Tommy's Italian Sausage & Hot Dogs

We took a drive to Elizabeth, NJ, to try Tommy’s Italian Sausage and Hotdogs. According to their sign, they were voted the best in 2018, so we had to see what the hype was about. It turned out to be a unique twist on a classic favorite. I ordered a hotdog and a sausage, both served with sliced potatoes in pita bread—definitely not something I’d had before. The combination was delicious and very different from the usual fare. At first glance, I wondered how in the world I was supposed to eat something that size, and sure enough, I couldn’t finish it! If you plan on visiting, don’t expect indoor seating—this is a walk-up window spot where you order and get your food quickly. We ate in our car, but on a nice spring day, you could grab a bench across the street. Since we live too far away to take it home, eating on the spot was our best option. Would I go again? Yes, the drive wasn’t bad, and the food was worth it. The only downside was the parking—it was a bit of a nightmare, though that may have been due to the time of day (evening, when everyone was home from work). Overall, a fun and tasty experience!

Tommy’s is the definition of a local legend. I finally made the trip to Elizabeth to try the famous Italian sausage sandwich, and it absolutely lived up to the hype — and then some. The sausage was juicy, flavorful, and perfectly grilled, tucked inside that signature pizza-style bread that holds everything together like a dream. The fried potatoes, onions, and peppers on top? Crispy, greasy perfection in the best way possible 10 out of 10 must try again

At first glance, one might merely shrug this place off as "Oh, just another hot dog stand". However, it takes more than just a nice looking front to make a great hot dog establishment. And this where Tommy's excels. The hot dogs and sausages are top quality, the chili quite palatable, and the cup of potatoes is a satisfying compliment to your sandwich. The prices are very reasonable as well, and the service is very attentive and accommodating. There is only one drawback, and that one is a common occurrence with stands of this kind. There is almost no place to eat your food here, unless you want to sidle up to a narrow ledge and have a standing meal, or go across the street to Olympia Square and sit down on a narrow cement block. The quality of it all is worth it though.

I visited Tommy’s on 5/31 and it didn’t disappoint me at all. I had the Double Italian Hotdog with everything on it and also bought potatoes in a cup which was delicious. It’s hard finding a good Italian hotdog spot nowadays especially a place that has great quality and flavor. The service was amazing from the time I walked up to the window until I left. If I’m in the Elizabeth, I’ll love to come back. Keep up the great work guys. Grade A.

Haven’t been here in 20 yrs. The food is great as always.I’m 2 hours away and it’s worth the drive. The cheese steaks are amazing.my wife loved the hot dogs. The potatoes are well worth ordering.

$ 12.00 for 3 hotdogs 🌭 a bit pricey. My husband use to come here since he was a little boy. But I guess times change. Sauce with onions is good. But I. Reality there isn't much of a culinary experience when eating hot dogs.

The Best Hot Dog in NJ? You can make that argument. It was a good experience once I finally arrived. The parking is a real pain , but that was to be expected. Heard so much about this place over the years, not sure it met such high expectations. The Italian Hot Dog was really hard to eat. More potatoes than Hot Dog so it was difficult to judge the hot dog itself. It was good, not sure I would go out of my way again, but you cant have that kind of success if you don't know what you are doing. Worth trying.

Second stop on our trip from VA to Newark for hockey game on Saturday. Another old-school place that has been on my goal list for a long time. The place is in a very urban area, tough to find street parking, I would suggest the public parking lot at the SE corner at intersection of Elizabeth Ave. & S.Reid St. It is really just a window service place, not a restaurant of any kind. But that is not a knock, it is the vintage charm that makes it a great place to try. In addition, the Italian style hot dogs in pizza bread, are fantastic. The sandwich is really sort of stuffed pizza bread pita, as seen in photo. Order with everything, meaning onions , peppers & potatoes. The amount of potatoes included in the sandwich is over-whelming. I wouldn’t order a separate cup of potatoes. It’s just too much food! It can be messy, take or bring plenty of napkins. Another suggestion- bring your own paper plates and plastic cutlery! The sandwich is wrapped in foil and the only utensil is a little wooden fork-spear, like the ones at Nathan’s. But the potato slices at Tommy’s are so huge, the wood fork-spear can’t handle the weight. All that said the sandwich is awesome, great grilled hot dogs and all the toppings provide nice depth of flavors. A must visit, if your hungry, don’t go for just a snack, it’s a great meal!

