This old place is a Tucson legend! Ask anyone who lived around here 30 years ago about it, and you'll start to hear some fond memories--it seems to have been a real hangout spot back in the day. Pat's is a modest, locally-owned fast food joint with limited seating and an even more limited menu: You've got fries, burgers, hot dogs, and chili. Lots of chili. The burgers are pretty plain and a bit on the dry side--probably because they're built to get a little soggy. I don't think they're anything special. I also tried the chili cheese fries (spicy) and I don't really see the hype. I appreciate they're not using the same canned stuff as everyone else, but it's really runny and didn't add any sense of heartiness to the dish. It was still not bad. I'll add this to my list of spots that get overhyped by locals. read more

The food was not bad but, nothing to write home about either. We ordered two chili dogs and two chili burgers. I got the regular and my husband got spicy chili. The chili dogs were a tad lackluster. We put mustard on our dogs and it made it better. The burgers were the best thing. The patty itself had a wonderful flavor, better than the chili. The fries are extremely tasty as well. From what I'm used to I found it odd the chili had beans in it. Moat burger spots I'm used to did not where I'm from. The chili was just decent. I'd go back for the burger itself and fries. The service was great and they were very nice. read more

We love chili and this place was in an article for Tucson's top places to eat. Previous reviews were mixed with being the best they ever had to being bland but we had to check it out ourselves. We pulled up late night to get a chili dog and chili cheese fries. The bun was soft but the chili was bland and flavorless. It had lots of beans. Lacking salt. A previous reviewer commented that fries were soggy so we asked for well done. Glad we did because once they dumped on the chili, it made the fries soft. I can relate to some reviewers who say that they've been dining here for decades and it's so great when it could be nostalgia. Whereas, others said quality has gone down and food was not good. I noticed the workers wear gloves but they handle the food, cash and open the dirty sliding window all in one transaction and then repeat! Glad none of us got sick. The tables were sticky. It's just a run down place. The chili fries had several sizes. They sold us a large, had we known, we would get the half size because the portions were huge and it wasn't good. Would hate to waste food. It's cash or debit only. Paying card will add on $1. read more

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Pat's is always a clusterf*** to get food from, but it's because they are always swarmed with customers! The staff work fast though, so lines usually move along. If you, like me, are big on floppy fries instead of crunchy, you are going to fall in love with their fries. The whole giant serving of fries are floppy (but not soggy!) and I smother them with toppings and eat them with a fork. The chili on the dogs is bright and fresh tasting, not overly heavy, which makes the whole chili dog experience more pleasant. These guys are a favorite local restaurant. read more

These are the worst hot dogs on earth past chili dog was delicious years ago when it was under a different owner but now the hot dogs taste just like regular old beans out of the kitchen there's no flavor that delicious flavor is gone these are the worst hot dogs in history read more

I love this place Tucson needs more homemade food type restaurants this pace is really soothing when your trying to get that authentic Hamburger stand. Nowhere in Tucson can compete with Pats drive in when it comes to chile cheese dogs and fries, this place is a staple of Tucson and I'm happy to experience it. read more

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The fries were the best thing about this place. Google has 4 and a half stars and yelp has 3. Believe yelp. 1) it was my first time here and I was so excited to try it out as I love chilli and the old school drive in atmosphere; however the dude taking my order rushed me - just not very friendly. 2) the chilli dog was alright. But doesn't chilli have meat in it or something else aside from beans and tomatoe sauce? Maybe it's vegetarian? It literally tasted like beans and tomatoe sauce. I read that there was no flavor and they were right. 3) burgers is alright. Would I eat here again... probably not; however, I can understand why the locals do if this is the type of chili this town is used to. Probably good if I were drunk. read more

Pat's Drive In - Chilli dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

What can i say what can i say , if you never been to pats chili dogs you have never really fully experienced Tucson. No matter what barrio you from or side of suburb you are from everyone knows pats. I have been eating this food for 30 years plus. The fries are what i love. Greasy and bomb. Had the burger my last visit and it was so good. Bought the family pack 4 burgers and fries. read more

I have driven by a couple times and decided to stop here for lunch with my husband. We got two chili dogs with all the fixings and they're spicier chili, with a side fries. The chili dogs are your typical ballpark hotdog. I wish the chili had a little bit more substance to it, but it had a nice little heat. Unless you're not very hungry, I would recommend buying two chili dogs per person. They give you a large serving of fries if you order a side, which comes out super tasty and fresh. A little oily, but if you don't have a little oil on the paper bag, is it really worth it? Service is hit or miss depending on how busy it is and cash or debit only. read more

Always an amazing classic! I love everything from this place! Even the fish n chips!! I go for the fries alone! They've been there for years! read more

