Papaya King is a staple of the cheap eats New York experience with their signature hot dogs and juice drinks. Came here on a recent Friday night for a quick dinner before heading to the movies. Hadn't been to a papaya king in a few years. Ordered their hot dogs and juice as part of their combo meal. It was as expected and how I remembered it. Our order was processed fairly quickly. The space itself was mostly standing room. read more

See all

The hot dogs were delicious! The topping options were extensive and yummy, and I liked the fact that they offered classic toppings for free (you never know what you'll get upcharged on in NYC.) They have premium toppings for an additional charge, which is fair. Unlike other reviews, the buns we got were toasted and tasted fresh. The hot dogs themselves were cooked well and quite delicious. The drinks were fine but REALLY sweet, and it was tough to tell what the drinks even were. When I asked for clarification on what drink options they had, I wasn't met with a response and the cashier just looked confused. I went with the banana one which was pretty good. We also felt rushed through the line which I didn't love, but I know they have to keep things moving. Overall, it's a great value for what you get. I'd say if their menu options were more clear then it would be 5 stars. read more

See all

My first time at this new location. I ordered a Classic, just their regular dog. At $5, I wouldn't exactly call it budget friendly--they really want you to get one of the combos. It was just okay--the weiner still had that snap but the bun was kinda dry, not soft and moist like before. Okay for a quick snack but does it tell you something that I was the only customer in the place at lunchtime? read more

The hot dog is a NY style one: hard, grilled, and with a smoky flavor. On 3/1/26, I ordered a Combo: two well done hot dogs--plain, no toppings--and a "half papaya/half mango" drink for $10.88. It was good, but it would have been better had the bun been toasted. The drink was also good, but the flavor would have stood out more had the drink been ice cold. Service was good, and the place was clean. read more

See all

I used to stop at PK frequently when it was located on the corner of 86th and 3rd. Open 24 hours. Big, gallon + sized mustard jars in strategic locations. Two beef dogs (w either kraut or pushcart style onions) and a 16 oz drink for $5. Legend has it that Baba Ruth was a fan. Times change. The corner of 86th and 3rd is under development as a luxury highrise. Current location half a block away on 86th, open from 9A - 11P daily. A shell of its former self. Still very good, but the deal that went for $5 back in the day is now $9.99 ("holiday special") plus tax, so $10.88. And the dogs seem a little smaller. What used to take 5 bites now takes 4 (but maybe / probably my big mouth just got bigger!). Parking? Fuggeddaboutit! Maybe my rich friend, the Wyoming Wildman, will treat next time. 4 nostalgic stars read more

See all

I missed this place. The lease was expiring at the original corner location on East 86th Street, but lease negotiations delayed the reopening when they moved. A must stop after visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Central Park East. I had the special, two hot dogs with sauerkraut and onions with a papaya drink for $9.99. I noted the photo of Anthony Bourdain on the wall having a Papaya hot dog. I spotted him once at Best Buy on 86 th Street during holiday shopping. He liced in that neighborhood at the time. read more

Papaya King - Yes! - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Stale bread ! That's all I have to say Go to the other place on west 72 street And they charge you for sauerkraut and extras horrible read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

2.5 rounded up to 3. Expensive. Small hotdogs. Stale bun. Unhelpful workers. Only a few standing tables. Large menu is confusing, it should be much simpler. Promotion showed picture of 2 hotdogs and a drink for $9.99. Both hotdogs in promotion had toppings like chili and cheese. I ordered almost exactly what was on the sale sign and the worker told me it was actually 16.99. A bit disingenuous. Hot dog was tasty though, which is where 3 stars come from. read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

It was just okay, the YouTube I saw really hyped it up. Good for a stop by, not sure if it's a must try destination.

Great dogs with a nice snap, but the buns are a little stale and toppings can be a bit sparse. The new spot is much smaller than the original, but it gets the job done! A great little spot for a quick bite on your way to the park or the museum! read more

Papaya King - Relish and onions - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Basically a smaller offshoot of the original that used to be across the street and was established way back in 1932 when hot dogs were pretty much a food staple in the city. There's no table service as this is an, order and beat it, type establishment. The area is pretty small and has a few free standing tables to eat your red hots on. The drinks are fresh as is the dogs BUT, in my opinion, these dogs are significantly smaller in circumference than the ones served at the stores original location across the street. I don't know who their hot dog supplier is but it seems like they have found a way to skimp on the beef to enhance their profits. The bun swallows up the hot dog to where it seems like you are definitely eating more bread than dog. Unfortunate because the original was great. read more

Papaya King - The famous Papaya Hot Dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The ICONIC Papaya king. Lined with History of famous artists, politicians, and Anthony Bourdain- I wanted to try a NY dog the original way, with a nice drink of papaya juice to go with it. We got two original wieners, with grilled onions on top. While good, I thought the dogs would be a bit bigger. Service was fast and prompt, and the inside was nice and clean. Don't forget the papaya juice! I thought it was a pretty good compliment to our dogs. read more

Papaya King - Dogs and Papaya 16 Oz - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Stopped by Papaya King and went with the classic combo two hot dogs and their signature papaya drink. The hot dogs were simple but perfect snappy, flavorful, and dressed just right. The papaya drink was refreshing and unique, a sweet tropical balance that paired perfectly with the salty richness of the dogs. Sometimes the best meals are the most straightforward, and Papaya King nails it. A true New York classic that lives up to its reputation. read more

Papaya King - 2 hot dogs and Papaya 16 Oz - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

I lived accross the Street on 86 and 3rd in the Colorado building in NYC. This was in 1994 to 1999, Papaya King was my goto place for hotdogs. Their Papaya drinks were also amazing. I live in Florida now unfortunately. I can't get Papaya Kings hot dogs anymore so I'm back to Nathans which is also great, but I will never forget Papaya King which was the best hot dog I ever had. read more

I ordered the chicken sandwich and the fries with a smoothie and the Indian man in the front was very rude. He also messed up my smoothie and got aggressive when I asked for him to switch it, finally he got mad when I asked him for some bbq on the side, overall bad experience!!!!! read more

Papaya King is back! This hot dog icon has been in my neighborhood since the 1940's. It's my daughter's birthday month so among other treats I like to take her to Papaya King. We had the usual friendly fast service. Everything was packed so we could take our meal home. My daughter likes the special two classic dogs and a drink and she also got a side of tater tots. My daughter loves tater tots and agreed to share a couple with me. When we got home I ate my dog and some tater tots. I'm going back for the chicken tenders that I love. My daughter had Mango flavor as her drink. That's her go to drink I never get a drink. Whether you eat in or take the food home I'm recommending you give Papaya King a shot. It's still my favorite hot dog. read more

See all

Yeah it's back but no more "recession buster" prices. $12 plus tax for two small hot dogs and a drink. Ouch! Yeah, no. Nice to see it back in the hood though. It's much smaller than the old corner location across the street. They kept the nostalgic pictures, signage, colors, and menu colors. A few small upright tables to nosh at. Variety of hot dogs and papaya drinks. Friendly counter staff. Yet, it's just not the same. Especially with these new prices. Guess I've gotten a bit smarter with how I spend my cash. Say hello to 2024 inflation! read more

See all

Papaya king is finally back, and they are across the street from the original location. I used to enjoy coming here as a teenager and would order the hotdog, curly fries, and mango drink combo. I remember the original location was very busy, and the space had character. Upon walking into the new location, the first thing I saw were the inflated prices. The place is very clean and sterile and just didn't have the character of the original location. There are some small tables with ketchup and mustard if you want to stand and eat, since there are no chairs. I ordered a regular hotdog with relish, and it was $5.43. The hotdog was good but very small. I went for the nostalgia, and maybe that's why I was disappointed since it's nothing like the old location. If you're just a fan of overpriced hotdogs, this is a good place to try out. read more

See all

I saw on the news that Papaya King was opening another location in Upper East Side. Hence, I made it my mission to go there before heading to Central Park. There was no line around 5:30pm. When I informed the cashier that I saw the news and I knew that I had to try their hotdogs, he gave me one of those polite smiles. I like the location; it's 2 blocks away from 86th street train station. I like the sautéed onions more than the sauerkraut. If you have $11 and you're famish, I recommend getting the hotdogs here. I'm frugal hence I rather spend the $11 to buy the wonder bread buns and nathan 8 packs at my local supermarket. read more

