Chef Michael Eagan is the “Mike” behind this University City spot. If you follow the St. Louis restaurant scene closely, you might know Eagan from his time at places like Cardwell’s in Clayton, Park West Grille, and Kirkwood Brewhouse. He has a track record in fine dining, but for his new place, he wanted to focus on an American classic.

“My brother and I have been doing hot dogs our whole lives,” Eagan says. “Hot dogs have always been our thing. I’ve always wanted to do a casual dining restaurant, and this was the time to do it.”

Mike’s Hotdogs Soups & Sandwiches occupies a standalone building on Olive, with space for around 30 indoor diners and three additional tables for eating al fresco. Inside, the restaurant lays the groundwork for an experience that’s old-school yet timeless. Black-and-white images of pop culture icons—Audrey Hepburn, The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and Bob Marley—hang alongside vintage photos of St. Louis and knick-knacks like a retro dial-up phone, all on bright red walls. There’s also a large abstract piece by local artist Phil Jarvis, which Eagan inherited when Park West Grille closed. The blues soundtrack is a clue to the musical passions of the owner and his staff.

The menu offers 11 hot dogs to choose from, all either $6 or $7. You can go straight down the line with a Chicago—mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato, sport pepper, pickle, and celery salt—or try The Volcano, which features St. Louis Red Hot sausage, peppered bacon, and grilled pineapple with multiple spicy garnishes. There’s also a vegan hot dog, served with tomato, avocado, and cucumber. Sides include fries, onion rings, coleslaw or a side salad, and range in price from $1.75–$3.

You might even opt for a sandwich instead of a hot dog. Eagan says his roast turkey and buffalo chicken sandwiches are tried-and-true recipes that have been popular whenever he’s put them on a menu, but there are also attractive options like the fried cod, Cuban and steak sandwiches, and burgers for $5–$9 depending on how many patties you want. The Texas-style chilli will likely become popular in the winter, and Mike’s has a few salads for low-carb dining.

Mike’s Hot Dogs is unpretentious, but Eagan is ambitious for what he wants his menu to be. “Even though we’re doing what you might call a fast food menu, it’s still good quality hand-crafted food,” the chef says. “No offense, but anybody can dump mac and cheese on a hot dog and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got something special!’ What I tried to do is take a lot of little different components and flavors to make one big flavor. I guess that’s the chef in me.”

For an example of the “big flavor” Eagan is talking about, go local with the St. Louis hot dog (pictured above). This is a quarter-pound beef dog with Provel, bacon, caramelized onion, cherry tomatoes, sport pepper, and celery salt. The Provel, melted down and placed strategically on the bun’s hinge, is a good complement to the up-front flavors of the sausage and thin-cut bacon, while the tomatoes and onions add sweetness. Take a bite of the hot dog, then, separately, nibble a little on the sport pepper to enjoy its spice without being overwhelmed. In case of emergency, have a milkshake on hand—they use real strawberries and bananas for the fruit shakes. There are, of course, chocolate and vanilla options too.