Tail O’ the Pup Planning to be Revived in Early 2022!

October 27th, 2021.
The iconic West Hollywood hot dog stand, Tail O’ the Pup, is planning to be revived in early 2022, and plenty of people are excited about it, including us!

Mid-century nostalgia is nothing new — from Norms to Tail O’ the Pup itself, the hot-dog stand remains one of Hollywood’s most famous hot dog stands. Scheduled to return to the streets sometime in early 2022 thanks to the endeavors of the 1933 Group, a group that “helms a lauded portfolio of hospitality establishments in Los Angeles, including the historical restorations of the Formosa, Highland Park Bowl, and the barrel-shaped Idle Hour in North Hollywood, Harlowe in West Hollywood,” and many other locations. Fun fact: thanks to the advocacies of this group, the Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood and the Thirsty Crow bar in Silver Lake are still active today — and I’d say that they’re doing a great job!

First established in 1946, Tail O’ the Pup, marked by a giant hot-dog-shaped stand reminiscent of Randy’s Donuts’ iconic donut-shaped statue, had held the attention and admiration of the public. With high caliber celebrities such as Betty White, Sigournery Weaver and even Robert Rusler. Originally located on La Cienega Boulevard as a key roadside spot near Beverly, the 1933 Group decided to uproot its location to an equally well-known place to join similarly unique restaurants: West Hollywood’s 8152 Santa Monica Boulevard. Along with the change of location, the 1933 Group planned on overhauling the restaurant itself, not only preserving its novelty hot-dog iconography but expanding it with outdoor seating and a beer garden, guaranteed to keep customers happy.

With its architecture designed by well-known architect Milton Black, features of the restaurant were heavily included in television: from the late, great Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour to Colombo to countless commercials, Tail O’ the Dog was appreciated right down to its bitter end, where the stand had closed down in December of 2005. After being moved to a nearby warehouse, the city of Los Angeles officially declared the hot dog stand as a cultural landmark before it remained dormant for almost two decades.

It wasn’t until 2018, when the 1933 Group purchased the structure in 2018 before plans on revitalizing the hot dog stand were announced, and to us, it all seems like it’s on the up and up!