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    Nick's Chili Parlor

    4.0 (120 reviews)
    InexpensiveFast Food
    Open 10:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Nick's Chili Parlor Photos

    Business Info

    NICK'S CHILI PARLOR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Nick's Chili Parlor

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    Its officially Chili season!
    Jessica H.

    Food service and ambiance were great. Always have been since I was a little girl. I haven't been here in years but since I've lost my dad a few months ago I have been visiting his favorite spots and Nick's Chili was one of them. Definitely a great foodie spot for those cold fall and winter days. Food well seasoned and so good. My friends only thing is he wanted more meat in his chili.

    Ashley D.

    I pass by Nick's Chili Parlor daily, I would always say I'm going to stop by which I never did until Thursday evening September 12th. It was a nice evening that Thursday, Nick's Chili Parlor is staple to Indianapolis Westside that has been in the area for 50yrs now. I went inside the staff greeted me, the ambiance of the place bright lights, bright yellow and red colors, and in the front you'll noticed the hot dog & chili area. The menus are above the hot dog & chili station, the prices of food at the restaurant are very reasonable, and Nick's Chili Parlor even have daily specials on certain foods items. I ended up ordering two cheese hot dogs with ketchup on it along with a fountain drink. Then, I watched the worker at the hot dog station put the shredded cheese on the hot dogs which I assumed wouldn't melt at all. I made it home to eat the cheese dogs, it was still fresh & hot when I was home. The cheese hot dogs were beef dogs, very juicy, and delicious. I will definitely go back to try more food items especially their popular chili.

    Original chili dog, no onion

    Absolutely LOVED the original chili dog! The staff was great and made it a good experience. I will be coming back often!

    Chili, Chili Cheese Dog, Coca Cola
    Eddie C.

    One of my favorite places to eat in the city, it opened in 1974 and I've been eating there for well over 45 years. They have great chili(one of my must haves when I order) that you can have as a 4way or 5way (with or without pasta), Another must have for me is there chili dogs regular size or foot long. They also have many other great items along with deserts. They always have great friendly service and a nostalgic vibe that takes me back to my childhood. If your a chili lover this is definitely a must try!

    Katherine A.

    Real deal hot dog diner on Lafayette Road with a great Sunday special. This was our first visit after recommendation by a friend. The sign outside says "Not Famous-Yet!" Apparently, the diner has been around since the 1970s based on the old photos on the wall. Inside, the diner is sparkling red and yellow - very clean. A table of Indy police was enjoying their dogs. You go to the back, grab a tray and pick your dog. They offer a selection of dogs including Nicks chili cheese ($2.39) and Chicago dogs ($3.89). We selected the Sunday special 2 chili cheese dogs, fries and a drink for $6.99. The cheese is real, the server was packing up freshly graded cheddar. They had a tempting selection of pies that I was able to resist. They have other interesting things on the menu including tamales. The staff was friendly and efficient. The dogs came up quickly followed by hot fries. The dogs were on fresh plain hotdog buns coated with chili sauce and covered with onions and cheese. They were good. The fries were hot and crisp and tasted fresh. Bathrooms clean/nice. There was plenty of parking. Inside dining room seats about 80 people. I'll be back. They recommend putting chili and cheese on the tamales! Got to try it.

    Tony A.

    This place brings back memories! I had my first job at Nick's some 27 years ago and some of the same faces are still working there and just as kind as they were 27 years ago. The inside has gotten a major face lift and looks great. It still has the classic old Diner feel and the music...that will take you back. They were playing some good ol stuff from the 60's and 70's. So, I went a different route this time and opted out of chili anything for the Breaded Tenderloin and fries. The tenderloin came out of the freezer and was a touch dry bit still had great flavor and had a fresh garden of garnishments to go with it which countered the slight dryness. Everything was hot, fresh, and tasty!

    1/4 Lb Grilled Polish Sausage with chili & cheese. So good!
    Lisa C.

