I was here for business. This is their flagship location, but I also stopped by for food. While I understand that the prices are a bit high--about $7 for a hot dog, with additional charges for toppings like cheese, chili, sauerkraut, and jalapeños--I can see why. This place is unionized and supports fair wages, with frontline workers earning around $15 to $16 an hour. Given that, I understand why the meals are more expensive. The service is decent--you have real New Yorkers working here, along with an immigrant workforce, which I appreciate. While English proficiency isn't always perfect, it doesn't take away from the quality of service. The staff is efficient, and despite the chaos of a busy environment, the place is accommodating. The restaurant is spacious, with a nice atmosphere and a great view. It's one of the best spots to eat if you want to enjoy the open space and feel close to the water. The decor adds to the overall experience, making it a well-designed and inviting place to enjoy a meal. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food is delicious,nothing like a Nathan's hotdog and cheese fries and I can't wait to go back there when the weather gets warmer,a real treat for sure read more

Beer $9, French fries got much better, it's not overfried anymore , cheesesteak was melting in the mouth Service was good read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Beer, French fries and NY cheesesteak hero - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Finally made it here! Hotdog was good, similar to a hotdog most places. Fries were really good. Fish sandwich meh. Outdoor seating area and the vibe was great! Worth going! Super busy! read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Wait was long, food was cold, menu is wayyyy overpriced!!! Not worth it!! I had wayyy better dogs at bbq's. And it's crazy cause I was craving it and it was NOTHING LIKE what I wanted it to be!! read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Hot dog, onion rings n some secret sauce - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My buddy and I hit his old turf in Brooklyn and went to Coney Island amongst other eateries in Brooklyn. We've been to Nathan's before. Him, being that he lived there and myself when I've gone to baseball games right next door. The hot dog is solid but very thin. It is served on a toasted bun. I got sauerkraut and mustard. Very tasty dog but don't blink because it's gone in a few bites. And at $4.99 for a hot dog, that's a big price tag. I get it; it's a tourist trap for the most part but is very good quality. Fries are absolutely amazing. Nothing like a Nathan's French fry. If you're in Coney Island, yeah, you gotta give it a shot. I deducted a star because the price is just a little ridiculous. read more

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A lot of younger people working here which is great GET YOUR MONEY TOO. The food is ok nothing to rave about. Most people go for their hotdogs it can be a hit or MISS. also the fries doesn't seem fresh but ehhh it's An amusement park read more

the nathan's hot dogs here are way better than the nathan's food trucks on the street. we got our hotdogs fast.

For the first time in my life, I came to watch the hot dog eating contest live on July 4th! The event was held at Maimonides Park Stadium. Every year I saw this on TV and thought this didn't interest me at all. However, the feeling of being there on July 4th was mind-boggling. This event should be on your bucket list. Just do it once in your lifetime. Was I there to see Joey Chestnut? I don't know, but he seems famous. We didn't purchase the ticket before the event because Hubby made this plan unexpectedly. He likes to surprise me. However, we were told to get the ticket before entering. There were about less than ten people when we got there around 9:30 AM. It was free tickets or standing tickets. We thought, ok, why not, if we don't like it we can leave anytime. The event was pretty enjoyable because we didn't sit close to the contestants. I may not enjoy it if I see them "chow down" in front of me. Watching it from a distance was ok. We were facing Joey Chestnut but far. As free ticket holders, we were not supposed to get the seats. However, because we were early, there are extra seats at the standing tickets area that the security guards put next to them, and they offered the space for us to stand there. After a while there, we started sitting because those seats were not assigned to anybody. Awesome! The best part of the event was probably the funny MC. He and Chud Lug? the local rapper, entertained the audience with some mixed music. I think this local rapper is the king of soda? He wins the competition almost every year. I beat the competition drinking water! While at a stadium, we decided to try Nathan's hotdog too. We had it before the competition. What a fun experience! read more

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The food is great. The employees are nice. The line moves pretty quick. It's history spot.

As crazy as it sounds, watching Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN is an annual tradition in our household on the 4th of July. It all goes down in a carnival atmosphere with plenty of pomp, circumstance and mustard in New York's Coney Island. After last year's COVID-influenced indoor contest, I was glad to see the competition move back outside in the bright sunshine of Coney Island's Maimonides Park for 2021. Joey "the JAWS" Chestnut, with a record 13 wins in Nathan's Contest was back in NYC this year to defend his world championship title. Once again, Joey beat all competition and eventually hoisted the bright yellow mustard-colored Championship Belt after setting a NEW WORLD RECORD of devouring 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes! Simply incredible...and always a fave on the summer's sports calendar. 5 stars for the King of the Dogs and a campy holiday tradition. read more

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The 4th of July. A day when we celebrate our independence as a country. A time to reflect on being a citizen of the U.S.A. Oh and a moment to watch men (and women) shove more hot dogs in their mouths than a human should eat in a year (maybe two). That's right, it's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest and that's just how I spent the first chunk of my July 4th of 2019. No, I wasn't a contestant, but for more than a decade I've watched people guzzle down hot dogs on this patriotic day...from the safety of my couch. It was this year (with no usual plans for the day) that I took the opportunity (and one of my amigos) and made way down to the corner of Surf and Stillwell. We arrived at 8 in the morning to a line already about 100 people deep. Even so, we were able to snag a prime spot once we were let in to the barricaded area (think New Years Eve in NYC). Hot dog foam hats were handed out and it was time for the festivities to begin... Okay, not really. We weren't let into this section until 9:30ish and still had over an hour to wait around before the women's competition began. Honestly, the musical acts they had to entertain us and some camera opportunities were probably enough to keep us entertained. The biggest dilemma was the heat, but you can't blame Nathan's for that. And once things really started to get under way, it was just awesome. I don't know why I'm infatuated with this contest. Maybe it's the classic Nathan's location in an oddball yet fun-filled area such as Coney Island. Maybe it's the fact that hot dogs were one of my favorite childhood foods (like the only thing I ate for a while, according to my mother). Maybe it's the host and MLE chairman George Shea and his lyrical delivery of the event and each of the competitors entrances. All I know is experiencing this live is totally worth it and something I'm glad I can check off my bucket list. Overall, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a staple to what makes the 4th of July worth celebrating. Yeah, maybe it promotes some gluttony, but don't get caught up in it. If you ever enjoyed watching this event on TV (and you can stomach the actual image of shoving 71 hot dogs into your mouth like Joey Chestnut did), then there's so much more energy and excitement when being here in person. I don't know if I'd wait in the heat to experience it all again, but to say I went once is all that matters. So one of these Independence Days, go be a true American and visit Nathan's to see one of the greatest (and oddest) events this nation has to offer. read more

I love my fried wings I'm giving this four stars for the flavor I got a little bit of ranch dipping sauce on the side. I guess these wings four-star is definitely on my top 10 .. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Chicken wings Amazing. $19.99 little pricey - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ah, how the great have fallen. This was so much fun ten plus years ago. The area in front of the stage was crowded, but you could see. The performances: before, between. and after the contests were great... and you could see them. Then they built the press stands. Right in front of the stage, blocking the view of all but the earliest. We're talking 3 hours early for the 10:30 start. There used to be an attempt to make up for it with a wide TV screen, that showed the stage to a larger crowd. It was like the view screen at a baseball stadium. It wasn't the best, but it was better than nothing. You could always see what was happening on the stage. This year, 2022, only the 20 minutes of the actual contests are shown. All the other acts, speeches and audience entertainment is gone from the screen. Its replacement? Repeated Nathan's hotdog commercials. Over-and-over again. This, plus the same "winner" for 10+ years makes this once-great event, now something to miss. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - "View" view of the stage from the sidewalk - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Nathan's Famous Coney Island food never disappoints. Don't be fooled by the long lines Nathan's employees more swiftly getting the demanding crowd out. One of the most New York City (Coney Island) nostalgic eateries. Customer service with the crowd Nathan's receives is phenomenal. I had the frog legs since as a child we always had franks and fries. read more

