We didn't come to Baba's out of curiosity. We came out of respect. Word was they'd been having a hard time lately. Quieter nights. Regular customers not being able to come through as often. That doesn't sit right when it's a place like this. So we brought a few friends and made the trip to Smith Hill. One of them had never had a hot wiener in their life, which feels almost criminal around here. But also kind of perfect. Two all the way, fries, and a drink. There's no reason to complicate it. It is an aptly named "special." The wieners have just enough snap when you bite, but they give in easily as you chew. Great texture. Full flavor. The meat sauce is exactly what it's supposed to be. Savory. Seasoned. Unmistakably a Rhode Island original. Mustard across the top, just enough to cut through. Onions finely chopped and stacked high. Celery salt finishes it off. All of it in a soft, steamed bun that holds its own with flavor and experience. The fries were perfect. Exactly what you hope for at a place like this. Crisp. Golden. Salted perfectly. I didn't touch the shaker. Didn't need to. They get it exactly right on the first try. And yes, they've got coffee milk... on tap. That's not a bonus. That's an expectation when you're running the OG New York System spot. If you don't have coffee milk with your wieners are you really having the true experience? The guys working the counter were young, friendly, and patient. They smile. They explain things. They broke down what "all the way" meant. Just demonstrating pride in what they serve and appreciative of the patronage. And just as we were finishing up, one of the owners came out. She'd heard we had a first timer at the table and wanted to know what they thought. It wasn't a show. She really wanted to make sure the food hit right. She talked to every member of our party and took a genuine interest in who we were and how we got there. Inside, the place is spotless. Coral counters and black walls with chrome stools. A color scheme that somehow works. Digital menus overhead. Even though it's so fresh and clean, you do realize at all times that you're eating at a piece of Rhode Island's history, even though it's also quite modern now. And if we don't show up for places like this, they disappear. You'll wake up one day and the Old Canteen is gone and in its place, you've got Wally's Wieners. Neon signs. Cartoon branding. Hot dogs with dumb names. TikTok decor. Eight dollar ketchup. Branding dressed up like culture. If we let the originals die, we're complicit in the knockoff version that takes its place. So don't just talk about supporting local. Do it. Go to Baba's. Order the special. Sit down. Eat slow. And remember what real tastes like. read more

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Recently WPRI published an article that the Ocean State's first-ever New York System restaurant is on the verge of serving its last hot wiener. Baba's Original New York System on Smith Street first opened back in 1927. Baba's Original New York System was on my list to visit and if they are closing soon, I wanted to go support them. I came on a Saturday afternoon around 1:15pm and there were just 2 tables occupied. We saw a sign at the register to order first and then take a seat. We ordered the 2 Weiner Special which is served with two hot weiner's, fries and drink. There is a fridge with cold drinks for you to choose. Just to name a few, there were Coca Cola, Sprite, Brisk. My husband wanted coffee milk and that was just $1 more. We got the weiners All the Way. Our food was bought to our table. The weiners had a wienie, mustard, meat sauce, onion, and celery salt in a steamed bun. It was very good. The fries were crispy outside and soft inside. Service was wonderful though they did forget the coffee milk for a little while. The menu also has a variety of burger choices, shakes, salads, gyros and sandwiches. Everything is made to order. A credit card surcharge of 3% is applied. By the time we were done with our meal, all the tables and some of the counter seats were taken. I'm glad I had the opportunity to try Baba's Original New York System. read more

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From out of town and had to have a RI hot wiener so we ended up at Baba's It was amazing and the staff was great manager gave us the history of the store ! Must go to when on RI read more

Baba's Original New York System - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I've been wanting to try out Baba's for quite some time and I'm glad I finally got the opportunity. Pulled up for lunch on a Saturday after snagging some street parking on a rainy day and was greeted by the waitress behind the counter, kind of has an old school diner feeling to it, place is very clean and is filled with pictures about their illustrious history. This particular location is the original and has been open since 1927 and contains wieners made with veal, beef and pork. It's absolutely delicious, nothing like I've ever had before and I mean that in the best way. Started out with 2 wieners the NY style way, chopped onion, seasoned meat sauce, yellow mustard and celery salt of course on a steamed bun. It goes so well together, loved the celery salt just adds a different flair to the dog, was so good I had to get a third. My wife and I also split an order of fries which were perfect as well, great addition. They have a bunch of other items on the menu as well as breakfast options, tough to pass on how good the hot dogs are!! FYI they have a 3% up charge on credit card purchases so bring cash to save some money for more dogs! read more

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I had no idea New York System on smith street had breakfast!!! Sooooo goooooood!!!! They have a Mediterranean breakfast platter that's so fire!!! Great prices too! Highly recommend. read more

