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I can see why people like it, but I don't think my stomach is strong enough to handle the grease. I got the spicy and original half-smokes, corn bread, and onion rings. This was more than enough food for 2 people and I honestly left feeling a little unwell. The onion rings were solid; the batter was a little thick but it was hot and crunchy. The corn bread was nice and moist, but nothing spectacular. The half smokes had a nice snap to them but there really wasn't a difference between the original and spicy. The chili on top was nice, but it went cold really fast, or maybe I'm just a slow eater. I'm happy to have tried it, although I was a little unwell after.
Great atmosphere. The chili cheese hotdog had great flavor & was over all tasty. The chili had a good consistency and everything complemented each other well. We bought it to go, so it was messy by the time we got home, but still good. Would give it a 7/10 and would come back
Let's start positive, the staff are nice and the place was clean. For being a "landmark", it fell short. The chili cheese fries: the fries were under cooked, the chili was decent, and the cheese kinda just tastes like velveeta. The hot dog felt no different than a 1.50 Costco hotdog. Overall, meh.
Very good chili dogs and chili cheese burgers!! Made with love. We are from the west coast and wanted to stop by and try it out! Very pleased the restaurant was clean as well! Nice staff!!
I had an overall great experience at this location. It was clean and had plenty of booth seating. It was neat to see all of the pictures of celebrities that visited the restaurant hanging up on the wall. The service was fast and the employees were pretty friendly. The food was pretty good. The chili was phenomenal; however the junior dog was cold and didn't taste much like a hot dog. The restaurant does have a variety of options and even has salads and turkey dogs for a lighter healthier option.
Sometimes you stumble into greatness and this is it! When I saw a tour bus outside and hungry teenagers feasting on the food with smiles, I knew I needed to try it. There is off street parking and I was greeted very warmly. I ordered the Big Ben's Single cheeseburger. Ok, there was lettuce, tomato, cheese & chili. Can we say I'm glad I ate this at home because the chili was delicious and my face was the evidence. I needed something to eat as I traveled so I ordered the turkey burger. It was moist, delicious and seasoned perfectly. I also tried the yellow cake and enjoyed it as well. It's great for families, business lunch or tour bus capacity. The ambience was welcoming and relaxing. Loved the smiling faces of the staff.
This location was open during the 2nd annual H St Festival and stayed open after the vendor booths closed so we stopped in. There were many people in line with the same idea but they adjusted operations by having someone come down the line and take orders on paper that helped speed up the process when we got to the counter. I had the chili bowl and I actually got two, both the original and spicy, although I only paid for one original. The spicy was noticeably different, and the one I would probably get again on top of some fries. Inside it felt familiar, like an old time fast food restaurant. I noticed a picture of President Bush painting the "B" of the store sign and thought I was having a moment of déjà vu. Then I realized I have seen it before at the airport location. Now I just need to visit the original U Street location.
This one of the saddest reviews I have ever done. I have given this place time after time to improve b it instead it's worse, dirty, and snail slow. Three people working still waited 35 minutes. Was looking down typing this review and look up the lady is just looking at me never said she was ready to take my order. It took all 3 of them to handle whatever they are looking at on the screen in the middle. They all look high and look like they hate working here. Clean your kitchen and remember why your restaurant is a staple when it was only 1 location. Went through all of that and it was nasty!
It was a quiet time for Ben's, I am assuming as this was my first ever visit. Without any other customers in the room I was immediately confused on where, and how, to order. The staff recognized my confusion and directed me. The ambiance was that of a 50's diner, very comforting. Great memory wreak on walls. Looks like what I expected after seeing this place on tv. The gentleman that took my order was friendly and helpful. I informed him that this was my first visit and asked what I should order. Without hesitation he directed me to "Half Smoke, shake, and banana pudding." I attempted to order that, then it turned out that Ben's was out of the pudding?! So I added potato salad (I know NOTHING like banana pudding), and had a coffee shake. My order came out quickly, I was the only customer in the room. The order came with Ruffles chips. The Half Smoke was delicious, the chili on it had a little spice to it as well as the sausage. The only issue with the Half Smoke, was the sausage casing was pretty tough to bite through. Note sure if that is the product or the result of the cooking? This and no banana pudding are really my only negatives. The coffee shake was outstanding. Great flavor and thickness. Overall a great place with good stuff on the menu! I'll be back, hopefully for the pudding!
