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The Wiener Works is a small, no-frills restaurant that offers some of the best hot dogs and fries in Auburn, CA, and the entire "Gold Country" of the California's Sierra Nevada foothill region. Not only are the hot dogs and fries superb, but the two ladies who run the restaurant are as friendly as it gets. Doggone... it's a winning combination! As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: The Wiener Works has a small store front in Fiddler Green Plaza, a small shopping center located in Auburn, CA, north of Interstate 80, and an the highway to Grass Valley. It's just a little past the 11:00 in the morning opening time on Tuesday, February 07, 2023, and I'm in the mood to enjoy an amazing hot dog and fries for an early lunch.
Photo: The restaurant features a small dining room, with the furniture just simple tables and chairs. The decor is quite plain, with photos, posters and graffiti on the dark green walls. Whatever the case, it all works out for a restaurant that offers hot dogs as the "main event!" Note there is an "order" and a "pickup" counter, as like many restaurants, to-go orders seem to a big part of the business.
Photo: The menu is posted on the wall next to the "order" window, and offers "Hot Dogs," and lots more, including "Polish Sausages." The major difference with the "Wonder Dog" side of the menu is the dogs are TWICE the size, but share the same fixin's, along with the same, juicy goodness. You look at the menu, you place your order with friendly hostess Sammy, you pay for your meal, and your order will be brought to your table with a "smile." The "order format" works almost like a taqueria. Click on the image of the menu to check out the complete menu, or click on THIS LINK.
Photo: Each table is set with napkins, and a squeeze bottle of mustard and ketchup. If you need something more, you can always visit the main serving station, where plastic utensils are offered, along with shakers of pepper, seasoned salt, more salt, Tapatio Mexican hot sauce, Dijon mustard, and more mustard and ketchup. Like the plaque says, I guess nothing happened on this day back in 1897, except the sun was shining on Auburn.
Photo: The walls are decorated with posters and graffiti of unknown origin. It all works out to create a happy and festive atmosphere to enjoy an amazing hot dog!
Photo: Angelique works in the kitchen on the deep fryer, making the delicious fries the restaurant is noted for. The large pot in the foreground of the photo has chili simmering... oh my!
Photo: From the dining room, you can look outside to North Auburn, and the busy Grass Valley Highway in the background. I was seated at the table in the middle, next to the window.
Photo: Angelique, the friendly owner of The Wiener Works chats with a local, who is enjoying an amazing lunch at the restaurant, while Sammy takes the order of another customer at the order. Wiener Works enjoys a base of Auburn locals who enjoy great hot dogs, as both Sammy and Angelique addressed nearly every customer by name, and chatted with them as friends.
Photo: Meet the amazingly talented and friendly owner of The Wiener Works, Angelique, as she presents my lunch to me with a pose of a "classic" car hop hostess, circa 1962. Angelique, along with co-hostess Sammy treated me like family during my visit. I have nothing but good things to post about these friendly ladies.
Photo: I'm a happy hot dog "foodie," as I hold my dog with pride, as I'm ready to enjoy a delicious lunch at The Wiener Works, located in Auburn, CA.
Photo: My lunch of a "#4 Hot Dog," along with a "Tiny" order of fries. The Wiener Works calls that small "mountain" of fries "tiny..." if you love fries as much as I do, you certainly will enjoy your fill.
Photo: From the "top" of the "Hot Dogs" menu, I went with a #4, which is mustard, relish, tomato and onion, on a regular dog. "Regular dog" is anything but "regular," as the hot dogs served at The Wiener Works are all beef, use natural casing for a delicious "snap," smoked over hickory and oak wood, and are steamed in beer. Oh yeah! The hot dog was quite long... perhaps 8 inches? ... skinny, and sort of in a crescent shape, which made the dog rest perfectly in the bun. As per the menu, the dog was smoked and steamed in beer, for the perfect texture and taste. However... the first bite into a hot dog separates a hot dog from a "dawg" and when I bit into my delicious hot dog, I was rewarded with a "snap" from the natural casing, and a delicious rush of savory flavors, and juiciness from this amazing hot dog. This was a hot dog to remember... The bun was nothing special, as it was just a plain, ordinary hot dog bun, but it was steamed hot and tender, and it cradled the hot dog with perfection. I ordered onion, tomato and relish, and my hot dog arrived with fresh, diced red onion, diced tomato, dill relish and MUSTARD - you gotta have it on your hot dog - of course! Ketchup is available on the side, should you choose to desecrate your hot dog in such a manner, but true to "Hot Dog de Facto Standards," no hot dog is served at The Wiener Works garnished in ketchup. I ordered a "Tiny" order of fries, and I suppose I'm a "munchkin" or something when it comes to fries, as the "tiny" order proved to be a small "mountain" of deliciously cook fries, deep fried perfectly medium golden brown by talented Sammy and Angelique. My fries arrived separately from the hot dog, and I was amazed, as I ordered "tiny" and the fries turned out to be "large!" No worries, as there were simply more delicious fries to enjoy. I truly ponder what a "large" order of fries would be? Maybe "Mt. Everest" of fries? My "#4 Hot Dog" was memorable, as the natural casing "snapped" and I enjoyed the juice and the flavor the dog offered. The bun was up to the task, but nothing at all noteworthy or special. The onion, tomato and relish were fresh, and complimented the delicious taste of the juicy, natural hot dog. The fries were delicious, there were a LOT of them, and they made the perfect side dish to a delicious hot dog. At The Wiener Works, you're in for a delicious hot dog, and a treat that any Placer County connoisseur of hot dogs will enjoy. Simply go for it!
Photo: With one bite into this amazing hot dog, you can see the juiciness of the meat, along with the relish, diced onion, diced tomato and mustard. What a fine hot dog! Come for the amazing hot dogs and fries, but stay for the warm hospitality you'll enjoy from Sammy and Angelique. The hot dogs are as delicious as a "dog" can get, and the staff will treat you like family. Enjoy the finest in hot dog dining at The Wiener Works, located in Auburn, CA. The Wiener Works Copyright(c) 2023 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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