Hot Dogs – Page 3 – The Unvegan

7/26/2013 Reviews Buena Park

Taking a Dip at Portillo’s

Looks just like in Chicago... — Looks just like in Chicago…

To those in the know (or from Chicago), the city has more food claims to fame than just deep dish pizza. After all, the second city was pretty much the meat capital of the country for the better part of its existence. Out of this rose a place called Portillo’s, serving up Italian beef and hot dogs to match up with the city’s non-meat inhabitants. To be honest, I didn’t know much about Portillo’s growing up and spending time in Chicago, but a year or so ago I had a boss originally from Chicago that loved the place and alerted me about a location of theirs in Buena Park, just outside of Anaheim.

Buena Park Chicago Hot Dogs Italian Orange County Polish Portillo's Restaurants Travel

7/19/2013 Reviews West Hollywood

Riding the Carney’s Express

Inside the box car of a train that looks more out of place in West Hollywood than a snowball in hell is Carney’s. While not as old as Pink’s, Carney’s has been around for a while and is unquestionably one of the city’s biggest hot dog landmarks, especially when it comes to chili dogs.

Typically, the biggest crowd forms after the bars let out of the Sunset Strip, but I was looking to check Carney’s off my list before leaving LA and willing to get there even during regular feeding hours. I opted for a big basket of chili cheese fries and a chili cheese dog to go with it.

Carney's Hot Dogs Los Angeles Restaurants Sunset Strip West Hollywood

12/19/2012 Reviews Culver City

Rabid for Mad Dogz (CLOSED)

It's splitsville for you. — It’s splitsville for you.

Once upon a time, a sketchy-ass hot dog and sandwich hole in the wall sat upon an uncomfortable and small lot on Venice in Culver City. I meant to make it there, because sketchy-ass usually means delicious, but I didn’t make it before it was replaced by Mad Dogz, a shiny hot dog and burger hole in the wall that seems to invite in customers rather than scare them away. Although it took me a little bit to make it there, I made sure to check it out before it went the way of its predecessor.

Burgers Chili Culver City Hamburgers Hot Dogs Los Angeles Mad Dogz

5/24/2012 Reviews Detroit

Coney for the Road at National Coney Island

While the existence of Coney Dog in LA has staved off my insatiable desire to eat at Coney Islands every time I’m in Michigan, I still take advantage of Coney if it’s not too far out of the way. Case in point: National Coney Island at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. When I was there last, I was hungry and rather than blowing money on a generic sandwich, I opted for some Coney.

Airports Burgers Coney Coney Island Detroit Hamburgers Hot Dogs Loose Burger National Coney Island Restaurants

4/19/2012 Reviews Los Angeles

Letting it Rip at Fab Hot Dogs

Over in New Jersey, they like to deep fry their hot dogs. When I found out about this I first thanked the heavens that the state has contributed something to the world besides Jersey Shore. Then I bided my time until I could make the journey out to Reseda to try one of these deep fried “rippers.” You see, Reseda is home to Fab Hot Dogs, where they ship their rippers straight from New Jersey. These rippers are specially made for deep frying and no normal dog will suffice. Of course, Fab Hot Dogs serves tube steaks from other regions of the country (conspicuously missing Detroit Coney Dogs), but on my first time I needed a ripper.

Fab Hot Dogs Hot Dogs Los Angeles Meat New Jersey Style Pastrami Reseda Restaurants Rippers

4/3/2012 Reviews Santa Monica

Kid Stuff at Hostaria del Piccolo (CLOSED)

Being a kid was pretty cool. No responsibilities. No money. No rent/mortgage/car payment. And you got kids menus. You know that awesome set of options that were simply meant as a cheaper alternative to the regular menu, but turned out to have the best stuff on it anyway. Things like grilled cheese, chicken fingers and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were mainstays always a hit. Yet growing up can be tough, and not just because of those silly responsibilities, but also because you can’t quite get away with order PB and J at age 27. Fortunately, all is not lost. Burgers have taken a gourmet turn. Hot dogs are still popular for people of all ages. And then there is a little restaurant in Santa Monica called Hostaria del Piccolo.

Hostaria del Piccolo Hot Dogs Italian Los Angeles Pizza Restaurants Santa Monica

4/2/2012 Reviews Mobile

Pickled by The Greasy Wiener

On the way to basketball one night, I stumbled upon what appeared to be a food truck festival in a high school parking lot. I am nothing if not a man who takes advantage of such opportunities, so I pulled up and saw what they had to offer. A few of the trucks I had seen and eaten before, but some were new to me. One of these, freakishly painted as a Brisk iced tea ad, had just what I was looking for. Called The Greasy Wiener, this trucked dished out…well…hot dogs, with a side of sexual innuendo.

Bacon Chili Food Trucks Hot Dogs Lake Balboa Los Angeles Mobile

3/12/2012 Reviews West Hollywood

Not Addicted to Chili Addiction

My quest for challengers to the Chili John’s and Coney Dog empire of LA chili led me to Chili Addiction in West Hollywood. Their menu of insane chili concoctions really pulled me in the first time I saw their menu online and I really thought I had found myself a contender. I convinced my buddy to give it a try with me, both for company and so we could get multiple things to test out.

Burgers Chili Chili Addiction Hamburgers Hot Dogs Los Angeles Meat Restaurants

1/30/2012 Reviews Burbank

Overloading on Larry’s Chili Dog

Up in Burbank is a classic-looking hot dog shack called Larry’s Chili Dog. They have an awesome neon sign that looks like it was built in the 1970s at the earliest, but likely goes back even further. The true age of the joint is bit difficult to ascertain, for while another, smaller sign says “SERVING BURBANK FOR OVER ’50 YEARS,'” I’m not really sure what 50 years amounts to when you put them in quotes. Whatever the case, this place was definitely old and old school.

Burbank Chili Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Hot Dogs Larry's Chili Dog Los Angeles Restaurants

10/31/2011 Reviews Mobile

Whining About The Wien (CLOSED)

Hot dogs: the edible version of man’s best friend. Genius in conception and pretty easy to do well. But to do a hot dog great takes some skill and some food trucks have taken this easily portable meal to the streets to some success. Up in North Hollywood, The Wien brought its truck over to my office one day and I thought I should give it a try and see if it could compete.

Food Trucks Hot Dogs Los Angeles Mobile North Hollywood The Wien

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