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    Capitol Lunch

    4.1 (224 reviews)
    InexpensiveHot Dogs, Burgers, Fast Food
    Open • 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Capitol Lunch Photos

    CAPITOL LUNCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Capitol Lunch

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    Reviews With Photos

    Avery's Soda (Weiner Water)
    Abby R.

    An iconic staple of the Connecticut hot dog scene, and after trying this place out for the first time, I can see why. Stepping in, the restaurant vibe is incredibly retro. And the prices are great too! I believe they've gone up a bit since previous reviews--the famous dog is now $3.99. Still quite the steal for a hotdog with a heaping serving of onions, mustard, and "famous sauce," which I quickly came to realize was ground beef and some spices. The sauce is a bit drier than a typical chili, but it's certainly a fun addition to a hot dog. I certainly enjoyed it. Plus, they serve Avery's sodas here! I got the "Weiner Water" flavor (orange and lemon), it felt appropriate given all the hot dogs. Service was immediate, even during a lunch rush. I walked up to the counter, ordered, and my hotdog was in front of me in seconds. It was great! The employees and I chatted about the silly soda name and everyone was incredibly kind and conversational. I had a great experience here and will be back again!

    Dog with everything delicious
    Munchy R.

    Hotdogs here are amazing been coming here since I was a child. chilli on the dogs or on a cheeseburger very tasty. staff here are awesome will recommend to everyone.

    Famous dog.  Natural casing with mustard, onions,and sauce.

    We went today and got the famous dog and BLT sandwich. Both were excellent. The hot dog has a great snap and the meat sauce is always consistently great. We come up from Waterbury and it's well worth it.

    Menu
    Nicole F.

    It seems I'm never in the area, so when I am I always have to stop. This place still hasn't changed since the last time I was here a bout 3 years ago. Their "famous hot dog" with the sauce is amazing, and frankly I haven't had comparable dog. Not to mention the martin Russell hotdogs have that infamous "crunch" with each bite. Food was quick and hot. I am not a French fry fan, but the fries were thin, perfectly salted, and best of all hot and fresh. Since I don't come often, I forced myself to eat two hotdogs! Looking forward to the next time I'm back. Tip: if you're paying with card, the prices are a bit more than the menu

    Kathleen S.

    Best hotdogs in Connecticut hands down! I have been eating hotdogs here since I was a kid. This restaurant has been in business as long as I can remember and I understand why!

    Dan R.

    "Things will get better soon, I gotta hunch The three martini lunch Wasting another afternoon, punching a hole in my life" (Graham Parker) Want an inexpensive and satisfying lunch? Well, it's hard to do better than we did at Capitol Lunch yesterday. Definitely a No Frills kind of place, but the value, taste, and overall experience of our lunch visit yesterday was fantastic. No, you won't find any truffle fries or goat cheese here, but what you will find is an unpretentious menu with hot dogs between $2.49 and $2.99, Fries for $2.69 and rings for $3.39. If you want to be a big spender you can get a freshly made quarter pound burger for $5.39. Hot Dogs are king here, and its been that way for 90 years. My hot dog was fantastic, a good sized hot dog with ketchup, onions, and their famous chili-like meat sauce on a pillowy soft fresh as can be roll. For $2.99 it was fantastic. We split an order of their $2.69 fries that was big enough to easily share. Don't be put off by Capitol's "Hole in the Wall" appearance. We enjoyed everything about our visit -the ordering line moved fast as lightning, and the counter folks were friendly and helpful. But best of all, we loved our food and the fantastic prices.

    One of my closes uncle highly recommend me this place and now that I'm living on the area so do I.
    Manny S.

    Original recipe on their hotdogs, burgers and fries, service was nice and friendly, and the ambiance will compared with a retro dinner style.

    Two dogs with everything, plus fries, rings, and a drink
    Kathy W.

