4 DC, Virginia Hot Dog Joints Among 75 Best In U.S.: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — Independence Day is special, and not just because it's America's birthday. It's one of the few days of the year where it's OK — nay, encouraged — to be a kid again and stuff your face with more meat and buns than your stomach can possibly handle.

But the Fourth of July holiday is also a day when self-proclaimed "grill master" Uncle Benny decides it's a good idea to cook 75 sausages at the same time — and ends up undercooking exactly all of them — while repeating the Oscar Mayer weiner song because, in his eyes, it "never gets old." Sound familiar?

Luckily, the good folks over at The Daily Meal say The District and Virginia are home to a few of America's 75 best hot dog joints. So if you're like the many others anticipating a less-than-edible sausage, why not treat yourself to a real dog.

Here are the best hot dog joints in Washington, D.C., and Virginia, how they rank and where you can find their locations, according to the report.

If you're in Washington, D.C., you have to go to the renowned Ben's Chili Bowl, where presidents eat for free.

National rank: 20

"It might irk some Washingtonians to hear, but along with the Jumbo Slice, as bagels and pizza are to New York, so the half-smoke is one of the capital's most iconic foods. The celebrity (and presidential) photos on the wall are clear indications of Ben's Chili Bowl's city landmark status, but the continuous lines out the door are evidence that the restaurant's chili cheese dogs are some of the best in the country," says The Daily Meal. But those in the know don't just order "dogs," they get the half-smokes, a half-pork, half-beef smoked sausage which is a native D.C. specialty supposedly invented by Ben Ali, the original proprietor, whose sons took over the restaurant after his death."

Shake Shack, with locations in McLean and Arlington
National rank: 45

"A hot dog from a burger joint?! Actually, as Shake Shack's own site notes, the burgeoning burger empire 'began as a humble hot dog cart.' The Chicago-style Shack-cago dog is split and dragged through the garden with Rick's Picks Shack relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport peppers, celery salt, and mustard. The bun is even soft, just like in Chicago,"says The Daily Meal.

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The District is also home to DC-3, which made the list.
National rank: 66

"Located on Capitol Hill, DC-3 is a vintage-inspired hot dog joint. ... Options include a Sonoran dog topped with pinto beans, onions, tomato, white sauce, jalapeño relish, and mustard; a coney dog with chili, onion, and yellow mustard; a West Virginia-style sauce and slaw dog; a full-on Chicago-style dog; a bacon-wrapped Jersey "ripper"; and a Cincinnati-style dog with shredded Cheddar, chili, onions, and mustard. You can also get a homemade corn dog or a Boar's Head half-smoke with relish, mustard, and onion. Oh, and all dogs are just $4.99. These aren't just imitations of these regional styles; they do them all very, very well," says the website.

The lone Virginia entry is NASCAR's Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway.

National rank: 68

"If you thought that a hot dog served at a racetrack had no shot at making this list, think again. Eating a chili dog at the Martinsville Speedway is a rite of passage for race car drivers and fans alike, and this iconic hot dog also happens to be really tasty. Over one weekend, more than 50,000 of the hot dogs are sold, and at just two bucks a pop, they’re a steal. These dogs have been served for more than 60 years in the same way: a soft bun, slaw, cheese, hand-chopped onions, and a secret-recipe chili, wrapped in waxed paper. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has claimed to eat three or four a day on race weekends."

Chicago, where hot dogs are a religion, dominated the list with 11 mentions — the most of any city — including two in the top 10. But the king of the wieners is Katz's Deli in New York City's Lower East Side neighborhood.

"Made especially for the restaurant by Sabrett, these garlicky, natural-casing, jumbo-size all-beef dogs spend such a long time on the flat-top grill that the outside gets a nice char and snaps when you bite into it," the authors note. "A smear of mustard is all that's needed, but a little sauerkraut or stewed onions certainly won't hurt. It's a perfect hot dog, from a perfect deli."

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