Dog House Drive In

The Dog House Drive In in Albuquerque, New Mexico is known for its fun neon sign, tasty chili cheese dogs, Route 66 location, and television cameos.

Opened in 1948 by the Frank Mead family, the Albuquerque Dog House was originally located at 10th and Central. In 1967 Jimmy Hartley took over the restaurant and eventually moved it two blocks west to its current spot on Route 66 (now Central Avenue) in 1969.

While Route 66 enthusiasts have been flocking to The Dog House for decades, today the drive-in equally attracts fans of the TV shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The restaurant served as a backdrop to the story several times throughout both series when you would see characters like Jesse Pinkman, Jimmy McGill, and Kim Wexler eating (or doing something nefarious) there.

The first thing that might catch your eye about the Dog House Drive In is the big neon sign that tops the building’s exterior. While it is fun to see during the day, at night the sign lights up to say DOG HOUSE and features a dachshund dog consuming a string of sausages. The animated sign has fluctuating lights, making the wiener dog’s tail wag up and down and the sausages look like a never-ending feast.

But while the sign might draw you in, the food is what will have you come back again and again. The menu is small but has everything you would expect to order. Namely, hamburgers, hot dogs, and frito pie with sides of fries or tater tots and sodas and milkshakes to wash it all down.

Their signature specialty is the footlong chili dog (with or without cheese and/or onion) smothered in a thick, slightly spicy, chili. Be careful unwrapping this dog in your car, it’s messy.

And you will probably be eating your meal in your car. The small restaurant does have a small dining space, with a couple of tables and barstools, but after the Covid-19 pandemic indoor dining has remained closed. There are a couple of picnic tables out front, but with the amount of people stopping by, don’t bet on nabbing one. But the car-hop style ordering is still going strong.