    I realize my pictures may not look as good as those that ate in the restaurant, it's only because all the cheese melted into the chili goodness on the drive back home. I got chili with spaghetti (because that's how you eat spaghetti) but husband got chili with cheese, onions, & beans...and no spaghetti! Oh well, everyone has their faults. He also got a polish dog covered in chili & cheese, and it's amazing. Of course everyone has a different chili recipe that they love, and neither of us are willing to agree on which homemade chili recipe we love the most, but we both agree on Nick's chili. A tiny kick (for him, quite a bit of a kick for me) just like it should be for a fast food restaurant, and fresh ingredients make this chili one of my all time favorites! Eat at this place-it's so good! We've had onion rings & fried mushrooms (frozen, not fresh battered) in the past & both were delicious.

    Chili on everything please !

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

    This Place has been great for 50 years. We started coming when the originally opened. Never disappointed.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Great food, very reasonable prices, friendly staff & good service ! Love their chili over spaghetti & chili dogs!

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    10 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    10 months ago

    service was good, chili was tasty...but, no one wants to eat cold chili! spaghetti was cold and chili was room temp, barely warm!!

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    1 year ago

    Very unreliable when they are open. Posted hours mean absolutely nothing. They close whenever they want to or feel like it.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    First time eating here. Food was really good. Will definitely come back and try other menu suggestions

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Fantastic food and prices. I have been going there for over 25 years. Definitely the best chili in the city!

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best chili in Indianapolis! Excellent hot dogs and hamburgers. Great service by super nice people.

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    2 years ago

    The chili was cold when served I guess they turned down the steam table to save money

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious Chili Dog! I will be back and I wish it was closer to me! Looks like they have a nice selection of other food items too.

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    5 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Nick's Chili Parlor

    Is the chili vegetarian?

    No, and I don't believe that they have a vegetarian option. I could be wrong though.

    Does their chili have beans in it?

    You can get it anyway you want, it’s five Way chili with everything. Just leave out whatever you don’t want

    Are the hotdogs beef or pork?

    Beef

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Blaze Pizza

    Blaze Pizza

    3.8
    (420 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $

    Blaze is the best use of free will for a pizza because I love thin crust and putting as many…read moretopping as I want. I pick all these cheeses that look fancy, I don't care if they conflict I love all the varying flavors and textures. Then I do a bunch of veggies that would be good with charcuterie like tomato and garlic. I do not add peppers and onion I hate the way they ruin a pizza. Then I ask for arugula which the pizza artist does not know about so I point at the container with leaves and then he understands. It's ok pizza sir it's a pretty pretentious word for rabbit food. Cooking magazines put arugula on everything nowadays so I do too. The pesto here inspired me to make pesto at home. Why would I get my pizza with tomato sauce when they have pesto which is way more interesting and a pretty shade of green. These days I'm very interested in all things pesto. This is the only place where it's acceptable to eat a whole pizza with unlimited toppings by myself. If I do that somewhere else people will worry about me.

    I was the only customer in the store 45 minutes after opening and it took them almost 10 minutes to…read morejust put my pizza in the oven. It sat on the rack the whole time as the 4 employees, including a manager I assume, walk around it full knowing it was there. They were more concerned with folding boxes and sweeping than feeding their guests. Not sure if I will be coming back to this location. The point of Blaze is that it's fast fire'd, not sure why I'm waiting over 20 minutes for a pizza and cheese bread from an oven that's over 500 degrees. Once I got my food, my pizza was borderline burnt on the bottom. There was no efficiency present in this store. If I had known I would have to wait, despite being the only one in the store, I should've gone next door to subway for a more timely experience.