See all

I can't even begin to express how much I love Papaya King! It's my all-time go-to spot when I'm back in NYC. The Papaya drink is *everything*--sooo refreshing and delicious, it's literally a must-have! My usual order is a hot dog with onion and sauerkraut (classic!) and one with relish and mustard. You just can't beat the flavor combo. Normally, I always get the curly fries with cheese, but they were out this time (sad face), but it didn't stop me from enjoying every bit of my meal. Papaya King is the spot for that quick, flavorful bite. If you haven't been yet, run, don't walk--you won't regret it! I love the nostalgic feel of entering Papaya!! And the at home feeling when I see the people who have been serving me from a little girl now to an adult. This is one of my all time fave places to go and I'm telling you, you can't go to NY without going to Papaya! read more

See all

Excited to see Papaya King reopen at this new location and wanted to try it out. Full confession - had not really been a customer at the old spot since rarely a reason to be in this neighborhood, but certainly like the opportunity to enjoy an old school New York local business in a sea of nationwide chains. Given where I go, more of a loyal Gray's Papaya customer, with its remaining UWS location, or Papaya Dog in the West Village, especially once the W. 8th Gray's closed. Papaya King's E. 86th St. location is a hot dog oasis surrounded immediately by mainstream retailers you'd find in the burbs, and further out more boutiques and galleries. Now about Papaya King's hot dog, if you have a hankering it's as good as the others, with a casing that provides that great pop when you bite. That being said, my issue is Papaya King's way too high prices, perhaps due to indifference of higher income locals or to cover rent. The difference may not appear big for a basic dog (not a meal) with complementary toppings (i.e., onions, sauerkraut, relish, mustard, ketchup) - Papaya King $4.99 vs Gray's same dog plus 14 Oz drink $5 (which includes tax) vs Village's Papaya Dog $3.99. But when you compare to something more filling like Gray's iconic "Recession Special," i.e., 2 dogs and a 14 Oz drink now at $7.50 (again including tax) vs. Papaya Dog's 2 dogs and 20 Oz for $9.99, Papaya King's special for 2 dogs and 16 Oz drink goes for (wow!!!) $11.99. [Maybe Papaya King should name it their "Inflation Special!"] To me, that feels like ballpark prices! And, you could get a comparable tasty value meal at Panera Bread around the corner for a similar price! Also, the service at Papaya King was not so fast. With 2 people taking orders and one in between filling them at the grill, it created a giant bottleneck with only 3 orders in front of me. Can't image how it would have been with a bigger crowd. So, would recommend Papaya King if you're nearby, your meal of choice is a dog, and price doesn't matter. Me - I'm sticking with Gray's Papaya on W. 72nd! read more

See all

I'm glad Papaya King is back! I was pleased that the hot dogs are still good. I have to say, I feel the prices have gotten much higher. Each hot dog is $5. They have a deal where you can get two hot dogs and a drink for $10. I've been going to Papaya King for decades and even right before the original location closed, I didn't think it was this pricey. The drinks are very sweet but they pair well with the salty hot dogs. I'd give the mango drink 2.5 stars and the hot dog 4 stars. read more

Papaya King - Hot dogs and mango drink - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Papaya king on 86 streets moved from the 3rd ave location to 86 between 2nd and 3rd aves and 86street. The franks are still good but the prices are higher. However that will never stop those of us that need something quick... read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Not the same as the original. Hot dogs had no snap buns weren't good. Disappointed. It can't possibly be the same owners.

I eat hotdog once a year & I was passing by and I said oh let me get a couple of dogs. I asked for two chili dogs with sauerkraut. I'm not sure what I got. I think I got sauerkraut and some onions or some kind of red sauce that passed for chili? The hotdog was just OK. Did they get the wrong? I don't know. Will I go back? No. I'll just go to the local supermarket and buy a pack of hotdogs & make it at home. read more

While it's not the original location, all the food ingredients and the tastes are spot on. Even the hot dog snap is just like the original. The ketchup seems different, but the mustard and onions are also correct. I do mis the original location, but I'll take what I can get. Service was very friendly. read more

This is at the new location across the street from the old location on the corner. I got the most basic hotdog for $5 and it came with relish. The hotdog was decent and still tasted like it did when it was at the old location. It's a shame the new location just doesn't have that ambiance anymore though. read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

"It's good to be the King!" For some, this is the best hot dog in New York City. For me, it is a close second (Nathan's for me is the true hot dog King). Unfortunately, when the original location of Papaya King closed down, the whole city descended into chaos. When it was learned they would be reopening not far from the original location, tears and cheers were elicited. A loud exhale could be heard across all three rivers that surround Manhattan. When I heard Papaya King was reopening, I decided I was going to stop in one evening to see if everything still remains despite the new brick and mortar building. Rest easy, everything is fine... and more. The hot dogs still taste great. The papaya drink is still frothy and full of flavor. The chili on the hot dogs provides a bit of a bite, but it does not overwhelm the hot dog. It is simple and effective, cheap and easy. That is all you can ask for in a hot dog stand. Long live the (Manhattan hot dog) King. read more

