A friend suggested that I try Cloos', and what great advice that turned out to be. Cloos' brings the 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. read more

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Outstanding. Love it The service was great. Good food. Great atmosphere I like to go back again.

This spot has been open since 1988, and I've been coming, off and on, since the early 90's. This area, 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. read more

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Love the old school diner vibe! The cashier was super friendly. Ordered a Coney, small fries and a coke, then took a seat at the counter. My food arrived hot and fresh, and I enjoyed both. The shoestring style fries are a must get! They offer free refills on soda and true to diner style, the ice is crushed, which I swear makes soda taste better. read more

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Really good hot dogs, excellent toppings. Got a Chicago Dog and their Coney. Both worthy of a gourmet label for quality and cook. Buns were perfect, fresh and soft. Only concern was the fries were stone cold, which is tough to understand, they were busy and turning over orders quickly so maybe they didn't notice ‍ Plenty of seats, but it does get busy at lunch, so plan accordingly. read more

Whenever I go here, the food tastes amazing, the service is excellent, and the overall feel and decor is just amazing. Some bad areas are the wait time (depends on the day) and the pricing is a little expensive. Overall I'd say a 8.5/10. read more

Tasty hot dog, slow service. The flavors were great, and the ingredients were fresh. Waited a bit too long for my order. Still, a solid 4-star meal! read more

Juicy and flavorful! Loved the snap of the sausage. Bun was slightly dry but not a dealbreaker. Overall, a great hot dog experience!

Cloos' is the absolute best! Dan Cloos is the owner and his son has been in the business with him for awhile. The hotdogs, patty melt, chili cheese fries, fresh lemonade are amazing. Been coming here for 35+ years and always have a great experience! Dan is a remarkable restauranteur! He knows his customers! read more

This spot has a classic mom-and-pop feel, but it's seriously lacking in cleanliness. The cook was scrolling on his phone while preparing food--without gloves, and the place looked old and outdated, with water stains on the ceiling. A few hours after eating, I had severe stomach pain and spent the night constantly running to the bathroom. Never going back. read more

It's no secret that I love hot dogs. I always have. I prefer them over hamburgers every time. I've slowly been going to all the hot dog places in Raleigh and Cloos' is at the top for me! I love that there is plenty of parking even though it's always busy. I get the carolina style dogs everywhere I go and here was no exception. I recommend if you are a hot dog fan and in the area! read more

Quick review here. We stopped in here last Thursday for a quick bite before an event near NC State. My son had been there a few times with friends and said it was a good place to go beforehand. It's a cool joint that caters to a local / student lunch crowd. The food here is fresh and tasty. The interior has that kitschy diner, hot dog storefront feel that it is rare in this part of the country. I went with a gyro salad and a Chicago hot dog (I skipped eating all day lol). Anyway, the ingredients in the salad were fresh and the gyro meat was seasoned nicely and was tender. The Chicago dog was spot on! I was able to get a few fries from my son, they were pretty good. The menu offered about a dozen different hot dogs. I also think you can make your own toppings wise. This was my first visit to Cloos and I'll definitely be back. The food was good and it was reasonably priced. read more

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I eat there several times a month. The owners and his staff are always friendly. Their food is always consistently excellent. It is a Raleigh institution. read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Daddy daughter lunch Saturday lunch date! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

It's a yes from me dawg. They had me at Coney Island. As a native New Yorker, I know hot dogs. If my dad were still with us he would be at Cloo's all the time. Having grown up in Brooklyn he bragged about the crunch of their dogs when you take a bite. Cloo's brings the Nathan's crunch with these dogs. I decided on the Rebel dog. Slaw ( minced cabbage), mustard, chili on a bun and paired it with the most perfect fries I've ever had. Thin, salty, crispy and well done. Service was excellent here. Nice staff. This place gives me Back To The Future vibes. Granted it's located in a very dated strip mall next to a halal market. I love the nostalgic decor. The 60's style seating, the music artists on the wall. It's just something different for the area. This is a cool place to pop into for lunch break. Get the fries ! Try all the dogs !!!! read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Fries are way better than McDonald's - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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When you're near NC State and looking for a hot dog, since 1988 this is the place to go This is a family run business with Two generations working side by side to serve their customers Super friendly and accommodating and taking precautions for the Covid situation They have a good reputation, so the wait time at lunch can be 15 or 20 minutes this their slogan "making you wait since 1988" is appropriate at lunchtime I'll be back, probably within a week! read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Front counter - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This is a very simple old school flat top restaurant with great hot dogs, fresh burgers, and even a rock solid Philly cheesesteak, with crisp shoestring fries. True local feel. Great snap to the hot dogs. Their specialty is the Coney, obviously, but you can get them most any way you want. When you want to scratch that dog/burger itch, and aren't interested in frills, tiffs is the place. Be forewarned that everything is made to order, so this is NOT fast food. But they're friendly folks, so the wait isn't bad. read more

