Who doesn't love a hot dog? This place has been open forever and is just like it says - iconic. It's a must have if you're in the area. It can get pretty busy at times but it's well worth it. It kind of reminds me of living in New York and grabbing a hot dog for lunch. read more

I was born in New Britain in 1953 and grew up on these 'dogs'! Whenever I am in Connecticut, I make it a point to stop in for a bite and reminisce on the best chilidogs around! Only thing that could make them better is finding a way to FedEx them overnight! read more

Came here since a kid and no it isn't the same. Will I still get a dog with chili cheese ketchup and onions with a double chili cheese burger with ketchup? Yes read more

I used to love this place I ordered from an online service. 'The famous dog' is advertised as having mustard, onions and famous sauce there is an option to add notes for anything else you'd like to be added. I wanted ketchup and sliced American cheese added. The staff made the hotdogs incorrectly. When I called the restaurant to see if they could fix the error. I was one told that they had no recollection of the order and blamed me for not calling in the order. The staff was rude. I have been eating here since I was a child unfortunately I will not be returning. read more

See all

Dogs have gone downhill. Not the same as they were pre 80,s. The chili is watered down & tasteless. The rosal dogs are chewy like a pencil era wrapped in a condom, this place relies on reputation from its pass , read more

Bring your own Tupperware/plate and avoid the toxic environmental catastrophe of styrofoam! Otherwise a nearly perfectly balanced in flavor but slightly overpriced classic American hotdog. Just get a single as a snack and eat somewhere else. Locally made (Martins?) franks are wonderfully Snappy, served with classic yellow mustard, onion, and the famous sauce. (A meat, cinnamon, clove, tomato concoction. The sauce was a bit gritty. I think maybe the spices weren't completely married to the sauce? Or maybe the meat quality?) The dog was served properly on a white chewy wonder bread type bun. I wish the dogs were bigger and hung over the edge of the bun, (that's my preferred dog style) so it's seemed a bit pricey compared with the many other nostalgic dog joints we have to choose from here in CT. Fries? Skip. Burgers? Skip. Avery's soda? Skip. (It's just really really sweet normal soda with a fancy label. Yeah it's an old local joint but YUCK on taste for real. And yeah I'm eating a hotdog and aware of the irony but what is UP with their weird dyes and colors?) It's pretty greasy in here to be real, there are spots like the vintage blue heating unit that are downright filthy. Doesn't bother me, But if that puts you off skip it. If you enjoy a good old "greasy spoon" as they used to call such joints, try one hotdog once. read more

You have to get the dogs "up." There is no other way. They really snap when you bite in. Quality is better than ever. As an immigrant I find this American stuff outstanding. That combo of mustard, mustard, onions, and chili sauce are a cornicopious and immaculate swirl of flavor and texture. Growing up in New Britain, you never even really gave a second thought to these hot dog legends, but now I know I am the luckiest girl in the world, in terms of hotdogs. Some people don't even get to know Capitol Lunch. I am truly blessed. read more

The food was delicious and the service was very good. It was worth the drive from Waterbury

The old stand by for the real American city folks food. The magnificent hotdogs , serious French fries and Onion Rings and beverage. For the old skool macaronis you can sit down now, much bigger but the vibe still rocks. The place deserves music, maybe next time I'll play my instrument if I can decide what to play lol read more

when you don't need fancy sauce or ketchup to eat a burger, says a lot. great burgers and fries at a good price. read more

Capitol Lunch - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Britain, Connecticut

Best hot dog in town it's been around a long time and great food I grew up going there as a kid

I noticed the vintage sign for Capitol Lunch from across the street's Fun City trampoline park. While the meat sauce doesn't seem to photograph well, Capitol Lunch's Famous Hot Dog (with mustard, onions, and famous meat sauce) - is a title well earned. I was skeptical and ordered one at first. Then I got back in line to order a second lol. I also enjoyed the Bappy Fries (fries topped with nacho cheese, famous sauce, and chopped bacon). More of a food you eat with a fork than regular French Fries. Service was friendly and quick. A welcoming place to all whether you are a regular or walking in for the first time. read more

Want a great hot dog? Don't pass this one by. Their specialty, the dog with onion, mustard, and meat sauce, was delicious. The locally sourced Martin Rosol hotdogs used have that "snap" you get with the best of them. My wide had a burger that was nicely done - cooked but not over cooked. Good amount of fries for the $ too, cooked nicely. A special shout out to the owners and staff. They were extremely friendly during our visit. The place is kept very clean, service was fast, and there's an attention to detail that quite honestly you don't see much any more. As an example it appeared they were training a new employee to refill the bottles in their fridge, and they made sure it was done properly - putting the new soda in the back, and moving the cold ones to the front. You do that when you care about the customer experience. I'll be back. And this time I'll take home a jar of their meat sauce which they so conveniently have for sale. read more

Overpriced food period.. it wasn't bad but one meal ended up costing me 23$ dollars they don't even tell you they charge a fee for paying with card read more

Hotdog's are so small doesn't fill you You leave still hungry Bum's in dining area Bum cook's to Not worth the money Just bummed out read more

Capital Lunch has been around a long time, probably because they're so well-known for their great chili dogs. I usually order them with mustard, chili sauce, and onions. read more

No frills hot dog joint that's been around forever, I remember my parents taking me here as a child. They use Martin Rosol hot dogs and in my opinion are the best hot dogs money can buy. I order my dogs up with cheese well done. Up is meat sauce, onions, mustard, they throw your dogs back on the flat top which gets them nice and hot to melt the american cheese in the bun. Don't forget an order of fries they are always fresh and crispy. read more

Best hot dogs I've had. 3 generations of my family have been coming here, and now that they make the Cappy Pack, it's convenient in even this current climate. They get high quality hot dogs from a local, world-famous, Polish market. Their chili is excellent. And it's a nice old-school place to sit down and eat (when available) or you can bring it home. The owners are the same family who have always owned it. And they take cleanliness and service seriously. It's really a top-notch place and the prices are very fair. It's not in an upscale area, but it's not dangerous either. Suck it up. I appreciate them for not selling out and abandoning the community that helped make them famous, (and they helped feed and bring joy to). read more

Hands down the best Hot Dog joint in CT!!! Been going there since college CCSC (30yrs ago) , it was great then and it's great now. read more

Anytime I go home to New Britain this is my first stop to get my fill on cappy dogs. People say they just don't taste the same as they did, but they are still No.1 in my book!! read more

One of my favorite lunch spots in New Britain! I usually order 8 with everything, Which is mustard, onions and chili. They're even accept credit cards now!! read more

See all

Hole in the wall been around forever the chili was nothing the write home about burgers was just ok.

This is by far the best spot I've been to for a go to burger or hotdog! The team is amazing and the food is always SPOT ON! Go to this place! It will definitely become a favorite! read more

I stopped in for lunch specifically for the famous meat sauce that the folks at Capitol use on their hot dogs. This is certainly not my first trip here; so, imagine my surprise when I found myself somewhat disappointed. I ordered two dogs, with the works, and an order of onion rings. Regrettably, there were far too many onions, and far to little sauce (at least in comparison to previous trips here). The dogs themselves were full of the flavor I've come to expect from a Cappy, although the "snap" just wasn't there. The onion rings were crispy, flavorful, and over all, quite good. Of course the price can't be beat. The whole meal cost less than six bucks, and I left feeling full. As an aside, I do wish the owners would give the inside a coat of paint. The photos on the wall highlight not only New Britain's past, but Capitol Lunch's past as well. It would be a more pleasant dining experience if the place had a fresher look. Not a fancier look; just a cleaner look. read more

Came here for the first time in a while today, and I will make sure I don't ever go that long again! Best hot dog in the area for many years now... fast, cheap, and so good.... cannot beat it when in New Britain. The cheese fries are also my weakness.... read more

Capitol Lunch - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Britain, Connecticut

