Coney Island Lunch

I’m giving this place a 4 star rating!!! This is one of those places where you go at 2am after a night of drinking! Well, I was craving a coney dog after my flood city café lunch!
I’ve never really tried anything but the coney dog. The coney dog is a hot dog with mustard, chili, and onions! It’s defiantly hit the spot!
Now coming here when your sober is different when your drunk! If you don’t like germs, don’t watch how they prepare your food!
The price of the hotdogs are about $ 2.10 per dog, it does seem kinda pricey but it’s worth the money.
Drunk or sober, it’s worth the visit. MAKE SURE You bring CASH

Get the sundowner. It’s a burger with chili sauce and fried egg, it is yummy and sloppy.
Generally a nice clean establishment for a hot dog joint.
Something or someone entertaining is bound to happen if you’re there past 11pm.

Walt one of the best hot dog places in pa and their restaurant has an old style feel to it but food is above amazing it superfragacalaliaticespealadoshese

After hearing all about it, Coney island didn’t exactly live up to the hype. All we tried were the hot dogs though. Which tasted fine… nothing ground breaking. Cafeteria style with the old style benches and lighting. Most people come here for an after-​drinking snack. I could see how the grease would be appealing in that regard. As stated before, it’s cash only.

Ah yes… as is typical, several reviewers below slam the décor… which is one of the best things about the place… sigh…this attitude again is why America is becoming so generic.
Hot dogs were OK… but really liked the hamburgers with the chili sauce better. Knew I had to have one when I saw patties sitting in a vat of juice… just like back in grade school. Tasty!
Now on to Johnstown… my goodness, you can see why it flooded… it is literally in a hole! No kidding… town is surrounded on all sides by hills, and it really seems sunken into the ground. Plus it is something of a twilight zone. Once you get in, it’s very difficult to get out if you aren’t familiar with the area. My GPS kept taking me to non-​existent streets… would go up one hill after another only to find dead ends… and once it did get its bearings, kept leading to a bridge closed for construction… over and over and over. (On a side note, kept running into a guy on a motorcycle also from out of town who had been at Coney Island Lunch… and he seemed totally lost as well). This went on for well over 20 minutes until Johnstown FINALLY decided to let me go. So I guess you should take this into account before venturing in for a hot dog… you might have to live here permanently!

I’ve been coming here since I was a wee lass. Not much has changed at Coney Island, but that’s not always a bad thing. When you first walk in, the intoxicating smells from the grill make you care less about the 1950’s décor. I have nothing but good things to say about their most famous item – the Coney Island hot dog. The dog itself is a Berk’s wiener… which I love and use at home. They are really tasty on their own. When you pair the dog with the chili sauce… magic happens! The hot dog with everything is NOT pretty. The sauce is ugly, but it’s so incredibly yummy! I also love the sundowners– hamburger with cheese, a fried egg, onions, mustard, and chili sauce. It is probably a heart attack on a bun, but it is sooooo worth it! I usually get a raisin cookie or two to round off the gorge-​fest. The cookies are just like what my grandma used to make. All in all, great place to get an inexpensive meal and they’re open late… like 4am late. Perfect place to grab a bite after a night at a bar. Cash only, though!

I enjoy myself a good wiener (get your mind out of the gutters people). Some of you may recognize this place if you watch the show American Pickers, some of you may just recognize the name, but come with me and explore an institution in the Johnstown area. I grew up in Cambria County and visited Johnstown on many occasion. For the life of me, I cannot give you a reason as to why I never ate here until now. Bad me, bad bad me.
Coney Island sits in the downtown area of Johnstown that is easily accessible by walking from just about any place within that area. The outside of the building is unique by itself. Signs informing you that they have famous hot dogs, the best hamburgers, and the most delicious coffee. They also have a corner sign that is hard to miss no matter what angle you come upon this place from. But THEE best sign is a basic globe light that has nothing more than the word «eat» on it, and that is what you are here to do my friends.
Walking in it is cafeteria style, you walk up, place your order, watch them slap it together and pay. Love the crudeness in here as well, it’s more like ‘take no bull’ attitude. There is even a sign that says they basically won’t acknowledge you if you have your cell phone in hand. The menu isn’t large and that’s not a bad thing. This is your basic grill establishment. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and grilled cheese off the grill. They do breakfast as well, but I have yet to make it there early enough to try it. There are only two sides to choose from, Cole slaw and baked beans, both homemade.
I ordered two Famous Original Coney Island Hotdogs. Those come with mustard, their homemade Coney Island chili sauce and chopped onions. I also ordered a small drink. This came to under $ 5 and had me fuller than a known chain’s foot long.
After you order, you find yourself a place to sit at one of the many tables. Much like a fast paced cafeteria you have your standard napkin holder, salt and pepper shaker on the table. The walls are lined with many articles and pictures of times gone by. When I was finished, I was hesitant as to what I should do with my tray. I looked around for any type of garbage can and there are none. That is because you have to leave it at the table. A busboy comes around, clears and cleans the tables.
Before I left I headed to the facilities. There are small and cramped and a bit scary. But honestly folks, you aren’t coming here to use the restroom, you’re here for the food.
I will be making a future trip here for sure, I want to try their Sundowner. A cheeseburger topped with a fried egg, their homemade chili sauce, mustard and chopped onions. Tell me that you can pass that up and I won’t believe you.
**CASH ONLY** **you can order their chili by the quart**

Anyone that works in Johnstown knows about Coney Island, and how the smell permeates the downtown area. The dogs are awesome! I like to go for breakfast and get bacon and eggs scrambled. Sam makes the best scrambled eggs! I like looking at all the pictures from the past. I remember some of those sites, it is very sentimental to me. Dad took me there when I was a kid, now I take my kids there.

