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    The Lantern

    4.1 (77 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    THE LANTERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Lantern

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    Old fashioned sign
    Lailah J.

    I feel transported to the 1950s coming here - there's even a drive thru! The Lantern keeps a delightfully vintage menu and aesthetics - serving up old-fashioned hotdogs, burgers, milkshakes, egg cream(!), fries, sandwiches, wraps, ice cream, breakfast foods and more - but not in any kind of intentional hipsterish way...which makes it authentically hip in my book. Their signature item is the hot Texas weiner. Now a Texas weiner ain't like any other chili dog. It's a fried hot dog, topped with a special spiced meat chili sauce (no beans), which you can and should get dressed "all the way," with chili, onions, and mustard. And btw it's not a Texas thing; it's a New Jersey thing...by way of Greece. The chili sauce on a Texas weiner is particular (and not to be confused with your standard-issue chili con carne), and the taste can be divisive. Some people love it; others like my husband didn't care for the chili or the flavor of the dog. It's one of those things, IYKYK I guess. I for one did enjoy my weiner. And my roast beef club and tater tots w/ cheese both hit the spot. It's simple and straightforward food, nothing fancy. I can get with the back-to-basics-ness of the joint which fits with the theme. This should be an irresistible destination for any road trippers and curiosity food seekers. There is ample seating inside, with two dining sections. And the people who work here are nice. The older lady who took our order was so sweet to put cartoons on the TV for my toddler. Probably 3-3.5 on the food, but bumping to 4 for the kitschy charm, good value, and kind service. I just luv the whole vibe!

    Front with menu
    Wendy P.

    This little place has great delicious food. Very reasonable and friendly service. Cute on the inside and has a pick up window.

    three plates of food on a table
    Daniel M.

    We had a craving for a few dogs and a cheeseburger and fries so here we are. Service is always friendly and prompt and the chili sauce is loaded with flavor. I love the shakes as well. For quality and quantity the prices are very reasonable. They menu is large and consists of lots of choices not only dogs and burgers. We will definitely be back for another dog and a shake. Enjoy

    Steak sandwich

    First off, I only got one of two steak sandwiches I ordered, but once I saw the one I got I was glad there was only one and door dash credited me for the missing sandwich. Hardly any steak and nothing else. No choose. No onions. Just dry thin meat on a roll. Major things down for $13. The chicken souvlaki was pretty good, as were the onion rings. Tater tots were ok. A bit greasy. If it weren't for the souvlaki this would be one star. I brought this over to a group for lunch and everyone was in agreement.

    the front of a restaurant with cars parked in the parking lot
    Steve S.

    Sometimes I'm amazed that Wifey puts up with my long-term pursuit of good hot dog joints in Jersey, but it's even better when she joins in on the deliciousness. We were heading up into NY from North Jersey and we decided to try The Lantern. I'd heard good things about the place and it's a place that seems like an institution. We were in a bit of a hurry so we kept it simple - Wifey had one with kraut and mustard and I had one all the way (chili sauce, mustard and onions) and one with just chili sauce. We also ordered fries and a couple bottles of water for $15 Wifey was very happy and thought it was a perfect dog for her. I liked the dogs (they told me they were Sabrett's-seemed like a pork/beef blend, but what do I know) and the chili sauce was pretty tasty for a Texas Weiner style chili sauce. The fries are pretty standard, frozen then fried...they did come out well done though, so that's a bonus. Overall a pretty good stop...good enough that I'd like to come back and try their disco fries and a milkshake...or maybe even breakfast.

    Tom H.

    I agree with others that this is probably a place that has been around forever, and some of the appeal is the nostalgia of going back to a place you went as a teen. Stopped by for a quick lunch when I was in the area, first time. As with all hot dog joints I got 2 all the way and fries. If you are a fan of Hot Grill you will like these dogs but I find that chili is a little sweet, which I don't love. Much prefer the chili sauce at McCobbs. Fries were great, prices reasonable. They have a pickle bar which was also great. One odd thing is they use Styrofoam plates so when my fries came it was clear they were dropped with hot oil on the plate, melting the plate in a few spots. Probably not great for me or the fries. All in all a solid place, wouldnt travel for it but if I am in the area would revisit.