Baba's Original New York System - French toast, Baba's platter, eggs, bacon and home fries. - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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I'm gonna be very sad when NY System on Smith closes 10/31/25. I've always enjoyed these American neighborhood staples that became a twist for another generation of people in America. I'm gonna try to order anything I haven't tried and I suggest you do the same! Who knows who will be here??? read more

Not a good hot dog. Chili sauce is tasteless. They put some sort of sweet / cinnamon powder on top which doesn't go well. On to the next place. read more

Visiting Providence for the first time and wanted to try some "local specials". Heard about this place a lot. First I want to say the young man working the counter was great. Very friendly. The fries were hot and crispy. Great. The weiners were....meh. Bland. I could taste the mustard and that was about it. Got the special. One with onions, one without. I don't really like onions, but it didn't matter because I couldn't taste them. Not sure what the meat sauce is made from, but it had a weird smell. I ate everything because a hot dog is a hot dog, it wasn't bad, it was just...meh. read more

Just tried Baba's Original New York System - 424 Smith St. for the first time! Now anyone that knows me knows I dont play around when it comes to food. So hear me, this place is solid. The environment is nice, the staff is friendly and the NYS Weiners are excellent. Photographed is one but I ate two. On good day ill eat three (judgement free zone). They have been struggling lately due to the cost of living and lack of customers but I highly recommend making the drive, eating some great food and supporting keeping this place up and running. read more

Baba's Original New York System - 3 Weiner Special (other two not pictured) - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Family and I were out in the Providence area and the wife and I decided we wanted some hot weiners. We are never really up in Providence, so we never go to the spots up here you always hear about. I read that the original Olneyville location doesn't take customized orders for the weiners, so we decided to give Baba's a try. Man, am I glad we stumbled into this place. The food is fantastic! Service was quick and easy as well. I love the look inside of an old school diner. Great atmosphere! Can't wait to come back and try some more food. We are thinking breakfast next time! read more

An INSTITUTION! If you've been choosing to visit other places for your hot weiners, you are missing out on what could be the best! Served with a smile, you are greeted warmly when you walk in. A little bit of history, did you know that the lead singer of Talking Heads, David Byrne, worked here when he attended RISD? Go check it out ASAP! read more

Offers the most relaxing atmosphere with stunning views of the water. The seafood platter was fresh and delicious, and the cocktails were expertly made. We arrived after a day spent lounging on the beach, and the oceanfront setting made it an even more memorable experience. The staff was attentive, and the food was brought out quickly. If you're looking for a perfect beachside meal, this is the place to go. read more

Great hot weiners! They were very fresh, saying the weiners did not taste or feel like they were on the grill for a long time. My wife had a Greek roll up which as a surprise was very fresh and tasty. It has the typical diner atmosphere and decor. I can't remember exactly when but it used to be a classic hot weiner joint without the Greek plates. It was always good, as I started going there over 30 years ago, but as we left Providence, don't get to go back very often. The newer owners have done a good job! read more

I ordered a hot wiener and a cheeseburger combo with water to drink. The prices on the menu were less than what she charged me. The meat was rank and the buns are cold fries were not fresh. Definitely not worth $21. The lady said "oh I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that the prices increased is that OK?" Really? I should've went to Olneyville. read more

Baba's Original New York System - Front of the building - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Glad we finally had the chance to check Baba's out! Great place for a quick lunch! I enjoyed 2 weiner's "all the way" (mustard, meat sauce, onions & topped with celery salt) we split an order of fries (crisp and hot) and I also had a Reese's Peanut Butter shake and let me just say OMG! Absolutely delicious!!!! The shake definitely takes the crown!! The owner was very friendly which makes stopping at local places like this much more enjoyable!! We will definitely be back!! read more

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We heard about this hotdog stand with a long history of serving dogs and milkshakes in the area for nearly a century! If they have been around for that long, albeit with a new owner, they have to be doing something right. It was easy to find Baba's, and nearly as easy to get a parkIng spot at noon on a Saturday. The inside is a throwback full of history of this fine establishment. The owner, "Baba", was extremely warm and welcoming, he graciously took our order for dogs "all the way", fries and milkshakes (coffee for me). The hotdogs were very good, a unique flavor that makes a nice way to put their stamp on things. The fries were amazing. I love fries to start with, but make them thick and crispy on the outside but soft and hot on the inside and I am in heaven! The milkshake, however, could easily rival any local ice cream parlor! Perfect thickness, awesome flavor, and just the right amount. What an awesome lunch, and well worth the drive into providence to try! I highly recommend Baba's, and don't go without getting one of those milkshakes! read more

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I was happy to finally try this Rhode Island institution. Named after the Coney Island style of hot dogs, the term "New York System" appeared in Rhode Island in the early 20th century. Unlike the traditional beef hot dogs I'm used to in Chicago, these dogs are made of beef, veal, and pork and are smaller. I immediately noticed that the texture of the hot dogs lacked the snap of the Vienna hot dogs I'm used to in Chicago. The dogs were also way less filling than a traditional dragged through the garden Chicago dog. I can understand why everyone has more than one, because one simply isn't filling. The meat sauce topping seasoned with cumin, paprika, chili powder, and allspice added another distinct flavor. It wasn't what I would call chili, but was delicious and worked well with the texture and flavor for the weiners. I also haven't met any sausage that wasn't good with onions. Lastly, the side of fries was super generous and rounded out the meal. The moment you walk in, you know you're in a local institution. If you're from Rhode Island this is probably where you go and how you grew up with hot dogs. I definitely still prefer my Chicago dog over anything else, but nothing is more American or can tell you about where you are in the country than by trying their local hot dog. I'm glad I tried Baba's in Providence. read more

Baba's Original New York System - the location of the restaurant - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Delicious hot dogs and chili sauce but also spot on burgers and shakes. Great soup and specials. Near corner of Smith (44) and Chalkstone. Usually easy parking. read more

I've been here several times and the service and food is always consistent and always friendly. The space is very clean and you are always greeted pleasantly. The older gentleman, who I assume is the owner, has been there every single time I come in and I'm greeted warmly each time. There is a warmth, quality, and familiarity about this business that keeps me coming back. You get bang for your buck here, everything is well priced and you walk away full. I always get the wieners all the way with fries and soda. The food is hot, of quality, and well flavored. I love that they are open late as well. Even tho there's no parking lot, I've never had a problem with on street parking, which is plentiful. read more

This is an OG Weiner joint. 1st time visit, got 6 weiners all the way. No drink, but owner gave me a cup of water anyway. Weiners came out quick and were great. Some of the best I ever had. The owner checked in to make sure they were what I expected. This guy loves his customers and what he does. Do yourself a favor and definitely check out this gem in Providence. read more

I didn't realize that this place had closed in 2016 and was purchased by the new owner only 10 months ago. He did an amazing job of capturing the history of this famous long standing neighborhood landmark and proudly displays newspaper articles, photos, and other knock-knacks from its past. The place is sparkling clean, I almost didn't recognize it when I walked in because things weren't covered in the yellowish tinge of dust and grease that once covered every surface of the place. I was pleased to see the original chrome surfaces and spinny stools at the counter (my favorite!) were still here. The new owner is cheerful and demonstrates such pride of ownership in the place. He spoke of his love for the neighborhood, for the history of the building, and for the food served here. In addition to the NY System wieners, fries, and shakes that have been served here for the last 90 years, he's added some new crowd pleasing items like tacos, burritos, and even some Greek food too. We were curious about the reinvention of the menu so we tried one of everything. We had chicken, pork, and beef tacos, a steak souvlaki wrap, and of course a wiener "all the way" with fries and a coffee shake. (Don't judge us, we were hungry! ) Everything we tried was delicious and we will be back for more. Pro tip: If you haven't been here in a while, do yourself a favor and check it out again. Take a trip down memory lane, meet the new owner, and enjoy an old favorite along with something from the new menu. read more

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This place does a great job. The dogs are always on point and the fries are delish. The celery salt is the secret, I think. It's a classic place that you just feel good about supporting. The owner seems to always be working and he is a very nice guy. Don't sell yourself short and only get the dogs. The burritos are great and so are the gyros. It always my go to if I don't feel like traveling to far for takeout. read more

On a road food adventure , on the advice from Jan & Michael stern and their ROADFOOD book heading up north to the Boston area , figured not too far off course a stop in to the original New York system hot weiners location since 1927 and try their all day / night hot wiener Mustard,meat sauce,chopped onions,celery salt There was nothing to like about this hot dog ! I'm a New Yorker and you can grab a dirty water dog off the push cart with mustard & onions that puts this too shame . Originally we tried to make a stop at WEIN O RAMA but they closed at 2:30 on a Friday The things I will say good about the place the staff the counter girl that helped us super pleasant . The stuff on the walls was good to look at too being it's been around since 1927 . I'm surprised this made it in the roadfood book . I'm particular about my pizza so maybe I'll just stick to that ! read more

Baba's Original New York System - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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As a rhode islander I would not recommend this establishment we locals do not eat here at least the people I know off . Please do your research I have not eaten here in a while maybe it has changed but I only need to get food poison once my mind is made up read more

Great Food! Reasonable prices. Great place to feed the family. We will be back for sure. read more