My how the mighty have fallen. Like much of NYC, this institution is but a shadow of its former self. And never before have I felt so sad about posting a review. The dog was insanely salty, even by NY hot dog standards, and the onion sauce had a very nasty metallic aftertaste. It was barely edible. And while the tasty papaya drink was what I remember, the price was not: $11 for a single frank and a small drink. Even by NYC standards, this is criminal, nothing short of highway robbery. Also gone are the lively countermen slinging kraft and dogs, replaced by a single bored woman who barely knew the difference between ketchup and mustard. It is sad when institutions fail and fall. But the lack of quality and insanely high prices indicate to me that this giant of my youth has seen its time pass. I gave it two stars out of sentimentality. read more

Papaya King - A mere shadow of its former self - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I used to love the fried Twinkie at their old location. Too bad it's no longer on the menu. Skip the chili dog. read more

This is a great place to eat one of the iconic NYC foods - hot dogs and a papaya drink. I ordered the basic special ($7.99 w/o tax) which is 2 hot dogs and a 16 oz papaya drink. Hot dogs have a good snap! The drink itself is more coconut forward than papaya taste. Service is fast and sufficient. There is several bar tables to stand up and eat. It was relatively clean. read more

Papaya King - Papaya drink and 2 original hot dogs - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Yay for Papaya King's return to the UES! Smaller location but right across from the original one. Had two classic hot dogs and they were delicious. Would recommend if you are in the area. There's also standing tables with ketchup and mustard for customers! read more

Papaya King - Classic Hot Dog with Kraut - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

My dad used to take me to the original Papaya King location on 86th Street and 3rd Avenue when I was a child, where he would order the famous "recession special"--two hot dogs and a drink for just $5. I hadn't been back in over ten years, but I stopped in a few days ago. The hot dog and papaya drink brought back a lot of great memories; however, at $10, it can hardly still be called a recession special. That might explain why the place was nearly empty. Service was quick, though the staff seemed more focused on chatting with each other and wasn't particularly friendly. The restaurant itself was nicely decorated with photos of the original 3rd Avenue location. I will go again so that I can remember the things my father use to do with me. If you enjoy grilled hot dogs with a satisfying snap, it's still worth giving a try. read more

My order was a #2 combo. It was a 2 chili dogs, 16oz drink combo. I was charged for the drink, it was not part of the combo. The hot dog itself was salty, chili portion really didn't have a flavor. The pina colada was watery, no froth, and the taste barely resembled what was made at the original location of Papaya King. I will not go back read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

The food is amazing! Favorite hotdog place! Friendly staff! Nice to go in for a quick bite! read more

It's a crave killer. Two hot dogs w a drink for $10 hits the spot. I'm not asking what's in these dogs but they taste so good.

Classic. I'm from the west coast but when I flew lut to the east I knew I hadda pop out n try this spot. I be hearing whispers bout this joint n it did not disappoint. Yea it's a basic 2 dog w a drank typa deal but the simplicity combined with the NYC hustle and bustle be an experience. They known more 4 they papaya drank n they spank. They got diff flavors too. I'd come back. Simple. read more

I first had the Papaya Hot dog years ago when I visited the store across the Empire State Building (it no longer exist). It was the best hot dog I ever had. When I went back to CA, I was craving the Papaya Dog. Couldn't wait to have it again. Ever since I've been back to NY 5 times and every time I make it a point to have a Papaya Dog. For whatever reason, it wasn't the same this time. Maybe it was the poor service but it didn't amaze me this time. I will go back again next time in NY hope it was just this one time. read more

The 2nd best hot dog of NYC next to Nathan's is back! Same fare offered as at last location. On busier side of street. Not being next to Chick Fil-A is a help too. read more

Papaya King - Hot Dogs Near Me - New York, New York

Visited: 2025-01 Chili combo $12.99 before tax: solid chili dogs. The hot dogs were juicy. I got the papaya drink and it was solid. Not as good as the rival. OVERALL: Glad they found a new location to open up & I got to try their dogs & papaya drink. read more