A specialist in Tijuana-style bacon-wrapped hot dogs, Doggos Gus is on the move in San Diego and will soon shutter its Imperial Beach restaurant.
In 2017, Gustavo Tonella took his mobile hot dog stand and installed it within now-defunct craft beer-centric Twisted Taps, taking over the food component at the then family-friendly bar and kitchen. Tonella, who started Doggos Gus in 2010, left the Twisted Taps kitchen in early summer 2018 to shift his focus to catering and events. In late 2019, Tonella took over the quaint space at 805 Seacoast Avenue previously occupied by Imperial Beach Buns (and IB Tacos before that) and reopened his brick-and-mortar restaurant in a new neighborhood.
Offering an array of bacon-wrapped dogs served on steamed Bolillo buns, Doggos Gus has been a popular destination in Imperial beach for its menu of signature and customizable Tijuana-style hotdogs, burgers, nachos, fries, Mexican street corn, and micheladas. Unfortunately for the restaurant, the building Doggos Gus has been sited in will soon be demolished for the construction of condos.
Doggos Gus will close in Imperial Beach after end of business on Sunday, July 31, but the restaurant will go out with a bang, with plans to host a Mariachi Michelada Goodbye Party from 1-8pm on its last day in business. Doggos Gus is currently looking for a site to reopen in San Diego, including possibly launching a location from within a brewery on Third Avenue in Chula Vista.
Doggos Gus is located at is located at 805 Seacoast Drive in San Diego's South County city of Imperial Beach. For more information, visit doggosgus.com.
