If you talk about hot dogs in Central CT, and you don't mention Original Ranch House, people will be annoyed that you didn't mention Original Ranch House in Windsor. I had never been. So I was like, I guess I need to go. I tried to go. And GPS took me to Paul's Ranch House in Hartford. When I learned that wasn't the right one, I tried again. And GPS brought me to Ranch House in East Hartford. This is just to tell you, that if you want the OG that has been open since 1950, you need to go to the one in Windsor, which is conveniently located next to 91. The building and surrounding area, have likely seen better days. There is more trash outside than there should be. The inside is fine, but nobody was eating there. The hot dog I had was good. They didn't have many specialty dogs. I ordered the KMOR, which was just Ketchup, Mustatd, Onion and Relish. The dog was a grilled Bogner. Not cut. The bun was grilled. A good dog. It was clear that they have some loyal fans. 3.75 Stars overall, but the dog was a solid 4. read more

See all

A new hidden gem in Windsor !! Today I had a tuna melt with onion rings. I was trying to eat healthier. So I wouldn't say it was out of this world. But that's by my own choice. I know if I had tried a signature Junk Yard Dog or one of their world class burgers it would have been different. Additionally, their breakfast burritos are ginormous !! The service was spot on, the food came out super fast. The atmosphere is cozy and comforting. Definitely will be back. I highly suggest trying this nostalgic restaurant !! read more

See all

Love this place!! Totally looks like a dive from the outside (and the inside) but.... Puts out tasty food quick and simple and for the right price. I am a hotdog girl - not too fancy just a good dog to bun ratio - with the bun and dog treated correctly. And these guys do just that. Toppings if you want them. Service is friendly and efficient. Only negative here is the seating. Plan on eating in your car. There are a couple picnic tables outside but usually taken or dirty. Overall this is definitely one of my go-to places in the summer for a hotdog. read more

WoW! Excellent flavors! Generous portions! Fair prices! Really good stuff! I had the breakfast burger and my wife had ham, egg n cheese on a painting- big with lots if melted cheese. We shared a huge side of amazing home fries! This place is set up more like a fast food style, order at the counter n take it to your table kinda thing. Heads-up there's No bathroom. Nevertheless, the food is definitely worth it! read more

The Original Ranch House - Homefries, Breakfast Burger, Ham Egg & Cheese Pannini! All Excellent!!! - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

Good, cheap dogs but not pretty. Wandering around the state, saw a hot dog spot right off the highway. Decided to detour and give this place a try. The outside is nothing to look at. It's very much a hot dog bodega. It's a place to get a quick meal. So quick you don't focus on anything else around. We got to the counter and called over a worker. Got a couple dogs and some fries. Food came out quick and we dug in. I really am not a fan of all beef hot dogs. They are too small for the buns and too salty. They did grill the bun well though. So that's good. Fries were basic, dogs were cheap but too small for the buns. They did have a very spicy chili though. Very often chili doesn't have spice. This time it did, and it was greatly appreciated. Overall, for a quick stop it was good enough. Not a place to track down, but good enough read more

See all

Ok... This is my kind of joint! I'm not sure if it qualifies as a "dive," but it sure looks like one from the street! There are only a couple of seats inside but plenty of outdoor seating. I ate at one of the picnic tables and everyone else seemed to be carrying out. It was early Sunday afternoon and they were doing a good business. I got a delicious double burger (2 quarter pound patties), an order of curly fries, and a fountain beverage. There was also a cooler with bottled and canned options. My food came to $14.86, plus optional tip in the jar. Interestingly, this location started as the home of State Line Potato Chips in 1919. For a history, click here: https://tourwindsorct.org/pointofinterest/Carvilles-Restaurant/ read more

See all

A Connecticut classic that deserves more recognition! The food was great service was fast! I think with some slight upgrades to the outdoor seating and maybe introducing live music they could really draw in a large crowd! read more

The steak and cheese is very underrated the service is fast I hope it never loses its quality

Service horrid, very rude, unprofessional. Assumes everyone that comes in to purchase food, either drinks alcohol, smokes or on some sort of drugs. Should refrain from interacting and just take orders. read more

