Disclaimer: it's not fancy, it's not subtle, it's not gourmet. But it's an institution and you darn well try it once if you visit this city! The downtown location is spacious and pretty clean, with plenty of tables and a counter top. There is ample light and views of downtown at ground level, which is good and bad. We had at least two wacky homeless guys walk in, but the staff is very well trained and gently suggested they buy something. No real issues after they left without a fuss. The hot dogs are decent, but when smothered with American cheese and that sweet chili...it's just so dang enjoyable! Almost in spite of yourself, you will want a second dog. The chili is probably the magic; they use cinnamon or something sweet that balances the savory hot dog and tangy cheese. For about $5, you could do worse and you will definitely not want to miss out on this local traditional plate! read more

Skyline Chili - First bite - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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First, the good: Great service. Employees are friendly and very accommodating. I was asked if I wanted a bib. They must know me. Also, the restaurant was very clean and beautiful. The bad: the food was not great. Chili is interesting, but it's watery and not very flavorful. Cheese overwhelms the food profile on all of the dishes we tried. It's good cheese, however. The noodles are a bit overcooked and sitting in liquid from the chili. I love chili and am used to a umami flavor and silky/rich texture profile. This was not it. Bummer. I've been wanting to go to this place for 40 years. If I go back, I'd try the bowl of chili or a coney dog and stay away from the soggy noodles and fries. read more

Skyline Chili - 4-Way - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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2nd time in a row they got my vegetarian order wrong 4th street Downtown. 1st time got a credit. Used it yesterday got my.order wrong again! The manager on duty today july 10th at 1130am wont help me or give me his name! Calling corporate DO NOT GO TO SKYLINE ON 4TH STREET. read more

This place was so good, I can here and did not expect much but when I saw the pizza I knew I was in for the best time. The food was great but I think that the best part was my sever her name was MJ. I mean she was so nice and funny and had working, my card was not working and she spent 10 min trying to get it to work. Please if management is reading this then give her a little boost read more

Hands down one of the best things I've ever had in my life. I have to say, I was VERY impressed by the food research I performed prior to our arrival in Cincinnati. Who knew there was such good food here? I was intrigued by this chili over noodles business and made a POINT of coming to Skyline. It's not hard to do because it seems like there are a gazillion of them all over the place. If we had more time in the city, I would have certainly taken advantage of that. We entered during lunch rush and you could tell the servers were struggling to keep up. We, fortunately, were seated immediately. The server came over and asked us if we knew what we wanted, before even getting menus. "Oh, you need a menu?" lmao. I was also thrilled to see they have a VEGETARIAN VERSION. Do you know how rare it is for a quintessential, iconic meat dish to have a vegetarian version? I travel to eat as my second job and I can tell you this just isn't a thing that happens. We had a lot more eating to do that day so I just ordered a small 3 way. GF ordered a medium 4 way with onions. The flavor is better than sex. The MOUNTAIN of cheese on top is to die. It goes fantastically with spaghetti. I literally want to go back to cincinnati just to eat this again. Do they goldbelly? Do they sell the vegetarian version canned? I have a lot of questions for corporate. Don't miss this shit. read more

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I know there a lot of diehard fans of Skyline Chili, so I visited more out of curiosity than anything! Let's try this famous chili that folks are always raving about! To be honest, I'm not sure that I totally get it, but it was good (not amazing?) and I'm glad I tried it. I feel like satisfying my curiosity was enough for me though, and I would probably opt for other options over Skyline in future visits to Cincinnati. I stopped into this location at kind of a weird time in the middle of the afternoon, after any lunch crowd and before a reasonable dinner time. As such, it was pretty much empty and I had my choice of seating. I got the vibe that this is likely a location frequented by people who work in the area. I got the famous/signature 4-way, spaghetti covered with chili, diced onions, and a mound of shredded cheese. I also tried a chili cheese coney sandwich. I wasn't sure if this was the right amount to order or not, since prices seemed too low for a meal. However, this was definitely the right amount for me. It didn't look super big but it's very filling. I also got hot sauce to drizzle on top which I really liked! I'm not sure my stomach was too happy about the whole meal though, haha. I happily finished the whole thing. read more

Skyline Chili - 4-way with onions - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

According to our friends, you can't do Cincy without stopping by for some Skyline Chili! And if you are lucky, Ryan will give you the whole 5-star experience - bibs and all! Well worth making time no matter how busy you are. Thanks Ryan!!! read more

Skyline Chili - Ryan giving us the 5-star experience at Skyline Chili in Cincinnati. - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