I grew up in Newington and was in New Britain daily. This place was and continues to be a classic lunch spot. The menu is short and sweet but it all hits the spot. Being a dog place you can get these things in boxes to go; my family has been good for that for 30+ years.... If your in NB you stop at Cappy and grab a box to go and bring them home to everyone. This was the place my buds and I would leave lunch break in high school and maybe skip a class to go to, funny thing is if we brought the teacher back a dog shed look the other way! Ok so enough memories and more review.. Hot dogs, burgers, fries, onion rings.... Bout sums it up. On both hot dogs and burgers you can add toppings such as cheese, sour kraut, mustard, ketchup (add yourself), onions and relish, lastly but certainly most important MEAT SAUCE!!! This brown meat sauce is what makes the meals! Don't ask just try, enjoy, then come like my review to thank me ;) You can get your fries Cappy Style which are fries with cheese whiz style cheese and meat sauce... Heart attack on a plate but MEAT SAUCE. the food is grilled on the same grill that's been there for ever, which gives the food a yummy taste. I usually get one burger and one (ok I lied 2) dogs, along with a side of fries or sometimes o rings and I'll eat it there. Doing it this way covers most the menu, so there's a tip if you wanna try all the deliciousness. I would normally take away stars for .... Well call it cleanliness? However I won't here becuase what some "outsiders" may come in and say is dirty or old; us from the area know that the old floors, and red countertops, the giant old green air conditioning unit, and all the other "things" about Capitol Lunch are what gives it character and makes it an experience. Just think, the same stool you may eat 2 dogs with everything at could be the same stool and lunch that someone's grandfather ate on his lunch break from the factory many years ago... read more

Capitol Lunch - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Britain, Connecticut

Oh how quickly i have fallen in love! "High school teen, head over heels, it's my first time---type love." I've passed by this place a number of times, never opting to step inside, till I took the time to check out it's decent star rating on Yelp, I'm game. Me and my bf were first timers and stood in awe of the ridiculously, ridiculously, Wal Mart-esque low pricing of the food! We were ill prepared when ordering and when they asked what we wanted on our dogs and hamburgers (we ain't picky!) we just blurted out "Everything!" We got a look of confusion, and then chose to specify exactly what we wanted on our dogs and burgers. The burger, we opted for (mustard, ketchup, mayo, pickles, onions) + lettuce and tomtato---60 cents more for these. The burger was fresh, good, and delish! Juices dripping down, on this manageable sized burger made this thing disappear within a few bites for us both! YUM! But the hot dogs are what they're really know for here. We got the dogs with mustard, onions, and the Famous Sauce. What's the famous sauce? I have no idea, but its delicious! The dogs are perfectly sized and have a *SNAP* to 'em! Before i moved here, Man v. Food told me Connecticut was the Hot Dog capitol, and if Capitol Lunch is the reason for that distinction i wholeheartedly agree! DOUBLE YUM. This place has a lot of history, my bf and i sat down and were jokingly heckled by an older gentlemen telling us about back in the day when hot dogs were 15 cents, and how we stole the seat he'd been sitting in for 80 years. And another man chimed in telling us about how this was his last hurrah before going on a diet (not sure how that ended up working out) but still remembers a date taking him to Capitol when he was in his twenties. A place with a friendly staff, great food, cheap food, and a long bit of history. This place is a GEM. read more

Capitol Lunch - Hot Dogs Near Me - New Britain, Connecticut

I like Cappy's! Cheap food with an old-school, 1980's ambience. My man and I went on a Sunday morning so it wasn't busy. The dogs were good, but I didn't see what was special about the special sauce. The sauce had no taste, but had texture. The onion rings were stellar but the fries were lukeworm. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because there were nice men working there. Though credits cards are not accepted, there is an ATM machine inside. read more

Hot dogs at Capitol Lunch are too big to gulp down in one bite. But you want to because they are THAT good. Some of our group liked the dogs with the perfect complement of mustard, onions and founder Art Unaris' Famous Sauce -- made with meat and spices. When you order, use the phrase, 'hot dogs, up,' for this combination of 'everything.' It really does fill UP the bun. Of course, there will always be the Neo-traditionalists among us who want a bare Martin Rosols dog with ketchup. But, no matter how you eat them, these dogs are great. We met a couple of the owners who told us more about Capitol Lunch's history and the 'rock and roll' photography on the walls. This joint is a perfect purveyor of amazing fast food. Don't miss it. Don't miss the CTorginals video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksFsXBiQbXA and the Capitol Lunch Web site: http://www.capitollunch.com/Home_Page.html read more

See all

Hummels hot dogs. Remember those words. Hummels hot dogs. No, this places doesn't serve Hummels hot dogs. It serves Martin Rosols hot dogs. Martin Rosols hot dogs ain't got nothing on Hummels hot dogs. By comparison, Martin Rosols makes an inferior dog and yet New Britain residents are brainwashed into thinking Martin Rosols hot dogs are the best in the world. I don't know if that's a testament to: just bad taste or the fact that New Britainites don't travel very far. If they only traveled 30 miles south to Hummels territory they'd quickly learn the error of their ways. Regarding the special sauce, it made me sick the very first time I ate it. However after numerous visits I think my stomach developed a tolerance for it. It ain't like anything I experienced before (not in a good way) and I can never detect any meat flavor in it, although Capital Lunch claims it's made of real meat. What type of meat? I don't know. Oh, and the french fries. You won't find greasier french fries in the entire state of Connecticut. I'm often reluctant to place the bag of fries on my car seat because it leaves behind a big grease puddle after the bag is removed. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't inedible. It's actually slightly addicting, like most greasy fatty foods are. But this place just doesn't deserve the landmark status that so many New Britainites bestowed upon it over the years. So do yourself a favor, go to a supermarket and purchase Hummels brand hot dogs (with the natural casing of course). Then cook them on your backyard grill. If you do that, you will never look at Capital Lunch the same way again. read more

This is more an appreciation post than anything. I was Born and raised in New Britain, and growing up, my Dad would take me to Capitol Lunch after basketball games or on random days to get two chilli dogs w/onions. I loved seeing the food cooked in front of us and your hospitality! He unfortunately passed away, but these moments became some of my fondest memories of growing up. I was also lucky enough to see you have a restaurant open up just off Campus while I was at UCONN. Thank you for the great food, hospitality and helping create those memories. read more

Real good hot dogs and fries and onion rings. The special "sauce" (like a chili) is good but somehow it just sticks with you for the rest of the day. Counter service is ridiculously fast, prices are very reasonable, and its no frills. Perfect for a lunch with or without kids. A much better alternative than the fast food places. read more

The guys that took our orders were very rude! Hotdogs were supposed to be well don but barely cooked!

You don't go to New Britain without a stop at Capitol lunch for one of their signature Cappy Dogs. A dog with everything is their signature dog, but it doesn't actually have everything on it. A dog with everything is a grilled Martin Rosol hot dog on a toasted bun with yellow mustard, diced onion and their secret recipe meat sauce. Wash it down with an Avery's soda and you've just enjoyed 3 of New Britain's most historic flavors. Cappy dogs, Martin Rosol hot dogs and Averys Beverage. read more

Let's see.....four adults and one child and we spent about twenty five, maybe thirty or so dollars (and in fairness, we also bought a tee shirt) and it was WELL WORTH EVERY DIME!! We got about ten dogs and three onion ring orders (and the onion rings were bloody AWESOME!!!!) and we ate it all up!!! My wife ate there several times when she lived in CT, and she knew I would enjoy the place too! She was on target!!!! Even though she is not a big "hot dog" fan, she loves this joint!! We all had the famous "Cappy Dogs" and fries and onion rings too if I remember correctly, and the lunch was just AWESOME!!! The crew working the place were all jovial and in good spirits and very nice to "us tourists"....and man the food was really good! Please get a franchise out here in NV!!!!!!! read more

See all

This is easily one of the greatest hotdog emporiums in the world tucked away in New Britain. I grew up in in New Britain and would highly recommend this great establishment to all. Enjoy all. read more

Love this place!! Whenever i make my way in NB I make myself come and get me 2 dogs with the sauce. Delicious

New Britain Staple with mystery meat sauce is it corn flakes we will never know but I grew up on it.

Just a cool unassuming place. Serve quality hot dogs made right in New Britain. Friendly staff and reasonable prices, what's not to love.

Its a drive, so Ive only been in there once. It was good. Old school hotdog chile and such. A co-worker used to bring in a bunch of hotdogs from this place to our workplace and they were always decent. Friendly crew, quick service, a worthy hotdog. Go for it, read more