 "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water" received mixed reviews from critics, as Metacritic gave it a 49 out of 100.AllMusic writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "Durst's self-pitying and the monotonous music give away that the band bashed Chocolate Starfish out very quickly – it's the sound of a band determined to deliver a sequel in a finite amount of time.