Off the Menu: Rocket Dogs

More than a hotdog stand, these Dogs are Gourmet

Fat and juicy, this sausage is one you’ll want to sit down for.
Rocket Dogs, the newest addition to the Tilt! Pinball and The Louisville Underground family, boasts not only gourmet and creative hot dogs, but also a smattering of sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. Just like its older sibling establishments, Rocket Dogs has been deeply embedded in the Louisville community since its conception.

“If you come down and get a dog,” says Steve Long, founder and longtime Louisville resident, “most of the employees you interact with live here; the meat comes from one of the Louisville sausage companies, the beer is local. We aimed to be so ingrained in the community that you can’t separate Louisville from us.”

For Long, being a part of the community is more than just buying local products; his businesses can be seen as sponsors for local school fundraisers, nonprofits, and city events. Long knows his community, and he knows his clients. “I have gotten to watch so many kids grow up; they start coming in [to Tilt!] when they are just yay-high, “he gestures about three feet tall, “and now many are graduating from college.” This is what drives him to keep creating spaces.

Long’s sense of community can be seen in his perfect pairing: the Sonoran Dog, a  Top Rope Mexican Lager from The Post, and a game of Rocky and Bullwinkle Pinball. He explains, “It is inspired by the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and Arizona. It’s smothered in pinto beans and pico de gallo, it’s not the kind of hot dog you just pick up and eat; you need a fork to really dive in.” These hot dogs remind him of time spent south of Colorado, enjoying different cultures and people, a kind of one-world society he’s brought to this small town.

If Long represents community, then his business partner, Mark Oberholzer, showcases the fun. His light and jovial nature shines bright immediately, and it’s essentially how he got involved in the business. “When Steve [Long] started Tilt!, he was the only one running it. I was a big pinball guy growing up, so I was there all the time.” Oberholzer goes on to explain that over time, he and Steve became good friends: “I would be playing a game late, Steve would want to go home, so he would give me the keys to lock up.”

As time went on, Long started to burn out running the pinball arcade alone and decided to close down. But Oberholzer wasn’t going to let that happen. “We bought in and moved the business to where it is now.”

It’s this teamwork that made Rocket Dogs possible. Oberholzer’s charismatic joy filters through to all employees, making them excited to show up day in and day out.

His perfect pairing? The Fancy Pants Hot Dog with a Crystal Springs Blood Orange Kölsch and a game of Addams Family pinball. “It’s a prosciutto-wrapped dog topped with whipped goat cheese, fig jam, a honey drizzle, and some arugula, so I can tell my wife I ate some greens.”

The last piece of this trifecta is creativity. Enter Chef Ben Keisler, the mastermind behind the deluxe menu. Keisler grew up in the restaurant industry, with his grandparents running The Old Louisville Inn, now 740 Front Street. “I grew up in the back of the restaurant and learned to really love cooking. I moved to Boulder to go to culinary school and have been cooking at various restaurants around town since.” While the newest addition to the trio, Keisler, expresses the same enthusiasm for the establishment as his counterparts, “I jumped when this opportunity came up. It was great food, really fun, and great vibes.”

Keisler’s love for his menu is shown in his perfect pairing, where he couldn’t pick just one entrée. For him, it’s a toss-up between the Sticky Thai Chicken Sandwich or the Seattle Dog, paired with a Crystal Springs Orange Kölsch, and a game of cornhole on the shop’s front patio. “The sandwich is tossed in Thai sticky sauce that we make in-house, caramelizing the garlic, ginger, green onions, then adding a whole bunch of Asian sauces.” He goes on to say that it’s served with spicy peppers and red onions, all presented on a choice of brioche or gluten-free bun.

To find your own perfect pairing, you can either enjoy Rocket Dogs at their storefront or order from next door at Tilt! Pinball, Louisville Underground, or Crystal Springs Brewing.

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