Since this is a Washington DC institution we had to try it at least once. This is a fast food type of place where you order at the counter and they brought our food to us. You get your own soda and water. Food was ok. I had requested sour cream on my chili but they forgot it. Glad we came and tried it. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Small chili con carne with onions and cheese - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Took a friend to Ben's Chili Bowl for the full D.C. experience, and we pretty much sampled our way through the menu. From half-smokes to fries to burgers, it's all hearty, satisfying, and exactly the kind of comfort food that feels like part of the city's soul. The absolute standout? The chili obviously. It ties the whole meal together and is worth a visit on its own. While a few items were solid but not mind-blowing, the overall experience was memorable, and I'd happily come back for another round (and definitely more chili). read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - King with food (assorted chili items) - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Clean, pretty fast and the half smokes were yummy, esp the chili wh had some nice spice to it. Fries were hot and tasty. Banana pudding was creamy and flavorful. Skip the cole slaw - tastes mass produced. read more

I can see why people like it, but I don't think my stomach is strong enough to handle the grease. I got the spicy and original half-smokes, corn bread, and onion rings. This was more than enough food for 2 people and I honestly left feeling a little unwell. The onion rings were solid; the batter was a little thick but it was hot and crunchy. The corn bread was nice and moist, but nothing spectacular. The half smokes had a nice snap to them but there really wasn't a difference between the original and spicy. The chili on top was nice, but it went cold really fast, or maybe I'm just a slow eater. I'm happy to have tried it, although I was a little unwell after. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Spicy Half Smoke, Original Half-Smoke, Onion Rings, Ben's Cornbread Slice - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great atmosphere. The chili cheese hotdog had great flavor & was over all tasty. The chili had a good consistency and everything complemented each other well. We bought it to go, so it was messy by the time we got home, but still good. Would give it a 7/10 and would come back read more

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Milkshake and half smoke is one of the best hot dogs I have ever had. Like the fact that there are many locations.

Let's start positive, the staff are nice and the place was clean. For being a "landmark", it fell short. The chili cheese fries: the fries were under cooked, the chili was decent, and the cheese kinda just tastes like velveeta. The hot dog felt no different than a 1.50 Costco hotdog. Overall, meh. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Chili Jumbo Beef Dog - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Very good chili dogs and chili cheese burgers!! Made with love. We are from the west coast and wanted to stop by and try it out! Very pleased the restaurant was clean as well! Nice staff!! read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Original Half-Smoke Ben's Famous Burger - SINGLE Chili Cheese Fries (Beef) Cheese Fries Virginia's Banana Pudding - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I had an overall great experience at this location. It was clean and had plenty of booth seating. It was neat to see all of the pictures of celebrities that visited the restaurant hanging up on the wall. The service was fast and the employees were pretty friendly. The food was pretty good. The chili was phenomenal; however the junior dog was cold and didn't taste much like a hot dog. The restaurant does have a variety of options and even has salads and turkey dogs for a lighter healthier option. read more

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Sometimes you stumble into greatness and this is it! When I saw a tour bus outside and hungry teenagers feasting on the food with smiles, I knew I needed to try it. There is off street parking and I was greeted very warmly. I ordered the Big Ben's Single cheeseburger. Ok, there was lettuce, tomato, cheese & chili. Can we say I'm glad I ate this at home because the chili was delicious and my face was the evidence. I needed something to eat as I traveled so I ordered the turkey burger. It was moist, delicious and seasoned perfectly. I also tried the yellow cake and enjoyed it as well. It's great for families, business lunch or tour bus capacity. The ambience was welcoming and relaxing. Loved the smiling faces of the staff. read more

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Our class went to DC for a field trip and ate at this Ben's Chili Bowl. The service was amazing, our reservation was quick, the food was exactly what we ordered/expected, and it was the best place we've eaten at so far. The ambiance was great, for it had your typical diner appearance and vibe, which is something hard to come by in dreary drive-through fast food chains or fancy/modernized high-end restaurants. Our experience in other food places were not the best, so we went in with low standards. We were absolutely blown away by the actually-decent/great-food!!! 10/10, we DO recommend. Also, Obama and the Pope came, so, yeah, famous people approved as well. read more