If you want to experience a true Detroit style coney dog, you must try Cloos! A coney island hot dog "all the way" (chili sauce, yellow mustard and sweet white onions) is one of the basic food groups in the Detroit area, and the Cloos coney does not disappoint! These hotdogs take me back to my youth when I would go to bars with my friends, and then we'd hit up a Coney Island at 3AM for some hotdogs and chili cheese fries. Coney Island restaurants are just about everywhere in the Detroit suburbs. The beauty of Cloos is that their coney dogs are just as good (if not better) than the coneys I grew up with. My boyfriend and I visited Cloos for lunch yesterday, and they were super busy. We placed our order at the counter (2-coneys, chili cheese fries and a tea for me, my boyfriend had 2-coneys, fries and a root beer) and took a seat at the counter, because all of the tables were packed. The owner and his son were manning the grill, and 2 gals were taking the orders and getting drinks. We had a small wait before our food arrived (you need to have patience - it's worth it), and were enjoying our beverages with the unique crushed ice (most Detroit Coneys have this ice). Once our food arrived, we dove in. My boyfriend adds ketchup to his hotdogs which is a true sin; I enjoy mine as is (the right way). The coney sauce is an authentic, Greek style sauce, and the hotdogs are Koegels, flown in from Michigan. The shoestring fries are crispy and delicious, and the chili cheese only makes them better! We love Cloos!! read more

Coming here as a Detroiter I didn't think they would even compare to what I get at home. Boy was I wrong! Cloos' has amazing Coney Dogs! He stated his family is from Detroit & he knew what he was doing! They were excellent. We had about 10 family members all go in and order. Chili Cheese Fries, Coney Dogs, Philly Steak & Cheese, Plain Hot Dogs for my son. Everything was so good! I'd definitely come back here if I'm in town. read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Jack sitting at the bar top, waiting for his Hot Dog! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Surprised I never left a review. Used to be a regular in Dan's early days when I lived in the area. Always top notch dogs from top notch folks! read more

Absolutely delicious! We ordered coney dogs, a kraut dog (our FAVE), and a Chicago dog. All were freshly prepared, huge, and served straight to our table after ordering at the counter. The staff were so kind and warm--we were greeted immediately and the person taking our food order was patient as it was our first visit. The interior feels like an old school soda fountain meets diner and it was clean with plenty of seating (plus some outdoor seating, too!). Can't recommend highly enough if you're in the mood for this kind of fare. read more

Classic style and amazing dogs!!! Love the feeling you get when you walk through the door, a quaint hotdog joint with a retro artistic feel. The dogs aren't all they have though! Some of the best French fries I've had, and can't wait to try all the other menu items. The staff here is wonderful, I always see the owner who is friendly, seems to know his regulars well and is hands on with running the place. read more

Absolutely delicious. Unparalleled hamburgers and hotdogs. Cool decor. Easy parking. Friendly folks read more

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Came to try this place because my husband was craving a hotdog. We came to this gem on a Sunday at about 12:30pm and they were packed. The inside does not sit many people and the line was fairly long. The menu contains a variety of different hotdog choices, burgers, and sandwiches. I struggled between trying a hotdog and their classic "patty melt." I'm glad I chose a patty melt, it was delicious! The service was great but the wait time between ordering and getting our food was 45min. They cook the food to order, so our food was hot and fresh. There was only 3 staff at the time, and they honestly did a great job managing the amount of people being served. One person was on the grill, one was taking the orders and the other serving. My husband enjoyed his "coney dogs." This place is a great diner experience, and I can see why it is popular. I would definitely go back. read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Patty melt. Perfectly cooked! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Fresh food best coneys I've had in Raleigh chill fries fire. Service friendly with a smile quick, my only problem is space lunch crowd no get me in or out unless you in the line happy to see outdoors sitting. read more

