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    Ben’s Chili Bowl

    3.3 (48 reviews)
    ModerateBurgers
    Closed 6:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Ben’s Chili Bowl Photos

    BEN’S CHILI BOWL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Chili dog
    Ashlee S.

    It's very rare that I'm traveling late on a Friday night, but today was one of those rare occasions. I hadn't had dinner yet and, unfortunately, the Delta lounge was closed, so we decided to hit up a classic D.C. staple before boarding our flight. Food Unfortunately, the grill was already off, so burgers weren't an option and only hot dogs and fries were available. I skipped the bread, but the hot dog topped with chili and cheese was still delicious on its own. Messy in the best way The fries were fresh out of the fryer and piping hot, which honestly made up for the limited menu. Service The staff working were really kind and apologetic about the grill being off. They even gave us extra fries to make up for it, which was a thoughtful gesture and definitely appreciated after a long day of travel. Ambiance & Value The restaurant itself was clean and pretty empty, which makes sense given the late hour and slower airport traffic. Prices were higher than the typical Ben's Chili Bowl locations, but that's expected when you're dining inside an airport. Overall Not the full Ben's Chili Bowl experience since the grill was off, but still a solid late-night airport option with hot food, friendly service, and a little taste of D.C. before takeoff.

    Main menu
    Jon F.

    The food here was really good! The original half smoke and chili bowl was definitely worth the visit. Food was so good we can back from our terminal to get another round of half smokes. Service was great the workers were fast and efficient. The location is really clean and had some history of the restaurant via pictures.

    Half smoke
    Anthony P.

    This place is an acquired taste when it comes to the chili. I grew up in D.C. area and would go the I street restaurant when I was a kid. The U street one has better prices. This is not the best chili but it holds a special place in my heart. I usually get the half smoke. The chili is spicy and so is the sausage. Service was fast and efficient. If you never had it, I would definitely give it a try as Ben's is a legendary place in D.C. and many famous have come in over the years to enjoy the chili.

    Half smoke chili dog & onion rings
    Mel J.

    We visited here while waiting for our flight in the afternoon. The service was quick and friendly. There are a lot of booths and table available. - Half smoke chili dog: the hot dog was smaller than the downtown location but it still tasted delicious. The bun was soft and fluffy. The chili was plenty and delicious. - onion ring: crispy and well seasoned

    Mike A.

    Meh. I got a chili bowl with veggie chili and had the toppings of diced tomato diced onion and shredded cheese. But not sour cream. It was mostly rice and tomatoes onions and some shredded cheese. Not really all that much chili at all, especially for 14.95. Service was very fast, only waited maybe 2 minutes for it to be made. It's got a weird graffiti panda sitting out front and lots of pictures and such on the walls.

    Original Chili Half Smoke and Fries
    Mark M.

    I ordered the classic half smoke dog with fries, and fountain soda. The guy at the cash was very aggressive, like the soup nazi. He yells out your order to his coworkers at the top of his lungs. It's a bit much. Once I got my order it was missing the chili on the dog. I told Mr Aggressive and he said that it was me that told him "no chili". Oh brother. Then he says "you think it's me?" Like, how could I ever suggest he made a mistake. Yeah, well it was his fault, but I wasn't about to argue with him. He then says he will put some chili on the dog. Hallelujah, but what a scene. As far as the food goes, it wasn't that good. The dog was spicy, even though I ordered the regular dog, and the chili was spicy hot too. Not something I cared for, as for each bite, all I tasted was hotness instead of the meat. My mouth was on fire. The fries were okay, just plain and dry. The soda from the fountain was the best (normal) part.

    Chili dog and bowl of chili with onion and cheese
    Bill N.

    When in DC Bens is a must. Delicious comfort food that is nostalgic about hometown favorites. Now there is one in the Washington National airport. Walk up order easily. With that old familiar look of the original. Every time I get to DC it's a must. The staff always friendly and on top of their game. This place is so chill.

    Spicy chili half smoke
    Kate L.