Pat's Drive In - The best fries and Fried fish - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Pat's - A Hidden Gem Since 1961 We were visiting from San Diego and had a friend recommend Pat's to us--what a great call! From the moment we walked up to order, we felt welcomed. The gentleman taking our order was courteous, patient, and even gave us some great menu suggestions. Now, my wife and I don't usually like chili, so we were a little hesitant. But after hearing so much about it, we decided to give it a try--and we're glad we did. The chili dogs were absolutely delicious. Flavorful without being overpowering, and just the right amount of kick. The burger was classic and hit the spot. And the fries? Let's talk about the fries--crispy, hot, and a very generous portion. Honestly, one order could feed three people easily. The prices were more than reasonable, especially considering the quality and portion sizes. You can tell this place has been around since 1961 for a reason--it's simple, affordable, and full of heart. Pat's isn't fancy, but that's part of the charm. It's the kind of local spot that reminds you why you love road trips and small-town stops. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town! read more

Great and friendly service, the chili dogs are definitely worth trying they are absolutely delicious. The prices are very reasonable as well, however, There is very limited seating in doors bug plenty of seating outside so if they are busy unfortunately you'll be eating be in the heat. read more

Pat's Drive In - Ordering windows - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Decided to stop here for a quick lunch haven't been since I was a kid, but it bought back all the memories of coming here with my grandmother and my grandfather back in the day. Staff was friendly and quick with the service. I will definitely be back nothing like a chili dog from Pat's. read more

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A no frills Tucson staple! Don't be fooled by its appearance. Pretty simple and right to the point menu and can't beat the price. A couple service windows to place your order so not much waiting around. We went with 3 Spicy chili dogs and a jamaica to drink! Dogs were great and spicy chili was packed with flavor. It was perfect for a quick dinner! read more

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Food was decent. The fries were a little undercooked but still edible. On a Saturday, the lines were not too long.

Very good .hot chill Dog is the best. The burger very good with chill Evan better. Out side sitting or inside

First time here and will be back. The Burger was juicy and better than in n out burger simple and delicious. And the potatoes are cut fresh every morning and you can tell they are so yummy and a good portion too. Definitely recommend it. I'm sure you'll love it. And indoor and outdoor seating with friendly staff. Thank you guys. God bless you and your business! read more

It's been a while since I had a Pat's chili dog. Stopped by on a hot weekday afternoon. Service was ok. You order at the window and pay after your order is up. I ate in the enclosed dining area. There was no A/C and it was a hot and humid day and even the ceiling fan wasn't on. It had evaporative cooling but that doesn't work when it's humid outside. It needed the tables wiped down, the area swept and the floors cleaned, my shoes were sticking to the floor. I asked for the spicy chili but it was not. The fries were greasy and mushy, no salt and the hot dogs had no flavor. So disappointing. read more

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Food and service is excellent!!!!! This is as simple as an old school drive-in gets!! Simple menu..no frills. Excellent service! read more

Pat's Drive In - Chili Dog (Hot Chili) - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I love pats ! It's consistently delicious and friendly fast service. It's a classic you must try.

A long time again . They were so famous for Pats Chili Dogs. They were spicy n delicious it was packed. Place to eat fast food . People would buy 1/2 gal to gallon chile beans to take home. Now all u taste is tomato n beans sauce over a deli thick hot dog bun . Too much thick bread. It's a shame! They lost the quality of what once was the best chile dogs in town!. Back in the days no matter how far we lived , we would travel to go eat there n u would take your out of town company to eat there..... read more

I really, really try to leave positive feedback for any and all local businesses, but this place is just down right horrendous. My parents used to take us to this restaurant when we were kids, and I remember it being fantastic. How times have changed... For starters, the guy working the window wasn't very pleasant, to say the least. To top it off, there were tiny ants all over the pickup window and counter. Sure wish I would've seen them before I paid for our food. Definitely my fault. Now for the food: we ordered two of the famous Pat's chili dogs (mild), a cheeseburger, fries and onion rings. All were trash bin worthy after one bite, hands down! The fries came in a paper bag that was soaked in grease and were mostly all undercooked. The onion rings were stale and both cheeseburger and chili dogs looked as if they sat in a box, under a table and used as a footstool. I'm sure once you see the pictures that I've attached, you'll understand. Avoid this restaurant at all cost! For a restaurant that is a Tucson staple, it sure has gone very downhill over the years. No thumbs-no toes, not even a friendly wave.. Proceed with caution, my foodies! read more

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Customer service is 0/10. For being food made right infront of my eyes it came out super cold (chili cheese dog) employees didnt even care about rectifying the issue. Being that im new to Tucson idk how this place is in business. 0 stars. read more

Best chili dogs in town best place to hang around love it great service nice people serving you

