Crif Dogs Restaurant Review:
New Yorkers hardly need to search for a hot dog --- they’re on every street corner --- but they do need to search for a good one. Crif Dogs, a neighborhood staple in the East Village, turns out delicious (and alcohol-absorbent) variations on the humble dog late into the night. You can get a regular tube steak with all the classic toppings, but why do that, when you could help yourself instead...
"Spunky", "deep-fried" hot dogs are a "guilty pleasure" at these "gritty" tubesteak twins famed for their "fun toppings" (like bacon, avocado and cream cheese); they're a natural for "cheap", "late-night munchies", and the East Village original features a secret "speakeasy" bar accessed through a "phone booth."
It's brewski bliss at this East Village beer bazaar whose nearly 600 labels (80% domestic craft brews, 20% imported) can make for an occasionally "overwhelming" shopping experience, but you can always "ask the staff to point you in the right direction"; there's also a dozen taps flowing with an ever-changing lineup that customers can buy by the refillable growler or sample at an in-store cafe...
Gluttony reigns at Crif Dogs, where you can indulge in creative—and delicous—hot dog creations. Try the Chihuahua, bacon-wrapped and layered with avocado and sour cream. There are vegetarian dogs, too, for those who are into that kind of thing. The tater tots will banish all memories of the high school cafeteria.