Horrible!!!!! DO NOT EAT HERE!! Had the worst experience here on March 1st, 2018. 1: I ordered a cocktail, in which someone came by with water and poured it into my cocktail to fill it up. My cocktail then took almost 20 minutes to make, though there were only 2 tables and 7 people total at the bar with 2 bartenders on staff. 2. My guests' soup was cold and in a portage form. 3. We ordered nachos with no sour cream and no jalapeños, both were on the nachos when they came out. We then received new nachos with barely any toppings. 4. I ordered a new cocktail, explaining to the waiter I have a deadly allergy to certain citrus like orange and he assured no orange would be in my cocktail, there was an orange slice in my glass at which point I had to get out of my seat to walk it to the bar. Mind you, If I'd taken a sip of said cocktail, I would have needed to use my Epi pen and went to the hospital. Though this was a grave situation, the "manager" Dwayne, didn't even come over to apologize. At the end of the night, I would have expected an apology from the manager or something, but instead, he had a huge attitude with our table. I have never been so discarded and treated so poorly at a DC restaurant ever. This was the most piss poor experience and I will NEVER recommend this place to any of my organizations for events ever again. read more

Sunday Brunch here was just right! We arrived just before 1, the place was lively but we were able to be seated right away without reservations (2 of us gals). There were also plenty of seats at their bar which looked pretty comfortable. We sat at a table top near the front. The seating in the front is pretty close together, but I still felt like we had enough privacy to talk . Plus in front you get to do a little people watching and you feel a part of the action so to speak. By 1:15 the place was packed, even those bar seats. Once the food came, which was not long at all, the table seemed to get a little cramped because of the size of the big plates and with the water and other drinks, but it was fine. I ordered the french toast, veggie sausage and grits. LOVED the french toast! It had a banana flavoring to it which made it sooo good. I enjoyed the veggie sausage as well. The grits, I didn't like because they tasted like mashed potatoes, they seemed to be smashed together. I do like mashed potatoes, but I wanted grits. I told the server, she was apologetic and took it off the bill. I want to explore some other brunch places, but Ben's is a solid option! read more

Ben's Next Door - French toast. May not look any different from anyone else's, but it's SO good! - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Let me start by saying the food was really good! I gave it a two because of the experience. First off, the floor was incredibly slippery. It is a fall waiting to happen. Second, waitress rolled her eyes because my friend asked for butter. The most disturbing thing was a customer vomited and it took a long time for someone to clean the table and it was not cleaned thoroughly as there was still some on the floor and against the wall. What happened next? Yes, they sat someone at the table. Disgusting! read more

The absolute worst. Twice we have been here and have had the same experience. Slow , or even absent service from Melanie. She barely checked on us and didn't seem to care when one of our guest just didn't receive her food until we asked other servers three times to check on it. The plate came, hot. Meaning it was sitting there for a long time. Everything was hard and dry. Bottomless mimosas would sit empty for 15 to 20 minute. My wife's food was sent back twice because they could not cook a medium steak. Alexis and the chef were the only one who showed concern. The manager never even came to talk to us. Alexis did comp the check but we left hungry. I work in the industry and understand the business well. I know that sometimes things happen. But seeing that this has happened twice, this is their standard. They need to retrain their entire staff. We will never be back here. Ever! read more

Ben's Next Door - This is what poor service looks like. Food delivered in pieces, incorrect or not at all. THE WORST SERVICE IN DC. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love love love this place. I've been twice and the food is consistently good! It's a smooth little buppy spot with chill r&b music and low lighting. Gives a nice jazzy feel. The chicken and waffles were so good and I can't complain about the amount of Champaign in our mimosas. Service was pretty good. The only negative I have (which is why I gave it 4 stars) is that it's not very big so it can get a little backed up on a Sunday. read more

Food is great, atmosphere is chill, good music. Loooong wait even with reservations so plan well.

So far my favorite place in DC to catch a game, Bar Louie is good but I like the energy at Ben's Next Door more, people seem happier. They've got a great beer selection with things like Delerium on tap and Alegash and Thelonius Monk in bottles. The staff is really nice too. Be careful tho cause there's this one old dude who goes around and tries t talk everyone into buying him a drink. My friend, sadly, was suckered into it. The bartender even told us that he's always there and never buys anything. read more

Yep, I'm a fan and a big one. Going to Ben's Chili Bowl has been on my "to do" list for over a year but it because it competes with so many other wonderful restaurants I am just getting there. Thank you Lincoln Theater for delivering me to Ben's Next Door! I was attending a show at the Lincoln and arrived early enough for dinner at Ben's Next Door (BND). BND's is the sit-down, grown-up table to DC's legendary Ben's Chili Bowl restaurant and it is a treat indeed. To the purists out there, you can get all of the Ben's Chili Bowl menu items at BND, in addition, BND offers an enhanced menu chocked full of delicious soul food. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very warm and the evening I went there was an appropriately lively crowd. I had to walk through the bar area to get to a table which I don't care for, but that was an inconvenience rather than a deal breaker. The restaurant was crowded but my server was attentive and patient. He directed me to many good many selections. I started with the crab soup and oh my what a treat. It was delivered to my table with an ice cream sized scoop of blue fin crab meat -- YUM! They used just the right amount of sherry. Honestly, this is the best crab soup in the DC-NoVA area, it's my favorite kind of soup and BND does a FANTASTIC job of delivering it deliciously. For my entree I had the Shrimp and Grits -- another traditional favorite of mine and it was also superb, the grits were flavorful and the shrimp tasted fresh and were cooked to perfection. I also sampled the famous chili which was delicious but IMO paling in comparison to my soup and entree. The bread pudding with bourbon sauce was a succulent and rich ending to an already delicious meal. Their bourbon sauce had just the right amount of kick and was the perfect complement to the moist bread pudding -- try it with a side of vanilla ice cream -- they don't serve it that way but they were happy to add it when I asked. Dessert is important to me and this one was a homerun. Overall, great experience at BND and I will definitely go back to sample some of the other menu items. This is a great pre/post show dining experience that is right next door to the Lincoln Theater and directly across from the U-Street Metro. read more

Came on a Sunday for brunch. We ordered the crab deviled eggs for an appetizer. It was ok. The crab taste good but could do without whatever they sprinkle on the top of it. For the entree i ordered the shrimp and grits which were absolutely delicious. My partner ordered the chicken and waffles. Which she loved as well. Great atmosphere and music. There was a wait to sit but some seat where open at the bar. Friendly bartender. read more

Ben's Next Door - Crab Deviled Eggs. They are ok. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I LOVE THIS PLACE‼ As a DMVer, this is my favorite place when I'm home! The Mimosas are NOT watered down, and the shrimp and grits are always cooked to perfection. Naturally, they are my FAVORITES! The atmosphere is very chic, modern and warm. The waiters and waitresses are refined and professional! I held a private birthday party in the upstairs section and it was PERFECT‼ The music is always on point, and yes...you can dance! I will advise you to PARK IN THE LOT around the corner! read more

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She-crab soup. Again. She-crab soup. mmmmmmm..... This heavenly soup made me do a u-turn and go to the same spot twice in one week. Ben's next door is all around fantastic. Some of the best service (on both visits) I've ever received in DC. Warm, friendly and authentic. Zero attitude. I love it. Scallops were a bit over done, and the music is a bit loud for conversation, but all in all, a great spot. They apparently have live music several nights a week, and seem to support the underground/alternative/neo-soul music scene....nice. Plenty of flat screens with various games on, so ladies, the male/female ratio is in your favor. Get dressed! The only reason I can't give this place 5 stars, is it seems to be packed with people watchers...DC's finest who want to see and be seen. I just want my she-crab soup. Can you please stop staring while I eat it? read more

Ben's Next Door - She Crab soup. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My sister Camille visited from Paris for my wedding and she had mentioned she wanted to have Brunch upon her arrival. I picked her up from DC and first spot that came to mind was Ben's Next Door. Though we were Thursday and you know most places do not serve Brunch till Saturday and Sunday, I gave them a call to find out whether Brunch would be served around 11am. Luckily for us, the lady mentioned that they did not have Brunch, however, we could order Chicken and Waffles, Omelettes, etc.., which were Brunch-like items that were available. "Chicken and Waffles? YES MA'AM", a southern staple for my Parisian sister to try! Off we go! We found parking right infront of Ben's Next Door, walked in and were immediately seated. This was not my first visit. I had been there once with my girl Sandra for Sunday Brunch, but I lost all of my pictures when I broke my phone, which is why I didn't blog about it. The second time was with the boo for dinner. Personally, I prefer Brunch! As I mentioned, it is a very nice spot for Brunch with the girls! Guys can come by and sit at the bar area to watch games while enjoying some drinks! Servings: We placed our drink orders and the waiter brought us some Cornbread Muffins.Cornbread Muffins, I stayed away from these as I was watching my figure for upcoming wedding in 3 days but sis killed them! I had them before though, they are really good :-) Our waiter returned and took our meal orders. Camille went for the Chicken and Waffles and a Sunny Side Up Eggs. I ordered the Shrimp and Grits, which I loved when I first visited with Sandra. I also got a side of Spinach, which I loved when I visited with Terence for dinner. The Grits tasted just like I remembered them from the last time. Camille loved the Chicken and Waffles, mostly the Chicken. She couldn't stop raving about how tender it was and all. I then explained to her how she could get her chicken or meat to be so tender by brining, which is the process of soaking your meat or poultry in water overnight. I have done it before and IT WORKS! My side of Spinach was delicious as well. BOY, the food was good. We were stuffed and ready to sleep...ITIS! Customer Service: The service was great. Our waiter was pleasant and we were happy with his assistance and service. He was amazed at the fact that my sister was from Paris and we chit chatted a little about international travel and all. It was nice. read more

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

This place was pretty packed the Sunday morning that I came for a friend's birthday brunch so I'm guessing it's popular or perhaps because it was Howard homecoming weekend. (She chose here specifically because it is a black-owned business) Was just ok. Some of the portion sizes were pretty small but the food was good (I had the chicken and waffles, I enjoyed it and so did others who had that), no real complaints there. The service was not that great: waitress was very slow and would serve half the table, then not serve the other half for another 10 minutes. We had to keep asking for water glasses (apparently the kitchen ran out?!?) Televisions were WAY too loud. I saw some other patrons trying to turn down the volume but they were unsuccessful. From what I could observe, if the place was a little less packed so I felt less cramped and the tv volume was turned down, the ambience could be quite nice read more

This was my first stop arriving into DC this place is highly recommended. I had the wings and Mumbo sauce which is a DC staple in wings. The wings were so good. I also had a Caesar salad to go with that order I wasn't all that hungry so this is why I got such a small dish. I don't recall the name of the drink I chose. My boyfriend had the wings as well and he ordered some sliders. The sliders in our opinion should be completely deleted off the menu. They are not even dressed with anything they are just some dry patties thrown on bread. There was not even ketchup. If we had the option to ask for a refund for them we definitely would. My friend has the sub which she frequently orders she recommended Bens for brunch so I know she loves it. The location looks a little dated but I guess that's the aesthetic of the place it didn't bother me at all. I love how they feature local artist and you can contact to purchase whatever is being displayed. My friend said it's usually packed on a Saturday but we were immediately seated. Would definitely come again the wings and mumbo sauce have my heart! read more

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Never go to this place on a Sunday for brunch unless you have reservations!!! The wait time was crazy! Not to mention they were eager to seat my party (3) but took forever taking our orders and giving us our food. We ordered one drink from the bar and it came out later after we got our food and already was into our meal. I had to constantly remind the waiter we ordered a drink when we ordered our food! There was no manager in sight and when I asked where were the managers, the waiter said one is counting money and cashing employees out and the other was help cooking food. The food was decent but will not come back at all. read more

Service was slow but friendly. once the crowds calmed down service picked up a bit. Food is ok, got the salmon entree and it was alright, the mashed potatoes were super buttery/oily. My bf ordered the Cajun pasta and while good, it was heavy on the cream (almost soupy). If it weren't for the chicken that came with it (only a little), the dish would have been a no. read more

Love this spot! My go to when I'm in the U st area for some smooth drinks and rnb tunes! Also love he vibe or bar and restaurant with dim lights. read more

I come here every time I come to DC, but won't be coming back. Their reservation system only allows for 'No Preference' or 'Outdoor'. I knew I didn't want outdoors bc it would be cold and I have two small children, so I chose 'No Preference' (my only choice). I get there and after sitting two large tables inside, they offer me and my family the choice of sitting outside or wait 45 mins (this is after the hostess got off the phone with whom I assume was her manager bc she already knew that wasn't a likely choice). This answer is no, unacceptable. Get a better reservation system. read more

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

Our waiter Demetrius was fantastic! He was very attentive and friendly. He gave excellent recommendations, and made our overall experience great. We will definitely be back! read more

Ordered the shrimp/grits with mimosa. The atmosphere was quaint and clean and the service was professional and friendly. I taste a friends chicken and waffles and that was good too. The chicken was tender and the waffles was light and fluffy. Very good all around. My first brunch and I'll be back. read more

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Food was pretty decent... the Hennessy sangria not so much... I would say that the chicken and waffles were really good. read more

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

Stopped in prior to an event at the Lincoln theatre for drinks and a snack. Cocktail had no shortage of alcohol. Buffalo wings were good and spicy. Cauliflower appetizer was not good. Still not sure what the dish was compromised of. Best part was the service - friendly and attentive. Probably not stopping back any time soon. The place was pretty loud too. read more

I loved this place! The food was amazing! The service was so good. Ant was kind, friendly and efficient! The manger was also super kind , the host were great. The music was great. Service-10 Food-10 Vibes-10 Loved it read more

Solid place to visit - ask for Toni - dopest bartender they have - she literally saved my experience because her co workers weren't it! Appreciative for her service truly & the food was cool - cornbread crusted catfish with mashed potatoes & spinach. No complaints simply quality eats. The ambience was cool too in spite of Covid - I'd visit again just gotta make sure Toni working 1st. read more

I'm giving Ben's Next Door 3.5 stars rounded up not for the food, but for the service. After trying, and failing, to get into brunch elsewhere on a crowded Saturday, we showed up here about 20 minutes before their kitchen was to close at 3. We were still seated, and everyone was perfectly nice about it. Two of us wanted to order the bottomless mimosas, but we made sure to ask whether or not we'd stop receiving the mimosas at 3. Our waitress not only promised to keep 'em coming until her shift ended at 4, she brought us a whole pitcher-full, and also clearly didn't mind if others at the table were helping us out. Yay waitress! I had the brioche french toast with butter and syrup, and it was good, but nothing extraordinary. Just french toast. We also received complimentary delicious little cornbread muffins, which also came with butter. I tried some of my friend's grits, which she said were the buttery-ist grits she'd ever had. You may have noticed a pattern. They're big on the butter here. Others went with the more traditional Ben's items of a half-smoke and chili cheese fries; the half-smoke was praised, while the fries were described at not crispy enough and the chili too spicy. The ambiance here is much different from that of regular Ben's... be expecting more of a trendy bar vibe. This was a nice outing during an otherwise terrible weekend, so I have to thank Ben's Next Door for giving me that. read more

I love love love this place! I always bring my family to BND when they visit. Best shrimp and grits i have ever had! The broth is so great! Make sure to ask for a spoon when you order it. They have a great brunch with bottomless mimosas offered and I love the muffins. It is crowded but that does not bother me. I love the ambiance too. Great place to go to celebrate a bday (been there 3 times for that reason.) Close to the metro so if you do not have a car you can take the train. read more