Pat's is a nostalgic place for me. It did not disappoint when it came to the hot chili dogs and fries. I hadn't had one in a year and it was just what I was craving. One thing that was kind of meh was that they were out of everything except for the staples so no burgers, grilled cheese, etc. The service was timely and friendly. Luckily it was a little rainy out when we went so the temperature was nice at the table while we ate outside. Can't wait to go back! read more

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You couldn't let one child use your restroom as the mother pleaded that her son had to go otherwise he'd have an accident. So completely uncalled for and out right damn inhumane. Where the hell is your heart as an employee/employee's of an establishment to step outside the box of this ridiculous "no restroom" rule. The poor boy unfortunately had an accident. I've heard time and time again that this hot dog quality food has gone down substantially from when I remember years back and have thought about giving them another chance but this right here will keep me and my family and friends from EVER going back. This family deserves an apology and damn huge gift card to show us as Tucson's whom have been coming here for decades keeping them open that this type of unprofessionalism will not be tolerated! Management, DO SOMETHING ASAP and find out who is responsible for this crap or your business will suffer hard. This will be shared on every platform Tucson knows. read more

Pat's Drive In - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

If you say you open at 11 open at 11 ya ding dongs! You have 15 people standing in this hot weather waiting on stupid hot dogs have some respect for the people! read more

Guy taking my order kinda made me felt like I was bothering him. He seemed to be in a hurry to take my order even though there was no one behind me. I said I wanted a cheeseburger with no onions and a side of fries and a coke. Rang me up after the meal was ready and didn't have my soda and once I left and was home I realized there was small onions that blended with the shredded lettuce so I couldn't easily pick them out. The fries were greasy and not fresh. The burger had potential if it hadn't had any onions. read more

Terrible, terrible, terrible. The fries were under the heat lamp too long do they were soggy. Too many fries compared to quality is not a good match. Ordered hot and mild chili dogs. Weak on the taste. Never again! read more

Another bookmark down, I teeter between 3 and 4 stars simply due to this joint, standing the test of time. I remember bookmarking Pat's given it has been a Tucson staple for 40 plus years. I went with general expectations and realized we are talking fast food not Michelin star. I love a good cheeseburger and onion rings. We pulled up on a Sunday around lunch time and it was busy. They got people through the order line fast, in fact as busy as it looked most people were waiting on food. We ordered Cheeseburgers, Fries, Onion Rings and a "famous" Chili Cheese dog. Order took about 10-15 minutes which was not bad given how many people were standing around. The Cheeseburger was okay, not great and not bad for fast food. We ate there at one of the outdoor tables since, you know, if you don't eat fries and rings right away they are cold and soggy. The fries were this enormous pile of soggy potatoes. My husband said they had them all premade (he was watching through the window) in a heat box thing and grabbed as needed. Onion Rings same deal, soggy. The Chili Cheese dog... I am not big into these, not like my husband but I wanted to try a bite. It was okay, he ordered the spicy one so it was flavorful. Was not a fan of the cold american cheese slice poking out of it... as I had thought the cheese was melted? The hotdog itself was barely warm. I am guessing by the reviews, maybe this place is hit or miss with hot flavorful food - and fresh fries/rings. I am really glad we tried it. I will likely never go back, partly since it is across town for me. I could see this being an amazing place to go after you have been drinking with friends and need late night munchies. read more

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The Staff were very unpleasant, the food was hideous, a few years ago, the food was very good; however, as of summer of 2025 it no longer provides the quality of Pat's of the past. This location hasn't been remodeled since 1961 and it shows. Needless to say I will never return to Pats... read more

I'm giving this place 5 stars as well. There is nothing I can say or write that would sway anybody to either come here or not come here. This place has been around for years and business is always booming. This business is located in an old Barrio of the west side of Tucson. Mostly know for their famous chili dogs, (which are well worth the visit). I'm writing this as I thought I'd try something I've never had, the chili cheese burger. I wasn't disappointed. I didn't post a picture of the burger as whatever you order will come wrapped in foil and place in a white bag. Food presentation isn't on their priority list, and shouldn't be. The chili cheeseburger, I'm sure isn't the most heart healthy of meals, but if you want to just have a great burger or dog, this is the place to come. read more

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Got the Pat's family special four chili dogs and one large box of fries for $18.95. Opted for the hot chili today, aka the "mud butt special," lol. Totally worth it! Pat's is an amazing gem located in the historic Barrio Hollywood on Tucson's west side. With all its historical charm and amazing chili dogs, I'm in heaven for the night. The old-school charm Pat's holds is near and dear to Tucson. What a treat! The service was great. I'm a happy man tonight! Thanks, Pat's! read more

