I visited the Roast Grill in January after years of looking down on the building from my former…read moreGannett Fleming office at One Glenwood and wondering what was inside this little Raleigh institution. The Roast Grill feels less like a restaurant and more like a preserved piece of mid-20th-century Americana hidden in plain sight along West Street. The narrow counter, wood-paneled walls, neon beer signs, Coca-Cola memorabilia, handwritten notices, old photographs, Hurricanes tributes, and decades of accumulated objects create an atmosphere that simply cannot be manufactured today. The place reminded me a little of Chicago's famous Billy Goat Tavern--especially the feeling of discovering something authentic tucked beneath an increasingly overbuilt urban streetscape. I ordered two hot dogs all the way with mustard, onions, chili, and slaw--absolutely NO ketchup, of course--along with a Coke in a glass bottle. The chili is legendary and reportedly takes up to three days to prepare. Whether that is folklore or fact, it certainly gives the hot dogs a flavor unlike almost anywhere else in Raleigh. One of my favorite details was the mounted goat wearing a red hat beneath the neon beer signs. It somehow fits perfectly within the visual layering and quirky personality of the interior. Even the traditions remain intact. At the end of the meal, every customer receives a Tootsie Roll. Places like the Roast Grill are becoming increasingly rare. It is not just a hot dog stand--it is a living piece of Raleigh history. If interested, you can view my post in "The Architecture of..." Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Tu51FPtB/

I have always wanted to try The Roast. I had my opportunity today. Very nice waitress. Really tight…read morequarters and lots of trinkets on the shelves near the cook area. The hot dog nor the chili were for me. My dog had an almost burnt flavor and the chili had an overly liquidity density without a lot of flavor. I loved the glass bottle cokes. Very reasonably priced but remember it is cash only. Cheers to the longevity and history of this place. It just wasn't for me.

A friend suggested that I try Cloos', and what great advice that turned out to be. Cloos' brings…read morethe feel of Northern short-order stands, grills, and diners to the NC State area. I had lunch there on Thursday--and liked it so much that I went back again on Friday. Two days in a row. One word of caution: this is a true short-order grill. Everything is freshly made to order, and they are often very busy. You will not get your food as quickly as you would at a fast-food place like McDonald's or Wendy's. If you are in a big hurry, head west on Western Boulevard to McDonald's, Bojangles, Wendy's, or Cook Out--all places I patronize--but they are not the same type of venue. Cloos' Coney Island is a hot dog and classic American comfort food restaurant that has been operating in Raleigh since 1988, with strong ties to the NC State student community and local residents. According to their own signage and social pages, they proudly market themselves as "An Original Detroit Hot Dog Stand, Est. 1988." The restaurant is decorated like a classic diner or luncheonette. White tile gives a clean, bright feel, paired with black checkerboard accents. The décor is reminiscent of original White Castle, White Diamond, and Waffle House locations. There's even a Sopranos-themed pinball machine. Seating includes a lunch counter with round revolving stools and 1950s-style dinette tables and chairs. On Thursday, I ordered a Coney Dog and French fries. With the exception of the Chicago Dog, their hot dogs are 90 percent beef, with the remainder pork products. The Coney Dog is their specialty, served on a steamed bun with chili, mustard, and onions--try it; you'll love it. The fries are excellent--thin, string-style fries like McDonald's used to make years ago. My friend had the Chicago Dog, a Vienna all-beef frank customized with Carolina flair, adding slaw atop their Coney Dog toppings. They have a soda fountain with Coke products, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and both sweet and unsweet tea. As a fun detail, there's a Coca-Cola CLASSIC sign near the fountain--perfectly fitting for a place established in the late '80s. Because they offer both tea and lemonade, they list Arnold Palmers (sweet or unsweet) on the menu. They also offer bottled water and a selection of domestic and premium bottled beers. On Friday, I went alone, sat at the counter, and ordered the Philly Cheesesteak--listed on their menu as one of their signature items, and now I know why. I chose steak with green peppers and onions and added mushrooms for a small extra charge. I don't care for mustard (a Midwest thing) or mayonnaise (a Southern thing) on my cheesesteaks. When I worked in Philadelphia and ate at Pat's and the street carts, I always had ketchup on the bun. At Cloos', I dipped both my cheesesteak and fries into genuine Heinz ketchup from glass bottles--outstanding. I liked the fries so much the day before that I ordered another small order. Growing up in New Jersey, a root beer with a cheesesteak just felt right--even though I rarely drink soda. Some pairings are simply meant to be. The staff are great--nice, patient, and constantly engaging with customers. There's an ongoing conversation about everything, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy their work, their coworkers, and their customers. If you're expecting service with a deep Southern accent, this might not be the place--but the warmth and authenticity more than make up for it. Needless to say, I plan to go back. Two five-star experiences, back-to-back.

This spot has been open since 1988, and I've been coming, off and on, since the early 90's. This…read morearea, close to part of the NC State campus is home to several venerable hot dog "stands" - Roast Grill (opened in 1940), Char-Grill (opened in 1959), and Snoopy's (opened in 1978). Went to all 4 on this trip! Like the other 3, this spot is showing its age and the service tends to be a bit out of the "fast food" range, but they still put out some solid burgers, hot dogs, and FFs. My favorites are the Chicago Dog, the Carolina Cheeseburger, the Kraut Dog, and their Fries! I also like that you can get a beer.

The Cardinal is my go to whenever I want hot dogs. Nothing fancy, it's a local hot dog joint & bar…read morelocated on West St in Raleigh. You basically mark all the toppings you want on a small form and they get it right to you. I always get two dogs and a beer which is just perfect! They don't use the traditional hot dog bun here which makes it unique and adds a different flavor/texture to the hot dog. No complaints! Always a good spot to go for a hot dog!

