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“Good food and friendly service ”
Review of Ben's Chili Bowl

Ben's Chili Bowl
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Ranked #12 of 212 Quick Bites in Washington DC
Certificate of Excellence
Price range: $0 - $7
Cuisines: American
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Restaurant details
Good for: Local cuisine
Dining options: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night, Takeout
Description: Ben's Chili Bowl is a black-owned American restaurant located in Washington, DC. Ben's Chili Bowl is a famous DC hot spot for American classics like half-smoked sausage, banana pudding, chili dogs, and even vegan chili. In part to our deeply rooted history, we've become a popular stop during tourist visits to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. We attract locals, tourists, and celebrities such as Barack Obama, Anthony Bourdain, and more. Stop by Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street for your favorite American classics, or book us for catering in the Washington, DC area.
Reviewed November 19, 2017 via mobile

We were looking for a casual place to eat before going to an event at the Lincoln theater. The line to order was long, so we decided to sit at the counter. It took a while before someone waited on us, but once we put our order in we received our food fairly quickly. I ordered a turkey burger and my husband got the half smoke. We also ordered cheese fries and got chili on the side. Everything was very tasty. We had a little time to waste before our show started so we decided to order a milkshake. The milkshake wasn’t anything special but the young man fixing it for us was quite entertaining.

Date of visit: November 2017
1  Thank vebbie68
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nizam A, Owner at Ben's Chili Bowl, responded to this reviewResponded November 20, 2017

Thank you so much for the wonderful review. We are thrilled you decided to dine with us before your event at the Lincoln Theater and truly enjoyed everything you ordered- especially the turkey burger! We are glad you received great service once you sat at the counter. We hope to see you again soon!
Our Warmest Regards,
The Ali Family

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviews (2,157)
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242 - 246 of 2,157 reviews

Reviewed November 12, 2017

We were starving after attending the theatre next door. Seemed like a popular place. Had to scrape off the chili from my hotdog. It was sooo spicy. It was okay, but McDonald's is better.

Date of visit: November 2017
    • Value
    • Service
    • Food
Thank pamsp1430
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nizam A, Owner at Ben's Chili Bowl, responded to this reviewResponded November 19, 2017

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are very disappointed to hear you would rather visit a chain restaurant for a quick bite to eat rather than Ben’s, but we know we can’t please everyone. Still, we are happy you decided to try us after leaving the theater. We hope you will stop by again for another chance.
Our Warmest Regards,
The Ali Family

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed November 10, 2017 via mobile

The food tasted good and wasn't expensive. The best part about this place is getting to sit in the same seat that the president sat in. The decor is pretty cool too, the walls are covered with pictures of celebrities or famous people who have visited the restaurant over the years ❤️❤️❤️

Date of visit: November 2017
Thank Princess L
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nizam A, Owner at Ben's Chili Bowl, responded to this reviewResponded November 13, 2017

Thank you so much for the wonderful review and great pictures! We are happy you were able to enjoy your food where the president once sat and looked at all of our pictures and history on the walls. We hope to see you again soon.
Our Warmest Regards,
The Ali Family

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed November 10, 2017

Food is good. Had a chili dog, cheese and fries and a strawberry shake. Line was out the door but it went fast. Restaurant always crowded, kind of small. Will not take anyone in a wheelchair. Bathroom are small. I went to take photos of the new moral on the side, a must see.

Date of visit: June 2017
    • Value
    • Service
    • Food
Thank linda b
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nizam A, Owner at Ben's Chili Bowl, responded to this reviewResponded November 13, 2017

Dear Linda,
Thank you for the great review! We are thrilled you received excellent customer service although being busy and you truly enjoyed our food. We are very happy you were able to take some pictures of our mural on the outside as well. Hope to see you again soon!
Our Warmest Regards,
The Ali Family

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Reviewed November 8, 2017 via mobile

We were referred to this DC favorite.
It was casual food - burgers, chili dogs, milkshakes, but it was good! The service was quick and the staff was friendly.
It was neat looking at all the pictures of those who have visited before ie celebs, presidents, and other officials.
It’s nothing fancy, but it was really good! The chili had a kick to it.

Date of visit: November 2017
Thank StephMarie8504
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nizam A, Owner at Ben's Chili Bowl, responded to this reviewResponded November 10, 2017

Dear Steph,
Thank you for the great review! We are thrilled you took the person up on their recommendation and decided to visit Ben's Chili Bowl. It is so great you liked looking at all of our pictures on the wall but especially our food! We are happy you received such excellent service, too. We hope to see you again in the future!
Our Warmest Regards,
The Ali Family

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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

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