So much to like about this little slice of America. It's iconic for the region but not gourmet or foodie by any stretch of the imagination. Think of this place like White Castle or, for my So. Cal. friends, like a Jack in the Box taco. Compared to a gourmet burger or authentic Mexican taco, it's pure garbage, yet it's satisfying. The last time I had Skyline was in 1986 when I was training at Procter & Gamble headquarters after college. It hasn't changed much, which is not a bad thing. They have a few other things on the menu but the emphasis is on the chili and spaghetti. I went for the basic "3 way" since I soon had a flight to catch (you're welcome, rows 15 - 17). The service was beyond friendly, from the greetings the staff as we entered, to the helpful menu suggestions, to the waitress tying a plastic bib on me. I just needed a taste so my small portion was perfect for me. You at least have to try it to understand that chili, spaghetti, shredded cheddar (plus beans and diced onions) really do go to together. It worked for waffles and fried chicken.... or pineapple on pizza or a spaghetti & grilled cheese sandwich. Now, how do I get to White Castle from here? read more

Skyline Chili - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

First trip to Cincinnati and we were told this was a must. We of course ordered the Skyline Chili and a Greek Salad. We did not know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised. It is definitely different but amazing. Liked it so much we kept saying we needed to go back before leaving Cincinnatiand we did. Highly recommend. read more

Skyline Chili - Greek Salad was amazing and a great compliment to the chili! - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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First time in Cincinnati had to try Skyline chili. I was surprised how inexpensive the prices were. Got a 3 way and a cheese coney. Different than chili I am used to but I liked it. Service was quick and friendly. Gotta go at least once. read more

Skyline Chili - Small 3 Way - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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One of my teammates asked one of our clients about what constitutes Southern Ohio cuisine, and we were suggested this place. I'll say that one should never have problems getting a seat here, as the capacity is more than adequate. As for the food itself - I'll pass, I don't care how many ways one can eat their fare. Given I had a full afternoon ahead of trudging the streets of Cincy and Covington, the last thing I wanted to do was have a sudden rear end accident, so I opted for a salad then had a real lunch about an hour later across the river. The waitress was nice, though. read more

This restaurant was incredibly clean for all the traffic it had Thanksgiving holiday week. Diane, was an incredibly competent, friendly and accurate waitress. We highly recommend going there because of her and we had never had three-way skyline chili before as we are from Atlanta, Georgia. But it was so very good. We highly recommend this location and restaurant!!! read more

I find it hard to give a Skyline 5 stars but honestly it is the best Skyline I've been to, and I've probably been to 20+ locations. So for a random restaurant - 4 stars. For a Skyline - 5 stars. Why? The service is consistently fast. They know they are there for a business crowd on weekdays and they are FAST. For even faster service, eat at the counter. You will get your food within five minutes of arriving, max. Similar to catering towards business lunch, they automatically split checks so you can avoid that conversation. You also pay at the front so you aren't waiting for your card to be run and returned. The pay line can get backed up but they normally get more staff at the cash registers when they happens. The food is Skyline. If you are from out of town, I would read other reviews regarding what to expect. I'm not originally from the area so to me it was an acquired taste over a few years. I'm not rating based on food everywhere, but on Skyline food. It's always warm and plentiful. It's a relatively cheap lunch for downtown. $10-12 with tip. I've never been at a meal other than weekday lunch but have been at weekday lunch at least 30 times over the years. It was a major loss when this location was down for a few weeks and I'm glad it's back. read more

Buritto and fries were cold and looked like they'd been thrown in the container. not going back. Waste of time and money

This is the first time we ever try this place since we are on a road trip from Dallas. Our server "five-star RYAN" was awesome! He was very attentive, very professional and was very sweet to the kiddos. We came here because a friend recommended it to us and it was not disappointing at all! read more

Skyline Chili - The entrance to the restaurant - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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After touring the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, the three of us walked downtown for some Skyline Chili. All of us had tried it before, but it had been too long ago to remember much about our former experience. All of us had the 5 Way chili with included both beans and onions. Everything was very good. Service was outstanding. read more

