The Most Flavorful Hot Dogs in Raleigh

Hot Diggidy Dog

★★★★☆ 4.3 (48)

"I moved to North Carolina in 2003. In the 17 years I have been here, I can honestly say I have not met a single person who sings the praises of Fayetteville. The consensus seems to be: it is hot, not pretty in most places, and the only people who live there are either associated with the military or have not managed to get out yet.Fayetteville does indeed get hot: they hold the record for highest temperature ever recorded in NC--110 degrees Fahrenheit on August 21, 1983. And as far as pretty is concerned, I'm sure there are some pretty spots, but I did not see many--lots of poverty and run down businesses. And Fort Bragg does seem to be the centerpiece for this area.But one good thing they have going for them is Hot Diggidy Dog.I made the trip to Fayetteville to continue my quest to visit all 30 of Our State Magazine's hot dog recommendations. And this was a good one.I ordered one all the way, one of their famous bacon wrapped hot dog "blt", fries, and a drink (to make it a "combo"). The hot dogs were very good. The wiener appeared to have been pan fried and had a good flavor. The slaw was tasty and the chili was excellent. The bacon around the bacon wrapped one was thin and crispy and good, but the flavor was largely lost. Overall both dogs were enjoyable. The fries were pedestrian.This place is reasonably cute and cozy but a little dark inside. They are very patriotic, with a U.S. flag flying outside and a giant one hung on the wall inside.My biggest gripe is the cost of adding fries and a drink to the order--$3.70. That is high by at least $2 in my book. I was shocked. It was highway robbery.It was almost enough to consider making this a 3 star review, but I won't because the dogs were worth 4 stars.So if you find yourself in Fayetteville, this is a place worth checking out if you love hot dogs.Just don't make your meal a combo."

Zack's Hot Dogs

★★★★☆ 3.8 (168) • $

"Wish I could give them gem 10+ Stars!!! The family and I tried a new business in Burlington. Apparently this is a 96+ year business that has been established in the city for almost a year. They took over the old Steak and Shake. It's s cute 70s style vibe. We were seated immediately....not a huge crowd ! The menu has an array of items to choose from. ** They have the ol school Ne High Grape in a glass bottle!! **Food came out pretty fast - it wasn't an extended wait but just right. My entire family devoured our food and left nothing but cheese sauce on the plates. The hotdogs topped with chili/ cheese/ coleslaw was amazing!! Fries = came with chili and cheese. Amazing!! Kiddos got strawberry milkshakes which they loved!!My husband regretted getting the hotdog and chicken wing combo. He said the wings were good but he wanted another hotdog. Cash Discount if paying by Cash!! We will return!! This is a newer location ....the original location is located downtown Burlington, NC."

Dogslingers

★★★★★ 5 (9)

"WoW! I had never had Dogslingers, and that was my mistake. Today on the day of The Bear season three dropping, I finally stopped by to grab some dogs. I had also never had an italian beef sandwich, and Im glad my first came from here. The brick and mortar just opened yesterday. The stars all aligned for this meal. Husband and I went in with huge expectations. We also purchased approximately three meals worth of food. I had a conversation with the owner about the various ways to order an italian beef. I decided to get my au jus on the side, my giardiniera mild, and added cheese. This made for a meaty melty delicious flavor combo. Everything is just right. I also had a Chicago dog. This isnt like something I've ever had before and I was super into it! Also ordered was an angry dog, this was done well and I like that the dogs are cut down the center...creating a valley for the toppings. We had fries that were pretty standard and something called pasta poppers. Garlicky noodles in a ball that are deep fried. Like an arancini but different, dangerously yummy. The owners and staff are wonderful and welcoming. In the culinary world that often tries to reinvent the wheel, they are slinging classic favorites executed flawlessly."

Jim's Ole Time

★★★★★ 4.6 (25)

"if one is as into seeking great hot dogs as I am, one goes where ever the trail leads - even to the front 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."

Chris'drive-In

★★★★☆ 4.1 (34)

"I grew up in Siler City so this place has been a go too for me all my life. The people leaving negative reviews are obviously city slickers and do not know good food when it's in their face. Food is consistently good, service is as well. Cash only. Says it on the window before you enter so there's no reason to be surprised or complain. If you're expecting white table cloth covered tables then this isn't the place for you. If you're going to a place to eat to actually eat and not judge all your surroundings then you will not be disappointed ."

Foster's Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (16)

"I really enjoyed this little stop. It seems to cater to the locals. We saw many workers there on their lunch breaks. I thought that the foster burger was really good and well prepared. The butter bun is a nice touch. You could tell that the beef was freshly ground and was cooked to order. I had the loaded fries which had chili, onion, cheese and jalapeños and I would say that it was average to above average. The Gentleman taking orders was super friendly and certainly was good at his job as the line moved fairly quickly despite the high volume of folks. I would certainly return for their excellent burger. Though I hear that there steak sandwich is a winner as well."

Golden K Dog

★★★★☆ 3.8 (9)

"I'm thrilled that this truck came to my apartment building the other day. I had the first corn dog of my entire life, and really enjoyed it. I didn't know the dough would be that crunchy and tasty on its own. I also got the mozzarella one, which was also great. The guy running the truck was super friendly too!Next time I may have to get the fried oreos!"

Carlee Ann's

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"I tried this new place after it was recommended by a coworker. I'm glad that he did! Overall, this is the classic southern diner just like you would see in Fried Green Tomatoes. No frills, good food, friendly staff snd low prices. Try it."

Smash Masters

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"We'd get burgers again from this good truck with friendly people. We tried it in Wake Forest today. The burgers are double, and the buns are great. The prices seem competitive with other burger places. The topping choices are very good, too, especially offering grilled onions. The only reason I gave 4/5 stars is we thought the burgers were a little salty and the waffle fries too peppery. That's subjective I know, but I'd rather add extra S&P myself. Next time I may try the hot dogs."

Damn Good Dogs

★★★★☆ 3.8 (36)

"Our experience at damn good dogs is going to be one keeping me coming back for more, especially since we will be in High Point a little more with the children's museum membership. We stopped in because we had our three year old with us and their menu is very kid friendly. My husband got a hot dog, I got a burger, we split fries with damn good sauce and cheese over top, and my daughter got a grilled cheese. My husband said his hot dog was good but y'all thus burger!!! Go to damn good dogs for the burger. It's a perfectly juicy, saucy, well seasoned smash burger and I ate every last bite of my double. I also got the damn good sauce on my fries and it definitely leveled them up. I love the atmosphere of the stock and grain food hall and the service at damn good dogs was friendly and efficient - we got our food fast and fresh just like we like it. Although on the pricey side, this is a spot I will frequent while in high point for sure!"

Goodness GraceUs

★★★★☆ 4.3 (10)

"So last night I was leaving Rex Hospital after visiting a loved one who mentioned there was going to be a food truck event outside starting at 7pm. I left around 7 and needing to bring home food to Husband (and myself) I decided to try this truck. Primarily because they were offering a non-fried option. Note: most of their offerings are fried or burgers...etc. Loved that grilled shrimp and chicken were options.I can say that both the grilled shrimp and the grilled chicken were both very good on pita. Fries were crinkled and seasoned. Good! My only concern was despite the 98 sanitation rating, I saw them both with gloves on touching things that should have warranted a glove change.That being said, I would not hesitate to order from them again under food truck circumstances."

Zack’s Hot Dog

★★★★☆ 3.6 (11)

"Great service, yummy food, exceptional prices for this Alaska boy. $5 for two dogs and a fries? Friendly table service on top of it. Bringing and cheerful interior."

Capones Chicago Eats

★★★★☆ 3.9 (13)

"This truck is typically on the corner of Holly Springs and Penny Road but we tried them at Black Dog Bottle Shop. I ordered a hot dog with all of my favorite toppings with a bag of chips and my husband ordered the Italian Beef sandwich. I wasn't expecting much but the food was so good. I can't wait to try a few other menu items."

Sup Dogs

★★★★☆ 3.8 (230) • $$

"The hot dogs are amazing Hey make your order when you place it. Staff is super friendly. I like the atmosphere of this place it's epic eclectic and pretty rad. Been here before and I'll come back and eat here again next time Im in chapel hill for work at UNC."

