I know that Labor Day has come and gone, but fall doesn’t officially start till September 22, and there’s a few more places I want to go for a hot dog, so we’ll keep this doggone tour going for a few more weeks.

We’re up to a dozen weeks and we’re off to a familiar building to most Peorians. We’re off to Big Juan’s Texas Smokehouse & Baha Club which used to be the historic Pepe Taco restaurant!

Hot dog, let’s make tracks!

Here we are at Big Juan’s and check out the sign, how did they know we were coming?

It’s great to see the former Pepe Taco building open for business again!

Let’s go in and start the twelfth week of this doggone tour!

It’s looking nice in here and I see a familiar face up there at the bar…

It’s the owner and operator of Big Juan’s, Fred Jackson! Great to see him again and he said it’s been going great in here and people have been happy to have a restaurant open in this historic location again.

We’re meeting a special guest star here today, but I’m a little early, so let’s take some photos in here while we wait.

I love all the chalk art in here and that’s cool that there’s a Pepe Taco tribute in here. All the chalk art was done by Peoria’s chalk art master, Devin McGlone.

Comfortable and spacious booths line the walls and there’s a tribute to a former business on this one!

They have a nice full bar with TV’s in the back of the restaurant.

Off to the side of the bar is a gaming area for all of you gamblers out there!

As I took this shot from the back of the restaurant I saw that our special guest star has arrived…

It’s my friend and my Godson, Brian Hennessey!

It’s wonderful to see Brian and catch up with him! The Godson and Godfather are together again!

Cindy was our pretty and friendly waitress and she took our lunch order and through the magic of these here interwebs…

Brian got the taco lunch special and there’s this week’s hot dog all wrapped up in foil!

There’s Brian digging in to his taco lunch and he said it was delicious!

I got the Premium Thunderdog and Fred threw in a regular Thunderdog for me to sample as well, which was generous of him to do!

But we’ll concentrate on the Premium Thunderdog for this review!

What a delicious hot dog topped with homemade chili and chopped onions and I added mustard. The all beef Raber’s hot dog has a savory and delicious flavor and the bun is bakery fresh!

This is a delicious and satisfying hot dog for sure!

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