Hot Rods is a timeless piece of New Jersey Americana on North 31 in Glen Gardner where time stood still since the 1960s and hot dogs, boiled or deep fried have been menu staples. Get them loaded with homemade chili, or not, or with standard pickle wedge, mustard and chopped onions on a traditional bun, and on the right sunny day, be part of the perfect snack. Grab a bag of fresh crispy fries, sit at their picnic tables and become part of legend. A extra warm day for the end of March, and a perfect day for an up country drive, Hot Rods was the spot chosen as destination. Great choice. Owner at the grill and taking orders, assistant taking care of the deep fryer and putting meals together in bags, wife sitting nearby offering historic commentary on the institution (Giants fan who loves Saquan Barkley even on the Eagles). I ate at one of the picnic tables to take in the sun, breeze and low mountain across the road. I ate a Classic (boiled turkey dog) and Fryer (beef/pork deep oil), both with pickle wedge, chopped onions and yellow mustard). I enjoyed them both, but couldn't tell them apart. The fries were excellent, and I continued eating them long after the dogs were devoured. The joint was humming by the time I left to return south to Bucks County. An hour drive, I rolled down the window to feel the warm breeze on my face. 5 Stars for the 50 years of hot dog authenticity and the grand day they came wrapped in. read more

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Outstanding! Everything you would want in a roadside hot dog stand. The people are super nice. Got the regular dog, which is a boiled turkey dog which, frankly, doesn't sound too good to me. However, I got it with chili and cheese and it was darn tasty. Can't speak to what it would be like plain. Got the fryer dog which was very nice. Cross-hatch slits in the dog and was nice and crisp. The fries were very well fried and seasoned. Excellent side and you get an absolute ton of them. Great fast food fries. Don't let the naysayers sway you. Im not sure what their expectations were but this is a great roadside hot dog stand and Iwill definitely be back again and again. read more

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I was off of work for the week of the July 4th holiday and decided to try Hot Rod's. I had been craving a Texas wiener. Hot Rod's does not have a Texas wiener on their menu but they have all the toppings necessary (mustard, raw onion, chili) to make one. The chili though is different from what you'd get on a Texas wiener, as there isn't as much meat. I was able to see most of the raw onion whereas they'd mostly be covered by chili on a traditional Texas wiener. I chose the beef hot dog and washed it down with their unsweetened ice tea. Everything was delicious. The staff were very friendly and explained the difference between the beef hot dog (deep fried) and the turkey hot dog (boiled). There's some seating indoors (about 10 stools along a long counter) and a few picnic tables outside for dining. Pulling out of Hit Rod's can be tricky so it's best to time your departure with the traffic lights nearby. read more

After passing by this place numerous times over the years, hubby stopped and had two hot dogs with Sauerkraut and mustard with a drink. Since I just finished a quick lunch at home, I just watched. Staff is okay, answering questions about a local event. His hot dogs were good, and hit the spot for a quick bite. Ran into someone who was friendly and originally from my hometown. Very small interior but nice picnic tables outdoors for a sunny day. While we were there we noticed a constant flow of customers who came in for lunch. read more

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We stopped in this evening and tried both "The Original" and "Fryer" dogs. The original is a turkey dog and the one I liked best. The fryer is a pork/beef combo. I found the turkey dog more moist and plump than the fryer. I got mine with mustard and pickles but they have a few more toppings to choose from. I was really amazed at the level of customer service and how nice and helpful the 4 people including Adaria, Sergio and two other nice Ladies who helped us were. They went above and beyond and we had a great conversation while our food was made. Take note: the place is CASH ONLY. The have an ATM but of course there is a service fee. We had 4 dogs and a drink for $16, which was very reasonable. We sat on picnic tables outside as there wasn't much indoor seating except some single stools all facing toward walls. We will definitely be back! read more

Restaurants providing seating should provide rest rooms for paying customers. Not having restrooms for paying customers is disgraceful. The deep fried hot dog was mushy. read more

