Wow! What a treat! We were driving through and decided to stop in based on YELP reviews. This is a no frills, no nonsense, old school greasy diner with phenomenal chili hot dogs, chili fries and the best on earth, juicy, mouth watering cheeseburgers! Really? it was the best cheeseburger I've ever had in my life. Mine came with super yummy grilled onions, and a plain soft white bun. Loved every bite! And, they made pancakes for the little one at 6pm. Awesome place! An old building with a whole lot of original charm. The bathrooms were clean, and the floor tiles took me back to my childhood- probably from 1950 or earlier? super great service! LOVED it . Take my advice, dip your double cheeseburger into that zippy sauce read more

Delicious mini hot dogs, friendly staff, and quick service & good pricing. I will be returning more often!

Famous Lunch is as delicious as it is an iconic and historic part of Troy. Good, simple, satisfying, mouth-watering. As others have said, just order the dogs with the works. At least two, three for good measure. I also have a soft spot for places that sell RC Cola, and the other elements from my childhood that exist here. It's a little loud because it's a small-ish space with a great product, so it's going to be a bit crowded. Any discomfort you get from that is social anxiety and I don't know what to tell you. Also laughing at any reviews that include the people outside of the restaurant. Are you kidding me? Great dogs with delicious sauce. Fast and mostly friendly service. Will definitely be going again! read more

I'll start with the good stuff. You get your money's worth. The breakfast was big and satisfying. I got my order in a short amount of time and it was good for the most part. The bad isn't that bad. The homefries were just plain potatoes, no salt, pepper, any kind of seasoning, no onions, no green peppers, nothing. I had to add everything I could when I got home. Besides that the rest of the food was cooked to order, pretty good. The cook had a mask on! However, the pretty lady next to him TALKING did not. She wore a mask as a decoration, hanging from her neck. She also handled packaging my food(and yours too) without a mask. I took my food home and microwaved it hoping to kill any virus on it. If not for the mask I would have liked this place. Now I can't go back until God knows when this will be over. read more

have eaten here before when doing a job at RPI. I wanted something fast cheap and filling and there you go. Fast Cheap and Filling. Tiny hotdogs just means you can eat more of them read more

Famous Lunch - With the works - Hot Dogs Near Me - Troy, New York

This place is great! for what it is. If you're looking for a divy retro hole in the wall with good food (and yes I am!), then this is the place for you! Famous for their tiny hot dogs with zippy sauce (and onions and mustard), you should stop by for a quick lunch. Grab a stool at the counter, catch the eye of a server, and exclaim "FOUR AND A COKE" with pride. Literally. If you just say a number, they know you mean dogs. because yes, you need multiples of these little delights. everything is cheap, and everything can have zippy sauce. They even have pies and fries. This really is a dive full of locals, you'll end up sitting between some suits on jury duty, and a rough looking construction worker. Last time I was there, everyone at the counter ordered chocolate milk. I'm not sure what that's all about, but I'm a little jealous. read more

Famous Lunch - Mmmm dogs with zippy sauce, mustard, onion, and nostalgia - Hot Dogs Near Me - Troy, New York

Came here based on Yelp reviews. Ordered 4 zippy hot dogs for a family of four. I did not realize they were mini hot dogs (half of a regular hot dog) and we had a good laugh. We ordered another 4. The first one was ok (no WOW factor) but when we ate the second one, the chili became too strong and too salty. You really could not taste the hot dog itself. We also ordered a large fries which we left pretty much untouched as it was VERY greasy. Definitely will NOT go back again........ read more

Hot dogs are pretty friggin good. Chicken breast sandwich is good. Rice pudding is real good (don't get cream in it.) Usually like 2-6 ass cracks hanging off their stool at anytime. Two dum dum kids that work there are free comedy. read more

This place came in hella clutch. I was hungover and broke and they hooked it up with the best breakfast biscuit I've had in town. They do not play! 10/10 read more

Famous Lunch - Bacon, egg and cheese biscuit - Hot Dogs Near Me - Troy, New York

Excellent food, prices and atmosphere that brings you back in time. Zippy sauce is excellent. Also love the homemade rice pudding! read more

