Dining review: Dogtooth bar food in North Naples nothing to bark about
A bar in North Naples has a new name in a location familiar to Neapolitans for years.
Dogtooth Sports and Music Bar on Shirley Street, just north of Pine Ridge Road, is in a building that formerly housed Weekend Willie's, Vodka Bar & Grill, Freddie Rebel's Neighborhood Sports Bar & Grill, Stevie Tomato's Sports Page and Little Brown Jug.
Known for live music acts by night, Dogtooth is open during the day, and we wanted to check out the menu when it's a bit quieter and less crowded. With its brown motif everywhere, from the walls to the tables, Dogtooth is a basic bar that includes pool tables in the rear.
The stage where bands perform is in the front, and it features murals of legendary rock ’n’ rollers Elvis Presley on one wall and Buddy Holly on another.
We decided to try some familiar bar fare, so we kicked off our ordering with wings ($11.95) and calamari ($10.95).
Our 10 wings arrived smothered in barbecue sauce with sides of ranch and blue cheese dressing for dipping. There’s nothing special here, just crisp-skinned drumettes and wingettes that leave your fingers sticky sweet with sauce. There are no fancy sauces, no fancy rubs.
Still, the wings were probably the best thing we ordered at Dogtooth, which is to be expected at a sports bar.
The calamari are always a good test, and these failed. At first glance the breading looked scarce, the fleshy-colored rings almost shining translucent underneath. And it pretty much lived up to its first impressions. A side of salty marinara helped to save the otherwise lacking calamari, but other than that this dish was just OK.
A grouper sandwich ($11.95) tasted fishy (translation: not fresh), as if it was frozen originally and slapped on the bun. The beer-battered grouper sandwich included the usual mayo, lettuce and tomato along with grilled onions and chipotle to give it some kick and, in this case, tamp down the fishy flavor.
Dogtooth’s signature burger ($11.95) comes topped with sautéed onions and mushrooms and melty blue cheese crumbles, with lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion rounds. We ordered our patty medium, but it was disappointingly much more on the well-done side.
But that wasn’t the worst part of the burger. It seriously lacked flavor. A few more dashes of salt and pepper would have gone a long way here. The mushrooms were suspiciously slimy and straight from a can. Even the blue cheese, which has the ability to save almost any dish with its briny, buttery flavor, really didn’t do much for the burger. A smear of barbecue sauce, perhaps, would have done the trick.
One dining companion tried the chicken chimichanga ($8.50) and said she was underwhelmed. I tried a bite myself, and it wasn't deep-fried and crispy as expected.
Instead, the chimi seemed more like a glorified wrap with a bland taste. It actually looked and tasted nothing like what a chimichanga should, another disappointment.
At least our dining experience ended well. Dogtooth took us down a surprising path with homemade tiramisu, which featured layers of cake-y ladyfingers and coffee-flavored filling. While most of its tiramisu rivals are more custard-like, Dogtooth’s version holds its form with the delightfully spongy ladyfingers.
But could the dessert make up for the flavorless burger, the anemically limp calamari, the greasy grouper? That’s a hard sell.
Our server was certainly a plus, attentive with refills and a friendly smile throughout our dining experience.
Even so, not all sports bars have to be mediocre, and Dogtooth is, for lunch, at least. It's a bit pricey for what you're getting quality-wise, and if you go, stick to playing pool.
The Naples Daily News pays for all meals for dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free meals.
Dogtooth Sports and Music Bar
Where: 5310 Shirley St, North Naples
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (Good Friday and Easter hours may differ)
Prices: Appetizers $8.95-$19.95; soup, cup $3.95, bowl $5.95; salad $7-$11.95 (more if you add grilled chicken or grilled shrimp); sandwiches $9-$13.95; burgers $8.95-$11.95; pasta $12.50-$17.95; pizza $13.50-$21.95; entrees $14.95-$17.95; desserts $6-$7.50
Information: https://www.dogtoothnaples.com/
Forks: 2½ out of 5 (1 for food, 4 for service)