About to hop a flight to NOLA from Newark so I hit up Tommy's Italian Sausage in Elizabeth. Wanted to also hit Jerry's but he closed the gate as I was walking up...maybe next time. I've had the sausage/dog combo before that's like an Italian Dog and I loved it but I had never just had some good old doggies here so I grabbed a couple. Went with 1 with red onions and mustard and 1 with chili, diced onion, and mustard. I love red onions, just a big nostalgia thing to my youth getting dogs in Coney Island at Nathan's. These onions were tasty. The chili wasn't what I was expecting but the crunch from the diced onion was welcomed. The rolls tasted fresh and the dogs had a fantastic snap and delicious flavor. No surprise here - Tommy's - Didn't Suck!

The iconic Newark style Italian Hot Dog! Braving yesterday's windy, rainy weather, I arrived in Elizabeth, NJ. Having moved far from the area, all my old memories of time spent at Tommy's came flooding back. Glad they were open, considering the weather, I watched Mr. Miz? (Not sure of his name due to the driving rain) create a double dog with onions, peppers and a healthy pile of potatoes. Add some mustard and catsup and I was good to go! There is a Municipal lot one block away (Parking Lot #3) so don't sweat street parking. Sat in my car and enjoyed a huge meal on a soft, fresh pita style bead. Heaven! Looking forward to a return visit.

A New Jersey institution! The sweet ketchup and perfectly prepared potatoes combine with the hot dogs to produce a memorable meal.

Worst hot dog spot. Takes long and they throw toppings on the hot dog without putting it in the bun like any topping does. Also the pricing is horrible.

share my experience at Tommy's Italian Hotdogs have been a loyal customer for years, and I must say they offer an excellent variety of hotdogs and the food is simply outstanding. I highly recommend giving them a try. [Your Name]

Good Italian dog. Cant beat it. Place is unchanged and there for over 50 yrs. Friendly service. Takeout only.

BEST hot dogs and italian ssgs in NJ. Service is always good too. Keep up the GREAT WORK.

Used to be good. Had a sausage, pepper & onion. Sausage was dry and very few onions & peppers. For 13.50 there are better choices in the area.

Best italian sausage with the works around. Always a treat to get one. It's iconic and a land mark. The potatoes on top really enhance the flavor.

Love the dogs here. Patient people and helpful as I don't frequent and did not know the menu. Five stars

Worst Italian sausage hotdog combo I ever had in my life . First the bread wasn't the freshest , sausage had a funny rancid taste too it but worst of all was the greasiest , mooshiest potatoes I have ever tasted tossed the whole thing in the garbage !!! The 3 dirty water dogs were ok but again not the freshest bread , it pains me to leave this review being an very old customer of this establishment but it was so bad it actually made me angry that they could serve such garbage , shape up Tommy's or ship out !

What can I say the most messy and delish ever! The hotdog was so tasty. Love the presentation of course until I raveled it. So glad I found this little hotdog cove

Soggy potatoes funky tasting sausages ( not in a good way ) overall quality super poor For almost $25 for 2 Italian sandwiches i quite sure there are more edible options

Stopped in today on a road trip. Ordered from Tommy #3. Nice as can be. Hotdog was great. Good bread, great snap. Hot relish was just right. Dressed differently theis would compete w Chicago Dog at Portillo's or Parky's. Sausage was awesome. Pizza bread was wonderful. Peppers and onions just right. Small was a perfect portion even for a big guy. Caution it comes with a generous portion of potatoes so no cup of taters needed.