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. read more

They have Awesome food, Danny is a Awesome owner/ operator and has been there close to 40 yrs

It's a local place where you come for the food and loyalty. It's a place where you enjoy a classic burger or hot dog on your own or with a colleague or two. It's not a place for large groups since the interior is very narrow. The place fills up really quickly during lunch since it's a next to an university. Also the service can be slow as it gets backed up real quick during the rush hour. I waited more than 15 minutes for my order of two items. It's not a "cheap" place. It's really about the nostalgia of a hamburger or hot dog you had sometime in your past. I had the polish sausage with peppers and onion and a small french fries ($8.45 total). I recommend the food as it was exactly what I imagined it to be. The good thing is that there won't be any surprises since it's all classic. I just expected a little more for what the cost is, but again good tasting food. read more

Stayed in Raleigh for a motorcycle festival and sought this place out for a true Chicago dog. We can't get them authentic in Jacksonville. Absolutely loved it. Prepare to wait a bit, but it's worth it. Everything is made fresh and to order. Can't wait to come back. read more

Always the best. Been coming here for 14 years, ever since my freshman year of college. Now live in Charlotte but have bo problem going out of my way if I'm ever near Raleigh to grab a bite. Everything is good, but my go-to is the chicken pita and chili cheese fries. read more

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Great Chicago style hot dogs. Reminds me a lot of the Original Fluky's on Western Ave. Great tastes. The French Fries are perfect and are cooked just right. read more

Cloos' Coney Island - Chicago Hot Dogs with Fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Stop in to try this place out. We had cheeseburgers and fries. The food was really good. Service was great. The owner and the staff are very friendly. The place has an old school diner vibe. I'll go back next time to try out the Chicago Dog. read more

A long piece of long blond hair was in my chili on my hotdog and I chewed it and almost swallowed until I felt it rolling around in my mouth. I almost threw up. That was my first bite so of course I didn't finish it. Where are the cook's gloves? Where are the hairnets? The waitress/cashier's long blonde hair was just flying everywhere. This was such a gross first experience. I can't go back. read more

Best real hotdog in the area Detroit based Coney Island dog with the world renowned chili , mustard and onions is the classic best. Multiple menu options, extremely friendly staff and everything is made fresh to order right in front of you! read more

The cheeburgers are bussin and the Fry's are bussin too they are so bussin that I eat them every time.

I can't believe after 30 years of going to Cloos' and 9 years since my Yelp review, I have to revise it. But it ain't my fault. A while back he added something to the menu. The Big Chief cheeseburger. With a sauce...I mean a sauce...wow. Mayo based, but with curry, garlic, Worcestershire, and a bunch of other flavors going on. It's amazing. But that's not why I'm back here. It's what I did with the sauce. My new regular (when I can pull myself away from a kraut dog and cheeseburger slider) meal is a Philly Steak with everything, but instead of mayo or mustard, slathered with the Big Chief sauce. But I can't stop here. Drizzle that ambrosia over cheese fries too. And a Diet Coke, because I'm responsible like that. And, note from my wife, the chicken sandwich is as amazing as it was when it first appeared on the menu 25+ years ago. read more

Great place. Been going there for nearly 30 years. Dan does a great job. Don't ever change.

Dogs off the heazy fa sheazy and sliders from Sweet Baby Jesus for DAYZ! My kids and I cannot get enough of this place. Plus it's a local, family owned joint, which is a bonus. But for real, if you like a dog with a bit of a snap in the bite, these are the best. I will challenge anybody to a duel of eating hot dogs until puking who dares say otherwise. read more

I didn't have a positive experience during my first visit but this second time was great. The food was fresh from the grill. I stopped in around 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night and it was ​busy. It took about 15-20 minutes to receive my food but it was worth the way. I rather than fresh food versus pre-made food. I went with 2 of their favorite hotdogs and a side of chill cheese fries. I could tell that the hotdogs were straight from the grill. The fries were crispy with the perfect amount of cheese and chili​. I was impressed​! I look forward to stopping by again. Great customer service too! read more

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Food always good (especially the sliders and hot dogs). Service sometimes a little slow(but no problem). Everyone is SO friendly especially to older "golden girls! read more

Food is amazing! Staff has always been and will continue to be wonderful. Cloos is a staple in Raleigh. If you're planning on visiting you have to stop by. read more