Chicago friend #1: "You're going to Cincinnati? Be sure to try some chili!" Chicago friend #2: "Cincinnati? They have the best chili! Go to Skyline!" Cab Driver in Cincinnati: "While you're here you may want to stop at Skyline for some chili" Husband's colleague #1 in Cincinnati: "Before leaving town make sure to pay a visit to Skyline Chili" I'm not really a chili fan, but I just had to try it after those comments! My husband and I arrived at the infamous Skyline Chili just before hitting the road back to Chicago. 11am seemed too early for chili, but the restaurant was half full so it may never be too early for Skyline Chili in Cincinnati. I took it easy and ordered a tortilla and cheese...with some chili! I didn't expect to like it, but have to admit it was better than any other type of chili I've had in my lifetime. Hubby didn't take it to easy....a plate of spaghetti topped with lots of chili and about 5 lbs of cheese for him. And if that wasn't enough he also ordered a small coney dog topped with chili and more cheese. He loved it- chili heaven! We both have pretty weak stomachs (i blame it on being nervous jews), but I was the only one in pain a few hrs later. Sigh. And now when people ask me what I did in Cincinnati I can proudly tell them "I ate at Skyline Chili!" read more

Skyline Chili - Pic taken from website - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place is a must try on a visit to Cincy! I wasn't sure what to expect but it's cheap and is as good as advertised. As everyone says, it's not spicy chili and has a cinnamon flavor so know that going in. Service is VERY fun and friendly (must be from being so close to the South) and if it's your first trip they bring you a chili sample and have you wear a plastic bib. I had the large chili 5 way (pasta, chili, beans, onions, cheese) and despite being starving I was only about to eat 3/4 of this monster. Sweet tea was excellent as well, which was a shock for me as I didn't expect it in Ohio. Only bad thing is this location closes at 7pm during the week so plan to go for lunch or an early dinner. read more

Skyline Chili - Large Chili 5 Way - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was told there were two things I needed to try when I visited Cincinnati, the ice cream and chili. Everybody kept reminding me that their chili was unique and not to expect a hearty bowl of thick stuff, but as a chili lover, I didn't really care what form it took. On our lunch break, my team and I walked over to the nearest Skyline for their delicious chili. Since I was here, I needed to try all of their most popular stuff. I got a small 3-way, their spaghetti with chili sauce, and a couple of Coney dogs. Despite their sloppy appearance, I kinda liked the 3-way and the Coney's would make for great stoner food. I'd definitely come back and score some more chili and carbs for lunch, but beware, this stuff will put you to sleep. Service was really friendly and, despite my being a total tourist, treated me like I was a local. It's an unusual style of diner plus fast food, but it definitely had a homestyle feel. Lunch lines get pretty crazy, but even so it's pretty easy to get a table. I don't think I could eat it every day since it sort of lacks in the variety department, but it's definitely a nice splurge now and again. Food: 7/10 Service: 9/10 Price: $ Atmosphere: 7/10 read more

Skyline Chili - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I must say I had a great time mowing down some Skyline at this location. I'm not sure if it's because I was in town visiting and having it straight from the source is the cat's pajamas or if it was because it was Labor Day and I was in the mood for food. Either way, I enjoyed it. We sat down and were promptly greeted by Courtney (who started that day) and she was exceptionally funny, welcoming and you would have had no idea it was her first day. She took everything is stride and it went well. She served us our beers, our food came out piping hot shortly thereafter and we were all happy as can be. My typical go-to if I am hungry is a 4-way, but if I just need a little snack, I'll go with a couple coneys to tied me over. I was able to try the habanero cheese from this location and I wasn't overly impressed. I think it's because it didn't have as much bite as I was expecting it to have. I thought it tasted quite similar to the regular cheese, just had a different color. Overall, the establishment is clean, large in size, serves beer, is located right downtown and the people are welcoming. I would come here again when I visit next time. read more

Skyline Chili - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Visited based on a recommendation and it was fine. But I have to admit it's probably more than acquired taste. I'm not a big fan of steak and shake and this is what it really reminded me of. Without the hot sauce cheese overwhelms the hotdog. I didn't even taste the mustard and since the hotdogs are not grilled they are bland. It's all like I was just eating mounds of cheese on top of a bun. Again, The folks here who love this regional favorite. And if you love steak 'n shake you will love this. But let me warn you that hot sauce is not your typical grocery store had sauce. I made the mistake of getting quite a bit of it without tasting it and it took me forever for my mouth to regain the ability to taste again haha. But it was not a wasted trip at all let me tell you. When I walked in and I noticed a photo and a sign that said their double chocolate cake was back And I decided to give it a try. O M G I ordered it in a to go box to take back to the hotel. I decided to taste it before I left. When I tell you that as I opened the lid a way of chocolate fragrance exploded I felt confident this is going to be good. And taste and flavor did not disappoint. I have no idea if it is made here or not but whoever creates this does a great job. I might come back just for another slice Before i leave town. read more

