It’s hard to think of anything negative to say about Earle’s. It’s a local institution that started as a humble hot dog cart on Venice Beach. The brick & mortar restaurant opened in 1992. It’s owned by two brothers from Brooklyn who missed NY hot dogs.

The menu is hot dog centric, but they also have burgers, sandwiches, Jamaican patties, sides (e.g., chili fries), and vegan menu. Design your own hot dog (vegan, chicken, beef, turkey) by adding any of the following toppings: ketchup, mustard, relish, mayo, chipotle mayo, NY cooked onions, BBQ sauce, raw onions, ranch, tartar sauce, hot mustard, sauerkraut, hot peppers, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, pickles. The dogs are split in half and grilled. Cheese and chili cost extra. You have a choice between a white or wheat hot dog bun.

I also noticed pies, cake slices, banana pudding, peach cobbler, coffee cake, and cheesecake.

Chicken link on a wheat bun with NY cooked onions, hot mustard, sauerkraut, vegan chili ($8.49, cheese is $1.29 and vegan chili $2.49): The split chicken link was juicy and heavily spiced (i.e., flavorful), though it was a tad too salty. The wheat hot dog bun was soft – nothing particularly special about it. The vegan chili was very saucy and had some pinto beans. It was sweet. The kraut had a nice tang. Loved the spicy mustard. It was a good dog with some toppings that you don’t find elsewhere.

Jamaican patty (chicken), $5: This was a flat patty with chicken curry filling. The shell was flaky like pot pie crust. The curry was fairly spicy and a bit too salty. The bits of chicken were very small but I could taste them. Pretty good. The crust wasn’t as hard as some of the other patties that I’ve had.

Duane Earle greeted everyone and also talked to everyone. I’m sure he’s also keeping an eye on the employees, to ensure excellent customer service. The interior had a fast food feel but it also had a lot of character with a book exchange and lots of posters and knickknacks. There are a few picnic tables outside and limited indoor seating as well.

You can order ahead over the phone or online.

4 out of 5 stars