Papaya King

Great NY dog!
I try to make a pilgrimage here every time I’m on this side of the world and it’s not just for that a-​dor-​dable mascot.
Great snap on the franks, sweet onions, and refreshing tropical «Kool-​Aid».
Would take this quick lunch over Shake Shack any day of the week.
Long live the King.

One of the most famous quick & cheap eats of NYC is Papaya King. I know there are other «Papaya» guys out there, like Gray’s Papaya Dog (founded by a former partner of Papaya King), and Papaya Dog, but I believe Papaya King is the oldest, and original.
The inside is really narrow. the first half of the space gets pretty packed with people ordering, picking up the food, and eating on the counter right across from it. They have menu everywhere, so you won’t have too much trouble looking at all that they offer. Just keep in mind, they are «Cash Only» and don’t even accept a bill larger than $ 20.
This is indeed a «stand» so there is no table seating, only counters along the windows. If you can get the counter space all the way to the back, it is much less crowded. They have ketchup and mustard on the counter if you need to add them to your food.
Needless to say, this type of food is not something we should eat often, but every once in a while, I get crazy cravings for these bad food. If you have one of those cravings and don’t want to spend too much money, walk over to one of their locations for a solid, good ol’ franks and some other tasty sides! Read my full review of this place and food my food blog, foodlovergirl.

Quick and easy place for some good NY hotdogs.

On oublie les Hot Dog de rue, ça né me donne vraiment pas envie. Cette odeur qui s’en échappe, quel horreur. Bref, du coup je suis plutôt aller au Papaya King pour en dévorer un avec des recettes plus appétissantes et des choix de menus à prix mini.
Ici on dit «Frankfurters» car c’est le nom allemand d’origine de plusieurs sortes de saucisses. J’ai opté pour une formule à 6 € avec un hot dogs, curly fries et une boisson (coconut champagne) parmi un choix de 8 saveurs.
La saucisse légèrement grillé comme il faut, placé entre deux tranches de pains brioché moelleux et enrobé d’oignons savoureux. Les frites se mangent bien et le tout peut s’accompagner de ketchup et moutarde à volonté. Reste la boisson, surprenante au départ et rafraichissante mais qui perds rapidement de son intérêt pour se retrouver avec une bonne partie des morceaux de noix de coco au fond du récipient.

So this place is greasy and fatty good. We ordered a smoothy and was at room temperature. That deserves a 1 star, but they did have footlong dogs for $ 4.50, so that saved it from a one star review. Fruit didn’t look fresh either. We will not go back for a smoothy, but we might go back for a footlong

Great spot to grab an NYC hot dog.
Sometimes, I look out my apartment window to find Papaya King’s florescent lights staring me down. It is not always easy to resist such temptations knowing that iconic sign is the gateway to awesome hot dogs and tropical drinks, which have been served in this location for over 80 years. If people like Anthony Bourdain, Julia Child, and Martha Stewart say this place is good, then I know my taste buds are on to something right.
You get a feel of the original owners’ concept once you walk inside — frankfurter meets juice stand. There are two ordering sections on either side of the large grill cooking up hot dogs. There are also countertops where you can eat your food standing if you decide to stick around, but I normally take my order to-​go. While it is a tight space, I find its simplicity to be a nice change of pace.
It goes without saying that I am a fan of the food. I typically order the «Grand Slam» combo, which comes with 2 specialty franks or 3 classic franks, medium drink, and curly fries. There are plenty of options for combinations so I recommend checking out the entire menu before making a decision. Some of my favorites include the classic frank with sautéed onions and the C&C (specialty frank with chili and cheese). The Papaya Pride smoothie is also a solid choice.
I highly recommend stopping by if you like hot dogs or papaya drinks. I cannot wait to go back!

Delicious hot dogs!!!
Go here!!!
It’s great and convenient!!!

Nothing special. The hot dogs were okay. Something that I could and you could have made at the house.

Best hot dogs in New York. UES institution. Nathan’s can’t compete. The tropical drinks are an added bonus.

Exquisite, classic New Yrok, cheap ass hot dogs. I’m a big fan of the slaw dog. The papaya juice isn’t for everyone but to me it is NECTAR FROM HEAVEN.
The place itself is quite small. I highly recommend taking the food to go and grab some grass at Central Park nearby.

The most delicious hot dog in New York City at an unbeatable price. Enough said.
The french fries (especially the curly fries), however, I’m not so keen on. But definitely would go back for a plain hot dog again.

On Tuesday night, I was really famished and work made me angry. I needed to get out of there. Most importantly, I needed something different than my usual lunch spots. I decided to go to Papaya King. The storefront us designed weirdly. It has two awkward placed entrances and exits where you can order with any employee there.
It was a little confusing and it was hella chaotic since everybody and their mothers were apparently hungry at the time I had my lunch break. However, I was genuinely surprised how quickly I got my food. I guess there’s a method to their madness only they know.
I got two hot sausages with ketchup, mustard, and relish and plain TATER TOTS!!! For those who haven’t read any of my prior reviews, I go a little insane for TATER TOTS! By little, I mean like Trix Rabbit certifiable.
My sausages were pretty tasty and their heat was balanced well with the coolness of the relish. The TATER TOTS were delicious! Hot and crispy, made me nostalgic for the simpler times of my childhood.
The price was a steep for my frugality: about $ 13.04, I believe. Definitely not a cheap eat. This is an every once in a while kind of eat.
Be warned: Cash Only and no real place to sit down.