I tried to come here on a group trip but there was a really angry bald guy from. another tour group that was apparently booked for this location. he was yelling and chewing us out telling our party to get out of his reservation Also the soda fountain was not the best needed syrup. The employees seemed to be friendly but also seemed to barely understand or know how to speak English when I tried to talk to them. Nothing against This establishment but I recommend you triple check your reservations if your traveling with LARGE TOUR GROUP or you'll be making one of the worst mistakes of your life!! ( Don't mess with angry bald guys or else) read more

This is their second location. Fantastic place with lots of history and charm. The service is personal and quick. The food and selection is very good. The fries are plentiful and perfect. read more

This one of the saddest reviews I have ever done. I have given this place time after time to improve b it instead it's worse, dirty, and snail slow. Three people working still waited 35 minutes. Was looking down typing this review and look up the lady is just looking at me never said she was ready to take my order. It took all 3 of them to handle whatever they are looking at on the screen in the middle. They all look high and look like they hate working here. Clean your kitchen and remember why your restaurant is a staple when it was only 1 location. Went through all of that and it was nasty! read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Never have I ever came here and waited less then 30 minutes with not a soul in sight - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This location was open during the 2nd annual H St Festival and stayed open after the vendor booths closed so we stopped in. There were many people in line with the same idea but they adjusted operations by having someone come down the line and take orders on paper that helped speed up the process when we got to the counter. I had the chili bowl and I actually got two, both the original and spicy, although I only paid for one original. The spicy was noticeably different, and the one I would probably get again on top of some fries. Inside it felt familiar, like an old time fast food restaurant. I noticed a picture of President Bush painting the "B" of the store sign and thought I was having a moment of déjà vu. Then I realized I have seen it before at the airport location. Now I just need to visit the original U Street location. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Large Chili Con Carne - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Tons of seating and very clean. The food was great and the service was okay. But the food is the reason for coming unfortunately all the food came out really cold but it was still pretty good. I wil be back for sure read more

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Had to try after seeing this on Somebody Feed Phil. The onion rings were tasteless. The batter had no taste either. A waste of $. The half smoke dog was decent with chili. My had the chili which she liked. I really dislike the fact they don't post the prices. What's with that? read more

It was a quiet time for Ben's, I am assuming as this was my first ever visit. Without any other customers in the room I was immediately confused on where, and how, to order. The staff recognized my confusion and directed me. The ambiance was that of a 50's diner, very comforting. Great memory wreak on walls. Looks like what I expected after seeing this place on tv. The gentleman that took my order was friendly and helpful. I informed him that this was my first visit and asked what I should order. Without hesitation he directed me to "Half Smoke, shake, and banana pudding." I attempted to order that, then it turned out that Ben's was out of the pudding?! So I added potato salad (I know NOTHING like banana pudding), and had a coffee shake. My order came out quickly, I was the only customer in the room. The order came with Ruffles chips. The Half Smoke was delicious, the chili on it had a little spice to it as well as the sausage. The only issue with the Half Smoke, was the sausage casing was pretty tough to bite through. Note sure if that is the product or the result of the cooking? This and no banana pudding are really my only negatives. The coffee shake was outstanding. Great flavor and thickness. Overall a great place with good stuff on the menu! I'll be back, hopefully for the pudding! read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Room decor - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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ICONIC. HISTORIC. Ben's has been a staple in DC since the 1950s so it's a must visit whenever in town. I love that they serve vegetarian options. The food and service was EXCELLENT. The walls are covered with photos of celebrities, activists and change makers that also visited Ben's over the years. So you really feel in awe of how historic this place really is read more