Tons of seating and very clean. The food was great and the service was okay. But the food is the reason for coming unfortunately all the food came out really cold but it was still pretty good. I wil be back for sure
ICONIC. HISTORIC. Ben's has been a staple in DC since the 1950s so it's a must visit whenever in town. I love that they serve vegetarian options. The food and service was EXCELLENT. The walls are covered with photos of celebrities, activists and change makers that also visited Ben's over the years. So you really feel in awe of how historic this place really is
There's something to be said for historic eateries. The beautiful mural on the wall outside, the many photos of famous people dining in with the half smokes and cups of chili smiling with the owners, and the clearly heavy traffic in and out of the door. Pretty easy to see why Ben's Chili Bowl is such a famous spot to grab a bite in the DC area. Ben's Chili Bowl sits on "H St NW" in DC if you look at the actual road name, but they have added signs all around the area that tell you that you're on "Ben's Chili Bowl Way". The old school look and feel of this place was right up my alley and we came fresh from the Zoo and hungry! We decided to order the famous half smoke with chili, onions, and mustard as well as a cup of chili and the fried chicken sandwich. We altered the chicken sandwich to more reflect the style of Popeye's or Chick Fil-A with just mayo and pickles. Figured it would give us a better gauge in the Chicken Wars. The ambiance here is great. The employees were all jumping around and very friendly. The lady who owns the business was there and we got to chat for a moment, she was very nice. All around you are photos of people who have dined here, signed jerseys of pro athletes, and other nostalgia celebrating the history of the business. Starting off with the half smoke, this is a killer dog. It's not even really a dog so much as a sandwich I guess. The feeling was a mix between a smoked sausage and a fried hot dog. It offered an excellent snap and a truly different but delicious flavor. The addition of the mustard and onion is a must for me if you've followed any of our other reviews/videos...but how about that chili. This chili was fantastic. Very smooth consistency and just enough bite that it added to the sandwich without overwhelming it. I love spicy and this level of kick was just enough that it made this a really welcomed accompaniment to the half smoke. The chili cup on it's own was fantastic as well. We were dipping crackers and chips into it and the crunch and saltiness added to the chili was very enjoyable. The chicken sandwich was quite good as well. It was a few chicken tenders that they used but they were high quality tenders with very good flavor and no stringy, sinewy type connective tissue parts at all. The flavor of the chicken with the mayo and pickles immediately made this a sandwich I'd put against a Chick Fil-A style establishment. The Super (Chili) Bowl! So happy that we took the advice of a few of our followers (as well as my girlfriend's brother) and stopped in here. Everything was fantastic, the service was high quality, and the prices were reasonable. Looking forward to stopping back in next time we're in the area. Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, DC - Didn't Suck! Please check out our video for Ben's Chili Bowl on TikTok!
Since this is a Washington DC institution we had to try it at least once. This is a fast food type of place where you order at the counter and they brought our food to us. You get your own soda and water. Food was ok. I had requested sour cream on my chili but they forgot it. Glad we came and tried it. read more
Took a friend to Ben's Chili Bowl for the full D.C. experience, and we pretty much sampled our way through the menu. From half-smokes to fries to burgers, it's all hearty, satisfying, and exactly the kind of comfort food that feels like part of the city's soul. The absolute standout? The chili obviously. It ties the whole meal together and is worth a visit on its own. While a few items were solid but not mind-blowing, the overall experience was memorable, and I'd happily come back for another round (and definitely more chili). read more
1 year ago
I can see why people like it, but I don't think my stomach is strong enough to handle the grease. I got the spicy and original half-smokes, corn bread, and onion rings. This was more than enough food for 2 people and I honestly left feeling a little unwell. The onion rings were solid; the batter was a little thick but it was hot and crunchy. The corn bread was nice and moist, but nothing spectacular. The half smokes had a nice snap to them but there really wasn't a difference between the original and spicy. The chili on top was nice, but it went cold really fast, or maybe I'm just a slow eater. I'm happy to have tried it, although I was a little unwell after. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Great atmosphere. The chili cheese hotdog had great flavor & was over all tasty. The chili had a good consistency and everything complemented each other well. We bought it to go, so it was messy by the time we got home, but still good. Would give it a 7/10 and would come back read more
Let's start positive, the staff are nice and the place was clean. For being a "landmark", it fell short. The chili cheese fries: the fries were under cooked, the chili was decent, and the cheese kinda just tastes like velveeta. The hot dog felt no different than a 1.50 Costco hotdog. Overall, meh. read more
1 year ago
Very good chili dogs and chili cheese burgers!! Made with love. We are from the west coast and wanted to stop by and try it out! Very pleased the restaurant was clean as well! Nice staff!! read more
