The Third Annual YDKJ Hot Dog Tour – Boulevard Drinks, Jersey City

by Alice Magdziak • July 22, 2011 • Food, Hot Dog Tour, Hudson • Comments (0) • 6766

The famous Boulevard Drinks in Jersey City was the first stop on the Hot Dog Tour this year. As a bit of background, for the last three years we’ve been touring some of Jersey’s hot dog joints in the weeks surrounding Ed’s birthday. We mentioned it a little last year. This year, we’re really going to let you in on the fun. The originally conceived idea was that we’d try all new places. However, there are some REALLY good places that we find ourselves wanting to go back to.

We read about Boulevard Drinks in a few lists and message boards and last year was actually the first time we tried it. This is one of the places that we wanted more from so we made this our first stop on the official Tour this year. Don’t get us wrong, we go to these places all year round but the Hot Dog Tour is a compact two or three weeks were we really focus on the dogs. In fact, even Ed (the Hot Dog Master) admits that he gets a little tired of hot dogs after the tour is over each year. I always feel like I’ve preserved (or should I say cured?) my intestines after eating all that processed meat.

Boulevard Drinks is right in Journal Square in Jersey City. So, the best way to get there is really to take the Path. However, we were in Jersey City for something else so we thought we’d spin the roulette wheel and see if we could find parking. And, did we ever. We got THE spot in front of the store! We had to circle around a few times but we saw the guy in his car and we knew he was leaving so we hovered and hovered and got the primo spot.

That’s how good our spot was. We took that picture from the car! A real Jersey City miracle. I think this guy understood our excitement because it seems like he was actually posing for the picture.

Now, if you’ve been to some of NJ’s finest hot dog places, you know that you shouldn’t expect white tableclothes and a wine list. Boulevard Drinks embodies the phrase “hot dog joint.” You can either eat outside or at one of the few counter stools. The hot dogs are griddled about six inches away from the door and you need to know what you want when you hit the counter.

Luckily, Ed always knows what he wants so it gives me fifteen seconds to peruse the board and see if I want something other than the dogs. This time, we all wanted dogs. Ed got one with all the way and one with red onions and I got two chili dogs. Their chili is spicy with a little sweetness. I believe it doesn’t have any meat in it. Which is weird, right? But somehow it works. In fact, it’s perfect on the all-beef hot dogs.

Whatever kind of dogs you get, you really must try the onion rings as a side. They are really good here! The onion doesn’t slip out of the breading and the breading itself is extremely crispy and seasoned just right.

Check out our other pics from this year’s trip to Boulevard Drinks: