If you ever find yourself in Hollywood at the corner of La Brea and Melrose, just stop and take a whiff. That mouth-watering aroma you are taking in is from some of the best hot dogs in the world, courtesy of Pink’s.
Pink’s has been around for over 65 years. Back in 1939, it was just Paul Pink and his wheeled pushcart. A juicy chilidog covered in mustard and onions and wrapped in a warm bun only cost 10 cents. Of course, back then, you had to travel out to the “country” to get one. Hollywood was still out in the middle of nowhere. By 1946, Paul had traded in his pushcart for a modest building. As word of his tasty hotdog spread, so did his fan base. Today, celebs have Pink’s hotdogs flown to their filming locations and fans of the hotdogs line up around the corner to get a taste.
I stood in line for 45 minutes to wrap my lips around a Pink’s hotdog. The building is less than impressive – a small counter is all you can see because the only seating is behind Pink’s. There are much needed posts and ropes to keep the hungry diners in a single file line. As we stood and waited, we looked over the menu. It was most impressive. I had never thought of eating a Brooklyn Pastrami Swiss Cheese Dog or a Guacamole Dog.
I had not eating breakfast that morning and as I stood in line, I grew more and more hungry. Once we reached the front, I had decided on a Millennium Dog with Bacon. That may not sound so impressive, but it is a 12-inch jalapeño dog in a bun, smothered with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chili, grilled onions, guacamole, and bacon. I got all this for only $6.25. Now I know you may be thinking, “Wow, $6.00 is a lot for a hotdog” and I might tend to agree with you if this was just any old hotdog. But this was the best hotdog I had ever eaten. And, was it filling? Oh my, we ate it about 2:00 pm and by the time we returned home to San Diego at 11:00 pm, I was still stuffed. A full 24 hours later, I was only beginning to consider eating again.
So if you get a chance and have the time, give Pink’s a try. A trip to Pink’s is an experience you will not soon forget!