Each time I have the opportunity to be in my hometown of Johnstown, I have to eat here. It’s a staple, a well-​known spot for hot dogs and burgers with the famous Coney Island chili on top. I know to many folks, this place would be nothing special, but to me, it epitomizes the culture of Johnstown as being a working-man’s town– a place where regular folks– young and old-​timers alike– venture downtown, a downtown that has seen its better days, struck hard by the declined economy, to enjoy a simple, filling meal of a couple of dogs or a burger or two. The food is always fresh, the servers are mostly friendly, and the food is reminiscent of a bygone era. It’s a no-​frill place, and what a place to people-​watch at any hour of the day or late night. My mom and dad told me that they used to always come here after dances and parties and to soak up the alcohol they would drink when hanging out with their friends in the 1950s and 1960s, and it seems like the perfect place for that. A trip to Johnstown is not complete without a stop at Coney Island.

An embarrassment to this city. This place has been in business since the 50’s and nothing inside the place has changed in all those years. I’ve eaten here many times and I remember my Dad bringing those hot dogs home in a paper sack when I was a kid. The hot dogs were bigger then and the chili sauce still looks like cat puke. I think people eat here because it’s a memory of their youth, not about the sad food, poor hygiene of the workers and miserable dated décor. Pass.

Great place but 1 or 2 hotdogs just isn’t enough!!! I just wish every time they go on vacation they wouldn’t raise the prices!!! Don’t really think they are worth almost two bucks a piece! 1.50 max!!!

This place is a classic! Every time my family comes in from our of town– this is automatically on the. «To do» list. We even buy the hotdogs and freeze them! We’re obsessed! Total Johnstown tradition! Regardless of age!

I was born in Johnstown in 1952 and remember Coney Island Hotdogs as long as I can remember. The workers lining the Hotdogs cl
ear up their arms was amazing. I left for the military in 1970 and Coney Island was the last place I ate before basic training. I‘ve lived many places since those days and have yet to taste anything like Coney Island. I now live in Calif and love Mexican food but it still will not beat the Smell or taste of Coney Island. Well, here I am turning 62 very soon and wish someone would just send me about 6 Coney Island Hotdogs! Daryl Mapes!!!

Very dated and dirty looking… BUT despite all that, who in Johnstown doesn’t like their burgers and hot dogs? Classic. You have to get them with everything on it! The only reason why I’m giving them a 4 is because their sauce used to taste better when the original owner was around and their prices have gone way up. And I miss the old ladies that could do math in their head! Lol

Been going here all my life. Classic establishment. This is Johnstown!
Is it to much trouble to have the luxury of being able to lock the men’s bathroom or please for the sake of complete awkwardness put up a partition/​divider around the toilet. Shame on the owner for obviously not caring enough about his patrons if they need to use the bathroom #2. Who is going to take a dump without any barrier all the while people can walk right in on you? I’m sure he will blame it on people doing drugs or vandalizing but isn’t this the cost of doing business? YIKES!

We usually have to go here if we are in town. I enjoy the coney island dog with everything. No its not appealing looking, but it is still yummy

I disagree with the writer who says you’d have to be stone cold drunk to enjoy eating here! My husband and I stopped in one night after an expensive but, how shall I say, «decidedly light» dinner at Backdoor Café. I found the place to be quite charming and authentic. The late-​night staff was super-​friendly and the other patrons provided an interesting mix. I’m not a connoisseur of hot dogs, but I thought the Coney’s offerings were solid! My Dad grew up in Johnstown over 30 years ago, and I grew up hearing him rave about this place. Still, even though I’ve lived within an hour of the area most of my life, I never made it a point to visit the Coney– In the future I will!

I just want to say DITTO to Zoran K’s review:
«This is Johnstown to the bone. It is a complete experience. It is like stepping back in time. The menu is the same and so is the décor. I miss the older Bubba type ladies working there and stacking the hot dogs up their arms, but times they are a changin…»
I just wish they were open on Sundays.

One more dissapointed «hole in the wall» loving person here.
The hotdogs were awful, very mushy with no snap and a strange aftertaste. There was way too much onion on it, and the chili had the look, consistency and color of something I’m not going to describe. Let’s just say it tasted pretty much like what I assumed it would. I tasted the onions for the rest of day, even after brushing my teeth twice.
Seeing the guy holding the dogs on his hairy forarms to add the condiments was entertaining… but that’s all that was good about this place.

Oh, how I wanted to love you. I dragged my extended family into Johnstown just for the experience.
Even after trying and being disappointed with the eponymous hot dog, I was still hopeful there could be some good food at this local institution. So, I went back for the Sundowner. No such luck.
I love old places.
I love dirty places.
I love unhealthy places.
I’ve been eating hot dogs with meat sauce all over the country, so I am familiar with the form, and I’m a fan. I even liked how the skinless franks at Coney Island Lunch picked up a nice crust on the grill which was pleasingly redolent of bacon.
It was just that their chili sauce was terrible.
So terrible my brother-​in-​law compared it with vomit.
I could see where he was coming from.
Surely, these are good when you are drunk. And I do not doubt that if you grew up with them, these dogs are good to come home to. But if you don’t fall into one of these two groups, don’t come here for the food.
The atmosphere is phenomenal. They just don’t make them like this anymore. And I don’t regret going. I only regret eating.