A Restaurant Review for Rutt's Hut in Clifton, NJ

If you happen to live in NJ and happen to be an enthusiast of the hot dog, then Rutt's Hut should sound familiar to you. In fact, it's been promoted quite a few times in various public television food specials. I, myself, first heard about it through one of these specials. Since then, I've continued to hear much about it, both good and bad, so I figured that it was about time to visit this legend and judge it for myself. So, one Saturday, off I went.

Now, in terms of getting there, one important thing needs to be noted-if you're not sure exactly what you're looking for, it could be easy to miss Rutt's Hut and pass it by. In fact, it's so off the road and the building is so inconspicuous that even with my GPS, I passed right by it twice.

From the outside, the restaurant really doesn't look like much-a simple wood-brick building showing obvious signs of aging, nothing fancy or trendy. Going inside, it was even more of the same feeling-a makeshift eating area, fairly cramped spacing, greased stained counters, and a blue-collar atmosphere that's a far cry from anything remotely fancy. The small eating area, which was standing room only, didn't seem to promote personal private space in terms of eating, unlike typical restaurants where you can have an entire small table to yourself and your meal.

Now, at this point, I would like to mention that it was only later that I found out that Rutt's Hut actually had a separate restaurant area at the other side of the building. This restaurant area, which is complete with chairs, tables, and a bar, had its own entrance, separate from the stand-up dining area that I ended up in. Although, this restaurant area, known as the "tap room", was a nicer environment for casual dining, Rutt's Hutt's main attraction, which was its hot dogs, was offered primarily in the stand-up area that I was in (though you can also have them served in the tap room). So with that in mind, I'll just keep this review focused on the stand-up area of the restaurant, especially since it was here that my first visit was spent.

After placing my order for two hot dogs (which were about $1.80 each), I found myself instantly being served my order within less than a few seconds. Their hot dog service was so efficient and quick, to say the least, that I would imagine that it would put many fast food places to complete shame. That, my fried, is quite impressive. Now, onto the hot dogs.

Supposedly, the one thing that makes Rutt's Hut's hot dogs famous was the fact that they're deep friend. Yes, you heard me right-deep fried. This frying, in combination with their special relish (which is a secret recipe), was the thing that supposedly made their hot dogs world class.

So after I smeared the relish over my order, the moment of truth finally arrived and I bit in. And that's when it all became clear to me. The reason why Rutt's Hut didn't need to concentrate on appearance, glamour, or flashy gimmicks to attract customers was simply because their key product spoke for itself. Rutt's Hut clearly showed that it had nothing to hide (unlike some restaurants) and what I was tasting, at that moment, testified to why.

Not only were the hot dogs delicious, with a lightly crisp outside and a juicy mild taste on the inside, but the relish itself was perfect in every way-not too strong to overwhelm the taste of the dog, but also tasty enough to compliment it perfectly. With the price being so affordable and the hot dogs being so utterly delectable, I found myself having eaten 3 hot dogs by the time the experience was over and I even had the urge to go back for a fourth one! The N.J. legend certainly lived up to its reputation, in my eyes, and by the time I was back in my car, I was already planning a second incursion to the Hutt, this time with a few friends.

So from the top, here's the run down.

Pros:

- Excellent hot dogs. Perhaps, the best I ever tasted.

- Excellent complimentary relish. So unique that it deserves a point on its own.

- Excellent pricing (about $1.80 per hot dog).

- Fast, no nonsense service for their hot dogs.

- For those who enjoy the simple down to earth, road side "grease on your burger" setting, Rutt's Hut definitely invokes that feel.

Cons:

- Primary hot dog dining area cramped and provides standing room only. However, this could be remedied by dining in the tap room area of the building. From what I heard, this area tends to get busy at times so the service there may be slower than in the stand-up area.

- Can be easily missed and hard to find on the road if someone has little idea of what to look for.

Overall, Rutt's Hut receives a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars and is an excellent place, especially for those who have a love affair with the wiener. One important thing I would like to add to this review is that if you're thinking of paying a visit to this landmark, especially on a weekend for a hot dog, be sure to dress down. Given that Rutt's Hut is very informal by nature, dressing up even slightly would most likely cause you to stand out, especially if you end up in the cramped stand-up area where you'd probably have to share a counter with a complete stranger. So bear this in mind.

Rutt's Hut is located on 417 River Road, Clifton, NJ.