Message from Happy Hound
The Happy Hound old fashion hotdogs and hamburgers. FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1971 We provide the best in hotdogs, hamburgers, and sandwiches. Located in Los Gatos, we have been providing the area with the best food since 1971. Fresh, made to order. Casual atmosphere, friendly environment. Rather your craving is for a hamburger, polish hound, turkey burger, or BLT, stop by Happy Hound today!
Editorial by Citysearch
The SceneIt's cramped inside and the grill pumps out a lot of moist heat. There's a constant backdrop of sizzling grease. But from the moment you walk in, you know you're going to get great fast food. The best seats are along the short counter overlooking the hamburger-assembly process.
The Food
Happy Hound serves the best hot dogs in the South Bay. Order up a juicy nine-incher prepared exactly to your liking: piled high with cheese, soaked with chili or with a simple streak of mustard. The 1/3-pound hamburgers are almost as good as the dogs. Take it double and add a mess of toppings such as bacon, chili and mushrooms. The fries are stuff of legend: A large order weighs two pounds (or more) and can easily feed a group of four.
Key Points
- Best Hamburger 2006
- Best Hot Dog 2005
- Turkey Burgers & Sandwiches!
The Inside Scoop
- Parking - Plenty of parking is usually available on the street in front of the eatery or in the adjacent lot.
Reviews for Happy Hound
The Happy Hound is a great fast food place for Burgers, shakes and fries. They don't really have a lot of tables, so you may just want to pick up your order and eat at home.
Posted 09/21/08 | Report Abuse
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My daughter LOVES their hotdogs...and toppings. My son always orders their hamburgers. They top their meal off with a milkshake.
The prices are reasonable...and the service is great.
Posted 05/30/08 | Report Abuse
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For those that are fans of hotdogs these are the best... Way better than winersnitchel(SP?). They are cooked just right and they have so many toppings. The staff is friendly and the prices are good.
Posted 05/30/08 | Report Abuse
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The Happy Hound specializes in dogs and sausages, but makes some really tasty burgers and shakes as well. The fries come in huge portions; a small is the equivalent of a super-size, while a medium feeds 2 people and a large easily handles a family of four. Everything is really greasy, so if you're on a diet never pull into the parking lot. The prices are what you'd expect from this kind of fast food place, a bit more than say, Jack In the Box. The restrooms are out back, and none too pleasant. Service is usually quick, but the atmosphere is one of sizzling fat and beeping machines, as the kitchen is in the middle of the restaurant.
Posted 07/13/05 | Report Abuse
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Latest reviews from Citysearch.
Six of us went. I had the Polish dog, onion rings and a Strawberry malt it was all very good. The onion rings are over priced for what you get. Two people had the corn dogs and they appeared to be overcooked. The others had hot dogs and those were very good. The best deal are the frys, they are excellent and you get a lot of them for the price. I would go back..
Pros: Tasty hot dogs
Cons: A little pricey on some items
Posted 12/07/09
The hot dogs, actually frankfurters, crunch when you bite into them and are so juicy inside. My personal favorite is the mustard hound. The hamburgers are big and juicy, the fries are perfect, the onion rings are delicious! All around one of my all-time favorite places!
Pros: There are no hot dogs anywhere that are better.
Posted 10/23/09
Simply put.. this place ROCKS MY WORLD! Especially while I was pregnant ;O) The reviews that are fewer than 5 stars are obviously by people that are ok with cheap fast food.. this is soul food for the true foodie. I love the onion rings.. the happy hound is my favorite and the burgers are incredible too. Be prepared to stand in a line and wait a bit. totally worth the wait. :O)
Pros: A+++++
Posted 02/27/08
This place was jumpin'! I have never seen a fast food place so busy. The food comes off the grill HOT. Some in our party had the chili cheese dogs, fries and onion rings. The hot dog tasted like no other (some places it doesn't taste right this was like out of a ballpark) . The burger was very greasy but with two patties, fresh lettuce and onion who could resist this monster! The food tasted fresh. The restaurant is very small inside and not good if you have more than 4 people in your group. If you have little ones that need a high chair or have a 5th person in your party they will be in the way of the doors if the place is very busy.
Parking is tight in the lot. It might be easier to park on a side street. Awesome food. The price is good for the taste, quality and portion of the food.
Pros: Fast Food that tastes fresh
Cons: Too small and cramped. Parking is a drag.
Posted 07/31/07
I remember reading in the paper about the best old fashion hotdogs and hamburgers at Happy Hound so I had to try. Glad to say I was not disappointed at all. The meat is high quality, there shakes are to die for, and they have some of the tastiest chili dogs ever. If you want an over load of great fries this is the place to go for a huge portion of fries. Their onion rings are so so good too.... If you want quality, good food, and fast service, this is definitley the place to go. The food speaks for itself ! The shakes are made with real ice cream ....i highly reccomend the chocolate! If you want a cheap low quality dog food grade meat burger....Happy Hound is NOT the place to go.......but if you are craving a juicy cheese burger or a cheesy chili hound (hotdog), then I definitely reccomend Happy Hound.
Pros: The food.....
Cons: There are not more of them around
Posted 03/07/07
I don't go out to fast food often, so when I want to indulge it better be worth it...and Happy Hound was. Hamburger was big and juicy and they put on a thousand island type of sauce that I was licking off my fingers between each bite. The chocolate milkshake was super good, but if you order a large you gotta be able to commit to a big gulp size shake. My friend got the mexidog. I tried that ...yummy! If you get the urge for a super good burger though, the "happy burger" definitely delivers.
Pros: Excellent food and shakes, huge portions
Cons: not a lot of seating and gets pretty crowded
Posted 02/26/07
After looking trough all these great reviews, I had quite high expectations for the place. Unfortunately it did not stand for it reputation. First the scene - tiny, uncomfortable even comparing to other fast food places. I ordered double cheeseburger, French fries and a small drink, so at about 9 dollars it was quite higher when average for FF. My burger arrived as giant mess, I can't imagine how could you feet it into anyone?s mouth, with huge load of messy sauce on one side. Now it comes to fairly difficult and messy process of separating burger and eating it somehow. This way you will actually get a taste of meat itself and not all the sauce around and it wasn't so great to be honest. French fries have been OK, just about average and for the price I got mostly ice and very little coke - this is probably good for you though!
So at the price what comes very close to some much more upscale places to get burger I got something what I would rate far below "In and Out" for instance. Definitely better when any chain like "McDonalds" or "Burger King", but still hardly enjoyable.
Pros: Better whenany fast food chain (aka. King, Donnalds...)
Cons: Scene, parking, higher price, still questionable food.
Posted 02/05/07
I have been going to the Happy Hound for many years and have always loved the food, but lately things have been even better everything seems to be running smoother and the food if possible is even more tasty and larger portions , I found out why, the owner is back running everything again.
Good job Mr Hound!
cons- Parking,crowd
Pros: Great food Great portions alot for the money
Cons: parking and the crowds
Posted 11/29/06
Very basic. Burgers and Dogs. But they do it well and have a lot of toppings to load on it. Not a lot of room, but they do have a to-go window...which is nice.
Posted 11/19/06
I only tried the Hot Dogs here. My Kraut Dog with Onions, was very delicious, although was disappointed they didn't have jalapenos as a topping. I would absolutly go there again for the dog, but next time I'll try the hamburger as I hear they are excellent. It smelled delicious in there!
I also order a Malted Chocholate Shake, which was everything I could expect it to be; very delicious.
The Onion Rings I ordered were very tasty, but the amount of rings I received for the price paid was way too small. I thought the portions would be like the fries, but when I received them, there was this small heap in my basket, which at first I thought must be a mistake. I will certainly return, but will order fries next time to get my money's worth. I tasted my friends fries and they were delicious!
Pros: Great Dog, Great Malt, Great tastint O-rings
Cons: Portion of O-rings, small parking lot, small seating area
Posted 05/09/06
after reading reviews i was expecting something better then what i got. the chili cheese dog was average, the amount of onion rings i got for the price was miminal. overall i think i can find a better place to eat.
Posted 05/01/05
I cannot say enough about the great food at the Happy Hound. There is no better burger or hotdog around and I have had them all over the country. The size, the freshness, the prices all come together to make this this best little big lunch place in the bay area. Try the cheddar burger or the malts and you will see what I mean. Without a doubt everyone who eats here leaves a "happy hound!"
Pros: Price, Taste, Service
Posted 09/08/04
The Happy Hound burger with chedder cheese, don't eat this one and drive. You'll need both hands, and your focus will be on the pure pleasure of what a hamburger at it's finest is all about.
My winner combo: Happy Burger w/chedder, medium fries, root beer freeze.
Pros: Inexpensive, Great value, Quality products
Posted 11/30/03
The last couple of times I stopped in for a burger I was disappointed to find the restaurant to be unclean. I have been enjoying Happy Hound food since I was in high school and will probably not be returning if I don't see and improvement. The food has always suited me especially their hotdogs.
Pros: Good value, large portions
Cons: cleanliness
Posted 11/24/03
Don't get the hamberger and think you can eat and drive. The burger with fixins, cheese and onion are the best. My order is Chedder burger, medium fries or onion rings, large rootbeer freeze. The little spot is full of true hot dog burger lovers. Staff, friendly and fast.
Posted 04/20/03
Another great spot for a huge, juicy burger! Fries are enormous & the shakes are tastey. If you want a burger, you can't do much better,...
Posted 02/08/03
ok so Im really not a beef eater myself, not to say I never eat it, but for a while i was skeptical of fast food meat. ... but then I was introduced to happy hound and all I have to say about that is YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! the burger is juicy and thick, with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and a special sauce(believe me its great), on a sesame bun. now it is the only place I will go outside of home to get a burger. Hands down Number 1 burger of all time.
Pros: inexpensive, soo good!, very convenient
Cons: always popular
Posted 08/27/02