Tail ‘o the Pup Hot Dog Stand reopens in West Hollywood

From Columbo, The Muppets and The Rockford Files to LA Story, LA’s famed Tail ‘o the Pup hot dog stand has been part of the city’s film history since it opened in 1946.

In fact, the year it opened was diversity mentioned the spot in a column, saying, “Tail o’ the Pup, the fancy hot dog stand, now has a $1 Frankfurter. With caviar!”

Currently there is no caviar for the dogs, but the new menu has something for everyone – classic dogs with bacon, jalapeno, sauerkraut and more; gluten-free corn dogs, veggie dogs and a selection of beef and veggie burgers.

The iconic booth, which was demolished to make way for the construction of the Sofitel Hotel, has now been relocated to a spacious plaza on Santa Monica Boulevard, west of La Cienega, which features indoor seating and an upstairs terrace around the compact historic Hotdog around features -shaped building. In the early 20th century, restaurants in the form of hot dogs, chili bowls, tamales, bulldogs and more — known as programmatic architecture — drew customers across Los Angeles. Though many are now gone, conservationists and LA history lovers continue to fight to preserve the few that remain.

One of their key allies is Bobby Green of the 1933 Group, who helped restore the Pup Formosa and Idle Hour bring the unique locations back to life with sensitive restorations and quality menus.

Green, who had been eating at the pup since he was 10, bought the stand from the family that owned it in 2018 and scoured the city for a spot with sidewalk access and space for a patio to serve beers. When the West Hollywood space became available, Green was thrilled to discover that this was also the location of the Doors’ rehearsal studio, where the band recorded LA Woman.

“What says LA more than this building?” asks Green.

The pup itself was also a popular spot for photo shoots and celebrity visits. “Devo, the Go-Gos, the Stray Cats, Tattoo from ‘Fantasy Island’, Sigourney Weaver—new celebrity photos are popping up all the time,” Green says of the stand’s celebrity customers.

Also on the menu are shakes and soft serve, chili cheese fries, beer and wine, and of course a dog-centric menu featuring Bowser Beer and a Doggy Pup. “We make our own spreads,” Green specifies.

So what’s next for Green and his efforts to keep LA’s iconic buildings intact? Are there other local wonders of programmatic architecture on the chopping block that he’s considering? Green says he recently tried to acquire the former Chili Bowl restaurant on Pico in West LA, but the owners were ultimately uninterested in working with him. For now, he’s enjoying the pup’s rebirth as a top dog among LA’s landmarks.

Tail ‘o the Pup, 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood