Charleston Area Hot Dog Joints - Whitey's Sandwich Shop & Huskey's Dairy Bar

Situated right across the street from each other, on a busy intersection where 7th Avenue and West Washington Street cross 28th Street in North Charleston, these two little joints offer some of the best WVHD's in town.

Whitey's is an unassuming little place that is easy to miss even if you know where you are going. The building is plain and the only sign identifying it as a restaurant is a carved in wood and hangs inside the plate glass window. The neon "OPEN" sign is the only other clue. But the search is worth it, because at the end you will find some of the very best hot dogs Charleston has to offer.

What makes Whitey's dogs so good? I really can't put my finger on it. Every part of the dog is good and the sauce is about the meatiest in town, but it's pretty mild. The slaw is awesome and the weenies are very good. Put it all together with rock-steady dependability (I've never had a bad hot dog from Whitey's) and you get a great, great WVHD.

The only negative for me about Whitey's is that it is a proud supporter of smoker's rights and has a warning sign on the front window that lets you know that you will surely die of second-hand smoke if you enter. As much as I hate smoke filled rooms, it is worth it to get to the dogs.

Huskey's Dairy Bar
sits right across 28th Street and has very, very good dogs. In my opinion they are not quite up to par with Whitey's, but they have better hours and less smoke so it's about a wash. They are also cheaper (10 dogs for $10) and they have one of the best chocolate milkshakes around. Two dogs and a milkshake has to weigh in at about 2,000 calories so consider this your one-stop RDA depot.

The most interesting thing about the dogs is the chili, which is a misnomer because the meat is so finely ground that it is very thin and runny. This is great if you like your dogs sloppy. Slaw is great too. The weenies could be a little better - they tasted like they had been sitting in a pot of water for too long. The walk-up service is always friendly, and a sign on the building boasts of inside seating but I have never peeked inside to see what it's like.

So, these twin temples of tasty tubular delights are a recommended destination in your search for a good authentic WVHD. I know of nowhere else in town where you can park once and sample two better dogs.