Town Hill Tavern has always been on my radar. I lived on Willey Street for two years, and I never had the opportunity to check out Town Hill Tavern. It's on Willey Street, right in that awkward turn, beside the laundromat. I had steered clear of it before because I was warned of its smokiness. But with the ban, that's not a worry anymore. And with their "best chili dogs in town" sign out front, it was like an invitation to try it.

Despite its outward appearance, it's really quite small inside. Only a couple booths and a bar area are available. When a friend and I walked in this particular day, we were basically the only ones around. It did look as though they had a deck area, though. I didn't get a chance to check that out. There were a few paper menus folded up on the table, and we perused those as the bartender walked over to us.

I ordered a Bud Light while trying to nail down my food choices. No - not a tanker, which they're famous for. It was a light dinner. I realized they are cash only - the horror - but luckily I happened to have some cash on me. It's a rare occurrence, but it does happen from time to time.  The menu has about five special hotdogs to choose from, and you can of course make your own with their selection of toppings. But I went after their Triple Play - a dog topped with chili, cheese and slaw. Gasp! It's not a true WV-style hotdog. But hey, I like cheese, so it sounded good! I also got a side of Fritos. I honestly would have liked to see the WV hotdog as an option - chili, slaw, mustard and onions, but who am I to judge?

Our good was ushered out fairly quickly. My dog was filled with toppings, and they were all quite tasty. With those heavy toppings, it was almost a task to try to eat this without the toppings falling over. I instead tried a new methodology: scooping some of the toppings up with my Fritos and eating it that way until the dog was more manageable. All in all - a damn good hotdog.

It looks like they only do a few things, but they do them pretty well. And the atmosphere is cool, laidback and relaxed. I felt comfortable here, as we gabbed away long after our food was gone. The only big downfall is the cash-only part. But not too shabby.

Grade: B