — Restaurant in Delray Beach

My partner and I loved this place. We typically visit a few times a month, and we recommend to everyone who visits our neck of the woods, both vegans and non-vegans. It's definitely overpriced, but hey, who isn't these days?

The owner is always VERY pushy with upsells...usually he laughs, we laugh, and we add on another very expensive treat we don't really want because we like to support small businesses with good food and are people-pleasers. My issue now is with our last visit, where we repeatedly said no to something, it was eventually offered to us for free because we were talked into another dessert item (that we also didn't really want), and we were overcharged for both in the end. I didn't even realize what I was being rung up for because we were in conversation while I ordered. When I called in the next day to double-check my bill thinking it was an innocent mistake, I was met with a little bit of an attitude. First strike considering the owner was very well aware of my exact order and knows me as a regular. Turns out, we were charged more than their menu price for 1 item (with no explanation), and were also charged an exorbitant amount for the "free" item he offered us. Oh, and on top of that, we always end up paying a 4% surcharge for using a credit card on our $50-$60 ticket.

I forgave these guys over Covid with their aggressive demands for CASH TIPS ONLY because they refused to accept credit card tips for their employees--and the shaming when we didn't carry cash on us because...ew--when we frequented extra out of support because of the economic climate. I forgave them for their aggressive customer service. I forgave them for my order always ringing up slightly differently each time, even though the items never changed. But this is just bad business.

Beware of the 4% surcharge on credit card transactions that they add on after you see your total on the register (for those who aren't aware). Beware of "courtesy" items that are offered to you for free for being a good customer, because oftentimes, you'll end up paying for them on your bill. Watch that register like a hawk and know your pricing because everything is manually entered.

They lost a regular today and I'm in the market for a new vegan hot dog spot. Hope that $10 bag of chips was worth it.

Edit: In response to the owners inevitable rude and comical response. Nothing was free—it was offered GRATIS after we denied to purchase it 3x, we were thankful, and we were charged on the sly for it. When I called to question why my usual order was mysteriously much more expensive, it took two phone calls and the owner pretending his calculator was broken for him to finally acknowledge we were overcharged for 1 dessert and then also charged for our FREE item that we didn’t want to buy initially. Maybe he should focus less on offending honest reviewers and more on honing his customer service skills. There won’t be a next time, I’ll support small, “speciality” businesses who don’t try and rip off...

Here's an example of a restaurant with very good product that is - for what is, fundamentally, a hot dog - at a price profile that is possibly beyond what most would consider reasonable. The quality of the food, however, begs to differ and you'll not find a better prepared, better dressed menu of hot dogs in South Florida. Is it "worth every penny?" That, of course, is up to you.

The staff are super friendly. They're talkative and entertaining, and seem to know everybody that walks in by name. Upbeat but not obnoxiously so, they make you feel very welcome to the establishment.

The quality of the food was excellent, and presentation was also very good. Nothing here is slapped together, it's assembled carefully and presents well. The dog itself was superior - they also make a sausage in house but I didn't get the opportunity to try it; I wanted to give the fundamental menu a try. They advertise gourmet dogs and I wanted a gourmet dog. Condiments were also excellent. The fries were a hand-cut affair, freshly made and savory.

The value is arguable. Sure, it's great quality but it's still a hot dog. You can add bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados (and they do) but it's still a hot dog. You're paying for the creativity of the menu and quality of ingredients, and you're paying pretty dearly. Average menu item is about ten bucks and some items are in the $20+ range. Everything is also a la carte, so that price doesn't include a side. Don't worry about the portion size though - you're not likely to go away hungry even if you opt out of a side order of fries. Anyway, some will think it wildly overpriced, some will believe it to be commensurate to what you're getting. Suffice to say it's something to be aware of... Especially considering the next part.

The only real complaint I have is that this is a cash only establishment. That in and of itself isn't the end of the world (though it is definitely sightly annoying) because they have an ATM inside. Of course that ATM will charge you a $3 fee (plus whatever fee your bank will charge you on the backend) to use it. Your bill just went up 30% for no good reason - it's not like a gas station where if you pay cash it's cheaper. This bit rankled on me something fierce - forcing a cash transaction and then charging a fee (I know it's the ATM owners and banks that charge the fee, I get that) just doesn't sit well with me and I'm sure I'm not the only one who will pass on a casual stop by because "I don't have any cash on me and I don't want to pay the ATM fees." It's unfortunate, especially with low percentage merchant accounts available. Then again, it's Delray Beach - this might not be an issue for some.

All told, the food is great, the staff are super friendly, the prices are a bit steep, and it's cash only so bring a fistful of dollars or pay the toll. Is it worth trying out? Yes, absolutely. Will you come back? Only one way...

I really hate doing this, particularly in our current crisis. That said, just got off the phone with the owner who I called to discuss my takeout order (the only option) consisting of a "Lobstah" Roll and fries with cheddar cheese. I explained that the roll was absolutely, positively not made with any lobster meat that I have ever eaten anywhere before. Simply, the roll consisted most likely of langostino or crayfish meat. How do I know? By the way the almost perfectly uniform pieces looked and most importantly, how it tasted. I recently purchased said meat (frozen) from Costco ($25/lb.) and made my own salad. Langostinos or crayfish are very good, but neither taste like lobster -- nothing else does! The owner insisted that they sell only Maine lobster meat. She also admitted that they purchase the meat from a distributor. It comes frozen and shelled and is purportedly cut up in the store. I had purchased a lobster roll from this place shortly after they opened about six years ago. I mentioned this and she confirmed that at that time, they served claw and arm meat in their rolls, but due to an increase in demand, they had to "change" the formula. I won't call her a liar. I will say that her distributor is not selling them lobster coming from Maine or anywhere else. At about $26, this roll is a total ripoff. Can't speak for other customers who don't know the difference or perhaps have forgotten what real lobster (frozen or fresh) tastes like. I could go on about the fries, but think I'll leave on a high note. Bottom line,...