Baba's Original New York System - 1. Wiener - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Hot wieners are delicious! So are the fries and brownies! Tacos were a little lacking. I had never heard of Baba's but seen them on Uber Eats. I decided to give them a try and have ordered again a second time. Prices are fair and food is hot (other than tacos) and quick. The tacos were a little lacking, not much flavor and it was a little strange I got three and two were made and then I was given one empty tortilla. They were full enough that I just moved filling over to the empty tortilla. The pork was also not hot. I wouldn't order these again. If it wasn't for this I'd probably give 5 stars. read more

Souvlaki was the worst, cold and tasteless, yuck. The wieners were the worst I ever had, rolls were hard, sauce was not hot, onions were old and grey. Prices are expensive! Save your money and go to Olneyville New York System!!! read more

So clean, friendly staff, fries hot out of the oil, wieners the best. Definitely going back. And I didn't mention the desserts!! Eat in, don't order for delivery. You will miss the good natured chats. read more

Ordered food I didn't get. When I called to tell them, the woman told me she was sure they gave it to me. I told her I wasn't lying. She then called me back to say she didn't charge me ( but she did) for what I ordered. I dropped 99$ for lunch. The weiners are amazing though. Even so I won't be going back!! read more

We got the three weiner deal with the fries and drink and it was phenomenal their sauce they put on it is out of this world my girlfriend got the coffee milk with it so it was like perfect. The service was great very clean and the food arrived to the table in a timely manner definitely worth the stop in!!! read more

Trying to find Rhode Island's best hot wiener, we decided to try Baba's. What a great place! The customer service was excellent, it was super clean inside and the hot wieners were delish. We got the two wiener special (all the way) which includes fries and a drink. I can confidently say that Baba's might have ended our search! read more

Awesome staff, very friendly, very clean and modern furniture. Good hot weiners and parking was easy

Came here for the classic hot dogs. They're covered in mustard, meat sauce, onion, and celery salt. The hot dogs were pretty small, but the meat sauce in top makes up for it. The place itself has a divey feel, but the cooking area looked pristine. Overall, I didn't think it lived up to the hype. Still a tasty, fair-priced wiener. read more

Baba's Original New York System - The classic wiener with the works - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Recently came here and I wasn't impressed with the quality of the food for the price I paid. Gone are the days of the mom and pop shops. I got the feeling I was charged more for their name and their appearance on guy fieri's tv show. In total I paid 15.99 for a basic sandwhich, some pretty bland fries, and a 50 cent can of Soda. Had the price been cheaper I would've given it a well deserved 4-5 stars read more

A classic Rhode Island place. They are not coneys and they are not hot dogs, but rather... they are "Hot Weiners" and there is no better way to order it than "all the way". "All the way" is when it's the coney sauce, onions, and then sprinkled with a bit of celery salt. Doesn't get much better than that! Very rustic place with great service and even lovelier staff. Check out this place when yeh get the chance, and make sure you get the mozz sticks because those are also my fave! read more

I was really craving a hotdog after work today and then I found this place. I haven't been to this location in more than 10 years but it's under new management and serving way more than hot dogs and fries. They also serve Greek pitas and burritos/tacos. Even had baklava on the counter haha. The new owners are really friendly and nice. I ordered the hot dog special all the way with the meat sauce, onions and salt. It came with fries and a soda for 7 bucks? It was good and less salty than I remember. Compared to other ny system hot dogs. Also ordered a chipotle burger and blue moon burger. The burgers looked really good and the chipotle one was delicious. It was moist and lathered in a tangy chipotle sauce with bacon. The blue moon was good but dry since it didn't have any sauce. It had blue cheese, mushrooms and an onion ring. I'd definitely order take out again. Prices are cheap and it's made pretty quickly. The new owners made the place look bright and fresh inside but there's a certain hotdog smell that doesn't sit right with me inside the place. It's also street parking on smith street and there was road construction. read more

Baba's Original New York System - Hot dog special, chipotle burger, blue moon burger and cheese fried - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I had nachos, gyro, and a tiramisu dessert to go. The food was so so. Given the conditions of the pandemic, it is nice that the restaurant is open. read more

Great little rhody dogs Visit for some good Rhode Island local food. I'll visit the next time I'm in the area. read more

Someone please explain how the New York System became so renowned, because I really don't get it. Their hot wieners actually taste like cardboard. Even those janky street dogs are an order of magnitude better. And don't even get me started on the coffee milk. I swear that stuff is just straight up sugar. read more

Baba's Original New York System - Small Coffee Milk ($1.75) - Hot Dogs Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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The Weiners all the way are amazing, best hot dogs I've ever had. Wash it down with a coffee milk and it's perfect!