Was hungry before a doctor’s appointment the other day and decided to run into Papaya King for a quick bite since I had time to kill. I haven’t been here in years and I wasn’t impressed with the quality of the hot dog upon my return.
It wasn’t awful, but I ordered an onion crunch dog (hot dog, onion crunch, sauteed onions and melted cheese – $ 4.50) but the hot dog was way overcooked, and actually badly burned. Needless to say, that’s not how I enjoy my franks, and it really distracted from everything else that was supposed to jazz up my hot dog. Not saying it’s the end of the world, but if you are in the business of serving up probably a thousand hot dogs each and every day, I would think you’d get the cook time down, since… you know, you seem to specialize in hot dogs.
That’s all.

One star for their effort to set up the store front and serve something to put in your mouth…
The almighty New York hot dog stand is nothing but disappointment. From small/​overpriced hot dog to cold curly fries to bad service…
The owner of this place should be on his knees thanking God that New York is a heaven of naïve tourists who are easily fooled to come here and experience the so-​called «true New York hot dog»

Pretty good hot dogs in the area.
I know Bourdain loves this place, but I am a true fan of Gray’s Papaya and Katz’s dogs.
This place can be pretty overwhelming, so why not just stick to the regular? You can’t go wrong with it!

Great hotdogs & great value!
2 specialty hotdogs $ 8.00
The curly fries and cheese topping=amazing! Sure, it is super fattening but it is so yummy!
I got mine without chili meat and it was perfect. The hotdog beef itself was really great. Good burst of flavor and consistency. I would definitely get it again.
The onion ring and cheese was good too! I think for a quick lunch/​snack it is a perfect pitstop, and very affordable in Manhattan/​UES!
If you don’t like what the place looks like (it isn’t the cleanest, freshest smelling place), take your food to Central Park and enjoy it there, it is a close walk :)

So I’ve heard of these hot dogs and was told that I couldn’t leave New York without eating at least one. Well, I left eating 4 (not all at once — I just returned that many times). The papaya drink was refreshing and the hot dogs were great — I liked the fact that the buns were soft and the hot dogs weren’t greasy.
Service wasn’t great, but I didn’t expect it to be as they were busy each time I was there and they were rushing to fill the orders. The hot dogs and drinks are definitely the reason to come here.
I’ll come back again when I return to NY.

Delicious little spot for a quick and easy bite. The hot dogs have a nice crips outer skin which gives a nice snap when you bite into one. I also has the fried pickles which were yummy but could’ve benefited with a sprinkle of salt right when they got out of the fryer.
This location is easy and unpretentious with a simple menu of hotdogs, fries etc. recommend to anyone who is looking for an easy lunch on the go!

If you definitely need a quick bite to eat this is the place for hot dogs that is. Ever since I can remember, I have been coming here for the hot dogs. The hot dogs are crispy and delicious. They are made to your liking and they have many toppings and creations. My usual is the hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut. Omg deliciousness. I’ve also tried the chili dog another favorite of mine. Oh so good. The establishment is small and straightforward. There are no chairs just counters on either side. Either you take out or stand and eat on the counters. No biggie. Simple as the item your eating. I have been here during lunch and you can make your way to the counter to eat. There is still space. They are quick to take your order. It is fast and convenient. I have yet to try any of the fruit juices or smoothies. Maybe next time.

LOVE Papaya King! After spending a day at the Met, my brother and I stopped by Papaya King… best. decision. ever. We were famished, so we ordered two dogs and one papaya drink to share. I haven’t had positive experiences with papayas in the past, so I suspected that I wouldn’t care for the drink; I was wrong. Their food is wonderful, quick, and inexpensive.
Recommendation:
–As someone who typically does not like papayas, I recommend the papaya drink.
Verdict:
I look forward to returning soon.

No probé los panchos porque soy vegetariana. Amé las Oreos fritas (oreos dentro de un buñuelo) y el jugo de Papaya.
Hay muy poco espacio en el interior del local y no hay sillas, solo una barra para apoyar las cosas. Fui a comer al Central Park lo que compré, que está muy cerca.

This place was empty when we walked in. We stood back to try to figure out what to order. I was kinda confused because on their menu by the cashier they don’t list their special hotdogs or sides only their toppings, combos and drinks. You have to go back by the glass in front of the counter to see the dogs and sides. I got the homerun and a mango drink. The piece of paper I got my dog on was a little small. It was hard not to spill my toppings onto the table. The dog was ok and the toppings were good. The dog tasted like a slim jim almost, maybe because of the seasoning they use. Good thing I like slim jims. The mango juice drink was a little richer than I expected, it was a little thick for my taste, but I guess it’s good for you that way. Just an ok New York hotdog.

The bright neon signs which are easily visible from the street lured me into this establishment. Since it looked like everybody was ordering hot dogs and smoothies I thought I would jump on the wagon.
$ 10 later I received a hot dog in a toasted bun and mixed fruit smoothie.
The hot dog was nothing special and bland, something I could of made at home for about 50 cents. The $ 7 kiwi, banana, strawberry smoothie was the biggest disappointment. Had ZERO flavor, I thought I was drinking water. I didn’t understand how it could be so flavorless so I asked the staff behind the counter how they make these and was told my drink has 1 kiwi, 1 bannana, and strawberries which is blended with ice… sounded pretty straight forward but something was missing.
My recommendation is to stick with Jamba Juice and skip this place.