Skyline Chili - Amazing double chocolate cake, did I mention that it's amazing? - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Another detour on the way home. Had to try it out- with no regrets! 3 way- chili hit the spot. We arrived w 10 minutes to closing- holiday Monday so we got it to go & ate across the street on some building steps. A fun adventure- which we followed up w our second trip to Graeters. read more

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Heads up if you're an out-of-towner like me -- you better love cheese if you eat here! Seriously, I was very pleased with my meal at this particular Skyline Chili location. The food was reasonably priced and filling. In the attached picture, you can see what I ordered. All of those dishes were small single servings. Obviously, the portions are adequate. If you've never had Cincinnati-style chili, then be sure to order a plate. Chili served on spaghetti noodles seemed a bit weird to me at first, but you'll be pleasantly surprised! The location was fairly clean and had an attentive wait staff. read more

Skyline Chili - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is specifically for the 4th street location, for lunch service. This place cranks out consistently yummy food on a quick turnaround for the busy business luncher. Families and visitors are welcome as well and will find themselves right along side the business crowd, wolfing down their yummy cheese coneys and 3 Ways. Do not be scared by the 'line-out-the-door'. That line moves quick. The place is big, the service is quick, and you will be on your way in time to get back to your desk for the food coma to set in. The waitresses have been there a while, and there are a couple that could use a little coaching in the friendliness area, but the food will be right and you will be on your way on time. read more

Skyline is must-try for any Cincy visitor. The chili is good, not great, but the 5 way, loaded with a lethal amount of cheese, is something everyone needs to try at least once in their life. The chili fries are also excellent. This particular location seems to be quite new and thus very nice inside for a chain fast food joint. The service was excellent from start to finish, too. They all seemed happy to be there! Didn't have one, but the Coney dogs are legendary as well. read more

Skyline Chili - Cheeeeeese - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Excellent chili - better than expected Friendly staff. Recommend chili on side for fries read more

5 way! Hell yes. A co-worker from Cincinnati told me I had to try this out. I did and it was well worth it! I think the 3 way just doesn't give you the full chili taste. I heard many people saying they could taste the cinnamon. I wasn't able to. The staff members were friendly and accommodating. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal! read more

Skyline was a must do on our recent trip to Cincinnati with my grandson. We ended up at this location and couldn't be more pleased. It was a birthday trip for him and everyone was so nice, even sending him off with several Skyline "souvenirs". We all had the 3-way and a coney. It was delicious as always. I can't say enough about the friendliness of the staff and how welcome they made us feel. All in all, it was a great visit and really added a lot to our trip. Thanks so much! read more

I have been a chili fan my whole life and have, for years, heard Skyline had some of the best. Finally worked out a trip to Cincinnati and at first chance visited one near my downtown hotel. I ordered a regular 5-way and was immediately impressed with the size of the serving. That was the only good part of the experience. I thought the cheese totally overpowered the taste of the dish. When I did taste the chili, I was shocked at how bad it was. I have no idea what the ingredients are but for me they did not work. It did not taste like any chili I ever had - anywhere. It ruined the perfectly cooked spaghetti. Just awful. I know Skyline has a huge fan base and more power to them. I'll continue to enjoy real chili elsewhere.. read more

This may be the most generous four star review I have ever written. Ever. Skyline Chili is a Cincinnati institution, so if you are a visitor from out of town you should check it out at least once. But probably no more than once. The signature dish is relatively bland chili on spaghetti. Why do I say "relatively bland"? Because it is, even compared to the many Coney Islands in southeast Michigan. What unique, flavorful dishes are there from the culinary mecca that is Cincinnati? But it's worth checking out. Once. read more

I've been eating Skyline close to 30 years and I don't intend on stopping. It's THE Cincinnati food. If you're from out of town and have never had it before, you're either going to love or hate it; there's very little grey space between those two emotions. It's a comfort food for me. I can't accurately describe how happy and at home I feel when taking that first bite out of a cheese coney. I don't even know how to properly review Skyline. It has just been there my whole life and I could never NOT eat it on a weekly basis. It's the quintessential Cincinnati chili experience. I love this place and it's great. That my straightforward summary. read more

It's a must do experiential meal. I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis but if you're in town stop and check it out. Of course the boys at Golden Star might beg to differ and offer you their version of Ohio chili but either way don't leave the state without this type of grub. read more