Al's Burger Shack

★★★★☆ 4.4 (796)

"Consistency is absolute when it comes to a burger joint. Al's delivers that in spades, and occasionally shakes it up with some new featured burgers and handhelds. The fries are always fresh, and the sprinkling of rosemary really livens them up! Pair it with one of their signature dipping sauces (my favorite is the spicy ranch), or just keep it simple with a handful of ketchup packets on request. I've had most of the burgers here and honestly haven't been disappointed in any of them, though my go-to is the Bobo chili cheeseburger... Carolina Style! The service crew is always on point and moving things quickly, so you're almost guaranteed to get your order in 10-15 minutes or less. Fresh, hot, and bursting with flavor!"

Pooch's Restaurant

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"The food was great. Everyone loved their burgers. The fries are really good. I definitely recommend getting a side of the burger sauce to dip your fries and burger in. The lady who works the counter is very friendly and cool. It's a cozy little mom and pop shop type of place. Definitely recommend. I couldn't find anything wrong with this place. They have bottled drinks and no fountain drinks but that wasn't an issue for us."

Stuart's Family Grille

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (25) • $

"This is your mom and pop place of Roxboro. Plenty of parking, drive thru, short menu items. We ate lunch here. Most of the items are processed food, like frozen burgers, stuff that comes out if a can. Plenty of seating inside, tables dirty thou. It's was ok but probably want be back. I got the Madison burger added cheese, extra cost, added a combo. The burger was paper thin, not much flavor. Hubby got a chili dog which he said was delicious. He also got the bbq platter with hush puppies, fries, cabbage. He said that the hush puppies tasted old from like leftovers from last night. He said his plate wasn't really that good. We probably want be back, we tried this place on a whim and hoping they had home cooked food. Very disappointed."

The Cardinal Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (129) • $

"cool little dive bar with yummy hotdogs. slither in grab a basic beer and enjoy listening to the local banter. the afternoon i visited they were all watching slasher horror flicks. it was pretty fun. the bartender was a cross between a young robin williams/bradley cooper/and my son-in-law maybe it was the cocktail he concocted for me. worth a visit!"

Cook Out - Mebane

★★☆☆☆ 2.1 (33)

"Good selection of options. We would go back but it's fast food so it has those fast food issues. The fries are probably the worst. I always ask for it to be crispy, multiple times, they'll say okay, multiple times, and it comes out raw and soggy. Every time! Never fails. I realize they want to be quick but no one is this planet likes soggy or cold friends. Their burgers are good though."

KocinA Food Truck

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (13)

"KocinA Food Truck. From the website, "Cocina means kitchen in Spanish. We spell ours with a "K" in honor of our oldest daughter, Kendall, and end with a capital "A" for our youngest daughter, Anna Sofia." How cute. This warms my cold black heart. In all seriousness, I'm all for this concept. Yelp is all about discovering local treasures, and nothing says small business like a cutesy origin story behind the name.The concept behind KocinA is South American street food. Expect to find arepas, burrito bowls, empanadas, and things of that sort on the menu. Entrees are all $10+, which is common enough for food trucks. I ordered the ropa vieja plate for $12, essentially a twice-as-expensive barbacoa burrito bowl from Chipotle.I expect a combination of exciting flavors and quality from food trucks. This expectation should frankly be lowered by this point, but I continue to dream on. The ropa vieja plate was mostly fine. There wasn't anything particular to like or dislike about the food itself; however, look at the picture that I posted and notice the obvious flaw in the way they serve it.In what universe would you put paper in a container when you're serving a burrito bowl? I'm sure I do need more fiber in my diet, but I have a fairly strict policy against eating paper. The paper would quite obviously get soaked immediately due to a combination of the juices from the black beans and the meat. This should make it an obvious no-go... shouldn't it?Even with the health concerns, I'd still pick the barbacoa bowl from Chipotle over the ropa vieja plate at KocinA. Aside from the extra fiber of the dish, the flavors didn't quite match the price. I'm sure there's other menu items that aren't served with such wretched stupidity at KocinA, but I don't see any reason to try them. I'll prefer to let other food trucks disappoint me, since there's a marginally better chance that they won't."