I like it. As you can read by many reviews here..Dont judge by the outside. The food is right on the money. Hot dogs are great, I like the spicy chili, good heat. fries are crispy. The only negative I can give here is the inside can be a mess sometimes. I get its busy but that is a turn off too. read more

Great food ready on time.. great service people are welcoming clean area. Will recommend Food to anyone who is interested in trying it out a great atmosphere. read more

I've been eating here since a co-worker dragged me in over 25 years ago. It is a quintessential dive. It's a dive's dive. It's far from spotless. It's the genuine article. It is exactly what it is. The guys behind the counter are basically the same crew I've always known to be there. The food is awesome. Prepared right in front of you. Once again I dove into the depths of The Junkyard Dog, curly fries and a root beer. Mmmmmm so good! The place satisfies my hunger and my desire to connect with something completely unchanged by the world around it. read more

The Original Ranch House - The Junkyard Dog! And curly fries of course! - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

This is a 75 year old Drive-In spot on the Hartford/Wilson town line near the entrance to Keeney Park that serves outstanding hotdogs and burgers along with extensive take-out breakfast and lunch menus. With options like regular or spicy chili you can definitely have it your way. The food is good and the prices reasonable. While decor is definitely not modern the service and quality is. read more

Stopped by for a cheap and easy breakfast after the gym. Quick fact about me, I am supposed to keep eggs, cheese and bread out of my diet as much as possible as instructed by my dermatologist. Well I came here and had a sandwich that had all three. In other words, I have not had a simple Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich in a very long time. Considering the price and how quick it came out, I had no regrets. After taking a bite, as simple as the ingredients are, this was one of the best Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches I've ever had. Usually with simple meals with basic ingredients, it is very easy to pick out any imperfections. For this sandwich in particular, look out for soggy bread or bacon, overcooked or undercooked eggs and excess grease. Found none of that with this one. Bread was toasted nicely and dry in a good way, eggs were cooked nicely and had good form, bacon was crispy but not burnt, excellent. Guys up front were nice, not much seating so I reccomend you take your stuff to-go. This is an excellent spot if you need a quick breakfast that you won't be disappointed with. The atmosphere and area is not ideal for people who use Yelp but what's the problem with that when you come in, grab you food, pay and get out within 5-10 minutes? No problem at all. Solid spot for those looking for a quick and quality breakfast without hurting your wallet, I honestly felt like I didn't even touch my wallet it was that cheap. read more

The Original Ranch House - Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

See all

Love this Resto.... Great Hotdog with potato sticks delish burgers. Great combo specials. Ck it out

The chili dogs are amazing!!!!!! &&& the staff is always super friendly been going here since I was a kid

For the price, this place is awesome. My wife and I split the two hot dog meal, both getting the chili dog. The price was super reasonable and the dogs were excellent. The buns were cooked perfectly. We also got our dog a chicken sandwich, which we get him from just about everywhere we go, and it looked so good. That was inexpensive as well. Great lunch for under $20 bucks which is almost unheard of these days. Highly recommend! read more

I finally stopped in to the Ranch House and now I wonder what took me so long. The hot dogs are great, the roll toasted perfectly. I had regular dog and the hot chili dog and you certainly can not say it isn't hot. But hot and tasty, not just hot. Looking at the menu board it seems the prices are very reasonable across the board. I'm going to have to find a way to work the Ranch House into my rotation. read more

I have been coming here since the early 90's! I LOVE their food & service! they're friendly, fast, & the foods GREAT!!!

