Nathan's Famous
Coney Island, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Opened in 1916 by Nathan Handwerker, Nathan's Famous is a real treat to visit while in the New York area. Nathan's is located on the corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues and is home to the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest which Takeru Kobayashi has been recently dominating. Kobayashi ate a world record 53 3/4 hot dogs in 1996.
Hungry? It's pretty hard to wander around Coney Island without eventually finding yourself beneath the colorful signs and glowing neon of Nathan's Famous at Surf and Stillwell avenues. The place seems to have signs everywhere you look. Hot dogs, hamburgers, seafood, french fries and that big green and yellow Nathan's marquee all compete for attention. After dark, with the neon glowing and the crowds moving past, this corner looks just about the way you'd hope Coney Island would look.
Nathan Handwerker started the whole thing here in 1916 after working at nearby Feltman's, which was already famous for its hot dogs. Nathan decided to go into business for himself with a small stand and a simple advantage. While Feltman's charged a dime for a hot dog, Nathan sold his for a nickel. Apparently Coney Island visitors appreciated a bargain just as much a century ago as they do today.
Nathan's Famous looking in
Coney Island, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
There was one little problem. Some customers were suspicious of a hot dog that cost only five cents. According to the old Nathan's story, Handwerker came up with a wonderfully Coney Island solution. He supposedly had men dress in white medical smocks and eat at the stand, giving passing customers the impression that doctors thought Nathan's hot dogs were just fine. Whether anyone asked those "doctors" for medical advice afterward is another story.
The gamble certainly worked. Nathan's grew from that little stand into one of the most recognizable names in hot dogs, but this original Coney Island location never lost its wonderfully busy roadside look. Take a walk around the building and there's enough neon and signage to keep a camera busy for a while. One of the favorites is the old "Take Home Coney Island Food" script, along with the neon hot dog character carrying his take-out box.
Nathan's Famous Marquee
Coney Island, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
And then there's the Fourth of July. Nathan's annual Hot Dog Eating Contest has turned this corner into something of a national television landmark, with crowds packing Stillwell Avenue to watch competitors consume an almost unreasonable number of hot dogs. The documented contest dates back to 1972, although Nathan's publicity has long claimed the tradition began much earlier. Either way, watching someone eat dozens of hot dogs in a few minutes probably isn't the best warm-up before ordering lunch.
Through all the changes around Coney Island, Nathan's remains right here at the same famous intersection. The Cyclone, Wonder Wheel and boardwalk may get plenty of attention, but there's something about that jumble of neon, signs and food counters that makes Nathan's every bit as much a part of the scenery.
Nathan's Famous Marquee
Coney Island, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
So if you're wandering around Coney Island and that glowing hot dog sign catches your eye, you might as well stop. After all, it's difficult to photograph Nathan's for very long without eventually getting hungry.
UPDATE: Here are a couple more photos of Nathan's at night. 01-07
UPDATE: Nathan's Famous remains open at its original Surf Avenue location and celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2026. The neon still glows, the crowds still gather, and the hot dogs continue disappearing by the thousands. 08-26
Dave's Tavern (Gone)
New York City, NY Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Wandering around Hell's Kitchen after dark, the glowing neon at Dave's Tavern was enough to catch the eye from down the block. Nothing fancy here, just an old neighborhood bar along 9th Avenue with plenty of neon in the windows and a cold drink waiting inside. 07-07
Dave's opened in 1973 and became the kind of New York watering hole where regulars had their favorite stools, the jukebox kept playing and a pool table provided some entertainment. Another house tradition was tossing peanut shells right onto the floor. Watch your step.
The place stayed open until 4 in the morning, making that neon an especially welcome sight for anyone still wandering around Hell's Kitchen long after midnight.
UPDATE: Dave's Tavern has closed, and the familiar neon signs have been removed. The old storefront has since been remodeled for another bar. 08-26
Stardust Diner
New York City, NY Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
With all the lights around Broadway, it takes some pretty good neon to stand out. Ellen's Stardust Diner does just that, glowing away at Broadway and 51st Street with enough lights to bring a little old Las Vegas to New York City. 01-07
The Stardust opened in 1987 as a 1950s-themed restaurant filled with old photos and retro memorabilia. Founder Ellen Hart Sturm even had a bit of New York history herself, having been chosen as "Miss Subways" back in 1959.
The real show, though, comes with dinner. Ellen's is famous for its singing waitstaff, known as the Stardusters. Don't be surprised if the person bringing your burger suddenly grabs a microphone and belts out a Broadway tune. Quite a few former Stardusters have gone on to appear in shows including Wicked, Jersey Boys and The Lion King. The diner also turned up in the 2011 movie New Year's Eve with Sarah Jessica Parker.
The Stardust name was especially fitting when this photo was taken. Just a couple months later, the famous Stardust hotel and casino in Las Vegas would be imploded. Fortunately, this Stardust kept right on glowing.
UPDATE: Ellen's Stardust Diner remains open and busy, with the neon shining and the Stardusters still singing between orders. 08-26
Lombardo's Grill (Closed)
Albany, NY Photo courtesy
Rick Ibsen
That big neon blade hanging over Madison Avenue made Lombardo's Grill pretty hard to miss, especially once the sun went down. The old sign pointed hungry travelers toward an Albany Italian restaurant with roots going back to 1919. 10-09
After Prohibition ended in 1933, Lombardo's expanded into the neighboring storefront and added its memorable barroom. Inside were dark wood booths, pressed-tin ceilings and old murals reportedly painted by an artist who traded his work for meals. Not a bad way to pay the tab.
For generations, Lombardo's was an Albany gathering place for family dinners, celebrations and more than a few local politicians. The Lombardo family sold the restaurant in 1991, but much of its old character remained.
UPDATE: Lombardo's closed on New Year's Eve 2018. The building later became Hattie's, which opened in 2024. Thankfully, the great old blade sign survived too. It was restored and changed to read Hattie's while keeping much of its familiar vintage look. 08-26
Faneuil Hall Cheers (Gone)
Boston, MA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Fans of the TV show will recognize that familiar Faneuil Hall Cheers entrance right away. This one was at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where visitors could step inside and belly up to a replica of the famous bar from the long-running television series. Yep, a place where everybody knows your name, or at least the theme song. 02-08
The Faneuil Hall Cheers opened in 2001 and was designed more for fans of the show than historical accuracy. Inside was a recreation of the familiar island bar seen every week on TV, surrounded by plenty of Cheers memorabilia. The original Beacon Hill pub that inspired the series actually looks quite different inside since the television bar itself was a Hollywood set.
Cheers ran on NBC from 1982 to 1993, with Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt and the rest of the gang turning that fictional Boston watering hole into one of television's best-known hangouts. The real exterior seen on the show belongs to the former Bull & Finch Pub at 84 Beacon Street in Beacon Hill, which later adopted the Cheers name and remains a popular Boston stop.
UPDATE: The Faneuil Hall Cheers served its last round on August 30, 2020, after nearly 20 years in business. The replica location permanently closed and its familiar Cheers signs were removed. The original Cheers on Beacon Street, however, is still open, so there is still a place in Boston where everybody knows your name. 08-26
Lombardo's Grill (Closed)