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Nathan's Hot Dogs has a really chill vibe, with pretty good quality meat for a beach side hot dog. I ordered the bacon and cheese fries, the fries were pretty good quality but the cheese is more sloppy and a cheese sauce rather than real cheese. It was a little pricy for the quality but still worth a visit once for the novelty. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - bacon and cheese fries and cheese dog - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Nathan's Famous July 4th contest is really what NEW YORK is all about and makes America Great again again & gain. So I jumped on the "N" train from mid town today just to witness the man the myth the hot dog eating god Joey Chestnut devourer 72 Nathan's Finest Hot Dogs today. Absolutly an exceptional way to start off my 4th of July and show how loud and proud of an American Frank B is. If you have not braved the train ride to Coney Island to witness the annual hot dog eating contest well I suggest you do it cause it's a great American event. All that was missing was THE DONALD sharing a dog with Joey. read more

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I never knew there was an event page for the contest, until my return for some Coney Island randomness. So here's how my 1st contest day went for 2017. I finally made the trip this year, early enough to get in and it was worth it. You will encounter people trying to cut, groupies, crazies and possibly inclement weather (all the above, ) We met so many nice people and got to see a variety show from hip hop to k-pop, before the contests. The emcee was the star of the show (other than Joey of course) and the poor lil cheerleaders, the Bunettes. I wish there were bleachers for all spectators, because my only complaint was the amount of standing in the sun involved is grueling. I had terrible sunburn and peeled for 2 weeks. read more

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Love the 4th of July!!! To get to watch these professional eaters gourge on hot dogs is a tradition at my house!!! I mean Joey Chestnut he's the man. The guy just set a new world record for consuming 75 hot dogs in 10 mins. Amazing my hats off to the the Nathan Hot Dog champion!!! read more

After seeing the news that Nathan's have vegan hotdogs, myself and my Friends drove specifically for that and to our surprise! NO VEGAN HOTDOGS! This is not how you run a business! read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - The mis information of vegan hotdogs launching at Nathan's - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I want to love this place because its in my neighborhood. But 3 panhandlers approaching me while in line within 10mins is embarrassing. Make that 4, while waiting for my order at the outside countertop, another one approached me, (pic attached of this one). This place needs security, ASAFP. This is not to say that I came a few months ago 20mins before closing and they were "closed". As Im waiting for my food, a guy that approached me inside while waiting to order, reproached me outside while waiting for food. That makes it a total of 5 times within half hour. (Pic attached as well) This place is infested, Im not coming back, even for a free hotdog. Very sketchy, they currently have only 20+ reviews on yelp bout 2k+ on google, its rigged. read more

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There is nothing more All-American than Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on the 4th of July. Last year, I totally forgot about this item on my bucket list until I was in the midst of watching the fireworks on the Hudson. Since then, I have been telling everyone and anyone who will listen that my plans for the next 4th of July were set in stone! We got there about 10:15am and it was packed already. We were at least a good 250 yards from the action! It's a good thing we got there when we did because soon the crowd in back of us was just as massive as the crowd in front of us. Being vertically challenged, it kinda sucked, but I was trying hard not to let that sway me. I just tried to crane my neck during the important parts. If you are claustrophobic, you will not be a happy camper. They had a live band playing with songs they made up themselves about hot dogs, a trampoline show, and ribbon acrobats to keep us entertained until the main event. Everything was top notch and seeing the contest live was jaw dropping. The crowd is hyped up and part of the fun even in the sweltering heat and humidity. Awesome to see the reigning champions Sonya Thomas chomp down 40 hot dogs and Joey Chestnut scarf down 62 dogs. SAN JO REPRESENT!!! I can not stress enough to get there early...I'm thinking around 9:00am? Glad I was able to cross this one off my bucket list! read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Ribbon Acrobats 2011 - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A much delayed review here. Loved it! Female contest starts at 11:15am or so. Male contest starts at around 12:45pm. The actual contest is only about 10 minutes long for each one. In between, there is a mixture of performances and announcements. I went earlier this year when there was supposedly a tornado touch down. The weather looked calm in the morning so I decided to stay for just a little bit. The crowd wasn't too bad when I arrived a little past 11am or so. I was able to walk around and up closer to the stage from a sideline standpoint. They block off the center stage area from very early on. I don't know how it works but it seems like you cannot re-enter if you come out. There is big screen on the side if you cannot see the action on stage. Later on, it got super crowded and it was hard not bumping into people. Got lots of angry stares but I just wanted to get to the subway station! Not sure if I'd go again next year, but I am glad I got to check it out at least once. read more

