Gray's Papaya

Pros: Great taste, inexpensive, quick
Cons: Only can get them in the city

Are you looking for a quick, delicious, and inexpensive cuisine? Do you work or live in the city and have a quick break? Well if your a hot dog lover, you haven't tried anything until you have had a Grays Papayas hot dog. Grays Papayas has the best...

Pros: Cheap and quick
Cons: Inadequate seating

Even though the recession is long over every now and then a person can use a Gray's Papaya recession special. Two hot dogs and a fruit smoothie for under three dollars it's certainly one of the greatest New York City dining bargains.

The...

Pros: Great hot dogs and juice at great prices
Cons: No place to sit, East Side's Papaya King is slightly better

I usually only eat hot dogs at the ballpark, but not if I happen to be on the West Side of Manhattan and pass by Gray's Papaya. The hot dogs at this little dive are fabulous - grilled to perfection with a crisp skin on the outside. They have great juice...

Pros: Great hot dogs, very very cheap.
Cons: Dirty

My father took me to Grays awhile ago. Ever since then I have loved their hot dogs. I mean its cheaper than the ones on the street and its a store!
The hot dogs are wonderful and they are fresh because there is always a crowd in there so new hot...

Pros: great food cheap
Cons: big lines

I just love this place. It's affordable with hot dogs under $1.00. Where else could you find that? When I saw how cheap their dogs I expected a mini dog on a toothpick. No, I got a huge hotdog, like a really long Kosher style dog with a bun and...

Pros: Fast, super cheap
Cons: Gross

Lot's of people eat at this place, but it's generally not because the food is great - it's the deals, and the convenience. I'll take a two dollar meal where I can get it when I have to, but this is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to food in New...

Pros: Cheap Cheap Cheap Prices
Cons: Filthy & Surly service

I work close to Grays and on every so often i stop in there late at night since there is no other place usually open at 2am. The Hot Dogs are Ok, sometimes tasty but on whole very average, The recent Hot Dogs I had at Shea Stadium were far better with a lot better snap and flavor.

My main problem with the place is it looks like it never gets cleaned.
The floors are filthy, napkins are usually hard to find and the people behind the counter are surly. Also late at night Grays tends to attract a very unsavory crowd of drunks, homeless and Hip Hoppers.

One other thing you will notice about Grays is that the owner writes ridiculous political statements all over the outside of his restaurant such as AL FRANKEN YOU ARE OUR HERO and WE ARE COURTEOUS NEW YORKERS (which couldn't be further from the truth).

For a really great Hot Dog go to Walters in Westchester New York.
I was only there once but the Hot Dog was far more memorable.

Pros: Taste, cost, ambience
Cons: I guess...no place to really sit...

I first heard about Gray's Papaya on the Matthew Perry/Salma Hayek movie Fools Rush In...so of course on my first trip to NY I had to track them down. I WAS NOT disappointed!!!!!! They are the best hot dogs ever. My husband and I say to each other at least once a week "I wish I had a Gray's Papaya hot dog"...Would they ship them to Colorado like the did in the movie to Nevada???????????

Pros: It's cheap and very good, open when ever you crave them
Cons: Not enough establishments and some loitering that is beyond anyones control.

The best meal under $5.00 in New York there is no one out there who can match Gray's Papaya for its quality taste and it's price. When I go I try to only eat two and wind up eating like 5 with no problem. Don't take my word go check for yourself trust you wont regret it. I'm trying to buy my own if I cant have them delivered.