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The food was ass the chill looked like don shit after eating chocolate. It looks like a lactose intolerant kid ordered a Dairy Queen, ice cream cake, and eat it by himself. The bathroom doors had no lock. Friend passed out from food poisoning after trying the Pepsi. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - I'm atrocity of order of fruit - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Fun spot for chili, half-smokes, and burgers. The wait isn't usually that bad but I can get busy. Definitely would recommend trying it. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Spicy Half Smoke - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Loved hearing the owners story, and the food was great! It felt very home-y and historical.

this is the best chili I've ever had. We placed an order online, and my boyfriend mentioned that I was feeling under the weather and they added such cute messages to the bag and to our food. It really brightened my day. You can tell that the food is made with love. Don't skip the banana pudding thank you Ben's chili bowl on H Street you made me feel so much better. read more

There's something to be said for historic eateries. The beautiful mural on the wall outside, the many photos of famous people dining in with the half smokes and cups of chili smiling with the owners, and the clearly heavy traffic in and out of the door. Pretty easy to see why Ben's Chili Bowl is such a famous spot to grab a bite in the DC area. Ben's Chili Bowl sits on "H St NW" in DC if you look at the actual road name, but they have added signs all around the area that tell you that you're on "Ben's Chili Bowl Way". The old school look and feel of this place was right up my alley and we came fresh from the Zoo and hungry! We decided to order the famous half smoke with chili, onions, and mustard as well as a cup of chili and the fried chicken sandwich. We altered the chicken sandwich to more reflect the style of Popeye's or Chick Fil-A with just mayo and pickles. Figured it would give us a better gauge in the Chicken Wars. The ambiance here is great. The employees were all jumping around and very friendly. The lady who owns the business was there and we got to chat for a moment, she was very nice. All around you are photos of people who have dined here, signed jerseys of pro athletes, and other nostalgia celebrating the history of the business. Starting off with the half smoke, this is a killer dog. It's not even really a dog so much as a sandwich I guess. The feeling was a mix between a smoked sausage and a fried hot dog. It offered an excellent snap and a truly different but delicious flavor. The addition of the mustard and onion is a must for me if you've followed any of our other reviews/videos...but how about that chili. This chili was fantastic. Very smooth consistency and just enough bite that it added to the sandwich without overwhelming it. I love spicy and this level of kick was just enough that it made this a really welcomed accompaniment to the half smoke. The chili cup on it's own was fantastic as well. We were dipping crackers and chips into it and the crunch and saltiness added to the chili was very enjoyable. The chicken sandwich was quite good as well. It was a few chicken tenders that they used but they were high quality tenders with very good flavor and no stringy, sinewy type connective tissue parts at all. The flavor of the chicken with the mayo and pickles immediately made this a sandwich I'd put against a Chick Fil-A style establishment. The Super (Chili) Bowl! So happy that we took the advice of a few of our followers (as well as my girlfriend's brother) and stopped in here. Everything was fantastic, the service was high quality, and the prices were reasonable. Looking forward to stopping back in next time we're in the area. Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, DC - Didn't Suck! Please check out our video for Ben's Chili Bowl on TikTok! read more

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$10 for an over-salted hot dog. It's tiny. I finished in 3 bites. Traditional cheap white bun. The spicy chili is decent, but it's mass-produced chili. Not that much different than you find in a can. read more

First time patron, excellent food and customer service!!! Would highly recommend...although I prefer DILL relish over sweet!!! Good vibes...great experience... read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Turkey Dog with turkey chili - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

You gotta try this place when you visit DC. It has a great history. We ate at the H Street location but wish we had visited the original Ben's. We arrived around 2pm. It wasn't too busy and service was quick and efficient. My husband ordered the original Half Smoke with chili and a side of fries. I ordered the small salad topped with vegan chili The fries were cold which brought our rating down. The Half Smoke was tasty - next time we'll try the spicy version. The small salad topped with chili was good and very filling. read more

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A DC staple and delivers every time. The Original half smoked with Chili and cheese is spot on delicious. The crew behind the counter serving the food, is just as AWSOME, friendly, and welcoming. read more

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Good but some of the options weren't that good. Service was slow too. But good thing is: I figured out I can fit 25 fries in my mouth.

