Hiram's

"If you’ve never tried a deep-fried hotdog—a New Jersey delicacy—there's no time like the present, and there's no better choice than Hiram's Roadstand. Open since 1932, this Fort Lee mainstay is known for its intensely snappy, bigger-than-average pork and beef hot dogs, its cheap beer, and its “Hot Dog Etiquette” signs, which detail the intricate rules of hot dog eating. The most important rule? No ketchup allowed. Instead, order a $4 chili dog, and then liberally apply mustard and sauerkraut from the vats on the counter." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman

"Hiram’s in Ft. Lee, New Jersey, is 90 years old, a real roadhouse like out of a movie, with an order counter flanking a dive bar where men sit watching football games and nibbling on franks and disco fries. Those franks, in the northern Jersey-style, are deep-fried until the skin rips, giving it a little crunch. The dogs are sublime, whether eaten with mustard or chili and cheese." - Robert Sietsema

"If you like ketchup on hot dogs, no you don’t. Or at least, you don’t when you’re at Hiram’s, a deep-fried hot dog institution in Fort Lee, where the rules are clear before you even walk in. A sign outside the door reads “Hot Dog Etiquette,” and the very first rule is “Don’t use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18.” Instead, get a $4 chili dog, or Hiram’s unique take on chili-cheese—the cheese is sliced, and melted onto the bun—and then apply mustard, relish, or sauerkraut liberally from the communal vats on the counter. If you’ve never had a deep-fried hot dog, you’re in for a treat. The pork and beef dogs have an intense snap—even when they’re buried under a layer of chili—and there’s a bacon-like crisp on each end. Order a few from the takeout counter and head to a picnic table outside, or take a seat in the dark, low-ceilinged dining room, where people have been inhaling impeccably crispy dogs and drinking cheap beer since 1932. photo credit: Willa Moore" - Willa Moore

"Hiram’s is one of New Jersey’s most distinguished purveyors of deep-fried hot dogs, in a setting half roadhouse, half frankfurter counter. Sports fans sit on one side nursing their beers and downing wieners, while customers dash in for carryout dogs on the other side, eaten in cars idling in the side parking lot. The franks come with cheese sauce and a chili-like meat sauce, and the same toppings can grace your fries, as well." - Melissa McCart, Robert Sietsema