    The half smoke chili dog is a DC creation that's fiery and flavorful. The smoked sausage is incredible on its own. With an interior resembling a diner, Ben's is the perfect place to grab savory food and relax. Speedy service and somewhat filling meal. The bear in front is an adorable touch, adorned with DC landmarks and justice-seeking statements.

    Ray N.

    For being in an airport, this location is pretty solid. The experience I had here obviously isn't going to be the same as the OG in the district but for what it is, ain't bad!! There's plenty of seating inside, the staff kept the line moving and the food is delicious. Overall I enjoyed my lunch here and it's better than not trying it all if you didn't make it a spot outside of the terminals.

    Mike V.

    Flying back to NC with some delays meant we needed to find some food. Having passed though Ronald Reagan airport several times recently, I've been seeing Ben's Chili Bowl, and the lines, so decided to give them a try. The cashier was behind plexiglass, I suppose left over from Covid, but that along with his broken English made communicating and understanding his questions very difficult Unsure what to get, my wife and I split a Ben's Famous Chili Burger and an order of chicken strips & fries. The food took a bit to come out, when I went to pick it up, the woman putting the orders on the counter offered us fries to go with the burger too, which we appreciated considering the pricey airport meals. The burger was ok, I wasn't. A big fan of the chili, I'd skip that next time despite it being the name sake of the restaurant. Also, though the picture of the burger shows cheese, it's not included, and you have to pay extra...laaaame! The chicken tenders were fine, you get a decent amount with the order, but otherwise they're pretty standard. Overall it was an ok visit. Food was ok, portions were decent and we appreciated the extra order of fries free, but the quality is nothing over the top

    the inside of a restaurant
    Les R.

    Better experience this visit. Airport dining feel to the place and prices as expected. Still love the bear statue that greets you on the way in. I went with Original Chili Half-Smoke Hot Dog with mustard, onions, and spicy mustard. I also did the Burger Sub with two patties and recommend mayo, lettuce and onion (no chili). Food took a minute to prepare but it was fresh, inside was only slightly dirty for the lunch rush, and the food was good.

    Shashi B.

    This is my second visit in a few years. It's got great seating overlooking the airside of Terminal 2 C gates. I was happy to see a chicken sandwich on the menu. They are quite true to the fresh ingredients and the order doesn't just come out of the freezer to the microwave. Everyone seems chirpy and that maybe because I was there just at the border of breakfast and lunch. There are vegetarian options for both the chilli and the sandwiches. Have some time on your hand as this is not entirely quick serve. I had time to kill bring an early airport arriver. There's no meal/combo that also means the price reflects that.

    Isabella C.

    I got the classic chili dog and wow! I love chilli this hot dog was great. Quick and fast service... hotdog was only $9

    Spicy Half Smoke Combo with onion rings and a drink

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    10 months ago

    Easily the worst chili I've ever tried. No depth of flavor, no seasoning--just tomato paste with a heavy dose of salt.

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    My order got mixed up but they fixed it right away. Great service, good people. I highly recommend!!!

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    1 year ago

    I had a chili half smoke and a Ben's famous chili burger - both were excellent place to grab a burger in the airport.

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    1 year ago

    I had a Blt sandwich no tomatoes best sandwich ever, service was nice, atmosphere was loud but expected.

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    First Down Sports Bar & Grill

    3.8
    (426 reviews)
    4.4 mi
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    It's World Cup season, and a VA resident asked me where he should watch the game. I had not been…read morehere in years, but I usually remembered all of the TVs around and those epic wings and cocktails. He took my advice, and we decide to make it a full outing. We showed up an hour and a half before the game started and got the last table in the entire bar. If you know this place, you know it is huge. I knew it was a good option for watching the game, but I didn't realize everybody else knew too . Since my last visit years ago, they have switched to QR code orders -- unless you are sitting at the bar I'm guessing. As I said, the place was absolutely full, but there was never a long wait time between ordering and receiving food and drinks. They had a fun 20 wing platter for $25.99 with some unique flavors representing different countries... USA (Buffalo Garlic), Spain (pollo asado), South Korea (SPICY), and Mexico (Creamy Cilantro)... I think I got those right, but wow what a feast! Yeah, I didn't take a pic, I'm sorry lol. The cheapest cocktails were $6, but others ranged from $8-12, so not bad at all. Everyone had a great time and I forgot how fun it is. But my special someone is a 5 minute walk away, so I ought to be returning more regularly :). Oh, the only thing was that we had to ask for water and it wasn't brought otherwise. It was a hot day, and there were 6 of us, so we needed a lot of water haha. But a simple ask and it was brought out quickly. In my opinion, they should do it automatically though!