Rescue Dogs & Catering

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"Great gourmet dogs at this food truck. Bumped into them in downtown Wake Forest on a Sunday afternoon.A nice selection of pre-designed configurations on the menu or you can build your own. Choice of all beef, Carolina Red or vegetarian dogs. Tried the Sloppy Karen and the Chicago Stiffy. Fun names! Karen is a dog with chili, slaw and mustard. Dogs here are served on a toasted garlic butter bread split bun. None of those cheapie supermarket buns here! The dog is hot and delicious. Toppings fresh. Slaw is vinegar, not sweet. A great combo. Stiffy is true to its Chicago roots... "sport" peppers, relish, mustard, celery salt, diced onions, tomato slices, kosher dill spear. No poppy seed bun tho... Arguably the toasted garlic bun is better.It ain't cheap.... $11 for a pair of dogs. They were verrrrry tasty tho. Plus a couple of mints tossed in the bag because no one likes..... doggy breath."

Al's Burger Shack

★★★★☆ 4.1 (139)

"Wow. I sit here satiated, grateful for crispy tots and conscientious staff. I placed a takeout order online requesting a GF bun, american cheese, and *extra crispy* tots.When I arrived, I saw that employees marked my ticket for a clarification. Evidently the American cheese they stock is *NOT* Gluten-free. They made sure I knew before leaving, which I really appreciated.I'm not celiac, so I can't speak to whether or not they have a designated GF frier etc. However I can say that they were thoughtful and aware of gluten-containing items without provocation. YAY! It's always a relief to advocate for your needs just a hair less out of necessity.And the tots? EXTRA CRISPY!!! Dream. Come. True!Thanks y'all!"

Biscuit Stop

★★★★☆ 3.7 (27)

"Simple but good. The pricing is very good in comparison to the amount of food you receive. Things to note:- cash only- you order at the window- service is slow because it's made to orderEveryone was kind and patience in explaining what came with each meal. The food was hot and fresh - seasoned well. For example the bacon wasn't salty, very crispy."

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ - Food Truck

★★★★☆ 4.2 (17)

"My family and I had the opportunity to Grab CRAVE to go and it was great. We took of advantage of their $2 hot dogs + 2 free toppings and it came with a chips and a drink! We ordered one plain, one with ketchup and one with chili + Cole slaw and we thought it was delicious! The staff is very nice and welcomed us into the store! The restaurant was clean and the drinks were fresh! I love that the restaurants has multiple TVs which would be perfect for sports games. For parking the parking lot can fill up quickly but there is a parking deck connected to the shopping center that you can us! We look forward to going back because we heard that the hot sausage is delicious. Overall solid restaurant in a great location"

Buns

★★★★☆ 4.2 (428)

"Buns is a great place to go for a casual meal. The prices are reasonable and the food is good quality. I'm not a fan of homecut fries, but they paired well with the chili and cheese. The hotdog was also good, but it fell apart a bit easily, so it was a bit messy to eat. Overall, the customer service was fantastic. I look forward to trying the burgers soon."

Porky's Dog's 'n Que

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"The best hot dogs around! Great selection and outstanding customer service and quality! I stip in at least once a week and so glad I do. Andy is the nicest guy in the world, its not just a hot dog stand its a great place to eat! Makes you feel like family when your there"

The Accordion Club

★★★★☆ 4.3 (42) • $

"This dive bar was a fun time to grab a drink at. They also serve a few food options which seemed to be popular but we only grabbed drinks. If you are in Downtown Durham, check out this spot."