For the one time a year I crave an IHD this is where I come. I get a combo double, with extra crispy potatoes. Out of towners love the gritty charm of the area. In late spring through early fall I double up with an Italian ice at nearby DiCosmo's'

Italian Hot Dog is the best loaded with sliced potatoes peppers and onions. Called ahead it was ready when arrived.

A classic Elizabeth spot. The hot dogs and sausages are delicious covered in sautéed onions and peppers, the fries are perfect. The employees talk with a Jersey accent. You're in and out with hot delicious food quick. What more do you want?

Super messy and super delicious, just the way it is supposed to be. I love this place

Not in the best area of Elizabeth, NJ. Homeless all around. They are known for the Italian hot dog, but I opted for a regular hot dog. Nothing special at all. Not like places that fry their hot dogs and get the "ripper" effect, but it was simply a dirty water type dog They are also known for their potatoes in a cup. I opted for cheese on mine and it was a huge mistake. A pile of fresh fried potatoes still stuck together loaded with cheese and wrapped up in foil. Quite inedible. My own fault. Should have tried them on their own. Tasty but messy

I've been eating Italian hot dogs since the 60's and hands down this is the best IHD available. Potatoes are slices and cooked perfectly. Not cut in cubes. Onions are also cooked correctly. They should almost be "mushy" not undercooked. I drive about 13 miles and my go-to order is 2 dogs with chili, cooked onions for the drive home & a double combo, hot dog and Italian sausage with Potatoes , onions , no peppers, and mustard for later. It can be slow as one order/customer at a time. Tryst me, it's all worth it. I'm going there later

This is a classic Italian hotdog spot in a good way! I've been here twice, each time getting a double Italian hotdog. Although I've never tried anything else here, I have to say the sandwich is actually really good! One of the reasons I came here is because they were voted one of the top hot dog spots in New Jersey and they were right! My hotdog came with potatoes, ketchup, mustard, onions and peppers if you want it. Once it is your turn to order, the nice gentleman working here will ask you what you would like on your hotdog and from there it is made quickly and efficiently. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because parking is very limited to street parking. Additionally, there is no where to sit down - you can only take out at this place. Hopefully, with the great publicity this place will expand.

Stopped by here on the way back from the shore after reading a Grub Street article that mentioned it as one of the best hot dogs in NJ. Street parking in the area was sparse on a Saturday early evening and there's no where to sit and eat after getting your food. That being said, the service was good and the food was clearly fresh. We had Italian hot dogs served as recommended with peppers onions and potatoes. Plus we tried the potatoes in a cup themselves. The hot dog was pretty good, but the ketchup was only on the top so the bottom got pretty dry. I prefer the dog from Jimmy Buff's, where there was mustard and ketchup under the dog as well. The potatoes were so hot we couldn't touch the bag, and they were still very warm when we got back home 45 minutes later. Honestly ate them the next day, cold, and they were still pretty good so that's saying something.

Me and my family are always in search of great eats. Cheap eats and hole in the wall places serve of some pretty tasty dishes for a reasonable price. Tommy's is no different they keep a fairly simple menu with some reasonable prices. The food is done in a short period of time so no long waits. The works hot dogs and potatoes in a cup are pretty yummy. Fresh thin cut potatoes fried and put in a cup with ketchup . The fried chicken sandwich was ok nothing special it was a very thinly sliced piece of chicken breaded and fried ours was a tad over fried. I guess the specialty is hot dogs and Italian hotdogs. I would come back for a hotdog and potatoes

i am oh so disappointed in the quality of food i ordered today i wish i can give them a negative 10 stars. no choice of drinks the guy jacked up the price as we wer eating. i ate here as a child more than 40 years ago, now this place needs to be turned over to better hands. THE POTATOES IN A CUP ? More like crap in a bucket , it's all bad !

I hate to give a bad review but the food is horrible. After a few bites I had to vomit that never happened before. Won't be going back ever!

