Seattle, WAHot Dogs

The Seattle dog other dogs get measured against: grilled meat split down the middle so flame reaches every side, then finished with a smear of cream cheese and nearly translucent grilled onions in a salty, smoky balance. Open since 2018 on Broadway in Capitol Hill.

This brewery's all-beef dog holds onto its cream cheese thanks to hoisin-spiked caramelized onions, a sticky-sweet twist on the classic combination that turns into its own condiment once it melts together on the bun at the Greenwood taproom.

A downtown cart known for real char on both dog and bun without drying the meat out, topped with barely-translucent grilled onions and cream cheese, plus an optional bacon-and-green-pepper add-on for a heartier plate near T-Mobile Park.

A street cart running some of the plumpest sausages in the city, charred on a flat-top and layered with silky grilled onions, a straightforward, high-volume version of the Seattle dog for a quick bite around Queen Anne and Climate Pledge Arena.

A brewery kitchen take that goes heavier on dairy, doubling up cream cheese with whipped chevre over a hefty link, then adding fried, cornmeal-dredged jalapeno slices for crunch and extra heat in Belltown.