Famous Lunch - Menu Aug 2017 - Hot Dogs Near Me - Troy, New York

Boxing had Ali vs. Frazier. Hip hop had Death Row against Bad Boy Records. Olympic hockey had the US vs. the USSR (or is that passe as of last week?) The capital region? We have mini hot dogs. Famous Lunch against Gus's. Separated by the Hudson River, these dogs go head to head. Famous Lunch, you had me at the 35 foot long counter with stools. The dogs are as top notch as hot dogs can be. Coming in at about three inches long, they sure pack a punch. What an excellent snap. What a great balance between dog, meat sauce, onion and brown mustard. And for less than four bucks you can get four of these suckers with an RC cola. Who the hell else serves RC cola other than 35 cent vending machines outside of some drugstore in the middle of the Ozarks? Pure awesome on nearly every level. Famous Lunch has been in business for over 75 years and I hope it sticks around for 75 more. read more

Regrettably, I must write a dissenting opinion in the matter of the Famous Lunch v. Reality. I went here around dinner time one evening to finally give it a shot. I've heard people swear by this place, almost canonizing Famous Lunch into sainthood. It looks kind of dingy and old, which is potentially a good sign. Some of the best places can be the skeeviest. It was relatively quiet, and the guy working here wasn't too talkative. I ordered a few dogs and they were less than impressive: they'd clearly been sitting out for quite a while, because they were somewhat crunchy and tough. They tasted OK, but I certainly wasn't blown away. Assuming this is indicative of regular service and quality, I'm sorry, but reality wins and Famous Lunch loses: color me unimpressed. I suppose I'll give it a second chance, but I'm going in with very low expectations. read more

These guys make lunches for the Troy city jail holding cell. I won't go into the details of that, but I will tell you that the 4 little hot dogs loaded with mustard, onions and zippy meat sauce plus an RC cola are amazing. For $3.02 with tax. Unbeatable. Plus a great hangover cure. Forget places that go for that old time feel--when you walk into this Troy, NY landmark, you're in an establishment that actually WAS around in the 20's. Very practical too, all of the walls are covered in stainless steel sheet metal. Ain't no greese getting stuck to that. Would have gotten a hundred stars, but I tried to get a job there over a college summer break. They told me they'd give me a call but I never heard from them. So I could only give them a 5. Their other food is great too. Excellent breakfasts, and the sausage patty with peppers and onions is awesome. The name is decieving; they're open from 5 or 6 AM till 10PM. [but beware, they're closed sunday] Kick ass! read more

The best hot diggity dogs & sauce in the capital district. Their french fries are are always delicious. Wait staff are polite young men. We love famous lunch. read more

If you're looking for a greasy burger - this. is. the. place. For years I said I would visit and I finally made the time to go tonight and man, I wish I went sooner! It was established in 1932 and much hasn't changed inside. Cash only with an ATM in the back. Great double cheeseburger (with fried onions), hot dog with meat sauce, and french fries! I will definitely be back again! Loved this place - it's everything I hoped it would be (a favorite local restaurant with a low cost menu) and more! read more

Stopped in for three quick dogs.....3 dogs $2.44...can't beat that with a stick. Dogs were good & hot. I'd rent the apartment upstairs if they served beer here. read more

Buffalo has wings and beef on weck, Rochester has plates, Utica has riggies, and the capital district has delicious tiny hot dogs. Though I'm definitely a Gus's guy, sometimes you want those tiny hot dogs while you're in Troy or sometimes, call me crazy, you want french fries with them. When one of those times hits, Famous Lunch is a veritable institution. Made locally with natural casings, the little dogs combined with onions and meat sauce (hot sauce as the Rochestarians would call it), go great with just a hint of ketchup to balance out the tartness of the meat sauce. It's a standard coffee shop-type place with great history, but I'd totally go there for any special day. read more

Went Saturday to get some dogs because it was on the way. They used to be really good. Not so much anymore. There were 3 teenagers there running the place amd had zero sense of urgency. Half of the dogs were ice cold because they ran out of dogs on the flat top. The meat sauce was incredibley salty. So much so, that I had to get an extra soda to wash it all down. I mentioned it to the kid behind the counter and he couldn't have given a damn. He told me he doesn't have the recipe and that sauce is what they game him. And $5 for 4 little hot dogs and a cheap soda is a little high. Imho, go across the bridge to Gus's and don't stop at Hot Dog Charlie's either. read more

Just went here for the first time after hearing about it from talking to a co worker... Got 8 dogs with the works and two cans of RC Cola... My daughter got 4 dogs and a chocolate Milk... Tried the chocolate milk and it was quite good... Next time I will get fries... They looked good coming out... read more

A place to be. When you walk-in you feel like you're in a movie. Throwback alert!!!! The food is great and make sure you add the works and the special sauce. How can't you love this place. This is probably troys biggest gem read more

I would think that the little hot dog is our claim to fame. With that said, there are a number of places around here that you can buy these, the 'big three' being Gus's in Watervliet, Hot Dog Charlies with various locations, and this place: Famous Lunch. All three have been serving these delicious hot dogs up for many years. There are a couple of other up and coming place that offer these (like Anton's in Albany) but you need to try one of these 'original' place first. With that said, Famous Lunch is my favorite of the 'original' three. The hot dogs are small, so expect to order at least 4 or more to really be full. 'The works' (homemade meat sauce, mustard, chopped onions) seems to be the default, and is certainly the most delicious in my opinion, although I have had them both plain and with just mustard and they always satisfy. The natural casting is great and the flavor of the dog is slightly above a typical hot dog. The menu is pretty basic with the mini hot dogs, hamburgers, some grilled chicken, the usual greasy spoon breakfast options and the notable sausage and peppers sandwich which is great...Make sure to take some of their homemade rice pudding with you, its at least the best I've ever had. The inside is very clean with most of the busy times I've seen being breakfast and lunch. The customers vary from RPI and Sage college kids to average working guys, to cops and firefighters, to the bum on the street. Chances are, you'll rub elbows with everybody. That's pretty cool. The only reason Famous doesn't get 5 stars is because sometimes in the evenings they have obnoxious kids working behind the counter. (At least when I've gone in a couple times, this was the case) It got a bit off putting hearing their loud and usually inappropriate conversations about their latest drunk escapades and woman troubles. Another time I stopped, another group of kids (late teens I would guess) in charge of the place were flat out running around and screaming like a bunch of little kids, right in front of us as we were seated at the counter. When you and your significant other are the only customers in the place, you don't want to have to hear or see that crap. I just want to eat my greasy delicious hot dogs in peace. I hope that these were just isolated incidents though. The food and personal service has always been top notch. All in all, I hope Famous sticks around for years to come. read more

There is a reason that Famous Lunch has been around since before FDR was president. It serves the best small chili dogs in the world. Famous is an unchanged 1932 classic corner diner, downtown near the Hudson River in Troy, New York . In the 1880s, Troy was one of the richest and most beautiful small cities in the world. Though the money has long since departed, the Famous Lunch neighborhood remains a wonderland of gothic revival -- architectual music frozen in time. Like Troy, Famous earned it's name long ago. It used to be called just Quick Lunch, but in the midst of the 1950's Cold War, a call came in from the US Embassy in Moscow for a shipment of the delicious Troy hot dogs. That might not have been the whole reason for the end of communism, but freedom starts with every act of honest pleasure. After that, Troy's little working diner called itself Famous. The food is super inexpensive and prepared with faithful attention to simple details. Try several dogs, of course, and maybe a zippy sausage patty sandwich with perfectly grilled onions and green peppers. If you don't like Famous, better stick to the chains. Someday you may be ready for the kind of down home American food your great grandfather loved. Famous Lunch will be waiting. read more

