I Was “In The Dog House”…the Downtown Dog House!
Posted: under Dinner, Downtown Dog House, Family Fun, Great Falls, Lunch, Montana, Smoke Free.
Tags: Downtown Dog House, Family Fun, Gourmet Hot Dogs, Great Falls, Great Falls Historical District, Montana
Normally when someone says they were “in the Dog House” it’s not a good thing. For me however, I loved being in the ‘Dog House” …the Downtown Dog House of Great Falls that is! The Downtown Dog House is a new establishment located at #4 5th Street South in downtown Great Falls, Montana.
Being a self-proclaimed Hot Dog Connoisseur, I am always on the lookout for good gourmet hot dogs. I was very excited when a while back I heard about ‘Stinky’s Home of the Hellacious Hot Dog’ opening up. Their hot dog options are numerous, and the hot dogs are good, but being attached to a smoke-filled casino, it lacks the healthy, family fun-filled environment I prefer. For me that makes it a take-out place only.
When I heard that a new place called The Downtown Dog House was opening up, not wanting my hopes crushed again, I tried not to get too excited. In fact, at first I was a little apprehensive. As my husband Bill & I approached the wide open roll-up garage door, my senses leapt with joy! There were customers sitting inside and outside, laughing and having a good time with their families and friends. The children’s giggles coming from a group eating outside were contagious. The aroma of the Downtown Dog House was very enticing. Then we walked inside and I felt right at home! The place is decorated in Hockey Memorabilia! Before marrying Bill, my daughter Zell and I lived in Tacoma, Washington and became avid Hockey fans during that time. For several seasons we sat behind the penalty box of the Tacoma Sabercats. They were a WCHL team and were the Taylor Cup Champions during the 98/99 Season. It turns out that Dave Snuggs, owner of the Downtown Dog House, is a former Goaltender himself, so some of the memorabilia had been part of his equipment and collection. His alias is “The Fly ‘n Hawaiian”.
As much as I love Hockey, it’s the dogs that will keep me going again and again to the Downtown Dog House! They feature my favorite brand of Hot Dogs, Nathan’s Famous All-Beef Gourmet Jumbo Dogs! They also have a Veggie Dog, as well as Beer Baron and Redneck Sausages. If you want a smaller fare, there’s a Puppy Dog™ also available.
After a bit of menu-absorbing, I went for their Signature Dog, the “Fly ‘n Hawaiian™”, with Pineapple, Bacon, Mozzarella & Honey Mustard. My choice of dog for this was Nathan’s Famous All-Beef Gourmet Jumbo Dog for $4.00. Then, for only $2.00 more I got the meal deal, which adds a beverage and your choice between fries or rings. Bill decided on the Dallas Dog, opting for the Beer Baron sausage for the dog. It was topped with Smokey BBQ, White Cheddar, Bacon, fried onions, Jalapeno & Honey Mustard for $4.50. He too made it a meal deal for $2.00 more, adding a drink and onion rings.
Kids meals are also available for the 12 and under hot dog enthusiasts. The kids meal includes a drink and either fries or rings along with a Puppy Dog™ sized choice between the Old Yeller (Yellow Mustard), the Uncle Sam Dog (Yellow Mustard, Ketchup, Onions & Neon Relish), or the Classic Chili Dog (Chili, Onions & White Cheddar), all for only $2.99.
When Courtney, our waitress brought us our plates, steaming with a mixture of tantalizing scents, we decided then and there to cut them in half so we could share our choices with one another. Snuggled up next to my ‘Fly ‘n Hawaiian’ was a perfect portion of fresh, thin cut fries. YUM! Nestled next to Bill’s ‘Dallas Dog’ was a generous serving of flavorful thin onion rings, also delicious! We both noticed the high quality of the buns. We found out that they are being provided by Great Falls Legendary Baker, Baker Bob, made exclusively for the Downtown Dog House.
For dessert they offer a variety of ‘Decadent Desserts’ made locally in Great Falls and Billings Montana, including Gourmet Cupcakes, Ice Cream Cupcakes provided by the UDDER FACTORY, Meadow Gold Ice Cream Selections, and Mini Cakes or Pies. We both chose an Ice Cream Cupcake that tasted like an Almond Joy, which is a favorite flavor of both of ours. Mmmm!
We’ve been back several times since then. 
My daughter Zell, her boyfriend Justin, and our grandson, Nate, joined us for dinner there Wednesday, July 15th, 2009. Nate already seems to be a Hot Dog Connoisseur! Once again we were pleased with the family atmosphere and friendly customer service Misty and Heather provided.
The choices of culinary creations combined with a family friendly environment makes being in the Downtown Dog House a Gourmet Adventure that fits in the budget! So go to the Downtown Dog House and tell them you heard about them from Karen at BecauseICanInMontana.com. Then, venture back to my website and tell me about your ‘Gourmet Experience’ at the Downtown Dog House!
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Jul 16 2009
WHEN: August 20, 2009
