Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Atlantic City

 

     Okay, it may look a little sketchy from the outside... especially if you saw the empty lot and construction across the street.  But let's put on our big boy pants and give it a try.  Below is the inside...

     NOW we're talkin'...  am I right???  THIS is a place where I would feel very comfortable ordering a beer & a hot dog!  Since I was in a bit of a rush the day I visited, I had to take my order to go.  The staff was very pleasant and even brought a glass of water to the high top table I was sitting at in case I got thirsty while I waited!  You can preview their menu at http://www.tennesseeavenuebeerhall.com/ The $7 cost is well worth the satisfying meal that you are going to enjoy.

     Below you see a "Don't Pass Go" dog on the left with added chili (with beans!!) and raw onions (they provide red onions... nice touch!).  On your right you see a New York Avenue dog which, as the name implies, consists of spicy brown mustard atop a mound of sauerkraut and cooked onions.  The hot dogs are Hebrew National all beef dogs served on buttery split top buns that are reminiscent of brioche style rolls.  All dogs are served with homemade potato chips that are to-die-for!  French fries or onion rings are available at an additional cost, but trust me, you can save your money and be deeply satisfied!!

             

Doggie Style Gourmet, Flemington

 

     This truck serves high quality Brooklyn all-beef natural casing hot dogs with interesting toppings that they creatively craft for the week.  Below you will see the menu that they designed for the week of St. Paddy's Day, and that's a DSG Banger pictured on the left.  One was absolutely enough to satisfy my appetite and it was an exceptionally tasty treat!  

     Now I don't think I could make this a daily stop at $9 per hot dog, but for an occasional treat, I would definitely recommend it!  You'll also only find them on Tues, Wed & Thur from 11am-3pm, so time your trip carefully.  Your best bet is to LIKE them on Facebook so you'll be aware of their specials as well as any modifications to normal operating hours.  Alternatively, their website is listed on the side of the truck!! 

               

Hot Dog Caboose, Midland Park

     This venue is certainly an eye catcher!  Though there were clearly some outdoor tables that I am certain would make for a wonderful Springtime dining experience, our decision to visit the day after a snowstorm forced us to enjoy our fare in the car!

     These natural casing dogs had a nice snap!  They offer several interesting topping options, but our choice was rather simple:  1 Texas Weiner style (chili, mustard & onion), 1 mustard & kraut & 1 w/ fries & cheese sauce.  All were very tasty & satisfying.  This is a stop I will certainly be returning to!

Middlesex Texas Weiner, Middlesex

      This is a great stop that is run by a friendly family.  The chili has the Plainfield-style flavor with hints of coriander, cardamom and cinnamon.  Many Texas weiner joints tend to overcook their chili until it's a dry meat sauce, but Middlesex Texas Weiner's chili is moist and very tasty.  This is one of my favorite Texas Weiner stops!!

Highway Hot Dogs, Ringoes (permanently closed)

     Nestled in the corner of a small strip of stores along Route 202/31 S in Ringoes, this vendor, who opened their doors in 2019, specializes in Hot dogs, fries and ice cream exclusively.  They offer an all-beef Sabrett's 10:1 dog for $2 or a larger beef/pork 6:1 dog from the Union Pork Store for $4.  Both are served deep fried on Martin's potato rolls.

     The above example is the Sabrett's beef dog with their homemade chili and "jersey jerk" relish.  The chili is rather mild for my taste, though it was tomato based and was a little sweet like a Pittsburgh style chili.  The addition of the Jersey Jerk relish definitely brought the heat!!  It is a spicy pepper relish that has a nice tang of its own.  They sell this relish by the jar as well, in case you'd like to bring some home!

     My next selection was the Union Pork Store dog served "all the way" (Texas Weiner style with chili, raw onions and brown mustard).  The dog was certainly milder than the all-beef Sabrett's but was very tasty and certainly more filling!  Overall it was a positive experience, particularly since it is the 2nd closest hot dog joint to my home!!  They also offer a frequent visitor card that provides a free hot dog when you buy 10.  This was my first visit and I'm already half way to my free dog!!

*** ALERT  -  Due to the 2020 Covid pandemic, like many local businesses, Highway Hot Dogs has closed permanently.

Denville Dog & Grill, Denville

 

     What a great little stop!  They serve Sabrett all-beef 8/1 NC dogs that are grilled.  I opted for the chili cheese dog (add mustard) and a bacon cheese dog (add mustard).  I apologize for taking a bite out of the chili cheese dog before taking my picture, but it looked so good!!!

      The chili is ground fine but is not runny and does NOT have the hint of cardamom/coriander/nutmeg that many local chilis have... What it DOES have is quite a spicy kick!!  It surprised me, and DID require that I take several sips of my Stewart's root beer, but it was very good!

     The bacon cheese dog, on the other hand, was kinda underwhelming.  The bacon bits were a little too well done for my taste but definitely provided a nice smoky flavor.  The cheese sauce was a good compliment but was a bit bland.  A little more spicy kick or smoky flavor in the cheese sauce would be a welcome addition.  Still, it was a satisfying hot dog.

Bear's Hot Dog Truck, Sayreville

     Back in the late 80's when I first visited Bear's, it was only a small stainless steel cart with the blue & yellow umbrella that you can see (above) on the far right.  The new trailer has provided the necessary room to offer many more choices.  They offer either a Sabrett 8:1 NC all beef frank or a larger Sabrett 6:1 pork/beef Griller.  Many of the folks who I visited with ordered their dogs with the chili which received very high reviews!  Other options include: cheese, Sabrett onion sauce, raw onions, relish or their homemade hot pepper relish.

     I had the all beef 8:1 NC dog with cheese and added a bit of their homemade hot pepper relish.  It was absolutely delicious!  Having the relish available for the patron to apply allows for just the right amount of heat.  You can see from the picture above that I came with a large group, and whether it was the delicious dogs, the reasonable prices or the fantastic staff, everyone had a smile on their face!  I'm hoping this hot dog truck is around for at least another 45 years!!  (hint, hint: Scott K.!)

<-- Bear himself!

Their mascot -->