    When in Idaho, you gotta get a potato. And when in New Britain, it's all about the hot dogs. Capitol Lunch is a classic, in business since 1929. Yes, they also offer burgers, but most people - and there are a LOT of them - come for the hot dogs. At $8.99, the combo (2 dogs, fries or onion rings, and a fountain drink) is a pretty good deal. The steady crowds are no match for the staff's efficiency. They've got this down to a science. You're through the line quickly and enjoying your meal in no time. Park in the New Brite lot across the street so you don't have to negotiate Main Street parking.

    Joanne S.

    A wonderful Yelp CT evening out at the Capital Lunch (the hotdog with our famous "CAPPY"sauce. Also a special touch of the grape kool-aid that was offered that I haven't had since I was kid. This place that so many people have been and has been around since 1929. The meat sauce is so yummy and a perfect touch which I had on both my hotdog and my hamburger along with the nacho cheese sauce. I also tried the onion rings and bacon cheese fries which were delicious. The Capital Lunch has been voted best hotdog for 2022 and pretty much every year before. The owner Author explained all of the history of this restaurant. Along he shared rhe story behind each picture that's display on the walls from back in 1929. Great hole in the wall place to visit in the heart of New Britain.

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    8 months ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you Tanya!

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you for the review Abby!

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    4 months ago

    Classic hot dog joint and the chili is bangin definitely worth the drive for a timeless experience...

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you very much Bryan!

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    10 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

    We had lunch at Capitol Lunch. Hot dogs & onion rings were good. Would definitely recommend.

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you!

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    1 year ago

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    Arthur V.

    Great review. Thank you very much!

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    3 years ago

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    Arthur V.

    Great review! Thank you!

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you Angela!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you Jerome!

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you very much Dan. Glad you enjoyed it.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you Kathy. Great review.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you so much!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you very much!

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    2 years ago

    Hot dogs were terrible price would be good except we throughout half our food it was so bad.

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    3 years ago

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you! Open Monday-Saturday until 6pm

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Capitol Lunch

    What meat are the hot dogs?

    Martin Rosol hot dogs. A combination of pork and beef.

    I realize this is a ridiculous question. Any chance the sauce is gluten free? Gluten comes from wheat (regular flour), rye, and barley and is typically an ingredient in soy…

    I’m sorry the sauce is not gluten free.

    What year did it originally open?

    1929

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Doogie's - The Turnpike

    Doogie's

    3.6(188 reviews)
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    I just love their 2 foot hotdog with chili and cheese taste. It tasted delicious exquisite…read morewonderful I can't wait to go back there again for that 2 foot long hotdog with chili and cheese

    My wife and I went here twice for the Tuesday Special, A Two-foot dog, Fries and Soda…read more On our visits we were greeted by happy employees. They made us feel welcome and were very helpful to us newbies. Our orders were taken and we were explained the process. Most of the condiments are self-serve. Both times I had the chili, yellow mustard and onions. My wife had Cole Slaw on her first one and Sauerkraut and mustard the second week. We made quite the mess but enjoyed the food. The hot dogs are very tasty and cooked just the way I we like them, a little char but not burnt. We had to cut the dogs into quarters and the rolls held up fine. The chili, while it tastes good is a little bland and my wife would have liked a little more flavor in the Sauerkraut too. The order of fries is large, hot and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The store is a nostalgic walk into the past with retro fixtures, tables and decorations. It's fun to read the 45's that line the walls while enjoying these dogs. The dogs are a novelty and are good enough to come back for. They have an extensive menu and I'm tempted to try the other offerings but the Two-Foot dogs always call me back.

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    Frankie's - Hotdogs and fries

    Frankie's

    3.2(62 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    My friend use to frequent Frankies often and told me I had to give it a try. Frankies is like an…read moreAll American food joint so you can get things like burgers, hotdogs, fries, etc.. It has a cool diner vibe and the staff were friendly. I got the qrt pd Burger and fries. The burger was huge lol and tasty. I would stop by again to try something else. Overall, its a cool spot.

    I used to go to the Bristol location all the time when I was little, but it's been over a decade,…read moreand what a mistake it was to wait that long. Amazing!!!! Friendly staff, well staffed (which is not something you see too often nowadays). I love the more modern feel, and of course the faint Frankie statue. The food was amazing, restaurant was clean, plenty of seating. My boyfriend got a hot dog with peppers and onions with steak fries. I got a grilled cheese and curly fries(same as I used to get a child lol, I was feeling nostalgic) He also got a soda and I got a water, all of this for around $22-23 About the same price (maybe a few dollars more) if we had gone to a regular fast food chain, but def worth the extra money. Plus I always love supporting a local business. It was also great to see they even had some of the old arcade games to play for free, I wanted to play but didn't, because all I'm thinking of is people eating with their hands and then touching the controls with unclean hands, maybe it's just the post covid era Only recommendation I have would be to have a hand sanitizer near the game. Such an amazing place!

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    Frankie's - Main dining room

    Main dining room

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    Carol's Lunchbox

    Carol's Lunchbox

    4.5(55 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    •$

    "Oh Carol, don't let him steal your heart away I'm gonna…read morelearn to dance If it takes me all night and day" (Chuck Berry) The various "best" in Connecticut lists of this and that are about as common as the weeds on my lawn. I mean, every website every other week seems to post one. Anyway, in a 2024 Taste of Home feature titled "The Best Hot Dogs in Every State", guess who was rated as having the best hot dogs in all of Connecticut? Yup, it was Carol's Lunchbox. And when I checked out their Yelp page, I saw their high 4.5 rating, read the rave reviews, and when combined with their 2024 "Best in the State", I knew I'd make it over to Carol's one of these days. Well today was the day. We found it on the Westwoods Golf Course in Farmington. Just follow the main road in and you'll see it on the left in a long tannish stand-alone building. There's an ordering counter inside, a dining room with plenty of seating, and a lovely outdoor patio with more tables and chairs for nice weather. Their menu is a lot more than those famous hot dogs. It's really comfort food heaven with quesadillas, fries, tenders, burgers, grilled cheese, burgers, wraps, salads, and more. But let's be real.......we were there for the dogs! They offer a Traditional Dog, a Polish Dog, a Hot Diggity Dog, a Chili Dog, a Southern Dog (with Pulled Pork), a Reuben Dog, and the adorably named Beanie Weenie Dog with Baked Beans. None of those dogs will cost you more than $6. You can also go with a two-dog special with chips and a drink for $12-$15. What's that? You were wondering about toppings? No worries, friend, because Carol offers up free ketchup, two mustards, sauerkraut, onions, mayo, green pickle relish, and Carol's homemade hot pepper relish. If you're a big spender, you can add between fifty cents and a buck to your order for chili meat sauce, two types of melted cheese, caramelized onions, or sauteed onions and peppers. They also have side orders (potato salad, fries, rings, and daily specials. Today's specials were chicken wings, a lobster roll, and a tempting short rib grilled cheese. We ordered a two-dog special with yellow mustard, sauerkraut, a soda and chips for the rock-bottom price of $12, and a Hot Diggity Dog (spicy) with chopped onions and some of Carol's homemade hot pepper relish ($6). How wonderful was it to sit outside overlooking the golf course to enjoy such a simple, fun, and totally delicious lunch. My spicy dog was definitely spicy, and Carol's famous hot pepper relish was a great addition to my lunch. I have to say a word about Carol herself. We had the pleasure of chit-chatting with her after lunch, and she puts out such friendly, welcoming customer service vibes, its hard not to become an instant fan of hers. When you visit, I hope you have the pleasure of seeing her smiling face. I promise you, it will be the perfect complement to your terrific lunch.

