Spike’s Junkyard Dogs is a neighborhood joint in the truest sense. Other than the unique dining areas (with sink and towels right smack in the middle of them), Spike’s is known for serving up some of the best grub you’ll ever find.
Both locations (one in Allston just off of Harvard Ave, one on Boylston Street near Berklee) have brick walls covered from floor to ceiling with pictures of locals who have eaten six dogs in one sitting. The restaurants are small and cramped, but anyone who’s in the know about Spike’s is lucky.
Spike’s claims about having the best hot dogs and chicken sandwiches in town are absolutely true. The menu ranges from the most basic “Mutt” to the sauerkraut and mustard covered “German Shepard.” Everything is reasonably priced, a hot dog meal with a drink and chips will set you back $7.61.
I decided to go with the most popular item on the menu: the massive, bacon, cheddar, and BBQ-sauce-covered “Texas Ranger.” After a brief wait while the hot dog went through an oven to melt the cheese (nice touch), I settled in with a great cup of lemonade and started to chow down.
When I review a dish, I take two bites and give it a flat rating on a scale of one to ten, and that encompasses everything: taste, texture, temperature, and any other criteria for good food that starts with T.
Bite score: nine
The “Texas Ranger” was delicious. The crispiness of the bacon, combined with the flowing, melty goodness of the cheddar and the tanginess of the sauce complimented the fantastic, all-beef dog exceptionally well.
I wouldn’t have expected BBQ sauce to work well with a hot dog, but it totally does, and it gives the dog a meal-like quality. There’s no way you can walk with this thing. I had trouble even holding it with one hand.
The bun was a little hard for my liking, which is the only thing keeping Spike’s from getting a 10. The portion was more than fair, and the $4 price tag was reasonable. Next on my wish list is definitely the “German Shepard,” but the “Ranger” might take a few weeks to digest, so I’m requesting your patience.