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Good food. Best burgers and hot dogs. Staff is polite and friendly. They have a drive through which is very convenient. Give it a try.

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great little sit in grill. Small menu, but your classic regulars. They also have a nice little ice cream section. Kind and courteous staff.

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    This place never disappoints. I think I have tried almost everything on the menu and every time it is incredible. What a hidden gem!

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    6 years ago

    Can I give this place 10 stars? Their tuna melt, gyros, and pickles are the best. Actually, everything here is great.

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    7 years ago

    To experience. Also when your sitting and eating they vacuum the rugs when customers are eating so digussting dust gets in your food

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    15 years ago

    The best quick spot around. Huge variety of foods, cheap, and decent portions.

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Great food, reasonable prices. The food portions where good. I went in hungry and left full and content.

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    9 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Great breakfast sandwiches. Better than the 6 bagel places around town.

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    10 years ago

    Friendly service and great food. The Lantern has the best Greek salad around.

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    Page 2 of 2

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    Curbside Cafe Famous Hot Dogs

    Curbside Cafe Famous Hot Dogs

    4.4
    (25 reviews)
    12.0 mi
    $

    Still the best damn chili dog in the state of New Jersey! Considering the Curbside Cafe isn't…read morereally a cafe, this is really all you need to know. The family that runs the truck are very friendly, and clearly appreciate every single customer. The adult entertainment store parking lot location just adds to the "Jerseyness" ambiance of the place in the best possible way. There are very few hot dog places where I omit the onions, mustard, cheese from my chili dog, but here I go with a naked dog and just chili. Their chili is really that good.

    Don't care what anybody says it isn't "Officially" Summertime until I had my first "Official" Hot…read moreDog of the season and a few weeks ago I stopped into Curbside Cafe to do just that. This is one of those places where I must've passed by 100 times already before finally stopping in and I'm pretty stoked that I did too because this little food truck puts out some seriously tremendously tasty food. In fact some people say it's one of the top hot dog vendors in Jerzey.    So it's 2 Chilli Cheese Dogs and an ice cold Root Beer for me thanks, and you bet I know just what to do with all of that classic deliciousness, Lol!! Man o man that's what I'm talkin bout. Yup, by my estimation it's "Officially" Summertime Yummertime my friends. Better late than never. Also gotta say that the hype is totally justified, easily Five Star Dog Experience!! Come And Get Your Munch On!!

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    Curbside Cafe Famous Hot Dogs
    The BEST Chili Dog in the state!
    The BEST Chili Dog in the state!
    Shake Hands with The Curbside Cafe!! They Famous Ya Know!!

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    Shake Hands with The Curbside Cafe!! They Famous Ya Know!!
    The Dawg House

    The Dawg House

    4.3
    (9 reviews)
    9.6 mi

    I love hot dogs and gave this spot a try! When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I walked…read moreinto a nice spot. I was greeted and ordered. I ordered: Coffee milkshake Hot Mac (with mac & cheese, red Hot, crispy onion Not Hot dog (vegan) the dawg (chili, dawg sauce, crispy onion, Sriracha dawg dust) gravy cheese fries with dawg dust Mac and cheese I really enjoyed the coffee milkshake! I also liked the hot mac. The mac and cheese alone was ok and so were the fries. I liked that they had a vegan option as well. All in all it was a good experience!