2 years ago
I had an overall great experience at this location. It was clean and had plenty of booth seating. It was neat to see all of the pictures of celebrities that visited the restaurant hanging up on the wall. The service was fast and the employees were pretty friendly. The food was pretty good. The chili was phenomenal; however the junior dog was cold and didn't taste much like a hot dog. The restaurant does have a variety of options and even has salads and turkey dogs for a lighter healthier option. read more
Sometimes you stumble into greatness and this is it! When I saw a tour bus outside and hungry teenagers feasting on the food with smiles, I knew I needed to try it. There is off street parking and I was greeted very warmly. I ordered the Big Ben's Single cheeseburger. Ok, there was lettuce, tomato, cheese & chili. Can we say I'm glad I ate this at home because the chili was delicious and my face was the evidence. I needed something to eat as I traveled so I ordered the turkey burger. It was moist, delicious and seasoned perfectly. I also tried the yellow cake and enjoyed it as well. It's great for families, business lunch or tour bus capacity. The ambience was welcoming and relaxing. Loved the smiling faces of the staff. read more
2 months ago
7 months ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
This location was open during the 2nd annual H St Festival and stayed open after the vendor booths closed so we stopped in. There were many people in line with the same idea but they adjusted operations by having someone come down the line and take orders on paper that helped speed up the process when we got to the counter. I had the chili bowl and I actually got two, both the original and spicy, although I only paid for one original. The spicy was noticeably different, and the one I would probably get again on top of some fries. Inside it felt familiar, like an old time fast food restaurant. I noticed a picture of President Bush painting the "B" of the store sign and thought I was having a moment of déjà vu. Then I realized I have seen it before at the airport location. Now I just need to visit the original U Street location. read more
2 years ago
This one of the saddest reviews I have ever done. I have given this place time after time to improve b it instead it's worse, dirty, and snail slow. Three people working still waited 35 minutes. Was looking down typing this review and look up the lady is just looking at me never said she was ready to take my order. It took all 3 of them to handle whatever they are looking at on the screen in the middle. They all look high and look like they hate working here. Clean your kitchen and remember why your restaurant is a staple when it was only 1 location. Went through all of that and it was nasty! read more
It was a quiet time for Ben's, I am assuming as this was my first ever visit. Without any other customers in the room I was immediately confused on where, and how, to order. The staff recognized my confusion and directed me. The ambiance was that of a 50's diner, very comforting. Great memory wreak on walls. Looks like what I expected after seeing this place on tv. The gentleman that took my order was friendly and helpful. I informed him that this was my first visit and asked what I should order. Without hesitation he directed me to "Half Smoke, shake, and banana pudding." I attempted to order that, then it turned out that Ben's was out of the pudding?! So I added potato salad (I know NOTHING like banana pudding), and had a coffee shake. My order came out quickly, I was the only customer in the room. The order came with Ruffles chips. The Half Smoke was delicious, the chili on it had a little spice to it as well as the sausage. The only issue with the Half Smoke, was the sausage casing was pretty tough to bite through. Note sure if that is the product or the result of the cooking? This and no banana pudding are really my only negatives. The coffee shake was outstanding. Great flavor and thickness. Overall a great place with good stuff on the menu! I'll be back, hopefully for the pudding! read more
ICONIC. HISTORIC. Ben's has been a staple in DC since the 1950s so it's a must visit whenever in town. I love that they serve vegetarian options. The food and service was EXCELLENT. The walls are covered with photos of celebrities, activists and change makers that also visited Ben's over the years. So you really feel in awe of how historic this place really is read more
5 years ago
There's something to be said for historic eateries. The beautiful mural on the wall outside, the many photos of famous people dining in with the half smokes and cups of chili smiling with the owners, and the clearly heavy traffic in and out of the door. Pretty easy to see why Ben's Chili Bowl is such a famous spot to grab a bite in the DC area. Ben's Chili Bowl sits on "H St NW" in DC if you look at the actual road name, but they have added signs all around the area that tell you that you're on "Ben's Chili Bowl Way". The old school look and feel of this place was right up my alley and we came fresh from the Zoo and hungry! We decided to order the famous half smoke with chili, onions, and mustard as well as a cup of chili and the fried chicken sandwich. We altered the chicken sandwich to more reflect the style of Popeye's or Chick Fil-A with just mayo and pickles. Figured it would give us a better gauge in the Chicken Wars. The ambiance here is great. The employees were all jumping around and very friendly. The lady who owns the business was there and we got to chat for a moment, she was very nice. All around you are photos of people who have dined here, signed jerseys of pro athletes, and other nostalgia celebrating the history of the business. Starting off with the