Detroit Style Coney Island Hot Dogs
Overview
Having just wrapped up my Detroit Style Pizza posts, I'm still in a Detroit frame of mind. This post is a natural continuation of that theme. I've been to Detroit three times over the past 6 weeks. Normally, I would make it to the D 3-4 times a year for sports, live music, beer festivals and sometimes just because it's a cool city. Prior to 2021, I had last visited in January 2020. The Covid 19 pandemic pretty much put the kibosh on other would-be plans until things began opening up earlier this summer. Thank goodness because during this long hiatus, I developed a fever and there was only one thing that would cure it. No, it's not more cowbell. It's the authentic Detroit Style Coney Dog. And yes, I was thankfully able to get my coney fix this summer and my favorite coney joints appear to be alive and well.
History
I know, you're thinking "OK, we finally recognize that Detroit has it's own style of pizza, but coney dogs are a New York / New Jersey thing...aren't they?"
Well, yes and no. According to multiple sources, Nathan's Coney Island in Brooklyn has been around since 1916. Other sources indicate that Gust Keros, a Greek immigrant, opened American Coney Island on West Lafayette Street in downtown Detroit in 1917. In 1924, his brother William moved to Detroit to help out and ended up opening Lafayette Coney Island right next door. Duly Seit opened Duly's Coney Island 100 years ago (1921) in Mexicantown, south of downtown Detroit.
Regardless of who started it, coney dogs exist in every American city and in numerous forms. We're not going to cover them all here. If you are from Louisville or Cincinnati, you've probably become accustomed to Skyline and Gold Star Chili, establishments that have been around since 1949 and 1965, respectively. In my world, there's a time and a place for their "cheese coneys." Generally, that time and place is when it's been a long time since I've had a Detroit Style Coney Dog and a Cincinnati Cheese Dog will have to do. Bottom line, it's just not my favorite. Here's why: Cincinnati chili contains beans, cinnamon and is often combined with spaghetti. For their Cheese Coneys, they use dinky hot dogs on an enriched white flour bun, bean and cinnamon chili covered in about a half pound of shredded yellow cheese.
What Makes a Detroit Style Coney Island Hot Dog
In contrast, a Detroit Coney Dog also uses a plain white bun - steamed! They use natural casing hot dogs such as Koegel, Dearborn Sausage or Wolverine dogs. Ask anyone, it's all about the "snap." Detroit coney sauce contains NO BEANS or cinnamon. This sauce has enough octane without needing beans to put it over the top anyway. They don't really call it chili in Detroit. It's called Coney Sauce, which is more of a loose Greek beef sauce containing a delightful blend of spices. The Detroit coney dog is topped with diced raw white onions and yellow mustard. You can ask for cheese, but Detroiters generally shun it. Frankly, I think cheese would ruin what is otherwise an incredible flavor combo. And, I have never been brave enough to ask for it. I'd be more than a little afraid that the old man who runs Lafayette Coney Island in Detroit would backhand me with his hot dog tongs.
Coney dogs are a thing in Detroit. I read once that there are more coney joints in Detroit than there are fast food burger joints like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, et al. That should tell you something. There is one on every corner and if you ask 20 Detroiters, you'll probably hear 20 different names representing their favorites. If someone tells you they are from the D, the easiest way to confirm or call bullshit on them is to ask a simple question: "American or Lafayette?" Either answer is correct. But if they say something like "National," call bullshit and move on. National is a real coney joint established in 1965, but in my humble opinion, their food is more akin to eating at Denny's or Waffle House. It'll do at 3am, but then again Lafayette is open until 4am, so it might just be worth the drive if you're not staying downtown (Duly's, a little south of downtown is open 24 hours a day). The difference is that National has dozens of suburban locations around Detroit and Lafayette and Duly's each have one location in or near downtown. Again, I would plan to go downtown, even at 3am. Yes, it's that good.
In this post, I'm going to cover a few Detroit Style Coney Dog restaurants. I'll list them in order of my personal preference. You already know how I feel about National so I'm not going to spend time on them. There are a couple of others I have visited in Detroit and there are a couple of places in Kentucky that have claimed to do Detroit Coney Dogs. At my former restaurant Loui Loui's, we created an amazing and faithful recreation of authentic Detroit coney sauce. We used Koegel natural casing hot dogs, etc. They were fabulous. These other places, whose names I will not mention, basically took chili from a can (beans and all), spooned it on the cheapest possible hotdog and bun and served it with optional onions, cheese and mustard.
If you are intrigued by the Detroit style coney concept, you'll be pleased to know that when I do my "Mike Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is" post, I'm going to give you my authentic Detroit Style Coney Island Hot Dog recipe, step-by-step instructions and accompanying photos. If you are motivated, you can make your own damn fine coney dogs at home. If you are really motivated, get in your car and make a beeline for downtown Detroit.
Anthony Bordain
In November 2013, Anthony Bordain's CNN show Parts Unknown featured foods in Detroit. The two things that struck me about this episode were Bordain's statement: "Detroit isn't just a national treasure. It IS America. And wherever you may live, you wouldn't be there -- and wouldn't be who you are in the same way -- without Detroit. It’s where nearly everything American and great came from. The things the whole world wanted were made here."
The second thing that struck me was that the first food featured was the Detroit coney island dog. Ever since I read his book Kitchen Confidential, I thought Bordain was an insightful culinary rock star. His recognition of Detroit's status as a foodie melting pot was on-point. It would have been easy enough to forget about the city. But he didn't. Instead, he visited the ruins, walked around downtrodden neighborhoods with a beer in his hand and turned the world on to the awesome foods, including the Detroit coney island hot dog. Thank you Anthony.
In Season 2, Episode 8, Parts Unknown takes Bordain to Duly's Place in Mexicantown. You can watch the episode yourself, but what I saw was that Bordain was overwhelmed by the simplistic complexity of the Detroit style coney island hot dog, so much so that he ate one and then said, "I think I need to have another." What you don't see is what a Duly's employee told me recently. This guy was working there the day Bordain and his crew came in for a coney dog. The employee said, Bordain did his spiel, ate the coney, gave high praise to the staff for such an amazing dish, and then proceeded to walk out of the restaurant. A couple minutes later, Bordain walked back through the door and shouted that "he'd better have another." "Hell yes he did" I said to the guy. As of 2021, Duly's has been in business for 100 years. That's a pretty good run. And the interior of the place looks like it probably did when the diner opened in 1921. I will talk more about Duly's when I get to their section, but that day, Bordain made me proud that I was also "made in Detroit."
Here's my rundown of my favorite places around the D to get a real coney dog.
Lafayette Coney Island - 118 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226
Lafayette is simply my favorite. And I'm in good company because the walls are adorned with photos of celebrities who have frequented Lafayette over the decades. There's even a photo of Adam Richman (Man vs Food) in the window. I have taken dozens of out of town guests to experience their coney dogs. The joint has a vibe of an early 20th Century diner. Their attitude is very Detroit - all business, curt and to the point. The place is clean, service is fast, and the food fantastic. You can get a couple of coneys, a beer and a slice of pie for under $12.00. Parking is generally street only unless you plan to walk a few blocks. But I have never had a problem finding a spot. Even though the sports arenas are on the other end of downtown, game days bring in the customers. Despite that, I've still never had a problem getting a table or a seat at the counter. The restroom is a challenge. It's down a flight of steps that are very narrow and reminds one more of a dungeon than a basement. But, it's all part of the experience.
Frankly, I like to sit close to the action, on the Lafayette and Griswold St. end of the counter so I can watch these guys make up the coneys. I once watched the old man place about 8 buns on his arm, fill them with Koegel hot dogs and place them two to three at a time on plates, add sauce, onions and mustard in multiple fluid motions and push the places down the counter - all in about a minute. These guys can crank out the coneys. If you're a big guy like me and try to puss out by ordering only a single coney dog, they'll probably call you out. One time, I tried that because I was going right next door to American to have one of their coneys for comparison. The guy looked at me and said, "No, you need three." I said, "No thank you, one will be fine." He brought me two, and gave me a stern look as he watched me eat both. Then he said, "See?"
Zeff's Coney Island at Eastern Market - 2469 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207
The Eastern Market web site has a listing for Zeff's which says: "We proudly offer our guests the finest seafood, steaks and Mexican foods. Incredible New Orleans-inspired recipes and delicious Eastern beef, poultry, pasta and vegetables consistently earn culinary and service awards, and rave reviews from our customers." Really? I went for the coneys. Let's back up a little. I absolutely love Eastern Market. It has been in continuous operation for over 150 years. So, if you find yourself at Eastern Market or Zeff's, be sure to check out the others stores and vendors at the market. Eastern Market is an absolute treasure trove. You never know what you're going to find there. I try to visit every time I am in the D.
Since visiting Zeff's, I now have a another place to frequent in Eastern Market. If had more of a track record with Zeff's, I might be inclined to give Zeff's the top spot. The coneys were fast, delicious and cheap. We visited in July 2021 on a Saturday morning and Zeff's was absolutely jamming. We were lucky and got the last available table. There was a constant stream of people coming through the door to pick up "to-go" orders.
After taking the first bites, my son and I concluded that these coney dogs definitely gave Lafayette a run for their money. I cannot imagine their Cajun-inspired dishes, steaks, seafood or Mexican food could top their coney dogs but if you're dining with people who are not into the coney, it may be worth trying other menu items.
American Coney Island - 114 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, and next to D Bar, 301 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
American claims to be the first coney joint in Detroit. I can't back that up but they do pre-date Lafayette by a few years. American's coneys are great. Their restaurant at the corner of Lafayette and Griswold is spacious, updated and clean. They also have a spot on Fremont Street next to the D Hotel downtown. Take note of this because I'm sure my readers are more likely to get their first taste of an authentic Detroit coney dog in Las Vegas, than they are to get one in Detroit.
A cool feature about American is that they sell coney kits and ship everywhere. https://americanconeyisland.goldbelly.com/15325-american-coney-island-kits?ref=collection So, if you want to buy one of their coney kits, re-heat and assemble coney dogs for you and your guests, American may be the way to go. Their coneys are solid and flavorful. But there is something I can't put my finger on that makes me give the nod to Lafayette and Zeff's. Oh, now I remember. I got into an argument with American's owner a few years ago when he said he would sell me his coney sauce recipe for $15,000. He also noticed that I had walked out of Lafayette next door and walked into his place and stood watching the kitchen for a couple minutes before he "told me" to sit down. That interaction did not start off well.
He came to my table and asked me if I had eaten there before. I brought in a group of several people but he sensed I was a restaurant owner and had an attitude. Frankly, I almost got up and went back next door. But I said, "Yes I have eaten here before and I have eaten at your place in Vegas."
He asked, "How was it?" I said, "Well, it's awesome to be able to eat a Detroit coney dog with a beer on Freemont street." He said, "But?" I said, "But, there was something a little off. Not as good as here." The guy went off. He said, "How can that be? We ship everything to them from here. All they have to do is heat it up and put it together." I said, "I understand. I'm just saying, it's not the same."
That really pissed him off. I said, "When was the last time you were out there?" He said, "I don't know...when we opened? My sister runs that place." I said, "You might want to get on a plane."
He stomped off in a hurry to check on our order. When they brought the coneys to our table, I told him I thought his coneys were fabulous and I looked forward to seeing him next time. He asked why I was checking out the kitchen. I told him I owned a Detroit Style Pizza restaurant in Louisville and that we were doing coney dogs as well. That's when he said he'd sell me his recipe for 15 grand. I just said, "With all due respect, I think I have a pretty good recipe, my customers think so too...and it didn't cost me 15 grand." I thought his head was going to explode.
Then I looked at my watch and said something like "Oh shit, we're going to miss the first pitch. Go Tigers!"
Dix Coney Island - 1362 Dix Hwy, Lincoln Park, MI 48146 and additional locations in Allen Park, MI, Denton, TX and Sarasota, FL.
My son and I stopped in at the Dix location just south of Dearborn a few weeks ago at around 8am. A true Detroit coney joint serves coney dogs for every meal of the day including breakfast. And an excellent breakfast it was. Every aspect of their coneys was perfect and flavorful.
I think it is interesting that they have branched out to locations in the DFW area and Sarasota. Knowing that folks from Michigan love to spend the winters in Florida or the Southwest, I can only imagine how these locations came to be. That said, I have not been to those locations but since the food on their respective web sites look just like the coneys we ate in Lincoln Park, I would definitely go there if I was in town.
Duly's Place Coney Island - 5458 W Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
As discussed in the Anthony Bordain section above, Duly's Place has been around a long time. You should know that just because I list Duly's below my other top picks, their coney dogs are also terrific. This is an old timey diner that cranks out the coneys 24x7. At under $2.00 each, their coneys are cheap. The menu behind the counter looks like it probably did in the 1950s.
As is typical with most Detroit style coney dogs, they can be a "hot mess" and are best eaten with a fork. You can try to pick it up and eat it, but expect to wear the sauce, onions and mustard like a badge of courage as you take your leave. I don't care. My clothes are stained with every manner of sauce and condiment on the planet. It comes with the territory. It's important to know that Duly's is cash only. Something I love about this part of town is that it is home to several awesome cheap and gritty Mexican restaurants. If you're looking for cheap eats in Detroit, head to Mexicantown.
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