A staple in Downtown Elizabeth and arguably the best hot dog, and best Italian hot dog in NJ and perhaps anywhere. Found on Elizabeth Ave. is this small walk-up shop with colorful signage. The options and prices are all easily laid out for you, and the staff is extremely helpful. The service is extremely quick and efficient, and often you'll be in hot dog heaven soon enough. Their hot dogs are Best's Dogs cooked to perfection, with a nice crisp. They also make homemade sausage everyday. My favorite thing to order here is either the double Italian hot dog, which is two hot dogs served on a fresh pizza dough bread roll, with peppers and onions, and outrageous fresh sliced potatoes.

Ordered the Italian sausage and it was delicious! Peppers onion and the sliced potato !!!!! It was awesome. Service was really fast and dude was really friendly! If you see this plz add a bit more ketchup on the potato slices it's a lot of potato for the ketchup ratio

I've been going to Tommy since I was a little kid...The sausage and hot dogs are out of this world!!! Tommy makes the sausage himself every week. ALWAYS fresh never frozen!!! My favorite thing to get here is the Italian hot dog with sausage and a hotdog on the pizza roll. Pepper s and onions and of course loaded with potatoes!!!! SLAMMING!!!! By far the best food on the planet!!!! Also be sure to try one of their chicken cutlet sandwiches!!!! Great as well!!!!

Had the medium size sausage sandwich today. It only had a small piece of sausage engulfed by a big hunk of bread. Could have used at least 3 times more meat. When I was able to find a bite of sausage it was good.

I went there with my friends it's I remember there was a old guy making the hot dogs for me n my friends one of my friends said to the old guy that's the way you do it !! Meaning it looks good the way he's making it so the old guy looks at my friend and says what!! I've been doing this for a long time don't tell me how I do it !! That's what the old man said to him so I said com down sir he didn't mean it like that , he says to me we'll take your hot dogs let him make them I wanna see how he does it ... I swear I'm not lieing this is a true story there was a old man at the window going back more than 10 years ago

The best hot dogs I've in town. Order regular dog with ketchup and mustard or go for broke and get the double Italiano hot dog with the works! Either way you come out a winner.

I grew up living on Jaques Street and could see this place from my front door. My mom used to send me running for Italian Hotdogs at least once a month and they make them the same way now. Get a double with peppers onions and potatoes and mustard no ketchup. the bread is a big part of what makes this delicious. buy two rounds of that to take home and make pepper and egg sandwiches for breakfast the next day. great food, great place, great people running it.

I grew up in Irvington and LOVED Jimmy Buffs, but if you watched them make the Italian hot dogs you could see that the dogs, onions and peppers were actually swimming in a vat of oil. Guess that's what made them so good -- when you're young you can eat anything. This is a review of Tommy 's, which takes Jimmy Buffs to a whole new level. Instead of potatoes swimming in oil, the potatoes are crispy, the Italian bread is yummy, everything is great. Don't go there for just a hot dog, if you want a plain hot dog go to the neighbor down the street- Jerry's. Go to Tommy's for the only in NJ special Italian hot dogs (or try the sausage also). Hot dogs ( or sausage) in that special Italian roll with onions and peppers. The best Italian dogs in NJ - and I grew up on Jimmy Buffs!

one of the orginals in elizabeth a must go if your into italian hotdog. been there many years there and is well known in town.

Amazing service always .. Both men are fast and the dogs are fresh an delicious. It's located on a busy street an parking is not so well but that shouldn't stop u from stopping at this place. The potatoes in a cup are one of my favorites .. Their chicken sandwich are delicious .. Fresh chicken and fresh toppings of ur choice . Also I recommend their Italian sausage sandwiches which are Really big u could share 1 ! Prices are reasonable as well. They also have drinks .. Fountain / bottle And cans! I recommend anyone who loves hotdogs to stop by this place

