Carney's Restaurant — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Climb aboard John and Pat Wolfe's Union Pacific dining car, parked at it's "Ventura Boulevard Station," and experience some of the best dogs or burgers you've ever had.

Pulitzer-prize-winning, LA restaurant critic Jonathan Gold's "List of 99 Essential Los Angeles Eateries" praises CARNEY'S RESTAURANT

Since 1981, their Studio City dining car menu has included all beef hot dogs, burgers, and french fries, as well as, in recent years, vegan and turkey burgers, salads, and chill. Gluten-free hamburger and hot dogs buns are available. (If you're a celiac patient, ask them to clean the grill.) The serving of French fries, cooked to order in gluten free oil, is generous. (I ask for extra crisp.) No onion rings or other fried vegetables are available.

The staff is efficient but not talkative.

Prices are moderate and the proportions are large.

Napkins are replaced with paper towels from dispensers located in the center, as well at either end of the dining car.

Be sure to pump ketchup from the self-serve dispenser. There's also a selection of whole and sliced jalapeno peppers. Paper and plastic dipping cups are located to the left of the dispenser.

I ordered a vegan, well-done, Hungry Planet Burger, which came loaded with lettuce, tomato, chopped onions, ketchup, and pickle slices. It is huge and surprisingly good. The large order of well-done, unsalted fries is enough for two or three. (Packets of salt are offered.)

Since this is a real train car and caboose, to enter, there are many stairs to climb. They added a long, fairly steep ramp for wheelchair accessibility. The multi-level patio is not wheelchair accessible.

Seating is available both inside the car and on the multi-level patio. However, you order and pick up your meal, from the counter, inside the car.

Because Carney's is popular, and the order taking is one customer at a time, expect a delay. If you're with a party have someone look for an empty table. The "passengers" fill the tables inside, but the umbrella protected patio is generally available.

GrubHub deliveries are available.

Parking is wheelchair accessible and free. The bathrooms, located in the attached caboose, are ADA...

Look, it's just a hot dog joint, and it's just not that good anymore. They don't have good food, a friendly staff, nor any room in which to eat. You can get a much better hot dog just down the street at Art's Deli (a Studio City classic, with excellent food, in an immaculate restaurant, for less money, and a great deal more elbow room).

The Carney’s of today has no resemblance with the fun powerhouse of the mid-70s. Carney’s was founded in 1975 by John Wolfe, Sr. and his wife Pat Wolfe. Together, they worked countless hours building the restaurant into a Sunset Strip destination. In a time when hamburger establishments were popping up all over the place, John chose to build a restaurant out of an old Pacific Railroad passenger train. Being a former radio executive, he understood the importance of lasting impressions and being different. Not only was John good at publicity, but he could also cook amazing burgers and hot dogs.

Don't pay any attention to those starry-eyed reviewers who give this place 5 stars. They must be living in the past. It's dirty, slow, and crowded. Three thumbs down....

Carney's Hot Dog / chili, mustard, tomato, onion - 5 🌟! Chicagoan / mustard, relish, onions - 5 🌟!

I love the Sunset Blvd location for Carney's, and I knew about the Studio City location but had never been before. There is no real reason for that, but I was in the area to take my cat to a vet visit. I decided it was the perfect time to stop by and see what this location was like.

It is just as great as their Sunset spot. They seem to have more space to spread out, but like the other location, the main feature is their rail car design, which gives the entire experience a fun visual element. I opted for their patio seating and enjoyed watching the Ventura Blvd travelers going by.

I have a standard order for Carney's, a Carney dog for the chili, and a Chicagoan for no chili. I love the thick slices of tomatoes mixed with the chili, and the mustard mixed with relish is amazing on the other. They have a bigger menu that includes sides, hamburgers, and other sandwiches.

Great spot with a cool vibe and...