Solid four stars. In and out, full and happy in under 30 minutes. I may be flogged for what I am about to say...but my pre-flight lunch at Skyline yesterday rivals Ben's Chili Bowl. To clarify for my DC friends: Rivals but does not defeat. It's different. There are no beans in the chili and it's not as spicy with more cinnamon flavors. And it's runny. But damn, is it good. With 40 minutes before the airport shuttle was scheduled to collect me, I scurried over to Skyline and weaved my way through the line for a seat at the bar. Immediately my jaw dropped as an angel emerged from the kitchen with a prep tray filled with fluffy, rich cheddar cheese. I watched in awe as the skilled line chefs scooped, sloshed and piled bowls of spaghetti, coneys and straight up chili. I had to start off with a Coney Dog - they're the perfect size for an appetizer or snack. Of course with mustard and onions (my meetings were over, who cares!). Bib? No way. I know how to chow without collateral damage. Just as I was scraping the remnants of the Coney from my plate, a small order of 4-way appeared under my fork. (4-Way = Spaghetti topped with Chili, Cheese and Onions). You can get 5-Way if you really need beans, but I didn't see the point. Don't forget the oyster crackers. Skyline offers delectable, albeit diet busting, treats for a quick lunch. As convenient as they are throughout the city, I think I'd have to hire a personal trainer if I lived in Cincy... read more

Quite possibly the most revolting thing I have ever had the displeasure of consuming. Chocolate covered crickets in China and alligator on a stick at a local state fair or flea market are tastier fare than this revolting slop. It isn't even worthy of being qualified as food. Texans, Tennesseans, Georgians and a half dozen other states and cities make better chili than this. Runny likes wet, driveling nose Skyline is the newborn baby's dirty diaper of chili. I loathe fast food, but you could feed me McDonalds, even Krystal or White Castle, more readily than will I ever return to the Hell that is Skyline. read more

Beer.... BEER!!!! I mean someone please let me know, but I don't know of any other Skyline that sells BEER!! And yes, I really did just say beer.... I no longer have to cook the stuff myself to have a beer with my chili. That's greatness in itself. I was here on a weekend afternoon, and the place was near dead, or maybe its because it went on forever in both directions of its corner location and seemed huge!! The people here are nice, they're quick, they're attentive. And they're picking up the Kids Night that a few other locations have been doing. Plus right? From what I hear this place is crazy for lunch, but there really are a ton of tables. But it is a great prime corner location across from Atrium 2. Enjoyable ppl, enjoyable food, enjoyable beer. read more

Great Cincy-style chili- had the 4 way Chili (chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions) + coney dog. tasty in a frat-boy diner sorta way. read more

A MUST before going to a Cincinnati Reds game! When I arrived an hour before game time, the line was well out the door. But thanks to fast and frendly service, I made it to the game right on time. This was my first experience with "Cincinnati Chili' and I have to say I was very impressed. I ordered a 5 way and a coney and they were great. I've never had chili on spaghetti, but it work well. They smoother the chili and the coneys with cheese which was just awesome. read more

Chargers fan here who went to the wildcard game. First of all, EVERYONE in Cincinnati was over the top kind and gracious and we had a great time. But this chili thing...two stars instead of one only because it is such an institution and all of that but really, it's nothing but slop. The hot sauce they sell is great and without that the food is nothing but a pile of cheddar cheese and mushy whatever beneath it. Sorry Cincinnati...I just don't get it. Yeah, you folks probably would think the same thing of fish tacos, but at least they have some taste. Now...Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse? That place and food is off the charts! Best steak and possibly dining experience ever! Of course, we could have gorged ourselves at Skyline 20-25 times for the same price. Really enjoyed our stay there. Again, very nice people everywhere we went. As for Skyline Chili...it's crossed off the bucket list and that's that. read more

I think this is my favorite Skyline location in town. I've been coming here my whole life and have never had a bad experience. They've always been everything all the locations strive for: courteous, quick, and delicious. I also love the location. It's a bit away from the hustle and bustle of Fountain Square, but still easily accessible from anywhere downtown. We took some friends from out of town there on Saturday, and upon learning it was their first Skyline experience, our waitress brought out samples of the chili for them and went above and beyond to endear our local tradition to them. And it worked! Keep up the good work, guys! read more

My review is based on my own dish, the chili; but everyone else in my party were satisfied. I was so looking forward to trying this after seeing it on Triple D. Unfortunately, it didn't like me very much (won't go into details) I think that it might have been too much cinnamon that didn't agree with me. read more

Skyline Chili - Loaded Chili Bowl - Fast Food Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio