Came here for the chili next door to their original spot but since there was a line and we wanted a sit-down spot, we came here :) It's a lot fancier than the original Ben's Chili Bowl and you can sit, enjoy the flat screens, and drink alcohol with your meal at the bar side haha. The chili was pretty good. Lots of onion flavor and it hit the spot. The bottomless mimosas were amazing! I definitely was on a good one :D One of the female servers brought us V-day chocolates. It was a sweet and thoughtful gesturel :) My date and I were the only Asian Americans there but hey it was all good and everyone was really friendly. Highly recommend coming here if you have some time to sit and enjoy the chili, cool vibes and a great time! read more

Ben's Next Door - Red stripe, mimosa and V-day chocolates from the waitress barkeep :D - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Extraordinary food, bottomless mimosas. Mimi & Quincy were amazing. The vibe was more than amazing in this establishment. We enjoyed our first brunch on our girls trip. We ordered the mamba wings fried hard, deviled eggs as appetizers. I ordered blackened salmon, grits and French toast. The deviled eggs were bland a little. The salmon wasn't blackened, but it was good. read more

Ben's Next Door - Blackened Salmon, Grits, & French toast. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

VICTOR the waiter harassed, cursed us out and aggressively removed our personal and expensive belonging's, throwing them onto the ground. He referred to us as 'non-paying' customers despite leaving a tip for over $80. We were sober and waiting for our sister while she was inside using the bathroom. We've been here a few times before and did not receive this kind of treatment. The treatment by VICTOR was terrible and his behaviour was unfortunateLu barely rectified By management. This experience soured the entire night and I would not recommend having Victor as the waiter. read more

The atmosphere is slick- inviting bar, drinks and music. The menu has various appetizers and main dishes. Fish, salads, ribs and chicken n waffles. Arrived during happy hour 2 bucks off of drinks before 7pm. The patrons are a mix of menials and old heads. The service was fine for a busy Sat night. Enjoyed the birthday desserts. Nice location in an up n coming changing neighborhood. read more

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My first time in DC and let me tell you this place is so good. Not too crowded great service delicious food and amazing drinks. I will definitely be back!!!! read more

Ben's Next Door - Boneless Wings with Mambo sauce and a side of ranch Jerk Chicken Penne Pasta - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The service was flat-out deplorable. The kitchen messes up the order, followed by forgetting to bring the correct food. Once the waitress made notice to the kitchen, they brought food, but it was still incorrect--no remorse for the mess up. The manager did not even come to have a word with us! read more

Great Saturday brunch with great food and bottomless mimosas. The service was great and the food was yummy. read more

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I wandered into this place on a Saturday night. Crowded, but not overly crowded. We managed to grab two spots at the bar and set about perusing their menu offerings. As we weren't super hungry, we opted for sharing a couple of appetizers - the crab and beef sliders, and the mac 'n' cheese. Both were ok, but I wouldn't be inclined to order either of them again. There was a nice selection of drink offerings. However, they were out of two of the beers we wanted. The ambiance and decor are fantastic. Definitely a nice, chill spot. The service was a bit slow and it was definitely difficult at times to flag down a bartender. I will definitely be back again. Maybe I'll try some other menu items. But most likely, I'll be ordering a chili half-smoke from next door (which you can do here!) and chilling at the bar with a beer (assuming they aren't all out). read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have a cousin who just moved to the area so I had to show her a good time! It's not a Sunday in DC if you aren't brunchin'. We ordered bottomless mimosas (duh :P) and the "Doin' the Most" which was vanilla french toast, eggs any style, choice of protein & home fries. My food was very good, I just wish I had 4 pieces of french toast instead of just two (1 slice of brioche bread sliced diagonally). The mimosas were fireeeee! This was first time at Bens since 2018, nothing has changed - good mimosas, food, music and service! read more

Bad experience. Very dishonest server (the 1 white girl.) We got happy hour prices on our drinks but NOT ON OUR FOOD (does that make sense?). Then there was a $20 service charge added for 2 people. Not to mention the prices on the QR CODE menu are not accurate. You try to eat "black owned" and this is what you get. HOODWINKED read more

Ben's Next Door - Hoodwink - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went here for brunch and had the crab deviled eggs. They weren't bad, just a little more crab please. I also had just a piece of fried catfish because I'm not a fan of their grits and the fish was fried to perfection per usual. They have an array of juice flavors for mimosas and you can get a to go cup. read more

Could be a nice spot, but the food is horrible! The ribs tasted like neck bones. The fish was without flavor and the jerk chicken pasta tasted like a pile of sage. We love lounges that have food and good music, but the music was way too loud for this to be an eatery. read more

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Excellent. The atmosphere was vibrant and inviting. Appreciated the professionalism of the staff as I was greeted with respect and courtesy. I will definitely eat here again if in the area. read more

Best happy hour in dc hands down!! One drink will get you where you need to be. Service was good, food as well!

Food was FRESH & brought out within good timing! I ordered chicken and waffles, and the chicken was so well seasoned, I also had bottomless mimosas. Everything was prepared very well, including the service being on point. My server was very professional and attentive to the table. The ambiance was very nice for a Sunday funday brunch, you have a 2 hour time limit at your table which is definitely enough time bc the food comes out quickly however the vibes are so nice you can easily get caught up having a good time and not wanna leave lol. Anyway, I highly recommend. read more

I was here for a birthday brunch. The front host was a little rude but aside from that I had a wonderful time. The music playing created a great vibe. We were seated outside under a tent. Our waiter way AMAZING! I can't remember his name but he sang along with us, and was attentive to our needs. My food was delicious. The deviled eggs were great. Fried Eggs were perfect and the salmon was pretty good too. Next time I visit I'll probably opt for indoor seating to see what that's like but all in all pretty good. Lost one start because of front host though read more

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Loving Bens Next Door. Food and service was A1. Y'all know I'm big on service. It's also black owned! Whoop! FOOD I had the brine chicken and waffles WHICH WAS flavorful and cooked to perfection. Also had the jerk chicken penne pasta which gives Rasta pasta in NY from the Caribbean a RUN FOR THEIR MONEY IF NOT Better! The jerk penne pasta had some spice to it but not unbearable and was sooo good a burst of Caribbean flavors! DRINKS the drinks were worth every dollar no skimping here! We had some frozen frosè and mango passion drinks which actually gave us a buzz! So good! Would definitely recommend TIPS if your looking for a crowd and party type vibe then the weekend brunch is the move if your looking for a more intimate and personable experience come on the weekday! Outside dining is an option Chris was an excellent host/waiter read more

I really enjoyed the catfish and grits. The battered fried catfish was crispy, yet also fork tender. The dish was also surprisingly light. Not too oily or heavy. It was a just a tad salty, but it was fine with OJ on the side. Very nice read more

Food is ok to not good. Service was lackluster. My father's chicken sandwich was cooked to rubber. He couldn't even bite into the sandwich. It was nice to sit outside on U street. This place needs major improvement. I hope to see it soon. read more

Pretty good food. Great service (waitress was very accommodating and nice)! Loved the atmosphere and the drinks.

The atmosphere was amazing. We love the music and the servers were outstanding to our large party. Most importantly the food was scrumptious!!!! read more

Friday August 6, my husband, my infant daughter and stop by and requested a table outside. The hostess told me i have wait 20 minutes,. I thought that's reasonable because many restaurants don't have enough staff. I waited 30 minutes and I approached the hostess again and i asked for the status of my table, she told me "Do you have a reservation?", I said "You took my reservation" She said "If you have not received a text that means your table is not ready" with and attitude!. We waited 30 more minutes and we left. We went to a restaurant nearby and never got her text. As a DC resident and I'm very disappointed because people we're seated in front of our eyes. They we're plenty tables available and consumers went in and out. I don't know if is because we're a gay family with a baby. I'll never visit this establishment again! read more

TERRIBLE SERVICE UNACCEPTABLE! We made reservations almost 2-3 weeks before, been in contact with an employee chose our choice of food and everything and we show up and our reservation is magically gone! Manager was useless along with the employees. Don't go it was tight in there anyway. Lastly the host was very very rude and aggressive. read more

The food Is AMAZING!!!!! The bread pudding, sliders, FRIESS!!!! FRIESSSSSS! The Sangaria is bomb especially if you add the light pink slushy to it too! read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

As part of a U-street food tour, my group and I stopped in at Ben's Next Door for their famous links. I had never heard of Ben's prior to visiting,but after hearing Ben's story and meeting his wife Virginia, I'm so honored to have had an opportunity to taste their delicious food. During the tour, we were provided with a tasting of their half link smothered in a delicious chili and cheese sauce. In my opinion, the link wasn't spicy or salty, it was just right. Other people in my group were crying about it being too spicy, I guess to each his own when it comes to spice level. Cheese sauce was a bit bolder than I was expecting, it definitely wasn't your typical movie theater cheese sauce, it was creamy and bold in taste. The bun was also soft and fluffy. Fries were ok, tasted like they were fresh made, but nothing special. With our meal, we also were provided with a sampling of beer which I can't remember. The beer was a dry ale, I didn't like it though as I'm not a fan of beer. According to my tour guide, the decor has remained the same for years. Its a nice atmosphere for an evening dinner or late lunch. Service was awesome as well! No issues. However, as our tour guide spoke to us, you could hear some of the staff arguing loudly in a back room. It was a bit alarming to say the least. Overall, I would love to return for a full meal in the future and I highly recommend others try Ben's! read more

My first time at Bens Next Door was great! All because of the atmosphere, quick service by all of the members, and especially our bar tender Kamill. She was so very pleasant and was very, detailed making her drinks, as well as multitasking with ease. Can't wait to go back and see her! My friend loved the freshly muddled mojiotos and I enjoyed the best seasoned shrimp cocktail. Will be back ASAP thanks Kamill! Update: came back and had 3 shrimp cocktails for HH. Amazing service by Kamill and team yet again! read more

Food was just ok,the Sevice was not good,the person ,was rushing ,he just wasn't good Sevice was ok but the place it self was ok read more

Ben's Next Door - Blackened Salmon Home Fries - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Headed over to Bens with some friends. The service was great. Our server was very friendly and accommodating and even went downstairs to check on an intoxicated patron. The food was good as well. I had the fish tacos. They were pretty good. It was a great price. The spot was chill. All in all, I would recommend it. I actually went back since I first typed this and had the shrimp and grits. It was good. It's a cool brunch spot. I went with my niece and she loved it. She's never been to either Ben's so she was excited. I recommend it. The staff was still great and we enjoyed ourselves. read more

Ben's Next Door - Shrimp and organic grits - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My first experience at Ben's Next Door was satisfying! I am so sad that I don't remember our servers name but she was very sweet and attentive. We ordered chicken and waffles with a side of scrambled eggs and cheese. The food came out fast and I was concerned by that at first, but it was hot and so fresh! Everything was absolutely delicious. We also really wanted mumbo sauce for our chicken and our waitress was able to accommodate our request by giving it to us on the side. The bottomless mimosas are generous and you don't feel like you have to flag someone down for another pitcher because they are always checking on you. The music was upbeat and the vibes were nice. Be aware that there is a 2 hours limit so if you have a group, be there on time. They have a lot of back to back reservations so they will kindly but sternly ask you to prepare to leave lol! I highly suggest reservations for brunch. It was well worth the 2 hours, I will be back. I don't have any bad things to say, everything went the way I expected from start to finish. read more

Ben's Next Door - Chicken Waffle Two Eggs Any Style - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing food, music, and people . . . I visited this location for a celebratory dinner. The service and food were beyond my expectation. There was a DJ that really did an amazing job. I also love the artwork. I will be back. I wish I remembered the server's name because she was so nice and attentive to our party. ~the shrimp and grits were so good. read more

Ben's Next Door - Cheers! - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had a pretty good experience here for brunch. The server was friendly and recommended items from the menu for us to try. The food was delicious. We had shrimp and grits, salmon cakes, and the French toast. No complaints from us about the food. We did not try the bottomless mimosas, but the table next to us mentioned they were very good. My only complaint was that we opted to sit outside for what I thought would be a beautiful day but it was hottttt. (LOL) not the fault of the restaurant. We did not go inside, but from what I could see it seemed a little tight. I would recommend this establishment and can't wait to try it again. read more

This place was pretty good. I went here with a party of 4 on a Saturday evening. The service was good. The food was good. We ordered a little of everything. Calamari, ribs, fish, salad and chicken & waffles. I would like to come back one day and try their weekend brunch. read more

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Okay, so by far my favorite bar & happy hour restaurant. Black owned, & the hospitality is amazing. Our Waitress, Jada, was super accommodating with anything we need & always pleasant every time we came back! The jerk salmon slider was hands down one of the best sliders I ever had, I was sad it only came with 1 for happy hour lol :( & calamari was cooked perfectly. 10 out of 10! Not to mention, SHOT O CLOCK at 9 pm everyday lol shout outs to Jada & the whole team for being bomb! The team also took the necessary COVID precautions with providing outside seating, contact tracing form, as well as taking our temperature upon arriving. Safe & friendly environment! read more

Why has the heat been out for the last 2 weeks in this establishment. I can only imagine what the employees are experiencing in this cold weather. This is totally understandable read more

I went on a late night date. The server was either tired or not paying attention. Took a while for her to great us but she walked past so many times. She was unaware of the specials/what time it started. Drinks took forever and we only had shots. Like I said I went late. I will try again. read more

Ben's Next Door - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My first time at Ben's next door and the food was AWESOME, my server Tayla was so nice and helpful GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE 10/10. I will be returning read more

I can't believe that I haven't been here until today! I've gone in to Ben's Chili Bowl multiple times and I've always loved how you step into a different time; you can always feel the history of DC there. At Ben's Next Door, it's another time-shifting space. The ambience is warm, friendly and light. The menu serves happy hour deals that will lift even the lowest of weekday spirits. The bartender crafts amazing Stolen Lemonades and Hennessy Sangrias (you won't be able to get just one-- and at happy hour prices, it'll cost less than your Uber home). Cheers to the best bar-next-door! read more

I was seriously disappointed with the wait time last Saturday & the total disregard towards me being a single patron. I guess my money wasn't good enough because I was alone while the others were in groups. I wanted to patronize a Black Owned Business but instead I politely carried my money to the Thai restaurant on 7th street. read more

Ben's Next Door - Wait time proof - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great time was had. However took a while to be seated which we didn't trip. Food was good and mimosas was good but slow to come out. Price was very affordable and we were giving a shot because my boys salmon was uncooked. Will try again but will try to be on a non nfl day. One more think, the music was a vibe of the songs I could make out. The crowd drowned out the music. read more

Went here on Saturday morning for brunch and it was awesome! Great drinks (Mimosa pitchers) and amazing wings! I tried the mumbo sauce for the first time and fell in love! The manager and wait staff were very attentive and out food came out very quickly considering how busy it was! I thoroughly enjoyed my shrimp and grits and the grits were so smooth and delicious, I ordered another side order! Ben's is a staple of DC and it was an experience to eat there...the food was simply amazing!! read more