The Hot Dog crew at work today decided to venture into Elizabeth to try both Jerry's and Tommy's. In my quest to find that elusive 'best hot dog' place in the state these two needed to be tried-especially since they both made the NJ.com list of best 25 hot dog places in NJ. Tommy's was much higher on that list (number 4 I think) and after eating here I'm in agreement that Tommy's is the better stop. We stopped at Tommy's first and I wanted to keep it simple so I could compare...I ordered one chili-cheese dog and one with kraut, mustard and hot red onions. As soon as we walked up the guy jumped on taking our orders and and the service was quick. Two dogs and a grape soda for $6. My partners in crime ordered a chili dog and one with kraut and mustard; a one had a sausage with onions, peppers and potatoes; one had a chili and kraut; and I can't remember what the lst one had as I was already eating when she got hers... Ok, so here goes - I loved the Chili cheese dog at Tommy's - LOVED the chili and love the fact that they use delicious Best's dogs that snap when you bite into them. I also like the kraut, mustard and red onions dog, but I actually liked the Jerry's dog better - I don't know if it was that the onions at Jerry's were cooked differently or the flavor came through a bit more, but Jerry's was better for this one. If you read my Jerry's review, I wasn't a fan of their chili as they include cinnamon in the recipe and it didn't work for me (though my one buddy loved it). This is only the second place I've been where they add cinnamon to their chili (the other place being The Hot Grill in Clifton) and I didn't care for it. Overall a very good effort and I would definitely stop here at Tommy's again. The local ambiance here was actually something we liked - we don't generally care where a place is located if they have good dogs and there are lots of locals hanging around which gives this place some character...there was one guy there who just seemed like he was Norm from Cheer's...everybody knew his name.

Omg!!! This little piece of heaven is amazing! I can't believe that it has taken me so long to try this cute dive place. My parents swear by it and now I see why! You walk up to the window and order a small, medium, or large and within minutes your order is prepared. The owner/manager remembered my dad from years ago and that was pretty cool since its been 11+ years since we've been back to Nj. The sausage pita or as my mom calls it sausage in a cup was absolutely delicious...omg!!! I can't say that enough either. The peppers and onions are sauteed just right, the Italian Sausage is way beyond deliciously mouth watering...omg!!! If this place is not on your list as a foodie...then you need to take your name of the list as a foodie!!! Sn: get a cup of the hot/red peppers they taste sooo sooo damn good on the sausage and potatoes. Oh yeah and before I completely forget it's a CASH ONLY establishment with only a walk up window

The one and only home of the best Italian Hotdog. Two big hot dogs with peppers, onions and the most delicious potatoes. If you like Italian hotdogs you must go here.

Went there today, potatoes were greasy, soggy and stuck together. Sausage was dried out. Do yourself a favor and go to Dickie Dees on Bloomfield Ave. In Newark. The best Italian Style hot dog around today.

I have been hearing about these hot dogs forever! I finally got around to trying them and it was absolutely amazing to me. I got 2 hot dogs, one had sauerkraut and mustard the other had chili. I also got a cup of fries which was absolutely amazing. I will note that when I ordered the chili dog I expected meat in chili, however this tasted more like a sauce with lots of cooked onions in it. It was not what I expected but it was also not bad either. I am a big fan of round fried potatoes, so I absolutely enjoyed the cup of fries. Next I will go for an Italian hot dog served on the real bread, not just a regular roll like a lot of places do.

Life begins in the form of chili dogs for me at Tommy's Italian Sausage and Hot Dogs. Stood right at the window and devoured 2 dogs and then had to get another since I was still standing here. At $2.25 each you can't go wrong. So much yum to their chili and the heat isn't overpowering at all, but you feel it after the third or fourth bite.

A very good hot dog spot in Elizabeth. Been around forever, passed down from one generation to the next. Good quality dog. Bun good too. Chili was ok. Not the best hot dog spot in NJ, but definitely worth the trip and experience going there. Potatoes in a cup are great. Must try.

Stopped by for a bite to eat. Told them my friend referred me and that I had never been there before. The guys behind the counter took the time to walk me through everything they had, were very patient with me. Awesome!!! Will definitely go back

Always on point, I recommend the hot dogs with a side of potatoes in a Cup. Staff is always polite and efficient in serving your food, this spot is a grab and go staple in Elizabeth.