Rights from the jump.. parking. They have a lot but it's small. The place is small and seat is limited indoors. They do have outdoor seating so that helps in the warmer months. Everything looks very clean and smells normal. I didn't see a waiter or waitress but the person at the counter and the cook were very nice and helpful no issues with the service. The food could use a little help... while the hot dogs were good the chili cheese waffle fries were not so good. The chili and cheese part were ok. But the fries were over cooked which made it all taste bad. And here's a thing. Normally this should not be a complaint but I ordered fries and they gave me a ton. So that's something they could fix. Smaller portion of fries and a little less time in the fryer. Pricing was ok. read more

Man great little place to stop. Definitely the small Mom and Pop shop feel that makes you feel like part of the family. Love the outside tables and shade to enjoy my hotdog at. I tried me some chili cheese dogs. Yummy! They hit the spot for sure. Nice crisp pop when you bite into the dog soft warm buns and more than enough chili and cheese to make a mess. Lol. Was pleasantly surprised by the spiciness of them. Either way worth the stop thanks for the great lunch and a new good memory. read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - Chili cheese dog - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Quick service, no nonsense wiener slingers. If you like wiener as much as I like wiener, then a review shouldn't take too many words. They've got wieners. They're ready quickly. The toppings are straight forward, and they don't skimp on them. They'll smother your wiener in pretty much whatever you'd like. I asked them to cover my wiener in chili sauce, cheese, onions, and yellow mustard. My wife likes her wieners with onion, mustard, ketchup, relish, and onions. Go try Rod's wiener. You won't regret. read more

Stopped in for a dog with the works. $2.67! Great deal! Friendly counter staff. Good prices. read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - Inside price board. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Stopped in today for the first time after living in this area for 10 years. It was great. Fryer dogs with mustard and kraut, and a fryer with mustard onion and hot sauce. Fries are done perfect. Shoestring style. Owner introduced us to Jersey Jerk topping. All good stuff read more

Perfect roadside hot dog joint,no more,no less. Enjoyed our food! First time visiting and look forward to riding the motorcycle here for lunch this summer. read more

The new owners don't do as good of a job as Rod did when he owned it. The fries taste like dirty grease and the hot dogs are the cheap ones.

The food was great. The owner was lovely. It was clean and the vibe was perfect for the name.

Stopped in on my way home for a road snack and was not disappointed! "The Works", mustard, onion & pickle, is hot dog perfection! Can't wait to visit again! read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - a hot dog sign - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Great food and even better prices. Plus the positive attitude of the workers just make everything come together. Appreciate the help!! :) read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - Working hard!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

I've been coming to the Blue Army Shrine for a year now, and this was on my way up there. But since we always went on a Sunday, Hot Rods was always closed! Today, on a Monday, we finally decided to check if this place was open and it was! So happy it did not disappoint. The sour cream and chive fries were so crispy on the outside but creamy inside. We got the 'Hotdog with the Works' and it was so good, it even came with a full pickle. Customer service was so personable that we already felt like regulars. Will definitely try to come back on a weekday again! read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - Hot Rods rocks! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Excellent hot dogs and great service. Always busy but rarely a wait. I have been getting hot dogs there every time I am up from Florida.

A great quick stop for some good old cheap chili dogs and fries!! The vibe is so great and the service is quick and friendly. A great bang or your buck! read more

I ordered a dog with the works and got the wrong order. Service was ok not very friendly Place was clean read more

I tried three different dogs and all there were not that good. They are better than Johnnys. The beef dogs did not taste that good.

He was open when the others were closed. Almost 8pm, after a pretty big snow and I saw the lights! 2 dogs mustard and onion. The dogs are great. The people too. Prices 3. read more

Hot Rods Hot Dogs - 2 dogs onion mustard - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Glen Gardner, New Jersey

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Hi HOT RODS! I'm giving you 5 stars and I've NEVER BEEN HERE! I heard about Hot Dog Johnnys and took a ride to check it out today. Sadly I left only a 2 star review for them. I'm an avid hotdog joint fan, and their place was quite disappointing, if you read my review for them you'll see why. Passing your place on the way home, I googled your menu. OMG, did I pick the wrong place to go. Seems like you're doing well with your joint, so best of luck there. I was in the restaurant business in my early years, now that I'm close to retirement, I'm looking to get back into it, and a hotdog place is what I'm checking into. Goldmine of a business if it's done right. read more

