Whenever we move to a new place, our first order of business is to scope out the best places to eat. Six years ago when we first moved to Modesto, I somehow ended up with a brochure featuring local restaurants. We picked one from the list that looked promising, but when we went to find it, it had gone out of business. Instead, we found Barkin Dog Grill down the street and decided to give it a try. Total serendipity.
The food here is so excellent that I’ve been here three times since embarking on my Best of Modesto project, and I’ve forgotten to take pictures every time. This place is our family’s favorite restaurant because they feature the best hamburgers we’ve ever had (and that is not an exaggeration, Bear keeps a list), but they also feature creative sandwiches with fancy dressings that satisfy my cravings for frilly food. And their tomato soup is creamy and spicy and totally heavenly. And the onion rings! And the sweet potato fries! I could really just post the menu and put exclamation points by everything.
But as great as the food is, and that really can’t be underestimated, what really makes this place special is the service. This is the kind of place where Hanibal, the owner, greets you by name with a handshake or a hug, and kisses your baby while the server has a table set up with a high chair waiting for you and brings you “your usual.”
This is the kind of place that changes where you’re living into a hometown.
Barkin Dog Grill
940 11th St.
Modesto, CA 95354
209-572-2341