So I've only been here twice but judging by the business they do and the food I've had this is a solid spot to swing by for lunch! I've had a steak wrap, buffalo wings and barbecue wings and I've enjoyed them all! If you call in advance the food typically takes 10 minutes. The food is fast, good and reasonably priced! There are a couple of picnic tables outside if the weather is nice enough to enjoy lunch outdoors. The parking lot is a decent size and the line moves fairly quickly. They accept credit cards which is always a plus! read more

The Original Ranch House - Steak wrap - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

Great dogs with nicely toasted split rolls. French fries sucked Hot chili was rocking. Shakes are legit and monstrous. Loved it. read more

Awesome for what it is- great place for foot long dogs, tons of different toppings (hot or mild chili) and 2 dog, rings and drink were only $12! read more

The Original Ranch House - Lunch - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

See all

Windsor has a pretty decent hot dog place in Bart's -just about 4 miles north of the Original Ranch House. In a hot dog throw down, Bart's is a clear winner. The Original Ranch House is located in an undistinguished section of Windsor Avenue just past the I-291 ramps. You order your dogs, burgers, sandwiches, etc. at the counter. Most people take their chow to go, because eating your food here is not a luxurious experience -just a few forlorn tables and chairs way off to the side under the blaring TV. Not exactly the lap of luxury (this place makes Bart's look like the Taj Mahal). The service is friendly although it wasn't easy understanding what the gent said to me. The food was average. An average slaw dog and average onion rings. Quite honestly, I'd rather drive the 4 miles North unless I was driving by on 291 and wanted to pick up some chow to bring home. read more

See all

Good, service both excellent. It is a little loud so plan accordingly. Probably not the place to propose.

Great little dive dinner. We had great chili dogs and bacon hamburgers. The dogs were really great I could have a few more. Low cost great food. Loved it. Service was simple and good. Thanks. read more

The Original Ranch House - Hamburger with cheese and bacon - Diners Near Me - Windsor, Connecticut

See all

Best hot dogs around , quick service, great prices. Also great milkshakes made with real ice cream!

I was told that CT has the best hot dogs! Well this place gets my vote. I had the chili dog with mustard and onion with a side of good ole plain Lays potato chips. Good and simple. The bread was more than just a regular bun - it reminds you of buttery Texas Toast. Small place but the food is good. read more

See all

This place is by no way glamorous in anyway. But they make a mean chili dog and their fries are nice and crispy. I don't think I would want to go here at night since there is a seedy looking motel right behind it. But if your looking for a quick no frills bite right off the highway and its daylight out...this is a great place to stop. read more

See all

Great Cheeseburger and Right Off I-91. Good find. Good beef, fresh lettuce, tomato & onion and quality bun and cheese. Cool throw back to diner era ambiance. Steady stream of locals. Good selection of cold drinks. Friendly staff and clean kitchen. read more

See all

We go there a lot it's always tasty but today I found a hair on my quesadilla and went back in and they did nothing. Wtf

Always delicious food , prepared quickly , which is very important when you're in a hurry . They have the best hot dogs around! One of our favorite fast food restaurants. read more

Surprisingly great/satisfying dinner right off the highway (maybe not even off the highway). Perfect for a stop on our road trip. Extremely reasonable prices. read more

The food is simple and delicious! Spot on every time! You can't have a bad meal here, and the prices are extremely reasonable.

Chili dog, hot. Make it two. A friendly group of people with really good chili dogs. They also serve real ice cream, not like anything you have seen around here before. This is like the ice cream you would make at home if you had the equipment. I want tasty food, I don't really care about the neighborhood affluence. You can get a good egg sandwich here also. Make it two. read more

This review is only for the breakfast, as I have not tried the lunch options. Sometimes, you're just in the mood for a breakfast sandwich. Nothing fancy, nothing too involved, just egg, cheese and meat on a roll. The Ranch House is a good choice if that is your aim. The location is set back a bit, just after the Hartford line and right next to Exit 34 on I-91. There is always plenty of parking, even around prime breakfast hours. The breakfast sandwiches are good and are prepared quickly. They use sausage links for the sausage, egg and cheese, and the sandwiches are just the right size (not too big and messy, not too small so you feel like it's a snack). If you need a quick breakfast on the way to work or before a long drive, this is a good option. read more