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The onion rings were soft so they were not fresh. Onion rings should be hot and crunchy not cold and soft. The hot dog was not my favorite hot dog but that part could just be my tastes. Please work on the pre prep time. I know it's hard to predict the traffic but Nathan would be appalled. read more

I ordered fish n chips, two hot dogs, a side of onion rings and a drink. I waited watching all the customers that came in and ordered after me receiving their meal way before mines. I asked the lady at the counter and she stated that others will receive their meals before others if they ordered hot dogs. She then picked up her phone to start chatting with someone on the order line. I stood there waiting again about 10-15 min. She then came over and asked what I ordered and noticed my food was sitting waiting to be packed up and handed over to me. They fish was gross. Fish n chips is usually made with cod, but I received two piece of tilapia. The fish was soggy and the french fries were just ok. Not sure I would try the seafood again. read more

Attending the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has always been near the top of my bucket list, along with climbing Everest and going to space. This year, I finally got to go to this amazing event in Coney Island, right on the side of the original Nathan's Famous. I took, about, a 45 minute train ride over to Coney Island, and arrived at about 9 or 9:15 AM. I think this was a perfect time, because they closed off the front section, by the stage, at around 9:30 because it was filled up, although not exactly packed like sardines. It was over 90 degrees the whole time, so it was definitely pretty brutal standing out there until 12:45 when the contest began, but it was well worth it. Next time, I'd avoid being the rebel I am and bring some sunscreen to avoid looking like the tomato I look like right now in the face. At around 10:30, they brought out a funk band to play some music and entertain us miserably hot people in the crowd, which was nice and pretty funny how the Nathan's mascot kept interrupting their set to give them high fives and what not. They also had others acts like Wringling Bros. Circus acts, trampoline "professionals", and the guy from the famous "Evolution of Dance" YouTube video perform hs show live. At around 12:25, they began to introduce all of those crazy nuts who participated in the contest, with one, Takeru Kobayashi, missing from the lineup. I was right up front, so my friends said I was on camera a dozen times or so, some shots were right in my face, too, so that was pretty cool. Kobi couldn't compete due to contractual issues with MLE (Major League Eating), but he showed up in he crowd, right behind me, about 10 minutes before the contest began. The chairman of MLE, knowing Kobi was there, still did not let him compete, which was very lame, of course, because there ended up being nearly no competition for Joey Chestnut's 54 hot-dog run. Right as the contest was over, Kobiyashi snuck onto the stage, and was escorted off by police and later arrested for resisting arrest while he tried to rush the contest and crash Chestnut in all his once-a-year glory. Oh, the drama! Also, what was really cool about being up front, after the contest ended, I asked a judge for one of Chestnut's leftover hotdogs and huge cups of water, and he handed me a full jug of water and a plate with 5 hotdogs, which I shared with some hungry-looking people around me. Once the contest begins, it is very simple to snake your way towards the middle of the stage, right in the path of Chestnut. They were selling shirts for $10, so I got one, and I also caught an MLE shirt they were throwing out into the crowd. Once the crowd died down, Sonya Thomas, the leading female eater of the world, came out to sign some autographs and talk with some fans. I'm not exactly "OMG it's Sonya Thomas", but the woman has eaten 46 dozen oytsers in 10 minutes, so give me a break, you'd be excited too. She signed my Nathan's cup I got from Chestnut's station, and she talked to the few of us, telling us "I feel fine, i'll probably eat dinner around 10 tonight", as she had 36 hotdogs inside of her. What a badass... All in all, this event is something any serious eater must experience. Watching on television is great, but it's amazing to see these freaks of nature gobble down dozens of hotdogs at a time, some even using enough water to turn the hotdogs and buns liquid-y, lik a drink, as their strategy. Wake up early and show up by 9:15 with plenty of sunscreen or a big hat, and you are in for a great time at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on any 4th of July. Hopefully, Kobayashi will show up next year to add to the excitement of the event. Until next year, Nathan's.... read more

