Charleston Area HDJ Review - Lil' Huskey's Ice Cream Shoppe

Don't you just love Spring? The trees begin their budding and the mild temperatures make outside the place to be. And then there's the re-opening of those certain roadside ice cream stands that have been closed down since just before Thanksgiving. And whenever there is a roadside dairy bar there is a pretty good chance there are good hot dogs, too.

I first tried to visit Lil' Huskey's in Cross Lanes last November to no avail. I wasn't sure when to go back because the sign only said "Closed 'till Spring." Well, according to the calendar it is now Spring, and the weather sure fits, so I thought I'd check it out again. This time I was greeted by a neon "open" sign.

I think that I read that Lil' Huskey's is somehow familially connected with Huskey's Dairy Bar in North Charleston, but certainly Lil' Huskey's is much newer and nicer than its city cousin. It has a nice little dining room where 20 or so diners can sit and a couple of umbrella shaded tables outside for those who prefer their hot dogs alfresco.

The hot dogs are fairly reminiscent of the other Huskey's, though, and that would be a good thing.

The Hot Dog: Chili, slaw, mustard and onions are standard equipment at Lil' Huskey's. My bun was fresh but not steamed. The slaw was great: Fine cut, creamy and nicely sweet. The chili had a great flavor with just a little spicy kick; the texture was nice. The onions were nicely chopped but seemed to be a bit stronger than they needed to be. Overall, though, this is a darn good hot dog. I'll give it a 4.5 Weenie rating, the same rating as the other Huskey's earned last year.

The service was friendly and the ice cream treats on the menu are tempting. The hours are posted as "Monday-Saturday 11AM to PM" with the PM number conspicuously missing, so call ahead (304- 776-2561) before making a special trip late in the PM.

Lil' Huskey's is a quarter mile down Little Tyler Mountain Road (Washington Street West or Rt. 62 if you are looking at a map) from "The Stoplight" in Cross Lanes.