Carney’s is a masterpiece of nostalgia and chili cheese - Review - Los Angeles - The Infatuation
"Carney’s is the rare LA tourist attraction that’s just as beloved by locals, especially after a show and a few vodka sodas at the Whiskey a Go Go. For the past 50 or so years, this yellow rail car—which has an identical twin parked in Studio City—has sat on the Sunset Strip like a historical relic, with a menu that is twice as long as it needs to be (sorry, no one wants pasta salad from Carney’s). The must-orders here are the classic burger or the Carney’s dog, both smothered in their signature chili and shredded cheese, then topped with a thick slice of tomato, pickles, and raw onion. They’re gloopy but glorious, and especially delicious when eaten in one of the nostalgic rail car booths. Add a frozen chocolate-dipped banana for dessert—when was the last time you had one of those? photo credit: Jessie Clapp Food Rundown Carney’s Hot Dog Like every chili cheese dog ever, the one at Carney’s is a gloopy mess. But it’s also a delicious, flavorful, balanced gloopy mess. The ground beef in the smoky chili is so fine it melds into the cheese, and the raw onion, tangy pickles, and thick tomato slices cut through the richness. It’s Carney’s most famous item for a reason. If you’re feeling daring (and not worried about heartburn), swap the snappy standard frankfurter for a Red Eye, their spicy polish sausage. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Chili Cheeseburger Save for the slightly dry bun, this is a solid cheeseburger. As with the hot dog, the bright and crunchy stuff like pickles and tomato keep the chili cheese one-two punch in check. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Train Wreck Fries An improved version of In-N-Out’s animal-style fries and a must-order for the table. The straight-cut fries stay crisp under their cap of melted cheese and grilled onions, and we love the thousand island sauce perked up with extra relish. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Chocolate-Dipped Banana A two-ingredient dessert that’s prepared in front of you at the counter. No matter how many times you order one, seeing the frozen chocolate shell form in a millisecond is always satisfying. photo credit: Jessie Clapp" - Sylvio Martins