    Checked out The Dawg House in Totowa a few days ago and I think I'm still full…read more They have Sabrett water dogs, Thumanns for the air fryer, even a vegan dog (whatever that means lol) with so many options for toppings and a full list of signature dogs to choose from. If you're not in the mood for a dog they have other stuff too, like Mac and cheese topped with pulled pork Doug, the owner, was a really nice guy also. Eric (from Cultinary Road Trip) and I planned to eat and get going, maybe a half hour stop at the max. I think we were there like 2 hours talking! Dogs we tried were: 1. all the way - chili, onion, mustard 2. the en fuego - hot pepper relish, hot onions, sriracha, red pepper flakes, mustard 3. Oregon Trail - baked beans, bacon, cheese, potato stix 4. Buff-Aloe - Franks Red Hot, blue cheese dressing, potato stix, celery seed 5. Vermont Bob - bacon, sauerkraut, maple syrup (had to get Quebec Eric some maple syrup...he was starting to shake haha) Video is out now, but these were all super tasty. Dawg house absolutely - Didn't Suck!

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    The Dawg House
    The Dawg House
    The Dawg House

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    JJ's Hot Dogs

    JJ's Hot Dogs

    4.4
    (47 reviews)
    9.6 mi
    $

    Hot Dogs from J J's are Dyn-o-mite!! and I couldn't have picked a better spot to kick off the…read more"official" start of the season. Happy "Summertime Yummertime" my friends, Lol. Those deliciously loaded Dogs I ordered were JJ's Belly Busters and had plenty of Hot Onions, Sauerkraut, Cheese, Hot Chili, and Spicy Mustard. Definitely the best loaded Hot Dogs I've had in a while. The Dog itself was flavorful and had a perfect bite to it. Buns were hearty and didn't split or fall apart like some other places, even though they were overloaded which left me very impressed. I really thought the inside of my to- go bag was gonna be a total mess but as you can see everything stayed put nicely. Friendly Service at this small but functional spot which has very few indoor seating options but it's mostly a grab and go kinda place. That's ok Hot Dogs are most definitely enjoyed better outdoors anyway am I right?  Right. Come And Get Your Munch On!!

    This was my first visit to a JJ's Hot Dog. It was a Saturday at noon. I received lunch suggestions…read morefrom the very pleasant staff but ordered the Belly Buster, the Hot Works and salted fries with ketchup. I paid then retrieved my food items when they were ready. There's only two tables available in the small space so the car would be Plan B. I enjoyed my meal while listening to ESPN's NFL Draft coverage and listening to faint sounds of music, both more for the sake of the workers. Both hot dogs were great with my preference leaning towards the Belly Buster. The fries are of the thin variety.

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    Specialty dogs
    Specialty dogs
    Shake Hands with Belly Buster Hot Dogs!! Happy Summertime Yummertime!!
    Shake Hands with Belly Buster Hot Dogs!! Happy Summertime Yummertime!!
    Goes so well with salty dogs and o-rings

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    Goes so well with salty dogs and o-rings
    Harvest and Ale

    Harvest and Ale

    4.1
    (147 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    Overall a very enjoyable experience. I had booked reservations for my bf birthday here…read more They never recognized the birthday on the reservation but he's not much for attention like that so I'll let it slide. Waitress was very nice and attentive without being annoying. The bread was warm and soft and the whipped butter was to die for. The Filet Crostini was so so good but we will the crostini was crispier as it got a little soggy from the juices. We really enjoyed our meals! The drinks were just okay. The Blueberry Smash was disappointing. Maybe add some missed blueberries if you're calling it a blueberry smash? The decor has a modern rustic vibe and we were sat in the upstairs. We'll definitely be back in the future as there was some much on the menu we wanted to try!

    Had a great experience at Harvest and Ale. The atmosphere is cozy and casual--perfect for a relaxed…read morenight out. Calvin behind the bar was fantastic and made an incredible fresh-squeezed blood orange margarita. The food really stood out. The brie with blueberry sauce was a perfect sweet-savory combo, and the wings were packed with flavor. My burger (loaded with cheddar, egg, and bacon) was massive and cooked just right. Bun also made in house. The homemade pickles had a nice kick, and the haystack onion rings were super crispy. We ended with tiramisu and blueberry cheesecake--both delicious and made in house. Love that everything is farm-to-table. Definitely a spot worth coming back to.

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    Harvest and Ale
    Butternut squash soup in a bread bowl
    Butternut squash soup in a bread bowl
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    The Lantern - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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