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    Shake Shack Downtown Indianapolis

    Shake Shack Downtown Indianapolis

    3.6
    (91 reviews)
    3.7 mi
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    May was a great month for Shake Shack rewards. They offer a free burger code each week when you…read morespend $10, which is a pretty sweet deal especially in today's economy. We stopped by before heading to a Fever game and grabbed a quick meal. I ordered the chicken bites with ranch, and they were tasty. I also tried the spicy fries and absolutely loved them. They seemed to be seasoned with a Cajun style seasoning that gave them a nice kick. My husband ordered a beef hot dog and regular fries. He enjoyed the spicy fries I shared with him but still happily ate his regular fries as well. One thing I appreciate is that they offer free water, which is a nice way to save a little money on drinks. Since it was a gloomy, chilly day, we decided to dine inside. There was a good amount of seating available, including both booths and tables. When dining in, you're given a number, and the staff brings your food directly to your table. Service was good, and our food came out quickly. I used one of the weekly reward codes and received a free cheeseburger after spending $10, making the visit an even better value. Parking at this location is convenient. There's a shared public lot off New York Street behind Java House that offers free parking for up to two hours. After that, or if the lot is full, metered street parking is also available.

    Been to shake shack a handful of times. Always clean and good service…read more I personally- bug hotdog lover- did not like it at all. Wasn't a fan of the dog nor fries. Today I went back and tried grilled cheese. It was... good! Basic, but good. Perk is you can add certain ingredients (and sauces!) free of charge. That's hard to find these days. I did plain fries (fine; not great), onion rings w/ shake sauce (yummy), grilled cheese w/ tomato added (good. But sooooo slim!).

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    Shake Shack Downtown Indianapolis
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    Dave's Hot Chicken

    Dave's Hot Chicken

    4.0
    (176 reviews)
    4.0 mi
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    Absolute peak. I don't know a single restaurant better than this. My first time biting into a piece…read moreof chicken had to be top 2 events in my life. The tangy sauce with the complex chicken flavor, and don't forget the flavorful fries. Just peak. Not to mention the milkshakes too. Dave, you deserve the Medal of Honor. Don't even get me STARTED on those mozzarella sticks. Whoever is coming up with these ideas, come up with MORE. The very first cheese pull was, as the Spanish say, was magnifica. The atmosphere was great too. The vibrant colors matches with cool designs. Peak. The service was also exceptional. The nice employees greeting me every time they saw me dig in. Daves is so good I have written a poem to further prove its excellence: At Dave's the chicken's hot and crisp, The kind you really can't resist. One bite in and you'll agree, It's where a hungry soul should be. The mozzarella sticks arrive, And suddenly the table's alive. Golden, cheesy, long and thick, You can't stop at just one stick. Then comes the shake, so cold and sweet, The perfect end to any treat. Chocolate, vanilla, cookies, There's probably one with your name on it, too. So if you're hungry, take my tip, Head to Dave's and make the trip. For chicken, shakes, and cheesy bliss, It's hard to find a place like this. Final thing, please TEAR DOWN the canes in castleton and replace it with a Dave's. Fishers needs this peak. If you don't like Dave's you: A. Are mentally ill B. Have never tried it C. Don't know good food D. Are liked by absolutely NO ONE. E. All of the above. large fry, bedsty, five guys, go to Dave's in 5

    I was in Indianapolis for business so I decided to stop by Dave's Hot Chicken…read more Let me start with the good, I ordered chicken tender, and one order of Not Chicken AKA cauliflower wings. They were flavored spectacularly, I got the mild. I also ordered a strawberry fruity Pebbles shake which I later found out after I left the restaurant that she gave me a vanilla when I asked for a strawberry. Now the bad. Even before it got busy after I placed my order, the service was pretty horrible. There was no one checking to see if orders had come up and they just sat there. When I received my order, of course after asking for it not knowing how long it had been sitting there, the person who took my order forgot that I ordered a milkshake when she was the one who took my order. Addto all that she gave me the wrong flavor milkshake. However, the chicken tender and cauliflower wings were spectacular. If it was just for the food I would have given this five stars. Flavored spectacularly, and the miles was very nice on my tongue, but the service? The service was horrible.

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    Nick's Chili Parlor - hotdogs - Updated June 2026

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