Go-Go’s at Tail O’ the Pup, 1980. Photo credit: Janette Beckman.
Good news for fans of historic Los Angeles — iconic hot dog stand Tail o’ the Pup is reopening in early 2022!
Shaped like a giant hot dog, Tail o’ the Pup opened in 1946 and was one of LA’s most beloved examples of programmatic architecture: structures built to look like the products they sell.
A sign outside Tail o’ the Pup declared, “Tasty hot pups—you’ll like ‘em!” The beloved hot doggery went out of business in 2005, with the original food stand tucked away in storage ever since.
Known for historic restorations of local landmarks like The Formosa Cafe and North Hollywood’s barrel-shaped Idle Hour, 1933 Group bought the 18-foot by 9-foot structure in 2018.
1933 Group spent years in search of the right spot to reopen the hot dog stand and just announced they finally found it. The group of cultural preservationists wanted something on a major street not too far from the original location on La Cienega near Beverly Blvd.
Stray Cats outside Tail o’ the Pup, 1983. Used by permission of 1933 Group.
Tail o’ the Pup’s new location, at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., is a 2700 square foot property that will house the walk-up food stand, along with al fresco dining areas, including a beer garden. In an earlier incarnation, 8512 Santa Monica was the recording studio where The Doors recorded L.A. Woman in 1971.
Anthony Bourdain visited Tail o’ the Pup in 2002, featuring it on his series A Cook’s Tour. The food stand was also a favorite of bands like The Go-Go’s, Devo, and The Stray Cats, along with Betty White and Sigourney Weaver, and appeared on an episode of The Muppets in 1987.
For more information about Tail o’ the Pup, visit their website.