This place is terrible horrible customer service and very slow got my whole group order wrong didn't give us all are good never eat here

Best hot dog I ever had in my life. Has to be on a bun with chili, cheese, onions and you can opt for mustard. It I were stranded on a desert island. This is one of my ten food items to survive. Yes, it is that good! Yum! Danny-boy oh boy read more

The food was good. The service was fair.Overall I enjoyed all the scenery. I had the pleasure of going to the very first one.

Great family owned restaurant with an awesome history & tasty food. We got our order quickly and everything was fresh & hot. Service was great and all staff was friendly. The inside of the restaurant is nice and clean and the art on the walls records the restaurant's history read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - Bacon and Beef Chili Cheese Fries and chili Beef Dogs - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Thought this would be a fun place to eat. Upon entering, there are pictures on the wall of famous people who have eaten there. There's definitely a 50's diner vibe. That's where the "fun" stopped. Staff were indifferent and did not greet us when we approached the register. After 3 minutes, a young lady worker did state "I will be with you in a minute" in a bleary, monotone voice. My party of 6 were the only ones in the restaurant. After waiting another 5 minutes for staff to finish what they were doing, this young lady unenthusiastically took our order. It was only after ordering I noticed the state of the restaurant. We were there at 11:30, soon after opening. The tables were not wiped down and there was food and garbage on the floor. I can only assume it was there from the night before. We wiped down a table and sat down. One of my party ordered cornbread. It was given to him, cold, in a plastic tub. Another one of my party got the chili, which was cold in the middle. I ordered the burger with chili which brought back memories of eating grey, tasteless hamburgers at my elementary school cafeteria. The food was mediocre at best. In a nutshell: unfriendly staff, filthy restaurant, mediocre food. Would not go again. read more

Whoever made this overall rating a 3.1 is dumb. This hot dog was SO FLAVORFUL, the chili was so freaking good. The history of the business and the building is so cool & it is an enjoyable place to sit & eat (no loud music or TV). There were just two guys working and our food came out so fast & fresh. Loved it so much, I love them. read more

Best foods in town. Kids loved it. Menu had plenty of options. The service was excellent. Must Visit.

All I can say is YES, YES, YES!! This place is amazing!! The food is just so outrageously good! The chili is hands down the best I've ever had! I went with my husband and we both ordered the beef chili dog and split chili cheese fries. Our food was out quickly and was piping hot! The workers were very friendly as well. The hot dog was high quality you could taste and was so juicy! The chili on top was perfectly balanced with spices and meat! Super messy to eat, but so worth it! The chili cheese fries were also to die for! My husband and I were trying to be fair by alternating turns taking bites of them, but it was so hard to not just take the whole batch for myself lol! They didn't skimp on the chili or the cheese on the fries either! We had the best food here and highly recommend trying this place! We will definitely make a point to come back next time we visit DC! read more

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Great chili and very friendly service, glad we came on our visit to DC. Plan to return when we come back.

Good Turkey hotdog at Ben's, with veggie chili on top. The hype is a bit much, the hotdog had a nice snap while eating, with a generous, sloppy serving of chili on top. Toppings of raw onions elevated the flavor and texture of every bite. But I've had better, not bad but not super wow either. Recommended to grab one if you're anywhere around this joint, just average. read more

Ben's Chili Bowl - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I grew up on Ben's Chili Bowl. The H street, NE location is the worse. It's not so much the food but the customer service. I feel like since COVID a lot of restaurants don't care about customer service anymore. I placed an order through Uber Eats. I know it's not Ben's fault when Uber doesn't have sufficient drivers for the demand. But I called the restaurant to see if they had a warming cabinet to keep my food warm. The young lady asked her manager and the manager told her no and the food will sit there until the driver comes. I am not sure if the manager knew she wasn't on hold, but oh boy, she wasn't. Work on your customer service Ben's on H street, NE! I will continue to bypass you and go to the original spot where they treat people with respect. read more