Man o Man. The food was on point and gave me my fix. Lol. My wife and I had the chicken and waffles, banging. Our daughter is picky and was loving the food. The chicken is crispy and full of flavor. It's not spicey but has a kick to it. We were visiting from NY and if we lived in DC, we'd be regulars. read more

Absolutely amazing! We had catfish with kale and mashed potatoes- everything was delicious. Had Hennessy Sangrias on Happy hour for $8. Great service. Black owned business- check them out. We'll be back. read more

If you are looking for left overs to be served to you from yesterday THIS IS YOUR PLACE If you are looking for heated plate with Hours old food on it THIS IS YOUR PLACE Zero smiling faces with regards to the staff that comes with a dose of mediocre service. This was not a busy visit. 1st time here. If coming back is worth the bad food and customer service I received and paid for. Smh read more

Dec. 3, 2016, a friend and I visited Ben's because she heard it was a great place to dine. We both ordered the salmon cakes with eggs and grits. I love salmon cakes and these were one of the best I've out in a long time. They were will seasoned and not filled with filler, which was important. Stephanie our server was professional and appears to enjoy her job. FYI, I saw an order of chicken and waffles coming out and they look delish. My next trip I will be ordering the chicken and waffles.....can't wait. read more

Ben's Next Door - salmon cake with grits & eggs - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

First timer at Ben's Next Door ! Went to Saturday's brunch bottomless mimosas was a hit! Nice area good staff. Food was amazing, literally cleaned my plate. I ordered the shrimp and grits. I've heard about this menu item but to try it for myself was well worth it !!! Great spot to watch football games. Did I mention it was next door to the famous Ben's Chili Bowl lol #Delicious read more

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We visited Ben's Next Door since they were filming in the historic Ben's . We were told we would get the same food and service . With that being said we will not be back and it was a HUGE disappointment !! 1. We missed out on the one good thing Ben's had going , the nostalgia of a classic diner 2. We waited about 15 mins to be seated , and there was open tables . 3. Waited about 20 mins for someone to come to our table . 4. The menu had none of the classic items from next store you had to ask for them . 5. We ordered a chili dog and chili , it took about 30 mins to receive . 6. The food was not good . I think a street vendor hotdog is better , and the chili was nothing but hot , I tasted no flavors . I love chili so this was a huge disappointment. 7. We were so excited to visit this historic place , well .. I can honestly tell you DON'T waste your time . . read more

Music selection was nice! Good R&B and 90s music. Good customer service! Limited food selection. I ordered the crispy salmon with mash potatoes and spinach. I wish the spinach had more seasoning. I had to add extra hot sauce to the meal. The kitchen took a long time with my friends' crab legs and my bread pudding! So I wouldn't come if you are short on time or desperately hungry. I do suggest coming with a group of friends and family with relaxed vibes. The portion size is decent. It doesn't look fulfilling at first but it is a hearty meal. The drinks were tasty but not the strongest. The bread pudding comes with a scoop of ice cream and is delicious read more

Ben's Next Door - Bread pudding with ice cream - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I like the concept and atmosphere of this place and would like to like the food and service more than I do. The tomato and mozzarella appetizer is overpriced and not that great; the tomatoes they used could be better. I have always found the service slow, but not in the "relaxed, take it easy" way that service could be slow in a lounge-y type place. The staff always looks frenzied and busy; perhaps they do not have enough staff. The mac and cheese is pretty solid and the fried chicken is good. The she crab soup is subpar, I think, though others have said good things about it. Stick with the fried chicken, I think, unless you want to get something off of the original ben's chili bowl menu, which is always tasty. read more

