Papaya King — Restaurant in New York

One of the most famous quick & cheap eats of NYC is Papaya King. I know there are other "Papaya" guys out there, like Gray's Papaya Dog (founded by a former partner of Papaya King), and Papaya Dog, but I believe Papaya King is the oldest, and original.

The inside is really narrow. the first half of the space gets pretty packed with people ordering, picking up the food, and eating on the counter right across from it. They have menu everywhere, so you won't have too much trouble looking at all that they offer. Just keep in mind, they are "Cash Only" and don't even accept a bill larger than $20.

This is indeed a "stand" so there is no table seating, only counters along the windows. If you can get the counter space all the way to the back, it is much less crowded. They have ketchup and mustard on the counter if you need to add them to your food.

Needless to say, this type of food is not something we should eat often, but every once in a while, I get crazy cravings for these bad food. If you have one of those cravings and don't want to spend too much money, walk over to one of their locations for a solid, good ol' franks and some other tasty sides! Read my full review of this place and food my food blog,...

Well, for what it's worth, this trip to Papaya King was strictly nostalgic. Unfortunately, it has been widely reported that they have lost their lease and will soon be a chapter in what we know as, lost New York. I actually missed my bus stop for the 4 train and it left me right across the street, which gave me a chance to make a final visit for old times sake. So, I was immediately struck by the price for a grand slam which is. two hot dogs with everything on it, and one of their papaya or other for drinks. That was $12.99. I know it's not 1983,I chose pina colada which really has been my go-to since I began frequenting this joint, almost 50 years ago. However I found that the hot dogs had lost their snap-crunch(Hey, did I just invent the phrase?), and flavorfulness that I came to expect. The curly fries were served in a plastic container, and not the usual cup with the wooden pitchfork from days gone by. While they were curly, they were damp and had no real character as far as fries go. Like so many of my friends. All in all it was a disappointing, check that, not entirely disappointing, but just not what I hoped to experience after all these years. Thank you, Papaya King, for holding court all...

I lived in the UES from 1996-2018 and I absolutely cherished Papaya King. The way they toasted their buns with just enough crisp and magically cooked franks that would snap on your first bite always drew me back. I remember eating there back when they had pictures of the hot dog spot sitting underneath the bygone Third Avenue elevated train line in the ‘40s. It’s remarkable that Papaya King survived for almost 80 years. But it was always the perfect place to grab a bite while shopping on 86th street or going to the movies.

When I heard of the store’s impending demolition, I had to come back. I will honestly say that the hot dogs have lost their touch since I moved out. The buns were no longer toasted, the hot dogs didn’t even snap like they used too. It was honestly an overpriced hot dog living off the fumes of its former glory.

Although I will always miss their presence here, and believe its a true institution in Yorkville. I guess it’s time for it to go. At least Gray’s on the UWS still makes them right. Even though at one point, Papaya King was...