I love their Italian Hot dogs..Love 'em! And I was Raised Jimmy Buffs In Irvington so when their Italian Dogs are my go to Dogs...and with a Buffs not a few scant minutes up the road thats saying something. A Double with the Works I love their Fried Potatoes and Bread..and they are not as heavily grease laden as Buffs. Obviously this aint health food so i go once in a while..sometimes after going to my buds comic store on michigan ave..Buffs are Fine dont get me wrong.. but Charlies are so much better. Their Fried mushrooms are really good too. The other sandwiches they have like the cheesesteaks with peppers onions and fried potatoes and Roast Beef sandwiches are good too.
Review Source:I went there couple times since I saw them in Food Wars, they were voted best over Jimmy Buffs. I hard some trouble finding the place then when I found it and it was nice and I never get lost again. Ordered double hot dog, I was amazed how good it is. Since then they opened another location on Rt22. Tradition continued. Good food, good choices on menu. I order different things pretty much every time I go there to test the place, but I have not order anything that I was disappointed with. Great place to pick up something if you want something good, relatively quick and cannot spend too much money. Love how they add potatoes right in the sandwich with other veges and hot dog. I usually eat double since I am hungry man... :) Cheesesteak sandwich is great over there, too.
Review Source:if you are looking for an Italian hot dog then look no further. This place has been around for a long time and hopefully will be for a much longer time. This is a place hidden behind the d&d in Kenilworth. The Italian Hot dogs here are completely insane. It would be hard to find a place that serves them better than this. Try this place and you'll see exaclty what i mean.
Review Source:*4.5 Stars*
There is an art to making an Italian Hotdog. Not many places can master it. Only one other place comes to mind, Dickey D's in Newark. Now there are 2 places so add Charlies to "mastering the Italian Hotdog list".
You need to know what an Italian HD is to set it apart from it's imitators.
1. The bun is near pita bread cut in half. It's doughy yet firm.
2. The hd needs to be a normal style not these behemoths other places use.
3. It needs to have the works (onions, peppers and most of all: potato's)
4. It doesn't need to be drenched in mustard or grease for the matter. Countless times you will get an imitation IHD and the bun is soaked with oil...no no no!
5. I would suggest you don't order fries as side (your starch level will sky rocket because the real IHD already is loaded with potato's). Go with their beer-battered onion rings...crunchy, don't fall apart, whole onion goodness...
Another suggestion is since the bread to hd ratio is like 6 to 1, go with a double hd at all times. It will then be about 3-1.
Everything was near perfect. The bun was not soggy. The potato's were cooked just right, the onions were sweet, onion rings were amazing and the hd's were perfect.
What you can expect: great food, quick order to food complete time and  good prices. It's a good place to go in with a kid or 2 for a quick bite. It's order on your own and seat yourself and pick up the food yourself as well. They also have cheesesteak's (saw someone eating one across the way) and that is on my list to have next time because you bet your a$$ there will be a next time...and next time after that...and maybe a visit to the cardiologist in b/w but oh so worth it. ENJOY!
Although this place is known for their Italian hot dogs, menu items include "Cheesesteak" and "Philly Cheesesteak". I didn't ask what the difference was, I ordered the "Philly Cheesesteak". The server asked me if I wanted peppers, onions, and potatoes on it. Potatoes? Um...no.
The cheesesteak was served on the same spongy, Itaiian pocket bread as their Newark-style hot dogs. I should have expected that, but when I bit into it...I got a surprise mouthful of ketchup. Yuck.