Cheap and fattening hot dogs... It doesn't get much more American than this, folks. Overall, not a bad dog. Nice flavor and texture for the dog itself, with some tasty sauce, but the onions were too much for me. Holy crap, did this dog with the works kick my ass with excessive raw onions. If there is a next time for me, I'll go without. Also, I wish they did a bit more with their bun. Toast it, grill it, steam it... Something. Anything. It was soft and fresh, but lacked any personality. One other gripe... During our visit, there was an employee up on a ladder washing the ceiling in the "dining room". Why they would do this while serving food, particularly at lunch time on a Saturday, is beyond me. I would prefer not to smell cleaning agents while I eat, thankyouverymuch. It did briefly distract me from the onions, though. And the place WAS clean. Also, I have to comment on the environment here at Famous Lunch. I'll admit I'm new to the mini hotdog scene and had no idea what to expect. Granted I came in with a group of guys, but the place was chock full of wieners... and I don't just mean on the grill. It was like a dive bar packed with scruffy, downtrodden men... except with harshly bright lighting, and they were throwing back zippy sauce instead of pints. I felt as though I stepped through that doorway from modern day downtown Troy directly into a truck stop from 1960. Not to mention the RC Cola. Wow. What a trip. read more

Best hot dogs EVER! The raw onions, mustard and meat sauce combo is the way to go. Friendly and fast service.

Sweet lunch spot. I always get "6 with", which is Famous lunch shorthand for "6 tiny hot dogs with everything on there, stat." Great food, don't make the n00b mistake of ordering one thinking there normal size. This place is the working mans lunch. This aint no trendy youth hotspot. No-nonsense attitude, which is refreshing for a change. read more

I was traveling for work and saw some decent reviews for a place that served chili dogs that were not called chili dogs, because it is zippy sauce... So how could I go wrong with that?! I took a break from the healthy eating and stopped in. Someone was looking out for me, there was a parking spot right out front which is always a decent start. "The Good" - The price for what you get is outstanding. Three dogs and an RC for under five bucks... Filling, easy on the wallet, and pretty good to match. "The Meh" - Yeah, nothing in the meh section. Its a quirky old school joint that is just doing their thing. "The Bad" - Nothing really in the bad section here... How are you going to fault little hot dogs?? read more

Classic Places like this are disappearing off the map every day. Today's generation only trusts chain restaurants that all serve the same crap. This place has the old school diner feel ( just feel the 75+ years of grease permanently embedded on the linoleum counter and bench seats). Not a bad thing... that means its food is good enough to stand the test of time (obviously so have the employees 'cause they are all must take the shuttle bus from the near-by senior center to work here). I took my sister to lunch here and CHEAP (not my sister A-hole...the food). We did lunch for about 10 bucks. I had like half the selections on the menu. My only real critique of the food was bitter onions in the Zippy Sauce. Must have been a rare occurrence 'cause locals seem to love the Zippy. I'm not sure why they only stay open 'till 10pm 'cause the late night drunk crowd would pile in here after 1am ( of course they would have to change the name to "Famous Lunch and Late Night Drunken Munchie Fix). Bottom Line : Good enough that I'd take your sister here. read more

Great greasy spoon, man. Their thing here is small weiners with tons of shit on them. Hey, Albany is a weird pack. Those were about the length of my hand and they make them like a factory in there. The weiners here are uncircumcised and by that I mean they still have their skin on them. That aforementioned skin makes them gently snap, so that's good. (gayest review ever?) Hangover solution? Maybe. Hunger solution? Maybe. Those fuckers are small, and the only visible deal was 4 dogs and a soda for $3.70. Menus are hard to come by, it probably pays to be a regular to learn the intricacies of what they can manufacture. Reminds me of coney island lunch in pennsylvania. Not necessarily simple, but the formula is the same - chili dogs made en masse with chopped raw onions. One big difference from the PA brethren is the mustard. Great mustard. read more

Famous Lunch is a Troy landmark known for its bite sized hot dogs. I forget what the dog eating record is, but one of these days I'm going to have to head back up to Troy to break it. Whether you choose to sit at the counter or sit at a table, always make sure you're within earshot of a conversation. People talk about crazy things here. read more

