Hot Dog Bar Ideas For Your Next BBQ
These Hot Dog Bar Ideas are perfect for your next BBQ party. With a variety of toppings, condiments, and delicious buns, the hot dog party idea will make sure that everyone loves their meal. It’s sure to be one of your favorite ways to feed a crowd!
Why You’ll Love a Hot Dog Bar
A hot dog bar will help you feed your guests easily! While you may think it’s too basic to serve, you can level up the toppings and make it more gourmet and delicious.
Why settle for the same old burgers when you can make a BBQ even more memorable by setting up a delicious hot dog bar where everyone can customize their meal with old favorites or new, unique topping ideas?
Related: Hummus Party Idea
It’s easy to create an impressive spread of toppings, condiments, and buns. What I love best is you can put a hot dog bar together pretty inexpensively and you don’t need to have something special to feed any kids in attendance.
There’s nothing I love more than a grilled hot dog and a stress-free menu that will let you enjoy your own party.
Supplies for Your Hot Dog Menu
Hot Dogs
You’ll want to start with great quality hot dogs. I prefer to serve plain but it wouldn’t be a family party without some cheese hot dogs also (kids love them!).
Hebrew National® All-Beef Franks are my go-to hot dogs. These all-beef hot dogs cost a little bit more than others out there, but the quality is worth paying for. And I feel really good about serving these to my guests.
My neighbor used to make these for us on Friday nights when we were all hanging out and my whole family fell in love with the flavor.
Toppings
The toppings is where you can get really creative. Of course, you’ll want to provide traditional toppings like red onions, relish, ketchup, and mustard.
One of my favorite hot dog bar ideas is to set out a variety of nontraditional toppings, such as cilantro, jalapenos, bacon, BBQ sauce, pineapple, and more. Crispy onion strings are also super yummy.
Buns
You’ll also need buns. Most of the time I just provide a basic bun but there are gourmet options out there if you want to offer a few choices.
How to Set Up a Hot Dog Bar
To create the perfect hot dog bar for your party, you’ll need to have the right supplies and ingredients.
Cook the Hot Dogs
A delicious main course of hot dogs will keep everyone coming back to any party you throw. The smell of grilling meat is a surefire crowd-pleaser.
Grilled hot dogs are much more delicious than boiled ones, in my opinion. Try to grill them in batches so they stay warm.
Otherwise, browse this post on how to keep appetizers warm for ideas to keep the hot dogs at the best temperature.
How to Set Up The Table
I like to set up the hot dog bar from left to right and put the buns and hot dogs first, followed by the toppings, then any side dishes. This allows people to build their own hot dogs and move in one direction.
Don’t forget to provide utensils such as spatulas, tongs, and knives so that guests can easily assemble their own hot dogs.
You can use regular paper plates or get those cute food baskets or paper trays.
Provide Recipes to Follow
One of my favorite flavor combinations is the BBQ sauce with tangy pineapple. And it works perfectly on top of a hot dog.
Your guests totally won’t be expecting this combo but they’re going to love it! The cilantro totally makes this! You can also add some red onion but as a host, you may want to steer clear of the onion breath…
Other tasty hot dog ideas to share with your guests:
- Truffle Aioli with Crispy Shallots
- Fig Jam with Brie Cheese and Arugula
- Chipotle Mayo with Avocado and Cotija Cheese
- Sriracha Mayo with Kimchi and Scallions
- Pesto with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella
If they don’t want to be adventurous, that’s ok. They can eat their hot dog however they want. As their host, you’ll know that the are still getting a quality, flavorful hot dog.
Sides to Serve with Hot Dogs
A simple side salad is always a great BBQ party side dish. There are so many varieties to choose from but I usually stick with a basic romaine and iceberg mix. It appeals to all guests thanks to its mild flavors and ease of eating.
Offer a few types of dressing options and you’ve provided a healthy option if any of your friends are concerned about their diet. I’m only concerned about getting seconds.
More side dish ideas:
- One of these burrata recipes would be a great accompaniment to the hot dog bar.
- Hot and cheesy Green Chile Dip is great for a crowd!
- Bacon-wrapped Dates stuffed with goat cheese are a delicious sweet and salty bite.
- Baked Salami Chips are a fun snack to serve at a party.
- And of course, you can never go wrong with a variety of chips and dip.
Drinks to Serve
Lemonade is always a great idea for a barbecue party. Make a batch or two of homemade (try my lavender lemonade or blueberry lemonade) or buy store-bought to keep things easy.
Jazz it up with sliced cucumber to infuse it with a little extra flavor. The cucumber is pretty subtle but adds a special touch that your guests will really enjoy.
If it’s hot out, something super refreshing like Basil Cucumber Soda would be outstanding. For something a little boozy make Iced Tea Sangria.
Simple Decorations
There isn’t usually a lot of decor at a BBQ party unless it has a theme.
A store-bought Hot Dog Bar Banner or hot dog garland is a great idea. And these hot dog balloons are super cute.
An easy way to make guests feel special is by having some fresh flowers around. But you don’t need to get crazy with dramatic arrangements.
Check your yard to see if you have anything growing wild that you can cut and place in jars. Or grab a few bunches of baby’s breath for your grocery store.
Adding something living to your food table is a nice touch and makes the table feel like you put some thought into it.
These hot dog bar ideas should inspire you to create a delicious buffet and show you that all it takes is a simple idea so you can get back to spending time with your guests.