Sam's Hot Dog Stand

Sam's Hot Dog Stand

I love an accidental discovery.

A gloomy Sunday at the beach made for a good time to drive to Wilmington.

As we drove in on Oleander, a man dressed as a hot dog caught my attention. I made a note to return and investigate.

An hour or so later, we headed back, keeping alert for a hot dog man. Sadly he was gone. Or maybe we missed him.

We turned around.

On the final pass, we saw the big hot dog sign and a sign for Sam's Hot Dog Stand just behind it.

It looked quiet and deserted. Afraid they were closed for the day, we investigated a little further and found they were open for a couple more hours. Let's do this!

Inside, an open kitchen looked out upon a handful of tables and numerous stools with the Sam's Hot Dog Stand logo encased in shiny varnish. Near the register, a menu board detailed their offerings: hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches in various combinations.  The menu board was surrounded by various cans of soft drink, including Sun-Drop and diet Sun-Drop. Score! A chalkboard on another wall detailed their daily deals.

After inquiring about their slaw, I ordered two with the signature Carolina Hot Dog toppings: mustard, slaw, chili, and onions--or as they call them, "All the Way," including their spicy chili.

The two dogs arrived nicely packaged in a Sam's Hot Dog Stand paper bag, along with my chips and diet Sun-Drop.

They looked great and tasted better. The slaw is clearly fresh and made on-site, a perfect blend of cabbage, mayo, and seasoning. 

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The spicy chili added just a bit of kick. It was meaty and savory. Not sweet like so many lesser hot dog chilis, this was near perfect.

The mustard, onion, hot dog, and bun  each played their part to support the starring chili and slaw. Truly a great Carolina dog.

Before I left, I also sampled the mild chili and the BBQ. The mild chili was almost as good as the spicy--but without that little extra something. The BBQ, imported from Siler City, was smoky and delicious.

What a great find. I loved Sam's Hot Dog Stand. It is now my favorite hot dog in Wilmington, easily the best southeast of Raleigh, maybe further.

My verdict: 5 weenies

Paul's Place

I’ve been planning to write about Paul’s Place—or as it is formally known as Paul's Place Famous Hotdogs—for the longest time. I originally heard of the place many years ago. In fact, my first visit was probably in the late 80s or early 90s. If I am not mistaken, at the time, Paul’s Place boasted multiple locations. Now, it’s back to just the original.

This was my third visit. A couple of years ago, I had visited around the Holidays with every intention of penning a review, but time got away from me and I failed to remember enough to write about their dogs.

The inside has a feel of days gone by. Various canned goods, t-shirts, and tractor-type souvenirs are set out for sale under harsh fluorescent lighting. Numerous simple tables with Coke-carton condiment holders provide ample “dining” room.  A counter for ordering and picking up food and a hand-dipping ice cream case separate the eating area from the kitchen. It’s a utilitarian and yet nostalgic establishment.

I remember not being very impressed upon my first visit. It’s all very hazy now, but I do remember not caring for Paul’s Special Sauce.  It’s a ketchuppy concoction that’s a bit like relish, and being a Carolina Hotdog fan, relish never was my favorite.

“All the way,” includes the sauce, but luckily Paul’s sells hotdogs without that special sauce. Sure enough, they sell classic Carolina Hotdogs with mustard, slaw, chili, and onions, and that’s how I ordered mine. 

Two Carolina Dogs with accidental ketchup

Sadly, the person taking my order got it mixed up and added ketchup, but I didn’t want to be wasteful; because it was my third visit, I can wrote around it and recall the previous visits.

The dogs weren’t bad. They weren’t my favorite ones, either. The slaw was a bit too pickle-y and the chili didn’t add a lot. The chili reminds me of that which I encounter regularly; it has meat but is a thickish liquid with lumps of meat. I don't know what thickens the liquid, but I know I like a seriously meaty chili without a lot of liquid--some, but not a lot. And it should add a nice chili punch!

It seems this is what I thought upon my first visit. I liked them a bit more on my second visit, but even then, I wouldn’t put them near the top of my all-time favorite hot dogs.

If you’re in the area and hankering for a Carolina Dog, this one will do, but I’m on the lookout for better.

My verdict: 3 weenies

Post Script: Since I wrote this review, TNT's Good Behavior, starring Michelle Dockery, shot some episodes at Paul's Place.

Hot Diggity Dogz

My partner and I spent a week in Surf City this summer, and tooling around the island one evening, we spotted a tiny hot dog stand named Hot Diggity Dogz. It was after hours, and they were closed; but I decided we’d have to hit it during our stay.

So, one scorching afternoon, debating lunch options, we decided to visit. The dogs all have beachy-cute names like Shaggy Dog, Carolina Dog, Beach Dog, etc. except for ones named for hot dogs of a specific city, like the Chicago dog. All dogs are three bucks, and the stand also offers canned soft drinks, shaved ice, and nachos.

Stand and Eat Shelf

Hot Diggity Dogz is indeed a hot dog stand. If you don't want yours to go, there are a couple of picnic tables and a shelf where you can eat. We ate at a picnic table, but we had the hardest time finding the trash. It was out by the street.

As we walked up, the man inside promised the best hot dog we had ever eaten. In fact, their slogan is: “The best seven inches you’ll ever get.” At three bucks, they ought to be good, and I have to say they were. The best I’ve ever eaten? Well, that’s a tough title to earn.


I opted for a couple Beach Dogs: mustard, slaw, chili, and onions. My partner opted for a couple of different dogs, the names of which escape me. One featured a ketchuppy relish that did very little for me and the other was a chili cheese dog.

Beach Dogs

As you may have heard me say, you can tell a lot about a hot dog from the slaw. Hot Diggity Dogz’ slaw was not necessarily traditional, but it was very good. I could tell it was made fresh. The chili also seemed fresh and created with care. The wieners were all-beef, so they were a bit “fancier” than the red ones that normally lie under Carolina toppings—and I like beef franks, so I was pleased.

Though the prices were a bit steep, it’s good to know that I can get a pretty good hot dog at the beach.

My verdict: 4 weenies