Sally & Henry’s Doghouse Bar & Grill
3515 Firth Ave. (Hillcrest)
619-501-8638
Happy Hour: 4 to 8 p.m., daily
Come On Get Happy! | Dr. Ink
Whenever I tell Junebug that “we’re going to see the doggies,” we end up at the wide-open dog park on Fiesta Island. Last weekend was different.
Our outing instead involved meeting a friend, who also has a small Chihuahua (named Guera), for a couple of brews at Sally & Henry’s Doghouse Bar & Grill.
Since opening, the establishment reigns as the most dog-friendly watering hole for pet owners in San Diego. While dog masters wash down burgers and wings with beer and fireball shots on the sunny back patio, the canines socialize a few feet away within a leash-free grassy area, much like children frolicking in a nearby room as their parents enjoy a little adult time at the card table.
Launched several months ago by Attorney Marc Bragg and his wife, Cynthia, they named the grill after their Newfoundland dogs. The exterior signage presently reads, “The Doghouse,” which might lead some at first glance to assume it’s a doggie daycare. But the sight of beer taps and liquor bottles behind the roomy front bar when you first walk in indicates otherwise.
Dogs are allowed only on the back patio, which is furnished with wooden tables, flat screens and a few water bowls scattered across the cement. A separate entrance designated for customers with dogs in tow sits to the left of the main doors. No big deal if you miss it. The owners and staff are pretty laid back.
During daily happy hour, all drinks are $1 off, with spontaneous shot deals selling for $3. In addition, an order of small fries or a bag of chips are free if you order a burger, which is fat, juicy and delectably charred. The menu also offers salads, hot sandwiches, chicken potpies and pizzas at regular prices. As for those “dog balls” listed under “Scooby snacks,” they are actually people food, a top seller of pineapple-glazed shrimp wrapped in bacon.
For young, peppy dogs like mine, which turn maniacal at the sight of food, the grill sells scrambled eggs and other treats to keep them content. Although before I could spring for a bowl of the eggs, Junebug had helped herself to another dog’s meal, which brings us to a few rules set in place at The Doghouse.
Bragg urges that patio customers keep dogs with them at their tables as much as possible. “It applies mostly to dogs that don’t behave well,” he said.
Needless to say, mine became overexcited in the midst of nearly a dozen other dogs and food all around, causing me to spend more time fishing her from beneath other people’s tables than drinking at the pace I prefer. Fortunately, nobody seemed to mind a small wagging tail intruding into their space.
RATINGS:
Drinks: 4
The grill offers a full bar, although we only drank beer (Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and Corona) from a list of commercial and craft labels, available on tap and in bottles.
Food: 4
The menu is well rounded and features excellent burgers along with colorful, unique fare such as “dog balls,” “extreme chili” and chicken pot pies.
Value: 4
Well drinks and beer are $1 off during happy hour, with most averaging around $5 after the discount. Three-dollar weekday deals are also available on well scotch and tequila sunset shots on Tuesdays; well gin and buttery nipple shots on Wednesdays; tequila wells on Thursdays; and banana cream pie shots and well whiskey on Fridays.
Service: 4
Expect casual and friendly service after seating yourself, with a few delays occurring during peak hours.
Duration: 5
The happy hour runs for four hours daily, ending at 8 p.m., which gives you enough time to drink and eat before tucking in your pooch for the day.