    We arrived at our hotel fairly late and the hotel restaurant was already closed. This place was…read morelocated directly across the street and was open super late. Perfect. I did not want to eat fried or super unhealthy food since it was late but this place looked like the best option. We decided to sit at the bar area right by the entrance since it was empty. It did not take long for the bartender to approach us and offered drinks. Hubs and I both ordered beers on tap, which were delivered not too long after we ordered. I was in the mood for wings and decided to go for the boneless option since hubs only likes those and I definitely was not going to finish. I also wanted a veggie option so I went with the veggie wrap. Hubs ordered the Tex-Mex eggrolls. Our food arrived at an appropriate time and was correct. The food was okay but not out of this world, which we were expecting. We both enjoyed the veggie wrap though. This place is a good option for watching sports and if they're open late. The place is also big in size.

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    3 of 6 TVs at the bar and 12 of 20 taps
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    First Down Sports Bar & Grill
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    Punch Bowl Social

    3.5
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    4.2 mi
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    Large group friendly
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    Walked in and thought omg this place is dead as a door know. But they have 3 levels if I'm…read moreremembering right. Went to the 3rd level and it was popping. There was music, games and all the other diners. My server was pretty good but drinks and food was mediocre. WARNING-- if you're planning to order wings--just know that you only get 6 for $18 because the count isn't listed on the menu. I felt like I was taken advantage of because that's RIDICULOUS!!! I've never been charged that much for party wings, even at upscale restaurants.When my wings were sat down in a tiny bowl, I was livid.....I felt like it was highway robbery and definitely not worth the price. The only cool thing about this place was the free Photo Booth I noticed when leaving. It was free to take videos and pictures then send to your phone via text messages. I wouldn't recommend the food or drinks here because the price gouging is insane and there are way better places to eat and drink in the area. Also, there wasn't a Dj present because I kept hearing the same songs being played as if there was a playlist being played from a device of some sort. On a good note --the restrooms were pretty clean and they have board games to play on the first level where you enter at. It was ok, but I highly doubt I'd return.

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    All About Burger

    3.1
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    3.9 mi

    Stopped in for their free cheeseburger promotion - not bad! Spacious dining area with a retro/diner…read moretheme for decor and pretty quick service even with the crowd there for free burgers. The burgers themselves are your typical smash burger and you can customize up to 4 toppings options for free. I went with lettuce, tomato, and pickle which were all super fresh. If I ordered again though I'd probably go for a double patty since the single got lost in the bun.

    I've been coming to All About Burger frequently for the past five years. It's never been busy when…read moreI show up. All About Burger isn't getting the loving it deserves. Maybe because the parking is limited and awkward? But that doesn't stop me. I like the kindly older gentleman who is often there to take my order. He might be the franchise owner or manager. The burgers here are excellent. It's a bit like Five Guys in that you build your own burger, but All About Burger's burgers are better than Five Guys burgers. Even though they don't look exactly like Brioche buns, I do wish the hamburger buns here were a little sturdier. I usually order the bacon hamburger, but if feeling decadent, order it with cheese. It's not often I get fries with my burger so I can't comment on the fries here. I've had shakes here and they are thick and perfect. A good selection of flavors too. The restaurant is clean and with the big windows at the front, has a very pleasant ambience. They also have a copy of the Washington Post for customers to read. I used to be a big Washington Post fan until that Bezos-rag went off the rails. But yeah, if I'm in the area and its lunchtime, I make it a point to stop here.

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    Best juicy BURGERS, crispy FRIES and hand spun MILKSHAKES
    Best juicy BURGERS, crispy FRIES and hand spun MILKSHAKES
    Hamburger and fries
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    Ben’s Chili Bowl - burgers - Updated July 2026

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