I love this place.  It ALMOST makes me wanna move back to Jersey, but definitely I hit 'em up every time I go back (about once a year.)  I like them better than Jimmy Buff's, but I do RESPECT the Buff-man, and if you grew up your whole life eating JB's you're probably gonna like JB's better.  But, Charlie's IS a little easier on the ol' digestive tract, and has the superior  flavor, I feel.  The Food Wars episode does a good job of highlighting the differences between the two places.  You could do worse than having your own compare / contrast with your buddies. Â
My only gripe, and I will definitely correct it the next time I go, is that I ordered the Disco Fries and was disappointed to find that they used "regular" french fries, instead of their own magical potatoes. Â If you feel the need to order a side dish of french fries, or gravy fries, or cheese fries, or Disco Fries, ask 'em to make 'em with the same taters that go in the hot dog, rather than the pre-cut, pre-frozen, regular fries. Â Charlie's potatoes are SO MUCH better than anything coming from SYSCO or BiRite or whatever. Â
Finally, one bit of kvetching: why, when people talk about the bread used for an Italian Hot Dog, do they keep saying "Pizza Dough." Â They called it this on Food Wars. Â Nicolo's Bakery in Montclair NJ (which makes an excellent sandwich, but a lousy Italian Hot Dog) describes it as "pizza bread". Â I mean, I've eaten pizza, I've eaten Italian Hot Dogs, and I'm guessing you have, too. Â Does the Hot Dog bread seem like Pizza dough / pizza bread to you? Â I find the bread for the Hot Dog to be significantly lighter and fluffier than any pizza dough / pizza "bread" I've ever eaten. Â Am I the only person losing sleep over this? Â Can we come up with better name for this bread than comparing it to Pizza? Â To me, it seems like if you took some PITA bread and inflated it, not Pizza.
The relative newcomer to Italian hot dogs in the neighborhood, Charlie's manages to put out a better sandwich than Jimmy Buff's, despite JB's 25 year headstart. Â *Disclaimer* JB's has been around for 75 years, so Charlie's still has a half century of experience.
To those not from New Jersey, an Italian hot dog is  a frankfurter (more commonly two) in half a hollowed out loaf of Italian bread, topped with fried potatoes, peppers, and onions.
All the elements work. Â The potatoes are oily but crisp, like the discs at good Spanish restaurants. Â The mustard adds a lot of zip, the caramelized onions and peppers add a little sweet, and the franks are distinctly better than the supermarket variety.
The menu also has a lot more variety than their rival: hamburgers, cheesesteaks, wraps, Â and diner style sides like mozz sticks, disco fries, and poppers. Â But you'd be doing a disservice to yourself not getting the Food Wars champion hot dog, and if you do, you won't have room for anything else.
LOVE Charlies! Â I've been coming here since I was a kid and its been fantastic no matter who the owner/manager is. Â I had Jimmy Buffs for the first time recently and it doesn't compare at all! Â Can't say enough good things about Charlies. Â Besides their food I love their personalized sodas!
Review Source:Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said in the reviews before me? Aside from the  aforementioned parking and seating, this place is top-notch! LOVE the Italian Hot Dogs and the price is right! No matter what you get on the menu, you will not go hungry! It's no wonder they beat Jimmy Buff's in the Food Wars competition!
Review Source:Shame on me for living in NJ most of my life and only getting here for the first time the other day. Â Having heard about this place for ages and having watched the Food Wars episode, I knew I had to get in here and I am glad I finally did. Â
Obviously, I knew what I was going to get, but I wasn't sure if I should get the single or double Italian Hot Dog. Â I went with the single and a drink (6 bucks total - you can't beat that for lunch). Â After I ordered from the girl at the counter, I saw the owner cooking so I congratulated him on his Food Wars victory. Â He seemed like a very nice guy and we chit chatted a bit. Â
We were served our dogs quickly and I put some extra mustard on mine. Â I do not consider myself an italian hot dog connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination but I do know when something is very good and this IHD was excellent. Â I thought the pizza bread and potatoes were the best part. Â The potatoes were sliced perfectly and tasted great. Â The actual dog was very good, too. Â I was very impressed. Â I look forward to my return visit.
So I like Italian hot dogs (that's what she said) and so does fellow Yelper and Italian meatball, Mark V; ergo we did a Food Wars-esque comparison between Charlies Hot Dogs and Jimmy Buffs Hot Dogs for lunch today.
Yeah, we're fat, so what.
Both spots' "singles" were tasty; the hot dog was crispier at Charlies and it didn't have casing; the potatoes were greasier at Charlies and cooked a little more; the green and red peppers were juicier and tasted fresher at Jimmy Buffs; the bread tasted fresher at Jimmy Buffs.
I'm biggin-up Jimmy Buffs.
I need some pepto bismol, asap...ugh
Charlie's is a landmark.
It has been around for years.