    Good basic bites on the range…read more Came here looking for some summertime burgers and dogs. Inside is sparse, but plenty of seating. Outside was slightly dirty, but the view of the course was pretty. Opted for a smattering of dogs (kielbasa, spicy dog, and plain dog), a bacon jam blue cheese burger, and a brownie for dessert. Food came out after a wait, but we got ketchup and took turns taking bites. The burger was the best bite. good quality beef, strong blue cheese and sweet n salty bacon jam was quite nice. The blue cheese was a bit strong, but I like punchy flavors. The fries were not bad, pretty good bagged fries. The dogs, well they were alright. Not great buns, dogs were of a decent quality, but the kielbasa was too sweet and the spicy dog was only lightly hot. As a lunch place, it does well enough. The burger and fries were worth the price of admission. The dogs were kind of weak, and there dogs need to be of a better quality. But they are still not bad, just not great.

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    Carol's Lunchbox - Inside

    Inside

    Carol's Lunchbox - Spicy dog with onions and hot pepper relish

    Spicy dog with onions and hot pepper relish

    Carol's Lunchbox - 2 dogs and a side relish

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    Hungry Bull Burger - Mac and cheese

    Hungry Bull Burger

    4.8(161 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    •$$

    Mostly good burgers and dogs, great fries, nice but small location…read more Came here on the way to an event, so we opted for some lunch beforehand. This place was well reviewed, so we decided to make this the spot this time around. Ordering was done up front, but there were tables to sit at. Missus ordered while I took photos, and the food came out relatively quickly. Took pics and dug in. Sweet potato fries were the highlight. Hand cut, fried and seasoned. With ranch, they were really good. The burger and hot god were good in terms of quality and quantity. The condiments were a little overpowering though, ended up taking over a lot of the dish and really muddled the meat. The meat itself was lightly seasoned, relying on the condiments to bring the flavor. Not bad, but all elements should bring their own identity and add to a meal. The burger felt absent, and although flavorful was lacking that extra bit of salt or fat to make it truly shine. It's not bad at all, just lacking. Everything else was good, the price easily reasonable for the quality. It was just missing those finishing touches to be truly great

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    Top Dog - Two natural casing hot dogs.  Left one has yellow mustard and the right one brown mustard and sweet relish.  Great taste and snap.

    Top Dog

    4.3(20 reviews)
    10.8 mi
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    I've wanted to visit Top Dog's roadside trailer in Portland for years, but they were never open…read morewhen I drove by. I understand that the trailer is presently known as Missy's Top Dog at least in some circles. I'm not sure if that's a change. When the Channel 3 Best Hot Dog in CT bracket was released, I noticed Missy's Top Dog was on it. I was able to get there shortly before their 3 pm closing recently. I'm a fan. First of all, although they were closing soon, there was a steady stream of people while I was in the area. There was never a long line, but I was not able to take a pic of the hot dog shaped trailer without a person blocking the sign. MTD is the only place I know of using Thumann's Hit Dogs from New Jersey. MTD steams the dogs and it looked like they had a bit of a dirty water thing maybe going on. MTD has several specialty dogs, but nothing too far out of the ordinary. I ordered a Cajun with "Orleans Relish", chili and pepper jack. I really liked the dog, especially for a steamed dog. Nice flavor. Nice snap. The toppings worked really well together. The chili sauce was meaty and not heavily seasoned. The relish provided a nice jolt of sweet acidity. I also ordered the MTD clasic dog, which had artfully layered catsup, mustard, relish and onions. Same tasty, snappy dog. Nice ratio of toppings. I'm assuming Missy was the person helping me because she seemed to have the confidence and pride of an owner. She was very friendly and engaging in my brief time speaking with her. Since the dogs were steamed, they came out right away. I can't say Missy's Top Dog's cracks my Top Tier of CT Dogs, but it's just a tier down and I enthusiastically recommend MTD, even if you have to drive a bit out of your way. 4.25 Stars

    Went their in the fall. I don't know where they get their hot dogs from but they have a great snap…read moreand I found it quite tasty. I like a good hot dog and Connecticut has some great places to get them. I would put this little place on that list.

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    Capitol Lunch - hotdog - Updated October 2026

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