OK!!!! Who has the BEST Hot Dogs in Coney Island...... and Knishes?????

[scunge]

When I was a kid in the '50's I would in the summertime eat hot dogs bought along the boardwalk and really enjoyed them .While we did go to Nathans it wasn't considered the best. Has that changed ???

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, we have removed a number of posts that drifted from the discussion of finding great food in currently operating venues in to nostalgia. Chowhound's mission is to help everybody eat better right now, today. Nostalgia threads are fun, but they usually end up chatty, taking a lot of space and diluting Chowhound's effectiveness.

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[Geo8rge]

Don't they charge $3.50 for a frank. I can't bring myself to pay more than Manhattan prices in Brooklyn. And it's not even on the Boardwalk. I don't mind tourists and the fans of competitive food eating having their fun.

[Motosport]

Worth every penny. In the Summer they are on the boardwalk too!!

[Mike R.]

Keep your eyes open for oft-published Nathan's coupons (99cent or 2-for-1 dogs) in your local Pennysaver-type papers. Although the timeframes are short for usage, it might get you down there - faster and oftener.

[Mike R.]

FYI - This week's inserts in most NYC papers have Nathan's coupons: "second dog purchased for 5 cents"

[scooter]

A few seasons back I seem to remember that a few of the boardwalk vendors were selling dogs with natural casings, which IMO are superior to what Nathan's serves. (I like a dog with a little snap to it.) I was kind of loyal to the stand on the same block as the Cyclone.

But with all the real-estate turmoil the place is evolving rapidly and who knows if it is the same, even, as it was in '09 or '10. Really once the warm weather comes back someone will have to do a systematic survey.

My favorite recent arrival on the boardwalk is actually the Peruvian chicken joint.

If I were really on a hot dog pilgrimage I'd head elsewhere - Bark Dogs in the Slope (Bergen St., just south of Altantic), Crif Dogs in the East Village & Williamsburg, the italian dog stand in Elizabeth, NJ, even Shake Shack.

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Bark Hot Dogs
474 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Crif Dogs
555 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Shake Shack
409 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

[coll]

Ruby's will be opening again this season! They have the best raw clams and fries, although for hot dogs it must always be Nathans.

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Ruby's Bar & Grill
1213 Boardwalk W, Brooklyn, NY 11224

[Motosport]

Bark Dogs is Bergen St between Flatbush and 5th Av!!

[scooter]

whoops, thanks for correcting. I always confuse Atlantic and Flatbush.

[Bob Martinez]

"A few seasons back I seem to remember that a few of the boardwalk vendors were selling dogs with natural casings, which IMO are superior to what Nathan's serves. "

Nathan's serves natural casing hot dogs, both at the original location and the satellite locations. In the supermarkets normally only the skinless variety are available but some spots stock Nathan's natural casing as well. (The Key Food on 5th Ave. in Park Slope is an example.)

I agree with you - the snap of a natural casing frank is very pleasant. The other difference with Nathan's natural casing dogs is that the spicing is nicely assertive, much better than their skinless dogs.

[Motosport]

I.M.H.O. eating a Nathan's dog with french fries and a root beer on the boardwalk is as close to heaven as I may get.
Back in the day 50's to 70's Nathan's actually had an indoor dining room with waiter service. It was a nice little secret. It was around the side where the picnic tables are now. They took out the dining room to expand the toilets which cost 5 cents back in the day.

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Nathan's Famous
1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224

[scunge]

I ate in that dining room many a time and when my mother was busy with the smaller kids I'd sneak into the Freak Show via the back door in the alley across .

[Motosport]

I was afraid of the freak show. The carousel (now gone) with the rings, Cyclone, Wonder Wheel and Bumper cars were a favorite.
Then again, just sitting on the boardwalk with a Nathan's dog, french fries and a root beer is as close to heaven as I may get.
It was worth repeating.

[Barry Strugatz]

IMHO Nathan's has excellent dogs and their fries are superior.

[bob96]

Alas, things have changed, and while there were other franks available back then (my era, too), only Nathan's survives as anything worth the trip.

[Sluggo1407]

I don't think Nathan's is even worth the trip.

[dey99]

I believe that is the original Nathan's locations. Nathans is worth going to if you are at Coney Island. I wouldn't make the trip just for the Nathan's. The hot dogs and fries are quite good. There are other Nathan's locations in NYC with the same quality. There other great hot dogs to be found in Midtown Manhattan. Papayas comes to mind... The sidewalk vendors are also quite good.

[tex.s.toast]

Its my impression that most of the boardwalk vendors (if not all of them) serve kinda sad, long-sitting, greazy food. I'd go with Nathans if i was looking for a hot dog (though my personal health preferences keep me from doing so).

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Nathan's Famous
1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224