Joint # 97 (visited on 8/1/2017): ORIGINAL RANCH HOUSE, Windsor, CT. Original Ranch House has been doing it right for over 60 years!!! Best known as the 'Home of the Best Chili Dogs & Buffalo Chicken Wings,' this joint certainly takes pride in the food they serve. The joint is located on the Hartford/Windsor line and has been around for what some say is 'forever.' The sauce is hot and the dogs fresh so come check 'em out! RATING(S): J. Diggity Dog: 8.5/10, "SPECIAL GUEST" Ron Reisner: 8.5/10, and Dog Man Sac: 8.5/10 J. Diggity said, "So, the chili was good, had a lot of spice to it...had enough for me. The dog was a Bogner, out of Manchester, (Bogner Quality Meats), I guess they use them East of the river, according to Dog Man Sac. Nice chopped onion, buttered bun, flat griddle. I want to say this dog had a lot of flavor. I loved the chili. I have to give it at least an 8 and a half for me anyway. It was really up there for my tasting." Special Guest Ron said, "So I've been coming here for years, even before I had Rosco's Big Dog and this place is just know for it's chili. The Bogner dog is just ok, I'd prefer a pork and beef dog with natural casing. But what more than makes up for this dog, is the hot chili that they have here. They have 2 types of chili, well-strained chili meat sauces: one is mild, one is hot. The hot is fabulous and it more than makes up for it. The chili itself is a 9 and the dog brings it down to an 8 and a half. I give it about an 8 and a half. If it was a good dog, this would be about as close to a 10 as you can get with the spicy chili." Dog Man Sac said, "We're here today at the Ranch House, more importantly we're talking about their chili. And you guys already know by now, we're huge chili lovers. And we like it spicy. On recommendation from Ron, this chili is fantastic. It is just fantastic. Perfect amount of spice. It was great. I mean, the dog..., it was so/so. But it doesn't matter. With the chili on it, it all equaled out. I'm also an 8.5 today for Ranch House. It would have been a 10 if this was a beef and pork Martin Rosol's, Inc., Mucke's, Hummel Bros, Grote and Weigel Whilesale Store, that would have taken it over-the-top for me. With a natural casing, I would have preferred a dirty water dog. Other than that, the bun you can see is toasted, buttered and the toppings were spot-on. Get down here. Ranch house, Ranch house, RANCH HOUSE!" facebook.com / TheDawgTour read more

See all

Awesome Great dogs on toasted buttered rolls, delicious fried chicken and tasty popcorn chicken. Small inside counter to eat at. Tables and umbrellas outside. Super friendly staff. Wish we lived closer, but will make the trip again for sure. read more

Amazing chilli dogs, my favorite it the steak and egg breakfast sandwich!

Alright so firsts things first, the hot dogs were tasty. Like pretty tasty. I asked for some heat on mine cause we Brown boys can really handle our spice (or so I thought). I'm a couple bites in when I start to realize the heat on these dogs are no joke. Now I'm not gonna tell you that I am like the spice god cause I'm not, I'm more like the spice Demi-god. So I wasn't crying or turning red in the face, but I definitely acknowledged the fact that these dogs were packing some heat (BEWARE). So the food was good, heck it even surpassed my expectations, now why only 3 stars you ask? Well I don't want to give you my whole back story, and I'm sure you don't got time to read it anyways, but I'm from a 3rd world country. Do you know what that means? My stomach has digested things that would have dropped a room full of Navy Seals on their Be-hinds (if you get what I meeean). I could shrug off malaria on a bad day and Ebola on a good one. But these dogs man, these dogs burned a hole straight through my digestive tract. I wish I could tell you more but I'm sure yelp has some restrictions with that you can say on these reviews. Anyways, alls I gotta day is, if you ask for the spicy dogs today, you will be paying for it tomorrow, it really is the spice that burns twice( I'm talking upside down volcanoes). Anyways, alls I gotta tell you is that you should prepare to be married to that toilet bowl after eating these things cause for better or worse that's all you got. read more

I was trying to support this local business during the COVID 19 pandemic. One of the guys wasn't wearing gloves and was taking orders, receiving payment of cash and fixing food. I asked him to wash his hand before preparing my meal or let one of the other guys fix my food. He was upset because I asked him that and we all know that money carries germs as we have been told that the Corona Virus can be spread through money. He told me that he does this all the time and I can go eat somewhere else. read more