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So, I went to the annual Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest the year of their 100th anniversary in 2016 and surprisingly I wasn't one of the vegan protesters who sprayed fake blood on the competitors and made a scene. For a few reasons.... 1. I'm not a dumbass 2. While I may not agree with killing animals or eating meat I can 1,000% stand behind an 11 year old Jewish Polish Immigrant who without having a dime to his name or knew how to speak English or read or write, worked his ass off and built and empire of this magnitude. 3. It's a tradition that people love including my husband. Who am I to ruin that for anyone? Each year on the 4th of July hubs pulls me in front of the tv tuned to ESPN to see if this is the year I will finally vomit from watching grown men shove massive amounts of hot dogs down their throats, soaking the buns in water, shoving them down after. (It's easier to digest the bread that way. It's also extremely gross) Ugh. He gets so excited. It is unbeknownst to me, an actually worldwide sport. Who knew?! This year he was stoked to see these festivities in person! We arrived at corner of Surf & Stillwell via public trasnpsortation which is highly suggested for this day at around 11am, not crazy early, but just in time to see the women's battle which is now separate from the males. We were able to grab a spot without issue. We had a lot more room than I had thought we would, similar to the Mermaid Parade festivities, even more so actually. Don't get me wrong, not a ton but we weren't brushed up against everyone which was good because we were all hot and sweaty. There's a huge screen for those who don't have a great view. Don't be an ass and bring an umbrella for shade. It will not go over well if you block someone's view...it's Brooklyn. 'Nuff said. We watched the women's event which was fine and then waited the hour plus for the men to take the stage, watching the huge clock countdown! This was when the real fun started in my opinion.... They have lots of entertainment for those of us waiting.... Samba dancers, ass out an all, a rockin' DJ, rapper/competitor, Eric "Badlands" Booker performed. "Cake Boss" was there presenting a huge hotdog shaped cake to Nathan's. We all sang "Happy Birthday" and they gave the crowd slices. They had trampoline performers, a choir and the host, a guy named George who was absolutely hilarious! He alone was pure entertainment!! If we have another wedding ceremony, I want this guy to officiate! He's incredible! We were all dying from him. The crowd was awesome!! Everyone got into it! Just hearing what these competitive eaters have accomplished as they take the stage one by one is both insanely stomach churning, yet so fascinating. The 10 minutes of the actual event fly by as you watch these men try not to vomit. They are automatically disqualified if they do. It's so crazy! They shake and get red and sweaty. Ugh. Joey Chestnut who took back his title this year and was very much a crowd favorite. I was honestly happy to be there to witness it. Everyone cheered for him. You can't help but get into it all as bizarre as it all is. It's a really fun, crazy event! I say absolutely do it once. We may go back, it was such a blast! We felt very safe as The NYPD patrolled the area. Ladies, if you're not familiar with the NYPD of NYFD, they're the hottest! They look like they're ready for a strip-o-gram at all times. Seriously though, there were even snipers on top of Nathan's so if safety is a concern, don't let it be. Perhaps watch the documentary of Nathan Handwerker on Amazon Prime before you go to help you appreciate the story that is Nathan's. It's incredible what that man achieved with absolutely nothing. Staying true to the original roots, location, staff and even recipe is admirable. Oh, and the huge clock on the side of Nathan's restarts the countdown for next year before you even leave your viewing spot. Kinda cool. Like the countdown New Years in Times Square. Oh, and yes, those protesters were arrested and didn't go down easy. Love those vegan muscles! read more