half smoke, this is a killer dog. It's not even really a dog so much as a sandwich I guess. The feeling was a mix between a smoked sausage and a fried hot dog. It offered an excellent snap and a truly different but delicious flavor. The addition of the mustard and onion is a must for me if you've followed any of our other reviews/videos...but how about that chili. This chili was fantastic. Very smooth consistency and just enough bite that it added to the sandwich without overwhelming it. I love spicy and this level of kick was just enough that it made this a really welcomed accompaniment to the half smoke. The chili cup on it's own was fantastic as well. We were dipping crackers and chips into it and the crunch and saltiness added to the chili was very enjoyable. The chicken sandwich was quite good as well. It was a few chicken tenders that they used but they were high quality tenders with very good flavor and no stringy, sinewy type connective tissue parts at all. The flavor of the chicken with the mayo and pickles immediately made this a sandwich I'd put against a Chick Fil-A style establishment. The Super (Chili) Bowl! So happy that we took the advice of a few of our followers (as well as my girlfriend's brother) and stopped in here. Everything was fantastic, the service was high quality, and the prices were reasonable. Looking forward to stopping back in next time we're in the area. Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, DC - Didn't Suck! Please check out our video for Ben's Chili Bowl on TikTok! read more
1 year ago
The food was ass the chill looked like don shit after eating chocolate. It looks like a lactose intolerant kid ordered a Dairy Queen, ice cream cake, and eat it by himself. The bathroom doors had no lock. Friend passed out from food poisoning after trying the Pepsi. read more
1 year ago
Fun spot for chili, half-smokes, and burgers. The wait isn't usually that bad but I can get busy. Definitely would recommend trying it. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
First time patron, excellent food and customer service!!! Would highly recommend...although I prefer DILL relish over sweet!!! Good vibes...great experience... read more
You gotta try this place when you visit DC. It has a great history. We ate at the H Street location but wish we had visited the original Ben's. We arrived around 2pm. It wasn't too busy and service was quick and efficient. My husband ordered the original Half Smoke with chili and a side of fries. I ordered the small salad topped with vegan chili The fries were cold which brought our rating down. The Half Smoke was tasty - next time we'll try the spicy version. The small salad topped with chili was good and very filling. read more
3 years ago
A DC staple and delivers every time. The Original half smoked with Chili and cheese is spot on delicious. The crew behind the counter serving the food, is just as AWSOME, friendly, and welcoming. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Great family owned restaurant with an awesome history & tasty food. We got our order quickly and everything was fresh & hot. Service was great and all staff was friendly. The inside of the restaurant is nice and clean and the art on the walls records the restaurant's history read more
1 year ago
All I can say is YES, YES, YES!! This place is amazing!! The food is just so outrageously good! The chili is hands down the best I've ever had! I went with my husband and we both ordered the beef chili dog and split chili cheese fries. Our food was out quickly and was piping hot! The workers were very friendly as well. The hot dog was high quality you could taste and was so juicy! The chili on top was perfectly balanced with spices and meat! Super messy to eat, but so worth it! The chili cheese fries were also to die for! My husband and I were trying to be fair by alternating turns taking bites of them, but it was so hard to not just take the whole batch for myself lol! They didn't skimp on the chili or the cheese on the fries either! We had the best food here and highly recommend trying this place! We will definitely make a point to come back next time we visit DC! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
6 years ago
Good Turkey hotdog at Ben's, with veggie chili on top. The hype is a bit much, the hotdog had a nice snap while eating, with a generous, sloppy serving of chili on top. Toppings of raw onions elevated the flavor and texture of every bite. But I've had better, not bad but not super wow either. Recommended to grab one if you're anywhere around this joint, just average. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
Why does this place only have 2.5 stars? I had a solid experience here but maybe because it was a Thursday evening, it was raining outside, and there wasn't that many people dining. The staff was extremely helpful/polite. The Ben's Original half Smoke was familiarly satisfyingly delicious and the whole place was pretty clean. I guess maybe when it gets really busy sometimes stuff can get forgotten and dirty, but that's inevitable at a popular/historic sausage joint. Luckily during my experience, everything went pretty smooth. One of the workers even gave my friend a free sample of their chili without beans since he can't eat those. That said, you shouldn't really expect anything close to fine dining here. You just come for the juicy/tasty sausages and leave comfortably full. Hopefully achieving these goals goes without error. read more
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More info about Ben's Chili Bowl
1001 H St NE
Washington, DC 20002
H Street Corridor/Atlas District/Near Northeast
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(202) 733-1895
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