Food was nothing to write home about. I got the cheese omelette, it needed extra cheese. The home fries were average, the toast was good (white toast smothered in butter). My husband got a double bacon cheeseburger deluxe, he said it was below average. The burger had no pink in it, it was grey. He also got 2 hotdogs with zippy sauce, he said they were "eh" and he didn't care for the fries. We also got the rice pudding which needs more spice to it. Prices are dirt cheap tho. read more

Getting banging breakfast with chili dogs. My brother is usually a reserved eater but when I saw him chow down on chili dogs at 8:00 AM I knew what was up. This place is the definition of greasy spoon with the old men who run it and the food, atmosphere etc. there's a reason it's famous. read more

Great little place to come for a quick cheap lunch. Mini hotdogs for less than dollar is a good deal and quite tasty. I got the chicken sandwich, it didn't seem super fresh or real but it was still quite good paired with the roll lettuce and mayo. My brother got the special, 4 dogs and drink for 4.50, and that was a good size for someone his size but probably wouldn't fill an adult. The fried were also good, not to crispy but still had a good crunch. This is a very neat place and I look forward to coming back read more

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When I was younger and our family would come to the Albany area to visit relatives, we always had to go to Famous Lunch. I think the saddest moment of my life was pulling up to Famous Lunch when I was about 12 and it was closed for Labor Day. I was a very sad little boy. Famous Lunch is half of the reason I went to RPI, the other being all the really attractive girls and the parties. I always stop in once or twice a semester for some delicious tiny wieners! read more

Stepping into famous lunch is like stepping back in time. the lunch counter over looks the grill where your food is prepared, or you can sit in a vintage booth across the aisle. It really is an awesome dining experience. I had two with everything and an RC cola. Everything is their chili/meat sauce, mustard, and chopped onions. they are tasty, and the hot dogs themselves are also among the best i've had. i wish i had tried famous earlier, but unfortunately in a couple of months i won't be hanging out in troy nearly as much. read more

Famous Lunch - two with and an rc - Hot Dogs Near Me - Troy, New York

Famous Lunch is great if you're craving mini-dogs with chili sauce and want other stuff from the grill like fries, burgers, etc. Seating is pretty scarce with about 4 booths on the right and bar stools up next to the grill so don't come in with a large group. Prices are great and you can get a good amount of food for a cheap price. Normally when I come here I get the mini-dogs with the works, fries, and an RC Cola and it's been a winner every time. My only gripe, and it's a minor one, is that sometimes you can get lost in the shuffle when it's at 75% capacity or more but the food never takes long to prepare so you don't get stuck on a long wait. read more

Famous lunch is a Troy institution. More than just little dogs but the dogs are great! Good coffee fast service.Rice Pudding is a must try! great breakfast place but not this trip i went in for 4 and the Pudding Snacke time. Zippy Sauce streight up. its like going home. And CHEEP. read more

Always great never had a bad experience Quality food uses good local products Frequent famous often very reasonably price read more

I've read the reviews from Yelp and decided to try this place. Their food is really salty and greasy. I guess some people would call that "authentic". I can swear that McDonald's would taste healthier than their mini-dogs. The only nice thing about their food was that it was really cheap. Yea. Everything from that store was cheap. Cheap price, cheap place, cheap food. What can I expect? They serve chili hot dogs. But it was definately below my expectations. Anyway, I won't be returning. read more

Went there for the first time today,delish! Told the guy ive never been,gave us menus and said go with the dogs..got 6 minis and zippy fries..awesome. read more

Famous makes other food, but their centerpiece would be the mini-hot dogs. These are made with finger length beef and pork dogs with natural casings. There aren't as good as all-beef dogs, but nonetheless pretty good. The dogs come with the usual condiments and Zippy sauce, this is a meat based sauce, with a bitter spicy flavour ... good with the hotdogs, not so much with the burgers. The hot dogs are worth the trip, the fries are so so, as are the burgers. Consider the price, this is a pretty good deal. Oh, they have flexible hours, but they may open early and close late. (5am-10pm) read more