The Dog House Restaurant, Pensacola

With the Fourth of July celebration behind us, we are in peak grilling season, and nothing says summer like hamburgers and hot dogs. If you are looking for a good hot dog or hamburger in the Pensacola area without having to fire up the grill, look no further than The Dog House on Palafox Street.

The Dog House isn’t just burgers and dogs. By day, Monday through Saturday, you will find a nice selection of lunchtime sandwich offerings, as well as seafood and nachos, from 11 AM to 3 PM. For early risers, breakfast is served from 8 until 11 AM. Thursday thru Saturday, The Dog House offers a selection of tasty dinner dishes, including local seafood, chicken, pork, and steaks, from 5 until 9 PM.

Owner Nate Holler says, “I think we do Southern fried seafood better than anyone. Our fresh caught Mullet is light and crispy, and we’ve been doing it for decades. It’s a big seller, and people in Pensacola know us for it.” The burgers are made in-house with 20% smoked bacon and 80% lean beef, so you know they are good. “Depending on what’s fresh and available, we let the guys in the kitchen add two to four daily appetizers and specials to the dinner menu, which are always popular.”

We took the crew to The Dog House for lunch the other day, and Linda immediately noticed the big yellow and orange sign on the wall that read Royal Dog House. “I’ve seen that sign before. It was on Royal Street in Mobile,” she said. It turns out she was correct. Nate told us his father purchased the first franchise for the Royal Dog House in Mobile, then opened a store on Palafox Street in Pensacola in 1977.

“After the ten-year agreement expired, he dropped the franchise and went out on his own as The Dog House Deli.” The Dog House had a second location on Pensacola Beach for years until Hurricane Sally hit, and several loose barges damaged the bridge from Pensacola to the beach. “We had to shut the beach location down because we couldn’t get customers or employees to and from the restaurant.”

Nate and his mother, Sharon, now run the Palafox location. They did a complete renovation of the 1800s-era building. “There is a lot of history in this building,” says Nate. “It’s been repurposed. We dropped Deli from the name. We are a local establishment with loyal customers that have been visiting us for decades, and we appreciate them.”

The Dog House has a friendly, inviting interior with a full counter bar, table seating, and sidewalk seating outside. Friendly dogs on leashes are welcome on the patio. Our service was excellent and attentive. As we perused the menu, we noticed many hot dog combinations, sandwiches, and smash burgers from which to choose. I went with the chicken salad sandwich on toasted whole wheat with slaw as my side. Very tasty. Linda had the Chicago dog with fries, and Justin ordered the cheeseburger and fries. He said it was excellent!

After finishing, we talked business for a few minutes while our server kept our drinks filled. Nate stopped by to chat for a moment. “We just want to honor Pensacola's food, culture, and rich history,” he said. “We try to tell the story of the panhandle. My father opened in 1977 and did a wonderful job with the brand initially. Our mission is to continue building on our service and customer relationships.”

Stop by The Dog House when you’re in the mood for pure Americana fare with great seafood, nice people, and a fun atmosphere.