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All these years it seems I said to myself, Oh I need to go down and watch that Hot Dog Eating Competition but on July 4th in the past six or seven years, I either had to work or was just too tired to wake up early and head down on the hour plus train ride to get to Coney Island. It was just something that had to be done, 2015 was the year. MLE eating world has been blowing up in the last 15 years at least. I am not sure how many competitive eaters there are in the whole world but it has to be alot. Competitive eating came to be reported in the sports category and broadcast on sports channels just two years after Kobayashi really made his presence felt. Now, of course he is not part of it, and does his own spectacle events around this time. Joey Lately, I pretty much never get tired so I thought, I can just go to bed late then still wake up and get here by 1130 or 12 noon. Well it happened, and I witnessed history Chesnut got beat. The streak of 9 Mustard belts in a row did not happen. Joey Chestnut was beat by Matt Stonie. Miki Sudo won the women's belt. After the event, the competitors stayed around and took pics with the fans and signed autographs. It was not the most pleasant sight in the world seeing hot dogs consumed this way but It was just something to do. I have to say at least it was not too hot in the crowd, it was super packed but if It was 95 degrees or 97 possibly would have been straight misery. Personally, did not get there early enough, my advice to all get here at 10am or even 9:30 to get a good spot. I would honestly hate to see what eating all those hot dogs really does to your stomach but If it was a fried shrimp eating contest, I could have entered and been a contender. Jordan "No Limit" W. could have been the newest member of eating community. This is an event anyone could see once if they have this kind of interest. read more

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Crisp hotdogs, chillin was really good as well. The French fries were delicious . But 5 dollars for a plain dog ? That's outrageous, what are we in Yankee Stafium?? read more

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What do you think of when you hear the date "4th of July"? Independence, Freedom (Go America), Fire works and hot dogs.... LOTS of fucking hot dogs! Nathan's Hot dogs are so Delicious that I thought, "Hey, I'll eat 26 1/2 of them in 10 minutes in Hawthorne, CA" to earn a free trip to NY and eat more Nathan's Hot Dogs, or as I like to call them "Joy in a natural casing" or "Magic tube steaks"... The people at Nathan's were very accommodating and rolled out the red carpet for the eaters. As I was on stage I panned out over the crowd and I couldn't even begin to imagine how crazy it would be to get around Coney Island during the contest. A sea of people asses to elbows enduring that heat, yet still on the 4th of July we all unit to see guys eating a bunch of hot dogs. It's an experience I'll never forget and and experience I hope to earn again. Go Team Damon, July 4th 2012! Disclaimer: Please don't try this at home, it's not safe, I only do it because I'm an asshole. What'cho know about dying Internet! read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Nathan's 7/4/11... I'm on stage on the far left - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Great fries just like we remember them! Hot dog and sauerkraut was Mom's favorite-still yummy with a generous pile of kraut. Clam fries because who passes by a pile of clam fries! Stop by! read more

Defiantly worth the experience but it was so packed that you can't see much. Free to get in and a really cool show of trampoline artists but the MC went on a bit and did start to do my head in. I will go to Coney Island again but probably give this contest a swerve. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I googled things to do on July 4th before we arrived in USA and Nathan's competition was high on my list to do. We arrived about an hour in advance but it was packed to the hilt and you couldn't get anywhere near close enough to see what was happening, so after the woman's competition we battled our way through the crowds to look at the closed theme park. Apart from not being able to enjoy the ridiculous amount of hot dogs be consumed we were pretty impressed with the energy the crowd provided for the lead up. Unless you get there hours in advance and get under an umbrella it wasn't really worth the trip. read more

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - Hot Dogs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Way too crowded. I loved it!! Commentator was hilarious. Go frigging Chestnut! Shouting "Come on, San Jose!!" warranted some confused looks. USA! USA! USA! Gotta respect these eaters, The hotdogs were a little too salty for me, but extremely tasty. read more

WOW I mean I came to the city that started the Nathan's hot dog only to find it mediocre & overpriced! I got the bacon & cheese hot dog (good but the dog was skinny & the cheese was some tasteless yellow goop but the bacon bits seemed real) & bacon & cheese fries (fries were the original but again tasteless yellow goop was blah). My cousin order the clam strips ( what a joke...don't waste your $). At least the beer was descent. Whelp I can mark this "famous" spot off my to do list. read more

