Charleston Area Hot Dog Joints - The Wheelhouse

Located in South Hills on Walnut Road, this little gem of a restaurant surprised me with a colorful twist on our beloved WVHD.

Just two doors down from Bridge Road Bistro and right next to Kid County Toys, this little place has everything you could want in a lunch spot including lots of riverboat themed decorations and curiosities to keep you occupied while your food is being freshly prepared. Faux portholes line the walls and inside each one is a different display of photos, antique boat parts, etc. A large hand made model of a sternwheeler hangs over the counter.

I first realized that there was something different about the Wheelhouse hot dogs when I got my order inside my car for the trip back to the office. It was immediately noticeable that the onions where quite a bit more aromatic than usual. when I opened the box I was pleasantly surprised to find that they use purple (or red, or bermuda) onions. The unexpected color turned the hot dogs into a work of art. Give then an "A" on presentation.

The taste gets high marks too. The chili is definitely the most unusual chili I have had in Charleston. It had a distinctive and pronounced chili powder taste - almost like Mexican taco meat. The texture of the meat was a little coarse but there was enough liquid to offset the chunkiness. The slaw was not quite sweet enough for my tastes, but was OK otherwise. Everything included chili, slaw, mustard and ketchup.

All the ambience, color, and flavor adds up to a delightful WVHD experience and makes The Wheelhouse a necessary stop on a hot dog tour of Charleston.