Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

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.

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 4^th 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.

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.

Perfect way to start 4^th of July! Great tradition and event. I’ve always wanted to watch this live and it was definitely worth it! After watching on tv for years I decided to go check it out. Be sure to get there early to get a good spot. I arrived at about 930 and was as close as you could be without a VIP pass. 1 hour before the contest started they opened the gates and let a few more people in VIP section to fill the space. I was able to be right next to the stage and had the best view. The female co. test was very exciting and came down to the final seconds. The winner won by ¾ of a hot dog. The male competition was record breaking! The weather was nice and the sun was hidden for the earlier part of the day. There were many small acts before the competition to fill time and the announcer was very amusing. Overall great experience!

I googled things to do on July 4^th 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.

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 4^th 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 4^th 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 4^th.

What do you think of when you hear the date «4^th 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 ½ 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 4^th 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 4^th 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!

Nathan’s hot dog eating contest used to be what America is all about, fun, crazy, and most important of all, it was fair game. But the contractual issue that is preventing Kobayashi from completing just makes me sad. It is another form of organizational crime against people. We have already let the big shark corporates ruined out economy, now they are trying to ruin the hot dog contest too? Nah.

Besides the heat, the crowds, and what seems to be the longest wait of my life for the men’s competition to begin, I actually had a great time. Both Sonya Thomas and Joey Chestnut won (Yay!!!). I don’t care what anyone says but this is definitely a sport.
I believe this is also the first year where they had a separate women’s competition.
Congrats to the winners. And as always, Nathan’s hot dogs are delicious. I wish I got a free t-​shirt though :-(

There is nothing more All-​American than Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on the 4^th 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 4^th 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!

Uh, this is not the sort of thing one eats for anything other than the experience of it. Besides, I stopped here for a totally other reason — THE MERMAID PARADE. What a happening that is…

To me, JULY 4TH = NATHAN’S HOT DOG EATING CONTEST. I look forward to it just as much as the BBQ parties and the fireworks, except I am pretty emotionally invested in this event.
I grew up watching the hot dog eating contest. I love the fact that Japanese men have taken the title of first place for many years. I am a huge fan of Takeru Kobayashi, and I was very upset that he wasn’t allowed to participate last year. Hopefully this year!
Someday I hope to actually attend this event and watch it live!

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 4^th of July. Hopefully, Kobayashi will show up next year to add to the excitement of the event.
Until next year, Nathan’s…

Always a good time!
This is like a mini Times Square on NYE. People come way early to get a good spot, and they don’t mind waiting. Then once the event is over, people disperse as if it was never there to begin with.
Props to the animal activists that always get a hard time defending their causes. Then again, I think they enjoy it, since they obviously know what they’re getting themselves into!
Love it! I go every year, and every year I don’t get to see a thing, but it’s always a good time regardless.

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.

Where else on the planet can you watch a batch of seemingly decent men (and women!) devour 50+ hot dogs in 10 minutes?
I’ve got to admit: my attendance was due in part to the fact that my apartment is in the same ‘hood as the original Nathan’s. But I’m glad I came, because no crowd will ever have the same energy as a bunch of Brooklynites watching people chow down dogs.
You have a choice between getting there 45 minutes early to watch the event live or coming at the start to see it on the Jumbotron. And of course, there’s always ESPN for the rest :-)

I’m not kidding. This was the best event I’ve ever been to in my life. That’s it.

I am still in shock that of all things on the 4^th 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!

Coney Island. July 4. Patriotism, the boardwalk and water-​soaked weiners. What could be better?
Truth be told, the announcer is the best part of the event. Then I go to Ruby’s (yeah, the place where the guy fell through the bathroom floor when he was taking a leak and landed in rats and poo) and I save a table and sit outside until all my friends arrive! It’s wide open because everybody’s over at the hot dog eating contest! But don’t go there because you too may fall through the floor when you’re taking a leak. Beware!

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.