The Cardinal Bar came as a surprising addition to Wake Forest. Generally places do not stay open…read morelate. They offer food OR cocktails, not both. Granted the food offering is hotdogs and chips, but if you know that coming in, it works. I had two chilli dogs and they were very good. Grilled to order dogs and buns. DO NOT, do not, try to order two dogs fixed a different way on one paper slip (you order on a paper slip). :-) Full bar, lots of seating both indoor and outdoor. This is a nice open, less crowded part of downtown Wake Forest. We went early because we're early people, but it sounded like it can get busy at night, according to the bartender, who was fun to talk to. You can opt to get a drink then order from Lil Hombre, which offers tacos and the like. Their drink menu looks great so we will try them next time! There are a few games like claw game and a car racing game, so that's fun.

Great hotdogs and friendly service! Will definitely return and check out the bar next time.read more

My friend invited me out there saying it was a hot spot. So we drove out there and it was okay but…read morethe parking lot leaving needs better security. Security as in dudes. Not surveillance cameras in the parking lot.

Great taste, but too messy. Loved the flavors, but the toppings kept falling off. Still, one of the…read morebetter hot dogs I've had!

if one is as into seeking great hot dogs as I am, one goes where ever the trail leads - even to the…read morefront of a Lowe's Home Improvements store in Cary, and this trip was definitely worthwhile.. There Jim Rivers has been setting up his steel hot dog stand for nearly 14 years now, and is there almost everyday beginning at 11:30 - he misses some days because he also sets up at the North Carolina State Fair each year. He steams his weiners - Red Hots (neon red Southern weiner)for $1,50, Nathans All Beef for $2.00, Jalapeno (with the pepper already in the weiner) for $2.50, and a Sausage dog, also for $2.50. His toppings(whatever you want at no additional charge) include mustard, ketchup (ugh!), chili, onions, slaw, mayo (double ugh!), cheese, sauerraut, red onion (foo foo), and relish (we get visitors from the far north). The Red Hot is your basic Southern Chili dog with a weiner of questionable parentage, chile, onions and/or slaw, on a nice, soft bun. This is a very good hot dog. The chili is not home made since the All Knowing, All Seeing Wake County government has decided that only brick and mortar restaurants can prepare such items in their duly and regularly inspected kitchens - this apparently is true even if the rating is not particularly good. Jim uses Patterson's Grand Slam All Beef Chili, which is available in 5 pound tubs or #10 cans. This is very good commercially prepared chili, right up there with Matinee brand used by Allen & Son in Chapel Hill. The Nathan's All Beef hot dog with chili, mustard, and Jim's slaw is an outstanding slaw dog - one of the best I've tried, and I've tried more than a few. The quality of the weiner reals comes thru, and is very well showcased by the soft bun, tasty chili, and not too sweet mayo based slaw. On my next visit, I'll try the Jalapeno dog and the Sausage dog instead of the All Beef - well, probably in addition too it. Jim is friendly and personable, the service is quick, the pricing reasonable - there is no seating available, but sitting in an airconditioned auto munching several dogs ain't at all bad.

Love this place. This is my first visit and it exceeded my expectations. The service was…read moreimpeccable, above and beyond. Krystal took my order and she had a wonderful personality and amazing customer service. Tony was also very attentive and super friendly. Nice environment, great people and good food!!! Thanks Snoopy's staff for making the best out of this rainy day!!

We were on our way to Costco and were going to grab a quick bite to eat there but saw this on our…read moreway. Our daughter said that Snoopy's is a popular place so my husband and daughter decided to try it. This location is take-out only. Their hot dogs are served with mustard, onions & chili which is how they ordered them. My husband was a little freaked out when he bit into the hot dog because it had a reddish color and he thought it was raw. Lol he looked it up and saw that it was supposed to look like that. They didn't care for the taste and didn't finish their hot dogs. On a good note, the fries were excellent.

Always consistent. I think management has changed, but the food and service with a smile has not…read more You fill out paper slips of what you want to order, or use the kiosk, then you pay. It's usually about ten minutes before the food is ready. They are also on Door Dash and may be the only place I've ordered Door Dash from that got it right. Clean, efficient, superb customer service and good quality food? Can't go wrong choosing this place for your morning or afternoon meal. Just get there before they close at 5pm.

Plenty of parking Very Friendly people working-…read moreGo in fill out order slip pay at counter or where you order. The place is pretty small- a couple of round tables and a wall that has a counter running down it with about 7 seats. No restroom. I watched the cook make the sandwich while I waited. I took my sandwich to go it came with a pickle. It was cooked well- not as much flavor as I was hoping for.

Enjoyable but needs more toppings. The sausage was great, but the hot dog felt a bit plain. Adding…read moremore onions and relish would help.

Olsen's catered a great event at Tarboro Brewing Company tonight. Kind service, delicious hot dog…read morewith a huge variety of toppings, and great prices. Would highly recommend!

Regular dog with coleslaw, chili, and sauerkraut... SO good. There are many toppings and the guy…read morewas so nice. It'll be my new lunch spot. He's outside Lowe's everyday

Just a hot dog cart outside Lowe's hardware in Cary, but very good dogs and brats, some good combo…read moredeals, and friendly service that doesn't prompt you for a tip.

Hidden in the corner of an older shopping center, don't allow the location or the confined space…read morefool you. This is one of the most solid burgers you'll find in triangle. Patty is thick, bun solid, and don't sleep on those waffle fries! Service was also solid, burger came out hot, fries hot!

First time going, but will not be back!! An absolutely…read moretasteless, frozen burger patty, which I'm shocked has such a cult following for so long. There's nothing special or memorable about this burger joint, except for their affordable prices.