In the heart of one of the most partied-out college towns in America lies a restaurant where you can enjoy hot dogs named after Bettie Page, listen to doo-wop and Johnny Thunders blasting from speakers, and marvel at an incredible variety of hot dog themed memorabilia including candy, toys, clothing, and board games. This is O'Betty's, the world's only burlesque hot dog restaurant and museum in Athens, Ohio. And guess what? The food is pretty great, too.
Since junior high, O'Betty's has been to me what Tom's Restaurant was to the cast of Seinfeld. Most of my life’s milestones have been discussed over their raw cut fries and crispy hot dogs, with owner Bob Satmary occasionally swinging by wearing his “ask me about my wieners” trucker cap to see if my meal is alright. When I moved to New York, I realized I took all this for granted. Even though I'm eyeballs deep in the best pizza, bagels, and Thai west of the Atlantic, no hot dog of any variation has reached the standards of what I find to be the best hot dogs around.
On a recent trip home, I paid a visit to the restaurant-museum and chatted with Bob over a peanut butter and veggie chili dog––an odd but delicious combination that I chose over my usual swiss cheese, mayo, and mushroom-topped fare.
Rika Nurrahmah: What got you into gourmet hot dogs?
Bob Satmary: I did a lot of research and came up with hot dogs. But there’s always a dubious quality with hot dogs. That was the challenge, actually finding a good hot dog. We’re in our eleventh year right now, so I think we might actually [have] been the very first [to do] or on the frontline of upscale hot dogs. We also offer people a sensory experience above and beyond just having a good hot dog.
Tell me about the burlesque aspect. How did you settle on that?
One of my friends from New York [mentioned] some sort of giant burlesque exhibition, which was happening because of the resurgence of burlesque [in the early 2000s]. My menu was ready, and I was like, "I’ll just make this a burlesque-themed restaurant." So I was up all night researching burlesque being like, "This is great! This is Dixie Evans! This is Gypsy Rose Lee!"
How did you start the hot dog museum?
The museum is more of a reflection of me because I’ve always been a collector, even as a little kid. So the stuff is mine, but people bring stuff in. [Such as] hot dog bric-a-brac from other states. I have boxes and boxes of stuff. Did you get to see the resaturant's "Life of Jesus in 3D" exhibit? That’s not publicized or anything, but we have it every winter. It’s huge now; there’s over 50 pieces [of framed 3D Jesus art that I collect].
I could easily see a restaurant like this tucked away in the bustle and boom of New York’s East Village. Do you feel there’s a strong backing from the university and “locavore” culture of this town?
Yes, and it never ceases to amaze me. A lot of university publications, for example, have O’Betty blurbs. I’m like "Oh my God, how do these people know about us?" Because we’re at the other end of town and we’re like ten feet wide. Homecoming week is the biggest week for us, because now we have ten years worth of students coming back. We double up the staff, it’s really great.
O’BETTY’S
15 West State St
Athens, Ohio 45701
Map
Rika Nurrahmah is a writer, stylist, gatekeeper at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, and OC
Since junior high, O'Betty's has been to me what Tom's Restaurant was to the cast of Seinfeld. Most of my life’s milestones have been discussed over their raw cut fries and crispy hot dogs, with owner Bob Satmary occasionally swinging by wearing his “ask me about my wieners” trucker cap to see if my meal is alright. When I moved to New York, I realized I took all this for granted. Even though I'm eyeballs deep in the best pizza, bagels, and Thai west of the Atlantic, no hot dog of any variation has reached the standards of what I find to be the best hot dogs around.
On a recent trip home, I paid a visit to the restaurant-museum and chatted with Bob over a peanut butter and veggie chili dog––an odd but delicious combination that I chose over my usual swiss cheese, mayo, and mushroom-topped fare.
Rika Nurrahmah: What got you into gourmet hot dogs?
Bob Satmary: I did a lot of research and came up with hot dogs. But there’s always a dubious quality with hot dogs. That was the challenge, actually finding a good hot dog. We’re in our eleventh year right now, so I think we might actually [have] been the very first [to do] or on the frontline of upscale hot dogs. We also offer people a sensory experience above and beyond just having a good hot dog.
Tell me about the burlesque aspect. How did you settle on that?
One of my friends from New York [mentioned] some sort of giant burlesque exhibition, which was happening because of the resurgence of burlesque [in the early 2000s]. My menu was ready, and I was like, "I’ll just make this a burlesque-themed restaurant." So I was up all night researching burlesque being like, "This is great! This is Dixie Evans! This is Gypsy Rose Lee!"
How did you start the hot dog museum?
The museum is more of a reflection of me because I’ve always been a collector, even as a little kid. So the stuff is mine, but people bring stuff in. [Such as] hot dog bric-a-brac from other states. I have boxes and boxes of stuff. Did you get to see the resaturant's "Life of Jesus in 3D" exhibit? That’s not publicized or anything, but we have it every winter. It’s huge now; there’s over 50 pieces [of framed 3D Jesus art that I collect].
I could easily see a restaurant like this tucked away in the bustle and boom of New York’s East Village. Do you feel there’s a strong backing from the university and “locavore” culture of this town?
Yes, and it never ceases to amaze me. A lot of university publications, for example, have O’Betty blurbs. I’m like "Oh my God, how do these people know about us?" Because we’re at the other end of town and we’re like ten feet wide. Homecoming week is the biggest week for us, because now we have ten years worth of students coming back. We double up the staff, it’s really great.
O’BETTY’S
15 West State St
Athens, Ohio 45701
Map
Rika Nurrahmah is a writer, stylist, gatekeeper at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, and OC