Not like it use to be! Happened to be in the area. I hadn't had an Italian Hot Dog at Tommys since 1968! Not what I remembered. Potatoes were soggy. Bread and Dogs OK. Better than no Italian hot dog at all...but had better!

This has has to be one of the best places to get Italian style hot dogs and sausages, hands down.

My husband and I ordered their chili dog, a dog with mustard and kraut, and an Italian with two dogs, peppers, onions and potatoes on a pizza roll ($7). The hotdogs themselves are very flavorful and have an excellent snap! The chili was sort of a combination of chili and red onions, which I really enjoyed. It complimented the hotdog very well. In regards to the kraut, it was very fresh and not as pickled-tasting as the kraut at Jerry's (two doors down). The kraut and mustard didn't overwhelm the hotdog. The pizza roll was a behemoth! The peppers and onions were really delicious - slightly sweet and not overcooked. The potatoes were well-cooked and the edges were slightly crisp like a potato chip. Friggin' awesome! The pizza roll was a nice crisp hearty roll and held up well to the ingredients. I requested ketchup on it, and I thought it complimented it well. Like Jerry's, this location does not have any seating. Most customers either took the dogs to-go or ate them in their cars. My husband and I brought them to a few benches located just across the street. Overall, this is a great hotdog spot. I think their forte is the dog itself. It's flavorful without being too salty and has a great snap when you bite into it. They've carefully created toppings that won't overshadow it's flavor, and I really appreciate that!

It seems like I am on an "unofficial" tour of hot dog joints on this trip back to NJ. I think that journey is now "officially" over. Although I'm happy with the food I've eaten so far on this trip, I feel like I might be losing years at the end of my life due to it. It is with a heavy (literally) heart that I type this review for you. I made the trip to Elizabeth on a spring like fall day to go enjoy an Italian hot dog sandwich. I'll admit that I read J.P.'s review and grabbed my food and took it over to Warinanco Park, but I'll get back to that in a bit. First I needed to find a place to park. I made a few loops around the block until I found a spot right in front. I knew I wasn't staying as Tommy's has a walk up window, so I didn't put any money in the meter. Don't tell the Elizabeth parking authority. I figured that I might as well go for it, but I didn't go all the way. I had the double hot dog. They actually have a triple hot dog, but I didn't think I was ready for that challenge. The double hot dog comes stuffed with onions, peppers, ketchup and sliced potatoes. I'm not usually a ketchup and hot dog kind of guy, but that is how it is done here and if isn't broke, don't fix it. This is all shoved into a large chunk of pizza bread. Basically a pita on steroids, this is a massive amount of bread. $10 with tip and I was out of there. As soon as the man handed me the bag with the hot dog in it it already started getting grease spots on the bottom. I took my food to the park. I'm glad I read the previous review as I really didn't want to eat this in the rental car I had. If I had tried, I'm sure most of it would have ended up on my lap. I took the drive a few miles down the road and found Warinanco Park. As I said it was a beautiful day so I found a table and set out my food on top. This was a monster amount of food. First off I decided to eat a few of the potatoes first. There was no way I would be able to get this in my mouth without consuming some of the potatoes first. I ended up moving the potatoes to the side (see photo) and eating the rest whilst enjoying the potatoes like fries. The hot dogs had a nice snap to them. The peppers and onions were just about perfect. Actually once I removed the potatoes this wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be. The bread was kind of airy. Not overly dense. Also I wasn't completely full and sleepy after finishing. Tommy's is another in a long line of places that you will find scattered around this area. Well worth the trip if you are a hot dog fan.

I work in the area and every year I take the summer Interns out for one last meal. That meal is Tommy's Italian hot dogs. I pick up a couple of doubles and and couple of triples call some retirees up and head down to Warinanco Park. You can't beat the amount of food that's stuffed into the Italian half bread the peppers onions and potatoes plus the dogs make it an ultimate meal its not for the meek but for Italian hot dog lovers