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Back in the day, when I was a lifeguard (Santa Rita Park), we would occasionally send one of our crew to sneak over and snag a bunch of these wondrous chili dogs to bring back for the 6 (or so) of us lifeguards to feast on. The food was so amazing... hot and spicy, and messy....and cheap enough that we would feast upon them until another bite would probably cause us to ...well, let's not go there. Good times....good times. I recently took my nephews to Pat's after we played crappy golf at El Rio Golf course (our play was crappy, not the course!). Pat's was just as I remembered and the aroma brought back warm memories. It was crazy crowded though, and it was also a very hot day (not a great combination when dining at a mostly outdoor venue). As it turns out, we had to wait for about 1/2 an hour before sitting down at one of their picnic tables to *masticate (*thank you, thesaurus) our first dogs. Nothing is as good as one remembers from their youth, but we all enjoyed the dawgs as they met most of my expectations. *And now, my nephews can say they can check off one of the culinary bucket-list places to dine in Tucson. If you go, don't expect fantastic eats, nor 4 Micheline star service, nor an ambiance that will impress... but in a way, you will be treated to a wonderful culinary experience (with the right perspective and mind-set). If you haven't been for while, its time to go back. And if you're new to Tucson, check this place off. read more

Family Special..4 Chili Dogs and a box of fries for $16.95. Not a bad price at all. My first time at this Tucson staple. Food cold and flavorless. Pretty confident it be the best place to go after a night on the town. Fries super greasy, no salt. Chili Dog cold..both the hot dog and the chili. Every table you could sit at was not clean so we ate in our car. Every dog has its day, and today it was not theirs. Will try again in hopes of a better experience. read more

Pat's Drive In - Box of fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Chili dogs never disappoint. I have been coming to Pat's since 1977. Although the staff has changed, Charlie Hernandez is still the owner (1978). The fries were made fresh and you always get more than what fits in the container. The staff works very hard and are very customer oriented. read more

This is a spot that's been around forever (kind of a hole in the wall-- but don't let that deter you) and as it was my first time going and I had a long 9 hour drive back home I was nervous to try the chili but I just decided to go for it and I'm so glad I did. Super fresh. Excellent tasting almost sweet and no issues what so ever for the drive back home. Wish I had ate more. I haven't been able to stop thinking about their chili dogs. Onion rings and fries were excellent too loved the ranch. Overall this place is a must try. Extremely affordable and even better tasting! read more

Been eating here since birth in the early 70's, call me old but it's just not the same and nor will I ever go back after last week's terrible food and service. There is zero effort by any of the non familiar faces behind the counter, and the quality of the food is terrible. Another Tucson original that the younger generations ruined! It was a good run Charlie! read more

I know this is a Tucson Icon, but can we get a couple of things straight. CASH!!! It's not Chili, it's wide Beans in a Tomato Sauce. I repeat this is not Chili!! The Fries are Greasy, Soft, but plentiful and I loved them. Parking in tough. Fair Pricing, adequate Service, but you can get a better Sonoran Dog and Dozens of Stands across the City. Note; if your under the Car Park do not sit in Your Car with it Running, it's rude and adds noise and heat to already hot situation. Another one of those places I want so badly to be good. But it's not. It's a once a summer reminder of what could be fantastic but isn't. read more

I hate giving bad reviews & do look for positives when I can in the food, service, something. The only positive is that I did not know they were cash or debit only ($1 Fee for Debit) and I only had $5. It was like the Food Gods were looking out for us and I Thank them. The other positive I guess would be the free entertainment provided by the guy taking orders & screwing them up, and customers attempting to get what they ordered, sad but kind of humorous at the same time. One lady went through it twice & still not right. I had high hopes because I love local stops like this, it just looked like it had to be good for cheap eats. First, the guy taking orders (above should explain that) and the ordering process, you pay when u come back up to window to get food. Just seemed to slow the process down, and no numbers - the guy just pointed out the window at you when ready. Now the food, I was hoping it was worth it as the place was crowded so it had to be right? Wrong, our fries were just one giant clump of grease & fries, which would be okay except half of them were not cooked. We went with Spicy not mild Chili as my wife likes it that way & this was going to be a trial run as we had so little cash. Spicy was tasteless, for me that is saying something as I am a mild guy. It really was tasteless, the bun was soggy and we did not finish it. I usually can grunt my way through a Chili Dog, but not this time.. It seriously was a stroke of luck that we had no real cash. The best thing I can say is that there were no issues later in the evening due to the little that we ingested. Not sure where "Pat" is, but needs to come back soon as I cannot see how even an iconic place like this surviving with this type of service & food delivery. read more

Pat's Drive In - One clump of undercooked potatoes, not quite Fries, but still better than the Chilidog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tucson, Arizona