Dick's Hot Dog Stand

★★★★☆ 3.7 (60) • $

"I don't know if there is some esoteric meaning hidden deep in the alignment of the stars or if it is just a quirky chance event, but this is the second time in a week that I have been to a small North Carolina establishment that has been open for precisely 99 years.Either way, I continued my test of Our State Magazine's best NC hot dog joints today by stopping in at Dick's Hot Dog Stand.I ordered two of the "Famous" hot dogs, which is basically all the way but sans slaw, so I asked them to add it. I also ordered one with mustard and onions. Famous Hot Dog (plus slaw): Over all, this is very good hot dog. The wiener is above average and is made better because they fry it on a flat-top grill. The chili had a mild flavor, and if you fed it to me blindfolded and asked me what it was, I would say "taco meat". But I love taco meat, so Dick's version of chili works well on this dog. The star of the show here was actually the slaw. It was nearly perfect--perfect consistency, perfect creaminess, and near perfect flavor. If it had celery seed, it would be world class. My only wish for their hot dog is that they would toast the bun.Hot dog with mustard and onions: it was very good, and there's nothing really to add here except to say they are not shy about putting mustard on a hot dog. So you might want to ask for "light mustard" if you're not a huge mustard fan.Sweet tea: very enjoyable, well above average--good tea flavor and sweetness.This place is very retro inside and heavily decorated with mostly sports memorabilia. The staff is very nice, accommodating, and engaging.As for Our State Magazine, they and I have had a tempestuous relationship when it comes to their list of hot dog recommendations. Sometimes I am aghast to the point of anger at some of their recommendations, and, equally important, some places they left off. Yet at other times it is love, assent, and Kumbaya. As far as Dick's, Our State, and Karl: Kumbaya."

Wicked Links Wake Forest

★★★★★ 4.8 (6)

"The hot dogs are some of the best around. They have all kinds of toppings that are free. The dogs are a great price for a high quality dog! If you get a chance stop by one of their locations and try one out."

Mat Jib

★★★★☆ 4.2 (77)

"I love this place! I go for sushi and the half and half!It can be pretty busy so I try to order ahead of time! They have the numbers on a screen so you know when your food is ready"

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ - Fayetteville

★★★★☆ 3.6 (32)

"This review is a repeat of what I posted on our local foodie Facebook page, don't judge me.Went to Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ- Fayetteville, NC today around 3 today. Got a chili dog and the BBQ taco variety plate (I don't remember what it was called) to go.I waited an hour to eat the chili dog. It was a good solid chili dog, the dog itself was delicious, the chili and bread was ok, but that's probably b/c I let it get cold.Fast forward to about 30 minutes ago when I got to eat these tacos sent from God himself. I didn't get to heat them up... but the meat was that of a grass fed unicorn fawn, that was fathered by a mysterious hybrid chicken-cow-pig. That baby had to have only drank butter, bathed in BBQ sauce, and slept in a spice rack it's few years of life. The fresh diced jalapeños were a delightful surprise and whatever the sauce was (I'm guessing a siracha sour cream of some kind) had to be made from the milk of that baby unicorns mom. 12 outta 10, going to go back and learn the name of this dish by ordering it at least 10 more times and test out that beer wall."

BurgerFi

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (132) • $$

"I was super excited to eat at Burger Fi. But the Burger was so-so. Nothing to write home to momma about! The worst part was, I decided to get a soda for the first time in a long time and both soda machines were out of everything but ginger ale and Dr Pepper. The staff didn't seem to care so I got iced tea. I guess it's safe to say I won't be going back there"

Cloos' Coney Island

★★★★☆ 4 (218) • $

"I can't believe somebody gave this not a great rating because they had a large group. Everything is made to order so of course there's going to be a wait. We absolutely love this place. The people, the food the ambience. Best double smashed, mini burger, grilled onions, etc. absolutely amazing. this place is the real deal."

Uptown Dogs

★★★★★ 4.7 (16)

"Unassuming hot dog joint tucked inside an old shopping strip mall. Once inside, you will be greeted by super friendly staff or the owner Dee. The hot dogs are deliciously grilled and he uses Martins Potato Rolls!! Variety of hot dog choices. All great. Fun atmosphere!"

Bill's Grill

★★★★★ 4.6 (33)

"Food here was excellent!!PSA --- I would steer clear if no mask enforcement is something you are not okay with.The wait staff was so friendly and happy to serve us for brunch. The selections were plentiful and the prices are extremely affordable so you can try a little bit of everything. I'm a chicken wing lover and they have their recipe down to a T!!Highly recommend for diners on a budget that appreciate good home cooking! Oh, and per our server they are serving beer and wine now. We do hope to revisit the next time we are strolling in downtown Wilson. :)"