Their relish looks like kryptonite with its bright green glow, but man is it good. Â Parking stinks, because it's behind the Dunkin Donuts (which has an ATM inside) and it's at the busiest intersection in Kenilworth.
I think in 16 yrs going there, prices have gone up a whopping $1.00
I park the car and get out only to be greeted by a chill in the air. Â Walk in the front door and get hit smack in the face with the smell of fried goodness wafting through the place and the sounds of Bruce Springsteen on the radio. Â It feels like Jersey. Â It feels like December. Â It feels like Jersey in December. Â Actually it is Jersey in December and I'm looking for some Italian Hot Dogs.
Walk up to the counter and guy says, "How you doin'?". Â "Fine" I reply. Â Look at the small menu and already know I'm there for the Italian Hot Dog. Â Do I get the single or double? Â That is the question. Â I ask the guy if the double is big and he says it is. Â I tell him I'm hungry, so I get the double ($7) with everything. Â Pick out a drink (bottle root beer) and find a table. Â Within a few short minutes this gigantic meal is sitting in front of me.
All of the following are shoved into an Italian bread pocket. Â Like a pita, but thicker and better. Â Two hot dogs, onions, red and green peppers and fried potatoes. Â How does one eat this without getting it on ones lap? Â I'm pretty sure I didn't eat it correctly, but in Jersey nobody judges you.
I started by eating a bunch of the potatoes. Â There was no way I was going to be able to shove this monstrosity in my mouth with all of the potatoes they had piled on top. Â After devouring some of those I took the first bite of the hot dog. Â It had a nice snap to it. Â Not the best dog I've ever had, but good enough. Â A few bites in I realized there was another hot dog underneath it. Â It being Hanukkah and everything, I took that as a nice Hanukkah present. Â The onions and peppers were plentiful and not too oily. Â Thanks for that.
Overall a pretty damn good Italian Hot Dog and I didn't have to drive too far to get to it. Â Friendly service, clean restaurant (the Yankees and Devils memorabilia turned me off a bit, but what can you do?) and easily accessible from the GSP. Â Win.
Charlie's Hot Dog, what can I say. I am not here to review parking spaces or credit card machines, this place is a local dive joint. A place to go if you are carbo loading for a marathon. i've tried only a couple of places that consider themselves tops in Italian Hot Dogs, Jimmy Buff's and Charlies and I gotta say Charlies was A-OK!!!! It's not 5 star or 4 star quality but if you want to fill up your stomach on the cheap then hit this joint. The Dogs were delicious as well as the Philly Steak and Cheese. I just wished they added more meat instead of potatoes and boy they surely load them on top.
 My only gripe is the fried potatoes tasted a bit bland. I tried them without any condiments. Growing up in an Italian family, I loved when my Mom cooked potato and eggs. The potatoes, the way she made them, were delish!!!!  Fried up in olive oil, so crunchy and moist with such taste you can eat a bagful. Something is missing and probably is the oil they use to fry it.
As far as italian hot dogs go, Charlie's is probably at the bottom of my list but it's an OK place I guess. The main problem I have with Charlie's is that they try to make their dogs a little healthier than other places... that's not what an italian hot dog is. It's supposed to be greasy as hell and unhealthy.
If you don't feel like traveling too far away for an I-tie dog, Charlie's is your spot.
Epic Fail- I don't like giving bad reviews but I was pissed- I only had an hour for lunch and I went WAY out of my way for this joint ONLY NOT TO EAT THERE AT ALL.
Went in for the Italian hot dog as suggested by Roadfood.com- it's this amazing looking concoction- hot dog, roasted peppers, and potatoes (like hash browns) on pizza crust.
Two major problems: Â
1. Relatively NO parking- it's at the end of a residential street. These people had cones out in front of their house so parking in front of them most likely would've resulted in a baseball bat to the windshield. They have ONE (maybe two) spots out back...and seven or eight tables inside...I'm no mathematician but......
2. Their credit card machine was broken...and no ATM anywhere near.
I. Was. Mad. I think I still am. I LOVE hot dogs.
If I were ever here again- and I hope I am so I can try the dog- I'd go back to give them a fair shake...
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,607 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,970 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,308 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,906 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,983 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