Stop #2 for Yelp Kick off. We arrive, we get a "space". Unfortunately, our 5 tables had trouble getting service. After our waiter took our order, he pretty much disappeared. Thank goodness someone else brought us some water. I always think it is a bad thing that you get food prior to getting a drink. Yes, you heard me right - food before drink. It took 40 minutes before we got the drink. In the mean time at about the 30 min mark, we did get the mac and cheese. I guess that is something. Enough about the service - lets talk the food and drink. I will start with the food since we got it first: Crab mac and cheese - I'll give them credit for large pieces of crab meet, but the whole dish just didn't have a great flavor. I know there was supposed to be three cheese in it, but I pretty much only tasted american. Almost tasted like processed american. Popcorn shrimp and fries: At least they had the fryer hot for the shrimp since it was decently crispy. I can't say as much for the soggy fires. Dry Rubbed ribs: Of the three dishes, this was the best - the ribs were tender, the flavor of the sauce good. For my drink, I got the Elderberry. It was supposed to be made with Gin, St Germaine, lime juice and simple syrup. What I tasted was mostly lime juice. This drink was way too tart! I should have just gone next door for the half smoke and chili cheese fries, I would have been much happier. In light of all the good reviews, I really want to give this place another chance, but I'm just not sure if I can. Boo! read more

Nice little chill spot. The upstairs is good for SMALL parties and gatherings. The drinks were decent. As for the food: I haven't heard any rave reviews outside of Yelp, so...I'll have to check it out for myself. read more

My buddies and I were walking around the neighborhood and needed a place to eat. We wanted to go to Ben's Chili Bowl, but there was literally a 20-person line out the door. Who knows how many were inside waiting. Anyway, we opted for Ben's Next Door. What I really like about this place is that the service has always been top-notch from the host to the waiter to the guy who is most likely the owner asking if everything is alright are always courteous and attentive to our needs. However, I'm knocking it one star since my burger with chili was pretty average at best....but not bad...just average. However, overall, it's a good, relaxed place to chill-out and grab a bite to eat. read more

You can't go to Ben's Next Door for the first time and not get the Half Smoke and chill cheese fries. They were Chilli + cheesy goodness. Idk if it was the half smoke or chill, but something in there was on the hot (spicy) side. My cousin got the shrimp and grits. It is my favorite shrimp and grits of DC. It was not to shrimpy and it was perfectly sized to meet my satiety level. The Mrs got the fried chicken and mac n cheese. They were good, but nothing to comment about. The atmosphere is amazing. It is a great place to people watch and people meet. There were groups of single girls and single guys everywhere. It may have been because I was there for the live music Tuesday. The waitress made great recommendations on beer, and she even let me get a taste of some of the drafts to see if I liked them. My cousin and he Mrs ordered a cherry martinis. They are not martini people (they ordered them because they looked to good to pass up), so the fact that they liked them, says something about the goodness of the drinks. The dessert was cool, chocolate soufflé. It was enough for three people to share, with and additional two scoops of ice cream (that we had to order at an extra cost) PS: We went there on a Tuesday at about 8pm without a reservation, and there was only one table left towards the back of the bar. FYI, theres not much cell phone service back there, so it will be difficult to use your cell phone to add minutes to your parking meter read more

What's better than Bens Next Door for a satisfying tummy filling Brunch? The answer is "DAMN FEW"! I was introduced to this joint after asking about where to get some soul food in the city. I'm so happy I dropped my chocolate butt in. My Bloody Mary was on point! Nice and spicy like I love it! So kudos to the bartender. The ribs were really good as an app! I opted for the shrimp and grits for my main and I so delighted I did! Yummy in my tummy! I'm officially #TEAMBEN whenever I'm in town! read more

This was the first stop on Yelp's CMYE's Taste of the District tour. The restaurant was not busy. All of the employees were nice. I could see myself returning with hubby to relax at the bar or have brunch. I loved the vegetarian chili. It had just a baby "kick" and was sweet and good. The vegetarian chili cheese fries were to "DOI" for. The cheese was creamy and went well with the chili. The beer light light and pleasant. This is conveniently located to a metro shop right across the street. Bring your camera to capture the murals nearby. read more

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