There is something very chilling and disturbing about someone eating 68 hot dogs in a matter of 10 minutes while children are starving in the world and don't even have the opportunity to eat 1 hot dog. Still, that very big consideration aside, it is entertaining (albeit nasty) to watch contestants chug down hot dogs that quickly. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is a yearly tradition on the 4th of July dating back many decades, and it certainly draws the crowds to Coney Island's famous Nathan's Hot Dogs under the sun. This year was my first year here for the 4th of July and it was an interesting experience. The announcer was pretty whacky and was a character himself. The contestants were geared up and the show was definitely built up to keep the audience in suspense. Joey Chestnut was still the champion this year, and was just one hot dog short of breaking his hot dog eating record. But still, the show was suspenseful, entertaining, and a fun tradition to experience for the 4th. read more

I am still in shock that of all things on the 4th of July, my hubby remembered and we came to the hot dog eating contest! What a sh-t show!! Is there really anything more American than being beachside, getting a good hot dog, lemonade, and watching other Americans overeat?! I think not. The crowd getting off the subway was pretty big, and we definitely did not get there early enough to get a good view, but let me tell ya, that vibe was infectiously exciting! Glad we got the dogs during the competition, though-- the line was REALLY fast... and after, we would have waited forever! Even without the view, it was still a great visit! read more

Nathan's 4th of July hot dog eating contest is a gross/awesome American tradition and I love it! no wonder why other countries hate us so much! This is definitely a 5 star event if done right. So has a long time pro I'm gonna tell you how. Timing : The main event which is the men's contest starts at around 12:30 but, in order to be right in front of the stage you must get there between 9 - 9:30. This is the only way to enjoy the contest. If you get there any later you will not be able to see the stage and there's no point in even going. Transportation : If you get to Coney Island before 9 a.m. you may still be able to find some side street parking but, I recommend taking the subway. The F, N or Q are your best bet. Or you could also park your car at the kingshighway train station and take the Q train 5 mins to Coney Island. Possioning : If you are staring at the stage try to stay to the right of it (this is the side closest to the front of Nathan's). They will usually pass out free hot dogs to anyone standing near by. Although after watching the contest you may puke them back up! Just keep in mind that you will be standing in one spot for about 4 hours. If you leave your spot for any reason you will not be allowed back to it (think new year's eve in Times Square). Don't forget to throw on some sunblock and have a great time taking part in this American independence day tradition! read more

Attended in 2019. Of course the tradition, atmosphere, and contest are great. Contestants are celebrities, announcer great. However the contest has a very, very major problem with failure to control the media and associated personnel with the contest itself. Clearly the only people on stage during the 10 minutes of the actual contest should be the contestants and judges. However, the event allows everyone with any apparently any connection with the contest, and their families and children, to be on the stage. The result of this is that regardless of being there for hours and waiting these "self-important" people completely block any view of the contest for about 50% of the entire audience. The entire crowd was yelling in unison for them to move, and chanting at the top of their lungs. These ridiculously rude and inconsiderate people merely acknowledge the same and stay blocking the entire event in a fantastic show of we only care about ourselves. Do not bother. Watch it on television. It was on my bucket list, crossed off. Could not see anything because of event not controlling this, and we had arrived there at 9:15 AM with little crowd at the time. Really a shame. read more

In only two days, Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi defends his mustard belt against Joey Chestnut in a battle of appetite and determination. This event is really a one of a kind spectacle, everything from the live commentary to the sheer number of people that flood into Surf Avenue can only be found in America. Although I'm giving this event 5 stars, I have to give a warning to anybody wanting to watch it in perseon. First, it's not safe to bring kids. Although there are a number of policemen on hand, it gets way crowded, way fast, and since there aren't any elevated viewing areas, they're probably not going to see much anyway. Second, getting there early might get you a good spot to view the action. Third, it's tempting to get a hot dog before the start of the contest while you wait, but it's really a better idea to get your hot dog on after the competition after the crowds die down. And lastly, don't forget sunscreen. There isn't any shade, so you're going to be standing in the sun for a couple of hours. One of the more frustrating aspects of the contest is the fact that there's a set of bleachers in front of the stage--reserved for camera crews and sponsors. You figure with how much Nathan's is raking in every year off ad revenue and free press that they would make it more accomadating for people that actually make the trip to Coney Island. Regardless, this is a unique and memorable way to spend a Forth of July afternoon. read more