Different strokes for different folks. A hot dog is a hot dog. And a burger is a burger. Nothing special but nothing bad either. What I can say with certainty is that it's been around for a Long time. Always stays busy and has terrible parking as it's right on 31. read more

Great little hot dog spot. They are small so make sure you buy a lot of them. And the hotdog sauce is so delicious I bought a couple jars for myself. read more

I'd like to say a few things in order to give you an idea of what you're up against. First of all you have to pull in off route 31 to park, as a result cars behind you will be up your ass. Then parking is on a steep grade & limited , so good luck with that ! If you manage the above well enough, the next goal is to get an order in, which might take a few min cause they are slow as hell. Once the order is in you wait, and wait, and wait with all the other grumpy looking clientele! After you get your food , there's only one table inside ! There are picnic tables outside, but sitting down next to a noisey route 31 is NOT COOL ! Let alone being fearful of getting run over by a passing truck while trying to eat ! This place is truly a pedestrian hazard! Now , the food part, it was ok considering you managed to make it this far unscathed ! The French Fries Where Good, the hot dogs where high school lunch room quality ! After you've done eating and want to leave you realize you kind of trapped based on how you positioned yourself at the parking lot. Watch yourself backing out onto route 31 or you'll likely be involved in an accident! My advice is safety first and not stop here , once your clear step on the gas and wave goodbye! read more

Wonderful hotdog place!!!!! Great hotdogs!!!!! Great chili!!!! We always go there when in the area. Looking forward to going again.

Heard so much about this place we decided to give them a try. We weren't happy. The hot dogs tasted like the were billed in soapy water

Great place, a wide variety of really good options. I had the hot dog with blue cheese bacon and Buffalo sauce. I think it had bacon too. One with bacon jalapeños and cream cheese. All phenomenal. read more

Solid dogs, friendly service. I had the chili dog which was great as well as the sauerkraut and the works. All very good.

I was craving a classic New Jersey breakfast sandwich this morning and Sergio at HotRods made me the absolute best Porkroll egg and cheese I've ever had! Fresh coffee and home cookies too! Thank you Sergio for a great Sandwich I will be back for more! read more

Been coming here my entire life. CONSISTENCY IS KEY! They have that down packed, I will be beyond upset when Rod retires

If you go to a hot dog place, you expect Sabretts not nasty turkey hot dogs lacking flavor. This was a one stop place, never again. Their fries are mediocre. read more

Great egg sandwiches. I'm so glad she is putting love in her food. Delicious. Hit dogs burgers fries.

It's a family tradition to go here about every other month. Rod helps make the place. He is always personable and friendly. Good no nonsense food. The menu is simple, just right number of items. Fresh, hot and consistently good. I'm getting hungry thinking about it........gota run :) read more

Being from New York one thing I like are my Dogs and this joint is simply the best! The dogs are delicious, chili is awesome and I haven't tasted any fries in the state of New Jersey as good as these!!! The joint is immaculate clean and it seems as though they change their oil every other day !! If your ever traveling along route 31 stop and check out this place you will not be disappointed, I have been to other establishments in the area and none can stand next to these guys. Peggy is doing all the cooking besides the weekend and Hot Rod does the weekend, they are both awesome people . Their clientele are mostly locals in which are pretty cool people. read more

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Simply the best! Topped with mustard, raw onions and home made chili cannot be beat.

Hot Rods Hot Dogs is one of the best hot dog stands around. The prices are great. Old school environment. The owner and staff are all friendly. Every time I go in there they know exactly what I want. Lately I've been calling my order in and soon as I go to the take out window, my order is ready! Great place! read more

I want to call this a dive but it is a classy hot dog joint. My dog loved there dogs! I loved there burgers! These are not sirloin patty's (maybe they are) I had one well done burger with raw onion and ketchup and had serious flashbacks to my first burger as a kid! I mean where we at a drive inn movie? A carnival? Coney Island way back when? Plain, simple, original, Wimpy "I will gladly pay you on Tuesday for a cheeseburger today!". Burger. This guy is a NASCAR fan and it shows. Message to the owner Please don't Change any thing before I come back again. read more

My favorite place to grab a hotdog for the kids and I. Great food,friendly people, clean and great prices. This place is a must try!!